Giving Thanks

"Thanks" is not a word often heard in the fire service. In fact, I can count on one hand, the number of times someone actually made an attempt to thank me or anyone else on my crew. Now, I'm in no way pitching a bitch about it, truth is, it's a thankless job. We see people on one of the worst days of their lives and with their world turned upside down, trying to figure out which way is up is difficult enough let alone remembering to thank someone for helping. So we understand, and quite frankly, we were just doing our job.
Sept. 11th kind of changed that, even if only for a little. But, most of us knew it would be short lived. For days, if not weeks after 9/11, residence and businesses dropped of cookies, sandwich rings, cases of pop, pizzas, what ever. People stopped to say thank you, brought their kids to meet the "heroes". All in all, it was a bit overwhelming. Granted, it was nice to be recognized for what we do, but we did nothing to deserve it.
But it was short lived, so we were able to get back to the comfortable thankless-ness we were used to. Today it's back to normal, and it really is OK, we kinda like it that way. We'll be here, outta sight, outta mind until we're needed.....it's what we do.
Then theres the other side of the stories, and as I look back on 18 years, I can say I have a lot to be thankful for during my career. Sure, there are those calls I would sooner forget if I could, but even in the darkest moments life has to offer, there is always something.
For me, it's my career itself. For a jolly volly in Southwest PA I have been blessed. From those who taught me in the beginning like My Asst Chief Bill & my one of my instructors, Jim. Both who taught me modern & old school techniques and skills to be an effective firefighter, and just as if not more important, why we do what we do and what it really means to be a firefighter.
There isn't a fire I haven't fought were something one of those two taught me hasn't helped me in some fashion or got my ass out of a bad spot, for their friendship, instruction and tutelage, I am thank full.
I am thankful for having the privilege to ride the rigs and fight, side by side with some of the best in the business, guys from places like Washington DC FD, Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire, Baltimore FD and even FDNY, to name a few.
Im thankful for the Guys from Engine Co 12 for busting through the door into the fully involved room in the basement, a split second after I fell through the floor and landed on the bed, in the fully involved room. Impeccable timing guys...thanks.
I'm thankful for seeing the warning signs and retreating from the second floor just in time to keep from getting cooked in a flashover in Engine 7s first due. I'll take a few small blisters over the burn unit any day.
I'm thankful there were no serious injuries when we sent 14 guys to the hospital after the roof collapsed during an apartment building fire.
I am thankful that, to date, my most serious injury from fighting fire was a very severely sprained ankle that almost ended my firefighting and construction careers.
I am thankful to have been able to fight many fires with my two best friends, Mike & Ryan.
I am thankful for the wood framed storage shed that stood between me an a 55 gallon drum of something at an industrial fire. The Drum experienced a bleve. (Boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion....BIG boom)...I don't know how much it actually helped since it was destroyed, but when I picked my ass off the ground and did a quick once over to make sure I was ok, I was convinced, had that Shed not been there..... neither would I. I'm also thankful my ears only rang for 3 days after the blast.
I am thankful for the nice warm diesel exhaust to warm your hands & feet on those long cold nights fighting fire in the snow. And since we're talking cold weather operations, lets not forget those that get up in the middle of the night to bring the Sally wagon and have ready for us, the best tasting coffee and hot chocolate flavored water you'll never want to drink again but do so just because its warm.
I am thankful that I've learned to appreciate life a little more.
I'm thankful to be in the right place at the right time on the right call to help someone else see tomorrow.
I am thankful not only for my time living at the firehouse, but for those I got to share that time with. Definitely 4 of my best years in the service.
I am thankful that I have been able to come home after an ugly call and kiss my kids and my wife.
I am thankful the engine I was driving had good enough breaks to keep from hitting a minivan with 4 kids in it when their mom blew a red light.....damn good breaks.
I am thankful for my Buddy Lurch, who in street cloths, at a working fire in a strip mall, grabbed and threw a 24 foot extension ladder to the roof so that myself and 2 others could get off the roof after the roof began to collapse, cutting off our two means of egress. Thanks brother.
I am thank full for having Chummy was a able to guid me to a vehicle fire as I drove through fog. He held his head out the officers window and watched the front tire of the engine and the white line on the road, shouting instructions "left a little, keep it straight, back to the right a little" to make sure we stayed on the road until we got to the fire because the Fog was so god damn thick we didn't see the burning car until we almost hit it. It was insane..
Good lookin out brother.
To the guy from Tower 112 who grabbed me by my air pack just before falling through a huge hole the arsonist cut in the floor at a fire in 94's first due. Never got your name, but thanks dude.
I am thankful to the State Trooper who, with the use of a flying fore arm, "subdued" the angry motorist that stopped and for some reason felt picking a fight a with a fireman at an accident was a good idea.
I am, for some odd reason, thankful for the engine company.....I know, I know, I know.... I can't explain it either.
I am thankful for my wife. She is a Firefighters wife, its hard to explain and there's more to it than you realize.
I am thankful that tomorrow, when the bell rings, I'll still be ready to go.
Be safe and Happy Thanksgiving.