Living with a (volunteer "only", but still) firefighter... every time I heard the sirens... I went nuts.
Video: 1983, my hometown, just around the corner of our home, more or less - this was before we were together, of course, but I can tell you ... uncontrolled fires FREAK ME OUT.
Pics here - you find Henry 🦁 there, too.
Ingo was there. He cannot explain to me what it made him be there, why to try and help (this time they "just" took care the fire didn´t grab other houses, they let it burn down, but still. I know about statics and that).
He was an Atemschutzgeräteträger.. (using breathing apparatus, google translate does a good job here) - LUCKILY too old now - one of those guys who really go inside, even in the worst situation.
The firefighter in Perth... PANIC-MODE. I step into the street, 38C and he´s in full gear.... PANIC!!!
And he grinned.
They sold sexy calendars for the Children´s Hospital Perth.
He calmed me down, we chatted, Ingo took a pic of us.
Nice guy.
Could not really explain why he has this job.
We live ground level and have two fire-distinguishers I cannot work with, guess.... balcony, JUMP - RUN!
I am SO SORRY, Grace, it was not my fault (Ingo assumes Marty and his colleagues were in the van for days and it rained).
THANK YOU, FIREFIGHTERS!
I do know you do EVEN MORE THAN THIS!
I do not know why.
Most have a family and all...
2nd or 3 rd grade there was a huge fire near the school. The teacher was dumb, I freaked and this guy...
.. he tried to help me.
Tried to explain the fire won´t catch my family. It didn´t work - I freaked out so much, Mum had to come and take me home.
I´m the one to the outer right - I am one step down, not THAT small(er)!
Class of 1982...
Sitting girl fourth from right is dead. Lost her life at age 17 being with a dumb guy.
Your childhood-memories? Hopefully better?
Henry 🦁
...
He was not with us back then - well, not really (But my town has the same)..
Don´t burn down the house...
Now we live 5 minutes from the main fire department of Braunschweig.
And no, luckily you never hear them.
28 comments:
I have never been afraid of fire, but I do worry when there are bushfires in and around the hills here, my daughter lives up there and fire just destroys everything in its path. It would be awful to go back to your home and find nothing but ashes, with everything important gone. Luckily, they have all important papers copied and signed and the originals safe in a bank lock-box. They have a sprinkler system on their roof and bags with necessary things always packed and ready to run. They have been up there almost thirty years now and have never needed to run.
No idea if I could live like this!
We once got stuck at Wolfe creek Meteorite Crater and there was a bush-fire. Ingo said we´re safe, but boy, oh boy, I had a bad night (Ingo was certainly right).
Clever to have all the documents in a safe place - knock on wood (wait... need to bend down for that) your Daughter will never have to run!
We have lots of volunteer firemen here too, anything outside the big cities is a volunteer, pity they don't get paid because they do an awesome job.
Yes, it´s a shame. They have to take hours off work in case of an emergency, no idea if they even have to pay for that on top (would ask, but Hubby is at work, lucky guy, that). It´s a scary job.
I lost a previous residence to fire. I did lose some things but was able to salvage most of my things. A little smoke inhalation, but fire fighters were on the scene quickly.
To this day I still think my scumbag ex-landlord had it set to get rid of me. I was putting a lot of pressure on him with the city.
I'm not afraid of fire now. But I was a few years ago when my youngest son lived in Amsterdam in a very old house, top floor. If a fire had broken out there, I'm afraid he couldn't have made it out alive. I dreamt about that.
About your questions... yes the answer is yes. Exciting!
William, what a story! A sad one, too! And sounds like you didn´t win in the end, how frustrating.
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Bertiebo, oh, yes, I´d be afraid, too! We have a latter from top to ... our window, so in case of fire people could climb that but have to jump 3-4 meters!!!
They "cut" it because kids were climbing up from the garden for fun. Not the smartest solution and I doubt it´s legal...
OK, off to the grocery later to add to what I found :-)
...our town has a volunteer fire department which has some wonderful, dedicated members.
Still scary - I am certainly thankful there are brave people like that!
My little town has a volunteer fire brigade. Several years the neighbor's house had a chimney fire from their wood stove. I saw flames and called the fire department. The alarm went out and the firefighters showed up before I hung up the phone and put the fire out. Not too much damage. Thank heavens for brave people. Ingo looks so cute and proud as a youth firefighter. Take care.
CJ, yes, I am thankful, but I always feared for Ingo´s life, too...
Boy, yours sure are very quick!
I have a healthy respect for fire. And am always looking for the fire escape when I am in a new place (hotel etc). My husband has a habit of locking windows with keys and then losing the key. I have a fear of not being able to get out in an emergency, so in our house we have keys on hooks near the door/window that is locked, but out of sight (in case of burglars).
Also I am careful with fire (candles, open fire) and curtains etc. I don't leave candles unattended. A bit of common sense is needed.
We have our electrical wiring up to date, as that is also sometimes a cause for fire.
When I used to work at the old hospice, which was like a big villa surrounded by gardens, we had regular fire drill. Once a year, an older member of the fire brigade would come and do a talk with graphic videos etc. quite frightening.
You have got me reading Grace's blogs now. I like her photography and it's lovely to see Perth (I have never been to Oz).
Have a lovely weekend,
Hugs,
Lisca
I used to live in a small town with volunteer firefighters. They even delivered my friend's baby in my family room. Wonderful volunteers Here we pay our fire fighters, which includes women. Ingo looks good in his uniform.
Oh, Lisca, same here, all windows/balcony door closed with locks, keys near for in case. Candles we near to never use, wooden floor in most places and I´m clumsy.
Luckily Ingo is an engineer in electronics, so I feel quite safe on that road.
The hospice sounds lovely. And teaching is always good.
Yes, I always look where the emergency exit is, too! Had some issues (little Brother) in my family home... all good, nothing happened.
Perth is a great place and many a cool event is for free. The city is awesome, the people friendly. I sure hope Grace keeps carrying on with the blog!
We all do the best we can. Today it is more complicated. We have chemical accidents on highways and we don´t know if we can use water, foam or something else! Think about E-cars, if the battery is on fire don't let them burn (could be last days). Sink the whole car into a water tank.And our firefighter team has been and surely will never walk alone!
Bravehearts all!
I'm not a fan of fire either. Never use candles even if I can avoid it! I have solar lights for power outages.
As you may know this part of the US has high fires every year. Last year lots of people lost everything. It is a horrible sight. Thank the gods for the volunteers.
We have volunteer firefighters in my small town and they are amazing. Growing up my brother was a volunteer firefighter too. And there were people in my distance family too, and my husband's family too, to I salute them. It's not an easy job when they have to fight a fire. Hope your weekend starts off great Iris.
We have volunteer firefighters here. I'm afraid of fire but those people are heroes running in and putting fires out.
Elizabeth, big WOW on your volunteers! And yes, reckon they have women here, too... I would never dare...
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magiceye, yes.
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RedPat, welcome to the pack, kinda.
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Nicole, yes, what would you do without them?!
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Erika, we need them, but it´s so scary. Hoping for a quiet, happy, long weekend for all of us!
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Bill, yes, fearless heroes. I´m chicken.
My boys’ vehicle exploded out in our front yard back in the fall...dalton had just gotten home from work...5 minutes later it was up in flames, completely destroyed...thank GOD he was in the house! Called 911 and our volunteer firefighters showed up and put it out! It was a total loss...but at least nobody was hurt!
Well the landlord tenant tribunal hearing is perpetually delayed because of Covid, and I was told the city had gone forward with fines of their own.
Tanya, uh-oh! Good help was there in time!
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William... "Corinna"/Covid drives us all nuts! Hope the guy gets what he deserves...
I have high respect of fires. I live in an area with frequent wildfires, ones of them burnt down entire neighborhoods in my town. We have made emergency and evacuation plans (we were on evacuation warnings the past four years), have a grab- and go-box and additional lists with things to take if we have more time. It sounds scary, but you actually learn to live with it and behave accordingly (no fireworks, no highly flammable plants in your garden, creating defensible space around your house etc). This year is said to be worse since we're also in an exceptional drought (the most severe of the drought categories).
One of my nephews is a volunteer fireman - his wife doesn't seem to mind but I think I would have been worried every time the siren went.
Stay safe - and learn how to use those fire extinguishers! Hugz, Mxx
Carola, don´t know if I could live where you do, but the idea of a grab- and go-box is wise, will copy you. Though actually we´re pretty safe.
Drought and fires was in the news yesterday :-(
Here, too, not much rain. Let´s hope all goes well!
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Margaret... yes. Ingo has to show me. But in panic mode I think the balcony it would be!!!
I was banned from the kitchen in my parent´s house cause heat and fire... make me scream and run...
All firefighters are wonderful ...
All the best Jan
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