He pictures his opponent as the Incredible Hulk, a humanoid monster with bulging muscles climbing into the fight cage.
It’s what motivates San Bernardino County firefighter Travis Aguirre to do an extra set of squat walks or stack more weight on the bench in preparation for his first submission grappling match.
The 26-year-old doesn’t know anything about his opponent for Saturday’s Guns-N-Hoses grappling tournament, except that he is a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy.
“I’m putting him on a pedestal and thinking to myself that the guy I’m going against is doing this (workout) plus more,” Aguirre said. “I’m picturing climbing into the ring with the Hulk. I just hope when I actually climb into the ring it isn’t the Hulk.”
The 7 p.m. match at Adrenaline Combat Sports & Fitness is believed to be the first bout of grappling in the county.
Grappling is similar to wrestling. Contestants try to gain the upper hand during two four-minute rounds but cannot strike their opponent. Slamming, eye gouging, hair pulling and biting are also frowned upon.
The event, organized by San Bernardino City firefighters, will raise money for fallen cops and firefighters.
“My only concern is I don’t want anybody to get hurt,” Aguirre said. “We all have families, we all have jobs, and this isn’t as serious as the UFC.”
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BALDY MESA — As this perilous fire season continues, many rural areas of the Victor Valley are not serviced by full-time firefighters. Several areas are serviced by San Bernardino County Fire stations manned by paid-call firefighters.
Paid-call firefighters are usually training to become full-time firefighters and use this opportunity to gain hands-on training.
Paid-call firefighters Joel Jensen, 20, left, Grant DeRose, 22, center, and Grant Osuna, 21, go through their equipment at station 16 located in Baldy Mesa. Some San Bernardino County Fire stations are manned by paid-call firefighters. Reneh Agha / Staff Photographer
“I started as a fire explorer at the age of 14 and kept on going,” said Grant Osuma, 21, who has been a paid-call firefighter at the Baldy Mesa station for two years.
As a matter of fact, all of the firefighters at the station are paid-call.
Paid-call firefighters are usually used in rural areas where they lack the tax base and population to support a full-time force, according to fire officials.
“These guys are out there serving their community every day in locations where we may not have the chance to have full-time firefighers,” said Otto Schramm, spokesman for county fire.
Paid-call firefighters must go through training, which includes wildfire and structure-fire training and life-saving techniques.
Osuma plans to attend paramedic school soon to get closer to his goal.
In San Bernardino County, about 400 firefighters receive paid-call wages, according to county Fire Chief Pat Dennen. Those wages can range from a little more than minimum wage up to about $14 an hour, depending on certification and longevity.
While the majority of paid-call firefighters, like Osuma, are looking for a career in firefighting, there are a few who do this on top of their regular jobs.
“We have a few of those guys who serve a few weekends and evenings in order to serve their community,” said Osuma, who works at the station four to six days a week.
“It takes amazing dedication to do what they do for the amount they get,” said Otis Warner, 72, who lives in Phelan. “Especially those who don’t have to be there with the economy the way it is.”
West Coast 911 firefighting news – By Beatriz E. Valenzuela, VV Daily Press