Yesterday I did a ridealong with the Bexar-Bulverde Volunteer Fire Dept (BBFVD) upon an invitation from Jordan Ghawi (twitter: @ghawi). 'Volunteer' may be a misnomer as they do have PAID firefighters as many first responders. And, some of the volunteers do get paid in certain situations. Jordan is a firefighter, ex-Rackspace windows administrator, motorcycle racer, and co-owner of some interesting twitter mashups that conveniently repeat publicly available Fire (and police) Dept live incidents. In fact, that's how I first came to know Jordan; by following his twitter feed for the San Antonio Fire Dept (SAFD) twitter: @SanAntonioFires .
Bulverde is located just outside of San Antonio, TX when you head north on Highway 281 just outside of the 1604 loop. But the boundaries, and mutual aid agreements (helping out other fire departments with major conflagrations) for the BBVFD may find them inside the 1604 loop in territory one might assume would be covered by the San Antonio Fire Dept. And, oddly, the brand new high school located literally right next door to their No. 2 Station is NOT within their coverage area. It is an area quickly being developed with subdivisions of million dollar plus homes, mixed among the traditional Texan country abodes.
The day started almost immediately when I showed up at Station #2 at 8:30am. The station was still quiet and dimly lit as Jordan and Jeff K. were still sleeping, having just completed hour 25 of a planned 48 hours on duty. I was still configuring my camera gear for the day. On my Canon 40D I mounted my 18-200mm IS lens, and the 100-400mm IS L was on the 20D and stuffed into my ThinkTank Digital Holster 20. I stuff some rain covers into each bag as it was a cold, wet morning in Bexar (pronounced 'bear') County. I introducing myself to 'Grizz' who said he would wake Jordan up, but before he could the station got 'toned-out'.
Over the PA system I could hear dispatch giving the address for a residence that was reporting that their oven was smoking and on fire. Wow, what a start to the day! Jordan came running from the sleeping quarters and we quickly ran for Pumper 24, an E-One pumper and our ride for that day. Someone pushed the button for the the bay door to open and we jumped onto the truck. Our Engineer for the day, Adam Gibbs, got the truck started and pulled it out of the station. With lights and sirens blaring we had no problem getting underway and navigating through the first busy intersection.
To the people that got out of the way: thank you. To the ones who didn't I only ask them to think of this next time: 'We could have been responding to a call at your house, for your mother/daughter/son choking'. Do you really want to slow that truck down? It can't be easy navigating through busy streets and across heavy traffic on highways when you're driving something that is the maneuvering equivalent of the space shuttle; and the braking power to match. And, keep in mind, every accident I've seen of fire truck vs. passenger vehicle, the fire truck always wins.
With 'Gibbs' driving, and Jeff navigating, Jordan was busy donning his gear in anticipation of arriving at a smoke-filled home a few miles away. The problem with dispatches is that there is very limited information: you could arrive to find a house ready to flashover, or merely burnt food on the stove. Unless dispatch relays info as more phone calls come in, you never really know until you show up. A kitchen fire can spread quickly, and what may have only started small enough to be put out with a handheld extinguisher, might soon need four or five trucks on site if it gets into your walls and roof.
There is an absence of smoke as Pumper 24 comes to stop on an incline outside the house. The front door is open, and the garage door is slightly ajar. Looks like someone was already trying to air out the smoke. As Gibbs chalks the wheels, and takes his place ready to pump water, a suited up team of Jeff and Jordan rush to meet the owners standing just inside. This time it's just user error (what in the computer industry we'd call a PEBCAK: Problem exists between chair and keyboard): someone had turned the oven on in cleaning-mode. So, whatever they were baking was doing so at near 500F! All units cancel!
A good time to recharge the batteries and grab some breakfast. What they didn't get at the first stop of the day, they found at the next. A Hot and Hearty Breakfast from Whattaburger. After breakfast it was back to the station, and back to the age old tradition of cleaning the station. At less than a year old, Bulverde's Station #2 is brand new, and inherently clean relative to it's age. Regardless, there is always something that can be cleaned, mopped, or trashed. To paraphrase my old navy chief, 'A clean ship is a happy ship'. It held water then, and it's no less true in any fire station around the world. Nobody wants to come on shift to face a mess left by the previous shift. Of course, if you've been out all night at a structure fire, sometimes it can't be helped.
But usually enough there's enough time for even a light mopping, and if lucky, some time to study for your next level test and certification, catch up on some sleep with a nap in your favorite recliner, check your email....maybe even play some COD:Modern Warfare 2.
Early afternoon and it has started raining heavier; and rain may as well be snow to Texan drivers. Traffic usually slows to a crawl, with the most likely cause being an Motor Vehicle Collision Accident (MVC/MVA) along a major thoroughfare. There is also the very real chance of roadways flooding and someone trying to push through a low-water-crossing at the wrong time. 'Turnaround, don't Drown' is the mantra down here, but in a city of over one million, there always seems to be at least one that takes the gamble. And when that happens, it not only risks THEIR lives, but the lives of firefighters that need to come and rescue them. Just like fire, firefighters train to do Swift-Water Rescues, but they would rather avoid them. Luckily this day there were no MVC's or Swift-Water Rescue calls.
But, our next call is another that firefighters prefer not to hear, but are glad they can help: children. In this case, the dispatcher tones out BBVFD for a 2 year old child having difficulty breathing. Everyone rushes out the door to the truck bay and we are quickly underway: no need to dress in bunker gear for a medical call. But to the roads are wet and slippery now and Gibbs has to balance urgency with increased safety awareness now. Topped with another round of dodging passenger vehicles who also have to be wary of the slippery roads, and have an even harder time hearing the Pumper's sirens over the rain beating on their modern sound insulated automobiles. A few blasts of the airhorn is usually enough to nudge them out of the way, and Gibbs can try to get Pumper 24 up to speed again. The smell of burning brakes permeates the crew cabin.
We arrive to find that the contracted ambulance service has just arrived scene. The Pumper 24 crew run in to lend any hand they can. Someone emerges to grab an oxygen cylinder from the ambulance. It's been about a 9 minute run. BBVFD's Rescue 80 from Station #1 arrives on scene a few minutes later. Imagine yourself having a hard time breathing for 9 minutes the next time you fail to pull to the right as soon as you hear the sirens. The child is stabilized and transported to hospital, and we clear the scene. Time to grab some grub at the local grocery store for tonight's dinner.
Back at the station, it's time to work up an appetite. The guys break out the basketball net and indulge in a few quick games of Twenty-one. It's apparent that, at over 6' tall, Jeff has both the height advantage and experience over his shorter-in-stature crew, whom he has no problem outplaying, even two-against-one. Even so, it's all in fun and helps keeps everyone in shape for when they really need it. It's just after dark when the next tones sound over the PA system. I'm in the middle of downloading some photos onto my laptop, and have to quickly shift gears, pack the laptop and camera and scramble into the truck before it can take off without me. It's a report of a kitchen fire on the other side of the district. It's going to be a long run and every second counts. The guys almost have their gear on before I can make it to the truck and I throw my laptop and camera back in the crew compartment and scramble to fasten my seat belt. We are going to be headed through San Antonio's rush hour traffic headed home to this bedroom community. And we are crossing through an intersection on Hwy 281 infamous for it's MVC's. There's no taking chances as Gibbs comes to almost a complete stop and lays heavy on the airhorn to make sure everyone is yielding to our two-ton car cruncher on the heavily traveled commuter route. We may be trying to be 'first-in' but we want to make sure we get there safely. A couple of pickup's squeeze onto the shoulder to give the Pumper lots of room and we are on our way. Just another few miles down some twisty narrow Texas country roads in the dark. The strobes reflecting off the on-coming traffic signs bright enough to change them from their normal black and white into dancing blues and reds.
Another unit happens to be in the area of the residence reported on fire. They enter the scene and determine that it's just some burnt food in a
toaster oven. All units cancelled while we were within a minute of the scene. Oh well, as much as firefighters want to get into the thick of things, they also don't want to see people's property damaged. And on the bright side, no report needs to be filed by Pumper 24. After all, who likes paperwork? It's time for supper!
Firefighters certainly like to eat hearty, and tonights meal is no different. One-pound hamburgers, chili, cheese, and French Fries. Once Jeff gets those hamburgers on the grill we realize it's the most smoke and flame we've seen all day! With our bellies full, (darn good burgers by the way) the crew settles in for some Monday Night Football - Patriots vs Saints in NOLA - oy veh! Not a good night for a Patriots fan. Luckily the pain is interrupted by another call. This time a residential alarm call.
For the most part, alarm system calls are going to end up false. But that doesn't mean you can't respond to them with the same fervor used to answer every other call. So, while halfway through another download of photos and video, I have to quickly pack the laptop and ready the camera. This time Jordan is the Engineer, Gibbs being off duty since before supper. Again, the address is on the other side of the district, and the route is even narrower, complimented by twists and dips, and dips that twist. It's dark, but lots of lawns decorated with Christmas lights: and at least it has stopped raining. Putting your life in the hands of a young driver on those roads could be scary for some. But, I used to drive similar roads in a truck filled with furnace oil....during snow storms. Only the urgency of the driving being the difference: people just don't need furnace oil as quickly as they need first-responders. (Although, some Texans might argue that HEAT may have priority on a cold winter's night). And Jordan is doing a bang-up job of not banging us up. But alas, again, someone is closer and determines with the owner that it is a false alarm. All units cancel. We are a few seconds from the scene and cruise past, just in case.
Back at the station again, we look at the photos and video of the day. Realize it's after 10pm. I've been observing for almost 14 hours now, and I'm exhausted just watching these guys. Time to head home.
In conclusion, my GPS tracker determined that we traveled at least 75 miles in those 14 hours. And I determined that the people and property of Bulverde are well-protected by a crew of energetic, enthusiastic, and vigilant firefighters. It was great meeting them and observing from the inside some what they go through each day on duty.
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