The day started off calmly enough. I worked on church stuff all morning. No news there. Then we went to Randall’s to pick up some
medications. Again, ho hum. On the way home we noticed the sand spewer
and its accompanying bulldozers were active on the beach, so we made the block
so we could take some pictures and even video a little bit so we could show
Zakary and Caleb and Luke what was happening on the beach. At least that was a little pick-up in the
action department. But then …
Then I saw on my phone that a fire call had
just gone out in Galveston. 39th
and R ½. That was right near where Kel
and Christina’s old house is. Chris
pulled away from the seawall and into the turn lane to get back home. As we waited for the light to turn green, we
heard the sirens. A quick glance in the
rear view mirror confirmed it. Engine
four was headed right for us, horns a’blaring, trying to get around a car in
their lane that just wouldn’t pull over.
One masterful job of driving and only a bit of a scare for Chris later,
and they were headed past us to do their part at the scene. So how could I not respond to the scene as
well? Chris hurried home, and I changed
into my fire department garb and took off.
By the time I arrived, the fire was out. It had actually been discovered in a
converted garage apartment. One entire
wall was just gone. It sounded like an
old window air conditioning unit had given up the ghost and caused an
electrical fire. Final bursts of water
from hoses were extinguishing the last vestiges of smoldering embers. A few of the fire fighters were helping drag
out a mattress and box spring. Driver Anderson
was already hard at work replacing used air tanks and gathering tools to check
in and return to their appropriate place on the truck. Captain Santucci came out of the building wearing
a transport escape vehicle for a number of large roaches. He thought it was his helmet. Captain Weber wore a rather stunned-looking one
proudly on his shoulder, almost as if it was his trained pet. Insects and humans alike had obviously been
through a “heated” few minutes and had come out successfully on the other side. Want to know how roaches have lasted millions
of years? Hitching a ride on the helmets
of fire fighters.
At the scene I managed to introduce myself
to one of the newest hires at the fire department. First
fire for Brannen. Quite the milestone. I also met the three police officers at the
scene. I think one of them was the guy
who lives at the end of my street, but I’m not sure. I talked to the lady who lived next door to
the fire. She asked if I could go check
on the old gentleman across the street. He
was recovering from a stroke and she had seen him walk up to his house and fall
to the ground. I grabbed my new GPD
friends and we went to check it out. The
old fellow was indeed sitting on the ground, but as it turned out, he was just
relaxing in his favorite spot in the shade.
He was fine. Several other
neighbors joined us to see what the new excitement was about, so we assured him
– and them – that someone was just concerned and watching out for him. The way neighbors ought to be. Speaking of neighbors, I also spent a few
minutes talking with one of our guys who knew the family. He smiled sadly and said, “That’s just the
perks of growing up here in Galveston my whole life. BOI.”
I understand, my friend.
The fire marshalls arrived and quickly and
efficiently began their investigations and interviews with the homeowner. I even got a phone call from Chief Wisko
while at the scene. He was on his way
home from a conference in North Texas and was just checking in. Kind of surprised him when he heard where I was. I loved his first question, though. “Is the fire out?” Cut right to bottom line, right, Chief? He told me already had a crew assisting with
the big grass fire raging in Bastrop, and we had just sent a second crew to go
as well. Pray for all the guys working that fire. It is a big one.
As I was talking to a few of our guys just
before they left the scene, a gentleman came up to us with hand
outstretched. He explained that he was
from Conroe and had been one of the first to see and call in the fire as he was
driving by. He had done what he could to
drag things away from the area before the first fire crews arrived. But his purpose in approaching us was very
pointed. He wanted to say thank
you. He commented that the response time
that day was absolutely, amazingly … fast.
He couldn’t believe how fast our crews arrived. In his words, “Up on Lake Conroe that kind of
speed would be unheard of.” Of course
our fire fighters handled the complement as masterfully as the handled the
fire. Something along the lines of, “That’s
what we strive for every time we get a call.”
Very well-spoken guys. I am proud
of you. Once again, way to go GFD.
Hebrews 10:39 says, “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those
who believe and are saved.”
Father, thank you for the safety you granted
not just our fire fighters, but also the occupants of that apartment. Please watch over all the fire fighters at
the fire near Bastrop. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment