Rescuing Providence

"Ladder 7 to fire alarm, Code Red, three story residential, occupied."

Smoke condition on Hope Street, I smelled it before I saw the haze, and a few seconds before Lt. Healey radio's it in. The little speaker in the tiller cab fills the space I occupy with the tinny voice of the dispatcher as he fills in the box.

We're first in, with Engine 2 close behind us.

The lights are on on the first floor, cars in the driveway and a lived in feel to the place. We troll past the house finally stopping where we have a straight shot to the roof , I climb out of the tiller cab and set the outrigger on the left side, Lt. Healey gets the right and the driver, Steve puts the old Maxim in PTO and releases the ladder locks. Engine 2 arrives on scene, stops a little behind us and a little to our left so we can access ground ladders if needed, two firefighters get out, fully dressed and take a line to the rear stairway as the chauffer engages the air brake, puts the truck in pump, gets out of the cab, opens the tank to pump valve, throttles up and waits.

Crews begin to arrive, Ladder 4 going in to do a primary and Engine 7 gets the hydrant. Fire is visible on the second floor, Engine 2 is making progress, Steve has the aerial set and we begin our ascent to the roof with a quick vent saw, axe, long and short pole. The roof is treacherous, and old Victorian with peaks and gables everywhere, steep pitch, had to straddle the peak and chop. Didn't take long, the hole was opened and Steve reached through it with the long pole and opened the ceiling from above. Intense heat, gasses and flames rewarded us, we backed off, found the ladder and vacated the roof.

The fire was under control in half an hour or so. We stayed another hour throwing salvage covers on the first floor valuables, buttoning up the hole in the roof and doing all we could to restore some semblance of order.

It was a good job. What made it great was the thanks we got from the occupant of the first floor apartment. He was absolutely stunned that we took the time to take care of his things after what he described were the most terrifying and heroic acts he had ever seen.

He was talking about us. He watched us fight his fire from the street. The big things we do seem a little dangerous, I guess, but it's the little things that people do not expect that give our profession the respect we have earned.

Image courtesy of Eric Norberg