WORK (vent)

[C.S.63]

WORK,
Ive got a great job and I would not trade it for another but?
Ive been a career firefigter for many years and calls like we just got back from really suck, I am the most senior on duty today and assigned to the Truck as the chaufer (ladder) we have been on automatic mutual aide assignment to the neighboring municipility for a while, everyone else in the company is 10 years my junior. The call was to a structure fire due to the distance to the scene we where third due upon arrival our assignment was reassigned RIT (rapid Intervention team, FF Rescue) command notified us of our assignment and that a 2 year old was missing the outcome was not good. My question is how does a 2 year old go missing at dinner time in a house no bigger then 600sq feet?
Please everyone be extra careful out there!!!

 

[SAFireman]

Sorry to hear that buddy....I have found that over time, I have become cold to certain realities of the job, but children really get to me.

Talk with the guys on your shift....they may not say anything, but it hurts us all to see things like that happen. I hope that you can find a way to brighten things up all around.

Take care.

 

[long colt frazier]

I too am hardened to most things until it involves children in the same age groups as my grands. I will pray for you and all connected with this.

 

[diamonback68]

Look for the inner strength within you, stop a moment to pray and then you will intuatively know what to do. My prayers will be with you.

 

[Faulkner]

I just hate issues involving kids. Did a traffic stop recently on a couple who had a toddler strapped in a car seat in the back. I had enough reasonable suspicion to call in a K9 for a sniff of the car. . . found the dope hidden in the toddler's diaper.

Just makes you sick.

 

[Wheelgunner840]

No matter how many years one has on the job, you never get used to dealing with children that are hurt, ill, or worse. There are many of us who know what you are dealing with. Hang in there, and talk to your fellow firefighters about it. That seemed to help me through some dark times. I wish you the best.


WG840

 

[JJEH]

I'm sorry to hear that!

 

[C.S.63]

Things are good on shift, last night over scoobie snacks things opened up in good dialog,

some things can just torque ya

Thank you all for the support

 

[4011]

I think you should just go back and remember all the times where you and your guys pulled someone from danger. You have to have more good outcomes than bad. We know your fustration. Hang tough..

 

[loknload]

Many years ago as a young firefighter my station responded to a Christmas Eve structure fire, It was started by lit candles around the Christmas tree. The parents were out to a Christmas party and a neighbor girl was babysitting.
Since this was out in the country and we just recently had a good snow fall, the response time was not the best.
Upon arrival the structure was fully involved, the babysitter got out with one of the twin girls and the other was trapped along with a baby infant. That night we lost the one twin and the infant. We all did the best we could but it was a fast moving fire and we didn't have a chance.
The one twin who didn't make it was found later under her bed in her room.
The other twin was burned and survived as well as the babysitter.
I was the one who found and retrieved the infants remains.
As a young firefighter that really left a mark on me that night and I'll never forget it, and every year at this time I think about them and would could have been. I always say a little prayer for them in rememberance and after about 30+ years I never forgot.!
But as time went on in this profession you become harder to these sorts of things and it's victims, but that night I'll never forget.
I don't think that in all those years after we never had a tragic fire as that again and one that involved children.
I've long since left the Fire Service, have raised my own kids and now have a grandaughter,but I still think about the two we lost that night.

Regards,
LnL

 

[cballman]

Having dealt with people in the Fire, EMT, and Police business for years. I have heard the same stories over and over. Trying to not have tears in my eyes as I write this. My son is getting ready to become a career EMT and I have heard stories from him when he was doing ride time. Heartbreaking and funny ones.

But I just want to thank each and every one of you who have given the years of your life to help out the ones of us who couldnt make it. On Christmas day and other holidays I think of the ones we have lost in the line of duty and the people that they have helped over the years.

So with tears in my eyes THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE

 

[cmort666]

My question is how does a 2 year old go missing at dinner time in a house no bigger then 600sq feet?
Please everyone be extra careful out there!!!

I'm neither a fireman nor a cop. But I am a student of history.

At no other time and place in history are the incapable so insulated from the effects of their own inadequacies.

I'm quite fond of saying about (and occasionally to) certain people, "14,000 years ago something would have eaten him/her before they were able to reproduce".

It wasn't that long ago that stupid people didn't survive the effects of their own stupidity. Now they do, to the detriment of others, including unfortunately, often their own offspring.

The corollary to this is that the measures taken to keep the stupid alive and whole have in many places reduced society at large to the level of a monstrously huge group home for the mentally retarded. Hence the proposals in the U.K. to ban both carving knives with sharp points and glass beer mugs.

As someone one said, "Make a system foolproof and only a fool will want to use it."

Make a society foolproof and only fools will live in it.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

How does a 2 year old go missing at dinnertime in a 600 square foot house? Irresponsible parents and/or grandparents too busy stuffing their fat faces, perhaps John Barleycorn and Mary Jane are present. How many horror stories have we heard of infants dying in fires or accidents because they were left alone or left in the "care" of a five year old. Or fires cause by smoking in bed or Old Dopey puts the tea kettle on, then "lies down" and goes out like a light. On a par with idiots who leave a child strapped in its car seat on a hot day.
Regarding a fire caused by candles on a Christmas tree, one of my youthful memories is of watering the Christmas Tree, we had a base with a receptacle that we usually filled twice a day to keep the tree from drying out. Recall learning in fire safety class in Boy Scouts that live candles and a Christmas tree was a Bad Idea.