Boys with Toys?

[Stitch]

I have a question. A while ago, a fire gutted a one-bedroom 4th floor apartment near where I live. It was about midnight. At least FIFTEEN full size fire trucks showed up, sirens screaming, lights twirling. A kid's delight. Anyway, the fire was very quickly brought under control. I noticed that only one or two of the fire trucks were actually participating and, in the end, only about three or four firemen smashed in the windows and put out the blaze.

Why did the fifteen big trucks, plus many assorted smaller vehicles, show up? Why did they stay around? Is this regulation procedure, just in case the fire rapidly spreads out of control and requires that kind of manpower, or is it a chance to get out of the office and take the rigs for a whirl?

I'm not being critical, especially in light of WTC. Just curious.

 

[Reel Deal]

When the fire house alarms go off, they really don't know what to expect. Add some constructive post-9/11 paranoia to the mix, and it's easy to see how some overeaction may occur.

Besides...wouldn't YOU want to drive a really cool fire truck, sirens blaring, somewhere?

It's like me looking for an excuse to crank up the bike to go for a ride...

 

[Ozzy]

It's procedure to have back-up at the ready just in case, But other things probably figured into this... Perhaps the size of the fire was over exaggerated by the initial callers there-by making a one alarm into a two or three alarm fire.


At least they weren't all out just getting dounuts.

 

[antnee]

There's another side to the coin. When Bloomberg shuts down a few fire houses you won't see as many trucks since they'll be covering elsewhere.

 

[h. von bingen]

i just though that EVERY SINGLE TASK

takes a few extra guys just hanging around gaping and jawing about the action. like if a person -- god forbid -- tries to lay cement on her front stoop or something. often, the commentary will go something like: that looks really heavy . . . or . . . ya know how you should do that?

how can they see past the beer gut anyways?
hvb

 

[steamman]

Welcome back HVB!

Believe it or not, I missed you and your slightly incoherent "stream of consciousness" postings. By the way, did anyone see Steve Buscemi at that fire? Buscemi doesn't have a beer gut!