Fire Service

[peterms]

Today someone died a few hundred yards from me. Body found in the basement outside a pub, early morning. Oddly, I'd come past an hour earlier, and though I usually pass that spot on my way home, last night I took the parallel street. Probably would have been nothing to see even if I'd taken that road.

Today, found out about it when the police had blocked off the road, but still let me in to get to the bakery.

Later, walking past the spot again, past the railing the fire service had cut down to retrieve the body, I saw a group of blokes from the fire service, trucks parked round the corner, standing in silent respect for someone they never knew, laying flowers.

They stood there for a few moments, then got back on the trucks, back to the station, waiting for the next tragedy.

[Risso]

That's quite touching, but I thought most emergency service workers were a lot more clinical that, ie scrape them up and on to the next one.  That's not a criticism either, just the coping mechanism most seem to have to enable them to function.  I couldn't do that job at all.

[peterms]

That's quite touching, but I thought most emergency service workers were a lot more clinical that, ie scrape them up and on to the next one.  That's not a criticism either, just the coping mechanism most seem to have to enable them to function.  I couldn't do that job at all.

Me neither.

[chrisp65]

A few months ago I saw a biker hit off his bike and run over by a few cars, it's still with me, so how on earth somebody deals with death and injury and tragedy on a regular basis I just can't imagine.

 

But we're all very lucky that somebody does.

 

I've also got a good mate who's a first responder paramedic, he spends most evenings keeping pensioners calm and / or alive until the ambulance arrives, again, hero.

[coda]

I watched a documentary on the emergency services part of which featured several firemen. They said they often used humour to deal with the harsher aspects of the job. One time they had to collect the body of a suicide by train who had become decapitated. They carried the body and head on a stretcher and had to negotiate some steps. Of course the head fell off the stretcher and bounced down the steps rolling away. Cue loads of comments like "pull yourself together mate" and "don't lose your head." 

[villarule123]

My Dad was in the Fire Service for 30+ years.

 

He said that it's tough in the beginning, but after a while it toughens you up and he's seen just about everything.

[peterms]

My Dad was in the Fire Service for 30+ years.

 

He said that it's tough in the beginning, but after a while it toughens you up and he's seen just about everything.

I have nothing but respect for the people who do jobs like that. Any rational society would value them far higher than we do.

[markavfc40]

Some don't give our public servants the respect they deserve. That would certainly apply to the vast majority of the current Government.

 

There will obviously be a few bad apples but the vast majority are doing a great job.

[Mantis]

Some don't give our public servants the respect they deserve. That would certainly apply to the vast majority of the current Government.

 

There will obviously be a few bad apples but the vast majority are doing a great job.

Not just this one unfortunately. Long under-appreciated by many in society.

Edited April 4, 2014 by Mantis

[tonyh29]

A few months ago I saw a biker hit off his bike and run over by a few cars, it's still with me, so how on earth somebody deals with death and injury and tragedy on a regular basis I just can't imagine.

.

I had the same about 20 years ago ... Some idiot cut across the white jagged lines as they joined the A3 and knocked a cyclist into the outside lane where he got run over by about 6 vehicles

All of which I watched in my rear view mirror

For a good while afterwards whenever I used that mirror all I saw was a limp body flying through the air and bouncing on the Tarmac

I was the closest witness and had to go to the hearing ... Dead bloke was a loner with no family and so for whatever reason they let the driver off and put it down to accidental death ... I was quite sickened about it at the time

[The_Rev]

My mates brother is a fireman. He says the number of women who flash their tits at fire engines on weekends is unbelievable. Every cloud eh?

[AValon]

Have a lot of mates in the local fire service and the 'gallows humour' is just their way of coping with life....and death. Fortunately, there is a good support network of counsellors in place for the guys, when they attend the more shocking incidents. Even so, you always know when they've been at a bad one because the strained silence in the pub is quite deafening..

[chrisp65]

 

A few months ago I saw a biker hit off his bike and run over by a few cars, it's still with me, so how on earth somebody deals with death and injury and tragedy on a regular basis I just can't imagine.

.

I had the same about 20 years ago ... Some idiot cut across the white jagged lines as they joined the A3 and knocked a cyclist into the outside lane where he got run over by about 6 vehicles

All of which I watched in my rear view mirror

For a good while afterwards whenever I used that mirror all I saw was a limp body flying through the air and bouncing on the Tarmac

I was the closest witness and had to go to the hearing ... Dead bloke was a loner with no family and so for whatever reason they let the driver off and put it down to accidental death ... I was quite sickened about it at the time

 

 

Thankfully, they just spoke to me on the phone. The official report as released to the press a month or so later said single bike and car accident, struck by a single car - that was most definitely not what I saw and not what I reported, but they decided that was the official line as a fuller more accurate description just wasn't in anyone's interest, which I understand.

 

 

On a lighter note....years ago I thought it would be fun to put the kids in the car and take them to a charity car wash at the fire station....traumatised by the power of the water! Cost me £5 for the foam and hose and then another twenty buying chips and drinks and toys to calm the little buggers down (my kids, not the fire crew). Ten years later I still threaten them with a return visit when they're taking the mick out of me.

[Xela]

My father did 30 years in the Police and some of the stories he has told me are horrific. Massive respect for anyone who works in the Services. 

[8pints]

Interesting thread and cheers me up to see so many positive sentiments after another frustrating VIlla game.

 

Thank you on behalf of all those who serve or have served in any field regarding public safety 

[villa_shere]

My brother is a fire fighter. Dnt really talk about his work at home. But he said the worst jobs are the road incidents.

At the same time he says the amount of ppl in road accidents who are bluffing to claim compensation is unbelievable. The fire brigade takes hours cutting them out for no reason.

[choffer]

My brother is a paramedic (or, as we call it, ice cream van driver). Says it very common that guys hit "the wall" at about ten years service where the weight of everything they've seen and pushed to the back of their mind, manifests itself as PTSD-type symptoms. He went through it a couple of years ago with a year of nightmares/flashbacks and a fairly heavy-duty depression.

Some of the stories he has are hilarious but you just know there's a load more that are too gruesome to tell.

Still doesn't stop us running out to greet him when he pulls up the drive on a break and shout "one strawberry mivvi, two funny feet and a two-ball screwball please mister".

[villarule123]

My old man just tried to laugh off whatever situation he found himself in. Obviously with kids that is pretty much impossible.

 

He's seen everything you can see though, as a fireman, sub-officer, finishing as an investigator. Don't know how he managed to do it.. dead kids, dying kids, elderly, everything. The worst story he told me was when he had to watch a child die as there was nothing they could do to help

[8pints]

There are certain members of every single department of the Emergency Services that do a very good job.

 

There can be really tough times but I think the thought that you're making a difference, making things better, can be a motivation.

 

It may crush you when you feel like you could have done more because maybe you always could have done?

 

But you're trying and in that sense you're succeeding, I think.

 

if you never give up, never surrender, you'll always win the end.

 

It's nice to see the appreciation in this thread, I had a rough time yesterday and stereotypically as some have already written in this thread, I don't want to say any more than that really haha other than I've witnessed evidence of what I have written above and that I used that thought process and everything worked out well in the end.

 

But really, I just wanted to reinforce my previous comment in this thread of thanks to those who appreciate those trying to make the world a little bit safer.

 

I'll leave the last words to Rocky -

 

The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows, it's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it.

 

You, me or nobody, is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.

 

How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!

 

Now if you know what you're worth, go out and get what you're worth! But you got to be willing to take the hits and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you want to be because of him or her or anybody!

 

Cowards do that, and that ain't you! You're better than that!

[thetrees]

What a shame that, once again in OT, a thoughtful posting introducing a thoughtful subject, opening up lots of interesting contributions, is hijacked by those whose sole wish appears to be to gnash their blinkered political teeth.