Baptism by fire
June 22, 2014 10:22 AM Subscribe
A 36 year old FDNY "probie" fights his first fire (SLNYTimes interactive)
Interesting to read how the first ladder company on scene splits itself and tackles evaluating (and potentially deploying) a fireproof curtain from above the fire floor to prevent a wind-driven fire (see photo 3/4th down the page)
posted by warreng at 12:37 PM on June 22, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by warreng at 12:37 PM on June 22, 2014 [2 favorites]
The fire curtain concept was news to me, makes sense when you think about it. Good article.
posted by arcticseal at 2:42 PM on June 22, 2014
posted by arcticseal at 2:42 PM on June 22, 2014
That was a such an excellent article. I can't remember the last time what is basically a two line news story felt so suspenseful.
posted by 256 at 4:12 PM on June 22, 2014
posted by 256 at 4:12 PM on June 22, 2014
I love it when the NY Times puts up a new interactive article, they're always so compelling. Thanks.
posted by supermassive at 7:17 PM on June 22, 2014
posted by supermassive at 7:17 PM on June 22, 2014
Great link, very informative.
Read this also, for a taste what it was like as a fire fighter in NYC in the 1970's.
posted by Pudhoho at 7:35 PM on June 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
Read this also, for a taste what it was like as a fire fighter in NYC in the 1970's.
posted by Pudhoho at 7:35 PM on June 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
Is addressed, the test was thrown out on the grounds of racial disparity.
posted by save alive nothing that breatheth at 5:57 AM on June 23, 2014
posted by save alive nothing that breatheth at 5:57 AM on June 23, 2014
My father was a firefighter, back in the '70's he rescued a 4 year old boy from a burning house. The child was hiding under the bed. Back in the '70's the firemen wore helmets with face shields, not the full face masks with air tanks they wear today.
He was searching the bedroom for the child, visibility was zero. He was calling out for the child, "Where are you?" Then he heard an answer, "Here I am." They were calling back and forth, getting closer all the time. My father then felt the child clamp onto his leg. The little boy was holding on so tightly, it was easier for my father to walk out with the child on his leg than to try and carry him. My father won an award for saving that little boy's life, but he will tell you to this day that he didn't find the child, the child found him.
posted by JujuB at 8:44 PM on June 23, 2014 [4 favorites]
He was searching the bedroom for the child, visibility was zero. He was calling out for the child, "Where are you?" Then he heard an answer, "Here I am." They were calling back and forth, getting closer all the time. My father then felt the child clamp onto his leg. The little boy was holding on so tightly, it was easier for my father to walk out with the child on his leg than to try and carry him. My father won an award for saving that little boy's life, but he will tell you to this day that he didn't find the child, the child found him.
posted by JujuB at 8:44 PM on June 23, 2014 [4 favorites]
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Swaddled in gear, he was 100 pounds heavier.
Admittedly I never actually weighed my bunker gear and air tank, but that seems like slightly too much, even with an extra 20 lbs. of water. (Then again, maybe not-- I remember having races in our steel-soled boots and holy crap, it was like running through molasses.) A quick Googling tells me it's more like 50 lbs for just the gear, though.
Fires everywhere, and yet after 96 days Firefighter Sullivan kept wondering, “When’s it my turn?”
This reminds of The Prayer in our volunteer station. "Oh Lord, I'm not askin' for anything bad to happen... but if it does, let it be on my shift."
posted by WidgetAlley at 11:29 AM on June 22, 2014 [8 favorites]