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What is/or was the most interesting or worst call you have been on?
I always find this a good conversation to get into. It is nice to share experiences with other in the field and maybe get there ideas if something else could have been done.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Captain Chaos on
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While this wasn't the worst call I've been on, it was interesting.
About 10 years or so ago, I was working in the North End or our Division when we were dispatched to a Traffic Collision. It was on paved roads that ran through some grape vineyards. As we pulled up, there was a pick up truck on it’s side and another car with major front end damage. Still inside the pick up were two kids and an elderly gentleman. All three had pretty serious injuries. We called for more help since there were only three of us on scene. We started working on the people in the truck, the people in the car had very minor injuries. As help arrived to assist us, I stepped back and took more of a Supervisory role. I started to collect information and questioned the driver of the car about what happened. This was an elderly lady who had a kid about 10 or so in the car with her. This lady was really upset, almost inconsolable. I finally got her to calm down a bit and found out why she was so upset. She told me this story about how she and her husband had their grandkids over for the day and how much fun it was. Just before the accident, her husband had left to take some of the grandkids to another relatives home for a party they were going to. She was going to leave a bit later, but decided to just take the remaining grandkid right after her husband left. Somehow she missed the stop sign at the intersection and T-Boned the truck that carried her husband and two other grandkids, they took different routes to the party. Right after this call, we went to a structure fire, and I didn’t follow up on what happened.
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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Back in October of 2000, I had the most “taxing” day as chief officer for my volunteer fire department.
To set the scene of October 15, 2000, I have to tell about the night of October 14th. We had an interstate call of a semi-tractor/trailer down a steep embankment, so we rolled rescue. Down at the bottom of the steep embankment, our guys were attempting to get a very large male out of the semi-tractor and up the embankment. We had established ropes and such, but it was a chore. I went down to the scene and as I attempted to traverse the ditch, I slipped on grass covered rip rap and twisted my knee and lower back. I had to go to the emergency room, as I had very bad knees anyway. I left ER in a knee brace and on a cane.
On October 15th, I stayed home from work. At approximately 1:15 pm, the tones dropped for a field fire next to the interstate. The dispatcher no sooner got that out of her mouth and the tones dropped again, only this time, it was for a multiple vehicle accident at the same location as the field fire. What had occurred is that very dense smoke was blowing across the roadway, creating a white out. The accident happened when a professional trucker STOPPED his rig in the right hand lane-not in the emergency lane, but the right hand traffic lane. By the time traffic got stopped, 16 vehicles were twisted, one on top of the other, gas leaking and fire heading towards them. To top it off, I had a grand total of 5 guys answer the call.
Now; I could have just sat down and cried about it, but I got a half dozen departments coming. Ambulances were coming from Galesburg, one after another.
Extrication was being done on multiple vehicles, fires were being extinguished, traffic was re-routed, interstate was shut down for about 3 hours while we took care of business. Every state, county and local cop was there. DOT was there. It was the craziest day in my 20 year career as a volunteer firefighter. We had one fatality, 10 others were boarded and transported, tow truck drivers got into a fistfight for the rights to hook and haul the wrecks, state cop was going to arrest all of them and I could barely get around with the bad back and knee.
I couldn’t make this stuff up. Though it was never my worst call, it was the most interesting, challenging and held all the elements of fire, rescue and EMS all rolled into one.
I still shake my head when I look at the pictures.
TCSS.
Art
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Permalink Reply by Kevin King on
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Grain elevator explosion in winter of 78/79 in Liberty, Mo. It was a wild 2 day event many secondary boomers from the grain dust , ice was a real problem and live steam leaks.
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LMAO, sounds like something I'd have said. We do tend to get a bit twisted after a while.
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Permalink Reply by anne potter on
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My worst call.. We got called out to a child unresponsive and the directions were hard to follow.. During the drive to get there the call over the radio that cpr was in progress.. I had the als unit from the town over already started.. They too had problems with the directions.. Finally we drove pass the house. the father had to chase us down.. I go in took one look pick her up and headed to the rig.. We are started Cpr did finger sweeps nothing.. Got her in the Er worked on her.. After a awhile family came in and next thing you know they got a pulse... The Md's look in to transfering to a higher level hospital ,but they refused because she was gone brain wise.. Md went out to mom and told her.They decided to let her go .. Mom did not come back in the room at this time. So I went back in and held her and sang. The Md was also in ther with me.. I was sooo mad at god that night.. She was gone and why would he bring her back to die again.. I still cry and get emotional around that time in October.. They tried to give me award during our banquet for what I had did.. it now sits at her grave... I have see alot and done alot .. I have cried sometimes.. I doo believe that i will never stop cring for her that day in October..
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Permalink Reply by Justin Buck on
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Worst call would be when i found out my brother drowned on Degray Lake i was at work at Degray Lake Lodge at the time when one of my buddys call and told about it that was two hours after Bismarck and my dept Ouachita were toned out. My boss wouldnt let me drive because i was so messed up about the info my buddy told me. so she drove to the secne. when i got there my parents wouldnt let me do anything but i told them this what i do. the next morning the search started again and they finally let me go out on a boat. my mom started crying. i told her i would be find. then she look at me and said wear ur life jacket which i did. we was out on the lake for about three hours when a dive team found him. i told them take me back to shore on our way back i seen him beening hold up alone the boat and thats when it really hit me he was gone. i couldnt sleep for a day are so.
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Permalink Reply by FETC on
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Small plane crash with 7 victims trapped inside a 6 seater, all burned to death. 3 generations from grandparents to grandkids, youngest age 5ish. My company assisted the ME with body recovery/removal from the scene, they were actually melted together, had to use forcible entry tools to seperate the victims...
The other is a barn fire with 50+ cows, smae results... you will never forget the smell.
Justin, I am sorry to hear about your brother. I fear the day, it is someone I personally know or love.
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Permalink Reply by turk182 on
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The worst call I was on was a trailer fire with an ederly woman trapped.
When we got finally got inside we found that she had three kerosine heaters surrounding a chair with open buckets of fuel next to them.
she also had one end of the trailer stacked full of old newspaper.
Myself and my brother helped the coroner load her into the body bag it was so cold out that the trucks were freezing to the road.
The fire marshal said the cause of the fire was that the lady had a massive heart attack her body fell on one of the heaters and thats what started the fire when it hit the containers of fuel it just took off.
Having to help load her into the body bag is something that I will never forget.
I have alot of bad calls in my time in but that one is the one that sticks out the most and I do not want to take up alot of space in this forum.
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Permalink Reply by Bill Brierton on
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Probably the worst incident that I have been on was a call for an unresponsive child. Our BLS unit was already out on a call, so we took the engine. Found a six year old girl unresponsive in her bed. According to her father she tripped over the dog and fell down the steps. That was the first story then the story changed from there. The medics showed up and we flew her out but she didn't make it. As for the father, well he had some explaining to do when the police showed up and they did lead him away in cuffs. I can still remember the call. Its one that will always stick with me.
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Permalink Reply by Tom Chmielowiec Jr. on
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my worst call... i was only about a month in the fire company and we got a call for a tractor trailor on fire on the NYS Truway. It turned out that the guy had a heart attack or something at the wheel, crossed over the median and ended up in the woods in a ball of flames. Although i wasn't fighting the fire, and was just scene support, i went into the scene to give the guys a sawzall and saw the the aftermath.
So that was my worst call- emotionally
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