Structure Fire

June 21st, 2007

The softball game for tonight was cancelled so I had the evening to do whatever. At six o’clock I went to The Deuce to talk with Bien about the association. I was wearing one of the brand new shirts that I got today. It has the association logo on it.

While I was at the station the guys got called on out a rekindle of the field fire on WSU Campus from earlier today. Then they went to an EMS call. I was waiting around the station for them to get back. I planned on going to the jail to hang out and stopped by Colfax Fire. Before they got back a call came in for a structure fire.

I went to check the map for hydrants and where to come in with the engine. I heard the responding unit request a second alarm. That is when I decided to go to the bathroom and get rid of some of the stuff in my pockets. I went back in and started to put on my turnouts.

One other firefighter came running in, he was a green stripe until Monday. He was excited and ready to roll. I called Chapman to see if he was coming. I wanted to see if we could get a full rig before rolling. I saw Chapman came down and more people started to show up.

This firefighter tried to jump into the front seat. I told him to get in the back. I also made sure he tagged in. Then one of the Lts came. We changed over to taking Engine thirty-two. I got tagged in. Chapman was going to drive but the Lt said he wanted one of his career guys to drive instead. Chapman got out and went to Engine thirty-one.

While we were going I got into my air pack and waited to get on scene. We stopped at Spring Street and Main street. I was facing backwards. But I looked out my window and looked forward. That is when I saw the column of smoke and the flames shooting. I knew this was going to be a real one.


The building as it was when we got there.

Another view of the fire.

We were sent up to the house. It was a long way from where we were, becuase we had to walk up the road to the driveway and then up the long driveway. When we got there we were told to take the blitz line off the PL and use it to fight the fire and protect the exposure.


My team on a blitz line.

Three handlines fighting the fire.

We threw water on the fire for a while from the front of the building then we went to the back side. It was a small area and we had a two-and-a-half inch line. So it was tough to handle it. But we got some water thrown on the back of the house.

After working both sides for a while we went to rehab. I then got assigned to rehab manager. I got the area set up, but no one was really coming over after the initial wave of fighting the fire, it clamed down and was not all the major. We stayed outside of the building and did not go on air, so we never really needed any more rehab.

Finally I did get one crew over to my location, which was about one hundred feet from the scene. While I was waiting out there Jay came and asked if I wanted to stay there for a few more hours. I said “no”. I thought he meant in rehab. He meant on scene with the engine thirty-three — The Great White Hope. I told him I would do that.

The rescue crew switched out with a couple of other guys for various reasons. We hung around on scene for a couple hours putting water on the building from time to time. It was a pretty quiet night. Gribbon got some pop and other things for us to have up there because we had to stay up there until three in the morning. We also had to fuel the engine up before taking it back to the station.

We then had to go fuel Rescue up as well. I got home and in bed around four-thirty in the morning.


The sunset through the smoke of the fire.

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