Guys Play it safe

     I lost weight in my high school years and joined the swim team to stay in shape. In the years that followed I did many thinks I might now consider reckless, or kind of reckless. I have hung from silks in the wide blue sky, I have rappelled cliffs, I have off roaded in ways that may have terrified others and I have gone on survival wilderness adventures. I hunt, often dangerous animals,without firearms. I sport shoot and I even load my own ammo. I have and do work in a dangerous occupation. The first and foremost thing I have always done is to consider my safety. OK, there was that one time that  I once put a automobile up on two wheels at high speed; that was foolishly unsafe.
      As we lose weight, there are so many things that we can now do that we could not do before. Today I read the proud posting from a gal who went zip lining. Sounded like great fun. Then I saw here pictures. There she was strapped into a waist only safety harness with no secondary safely fall lanyard. My reaction was OMG I would have never done that with that gear, I would have walked away! 
    As some of you know, I am an industrial electrician. Not only do I work with dangerous, deadly, unforgiving voltages, but I have to work at heights all the time. Any safety harness that only wraps around the waist and is lanyard-ed in the front will break you spine in a fall, leaving you a quadriplegic. A safe harness is a 5 point type, or includes harnessing over the shoulders, and has a lanyard with a safety break attached to a "D" ring in the rear.
    I point this out as an example to be safe in what you do after WLS. We can do many things now that we did not do before. Do not just rush into them. Think about what you are doing first.  Whether it is the things we do in work, play, or even in relationships, do not let your new found freedoms harm you.
Nick

Nick,

Saw the pictures you are referring too on the RNY board.  While the young lady was out having fun I can see your point about her not being tied in good.  Looks like if she had fallen backwards she would have been in a hell of a jamb and be hanging upside down.  Note: she was in Canada and the harness my be in compliance there. 

I have worked at heights in the past doing construction back in the college days, early 80's, and was well aware of my "monkey tail" being secured when I was working where I needed one.  As one of the foremen told me when I went to working up top, I had been digging ditchs, it was not the fall that hurts - it was the sudden stop at the end!  He also suggested that if I were to fall to try and position myself to land on my backside or legs - that way the mortican would not have too much if any restoration on to do my face and I could look good in the coffin naturally.  Sick I know but his point was driven home - BE CAREFUL!

Yeah, I could not help but react to seeing that. I have fallen and been saved by my Personal Protective Equipment. In my 37 years of working, in one of the largest industrial complexes in the world, I have seen men, and ladies, lose their lives by reglecting safety. Safety is important in all segments of our lives.
Nick

Totally agree with you Nick!  Let me twist it to my former line of work.

To quote Sean Connery's character in The Untouchables from the bridge scene.  "The first rule of law enforcement is to go home at the end of your shift."  I have been blessed that in the fifteen years I was in that line of work, and hope to go back soon, I always went home at quitting time, or after it depending on the damn paperwork, when I was supposed to.  Know some guys who did not have that opportunity back in May 2007. (RIP Paul and Tony)  Line of duty funerals are the saddest things I have ever been to.  There were a few times that I rehashed things and realized if I had not picked up on what I picked up on or if the turd had acted differently it could have "gone south" real quick!

On a side note and I'm sorry this gets long this is going to get into obesity causing me problems.  In July 2007 I went to work for a small department out in west TX.  On my first day the unit I was assigned to needed to go the local mechanic for the once over before I took over the vehicle.  I was to follow my Lt. to the shop.  I was used to a full size Crown Vic with the video system mounted near the rear view mirror.  This was a Chevy Impala and I was not aware how far back into the front seat area the el cheapo brand video system extended till I hit the damn thing with the top of my head!  Meant a trip to the hospital to get "glued" back together.  This was before lunch.  Was nice and even bought the Lt's lunch and met the Sheriff while we were eating.  Part 2 in a moment.

I blame part of the incident on me weighing 300+ pounds and the jeans, no uniforms yet, I was wearing that day were snug in the legs limiting my mobility especially and I had to "bounce" to get situated in the Chevy like I had done in the Fords.  The damn video system not only extended into the compartment it hung down off the roof by a couple of inches.  In the daylight I could see the damn thing hanging down but in the sitting in the garage I did not see it and WHAM!




The rest of the story.  Lt. and I go pick up the car early in the afternoon and the Chief had informed us, me in particular, that he was going to Swee****er and the uniform shirts I had brought with me, they did not have any black uniforms in 52 pants and XXL shirts but I had some from a previous employer I had bought, he would take them to the tailor to have them patched up so I could wear them. 

After picking up the car, being very, very careful getting in, I left the mechanics and went to the motel I was staying in.  I was to take the shirts to the Chief at the office and get back in the Lt's car for more field training.  FYI - had the same problem bumping into the video system from the passenger side of his car. 

I had gotten my shirts and threw them in the car.  When I began getting in dumb ass me reverted back to old habits and I "bounced" again this time for the second time back into the Lord's name in vain, mother loving, dog related video system!  This time not only was my head hurting and bleeding profusely but now my pride was involved!  Called the Lt. on the radio and told him I had "Take 2" at the motel.  

I don't know how the Lt. got me to the hospital without wrecking us out.  I don't know who was working harder.  Him trying to suppress his laughter and drive or me trying to keep from crying!  Same folks at the hospital, except the Dr.  They thought the glue let go but I had to tell them that I had done it again.  Like I said this time pride and embarrassment was involved and it hurt really bad.  Got stapled this time and go back to the office.  Meet Chief out in the hallway and he tells me to call it a day and go back to the motel. 

The next day I did not have to be at work till Midnight to start training with another officer.  Fortunately for me he had a Crown Vic.  Had a similar POS video system but did not hang as low or as far back as in the Chevy.  Even though I did not have my uniform shirts to wear I wore uniform pants and a generic "Police" T-shirt the after the first day. 

With such a crappy first day, a three day long headache that Tylenol could not touch, transporting a stray dog in a squad car with no cage and me having wounds to the top of my head and having issues with my wife via long distance I folded my tent and went back home after a week.  

I know it was not a smart thing to do and felt like a heel for doing it but felt I had no other option.  Hindsight being what it is my now ex-wife wishes she had gone with me instead of being a mill stone around my neck.  When I list this place in "past employers" on an application it is a red flag to them and they reject my application without an interview where I might be able to explain what happened. 

I was a damn good officer!  No citizen complaints, other than usual whines where somebody thought they knew my job better than I do.  Never, knock on wood, charged with any civil rights complaints, never sued in civil court, never in a use of force situation beyond open hands or Taser.  That was to one guy who we had to "baby sit" at the hospital because unbeknown to me he had ingested 5 - $10 bags of powder cocaine prior to wanting to fight me.  Only had to go to District Court (where felonies are heard in TX) and testify twice and both of those were not even my cases!  Lady DA was the plea bargain queen so lot of mine were pled and they took jail or prison time!  Granted she tossed some too but that is within her job description and prerogative.  Other than Municipal Court for traffic offenses and fine only misdemeanors,a couple of DPS DL suspension hearings, for DWI's, never had to go to County Court.  Not even on any family violence arrest.  I learned early on to write reports that would "convict" the person before it even got to court.  None of this "Seen drunk.  Arrested same." bull****  I even had one guy stop and tell me one day when I was working traffic that if he or his wife, I had arrested both at different times for different reasons, had to go back to jail they would rather go with me than some of the other officers around!  WTF! 

Sorry for the rant but I have been wanting to vent this for some time.  I've been hunting full-time work, preferably police related, both here in GA and back in TX for a long time and it is getting very, very old being turned rejected so much.   Departmental budget constraints are causing lots of cut backs.  For a 9-1-1 call taker position the Forsyth County had 180 applicants!  Until recently Atlanta PD had folks on furlough but when crime started going back up they upped the taxes to pay the salaries and got them and their firemen back to work.  Lots of college educated people apply to be Police officers when then economy is bad because it is considered "steady" work.  When the economy is good they chase employment in their chosen field of study.

I know- hang in there.

      I posted a while back and have included in my blog.  It describes the day my laxness with safety, while on a dangerous job should have taken, my life. Needless to say I was unwilling to even work this occupation ever again:

Do I beleive in God?

                        YES I BELIEVE IN GOD! 
Let me tell you what once happened to me and you can decide for yourself. This is a true event I will never forget.

As a young man I hired into a steel mill and worked on a pouring team, the group of men that use to work where nearly 3000 degrees molten steel is poured into ingot molds to be later rolled into the sheets of steel that our cars and other steel items are made from. It was a dangerous job that  required standing at the edge of a platform, eight foot above the pit below, with the ingot molds, that the molten steel is poured into, at your foot level, just a few inches from where you must stand. Each heat, (batch of molten steel) was brought to the pouring platform in a huge 350 ton ladle hanging from the overhead crane. The casting crew would open a stopper valve at the bottom of the ladle with wheel on the side of the ladle and orange, flaming fiery, hot, molten steel would pour out into the molds only inches from our feet. We would then put a two foot wide, six foot long, six inch deep rectangular steel pan on top of the molten steel and toss a water hose, that had a steel pipe at the end, into the pan to fill it with water to cap (cool the top) the top of the steel.
One day, in my haste, I missed and tossed the water hose directly into the molten steel of a mold right at my feet. There was no time to react. I knew that in seconds the water trapped beneath the molten hot steel would become super compressed steam and that an explosion was eminent. All I could do was stand there and accept my fate. I was going to die. I watched as tons of molten steel was blasted 200 feet into the air, punching a whole through the roof of the building and coming down towards me. I remember seeing orange rain all around. My protective heat resistant safety clothing and gear was only designed to protect me from the searing radiant heat, but nothing could save me from a direct stream of molten steel.
I knew that the severity of the burns would sear nerve endings so if I was feeling no pain that it was shock and I was just a walking dead man. When it all stopped coming down I finished my last prayer and discovered that there was molten steel all around me, but that I was standing on the only spot on the platform where there was none, as if  was on a little dry island in an ocean of molten lava. I was untouched, though my outer protective layers of my safety suit was scorched, I was not! I looked up and saw that there was nothing overhead that should have protected me. Nothing but God. I say my thanks to him everyday.
When I left the platform, walking out of the orange lit steamy mist, my co-worker could not believe that anyone could have survived that. I could hear ambulances were already on their way and the coroner, I was later told, had already been called. When a co-worker asked "how did you survive that" I answered "God sent a guardian angle to hold and umbrella open above me." 
I did not live a very Godly life at that time, not at all! So does that sound like a punishing God? I think he tries to save even sinners like me, but  decide for yourself. When you do try and imagine seeing that wall of fire, that I saw that day, coming at you and living to tell about it without a loving, forgiving God.
Thank you again Lord
Nick

Nick,

Your "six" was covered that day. 

Yeah it was!
Nick

Nick,
You can't protect people from going into the "STUPID" zone.  I know, I've been to the
"STUPID" zone on a few occassions.  I never thought I'd make it to 50 let alone 63.  As my son has said about me.  Dad, you need 24/7 bubble wrap.  What to expect from a bomb guy.
But your point taken about going back out after WLS. To be fair, I have more wisdom now and less desire to take the chances anymore.  Hell, getting aroung the DC beltway is hairy for me and talking on the cell at 70 MPH is my biggest rush of the week.
Good luck

Well at 55 I know I have slowed down and am not as much of an adrenaline freak as I once was. I do still plan on going white water rafting and I will still hunt with knife and spear. I do these things knowing I am taking a risk, but I don't take those risks lightly. (Yes I killed that boar, that I once posted a picture of here, with spear, and no I don't hunt bear or lions that way!) The gal's post today just got me thinking. She, I am sure, has had no training in aerial safety. She probably just jumped in never giving it a thought. Guess I am use to planning ahead and learning before you leap. I realized that others here may see things they now can do and may try them without proper training or knowledge of what is or is not safe. As a hunter, I guess this is why all 50 states now require hunter safety classes. As a firearms instructor, I wish everyone learned firearm safety, even if they do not own a gun. As a hunting guide I wish everyone learned to shoot straight and the dangers of wild animals. And as an electrician, even though I make a lot of money fixing the things do it yourselfers screw up, I wish people would leave electricity to the pros.
Nick

I've been on post on a deer drive half way up the mountain in WVA.  All of  sudden the deer jumped out and drivers, spotters all started firing at me.  The 8 pt stopped 10meters in front of me.  Branches, dirt all flying.  I dug a hole with my bare hands.  Booze, guns/ammo and a bunch of city guys with $3k set-ups. I was in bright orange and yelling like a Mf'er.

Got up and never went back to WV again
Electric story, I got caught between 3 stands of an electric fence I tried to jump.  The more I tried to get out the more entangled I became.  Still have the scares from that one.