I am in awe of firefighters. And deeply appreciate them.

[Critters2]

I volunteered at the homeless shelter tonight. One of my parishioners arrived there about a half hour after I did, and told me a restaurant near my house was on fire, with lots of smoke and open flames. And firefighters from our town and about 4 other fire departments. Later two shelter residents said they had been watching the fire until they just got too cold to be outside.

It's right at 0 F, with terrible windchills. I can't imagine being out in it, let alone dealing with smoke, water, stress, etc.

I ended my shift at the shelter at 11 pm (after getting there at 6:30). When I drove home, the firefighters were still at the fire scene. There are still billows of smoke rolling out of one building that's pretty much destroyed, and there's damage to two other buildings.

And the firefighters are still there, with ladders and hoses, in this brutal cold. It looks like the restaurant will be a total loss, but the rest of the neighborhood has been protected.

I'm grateful that there are people willing to do this amazing, difficult, dangerous work. I stand in awe.

[ThomCat]

1. It is even more amazing when you realize that in most places

those firefighters are volunteers. Most small towns and municipalities have volunteer fire departments, so those are people who volunteer to do that.

Can you imagine... :wow:

[Critters2]

7. True. My own city has professional firefighters, But many of those

other departments out there with them tonight were from small town volunteer depts. It truly is amazing!

[krispos42]

2. Sometimes their hoses freeze up

Which I've always found to be somewhat ironic.


"America's Bravest", indeed.

[Critters2]

9. I know. It's even more dangerous than usual

to fight fires in these temps. Just amazing.

[Lil Missy]

3. You do a lot of good work too, critters. And I do not think you feel enough appreciated for it.

[Critters2]

8. Wow. Thank you!

:hi:

[Lil Missy]

10. You are entirely welcome.

:hi:

[Radical Activist]

4. Firefighters spend 98% of their time sitting around bitching.

They're heroes once in a while but on a day to day basis there are other professions who put themselves at greater risk. In Chicago they get three days on, four days off, have side jobs and collect huge pensions.

[PaddyBlueEyes]

5. Oh really..

tell that to my 343 brothers that didnt come home on 9/11....You ever have a baby die in your arms? How about having to tell a mom, that you couldnt her her four children and husband out in time? or cut a dead person out of a car..or go to the burn unit and watch the guy you just played hockey with the night before..burnt over 40% of his body...or digging body parts out of the pile at Ground Zero...Buddy, those "big" pensions come with a heavy, heavy price..

[fizzgig]

14. thank you for what you do, paddy

[sarge43]

19. Hand salute and thank you, PaddyBlueEyes and to your brothers and sisters. n/t

[Critters2]

6. Wow.

I wouldn't want to spend one night doing what those guys were doing tonight--fighting flames and smoke in weather so cold their hoses could freeze, they could suffer frostbite, along with the usual risks of burns, building collapses, and smoke inhalation. All to keep ingrates like you safe.

As far as I'm concerned, they can bitch all they want. And I can't imagine a pension too large.

[seaglass]

11. My husband is a firefighter and you have no fucking clue what you are talking about.

You sound exactly like the whiny clueless Republican assholes in my town who denigrate union workers until it's their ass being saved.

What does it matter how many days in a week it takes to work a 40 hour shift? All I hear is jealousy when I hear a comment like that.

How many lives does a firefighter have to save over his/her career before they deserve respect?

You do know that most firefighters are also EMT/First Responders and respond to medical calls in addition to fires?

People like you make me sick bloviating about shit you know NOTHING about.

[sarge43]

12. So, if your home is going up in flames, who will you call?

Yup, there are other professionals at possibly greater risk and they're doing that work for free, right? No bennies, no bitchin'?

[LanternWaste]

13. Much like many of the slacktavist posters on DU...

"Firefighters spend 98% of their time sitting around bitching."

Much like many of the slacktavist posters on DU...

[Starbucks Anarchist]

16. Stting in front of a computer is so much more dangerous.

:eyes:

[fizzgig]

17. then why don't you strap on the gear and see what it's like

and nice use of your broad brush there

[auntAgonist]

21. I hope and pray you never need those "once in a while" heroes.

Paddy said it best upthread.

aA

[fizzgig]

15. i got to know a number of firefighters while i was at my old job

and they are such an amazing bunch of people, some of the nicest i've ever met. i've strapped on the gear and gone into the burn houses with them and that was hard work. i can't imagine what it's like when it's an actual call.

[billyoc]

18. Same here. I had to fight a couple of shipboard fires in my sailing days.

It was a terror that I cannot describe. I can't imagine choosing to do that for a living. :scared:

[NJmaverick]

20. I have been an EMT for well over 20 years and for some reason

the vast majority of fires I stood by at were in the freezing cold. One other thing to add, throwing around all that water in those cold temperatures if a very bad thing. Ice covers the ground and everything and everybody, it's a very dangerous situation.