American drama of life

Chapter 5 Difficulties and Dilemmas

After 3 days.

New York Fire Academy.

The 2003 New York Firefighters Application was held here.

Luke arrived early.

Before long, the scene was filled with hundreds of people.

It doesn't look like thousands of people are vying for dozens of places, but Luke is not in a relaxed mood.

Because these hundreds of people are only this batch to participate in the application.

However, there are many people who have passed the application accumulated in previous years but have not been approved to enter the Fire Academy for further study.

That's right!

This is the worst reality.

Luke wants to compete not only with this batch of new melon eggs, but also with the countless reservists who have accumulated in the past.

This worry didn't dissipate until Gary and a group of teachers came in chatting and laughing.

Luke held back his smile again and again, but his expression became even heavier.

Originally, he only had 50% confidence, but now that he saw the alumnus Gary, this self-confidence immediately increased to 80%.

Gary glanced around, and immediately saw the face that disgusted him, but looking at Luke's heavy look, he couldn't help smiling sinisterly.

"...Okay, now for the placement test."

The leaders of the college who presided over the application test walked in and after some speeches, they instructed the teachers to start screening applicants.

The application is divided into a series of examinations such as written test, physical test, psychological test and interview.

Naturally, it was impossible for hundreds of people to be crowded together. They were divided into ten classes, managed by their respective teachers, and brought to their respective classes for the first round of written exams.

Luke was well prepared, and this kind of application test would not be too difficult, so he naturally didn't worry about it.

After the exam came the physical test.

Luke's physical fitness was originally moderate, but after eating a longevity seed, his overall lifespan increased to 89 years, and his physical fitness also improved a little to above average.

Although his strength is not as good as Gary, whose chest muscles are jumping wildly, he has surpassed him in speed and endurance.

Psychological tests and interviews, Luke was at a disadvantage.

Without him.

There are very few female firefighters today.

The teachers responsible for evaluating the applicants this time are all male teachers.

You can imagine Luke's situation.

"Tell me why you want to be a firefighter?"

The three faculty members who were in charge of interviewing Luke saw Luke coming in. The one on the left frowned, the one on the right winked, and the one in the middle asked expressionlessly after Luke sat down.

In the West, firefighters are a paramilitary profession, and discrimination against women is very obvious.

Of course they also have their reasons.

After all, when entering the fire, once trapped or injured, if the companion does not have enough strength to carry him out, it is simply irresponsible for his own life.

Luke inherited the predecessor's face that was more beautiful than a woman, and was very popular in other places, but here, it became the biggest disadvantage.

"My father and I had a car accident before. It was the heroic firefighter who arrived at the first time and saved us..."

Luke's rhetoric is already very fluent.

"You know how dangerous it is to be a firefighter?"

The firefighter who was interrogating in the middle was noncommittal about Luke's answer, and asked again: "On your terms, why don't you go to college first?"

"Or go to Hollywood to be a star?"

The teacher on the right couldn't help but laugh out loud, which caused the teacher on the left to laugh.

"How can a Hollywood star be compared to a firefighter?"

Luke sternly said.

"..."

Seeing the firm light in Luke's eyes, the laughing teachers suddenly stopped laughing.

For people like them, being a firefighter is just a job, and now it is taking a back seat, and they can only find a job in the fire academy and wait to die.

Therefore, in their eyes, firefighters are certainly not as good as Hollywood stars with unlimited fame and fortune.

It's just that they couldn't say it.

Otherwise, how can you continue to mix in this industry in the future?

"I know the danger, but this profession must be passed on."

Luke looked at the teacher in the middle: "I would like to be the inheritor."

"Do you know the current trend?"

The teacher headed in the middle looked at Luke for a few seconds, his face softened slightly, but he still asked in a deep voice: "Theoretically, if you are 17 and a half years old, you can apply to be a firefighter if you have a high school diploma and a driver's license.

But now firefighters are responsible for more and more fields, more and more complex problems to be dealt with, and more and more professional skills are required.

The academic requirements have gradually changed from high school graduation to preferential admission of college students and graduate students with fire protection degrees.

I see that your resume clearly states that you have been admitted to the fire department of the University of Maryland. Why don't you go to a university first to deepen your theoretical understanding of firefighters and fire conditions, and then become a firefighter after graduation? "

"I know."

Luke nodded: "But in theory, I have the confidence to complete the study after work, and in practice, I need to be a firefighter in and out of the fire to learn..."

"Is it so impatient?"

The teacher in the middle interrupted sharply: "Or do you want to be a firefighter just to be a hero?"

"...Firefighters are my heroes, I just want to live up to my youth."

Luke felt something was wrong and said cautiously.

"I ask you, when a fire broke out and you rushed in to rescue people, most of them were rescued, and when they were about to come out, one of the rescued people suddenly said that her child was still inside, and you did listen. When the cry of the child is reached, it seems to be approaching Chi Chi."

The teacher headed in the middle changed his voice and started to give the test questions: "Your captain called you to leave immediately, because the house is at risk of flashing at any time, you reported the situation, and you feel that it only takes ten seconds to save this child. , but your captain insisted that you leave immediately, what would you do?"

"..."

The corners of Luke's mouth twitched, and the previous joy of having Gary, the 'good alumni's secret assistant', completely disappeared.

The head teacher really gave him a big problem.

He was sure that this was not an interview question at all.

And it turned out that no matter what he said, it was not good.

Obeying the captain's order and leaving immediately means that the child will die inside, which is intolerable to the West, where children are absolutely right.

Instead of obeying the captain's orders and insisting on saving the child, that would be disobedience on the spot.

This is also intolerable for firefighters who are disciplined and enforced.

Because it's not just your own life. Once you are trapped and injured, your team members need to pay for your decision, and they have to risk their lives to rescue you.

At the same time, saying this answer also verified the reckless image of "can't wait and want to be a hero" in the mouth of the teacher.

Either way, it's not good.

This is a difficult choice.

(End of this chapter)