VOA常速英语2019--消防员的日常（在线收听）

Chris Young came to the Grangeville Idaho Smoke Jumper Base 15 years ago. Back then, he was pretty lonely. Young had only one partner who was also a practicing smoke jumper, basically firefighters with wings. Today, more than 30 people work at the base. All of them are experienced firefighters who have to master parachute jumping for the job. We can get there quick because we fly, and we’ll fly it in a straight line to get to that fire, and it’s typically in remote areas. To be a smoke jumper, it is at least five weeks at the minimum training that we will run that rookie through. When the alarm sound goes off, smoke jumpers have three minutes to get dressed. Putting on all the gear is complicated, so these men always work in pairs.

克里斯15年前来到爱达荷州格兰杰维尔烟雾跳伞基地。那时候，他还形单影只。他只有一个伙伴，这人也是习烟雾跳投的，也就是带着翅膀的消防员。如今，该基地已经有30多名消防员了。这些消防员都身经百战，掌握降落伞技能是职业的必须。我们抵达现场的速度很快，因为我们能飞过去，而且我们是以直线飞到火灾现场，虽然火灾现场一般都在很远的地方。要成为一名跳伞灭火员，至少需要5周的新手训练。警报声响起时，跳伞灭火员只有3分钟的时间着装就绪。要穿上所有的装备，流程是很复杂的，所以这些人都是两两组队的。

So we make right here in in this parachute loft. A lot of this equipment is made right here. You can’t buy it at the store. It’s made out of Kevlar. The reason for that is puncher resistant, if he were to lay into an into a tree, he wouldn’t get a large branch penetrating that suit. It’s got a hard shell on the inside. Their shoes are extra durable. A special equipment bag holds water, gloves, hardhat, fire shelter and other personal belongings. An extra parachute is always at hand. It’s it’s uncomfortable. it’s tight. it’s hot. But I love it, and it gets me excited because I know what comes next is a fun part. The fun part is getting the load up in the plane, getting look at the fire from the air, size it up, and then you get to jump out and go take care of business. Riley has been a smokejumper for under a year. So far, he’s battled five fires. And your heart starts beating before you even take off, and then you’re in the air and becomes real, and you can see down on the ground where you’re supposed to land and the spotter gives you the briefing, and your training just kicks in, you get in the door like you’re supposed to.

我们是在这个跳伞阁楼里完成的。很多这种设备都是在这儿制成的，在商店里是买不到的。它是用聚醯胺纤维制成的。选择这种材料是因为它耐磨。这样如果要降落在一棵树上，就不会被巨大的树枝戳破服装。衣服里面一个坚硬的壳。他们的鞋子也十分耐用。此外，还有一个特殊的设备袋，可以装水、手套、安全帽、防火棚等个人物品。他们都人手一个额外的降落伞。感觉不太舒服，很紧很热。但我喜欢，因为这可以让我感到兴奋，因为我知道接下来的部分会激动人心。激动人心的部分就是将这些载荷装上飞机，在空中的时候可以看到火灾现场，了解大致情况，然后就可以跳下去，完成自己的工作。赖利做这行还不到一年。目前为止，他已经浇灭过5场大火。在起飞之前，你的心就会扑通扑通地狂跳。在空中的时候又会感觉很真实，可以看到接下来要着陆的地面，了解大致情况。然后培训的内容就派上了用场，然后我们就冲进门去，完成自己的使命。

Smoke jumpers land at a safe distance from the heart of the wildfire. Once on the ground, they wait for the instrument kits to be dropped, inside a special axe called pulaski and a handsaw. After the fire is extinguished, they walk to where they can be picked up by special transport. At times, it’s kilometers away. Smoke jumpers’ high season starts in May and ends in September. Most of them spend late fall, winter and early spring working at regular fire stations until a heat wave comes and they are needed again with their pulaski, handsaw and bravery.

跳伞灭火员着陆的是安全地点，离野火中心有一段距离。着陆后，他们先会等待仪器装备扔下来，其中有一个叫做锹背单刃手斧的特殊斧头和一个手锯。灭火后，他们会一个地方，等着特殊交通工具接他们。有时候，有几公里远。他们工作的旺季始于5月，结束于9月。大多数跳伞灭火员的深秋、冬季和早春都在常规消防站度过，而等到热量来临的时候，人民将再次需要勇敢的他们待着锹背单刃手斧和手锯救场。