This is a apparently a house fire from 1993 in Blue Island, Illinois. Neighbors use a garden hose through a window to try and keep the fire in check as they wait for the arrival of the fire department. When the first fire engine arrives on the scene it is staffed by one firefighter. The firefighter runs a line to the rear door and then runs back to charge it. But the citizens have other ideas on how that line should be used and have first crack on the nozzle. Soon other firefighters arrive. Make sure you listen all the way to the end and the comments from the woman about the department’s response.
Thanks to Firefighter Spot for finding this one.
Also on STATter911 …
- Another green line fire in Whitehall, Pennsylvania. This time an assistant chief is on the pipe. – May 8, 2011
- ‘Firefighters are street people’: A must listen to recording as the Village of Oak Brook, IL discusses its firefighter problem. – September 25, 2010
- FDNY early video & audio: Brooklyn 2nd alarm apartment fire. Citizen: ‘You’ve been here 10 minutes. Where’s the water?’ – January 2, 2012
- How not to respond to the press: A Long Island fire department deals with a reporter asking questions about the Confederate flag. – January 21, 2011
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Hate to say this, but my department (upstate NY) still responds with one paid FF on a truck. They hope the volunteers will show up. Our commissioners still think it is 1980 and that there are still volunteers to come. Pretty bad for a Dept that does close to 3,000 calls a year.
Typical public ingrate! Sign up to volunteer or shut your mouth. Probably waiting on the welfare check. Looks like they should have been checking green cards on scene to.
Driver only…looks like the old days of PG County.
Sad, but still true today as it was then. Just keep your head on the swivle.
Man Ive been in that drivers boots before..not a fun place to be when you look up and can see the loom up in the distance and know that you got to “Rambo” it till the cavalry arrives.
In some rural departments, that’s how things were done. The department I grew up in may have left with 3 men on a truck at times, but never 1 man. This jag off was lucky and he still hears about it.
I’m not sure how long Billy Goldfeder’s been using the phrase but it’s possible this lady coined it. WTF!
Sad to say it, but here in Massachusetts, we might be headed back to this time period in the uncomfortably near future. We’ve got a ballot question on the docket for Nov. 2 that asks if voters want to roll back the state sales tax from 6.25% to 3.00%. If that question is approved, we’re gonna have FD’s here in MA sending one guy/girl on a rig more often than not.
blue island is a rough town. all the towns on the south side of chicago have low manpower old equipment and low pay. those guys get it done day in and day out just like every other ghetto or town struggling. now blue island has 2 guys a rig not any better. just keep the pride up boys fire season is coming.
That dude couldn’t of done any better with what he had…Maybe if that lady called and asked for 2 engines she would have had 2 fireman on the scene…However 2 things stick out in this video…first is the soldier doin it on the 5/8″ garden hose and second was just before the WTF lady got her 15 minutes, the “mullett man” walked by….that thing was tight….business in da front…partayyy in the rear….the safety critics of today would have a field day with this one…Not one safety vest wearin fire breathing dragon on the scene…WTF!!!!!!!
Sad to say that the county where I live is pushing for a paid FD to mix with the paid rescue, even though we have plenty of good volunteer FD for the small rural farming community. It is a waste.
Wow I agree with anonymous 9/5/19 @1254. I’ll give any one an application. I’ve been on the Medic by myself had some coworkers of the guy carry my bags out lift him in the back. Dang near tool him to the hospital then there was another emt and we got it done. Busy day in my county my help was 22 mins out. And your all so quick to be a critic. The county handle the calls the best we could. All of the south end units were on the road even the federal fire off the proving grounds. And the first fire truck on the car accident that happen in front of me on the way from the hospital one fire fighter. And again he and I got some. So what’s your story….. Well your welcome no thanks needed. Well take some help when your mouth is done. Try it if its not for you we understand and will not fault you.
Ahhh….the good old days in PG. But it was more fun when you were safer inside by yourself then outside. Suitland/Eastover
Where are all the two year “chiefs” on this one? You know…the ones who say your only “doin it” if your not wearing scba? I figured you all would be praising this guy.
“mullett man” was pretty awsome!
I like the vent work with the stepladder. He actually contributed something positive. Off-duty maybe?
Well, You get what you pay for. Demand for the service, just don’t want to pay for it.
Could that have been Billy G’s Mom on the video? ya know how stuff your parents do kinda rubs off on ya. Maybe?
17 years ago and in an area that may or may not have a lot of calls, I can see this happening.
Who’s to say they weren’t out on another run?
Besides, this was before the “enlightened” days of 2-in\2-out.
But yes, career departments are the ONLY way to go, even if an area only runs 50 calls a year. Fully staffed engine, truck and ambulance for every citizen in the country, right?
I ran a trailer fire a long time ago with 2 of us. The others were out on a spill and could not respond. We arrived with smoke showing and a car in the driveway, mid afternoon. Did pretty much the same thing as this guy, because the other FF with me should have retired and didn’t like to go in. Put the pump in gear, grabbed a pack and went in by myself to do a search and extinguish.
You do what you have to do. As safely as possible, but our job is not always safe.