8 Events

Yesterday we were told that we had to record 8 events and describe them in detail.

soooo

On 5/03/2010 at 7.05pm the fire siren activated. Even after being in the fire brigade for over 2 years and always hearing it as a youngster as my dad raced off, it still triggers an excitement in me. Upon reaching the station I race to my locker located at the far end of the station, quickly discarding my phone in my locker. The fire engine rumbled to life. The engine roared over the sound of radio transmissions bleeping in the background. With my level 2 gear partially on i raced over to the fire engine and jumped inside. There was always a sense of urgency when arriving at the station, but as soon as you entered the cab the mood became relaxed almost serene. My dirt smeared

and scratched helmet hung in front of me in the rear of the cab. Slowly I pulled on my gloves fitting like a second rough callous skin. I sat waiting to be instructed on where to go and what to do. Driving up the hill to the accident plumes of light white smoke with hints of grey rolled across the road and engulfed the fire engine. I tasted bunt embers as much as i smelt it. Securing my helmet i got out of the truck and headed to the rear where the 45 was situated. 90m of 45mm wide hose lay rolled up on a barrel ready to be uncoiled at a moments notice. I was waiting for the order to head in with it and i knew it would come. When it did i shrugged it over my shoulder and headed in. looking at the situation in full i saw a ute at collided with the power pole bringing it down, a line lay across the ground severed in the middle a mere few meters from the road. Left from the road was a field of long dry grass crouching behind a thin wire fence. The fence line from power pole to power pole was alight. A solid patch of fire around 10m squared sat a few meters behind the ute in the field of long parched grass. A small fire had entangled itself around the left rear wheel of the ute.

Right next to the fuel tank.

Keeping an eye on the power line in front of me holding possibly over 400 Volts of electricity, I crept forward fighting the blaze. Sweat trickled down my brow tickling my face.

It was going to be a long hot evening. And i was missing Fat Freddy's show.