San Jose Fire was very fortunate, in that during my time on the job we had only one on-duty death. As I previously mentioned, we had numerous job-related deaths and injuries. We came close a number of times; in my days firefighting used very aggressive tactics, which some now view to be too aggressive.

The education about Haz Mat and the changes it brought went against our desire to get in and get the job done. When dealing with chemicals that can kill or debilitate with a drop on the skin or one breath, busting doors is not always the best answer.

On Engine 17 I was off the tailboard in a jump seat. We were dispatched to a working fire at a middle school at night. It quickly went to multiple alarms. Schools in our area are usually one-story laid out around a quad. Long covered halls connect the classrooms like spokes on a wheel.

Our crew and another were assigned to advance 1 1/2 lines down one of these halls to work fires in the classrooms on both sides. San Jose schools have central air conditioning. The units are located on the roofs.

We got about 75 feet into the hall when directly in front of us a roof air unit came crashing down. It was the size of a small car. Once again, providence smiled on us. A few feet further and we would all have been under it, smushed. A vacate was called and the fire was put out using master streams some time later. A friend who had been on the other 1 1/2 took the inspectors test and never came back to the fire line. He spent the rest of his career in administration. I spent my carrier on the fire line except for the two years required in administration when you are promoted to captain. I loved it but it cost numerous operations on knees and shoulders and a bad back.