A fire alarm began what would become a busy shift just after 0700 hours and the hits kept on coming. Medic 3 was out of service during the afternoon hours so that FF's Mulford and Bailey can hone their "advanced first aider" skills. Engine 3 was manned by the remaining 3 men, whom this day were a tad grumpier than usual as we were "fasting" in order to have blood work drawn as part of our yearly physical for the city. We were hoping to get to Station 2 quickly in order to have the nurse draw our blood so we could end our fast since midnight, which in firefighter time feels like 7 years, but it was not in the cards.
The residential box was struck for a chimney fire bringing 2 engines, a ladder, medic truck, BC and the EMS supervisor. Engine 3 arrived first with their own water supply, laddered the building and investigated the basement. The basement, first and attic divisions were clear, however the chimney definitely had some "issues." The boys from 2 ladder made the roof and deployed 2 "chimney bombs" and suppressed the blaze. After ending a thorough investigation of the residence all units cleared.
FF Barry Kincer and Lt. Jason Crouch "clean up the neighborhood."
As mentioned before, food is an essential part of firefighter life, because you never know when you will get a chance to eat, with our stomachs still on empty we returned to the fire house to get paperwork so we could finally get our blood drawn, but alas, what is that on the horizon, SMOKE SHOWING! The 3 men aboard engine 3 all noticed it at the same time, call it "firefighter instinct", or maybe because several people were jumping up and down in the middle of the street, but we just KNEW something was wrong. There it was.......a well involved "herbie!" Yes folks, a Herbie, the beloved large blue residential trash cans provided by the city for waste disposal, and this one was on fire! The Captain had faith in his crew and called control to hold engine 3 on the still alarm and not to "fill the box." Firefighter Abel emptied a 2.5 gal. water can into the can, however the stubborn inferno was still smoldering. After some quick "truck work" with a pike pole and some overhaul was done, a second water can was emptied to ensure the inferno was fully suppressed and a rekindle would not happen. Lesson to be learned here? Do not dispose of your fireplace ashes into a plastic trash can.
Alas FINALLY we had our blood drawn and could EAT! After a brief snack we headed to Kroger to get the necessary supplies for lunch and dinner. As lunch was being set at the table the "whoops" dropped yet again for a call to assist the County FD. Hypoglycemia would not deter or slow this crew down as Engine 3 was "first arriving" as the second due engine. It seems as though some folks also had food on their minds and burned some popcorn.
Things settled down for a bit in the afternoon but picked up again in the evening with Engine 3 running another chimney fire in 2's first due. Engine 3 finished the day with 9 runs, not bad for the new kid on the block.
That brings another chapter to a close. We turn the keys over to B Shift in the morning and won't be back until Sunday....to put another dent in that massive bag of pancake mix.
That brings another chapter to a close. We turn the keys over to B Shift in the morning and won't be back until Sunday....to put another dent in that massive bag of pancake mix.
**As I finish this entry the bells toll yet again....make that 10 runs for the engine...good morning!
dja
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