Three Alarm Dad

The lady cutting my hair today asked if I worried about DH. I told her as long as I don't know he's in a burning house the moment he's there, I'm ok! I'm just glad he's got a job that he loves so much! Here's the latest news for those not on Dad's email list, in his own words:

Just when I thought I wouldn't have anymore fire stories to tell for a while....

Yesterday we had a 3 alarm fire. This is the first time we've had a 3-alarm fire since 1999-2000. When we have a 3-alarm that means there is only 1 fire truck left to take runs - all the rest are at the fire. They also call an any additional personnel to come in and man 2 reserve fire trucks and 1 reserve ambulance. Talk about wild!

I was up to travel to a substation to fill in. I had a choice between one on the northeast corner of town or one on the southwest corner of town. I go to the northeast corner, Station 3, possibly
the slowest station in town. I'm on Engine 3. (E3). I take a long nap, and wait for a run.. any run... it's another peaceful day at 3.

Sometime after lunch they get a structure fire call on the far south side of town. E2,E5,E7,R1, Batt Chief go. I'm looking at the map on the wall knowing we won't get to go, thinking "Man I could've gone to 2 and got to go. Dang me." Reports come in it's a fully involved house. Batt Chief calls a second alarm. Ladder 1, Medic 1 are the second alarm response. Our truck (E3) goes to central station to cover the middle of town. I'm content with that. We at least might make some medical runs, which is better than no runs, right? As we get up on the freeway, we can see a column of thick black smoke billowing across town. We're almost to Central when chief gets on
the radio and calls a third alarm. E4 and ourselves are the 3rd alarm. I'm standing up in the back of a truck going 68mph putting my gear on. The atmosphere in the truck goes from anticipation to "YEAHHH!!! 3RD ALARM BABY!!!!"

We exit to streets packed with rubber-neckers, they driver's laying on the horn, we go up a street that has a river of water in it running from the fire scene. Smoke is blocking the sun. Cars in the street part like water, we get in the alley behind the house.

Right before we arrive the Batt Chief evacuates the house. The man works on old cars and has several explosive chemicals in his garage. Ladder 1 raises the aerial ladder ready to spray the big gun on it. E2 and E5 are spraying down adjacent houses. Just like my fire last shift, Medic 1 guys are bunked out and knocking down fire from the outside of the house. Everybody else is fighting fire from the outside. All the support and administration are there - the Fire Chief, Asst. Chiefs, the training Batt. Chief, Safety, Supply, EMS support staff, 4 rookies from rookie school (they help change bottles and load hose back on the truck).

We pull off a 2.5" diameter hose to put out car parts that are made with magnesium - a metal that self-burns and explodes on contact with water. The hose is big enough where the water can overpower the effects of the burning metal so we lay it on. It looked like white lava, sparklers on the 4th, and lightning. Fire and molten metal go everywhere. I'm in water up to my ankles dragging this fat, heavy house around. We hit 2-3 cars in this man's garage. After that, we go in to help pull ceilings to find the fire in the attic. My Lt. has a hooked pole and pulls a chunk of ceiling and insulation down on both of us. Thank goodness for helmets. After taking out a portion
of the ceiling, E7 goes up a hole in the ceiling and sprays water in the attic. Naturally this saturates the insulation and sheet rock. The entire living room ceiling crashes down on the 3 of us inside. It's only sheetrock so we're ok, just filthy - which is expected. We spray some hotspots. The rest of the fire went like that - look for smoke or embers and spray them.

During a rehab break, after the fire was pretty well out, we notice that the smoke is coming out of a hole in the roof faster and hotter. We put our gear back on. I've got a newspaper photographer looking right at me clicking away as I my mask on - no I didn't make the paper. But I made the 10:00 news when I was unloading the hose. We tear out more walls, ceilings, and spray more water. (Mom is pulling strings to find the photos, though.)

Several hours later we break down the last of the hoses, gather up our equipment, and get ready to go back. It was something else seeing 3 fire engines getting on the freeway in a caravan going home. I stayed out at 3 the rest of the night. That was our only run.... But what a run.

What a blast!!! I was wore out. After unloading that big hose, I realized, my cardiovascular endurance sucks. I haven't ran since before Christmas and I was feeling it. I'm going to run a few miles before work tonight to get back into it. The hurt was worth it though. My first 3-alarm, my first time to use the 2.5" I owe ice cream... again.

Other tales..... Casey traveled to Station 2, the first-in engine, and a slow station. But he was sent back to central fire station right before E2 got sent to the fire on the first alarm. By the time he drove back to central, Central was emptied out. A driver that had just come in off-duty to man the station told him to take his gear and go over there and help.

Poor Mack.... I've mentioned our competition where we try to outdo each other. He was on one of the ambulances that didn't make the fire - he made all the other runs while the fire was going on. I call him that night to rub it in. He answers the phone. I reply, trying to stifle my grin, "Hey Mack this is..." His greeting went something like, "@$7 . You can kiss my *&^ !!@~." "But Mack, I didn't even say anything but hello.", I replied. "Yeah, but I can tell your grinning. You're calling to rub it in," he responded. His tone changed to one of excited curiosity "So what did y'all get to do...." The rest of the conversation was normal.

Speaking of other runs....during the fire the city had 2 major wrecks, and several medicals. Dispatch was getting on the radio asking for any available units to respond to the backlog of calls
coming in.

The house????? Total loss. Several antique cars... lost. He didn't have the cars insured. I can't comment on the cause, but suffice it to say he's probably not going to get his homeowners insurance to cover it either.

And I should be on Ladder 1 tomorrow.....