A Tribute To Those Who Wear The Shield: April 2010

In Honor of the Other 'Angels In Blue'

This piece was written by a friend who knows what it means to run towards danger as the rest of us run away. If you've read anything that we have written and taken it to heart, then you know that it takes someone special to be a police officer. But, did you ever stop to think about the "other angels in blue", the ones who wear a different shield? It takes a special quality to be a firefighter, too. They too know that every call holds danger and face the unknown. And they too give themselves to all of us without hesitation and without question because that's who they are. No we cannot totally grasp the full impact of what they do without having done it ourselves. But, this article will give you a look inside, a glimpse of their lives, and hopefully instill or grow the respect that these men and women deserve. And, folks...the lights and sirens are there for a reason. Move over. Get out of the way. Let them do their jobs. Help them do their jobs. It could be your family they're trying to save.

Len, thank you for allowing me to share this. And thank you for what you have done and what you continue to do. I know that just as every police officer I have spoken to has done, you will say that firefighters are not heroes but just doing your job. And my reply is the same one to you as I would say to them. I disagree. I believe it is all in the perspective. And from where I'm standing, you're all heroes.

Through the Eyes of a Firefighter

Imagine if you will, being in the shoes of a firefighter. For some of you this may be very hard, if not impossible, so here is a scenario to help you understand what the firefighters, both paid and volunteer, go through on a regular basis. This may also help you, help us! This story is a true story when I was a member of my local volunteer Fire Department, that keeps repeating itself to this day. It happened many years ago, however still burns very clear in my mind, as well as the firefighters on this particular call.

It was a beautiful sunny day. Temperature was in the upper 90's on a Friday afternoon. Traffic was heavy with people waiting to get home for the weekend and to see their families.

Just sitting down to eat dinner, you hear the high pitch tone of your pager. The call is a structure fire with a possibility of people trapped inside. Your family looks at you knowing that they will eat another dinner alone without you, but understanding you are a firefighter and are needed to help another family in need. You kiss your spouse and kids and tell them that you "Love" them, as you get ready to go into the unknown.

As you get in your vehicle to drive to the Fire Station to pick up the trucks, the dispatcher comes back over the radio and says there are "Confirmed people trapped". At this point you know that time is critical if there is a chance to save their lives. Your mind has even more questions at this point and your heart is now starting to race.

The ride to the station seems to keep getting longer as each minute passes. The traffic is still very heavy and you know that the people in front of you only have one thing on their mind, that's getting home. Your emergency lights are flashing on your vehicle and you are blowing your horn to try and get their attention, but nothing seems to work. So you stay behind the person knowing that it is dangerous to pass, even though you know time is running short for the people that are trapped.

For the people that are at the fire, the minutes are now turning to hours in their minds. The question they keep asking themselves in their minds is "What's taking them so long"? "Where are they"?, I need them here now! All the time crying their eyes out, living their worst nightmare, wondering if they have seen their baby for the last time.

After a frustrating ride to the station, you have so many questions running through your mind. You are putting on your gear, jump on the truck and are now on your way to help. Soon you realize that being in a big red fire truck has not made a lot of difference, as people are still having a hard time seeing what is behind them. As you come up to a red light, you realize that the intersection is blocked by vehicles sitting in the middle of it, waiting on the light to turn green again, you are stuck until the intersection is clear. You get through the jam and now on your way again. Having to slow down at times for cars stopping in the middle of the road so you can get by. Then a car makes a right turn on red as you are coming through the light with Siren and air horns blasting, but you make it through.

You finally get on scene and meet the parents on the street. They are crying out that their little boy is in there, but it is hard to understand what they are saying to you. Behind them, the house has a lot of gray and black smoke coming from it. You can see flames through the window. The window blows out and you are hoping that it is not the room with the child in it.

The fire hoses are pulled off the truck and dragged to the front door. Your crew is ready to enter the house. You can hear a voice from inside screaming out for help! At this point your adrenalin is making your heart feel like it is going to come out your chest. There is a glimmer of hope once again.

You make entry into the front door of a house you have never been in before. The little voice you heard a minute ago can no longer be heard. The only thing on your mind now is to find that child!

The room you are in is very hot. By the burning of your ears, you know the room is upwards of 800 degrees, the smoke so thick that you can't see your hand in front of your face. All the elements are starting to take a toll on the crew. The protective gear you are wearing is doing its job. The child is not so lucky!

After the 4th room you search, the child has finally been found under the bed, knowing that they were doing their best to get away from the smoke and heat. You pull the child out from under the bed and discover the child is no longer breathing. You pick the lifeless child up in your arms and start your way out of the house, knowing there could be many more obstacles, while doing your best to protect them further from the burning temperatures.

You can now see the front door and know help is just outside. As you come out the door, you are met by the other firefighters and medics. The child is pulled from your arms and CPR is started. You know the child is now in the fight of its life. Mom and Dad is right there wanting to see their child, praying that we found the child fast enough.

The child is loaded into the ambulance with CPR still being performed. The parents are crying uncontrollably at this point. The ambulance leaves being followed by a neighbor with the parents, on the way to the hospital.

You sit on the ground and look back at the house you were just in. The fire is being brought under control by the other firefighters. Your body and mind is both mentally and physically exhausted. You rest and get some water, the whole time wondering if the child will make it. There is still a lot more to do at the fire before you can go home. So you get ready again, re-enter the house and salvage as much property as you can for a family that has just lost most everything.

You have done all you can do at the house and are now on your way back to the fire station. There is a lot to be cleaned up and the trucks need to get back in service. You hear over the radio that the ambulance has just cleared the hospital in route back to the station. As you are cleaning the hose and getting clean hose put back on the trucks, you know in your mind that you will learn the fate of that little child soon. The empty feeling you have is starting to eat at you, but the truck has to get back in service so you are ready for the next call.

The ambulance is backing into the station and you can tell by the sad faces on the crew, that the out come is not a good one. Now that all the crews are back at the station and the trucks are ready for the next call, all the crews come together in the day room. Talking in a choked up voice, one of the medics tells us that the little boy did not make it. He was 9 years old, an only child. As you look across the room, there was not a dry eye to be found. Some just crying openly, imagining that it could have been their son, thinking, how hard we tried to save that little boy.

You finally make it home and are met by your wife and kids. They can tell by the pain in your eyes and your voice, that the call did not go well. You hug and kiss them feeling so thankful they are safe. At the same time you are thinking about the family that just lost their only child.

Your sadness soon turns to anger as you play back all those scenes in your mind that lead up to this point. Knowing that it was only 5 minutes from the time you heard that cry for help until you found him. Knowing that you were caught up in traffic for a total of more than 10 minutes. The one that you cannot clear from your mind, is if I only got there a little sooner, the child may have still been living now!

Now for some, this is just a story. For others it may make you more aware while driving. Many after reading this will not understand. To the firefighters, this is our life, our reality.

To help you understand, Close your eyes for one minute and picture your family, kids and house, imagine all the fun times you have with them, imagine how much you love them. Now imagine "It was your house and family" that we were responding to!

Many families are protected by Volunteer Fire Departments. Some may not even be aware their city has a Fire Dept. These Men and Women put in a tremendous amount of time not just in answering calls, but also training, fire prevention, maintenance, equipment upkeep, public education, fund raising and endless paperwork to submit for grants, state reports, city reports, insurance reports and the like.

Get involved with your firefighters, ask them questions, have your kids meet them, come see the training they are involved in, Make them part of your family! With support from the people we serve, helps us help you.

Written by and shared with the permission of:
Lenny Kendall
Lieutenant
Safety Officer/ Fire Prevention
Fate Fire Rescue

A Tribute To Those Who Wear The Shield

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Friday, April 23, 2010

Through the Eyes of a Firefighter

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