Stepping back...

Down the bannister

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The firefighters, the EMTs, the law enforcement officers, all of those who protect the citizens of our communities, never know when, or if, they might be called upon to assist a friend or relative. It's in the back of their minds every time they are beckoned, but usually it doesn't happen. It may be a car accident, a fire, a rescue call or who knows what, but it can and does happen, especially in a small community. It always leaves you with an empty, sick feeling in the pit of your stomach. It leaves you with sadness. It leaves you wondering, "What if that had been my son or daughter?"

Our fire department has rehearsals (practices) on the first and third Thursdays of each month. The plan for our rehearsal last Thursday was to tour two buildings in order to familiarize the firefighters with the construction and layout that was used in each. The first building we toured was a wood frame condominium that is currently under construction along the Milwaukee River. The other building is a stone mill, also on the Milwaukee River, that was constructed over 100 years ago, and at this time, houses several businesses.

Roll call was at 7:00 pm, and after a few announcements we headed to the condo. The walk through/walk around at the condo lasted until about 7:45. We then walked about a block to the mill and started the tour there. Sometime between 8:15 and 8:30, our pagers sounded and we were alerted of a fire situation at a specific intersection. The intersection didn't register with me until we arrived on scene. The fire was in a building that is owned by, and houses the business of, a good friend of mine. During the attack, I discovered that one of my friend's sons had been burned. I called my friend via cell phone and he told me that he and his wife were in route to the hospital. Shortly thereafter, the fire was extinguished and it was time to return to the station.

Before we could leave the scene of the fire, however, our pagers sounded once again. This time there was a wire arcing and sparking on a pole out in the township. We arrived on scene and sure enough, just as reported, there was arcing and sparking on a pole. There was nothing we could do except wait andwatch until the power company arrived to fix the problem. After about two hours, we finally returned to the station.

I left the station at about midnight, and as I drove past my friend's business, I saw him standing on the corner with a woman that was filling out a report. He was also talking on his cell phone to his wife, who had remained at the hospital when he left. He handed the phone to me, and I talked with his wife while he finished his business with the report. His wife told me that their son has second degree burns on his arms and legs with the possibility of some third degree burns. Luckily, his face was not burned nor did he inhale any flames. He is going to have a long stay in the hospital and not be able to work for some months. Needless to say, he is in our thoughts and prayers.

You never know.....do you?

At first glance you will look at this picture and think "so what".  But I was part of something pretty special and very moving yesterday.    What I saw next gave me the chills.  Standing on the side of the road just me and my camera.  I see a lot of familiar faces.  Then I see  this and more familiar faces.   As they drive by I think "what an honor for two grandsons.  To get to drive their     Grandpa the former Fire Chief from years ago to his final resting place. (Then I went to a different location) As I watched the trucks coming toward the cemetary.  I thought of the service the fire fighters gave the night before at the funeral home.  They ran a last page for their Chief.  There wasn't a dry eye in the house.   The former Chiefs son has been the Chief for some years now.  As a special gift to him (the son).  The firemen suprised him with the trucks for his fathers funeral.  He had no clue, until he came out of the church after the service, that they had done this for him and his family.  Brotherhood is what it is all about. So as everyone watched his grandsons make that last turn  they knew how proud he is of his family.  He passed on the passion of firefighting to several family members.  Including his grandsons who took him on his   last ride.  In the truck he faught fire with when he was a young fireman.  Watching his family (related by blood and by the brotherhood of fire fighting) say good bye was an amazing feeling.  I was glad I got to be part of   this service.  I am glad to be part of this extended  family. I thank God for our   fire fighters.

Last week end we made our annual trip to the Firemans Memorial Firefighters from all over the state are there.  We camp while we are there.  We had nine sights between our group.  At camp we played some pretty serious games of polish horseshoes On Friday night they have a silent light parade  Saturday morning is the actual Memorial service.  The wall and the statue are something to see.  I wish I had a better close up to show.  Then we go to the full blown all lights and sirens blaring parade.  There are over 100 entries of  
old firetrucks and new firetrucks. I liked this shot of the gadgets  on new truck.  

Hope you enjoy the little trip...I did.

I took these pictures the night my Grandma's barn burned.  My husband is on the department and couldn't be there he was at work.  I wish these pics were of my husband but they are of a firefighter friend of ours.  The fire was very intense and the heat was unbelievable.  heat firefighter fire