Why do volunteers volunteer? I am laying awake at 4 a.m. this morning thinking about the house fire that we had responded to two nights earlier and wondering the same thing. The events of the fire go through my head like they always do, as I beat myself up over small details and thinking about things that might have been done differently or gone better. It was a 3:08 a.m. wakeup call and I have been doing them since I was 14. People ask me how much longer will I want to do it? Most of the friends I have grown up with in the fire service have since retired. My stock answer is when it is no longer fun getting up at 3 a.m. to fight a fire, I will probably stop doing it. I am back to the basement fire again. Thinking of how I may have ‘pissed’ some folks off with some gruff comments that were not really aimed at them. My first due Engine got lost on the way and I arrived at a scene where I wanted to put water on this fire BADLY with no fire engine in sight. The experts often say that the first 5 minutes set the scene for the whole emergency and I could not agree more. I let this put me off my ‘A’ game and although it did not affect the outcome of the fire, I did let it affect my thoughts during the fire. Plan B was there fairly quickly, an engine/tanker that we carry an attack line on. First water from the FD came from this line and the fire was quickly out. The homeowner actually had first water on the fire with some water thrown through the vented window. It definitely helped to delay the advance of the fire. The actual firefighting effort from all involved went well. I asked the homeowner if they had a key to the front door. The reply was to ‘kick it in like the cops do.” I know how to get doors open but I was trying to save them the damage. We popped the door with a halligan tool and found the family cat lying unconscious right inside the door. I had a firefighter gently scoop up the unresponsive animal and pass it on to firefighters with instructions to try and revive it. Outside, frame planking was pulled on the exterior wall to check for extension close to the spot where I believed the fire had originated. Luckily no extension was found. The same drill was done in the basement where the interior attack crew pulled the basement ceiling. Again no extension was found. The first division crew went inside to check for extension. They carefully opened a very small spot of drywall on the interior D sidewall above where the fire had been. Luckily, again no extension was found. PPV fans were set up at the front and rear ‘Charlie’ side basement doors to clear the home of heat and smoke. Scene lighting was quickly set up on the A and C sides of the structure. This is how it is supposed to work. I escorted the homeowners into the house after the fire had been officially declared out and explained where the fire had started and how it had progressed. I gave them advice on securing the home and how to prevent any further damage and that they should contact their insurance agent as soon as possible. I gave them my business card and told them to contact me 24/7 with any questions that they may come up with later. I walked away from them without receiving a nod, a gesture or any sign of gratitude. I give this professional service as a volunteer in a county where it is badly needed. My reward is that I get to serve with some dedicated people in both the other volunteer fire departments and the adjoining municipal city departments. They are also understaffed, grossly under paid and unappreciated. But they do ‘get it’ and I am honored to work with them. A county official actually once told me that the job of a rural volunteer fire department was “to keep the neighbors house from burning down.” Really? I expect what will eventually drive me from this job will be because of things like this. As I drive away from the scene of the basement fire, I glance one more time at a home that is still standing with very little fire damage and a family pet that will live to see another day. My guys are safe and everybody is going home. I feel pretty damn good about it. It is all the thanks that I have ever needed. But here I am awake in the middle of the night wondering how can we be better the next time out? There is still much to be done, still lessons to be taught. I have more work to do. I hope my troops understand. I hope it stays fun for a little while longer.
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 22:33:47 +0000
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