Did you catch the season finale of “First In?”

Throughout the season we followed Marcel, Halvo, Salazar, Jerome and Marcus on the job and on their personal journeys, as well. We wondered if Marcel could balance his young family and work life. Would Marcus endure Salazar long enough and get past probation? Would Jerome finally reach his goal and become a probie? Would hot-headed Salazar ever calm down, or would suspension be his fate?

We now have answers to some of those questions, while others are still undetermined. As the show ends I can’t help but to wonder what will happen with the crew. I would definitely like an update. What will Salazar do? How will Marcus and Jerome perform? Hopefully one day we can get an update, but for now, congratulations to all the people who helped a life or risked their own on “First In.”

Watch “First In” episodes now.

Because rescue services come when we call them, we sometimes take for granted that although we’re not paying out of pocket, our taxes do pay for those services, which aren’t always as readily available as we hope.

In Compton there are no more hospitals, so the fire department has to provide medical help, which shortens their resources for other calls. If an ambulance is called in from outside the city for a non-emergency, not only does it cost money but someone else might not get the attention they may need just because you wanted a ride to the hospital.

As we learned on last night’s “First In,” they won’t cut the sirens on for you anyway unless your life is in danger. One woman wanted an ambulance ride to the hospital for a stomach ache; something she could have had a friend or family member do. Meanwhile, there are accidents and beatings going on.

Luckily for me, I live right across the street from a hospital. If I ever have an emergency I could probably just walk over if I can make it, or at least get a neighbor to take me if I can’t. But it’s always good to have a plan and think clearly when you get into an emergency situation. Think about what service you need and whether you really need it, because you will pay for it later one way or another.

When you talk about Cali, one thing that always comes up is the gang activity. The media have captured gang life in different ways, from “Grand Theft Auto” and Death Row Records to John Singleton movies. Being in Compton, the “First In” crew sees its fair share of gang activity and what it could lead to.

Marcel lost his stepbrother to gang violence. I agree when he says that young people look for acceptance, which leads them to join gangs. It was good to see him reach out to teens and get them to the fire station. Sure, not all of them will become firefighters, but it may show some of them that there’s more out there than gangs.

Speaking of acceptance, since the beginning of the show I was wondering where women stand with the fire department. Do they work there? Can they work there? Are they accepted? We finally got one answer with intern Crystal Cooper. The guys welcomed her by dumping a pail of cold ice water on her. Crystal felt accepted. I think the guys were sincere and showed that when it comes to the job, Crystal is “one of the guys,” but I have a feeling not everyone will feel the same way.

I have to mention Salazar. Even with a meeting about his behavior, I don’t think he’ll ever learn. And I think Marcus would agree. That’s all on that.

Last night’s “First In” saw the firefighters of Compton dealing with an exceptionally tough day. They responded to several overdose and ‘man down’ calls, mostly from drug users. Every victim was pronounced DOA except one teenage boy who overdosed on 16 cold medicine pills (probably a cry for attention).

Finding a DOA victim is one thing, but dealing with the loved ones left behind is where it gets difficult. Probie firefighter Marcus Wilson was affected by one man’s reaction to a coworker’s death. He said, “You train for this every day, thinking that you’re ready for anything, and this happens.” Much respect goes to the men for handling sensitive situations so well.

The final call of the night was for a maternity, and ambulance operator and reserve firefighter, Jerome Goodall, helped to deliver a baby. At least it ended on a happy note.

Last week a lot of people had an opinion about how Chief Battalion Officer Marcel Melanson’s wife reacted when she found out he had to work longer. She threw a fit, complained about the kids, and questioned his loyalty to his family, saying that he put his job before them. She definitely didn’t see things from Marcel’s point of view and if anything, only gave him more stress about the whole situation.

Last night, Jerome Goodall’s family moment showed us a different side, one that most of you seem to agree with. His wife was a lot more supportive of his firefighter goals and showed encouragement. Of course, since he isn’t a firefighter yet she hasn’t had to experience him being gone on a three or four-day shift, but she seems like she could deal a bit better.

“First In” has been getting a good amount of praise for showing the world how much firefighters actually do and how selfless the job really is, but Salazar has been a difficult one to side with. It looks like Marcus dodged him this week, so everyone else is dealing with some of his bad attitude. Salazar did show us a better side when he got to attend to an injured high school football player. The medical training (the same training he got in trouble for due to insubordination) paid off and Salazar showed that he isn’t just a short fuse. Only time will tell if this good-natured behavior will last.

JamesP26

How far would you take a domestic dispute? What’s the craziest thing you’ve done?

My approach is to just end it before it gets crazy. I know a couple that just last week had a fight (for the hundredth time), then sat down and ate dinner together like nothing just happened…why even go through all that?

Last night’s FIRST IN had one of the more extreme cases I’ve ever seen. After the firefighters put out a residential fire, a woman named Paulette popped up to snitch. She said her boyfriend Michael started the fire because she wouldn’t give him sex. A witness provided a little more clarity. He said Michael was angry because Paulette was with another man. As a result, Michael simply burned the house down.

Paulette and Michael were just using the house since the people who lived there moved. The police handcuffed Michael, but due to a lack of evidence and an unreliable witness (Paulette was high), he was released.

Who’s to blame in this situation? Did it go too far? Even if Paulette did cheat, was it worth burning down a house? Has someone ever made you that angry?

Out of all the jobs I’ve had, I could probably count the times I’ve called out. And if I do call out, rest assured I can barely get out of bed.

The bad thing about calling out is the potential fallout. I know one frequent “call outer” and it doesn’t take much for him to do it. Feeling bad, car trouble; it’s always something and usually not necessary.

On the other hand, probie (means he’s new to the firefighting game) Marcus called out for truthfully being sick on last night’s FIRST IN. Veteran firefighter, Halvo, said that coming from the old school, you go to work come “hell or high water” and let them send you home.

So Marcus returned to work still sick. The result? He almost passed out on the job and was forced to get medical attention. Marcus lost major cool points with his peers by calling out, but in returning to work at the risk of his health, he got blasted as a threat. Lose-lose situation, right?

Still, that didn’t go too bad for Marcus. At a prior job, I called out sick (and I REALLY was!) within my first 90 days. I returned to work greeted by Disciplinary Action papers. Tough luck…

What would you do? How many of you ever had a situation like this?

-JamesP26

It may be fun to drive fast and furious, but last night’s episode of “First In” showed that street racing is a dangerous sport.

At the location of a well-known racing spot, word on the street was that racers were at fault for a two-car collision. Of course, they all fled the scene after the accident. The bad situation turned worse when Marcel and his firefighters learned that one of the crash victims was pregnant. She was rushed to the hospital, wondering if her injuries hurt her unborn baby.

Later, at the same location as the PCP incident, Marcel arrived at another crash labeled “auto vs. motorcycle” by the dispatcher. Needless to say, the auto won in this scary incident. The motorcycle driver was found underneath the car, somehow still alive but at serious risk of being crushed. A truck was called in to help remove the driver. Although he was conscious throughout his visit to the hospital, the internal bleeding was too much and he died on the operating table.

I’ve done my fair share of speeding in the past and situations like these are why I slowed down and started paying more attention. When you drive, it’s not just for yourself, but for everyone else on the road. Please be careful, people!

-JPM

Rappers like The Game make songs about life on the mean streets of Compton. But with the premiere of “First In,” we finally get to see what really happens through the lives of Compton’s firefighters.

Of course, with a show about firefighters you would obviously expect to watch people putting out fires; but there’s more to the job. They often arrive first on the scene for incidents ranging from homicides to car crashes. One of last night’s more surprising moments was when Marcel, one of the youngest battalion chiefs in the nation, responded to a call about a PCP overdose. The incoherent man stumbled around in the middle of the street before attacking a police officer and being taken down.

Sometimes the goal is about more than just preventing a fire. After an airplane crashed into a house, it was a race against time to stop the plane’s fuel from leaking and possibly sparking off a blaze. On top of that, passengers had to be rescued and the woman who lived in the house was missing. They eventually found her stuck under the plane.

It looks like there will be a lot of action, drama and shocking moments in this real look at life in Compton.

-JPM

What’s it like to have one of the toughest jobs ever in one of the toughest cities in the world? The five Compton firefighters of BET’s newest reality docu-drama, “First In” can tell you first hand … but why tell you when they can show you?

“First In” is a dramatic new show that takes you where only a few have gone — inside the firehouse and inside the lives of the men who may just save yours one day.

You may be thinking that firefighters just show up to buildings and pull out fire hoses, but it’s a lot more than that. This show gives you the real deal, from murder victims, to motorcycle accidents to small plane crashes, these firefighters see it all, while trying to deal with drama at home and reach their professional goals!

If you’ve ever wondered if you’ve got what it takes to be a firefighter, if you just like seeing men in uniform, or if you’re just looking for something original, put this show on your viewing schedule.

Don’t miss the premiere, Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 10 PM/9C. Get more on the show here!