Me :firefighter: & the boys :firefighter: :firefighter: :firefighter: :firefighter: :firefighter: :firefighter: :firefighter: :firefighter: :firefighter: got to experience the danger, hard work, thrill, satisfaction and exhaustion of fighting a HUGE brush fire yesterday. Its only the 4th time in 28 years as a firefighter that I've been in on a fire that big. This one went to 17,500 acres. They don't get that big that often, which is a good thing for the citizens. We only lost one mobile home and a detached garage out of the hundreds of homes we protected. Sometimes there just isn't enough manpower and equipment to protect everything. Good ole tax cuts!!! >:(
The crews are mopping up now, but if the winds shift and pick up, it could blow up again. We'll be ready if it does.
Here's some pics from yesterday & last night.
Headed to the fire.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/fire1.jpg)
Headed down a street to protect some homes from a head fire moving in.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/fire2.jpg)
My engine company, the Double Deuce, backed into a driveway to protect a house.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/fire3.jpg)
Fire blowing up and moving in on houses.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/fire4.jpg)
Close air support, like any war, crucial to success.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/fire5.jpg)
Heavy firepower from the armor!! :lol:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/fire6.jpg)
The boys waiting on the fire to get to them.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/fire7.jpg)
Me doing some reconnoitering ahead of the fire.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/fire10.jpg)
Fire as far as the eye could see.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/fire8.jpg)
Flames way up in the air.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/fire9.jpg)
Grim aftermath. Burnt up woods. But fortunately the homes were safe!!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/fireafter.jpg)
Awesome Pictures! Hopefully no one was hurt!
CW
Holy crap what a fire
when the heck do you have TIME TO Think TO TAKE A PICTURE when all that hectic stuff is going on!! I cant remember to take a photo of my kid blowing out his b day candles during the party.... so I dont know how you did it! LOL
:lol: I'm a Lieutenant, so I can take pics when my driver is getting us there. Plus, you have to get waaaaaaay out in front of a fire like that because it is moving so fast. That gives you a few moments here and there to take cool pics. :lol:
Lucky that was all that was lost.
Wow!! Nice pics. Glad to hear damage was minimal. It's good to have firefighters around that's for sure.
Great pics, glad yall were able to contain it
Thank God everyone made it out ok! Thanks for sharing!
God Bless
nice pics glad you could save some homes
Guess you need more than an indian tank and a few brooms for that one ;)
Nice pictures.....I could see the smoke plumes out fishing on the lake yesterday evening.
Thank you,and your fellow Fire Fighters. :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Nice captures and some that are never seen by most. Glad you were able to save the homes as that would loss would have been tragic.
Quote from: C_W on March 01, 2011, 03:44:58 PM
Awesome Pictures! Hopefully no one was hurt!
X 2
Awesome pics. Thanks for what you do. :firefighter: :you_rock:
Into the teeth of the beast!
Those are some great pics. I bet ya'll sweated out a few gallons doing that. :happy0064:
Wow great pics ,, Glad you all came out safe :icon_thumright:
News here reports it at over 16,000 acres now. You boys be careful.
All the more need for routine controlled burns. It will prevent this kinda stuff.
They are still burning all over florida, Around 100 wildfires now. Need some rain Bad!!
Quote from: Tail Feathers on March 01, 2011, 06:53:31 PMI bet ya'll sweated out a few gallons doing that. :happy0064:
You're right about that!! If they could have slung me under a helicopter and flown me around, I could have sweated on the fire and put it out. :lol:
Quote from: BigGobbler on March 01, 2011, 08:03:53 PMAround 100 wildfires now. Need some rain Bad!!
Actually, the drought index (which is based on rainfall received) isn't that bad. Its all the hard freezes we had. The woods are loaded with dead vegetation right now. Even the grass. You guys should see how fast a wind driven grass fire moves. Faster than you can......
:emoticon-cartoon-012:
Those are some wild pictures. Glad to hear you guys saved most of the houses.
Its up to 16,000 acres now. I got called in to duty tomorrow to go there. The day after is my normal shift, and I'm 2nd due into that area. Looks like its gonna be a busy 2 days.
Thanks for what u do and glad nobody has been hurt.
RutNStrutn....... :fire: ......... good luck tomorrow and be safe :icon_thumright:
pittboss
:firefighter: :firefighter: :firefighter: :firefighter: :firefighter: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
On a sad note, one of our young firefighters got injured today attacking a fire. He got steam burns to the face, and was flown out to the burn unit. He is good kid, and a nice young man. Hopefully he won't have disfiguring scars. Prayers would be welcome. :jesus-cross: :thanks:
Quote from: timbrhuntr on March 01, 2011, 04:32:24 PM
Guess you need more than an indian tank and a few brooms for that one ;)
Just a wee bit!! ;)
Thanks for what you do Brother Rut :firefighter: I just heard about the 22 year old who received the burns on the news, hope he'll fully recover. :bible:
Quote from: RutnNStrutn on March 01, 2011, 09:37:17 PM
On a sad note, one of our young firefighters got injured today attacking a fire. He got steam burns to the face, and was flown out to the burn unit. He is good kid, and a nice young man. Hopefully he won't have disfiguring scars. Prayers would be welcome. :jesus-cross: :thanks:
Thats horrible news. Prayers sent for a fellow brother. :jesus-cross:
Nice pics.
Keep one foot in the black. :you_rock: :firefighter:
I know you and the others are doing the best but the winds are supposed to be moving today! Good Luck and prayers to the young guy who was burned!
Hopefully the Turkeys stay out ahead of it as well! Sorry to be selfish! I know some of these fires are suspected arson! I just hope those fools keep their lighters in their pockets. Not a good year for fires with all the dead brush and dry conditions! :firefighter: :thanks:
That is a heck of a fire, and those are awesome pics! Congrats on being a firefighter, be careful out there... hope the injured guy will be alright.. :firefighter: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
They were talking about sending some of us down to help, Love some 14/21 time. we are going to do some Prescribed burning tomorrow. Hope you all get it contained soon, and get to mop up a few days collecting the H pay. :you_rock: :z-guntootsmiley:
It grew even bigger today, its now well over 17,000 acres after we had several break outs today. Its still only 2% contained. I was on a brush truck strike team working the fires until after dark. Headed back in tomorrow to be a strike team leader for my 24 hour shift. Then I'm likely to be back on the front lines again on Friday.
But Saturday I'm taking off to get my head shaved for the St. Baldricks Foundation fund raiser to help kids with cancer. If any of you guys haven't donated yet, please open your hearts and wallets, and make a tax deductible donation to help the sick kids.
http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/participantid/414329 (http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/participantid/414329)
Our injured firefighter was released from the hospital today, but still faces a long recovery. Please say a prayer for him, and all the brother and sister firefighters that still face many days on the fire line trying to control this monster of a fire.
wasn't there a massive fire in that area about 10 yrs. ago ???
Quote from: RutnNStrutn on March 01, 2011, 09:37:17 PM
On a sad note, one of our young firefighters got injured today attacking a fire. He got steam burns to the face, and was flown out to the burn unit. He is good kid, and a nice young man. Hopefully he won't have disfiguring scars. Prayers would be welcome. :jesus-cross: :thanks:
Sorry to hear about the brother that got burned. Hope its not too serious. I recieved steam burns about 15 years ago in a house fire and to this day I still feel the heat right away in that area. I don't have any visible damage and hope he doesn't.
I know you don't need to hear this but use good judgement and stay safe. We don't get any major wild fires like that here and I'm sure its a whole different animal. Hope you get some weather that helps you out.
They have a big one going on in Texas, Some of the fellows are shipping out on Saturday.
Wow that's crazy. That's a pile of turkey woods gone. very sad.
thank you for all you do as a firefighter... I'm sure the owners of the homes you protected are forever grateful to you and the rest who fought hard to keep their homes safe.
Prayers going out for the young man hurt...
Quote from: saltysenior on March 03, 2011, 05:47:28 PM
wasn't there a massive fire in that area about 10 yrs. ago ???
Actually it was 13 years ago, 1998. The Firestorms. I was there for that too. Insane fire behavior!!!
The injured firefighter has been released from the hospital and is home recovering with his family.
Had some breakouts today, but most of the fire area saw some good mop up. The NW corner of the fire had some big breakouts though. Tomorrow could be a very busy day.
Here are some of the heroes of the fire.
Helo coming in.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/helo2.jpg)
Helo dipping his bucket to fill it up. They were fighting a fire near this lake that was right next to us and were coming in every 4 to 5 minutes filling up. It was a sight to see!!!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/helo1.jpg)
time flys,it was 13 years ago.....however after that fire,all agencies agreed that it would never happen again because a intensive controlled burn program would be used thru out the state......i know down here in s.e. fl. a controlled burn happens as often as snowfall.. ???
I've been on some pretty good forest fires but never anything that covered that much land. I know you guys had one heck of a workout and definately deserve a big pat on the back. Especially with as minimal property damage as you had. It's tough for the landscape and wildlife that was lost but all that will come back with time. Thanks for sharing.
Quote from: saltysenior on March 04, 2011, 08:12:20 AMafter that fire,all agencies agreed that it would never happen again because a intensive controlled burn program would be used thru out the state......i know down here in s.e. fl. a controlled burn happens as often as snowfall.. ???
Amen!!! But while prescribed burning definitely reduces the risk of wildfire, $$$$$ talks brother. After Amendment 1 passed, followed by the real estate market crash, there was no money for it. And now that King Rick the 1st is in office as governor, gov't budgets will be gutted, and wildfires will reign supreme. But, he doesn't care, as long as big business makes millions on the taxpayer dime, King Rick is happy.
Sorry 'bout the political commentary folks, but I speak the absolute truth.
He's good with taxpayer money. Taking it that is!!
He is all about screwing over gov't workers, and turning over the proceeds to his rich business buddies. His main focus in his less than 2 months in office has been to gut gov't workers' retirements, fire thousands of gov't employees and privatize their jobs, decimate spending on education, then eliminate "corporate taxes", and bring in his rich business buddies to run the new private companies that used to be run by the state.
Kickbacks? Future job as CEO of one of these companies? Worse? You betcha!!!
This is the same guy who was CEO of a health care company that under his leadership was fined THE biggest fine in US history. $1.7 billion dollar fine for Medicare fraud. Now he is the governor of Florida. Here's what Rick Scott is, a crook and a liar. Watch this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIYad3TvY6Q (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIYad3TvY6Q)
Not trying to start a political fight, so let's not go there. I was just answering ' question.
Quote from: RutnNStrutn on March 07, 2011, 10:35:01 PM
Quote from: saltysenior on March 04, 2011, 08:12:20 AMafter that fire,all agencies agreed that it would never happen again because a intensive controlled burn program would be used thru out the state......i know down here in s.e. fl. a controlled burn happens as often as snowfall.. ???
Amen!!! But while prescribed burning definitely reduces the risk of wildfire, $$$$$ talks brother. After Amendment 1 passed, followed by the real estate market crash, there was no money for it. And now that King Rick the 1st is in office as governor, gov't budgets will be gutted, and wildfires will reign supreme. But, he doesn't care, as long as big business makes millions on the taxpayer dime, King Rick is happy.
well i don't know about king rickey......but i do know the stuff on fire now didn't just grow since he was elected.....i just left a wma and drove for about 16 miles in it and no burns....but you can see plenty of old dead trees from old wildfires and they are sticking up out of 10' of fuel waitng for the next one....seems we have plenty of agencies telling us about the advantages of controlled burns,but no one will lite the match....