hawk4669
05-17-2009, 09:39 PM
I'm on duty right now and had a moment at a commercial structure fire today that I figured you guys could appreciate.
So about 9:30 am this morning we get a call to a structure fire in a downtown business. First engine gets there and it is a working fire with smoke and fire blowing out the front of the business. The building is basically a strip mall (all in a line down the street only separated by a wall per business) with a common attic (no fire stops in the attic so fire could potentially run the entire length of the building unimpeded). For the record, all the businesses involved are closed at the time of the fire.
My engine arrives second due to the fire and are assigned by the incident commander to the business right next door to the business on fire (which is ripping at this point). Our assignment is primary search (for victims) and to look for fire extension into the business.
At this time I should mention that the business we are assigned to is a combination "head" shop selling bongs and pipes for "exotic" tobacco -AND- an adult novelty/porn shop.
Being as the business is closed, my rookie firefighter and I force entry into the business, head inside and go to work. Inside is charged with black smoke down to the floor and moderate heat, but no visible fire.
We locate a stairway at the rear of the building leading up to the second floor. I go up the stairs and see that is a mezzanine (not sure if I spelled that right) with storage rooms off of it. I tell my Firefighter and Engineer to stay at the bottom of the stairs and I'll search the area by myself using our Thermal Imaging Camera because there is a ton of storage and crap all around and due to the smoke I can't see anything.
I enter the room and immediately become tangled in something and fall on my face. I recover and look up and immediately come face to face with one of their products (still in box) on the floor. Lo and behold it is the "Mr. Dandy Penis Pump."
So here I am, a seasoned experienced Fire Captain in full gear complete with my breathing apparatus lying on the floor staring at a penis pump. My only thought at this point is, "Hmmm...if I get tangled in something here and have to call for a mayday....how am I going to phrase this?"
It is at that moment I, for whatever reason, thought about the boards here at FOFC. I thought I'd toss that question out there for suggestions for future use in my career.
Thanks in advance.
Cheers!
So about 9:30 am this morning we get a call to a structure fire in a downtown business. First engine gets there and it is a working fire with smoke and fire blowing out the front of the business. The building is basically a strip mall (all in a line down the street only separated by a wall per business) with a common attic (no fire stops in the attic so fire could potentially run the entire length of the building unimpeded). For the record, all the businesses involved are closed at the time of the fire.
My engine arrives second due to the fire and are assigned by the incident commander to the business right next door to the business on fire (which is ripping at this point). Our assignment is primary search (for victims) and to look for fire extension into the business.
At this time I should mention that the business we are assigned to is a combination "head" shop selling bongs and pipes for "exotic" tobacco -AND- an adult novelty/porn shop.
Being as the business is closed, my rookie firefighter and I force entry into the business, head inside and go to work. Inside is charged with black smoke down to the floor and moderate heat, but no visible fire.
We locate a stairway at the rear of the building leading up to the second floor. I go up the stairs and see that is a mezzanine (not sure if I spelled that right) with storage rooms off of it. I tell my Firefighter and Engineer to stay at the bottom of the stairs and I'll search the area by myself using our Thermal Imaging Camera because there is a ton of storage and crap all around and due to the smoke I can't see anything.
I enter the room and immediately become tangled in something and fall on my face. I recover and look up and immediately come face to face with one of their products (still in box) on the floor. Lo and behold it is the "Mr. Dandy Penis Pump."
So here I am, a seasoned experienced Fire Captain in full gear complete with my breathing apparatus lying on the floor staring at a penis pump. My only thought at this point is, "Hmmm...if I get tangled in something here and have to call for a mayday....how am I going to phrase this?"
It is at that moment I, for whatever reason, thought about the boards here at FOFC. I thought I'd toss that question out there for suggestions for future use in my career.
Thanks in advance.
Cheers!