Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dave, NB 9 on January 15, 2009 at 6:59am

Don't forget about deep road side ditches in the winter time. What looks like a level area, might just be about 3' deep... covered in snow. So your hydrant hook up might be a deep subject. Like wise, spotting hydrants, the wing plows on plow trucks will push a level area back off the hard surface of the road, sometimes back as far as they can push it for future snow fall.

Permalink Reply by Andy Entwistle on January 15, 2009 at 7:20am

I once got a little excited for a call and pulled out before remembering to unplug the shore-line (driving the utility truck as a probie, not a big rig). So it came zipping out until the reel emptied and then broke free - I trailed about 20' of cord on the way to the call.

Permalink Reply by Andy Entwistle on January 15, 2009 at 9:13am

Even as a Probie, once we had CPR they gave us all pocket masks and told us not to drive by a possible CPR call on the way in - stop and check. In fact since we ran our own dispatch some nights it would even come over as "possible heart attack, Andy, if you are responding, go to the scene." (This was 1986, no portables except the Chief).
Anyway, 0200, that's what I get, never had done it before. Totally freaked. Slam to a stop in front, run across the lawn juggling the pieces of the mask, lady thows open the door and says he's in back. Run down the hall. Trying to remember the rules - it was five pumps to a breath in those days. Luckily, he's sitting up in bed.
"You're breathing!" I pant. "That's really good!" Yes, I know, he replies. "Okay," I tell him, " I just need you to stay calm and the Rescue will be here any minute." Actually, I'm doing fine, he says, but maybe YOU ought to sit down and catch your breath. "Yes," I agree and that's where they found us a couple minutes later. Not sure who need the O2 more.

Permalink Reply by Mary Ellen Shea on January 15, 2009 at 9:27am

that's priceless....

Permalink Reply by turk182 on January 15, 2009 at 10:45am

We used to hang out at the station at night and order food well it was summer so we set in front of the trucks and was using the extended bumper as a table.

Well we get punched out for a structure fire assisting a neighboring department jump up put our gear on and out the door when we got to the scene laid a line in. It was a five mile ride and as we walk around the front of the truck found the pizza and pop still on the bumper we lucked out because the pizza box slid into the soft suction troft but the pop just set there.

So when we were done and hose packed on we set and ate our pizza before we went home.

Permalink Reply by Bruce Mack on January 15, 2009 at 3:04pm

Well you are correct there Dave nothin funnier than watchin somone dissappear in the snow, reminds me of when i was new and the area was flooded with water from the Niagara River, due to a massive ice jamb. When we got off the rig i was walking toward the house to take boots to the residents so they could get out of there home when a hotshot came running up tellin me hey probie your gonna fall into the ditch he grabbed the boots from me and proceeded to go right into the ditch up to his neck. so some days the probies are not so stupid, i noticed the driveway markers.

Permalink Reply by Engine 32 Capt. on January 15, 2009 at 3:14pm

I hung my turnout coat and radio strap on the large diameter discharge one day. Sure enough, we got a run. I grabbed my coat, but not the radio strap. When we got on scene and I went for my radio, the hair stood up on the back of my neck as I instantly realized where I'd left it.

Luckily, it was still hanging there when I got off the truck.

Permalink Reply by Jeremy Bolster on February 17, 2009 at 4:33pm

I forgot my helmet once, but I got to wear the chiefs on the scene. Made me feel special. I opened the door of the engine too quickly at one of my first structure fires and almost got nailed by the ladder truck squeezing by. Sooo scary...so heart pounding!

Permalink Reply by Mary Ellen Shea on February 17, 2009 at 6:08pm

thanks Probies....great stories....doesn't make me feel any less dumb...but it's nice to have company.

Permalink Reply by anna m. mills on February 19, 2009 at 12:52am

there will always be probies, there will always be probies stories but the best thing will be is what you do and how you learn from what you and everyone else has done! no of us has woke up one day and knew how to do his regardless of what they say. they put thier pants on the same way we all do. so remember that the next time you feel you ay never get the hang of this. hang in there and know firefighting is filled and lined with history and just surrond yourself with the greats of your dept for learning reasons and you will go far.

Permalink Reply by Eric on February 20, 2009 at 8:48am

I have no idea how this happened but here goes. We were responding to a fire alarm activation at a residential facility in our district. I was in a pack seat on our engine. I had gotten in, got the pack on and then put my headset on to hear what was going on. To this point, nothing seemed wrong. Upon arrival, I was exiting the engine when I felt caught on something. I couldn't figure out what I was caught on, My pask straps were secure, it was buckled, I didn't have anything hanging loose. As I looked down to see what was going on, I realized that somehow the cord to the headset was underneath my shoulder strap and through. Simple fix, loosen the strap and pull the headset through. I felt pretty dumb though. The only thing that I could figure is that this cord was through the shoulder strap when I put the pack on. Though they get checked anyway, I still check for this when I board the apparatus to prevent future incidents like this.

Permalink Reply by Patience Ryan on February 21, 2009 at 6:08pm

well...so far I guess I haven't done too much dumb stuff yet. give me time I'll work on it I'm sure. I did have a very crazy week last July that was just...crazy. started on a Thursday with what ended up as a 1,000 acre brush fire with 10 homes burned. I was there for 16 hours I think, up for a total of 38hours. between Thursday morning and Tuesday night I got all of 28 hours sleep. on Sunday the district had a training burn. I got to work with a crew from another station doing exposure protection. at some point during the whole day my crew took off our coats and laid them aside, later picking them up again. Tuesday morning about 3am my station toned out to a house fire. I was in the middle seat in the front of the pumper/tender. I handed the headset to the driver...he put them on with the strap across his eyes and we proceeded to take out a mailbox as we drove by. My fault for handing them to him wrong. my first house fire and I got to go inside with a hose line. It was super cool. anyway, the following Saturday I got a phone call from one of the guys I had worked with at the training burn. He's all "do you have my turnout coat? I think I have yours" I'm "I don't think so but I'll check" I did indeed have his turnout coat. that explained why I couldn't find some of the stuff I thought I had in the pockets. He apparently noticed because they had done SCBA training Tuesday night and it was a little tight on him. I on the other hand had done both a house fire and ladder exercises at training and hadn't noticed that it wasn't mine. Given that I'd barely slept in that time either I can sort of understand why I didn't notice but it was still weird.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next ›
• Page