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View Full Version : Firemen...Heroes even when nobody is looking!



HighRoller
07-21-2004, 11:10 PM
For those who don't know, I'm the only one in a circle of family and friends who isn't a fireman. It runs in all of our families, my Dad included. He was a 36 year veteran and decorated Captain of LAcoFD. His friend's three sons are all firemen now, and I'm closest to the middle son. I called him the other day on his day off to say hello, and his wife said he was at work. Okay, I figured it was another OT(Overtime), but was wrong.
One of his station mates has a wife who has cancer. Without this guy's knowledge, all of the guys from all three shifts worked out a schedule so that each one of them would take one of his shifts for a month straight. That means every guy worked a shift for free to let this guy stay home with his wife after chemo. Needless to say, I was blown away. My buddy has a 2 year old daughter and twins on the way, and he gave up a day at home with them to help his station mate. Wow....I was blown away by this gesture and felt that everyone should hear what an inspiration firemen are.
I encourage everyone to do something nice for your local fire station. They spend ten nights a month minimum away from their families and would give their lives to save yours without question. So take them a plate of homemade cookies, or take your kids to the station for pictures. Make them a special dinner dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas, because they are away from home. Thank them in some way. They will appreciate it. And when your house is in the way of a brush fire, you'll get that appreciation back!

mtndewdrops
07-22-2004, 05:55 AM
We appreciate our firefighters too.
Every year my neighbor who works for LA City Fire has a week long outing at the Nauticle Inn. The participation has been increasing every year. We have been going for 5 years and enjoy spending a little down time with the local Firefighters.

little rowe boat
07-22-2004, 10:48 AM
Originally posted by HighRoller
For those who don't know, I'm the only one in a circle of family and friends who isn't a fireman. It runs in all of our families, my Dad included. He was a 36 year veteran and decorated Captain of LAcoFD. His friend's three sons are all firemen now, and I'm closest to the middle son. I called him the other day on his day off to say hello, and his wife said he was at work. Okay, I figured it was another OT(Overtime), but was wrong.
One of his station mates has a wife who has cancer. Without this guy's knowledge, all of the guys from all three shifts worked out a schedule so that each one of them would take one of his shifts for a month straight. That means every guy worked a shift for free to let this guy stay home with his wife after chemo. Needless to say, I was blown away. My buddy has a 2 year old daughter and twins on the way, and he gave up a day at home with them to help his station mate. Wow....I was blown away by this gesture and felt that everyone should hear what an inspiration firemen are.
I encourage everyone to do something nice for your local fire station. They spend ten nights a month minimum away from their families and would give their lives to save yours without question. So take them a plate of homemade cookies, or take your kids to the station for pictures. Make them a special dinner dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas, because they are away from home. Thank them in some way. They will appreciate it. And when your house is in the way of a brush fire, you'll get that appreciation back!
This is very common,firefighters typically pick up the shifts for a firefighter who has an ill family member or a firefighter that is ill and has run out of sick leave. We try to take care of each other,we consider other firefighters and their families our extended family.

Her454
07-22-2004, 11:11 AM
This thread actually made me cry. Thanks for sharing such a touching gesture of kindness.:D :D

HighRoller
07-22-2004, 10:54 PM
My Dad recently took a trip to NY city and was disappointed he didn't have the free time to visit a station there. I still remember that day, (9-11) and hearing that over 300 firemen were missing. I felt like I was going to throw up thinking about what those guys were going through and how I would feel losing some of my friends or their parents on that scale. I was in shock. The one thing about the job is that you never think it will happen to you or someone you know. I pray it never does in our circle.

Kindsvater Flat
07-23-2004, 12:20 AM
Its amazing what they do. I'm a volunteer fire chief and I couldn't believe the amount of support that we get from the people that live in the area. For such a small farming community there is always someone to help out. Last friday we had a structure fire and all 10 firefighters showed up ( doesn't always happen) Well needless to say about halfway through this trailer inferno I looked around and people were dropping off ice chests of water, gatorade and there was one with silver bullets :) After it was all over we had a ton of thank yous. The people are great. They are going to throw the gentleman a spaghetti benefit to raise money and help him out. Not very many places like that that will take the time where the community will support one and all. Hats off to the paid guys those guys bust ass!
BTW we had a total of 36 calls last year. whew it was busy.

HighRoller
07-23-2004, 12:51 AM
My buddy's station averages just under 7,000 a year. It is always #1 or #2 out of all the LACo stations.

little rowe boat
07-23-2004, 02:50 PM
I have been a firefighter for over 15 years now,sometimes you love it and sometimes you hate it,we get to see the best and worst of things.Sometimes when you are out on the fire lines for 24 or more hours straight and you feel like a zombie because you are completely fatigued and then you get a break in the action so you then try to catch a quick nap in the dirt,you think to yourself,what the hell am I doing.Then you go on that woman in labor call and actually get to deliver a baby and see the look of appreciation and tears in the eyes of a mother and father you think this is what it is all about,you know you have made a difference in someone's life and thats a good feeling.

ahhell
07-23-2004, 03:17 PM
I hear ALOT about firefighters pulling shifts for each other esp. for the needs of others.
Just a fun note for anyone intrested, the IEFEA is having a muster for the fire explorers tomorrow 7-24-04 at the Ontario training center, 1408 E Francis, Ontario. come on out and support tomorrows hero's......I'll be there, rooting for Hesperia....