Clarence Grady:  

I didn't leave the coast as early as a lot of the group. I worked at a couple auto parts stores and then drove garbage truck for my sister and brother in law's route ( R Sanitary). I finally figured out that I wanted to be a fireman for sure. Now we have to say firefighter. In '75 I went to Chemeketa in Salem in a 2 year degree program. In '77 I got hired in Monmouth outside of Salem where the teacher's college was (OCE at the time). I was also and EMT and worked on the ambulance too. I got married in '82. Always had said not until at least 30........... Too much goofing and off and screwing up to get out of the way, before then. In '84 I transferred to Chemeketa and taught in the fire program that I graduated from there. Was a Battalion Chief in the department in Monmouth / Independence. I worked for the federal government in the BLM doing fire and foam research work from '86 to '88 as a seasonal employee. Went to the Yellowstone fires and a number of other big wildfires up until '97 when I dropped out of doing any wildfire work. In '89, I moved back to coast at Toledo and had a small company making fire foam systems. Was Assistant Chief in Toledo after a while. In '93 I moved to Phoenix doing the same type of foam and fire work. Culture shock at first, but I became a pretty good desert dog in a few years. Loved Arizona, but forgot to stay there. I went to work for the biggest fire truck manufacturer in the U.S. and some years, the world, called Pierce in February of '98. Pierce is in Wisconsin, up by Green Bay. Another culture shock. One that I couldn't take after about 13 years. I'm alle...Expand for more