NathanielCorry

EarlMulderink
UNIV492535I
8November2015
FinalReflections
WhenIfirststartedstudyingatSouthernUtahUniversityin2013Iimmediatelyheard
aboutsomemysteriousand,forthemostpart,despisedrequirementforgraduationknownas
TheEDGEProject,ortheEducationDesignedtoGiveExperienceProject.Naturally,dueto
thepowerofthebandwagoneffect,IjoinedthecrowdintheirhatredofEDGE,complaining
rightalongsidethemforthenexttwoyears,anddreadingthetimewhenIwouldhaveto
completeit.ThatallchangedassoonasIhadcompletedmyownEDGEproject.
WhilethinkingofpossibleEDGEprojectsthatwouldinvolvemycommunity,Ithought
aboutmycurrentpositionasavolunteerfirefighterinmyhometownofKanosh.Ihadbeena
volunteerwildlandandstructurefirefightersinceAprilof2014,andhadbeenservingasonefor
alittleunderayearbythetimeIneededtodecideonaproject.
Inordertoadvanceasawildlandfirefighterandbeabletoprotectothercommunities
withinthestate,aswellascommunitiesallovertheUnitedStates,firefightersmustobtainwhat
isknownasaRedCard,orIncidentManagementQualificationCard.Thiscardshowsthatthe
firefighterhasundergonetherigorousphysicalandmentaltestingrequiredtobeabletocombat
dangerouswildlandfires,andeffectivelyprotectthelivesandpropertyofthoseinneed.
Obtainingthisredcard,whichwouldpromotemypositiontoWildlandFirefighterTypeII,
becamethecoreofmycommunityEDGEproject.
InordertoobtainmyredcardIneededtopassaseriesofphysicalandmentaltests.
Thephysicalportionofthetest,knownasmanipulatives,aredesignedtotestmyabilitiesto

performallthenecessaryoperationsandtasksrequiredbyTypeIIfirefighterswhilefighting
wildlandfires.AfterpassingthemanipulativesIwouldthenneedtopassawrittenexamwhich
wouldtestmyknowledgeonsubjectssuchasfirebehavior,suppression,weather,firstaid,
controltactics,tools,andsafety.
InordertopreparemyselfforthesetestsIattendednumerousfiretrainingexercises,
wentoneverysinglefirecallweweredeployedto,andattendedan8houraday,fourdayred
cardclassdesignedtoprepareusforthewrittenportionoftheexam.DuringthistimeIalso
completednumerousprerequisitetestsforboththementalandphysicalrequirements.Bythe
timeIwaspreparedtotakethetestsalmost6monthshadpassed,butmyprojectwasnearing
itscompletion.
TowardstheendofJulyofthisyear,fireofficialsfromDelta,UtahcametoourKanosh
firedepartmentinordertogivethepotentialrecruitsourmanipulativeandwrittentests.Forthe
manipulativetestIhadtodeployandenterafireshelterinunder25seconds,puttogetherand
operateabackpackpump,simulatetheoperationofadriptorch,ignite,simulateuseof,and
extinguishafusee,andinspectmultiplefiretoolsandequipmentforanydamageorsignsof
breakage.Thewrittentestwasgivenlikeauniversityfinaltest,andwascompletedusinga
scantron.WithintwoweeksoftakingthetestsIwasinformedbyourFireCaptainthatIhad
passedbothtests.AfewdayslaterIreceivedapackagefromUtahValleyUniversity,wherethe
firetestingisusuallydone,whichcontainedmycertificateofcompletion,mynewTypeIIfire
patch,andmylongsoughtafterredcard.IwasofficiallyaUtahStateWildlandFirefighterType
II.
TheSouthernUtahUniversityEDGEProjectisgivenalotofnegativefeedbackfromthe
mainstudentbody.AskarandomstudenttheiropinionofEDGEandtheywillmostlikelyshare
withyoualltheirreasonswhytheybelieveittobejustawasteoftimeandpointless.Some

studentsevenuseitasajumpingoffpointforstartingbasicconversation.IknowthisbecauseI
usedtobeoneofthosestudents.IdidntseethepointintheEDGEProject,Ididntwantto
completeit,andIthoughtthatanyservicedoneasarequirementtograduateisnottrueservice
atall.ButifitwasntfortheEDGEProjectgivingmethemotivationtoseekoutatruly
meaningfulserviceproject,Imayneverhavetakenthetimeandenergytocompletemy
training,andneverwouldhavebecomeaTypeIIfirefighter.
TheSouthernUtahUniversityEDGEProjectisnotdesignedasawaytoforcestudents
todosomethingforthecommunity,orforthemselves,anditsdefinitelynotdesignedtohold
backstudentsfromgraduating.TheEDGEProjectisdesignedtoshowyouthatyoucan
accomplishsomethingamazing,whetherthosethingsareforthecommunity,theenvironment,
orforyourself.IfIcanbecomeaTypeIIWildlandFirefighter,imaginewhatelseIcouldachieve
ifIputmymindtowardsitandthinknotofwhatisexpectedofme,butwhatmypotentialis.
ImmediatelyafterIhadbecomeaTypeIIFirefighterIwasgiventheamazingopportunity
tousemynewfoundpositionontheSolitudeFirenearScipio,hereinUtah.Iwasdeployedfor
fourdayswithmyfirechiefassupportforthefrontlinefirefighters,providingthemwithwater
andemergencysupportfromourtacticalwatertender.Illneverforgetthatexperience,watching
thefireblowupintheafternoon,hearingtheworriedvoicesontheradiowheneverthingsgot
bad,butknowingIhadthetrainingIneededtogetthroughitifpushcametoshove,andthe
intensefeelingofcomraderyfromallthefirefightersaroundme.ThatistheresultofmyEDGE
project,andIwillalwaysbegratefulforit.