Tales from the County: Job Security

Once I've passed my 12 months of probation, it will be very hard for the county to get rid of me. Take for example the following true story I heard at the County Orientation. Keep in mind, this man kept his job.

In Waste Water Management, there was a bay where employees were not permitted to park their vehicles. Our hero decides to park his motorbike there anyway, to keep it out of the sun or something. At some point through the day, the bike gets knocked over. The bike is missing it's gas cap, and gas spills onto the ground. Part of the reason vehicles are not permitted in this bay, is that work is being done... work that creates sparks. A spark hits the gas vapors, and it ignites.

Our hero see's that he's going to be in trouble, and runs for a fire extinguisher. He grabs hold of the fire extinguisher and tries to pull out the pin. Except he's holding tight to the part the pin is there to keep apart, so he can't pull it out. After some trying, he grabs another fire extinguisher, and has the exact same problem. He can't pull out the pin. Since these devices will not work for him, our hero does the next obvious thing. He grabs a water hose, and sprays the gas fire.

This man was not fired. Once I'm through with my 12 months of probation... I don't think they can get rid of me.