I rode on the tail board for hose feeding how ever. And we pulled out from a Training fire down the street to put hose back on. We rode about 200 yards down the road. I stood on the rear tial board, holding onto the Grips, not a worry in the world. Until a safety officer came to talk to me as I was putting hose back in.
Im young..I don't know, and never will know, the feeling of riding a tailboard to a call .But that few moments of riding on that tailboard were just..it was great! I felt so free..it felt good on my body after the fire. I pictured all the old timers riding the board, eyes peering ahead just the same I was, and I could feel my firefighter brothers from yesteryear for that brief moment.
it happened only once and once only ! I came into work early and heard the engine start up, as i was parking my car i yelled to one of the guys who was working ambulance what the call was, he said House fire, so i jumped out of my car grabbed my bunker bag and started running towards the engine bay, as i was running i saw the officer getting into the front and i yelled for him to wait, i thought he heard me but when i got close to the engine, the driver just gunned it out of the station, without thinking i started running after the engine, i must have looked like a loon chasing after a fire engine with my bag in my hands. I just managed to grab the rear railing and yanked myself onto the tailboard. i basically just hung on with one arm and used the other one to dress, i got quite a reaction from the passing cars, the kids thought it was cool though, well funny enough when we arrived and i jumped off the officer did'nt even know i was on the back. It was a silly think to do, but i just did'nt even think it was more like a reflex action.
I was coming home from work the other morning and was behind a trash truck, with trash men riding on the back. Someone should inform them they are in mortal danger!