What does it mean to be a rookie?

In Beverly Hills every single firefighter goes through a one year probationary period in which we are constantly being trained and tested. The testing portion consists of a 6 month and 10 month manipulative and written exam, as well as monthly quizzes. The rookie is also responsible for presenting a daily “drill” on either a specific tool or task. He or she researches, studies, practices and then finally presents a 10-15 minute drill in which the entire station personnel watch and then will ask follow up questions. Besides the testing portion, the rookie is also the low man on the totem pole and is typically responsible for simple tasks like getting the newspaper, raising/lowering the flag, cleaning the bathrooms, and doing the dishes after lunch and dinner. Being a rookie isn’t all bad; every day presents an opportunity to be a positive influence on the community, practice to become more proficient at our job, work together as a team in many different settings, and to learn from the men and women who have gone before us. The life of a rookie, by no means is easy, but the benefits of being part of the best fire department in the world is and will always be worth the effort!