fire department

Short Snicker for Sunday

~ Ron Walker ~ 17 Comments

I guess I shouldn’t make light of it, but I stay frustrated by the antics of the volunteer responders in our area. When they respond there are more people in harms way from their driving, than the incident itself. I was sitting here reading blogs this morning when I heard a call go out on the scanner,  a 4-wheeler ATV was on fire 2 miles down the road. Occupant was fine, just the vehicle burning.

I took that opportunity to run to the store in that direction. I might be able to get some pictures for material for the Blog. As I was driving down the highway, a volunteer “fire command vehicle” came roaring past all of us in the double yellow no-passing lines. We were all trying to get over but he wouldn’t give us time to slow and move onto the shoulder. Oncoming traffic was trying to move over at the same time. It would have been easier had he not been pushing 70+ as he passed us in that 55mph area. A vehicle doing 70+ endangering others on the road so he can rush to a non-injury ATV fire.

I parked away from the scene and noted that the Fire Chaplain Truck was already there, all decked out in his flashing lights. I guess he was there to give “last rites” for the 4-wheeler all terrain vehicle.

Now remember, this is a personally owned truck. Red strobe lights mounted to visor, to rear-view mirror, on the dash, and in the upper corner of the passenger windshield area. They were all turned off when I took the picture.

Chaplains Truck

Comments welcome,

Wintertime Fires

~ Ron Walker ~ 1 Comment

This is a very bad time of the year especially here in the South. We are not used to harsh temperatures below the middle of the state. Most people are not ready and resort to using substandard heating methods and bad practices to keep warm when it becomes bone chilling cold.

My Son’s apartment burned to the ground right after Christmas and they lost everything, it was a grease fire. last night about 7 miles from us there was a fire at a trailer (unknown cause) but being located in the country it was a total loss in minutes. This morning about 1/2 mile down the road a home burned to the ground (unknown cause) and damaged the house next to it.

In the South many fires can be attributed to electric heaters plugged into substandard wiring, or light extension cords that only cost a buck. People tend to plug them in, set them on high, and never check on them. Any electric heater we have is used on the lowest setting.

Our hearts go out to those that have lost homes, and lives due to the cold snap of the last week. Last night (Saturday) it was a cold 17F with a wind chill or real feel of 10F. By Tuesday they predict a low of only 52F and a high of 61F now what kind of madness is that. Thursday and Friday will be highs of 71+.

A big warm thankyou (no pun intended) to all the Volunteer Firefighters that brave the cold to aid those in need.

Please use caution when using heating of any type.

Comments always welcome,

Volunteer Firefighter Assistant Chief charged with Arson (Monday Musings)

~ Ron Walker ~ 1 Comment

Let’s start by prefacing this as I often times do, that not all volunteer Fire Fighters are bad, just as all Police can’t be lumped in with one or two bad ones. Now that it’s out-of-the-way…

You may recall my post of July 27th about the escalating craziness to raise money or get extra federal funds for responding to as many calls as possible. It seems there was a reason for the extra activity in our area with all the screaming sirens and vehicles. I’ve never heard this many sirens in the city, they are constantly running up and down the road here. Some are legitimate vehicle crashes and brush fires.

It seems the Assistant Chief of a Volunteer Fire Department located just a few miles away, who just happens to have the same last name of the Fire Chief but no one is confirming relationship at this time, decided to drum up some extra fire calls. In August (right after my earlier post) there were 4 suspicious fires of vacant homes. Now it seems that the Assistant Chief has been charged in August with at least 1 of them.

Kind of creepy feeling when you depend on them to provide service to you in time of

Nothing says Dedication like wearing your Department shirt for your Mug Shot
Nothing says Dedication like wearing your Department shirt for your Mug Shot

need. While researching that Department this morning relating to the Arson I noticed that in the same month (August 27th) that the Assistant Chief was arrested, the Treasurer and her husband were arrested for misuse of Department funds.

The investigation was led by Lt. T. Evans, who said the two are accused of using a fire department debit card to pay for personal matters, such as their house needs and utilities.

Where do they find these people. I remember while working in a small Police Department for a short time one of the officers reporting for duty remarked about a grass/brush fire at the edge of town. He jokingly asked the Chief why he hadn’t stopped to lend a hand. The Chief without missing a beat said he was afraid he would have had to arrest half of them on outstanding warrants. Now THAT is funny stuff.

Meanwhile the Little Chaplain 1 truck is still trundling around out here responding to trash fires in backyards (since we are under a fire ban). I don’t think it is even from our area or our Volunteer Department. I need to find out where it is assigned to. I still wonder “why” you need a pickup truck for a Chaplain, or is that thought better left unfinished. It has no firefighting equipment in it other than maybe a small hand-held fire extinguisher and someone designated as a Chaplain after having attended classes.

Comments welcome,

 

Volunteer Fire Departments, getting a bit out there?

~ Ron Walker ~ 1 Comment

I was sitting here dodging the heat outside and realized I had posted this to my forum but forgot to put it here. After watching some regular large tired  white 4X4 pickup go rushing past the house with strobe lights in the front and rear flashing and some type of siren that could barely be heard above the clamor of his “Flow Master” exhaust system.  It reminded me of the piece I had done on the Chaplin Unit and the downed tree. So without further delay let’s get that out there.

I’m not against Volunteer firefighters. In the rural area they are all we have if we have a fire or emergency. Ever  since the last few years when they started getting federal and state money (remember how well that worked for our schools) things just sort of seem to be getting out of hand or strange.

We had a person have a seizure in the back of the park the other day. I expected to see medics and volunteer medics show up, but never dreamed that I would see a Pickup truck with the local volunteer decals and the title “Fire Chaplain” on it. I asked later who passed away and they said no one. I learned that the truck responds to all sorts of calls along with the medics. The LAST thing I want to see if they come out here for Michelle cutting herself on something, would be the Chaplains truck as I pull up. That will cause heart attacks on elderly people.

I think they are getting a little overboard trying to provide anything and everything they can just to get a vehicle and money for the position. They actually fight over fire and medical calls around here, answering calls in one another’s areas. Because the first unit on the scene gets to claim it as a “call responded to” even if it is not their area. You guessed it, they get granted federal and state funding depending on how many “calls” they respond to per year.

Imagine my surprise (which prompted this little soap box) as I sat here this afternoon listening to the scanner after the small thunderstorm passed through. A call went out onvolunteer the volunteer fire channel about a tree blocking the highway.  In a few minutes I hear “Chaplain 1 on scene of downed tree”. Now that just sounds a bit odd. If not performing last rites on the tree, couldn’t they use a different call sign than Chaplain 1 ? but looking at it, he will get credit for responding to that call, on the books it will show “The Chaplain” responded to a call, it won’t matter that it was a deceased tree, but he responded to a call so it must have been chaplain services needed. So the department will get a call credit when the Vol. firefighters arrive, plus a chaplain call. Geesh!

I marvel some nights. I know if I have run off the road out here I want their help, but I see no reason for 6-8 volunteer vehicles blasting past my house wide open to get to one vehicle off the roadway. I think once the first one gets there they should  decide if more help is needed and cancel some of the inbound. Let them be available for something in their own area. I declare they look like boats at a Bass Fishing Tournament all racing to get to the sweet spot first and claim the prize.

Maybe I’m wrong, but how would you feel if you got a call that your child had been hurt and the paramedics called. You race home to be greeted with a Chaplain Truck in your driveway having never seen it before.

I just hope it never comes to seeing a Volunteer Fire Department Hearse.

Comments welcome,