My best Wishes for everyone in SoCal with the fires

[Warchild]

chickey191 lives right in the middle of that ****.... he was forced to evacuate his home Monday night!!

They finally allowed him back in, but were told to stand by in case things changed for the worse....

Not good. At all.

 

[Neil San Diego]

We've had fires just north and south of us, but haven't been evacuated so far. 5 friends have been forced to evacuate, but as of this afternoon, all have been able to return, with no losses so far. Plenty of ash and smoke to go around...

Haven't been able to get into work yet this week, but the factory is supposed to accessible tomorrow.

 

[Toecutter]

It's pretty wild to be behind the lines at one of these major urban/wildland interface fire campaigns. I was at the Cedar Fire in '03 and saw some INTENSE action, and the Oakland Hills fire back in '91. The most memorable moment from Oakland was a lady who had been let back in to her neighborhood to find it incinerated, and I mean INCINERATED. We found nothing more than part of a spine and hip girdle of a woman who was reported missing by her family, much less than what is left when a body is cremated. That part of Oakland looked like a nuclear weapon was discharged.

Anyway, back to the lady. She was walking down the middle of her street, in a daze, holding a .39 cent miniature terracotta pot like it was a baby bird. It was all that she could find from what was her home. Very moving.

And the most moving moment from San Diego '03 (for me): The day firefighter Steven Rucker was killed in Julian, we were having problems with supplies at base camp. Anyway, someone told a local reporter that the firefighters had some problems getting supply lines established, and the ones coming off the fire lines had no pillows. Within an hour of the newscast, cars were lined up for almost a mile, whose owners had rushed out and bought up almost all the pillows in town and brought them to base camp, along with cots, sleeping bags, even Thermarest pads, most brand new. They kept coming until almost midnight. I still can't tell the story with a steady voice, thank heavens for a keyboard.

I'm reminded of a line from one of my favorite movies, "Starman". The visitor was making an observation about humans and he said "You are at your best when things are worst". Too bad we can't stay that way without disasters.

We sent a dozen guys from Fresno on 5 pieces of equipment. Reports are they've been busy. Send positive thoughts for all those affected by this mess.

 

[7xray]

Like Toecutter I've been in the battles some myself and I have to say it really means a lot to have the thanks coming from the residents. Volunteers, and paid departments too, spend a tremendous amount of their time (and family political capital) in training and responding to do some good for people having a bad day. So to those of you thanking the FFs, thanks and keep it up. Also, don't forget them when they come back for funding for needed apparatus and equipment. Its REALLY expensive to outfit a firefighter with personal protective equipment (PPE) and to give them safe and effective apparatus. Its especially tough in the rural volunteer departments.

Cheers,

7X

 

[Thug]

I know what your guys are going through heads up and stay safe! Oh And listen to the experts (The Fireies)

 

[Huck Fonda]

It's pretty wild to be behind the lines at one of these major urban/wildland interface fire campaigns. I was at the Cedar Fire in '03 and saw some INTENSE action, and the Oakland Hills fire back in '91. The most memorable moment from Oakland was a lady who had been let back in to her neighborhood to find it incinerated, and I mean INCINERATED. We found nothing more than part of a spine and hip girdle of a woman who was reported missing by her family, much less than what is left when a body is cremated. That part of Oakland looked like a nuclear weapon was discharged.
Anyway, back to the lady. She was walking down the middle of her street, in a daze, holding a .39 cent miniature terracotta pot like it was a baby bird. It was all that she could find from what was her home. Very moving.

And the most moving moment from San Diego '03 (for me): The day firefighter Steven Rucker was killed in Julian, we were having problems with supplies at base camp. Anyway, someone told a local reporter that the firefighters had some problems getting supply lines established, and the ones coming off the fire lines had no pillows. Within an hour of the newscast, cars were lined up for almost a mile, whose owners had rushed out and bought up almost all the pillows in town and brought them to base camp, along with cots, sleeping bags, even Thermarest pads, most brand new. They kept coming until almost midnight. I still can't tell the story with a steady voice, thank heavens for a keyboard.

I'm reminded of a line from one of my favorite movies, "Starman". The visitor was making an observation about humans and he said "You are at your best when things are worst". Too bad we can't stay that way without disasters.

We sent a dozen guys from Fresno on 5 pieces of equipment. Reports are they've been busy. Send positive thoughts for all those affected by this mess.

I don't even know what to say to this other than thanks for sharing it, and thanks for your service. I sincerely hope your guys make it back safe, and hope that they know that what they are doing is greatly appreciated even if it's poorly expressed.

 

[kaitsdad]

 

[Toecutter]

Like Toecutter I've been in the battles some myself and I have to say it really means a lot to have the thanks coming from the residents.

Woof!

In Oakland, we had base camp set up at Alameda NAS, across the Bay, and when we did shift change, it was a procession of over 100 engines heading back to Alameda at night. We ran our reds to stay together, and what we witnessed was no less than an impromptu ticker tape parade. People were hanging out of their windows waving, and running out to line the streets as fast as they could. Sixteen years later, it still means a lot.

It's like having a war come to your neighborhood, and getting a chance to show appreciation to the soldiers as they fight it. I can only hope our soldiers returning home from foreign countries get a similar welcome. The PGR posts mission threads for homecoming rides on their website, and I would encourage all FJR riders to get involved. Our service members deserve the support even more than us firefighters, and some of those people will have to redeploy, so it will make a big difference to their morale to cherish the memories of a warm homecoming when they're back in the conflict.

 

[Scab]

Our service members deserve the support even more than us firefighters, and some of those people will have to redeploy, so it will make a big difference to their morale to cherish the memories of a warm homecoming when they're back in the conflict.

I don't know, Toe. I kinda see it as the same. Just different enemies.

 

[Toecutter]

I don't know, Toe. I kinda see it as the same. Just different enemies.

When interviewed and asked what the toughest part of the job is, the firefighters usually say "Being away from home". We're away for maybe a week on these big campaigns, and some of the Forest Service crews are away for the fire season at the worst.

Many of our soldiers are away for 15 months at a whack, and many lives change irreversibly while they're gone (think "Dear John" letters).

That's what my comment was based on, and the fact that we as professional firefighters, on average, are much better compensated than soldiers when we're called out to a campaign incident, getting OT pay for all time but our regular duty days.

And we rarely come home with a case of PTSD, or in a box.

Volunteers for strike team duty are never hard to find, as it's comparable to a farm league baseball player getting called up to the show, with those not picked usually envious and eager to hear updates from the front lines.

In the Cedar Fire, I earned 92 hours of time-and-a-half in a week, which at the time equated to almost 2500 bucks extra gross on my next paycheck. Soldiers on the ground in a far-away land have it much worse, IMHO, without the fanfare of an always-present cheering section.