Let's face it... maybe I'm selfish, but I have no desire to go to an LODD funeral. I, as Chaplain, don't want to go up to the family of a fallen brother or sister, and offer prayers and attempts at comforting thoughts. I just don't want to do it. Am I selfish? Probably just a little. But who really WANTS to attend an LODD funeral? Or even visit an injured brother or sister firefighter in the hospital? Again, not on the top of my to-do list. Selfish? Eh, maybe a little.

Some of my best friends I've found on this site are the FOGIES, where I am the resident grasshopper of the bunch. Most of my buds in the group are old enough to be my parents, yet are usually just as spunky as me at the ripe - old age of 21. I've learned many valuable lessons from them, as I'm sure many of you have via their blogs ~ Tiger Schmittendorf, Ted Bownas, Mary Ellen Shea and Joe Stoltz just to name a few. An underlying theme amongst many of their blogs, and in many of our conversations is safety. How to take something inherently dangerous, and perform our tasks in the safest way possible - because face it, we don't want to be the ones going six feet under either.

Last week Wednesday, something very careless took place in front of our firehouse. Two engines were out on drill at the time, and were on the way back to the firehouse. I was on E2 and we were approaching the entrance to the firehouse with caution. There are four decent sized construction areas within 1000 yards of our firehouse - the bumps, gravel and uneven terrain make it very tricky to navigate without throwing everyone around in the cab (with our seatbelts on of course!!). As we prepare to pull in, we see one of our members walking across the street with a blue light cover. After putting the engine in service, we inquired - "What's up with the blue light cover? Where'd it come from?"

A minute or so prior to our arrival back at the firehouse, another fire department in town was dispatched to a "Stove fire, all residents evacuated." The department is roughly 3-4 miles away, so we don't usually see much action M/A wise, nor do we have any firefighters living in our neighborhood belonging to that department, but of course there are always exceptions. I know I myself have responded with my courtesy light out of the district for alarms of fire at nursing homes, or motor vehicle accidents in which more than one injury is reported or extrication required. Well, like I said, just before our arrival back at the firehouse, a member from that fire department was in our district for whatever reason, and opted to respond with his blue light to his firehouse.

That in and of itself isn't the problem -- it was his reckless and careless driving. There are several signs, cones and indicators that there is a construction zone ahead - and construction zone aside, there is also a posted speed limit of 35mph (which is about right for our residential area). Witnesses of the incident stated that the firefighter must have been going at least 40 or more over the bumps and through the gravel and such. He took the bumps so hard in his small sedan POV, that he jostled the bluelight cover loose from its bearings and lost it along the side of the road.

Nobody knew the identity of the firefighter, and wondered if and when he would come forward. Well, wouldn't you know that it was the one firefighter I *was* aquainted with from that fire department? On Friday afternoon he contacts me via- text message, "Hey, I think my blue light is at your hall." I left shortly after drill, so yes, I knew his blue light cover was probably somewhere in the truck room - but I wasn't about to go in peoples' lockers or poking around in our truck bays that are closed unless it's a call or a drill.

I decided I'd take the time to merely express my concern about the firefighter's actions. I know I've been scolded by my own officers (and some of the FOGIES) as a probie for unsafe driving practices on the way to the firehouse, and well, even if you've been around for five years - a reminder isn't always a bad thing. I kindly tell him, "Ya know, adreneline can do funny things - and hearing the word FIRE gets us all going... but when you're going through construction zones, take a second to slow down. You're no help to your crew if you can't make it to the scene in one piece because you either busted up your car speeding over bumps and through gravel, or worse - you BUST YOURSELF UP by getting into a car accident because you've lost control -- and at that point, you have not only your life in your hands, but the lives of everyone else on that road at the time. Too many firefighters die every year in vehicle related responses - and I don't want that to happen to anyone I know. So, please... use your head and keep your eyes on the road."

Is it wrong to care and express concern? I don't think so. But from the firefighter's response, he apparently didn't think so. He told me that I, as a firefighter of less experience, have no place to tell him to slow down - or to rattle off statistics about LODDs, and that I'm just a "prissy b*&%$" for "trying to tell him how to be a firefighter." Harsh much? But nothing beat what he said next, "You're very immature, have a nice life."

Immature for caring? A "prissy b*&%$" for expressing my concern? Well, I'm sorry if he feels that way -- but I don't feel as though there is any reasonable excuse on this planet to go speeding through construction zones three districts over because if you can't arrive at a scene safely, what good are you? Drive safely, with your seatbelt on, and aware of your surroundings.

This is my plea to everyone reading this -- It's summer time, in my opinion one of the most hazardous times to be on the road period, much less responding to an incident. Please take your time, and respond SAFELY. There is more traffic on the road, more pedestrians walking and riding bikes, more children playing in front yards near the street, and more CONSTRUCTION. We owe it to ourselves and everyone we love and care about to make it to a scene and return safely. Omnus Cedo Domus - Everyone Goes Home, as the late Bob Newell would say.

Don't let adreneline rushes turn into careless behavior on the road -- because in that case, no one wins.

Stay Safe and God Bless,
LadyChaplain

Update
There was a fatal motorcycle accident in a neighboring village on Wednesday evening, the rider on board was the brother of one of my former co-workers/good friends. Riding at an excessive rate of speed, hitting two vehicles before finally hitting a building. He was 21 years old.