A Lesson in Communication

When this call came into our station we recognized it as being located all the way on the other side of our Township. Of the three companies dispatched, we were the furthest away. All this really meant to us was that we would have to respond as fast as we possibly could to beat the others there. Maybe thats a bad incentive to respond quickly, however, the faster we go, no matter the reason, the patient gets treated faster, or the house fire gets put out faster. So, we called it a win/win situation.

As most of our weekend responses were choreographed, before the dispatcher was even done talking, Rick and I were in the jumpseats pulling on our gear, prepping for our next firefight. Two or three other guys geared up and jumped on the back step of the truck as the driver fired up the loud engine. The flashing red lights bathed the firehouse walls in red, until the driver got the thumbs up to go. Rick and I sat down as the truck started to pull out. Since it was going to be a long ride, we could sit for a bit before pulling our air packs on. Not to mention, since it was so far, it gave someone else time to get there and cancel us if they didn't need alot of help. So, we sat and enjoyed the fast, loud ride through the streets. Eventually I realized we were past the halfway point, and I glanced over at Rick who was looking back at me. I then noticed the voices on the radio were a little raised as if still excited. By now, I was sort of expecting the lights and sirens to be turned off. I tried concentrating a little more on the radio over our siren and could hear orders being given by the chief on the scene. I then noticed the speed at which we were blowing through the intersections. I gave Rick the thumbs up and quickly reached for my air pack, pulling the tank up over my shoulders. I was now sure we had something, and Rick and I were about to be right in the middle of something again. I stood up, and swung the tank on to my back as Rick did the same like synchronized swimmers. we pulled the straps tight, hung our air masks around our necks and gripped the handrail tightly until rounded our last turn and approached the scene.

As we began to slow down, I glanced up to the bustling scene in front of us. Two trucks had arrived ahead of us, hoses were being stretched to the hydrant and the chief was yelling for a crew with a line inside. We didn't have to be told twice. Rick and I moved in unison. We both stepped off the truck, pulled a hose line off and and hustled across the front yard. In front of us was a two story house, and smoke and flames could be seen deep inside the bedroom on the second floor. I pulled the nozzle to the front door and kneeled down. I pulled my gloves on, the airmask on and looked back at Rick doing the same. Through the plastic face piece I heard a muffled "Ready!" I stood, and pulled the hose in through the front door. I could feel Rick right on my back as I found the stairs and headed to the second floor. In the second floor hallway I ran into a guy from the first company saying the fire was in the front room, but he was searching for occupants and didn't have a hose with him. I yelled back through the darkening, smokey, hallway to Rick letting him know which way we were crawling.  I pulled some more hose up the stairs then made my way toward the front bedrrom. As I reached the door, the hose stopped.

"Need more line!" I yelled back to Rick at the top of the stairs. He gave a few pulls but we were done. Rick yelled down to people in the living room to feed us more line. I could hear them yelling up that we had all the line we were going to get. I left the hose in the hall and crawled ahead in to the bedroom to find the fire and search for any occupants. As I crawled in and turned left i could see flames rolling out of the bathroom and closet and beginning to spread across the bedroom ceiling.

"Rick, it's right here! Just need another few feet!" I was so pissed off that we were so close but couldnt reach around the corner. Another voice yelled upstairs. It was the chief asking for a progress report. again I yelled that we just need a few more feet and we got it knocked down.  A minute later he yelled up for all of us to get out of the building, it was getting too dangerous and they were going to open up lines from outside. This manuever had to be timed correctly. If they open the large lines outside and flow in through the windows, it does nothing but push the fire down onto the guys inside. Everyone must be out before this happens. Of course I didn't like the idea and I told Rick we need to try one more thing before we leave. I pulled the hoseline up over the railing to see if that would give me just enough to make the bedroom. The nozzle made it into the bedroom by inches. I first pulled as hard as I could, then laid on the floor under the flames and opened the nozzle as wide as i could so the water would turn the corner into the bathroom. The flames darkened just a little bit when something caught my eye from across the room. I looked toward the front window and noticed the tip of an aerial ladder extending toward the window with a large nozzle pointed into the room. I shut down, and crawled back toward Rick in the hallway when I heard the order over the radio...

"Ready for water!"

Just outside the bedroom door I looked back and saw the nozzle open up, causing water to surge through the bedroom window at about 1500 gallons per minute. In an instant, all of the heat, smoke and flames that were inside the bedroom, was pushed out into the hall where Rick and I were. Without thinking I grabbed, pushed and shoved Rick down the staircase with me on top of him to escape the flames on our backs. We landed in a heap on the living room floor. Other firefighters who were still checking other bedrooms were forced out onto a balcony with fire pushing behind them as well. Firefighters outside grabbed ladders and rescued them from the balcony. 

I couldn't believe what had just happened. I wanted to storm outside and rip into the guy operating that truck that almost killed an entire company, but instead, Rick and I walked calmly back to our truck, slid out of our air packs, and counted our blessings that were were now outside looking in. We both made it out alive, so we chalk it up to yet another learning experience.