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One of the hard parts about being a firefighter today is that whether it’s an EMS run, a trip to the store for dinner or showing up at a fire, someone is there to record it for posterity. If it isn’t a fellow firefighter with a helmet-cam it’s a neighbor or passerby with a cell phone camera. And if you don’t do your job perfectly each time, you can be sure the time you screw up will be caught on video and shared for everyone to see and then comment.
Such is the case with this recent car fire video posted by PhillipsburgEms. This is something not likely to make TV news in most communities but is ready made for YouTube. In this case it catches a Phillipsburg, New Jersey firefighter’s frustration over standing there with an empty hose for longer than he would like. The firefighter yells to the pump operator, “Hey, what’s going on?”. He then says something else I can’t quite make out about the pump before putting down the nozzle and heading to see for himself what is causing the delay.
The camera also catches someone (not sure if it’s a civilian or firefighter) in shorts and no shirt helping to stretch out hose as the line is charged.
I can only imagine what the cameras would have caught if the digital age occurred back in the 70s when I was riding fire trucks. I don’t envy anyone who has to perform in front of the camera perfectly 24/7. Even when it was my job to be on camera every day, unless it was live, at least I was able to do re-takes.
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Also on STATter911 …
- Green line in action: House fire in Defiance, Ohio. – August 2, 2012
- So what do you think of this? TV investigative reporter uses hidden camera to capture LA County assistant chief having a liquid lunch. – February 24, 2013
- Attack on pricey yacht fire falls way short in many ways but gives some Aussies a laugh. Still, fighting fire in this fishbowl clearly illustrates a significant lack of waterfront resources for the Metropolitan Fire Brigade. – March 21, 2012
- I don’t know how I missed this one. You don’t want to miss it too. FD has water supply problem. Neighbor doesn’t. – July 15, 2012
Comments
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Haha, all I could do was laugh at this. It is unfortunate he did have to wait that long for water, I would’ve been pissed too. Then when the line finally did get charged, he wasn’t even the one that got the “glory” of putting the fire out.
On another note, you think while he was waiting that long he could’ve been more productive and masked up? What was up with the other firefighter standing right in front of the bumper swinging his haligan…just asking for his knees to be taken out without the line charged to protect and cool the struts.
Maybe the PO was waiting for the nozzleman to put on his SCBA. Why would you want to breathe all those carcinogens in your body? That’s disgusting.
KIC- to all PFD apparatus drivers;
Due to a “Charlie-Foxtrot” at a recent car fire, there will be a mandatory drill on pumping.
It was very evident that we need more training.
The sound of a primer in this situation indicates that the pump operator needs some training. Put truck in pump. Open tank to pump and tank fill (will prime itself). throttle up and open the right discharge. The next thing we will see is the Rapid Pump Operator. When the first pump operator gets in trouble, the RPO can rescue him.
Probably too busy doing everything but being a fireman to train on putting out fires. Probably has like a billion certs, installed a billion smoke detectors, checked 100,000 senior’s blood pressures, installed 30,000 car seats, but can’t run the pump well.
Oh, look at me everyone, I drive a fire truck. Freakin idiot. I’m glad someone knew how to operate the pump, or they would have really been embarrassed.
Boy, with all that time standing around you would think we would have had time to mask up, or at least put on a pair of gloves.
Looks like they need a new wagon driver! Today’s fire apparatus is designed to make it easy that even a monkey can pump a simple attack line!
Unimpressed…..is there really any glory in putting a car fire out….yes…i know….every lineman’s dream is to not only put out a car fire, but contain it to the dashboard in order to save that precious collection of Ratt & Twisted Sister cd’s…..
Dave….in the 70′s, didnt you have to grow a mustache over your lip so when you went to a fire all you had to do was dip it in a whiskey barrel to filter out the toxic smoke…..
Btw….nice a$$ crack buddy….
The Red Hat yells “Tank to Pump, ya got that moved”. DING DING DING, We have a winner!!!!!!!
The Red Hat yells “Tank to Pump, you got that moved”. DING DING DING, We have a winner!!!!!!!
I agree with you on the masking up and being more productive. I have not personally seen a strut launched from a car, but I have heard that it is actually more common for it to shoot off at an angle rather than straight out front because it is rare that both sides heat up equally to be able to have them both blow at the same time. That being said, we should approach the vehicle from the side until we can cool it. Of course never say never, so standing in front is still not wise until it is cooled. Just food for thought
We actually had one come straight out the front and get stuck in a garage door. No reason that guy should have been near that car before the line was in service.
At what point does this individual feel would be appropriate to go “on air”?? Obviously he felt there was a need since he took the time to put on the pack, or was it just for looks?? I dont envy anyone who has to witness a member of thier crew burned from a fire, especially a car fire.
Is that Flea with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers?
Sorry pal but Fleas got skills. I was thinking maybe some Jerry Engle stunt double. Maybe this is actually a trailer to NBCs Chicago…..Flames, Drama, only thing missing is a badge bunny and a few minorities .
Jerry Engles cousin. The legend runs deep.
next time just go and grab a extingusher or two off the rig, at least try and get a knock down while they get the pump problems fixed. stuff happens. love everybody!
Along with remedial pump training….HOW ABOUT A COMPLETE AND THOROUGH PHYSICAL….im willing to bet once the bells went off, the heart rate elevated, as we balled down Main St…..not a good time to have your heart attack…
Sure he could have taken the time to mask up. He could have even taken some time to put on some gloves.
Someone needs to retake Driver Pump Operator before piloting a half million dollar Engine again, an someone please get Uncle Jimmy a shirt!
I just get a kick out of the guy in the camo shorts aka “FIREMAN GANGBANGER”
As my Grandmother often said, “there but for the Grace of God, go I”!
It looks like this communiy sends multiple companies for car fires; it’s good thing. I just love to see dueling handlines on a f***ing car fire. Is your ego that fragile? You had your chance, now get out of the way.
The reason they didn’t mask up is because they would have been out of air by the time the line was charged.
2 lines on a car fire with no exposures? Really?
Should’ve walked back to the engine, grabbed the water can and\or dry chem and put the fire out. Then told the “EO” to go back to training.
Maybe something was wrong with the pump? Stuck valve? Tank to pump not working correctly? Pump gear not engaging? etc.
Maybe the use of a couple of water cans to slow the progress for potential exposure impingement might have been appropriate while waiting for water.
How about the guy with no shirt on getting ready for some serious steam burns when the water finally makes it to the nozzle. Ouch.
How can i get an old fart in shorts with no tshirt on my department… Anyone else hear a banjo in the background?!
Town of less than 15,000 people and 3.3 sq miles with 5 fire stations-5 pumpers, tower ladder, and boat. Less than 400 runs/year, and 110 volunteers. The separate rescue squad has 5 ambulances, a heavy rescue, and their own boat and 54 members-all in addition to the FD. Rescue runs 2000 calls a year. More equipment than my community of 100,000 which runs over 10,000 calls annually.
Smells like old boy’s club to me.
All Show and No Go.
Agreed with all of the above thus far, get on air, put on gloves “probie 101″ no excuse for not doing those 2 basic things. I did hear the priming pump twice I believe. The only logical reason for this might have been an air bound pump and pulling the primer should have resolved the issue. Right off the bat you could hear the engine going into pump and throttling up with nothing happening. Then you can hear the rig being taken out of pump then going back into pump then throttling up again with no line being charged. Even still, a good PO could have had an air bound pump diagnosed in less than 45 seconds and had it corrected. Time for back to the basics, otherwise NFPA 1500 will make us deploy FAST companies from now on for incompetent operators. “Prior preparation prevents piss poor performance”
Good ear,,,,that’s exactly what i heard!
STOP !!!!! Were we there ? NO! Comment only what we know. A group of people standing in front of a vehicle that could/may have blow off bumpers. This many of you who commented missed as well.
The car was trashed,why get upset. Do the best that you can do.
The PO or the rig may have had a problem,you do not know.
Many in the fire service today want to be the (BMOJ_ ==big man on the job, when many of you need help using a can. Give your so called brothers a break.
This should be used as a training opp. so folks do not stand in front of a car on fire. If the bumper blows off you will be hurt badly. For the WHIZ KIDS look this up on you smart phones and tell me I am wrong.
Please listen to your officer on street smarts.
Question, should you use slow water on a street with SLOW CHILDREN?
I figured it out… everyone thought it was pump issues…. WRONG the pump operator was waiting for the pipeman to put on his mask before he charged the line. (he had plennty of time) K Strike Da Box! K
Old geezer to the rescue .
Dave…..there is no question that no shirt guy isn’t just a civilian, look at the nice Minitor hanging below his underwear waist band…..
LOL! Nice catch! yup that looks like a minitor to me…
I think this is an example of less and less people from the “trades” ie working men joining the fire service. Many pump operators could not tell you (in their own words) why they are pulling that lever or switch. Far too much monkey see /monkey do .
The wagon driver must have been a leftover from back in the day when the wagon was really just a hose carrier. I can remember when many a department would pull up in a beautiful Mack Pumper pull a lie off and hook the line directly to the hydrant.
Believe it or not it is not all that long ago. It would not surprise me to see some rural departments still doing that. Yea I know I’m old.
I’m guessing that the savings of just putting “PFD” on the back of the coats versus spelling out “PHILLIPSBURG” on 110 coats might be enough to sponsor a pump class. Yeah, sounded like an air-bound pump, which is regularly caused by a closed Tank-to-Pump valve. Funny, we hardly ever need that valve opened at parades or AFAs.
Nice thing about the wail of a primer pump in a non-drafting situation, it lets everyone know there just might be an issue at the pump panel.
Medic44, I can supply you with an old fart in shorts; but, I have mirrors in my house, so I’ll always have a shirt on in publc.
As others have mentioned, I guess the extinguishers were off the rig getting cleaned for the next parade??
Sounds like a pumper version of PEBCAK (problem exists between chair and keyboard).
On the other hand, there are days when you just can’t get a break.
I pulled into a fire scene late in the game once and put the tranny in fifth (direct) from third, where the initial pump operator had placed it. They couldn’t figure out why they weren’t getting any real pressure…
Of course, there was the 2 AM car fire where I managed to get the tranny in reverse instead of fifth (it was a funky shift pattern)…
You get what you pay for, go back to the firehouse and prepare for the next run.
I’m headed to the floor now to review my pump engagement skills…
Unless the delay was mechanical that was pathetic. I had problems years ago getting an old Pierce into pump on a auto fire and had to do it manually. It took 3 times before it went into pump.
True unless there was a mechanical issue sad at best.
Hey if nothing else you got to see R. Lee Ermy’s butt crack!!
This website has deteriorated into a lot of guys spouting off about things they don’t really know. Ya this looks bad on the PO but we don’t really know what happened. Give the guy a break until we really know the facts.
Now about the yahoo in shorts. Put some clothes on or stay home. Just plain stupid. You look like an idiot and reflect very poorly on your department and the fire service in general. The public sees this and wonders why they pay taxes.
Umm, dude, it also looks pretty bad for the guys in the fancy fireman costumes who are so busy prancing and waving that they seem to have forgotten why they bothered to put that SCBA on their back and what those gloves in their pockets are for. Oh, and are the extinguishers on the rig there for any particular function? Not just the PO, total team effort.
Another group of people who have not heard that vehicle fires contain certain toxic hazards. Yup, while they were waiting for water maybe they should have finished getting dressed, maybe even put on a pair of gloves. This is a group that makes us all look bad, and when one of them gets hurt, or they develop cancer in a few years they’ll scratch their heads, ask how did this happen and then blame someone else. NJ Dept Of Labor should get this video and fine their tails right back into the stone age that they think they live in.
this department sounds like east coast overkill. Somebody above mentioned a good ol boys club. I agree. Thier lack of skill requires five engine companies. If you call enouch stuff, somebody that knows what’s going on will evnetually show up.
That would suck having to repack 2 preconnect lines for a car fire. no front bumper line?
you can make excuses all you want, but a properly plumbed engine should never need the primer pulled on a tank to pump operation. Wailling on the primer is just grasping at straws. My money is on the tank to pump noy being open.
If you are not getting water go back to the cab and start over. Statisticly that is where the problem will be.
LMAO HAHAHAHA, i don’t really see a problem with the “standing in front the the car” to be an issue, any place you stand near a car’s bumper, is the risk of the strut flying out and hitting you! Take it from an 18 yr paid Vet. Also, at least the guy in the front is A. wearing his proper PPE ( mask and gloves, and from the look of it, he’s on air) and B. he’s doing some productive work. Now for the nozzle man, pure IDIOT! No mask, no gloves…. might as well not even have a jacket and pants on! As for the pump operator, could have been operator error, pump malfunction, etc… and judging by the look of the wet ground in front of the vehicle, it looks like someone tried hitting it with a Can already. This is just something to look at as a training video!