Fire - 1, FD - 0

How would you like to play a game? A game for which you are expertly trained and beautifully equipped? But wait, your opponent gets to chose the field of play. And better yet, he gets to start anywhere from five to thirty minutes before you even arrive at the field. Such is the life of a firefighter.

Yesterday morning came the call that every firefighter dreads, that of a fellow firefighter's house on fire. I normally don't run calls after 6:00AM since I'm a school teacher and must be in class not later that 8:00AM. But this was a definite exception. Dispatch informed us almost immediately that it was at the home of one of our own, so minutes later I'm calling the school secretary from the front seat of the engine letting her know why I'll be late.

From five miles away we can see the smoke, from a mile away flames are visible over the treetops. $h!t...

Arrive on location to find the whole back side of the house fully involved, but a couple of front rooms possibly salvagable. Another firefighter and I make the initial attack through the front door, trying to push the fire away from the two rooms. We hit the fire above our heads and tried to push farther into the house, but within two steps the fire is rolling back over us. A few minutes of this and we retreat, hoping to find another way in. But there's not, so it's back to the front door. It seems hopeless, as we're barely making a dent. Second arriving companies pull a second hose and join the attack and we start to make progress.

But by this time my alarm bell on my SCBA is going off, I'm low on air. And I'm spent, exhausted. Outside I go for re-hab. Several minutes later I'm back at it, but by now the fire has done its damage... nothing is left.

I never make it to work, ended up taking the whole day off. I was just too drained, both physically and emotionally.

They had no insurance and they lost everything. The FD has set up a fund at a local bank and is accepting donations. If you'd like to help, go to www.tarkingtonvfd.com for more info.