[at-l] Re: firefighters story

[Trailmixup@aol.com]

Hi, 
This was sent to me by a friend.  I thought some of you might enjoy reading 
it.  It's not Trail-related, inasmuch as it *could* be.

Trailmixup

<<  Here is a note from Los Alamos firefighter.  Amazing stuff
 
 
 >>Allen R. Schmiedicke, Fire Captain, La Cueva Volunteer Fire Department
 >>
 >>Friday, May 12.
 >>
 >>Smoke is every where. Starting at Dome Road. Patches here and there, even
 >>in areas that have been burned out for week. Areas of black, areas of
 >>green, then areas that are completely scorched.
 >>
 >>I did a shift on the fire Friday.  We arrive at 8 am and sit around for an
 >>hour as fires blowup around us.  All the engines staged with us quickly
 >>leave without explanation.  We find out that another structure in town has
 >>gone up.  Someone else has lost everything.
 >>
 >>Finally an assignment but we have to hurry. We get our own blowup.  We
 >>barely knock down one side of fire when we are pulled from there and rush
 >>to another blowup.  This time it's the site where they machine the
 >>explosives. They tell us to hurry to put the fire out before it reaches the
 >>building.  One engine, one tanker and the squad truck.  We place the
 >>equipment and run around like chickens with our heads cut off but we are in
 >>control.  We get the fire out then try to figure what the hurry was.  The
 >>building is thick steel and concrete and made to survive fires and blasts.
 >>
 >>We are not even close to the town site.  You look north and there is
 >>nothing but smoke.  You can hear the helicopters and slurry bombers but you
 >>can't see them.  Every once in a while a helicopter beats it's way out of
 >>the smoke and quickly disappears.
 >>
 >>I am working with the Truchas crew knocking down a snag that is burning.
 >>We are trying to keep the fire out of the tree crowns.  Our efforts are
 >>hampered when the snag is trapped in another tree.  We get it down and
 >>knock the fire out.  The ground is so hot that you can see the water boil
 >>as it is sprayed.  You can feel the heat through our boots.
 >>
 >>Our engine is pulled and sent to the WETF site to protect those structures.
 >>Now we are seperated.  Those of us left have the tanker, the squad truck
 >>and the Truchas brush truck.  We knock the fire down to just a few smokes
 >>when we are told to break down and we are pulled out to another blowup at
 >>Tech Area 22.
 >>
 >>Before we get there we are sent to the WETF site to handle another blowup.
 >>We are now seperated from our tanker and have rejoined with the engine.
 >>This fire we both control and let burn.  The more we let burn the more
 >>control we will have later.  In fires like this you hope for black.
 >>
 >>I am trying put out a flare up with a shovel and dirt, waiting for the
 >>Truchas crew to put gas in their engine and get me some water.  I have it
 >>knocked down before they can get water on it.  They get their pump started
 >>but it takes a few minutes before it has enough pressure.
 >>
 >>We are taking a break and watching the fire, putting out hot spots.  Our
 >>tanker is back with us and once a again we are a complete crew.  We have
 >>been going for five hours straight and are scheduled for rehab.  We get a
 >>list together and prepare to go to the cache pick up equipment.  We don't
 >>make it.  We are seperated from our tanker and sent to another blowup.
 >>This one is not looking good.  A metal and wood building that is in danger
 >>of going.  The Rio Rancho crew working the ground behind the building has
 >>pulled out and is waiting by the road. Thick, dark smoke is boiling up
 >>behind the building.  Every time we see dark smoke we know that another
 >>tree has torched.
 >>
 >>We back the engine up, connect to the hydrant and begin sending water to
 >>the back of the building.  We are using the deck gun and it is a blessing.
 >>With it and the stacked tips going down to 1 1/4 inches and we can send
 >>water over two hundred feet.  We are joined by a Rio Rancho rig that also
 >>has a deck gun.
 >>
 >>The Rio Rancho crew is back behind the building.  The deck guns are doing a
 >>good job of knocking down the fire and Rio Rancho ground crew is mopping
 >>up.  We get some lunch.  Cold McDonalds.  The cheese burger actual tastes
 >>good but there is nothing I can say about the french fries.  Medic One
 >>rolls up with its lights on.  I am trying figure out what is going on
 >>because we have no one that is hurt.  An EMT jumps out with a box and askes
 >>me if we need lunches.  "YES" and Medic One is gone.
 >>
 >>It is time for me to leave. My four hour shift has turned to seven.  Three
 >>of us are leaving.  Some will stay til dark and others will spend the
 >>night.  In the morning others will come to help out.  We hit the hairpin on
 >>Highway 4 and look back towards Los Alamos.  Still smoke is every where and
 >>in amoung the smoke is a dark column.  It can only mean one thing,  another
 >>house has gone up.
 >
 >Susan H. Klein
 >CIC-1 Writer-Editor
 >EES-13, YMP, EES Division
 
* From the AT-L |  Need help? http://www.backcountry.net/faq.html  *

==============================================================================