On November the first, I went to work with my father, who works at the City of Coquitlam, as the General Manager of Parks, Recreation, Culture and Facilities. We kicked off the day at the Austin Works Yard and learned all about the equipment that is used to build and maintain things like roads, sidewalks, street signs etc. In our time at the Works Yard, we also went inside the traffic control room that has surveillance cameras on all of the major intersections in Coquitlam and is also where they control the traffic lights. I think working at the Works Yard would be fun, but it does get very loud with all the heavy equipment and might not be the healthiest place to work five days a week. I was surprised how little equipment the City actually owned, I was expecting them to have more big trucks and tractors, but they just use their equipment very efficiently.
Once we were done at the Works Yard, we headed over to the Mariner Fire Hall where we were taken on a tour of the hall, where we saw all of the heavy equipment including the three trucks, boat and and the off-road side-by-side. The youngest fireman talked to us about how he got into firefighting, the education and training he went through to become a firefighter and showed us how fast he could put on his full outfit that he wears to respond to emergencies. I’m not very interested in becoming a firefighter because of the health aspects of it, but it does seem like a very important job that would force you to be very physically strong. Once again, I was surprised to find out they only had three trucks, but since there are so many Fire Halls across the City, it adds up to around twenty trucks.
We then made our way down to Coquitlam City Hall, where we learned about parks and recreation and what they do to build and maintain all the public places. We also were talked to by representatives from communication and graphic design, who are the people that communicate all the events and basically anything that people should know about how they can stay connected. I think if there was one place I would work at for the City of Coquitlam, it would be City hall and it also happens to be where my Dad primarily works. I found it interesting that the City had a whole department for social media and small things like the banners on light posts.
We then ate lunch in the council chambers and went over to the police station, where we met a police dog named Neon and his owner. Neon is a three year old German Shepherd that has been very enthusiastic about his job and enjoys it all the while. He is trained in tracking people that are lost and old people that have dementia. Neon is also trained how to sniff out explosives that could be dangerous and is also capable of tracking down harmful people and taking them down. We were supposed to go into the jail cells, but unfortunately there were people being detained, so we weren’t allowed to go inside. I have never wanted to be a police officer, but I found it very entertaining watching Neon taking down the lady that volunteered to be bitten. I didn’t know that the police station had jail cells and they are kind of in the middle of City Center which is a bit worrying.
After the police station, we went back to City Hall where we ended on a mini Coquitlam version of The Amazing Race, where we went around to different places around city center such as CCAC and Glen Pine. We went around collecting clues and raced back to City Hall, where my team unfortunately came second. After my experience at Take Your Kids to Work Day, I learned lots about what the City does and it seem like a good place to work, but I already kind of have my heart set on being an aircraft inspector.
- What did you hear, see, smell, and feel in the work environment on Nov. 1st?
At the fire station, I heard the noise of the trucks coming in, saw all the equipment that they use, smelled fuel and a bit of body odor in the weightlifting area and felt the equipment they use for training. At the police station, I heard the German shepherd barking, saw it bite and take down one of the ladies that volunteered to be bitten, smelled the underground parking area and felt the hard, cold walls I was sheltering against from the dog (just kidding). And in the works yard, I heard lots of heavy equipment, saw all the big trucks and other vehicles the city uses, smelled the fuel of the equipment and felt tired, but mostly cold.
- What about the environment would motivate you to wake up every day to attend work?
At City Hall, it was very cozy and quiet, which seems like a good environment to work in. At the Fire station, the fitness and strength you are forced to have to be a firefighter. At the police station, helping people that might be lost, in danger or dangerous. At the works yard, all the equipment looks like fun to use.
- What about the work environment would discourage you from waking up every day to attend work?
For the ones behind computers, it would be exactly that; being behind a computer all day. For the more active ones, it would be really physically demanding, which is always challenging.
- What is ONE thing you found interesting about your workplace visit?
I didn’t know that city hall had jail cells and that we were supposed to meet a swat team and see the vehicle which would have been awesome. I was surprised that we weren’t allowed to take pictures in the police station. I found it interesting that the fire hall only had three trucks, I expected more.
