In Afghanistan or here at home, Cocke wants to help people

By JAMES EIK

Staff Reporter

Jason Cocke is an American hero.

Following two tours overseas with the Marine Corps, he immediately trained to be a volunteer firefighter with Spokane County Fire District 10. Cocke works with the state's Department of Ecology, inspecting underground tanks, making sure they meet proper requirements.

After three months of training, during the Dec. 21 graduation ceremony for the West Plains Recruit Structural Academy, Cocke received the Valedictorian and Bulldog awards for the group.

The idea to become a firefighter first truly hit him in March of 2010, he said, while in Guam. Some of his friends were firefighters there, and helped guide him in that direction upon his return from Afghanistan. The chance to help his community was a calling he couldn't ignore.

“For me to come back and get into something like this, it was something to do good, feel good, help the community and do something that can really make a difference,” he said.

When he first signed up for the training, he didn't even realize it was a full academy with certification.

Even while overseas, Cocke was looking into becoming a firefighter.

His children are ecstatic about the job, and even received a tour of the station and truck during Cocke's first week on the job.

“They're ready to become firefighters themselves,” he said.

Explaining to them what happens in the military is somewhat difficult at times. But allowing his children to take part and see the station, trucks and other crew members has been a blessing.

“It's something really positive I can share with them,” he said. “It's something they can be part of with me.”

Also lending a large amount of invaluable support is his wife.

“She's proud of me for being in the military and doing whatever I do, but doing this has just topped it all,” he said.

Despite going through basic training with the military, Cocke, who is now 38 years old, found the physical aspects to be demanding. Add to that hours of studying manuals, books and strategies, and the training became very time-consuming.

The search and rescue portion of the training was one of the more difficult portions of the live firefighting, he said. Throughout the drill, recruits would enter a building wearing a hood over their mask, in order to simulate a zero visibility environment, filled with thick smoke.

“You can get lost and disoriented really easily, and it was a challenge to keep track of where I was at in a building,” he said.

During the drill, he and his team crawled on the floor, feeling around for victims with their hands. At the same time, communication was imperative for them to succeed. Team building and making the correct split-second decisions all flowed into one moment.

“You have to work as a team,” he said.

Fire Department 10 trains every Tuesday to keep their skillset up to par, Cocke said. New recruits take part in that, while facing additional requirements. They face one year of probation following their training, in order to keep them on their toes. They must also complete a task sheet with between 15 and 20 items, containing items to prove that they remember their training.

Cocke's first shift was Dec. 28, where he spent 12 hours overnight at the station. He said that other crew members went over items on the truck and also revisited medical training. He'll take a shift every other Wednesday, which runs from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next morning. Experiences gained through his military training and time in Afghanistan can also help an already strong fire department.

“I do bring some medical experience with me from doing combat lifesaver in the military,” he said. “I do know what it's like to deal with mass casualty incidents where medical treatment is needed. Mentally, I'm prepared for it.”

The learning curve is far from done with Cocke, who will start his Firefighter II training this month. Further classes include Emergency Medical Technician courses in the spring and wildfire classes in the early summer.

“It's just to keep everything fresh in your mind and not get complacent,” he said.

With his basic training behind him, Cocke said that volunteering to help the local community is the fulfillment of a childhood dream.

“Even as a kid, I wanted to be a firefighter,” he said. “I just thought it was a real honorable thing to do.”

James Eik can be reached at [email protected].