Fire at a Distance

Every fire station is monitoring dispatch during the working day.  There are several reasons for this.  One, pagers have been known to fail and hearing your unit number on monitor is not something you want but it is better than missing a call!  Two, you hear what is going on in the whole area.  Three, you hear what is going on in the stations adjoining yours. Four, when the actions starts you get to hear it begin.

So our ears perked up last Sunday when we heard an apartment fire get toned out.  Now you have to understand that I work at a station that is on the farther reaches east of our rather oddly shaped Fire District.  It isn't unusual for our station to be left in quarters while others more centrally located are sent to the fire.  This fire was almost dead center of our district.  The report was smoke and flames seen, people knocking on doors and alerting residents to the fire.  Then it got a little more ominous as it was reported there may be people in the apartment on fire.

The first due engine, Engine 21, arrived and reported fire showing from a 2nd floor of a three story, wood frame apartment building, they were taking their own supply, establishing Millwood Command and doing a 360 walkaround.  He wanted all units to base on the street outside the complex and staging would be behind engine 21.   Shortly after this he reported that they were going into 'fast attack' mode (our way of saying... I've got immediate life rescue to do!!) and that the next in apparatus should take command.

All the while this is going on we are following closely.  I was training one of my crew to be an Acting Captain.  So I quizzed her on what she thought her first actions would be, what assignments she might make and all that goes with being first in on a fire.  It was a great teaching moment and we took full advantage of it.  Later in the day, when the BC visited our station (and he was Incident Command on the fire) we asked a lot of questions and my Acting Capt candidate learned a lot.

It occurs to me now that 10 years ago I would have been really frustrated that we didn't get to go and "play".  Yesterday it never bothered me for a second that I was on the outside listening in.  Fire at a distance is just fine with me.  My chances to fight fire are still good and I'm sure there will be more opportunities.  I guess I must be changing.

Part of the flow of a career.