So, there's a fire truck in front of my house...

[Norquist Nemesis]

Should I go and see what up? Offer them coffee?

[Nickster]

1. Coffee would be a very nice gesture.

[Norquist Nemesis]

5. Had to start another pot

Unfortunately, they just drove off and the pot was finished.

Damn! I miss all the fun.

[bryant69]

2. Well first of all i'd make sure my house weren't on fire

without my knowledge.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Norquist Nemesis]

7. Good idea! But they went in across the street

It didn't appear to be an emergency of any sort.

[Marrah_G]

18. You are evil, you made me snarf my coffee!

[babylonsister]

3. Run out with your garden hose!

:hide:

[Norquist Nemesis]

8. LOL! My little bitty flower pot water spout will have to suffice

(don't have a garden hose)

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. It's just sitting there, engine running, no sirens

and no firemen :eek:

Oh, wait... three of them just emerged from the unit across the street.

[blondeatlast]

6. Medical, I'd guess. nt

[Norquist Nemesis]

9. Dunno! They went in and out three or four times getting things from

the cabinets on the side of the truck...then left. But if it was medical, I would have expected an ambulance.

[blondeatlast]

10. Ambulances often come later (I've had this experience several times.)

They sometimes arent' called at all if the patient has means and enough strength to get to the hospital.

If there's someone who can drive and the need isn't critical, they often won't dispatch an ambulance as long as the patient will go to the hospital with a companion.

OTOH--it could be something else entirely, but the medical situation is very likely.

[Norquist Nemesis]

13. Thanks! There's a little boy across the street

with some sort of medical condition or handicap (or both). It didn't look like they were getting medical supplies out, more like flashlights and such.

I'm thinking they called about something more along the lines of a leak or CO2 problem. Guess I'll have to check the police blotter this weekend to find out the real story - LOL!

[jobycom]

15. Fire trucks are often the first responders.

When I worked nights at a hotel, we'd get the fire department for everything that didn't specifically require the police. I called about everything from smoke in the kitchen to a heart attack in a guest's room to someone stuck in the elevator. Each time I asked that they come without their lights. Each time they arrived, lights flashing and sirens blaring. So I spent the next half hour answering the desk phone. "No sir, no fire. No emergency. One of our guests had a problem, no danger to the hotel."

The funny thing (not in a ha ha way) was the stuck elevator. The guests in the elevator--at three AM--asked us to call them. We explained that we had already called the elevator company and our own maintenance crew, but they were insistent that we call the fire department, even though we explained that the fire department couldn't do anything. So the fire department arrives, sirens blaring. We answer the phone for half an hour reassuring everyone there is no danger to the hotel, and the fire crew come rushing into the lobby. Then they stood around for forty minutes waiting for the elevator repairman to arrive to get the people out of the elevator, all the while politely grumbling that we shouldn't have called them because they don't know anything about elevators. The elevator repairman got the doors open on the floor where it jammed, and all the guests went straight to their rooms. The fire crew packed up and went home, never having even spoken to the people trapped in the elevator. But I'm sure their monthly report counted the incident as a top priority emergency, for funding purposes.

Then again, on other nights they earn every penny of that funding on a single incident.

[Norquist Nemesis]

17. Having worked at two hotels

I'm very familiar with your type of experiences. By law (at least here), the fire trucks and ambulances are required to come for all emergencies at businesses like hotels, grocery stores, office buildings, etc.

We had a problem with the alarms at one of my hotels to the point that the fire department would call first! Our guests were none too happy about 3am false alarms though and greeted me as I walked in the door in the morning! LOL *sigh, the old days*

And yes, they do earn every penny of every dollar every day, IMO.

[RB TexLa]

11. Tell your neighbors when they need the police to call the police dept, and not 9-1-1

If you use the 9-1-1 number you get everything, police, fire, and usually an ambulance. If you dial the actual 10 digit number for the police station you can get what you actually want. Same thing for a fire, dial the 10 digit phone number for the nearest fire department station and you don't have to worry about the police department showing up for a fire.

[Norquist Nemesis]

12. Not exactly true

It depends on what you tell the 911 operator. If it's a fire, then yes. But for other things it can be specific to the need. I've called three times, twice for police and once for an ambulance.

[Tesha]

14. Several possibilities...

There are several reasons why you may see the fire company
while nothing is obviously burning:

o Someone already mentioned medical emergencies. In our
city, the fire companies are the "first responders" (the
EMTs); they will always be dispatched to any sort of
medical emergency with an ambulance following up if needed.

o They also make "service calls". For example, if you call
and ask for advice about your smoke detectors, an engine
company may show up. For one, they're in your neighborhood,
probably not doing anything critical at the moment, and
it's a good opportunity to "show the flag". For two, they
probably like to familiarize themselves with the clientel
and the various neighborhoods / cul-de-sacs, etc. Three,
they have the right tools: lots of practical knowledge
and a can of artificial smoke. Plus it proves that the
truck will start when needed.

o During the winter, they're often out in our neighborhoods
shoveling the snow away from the fire hydrants. The residents
who've been around longer and have snow throwers know to do
it, but if they can't/won't, then the fire company has to
do it. And since the fire company needs to be near their
equipment so they can provide a timely response to an
emergency, they take along everybody in the company and
the truck. Besides, many hands makes light work!

o The same thing happens when the station needs food, fuel,
etc. Everybody in the engine company jumps in the truck
and off they go to the neighborhood supermarket or the
town's fuel depot.

Tesha

[Norquist Nemesis]

16. It looks like it was a Service Call

Even though there's child with handicap/medical issues in that building, what they were getting off the truck did not appear to be for that. The city passed an ordinance that we now have to have CO2 detector as well as smoke alarms. That's my guess on what it was. Thanks! :hi:

[Tesha]

19. Well, probably "CO" detectors.

> The city passed an ordinance that we now have to have CO2 detector
> as well as smoke alarms.

Well, probably "CO" (Carbon Monoxide) detectors; the ones
that detect the deadly poisonous, odorless gas. Yes,
they're a good step in upgrading home safety if there
are any fuel-burning appliances in the home (and even
if there aren't, 'cause somebody may always draq in
a hibachi or portable generator).

CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide) detectors do exist, but
usually as portable devices used to evaluate whether a
big building (e.g., a school or office building) has
adequate fresh air ventilation.


> That's my guess on what it was. Thanks! :hi:

Youre welcome!

Tesha

[mondo joe]

20. I cam home from my morning run last week to find a fire truck in front of my house!

Fortunately it was actually there for the car across the street that was leaking gas, so there was no real incident anyway. But it was a scary site.

[bikebloke]

21. Wednesday

Wednesday, I came home from work, seeing the parking lot filled with contractor vans. As I was rolling my bike across the grass to my flat, I noticed the ground was soaked - clear day. Then lots of broken glass. I looked up to see a flat on the top floor gutted. After googling the next day, I found out what happened:

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0607/429216.html

Yesterday, they had a note by the mailboxes, saying the fire was caused by an overloaded outlet. Probably because others were hidden.

And while I was on my way to the dumpster, I picked up all the shards of glass I could find. You'd think the people whose dogs ran around there would have done it. Their mutts are lucky I'm such a commie.