I just had to share this, don't know how many firefighters we have with us in Pixies.

I am a wildland firefighter..


I wish you could see the sadness of a business man as his livelihood goes up in flames, or that family returning home, only to find their house and belongings damaged or lost for good.

I wish you could know what it is like to search a burning bedroom for trapped children, flames rolling above your head, your palms and knees burning as you crawl, the floor sagging under your weight as the kitchen below you burns.

I wish you can comprehend a wife's horror at 3a.m. as I check her husband of 40 years for pulse and find none.* I start CPR anyway, hoping to bring him back, knowing intuitively it is too late.* But wanting his wife and family to know everything possible was done to try to save his life.

I wish you knew the unique smell of burning insulation, the taste of soot-filled mucus, the feeling of intense heat through your turnout gear, the sound of flames crackling, the eeriness of being able to see absolutely nothing in dense smoke-sensations that I've become too familiar with.

I wish you could understand how it feels to go to work in the morning after spending most of the night, hot and soaking wet at a multiple alarm fire.* I wish you could read my mind as I respond to a building fire "Is this a false alarm or a working fire? How is the building constructed? What hazards await me? Is anyone trapped?"* Or to an EMS call, "What is wrong with the patient? Is it minor or life threatening?* Is the caller really in distress or is he waiting for us with a 2X4 or a gun?"

I wish you could be in the emergency room, as a doctor pronounces dead the beautiful five-year old girl that I've been trying to save for the last 25 minutes.* Who will never go on her first date or say the words, "I love you Mommy" again.

I wish you could know the frustration I feel in the cab of the engine or my personal vehicle, the driver with his foot pressing down hard on the pedal, my arm tugging again and again on the air horn chain, as you fail to yield the right-of-away at an intersection or in traffic.* When you need us however, your first comment upon our arrival will be, "It took you forever to get here!"

I wish you could know my thoughts as I help extricate a girl of teenage years from the remains of her automobile.* "What if this was my sister, my girlfriend or friend?* What were her parents reaction going to be when they opened the door to find a police officer with hat in hand?"

I wish you could know how it feels to walk in the back door and great my parents and family, not having the heart to tell them that I nearly did not come back from the last call.

I wish you could feel the hurt as people verbally, and sometimes physically, abuse us or belittle what I do, or as they express their attitudes of "It will never happen to me."* I wish you can realize the physical, emotional and mental drain or missed meals, lost sleep and forgone social activities, in addition to all the tragedy my eyes have seen.

I wish you could know how the brotherhood and self-satisfaction of helping save a life or preserving someone's property, or being able to be there in the time of a crisis, or creating order from total chaos.

I wish you could understand what it feels like to have a little boy tugging at your arm and asking "Is Mommy okay?"* Not even being able to look in his eyes and without tears from your own and not knowing what to say.* Or to have to hold back a long time friend who watches his buddy having rescue breathing done on him as they take him away in the ambulance.* You know all along he did not have his seat belt on.* A sensation that I have become too familiar with.*

Unless you have lived with this kind of life, you will never truly understand or appreciate who I am, or what our job really means to us...

I wish you could though.

-author unknown-

REMEMBER FALLEN FIRE FIGHTERS

wow

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"No lover is worth your tears, and the one that is will never make you cry"

Thank you for sharing that, m45!

I've had 2 housefires so I'm well aware of what our firefighters do for us. Especially of how traffic failing to yield only delays them and increases the losses of those waiting for assistance.

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M45, I praise you and your brother firefighters for all you do. When we lost our 75yo Victorian, the first responders were some of our closest friends. Thier forst thoughts were "There's a baby in that house!" All lives were saved, the last one exiting the 3rd floor as the first hit flashover... My prayers have always included firemen ever since then.

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"Quando Flunkus Moritatii" (I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess.) - the Red Green Show



The best thing about taking a vacation, is all the heartfelt huggs received upon your return. - Murphy

"The more you love, the more you CAN love. There's no limit to how much you can love - or how many" Lazarus Long in "Time Enough for Love" - Robert A. Heinlein

I too have been in the same situations at times.

and fully sympathize and praise the men and women who put themselves at risk for our benefit and protection

Thank you all!

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Enjoy yourself!
Enjoy me!

Behind me is a Woman rolling her eye's!

The only opinion about me that matters is the one I have of myself

Wow...I am in tears...

Thank you M45..Always knew firefighthers were true life HEROS...

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*Diva*



"Never shall I forget the time I spent with you. Please
continue to be my friend, as you will always find me yours."
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

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M45 - I signed on briefly and got stopped in my tracks by your thread, reading it with tears in my eyes.
Thank you.
x

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"Excuse me while I wag(gle)"

Thanks for reminding us that the hero's ARE everywhere, unsung and unasuming, everyday.

Yeah like the others have said,it was a good story and from what i hear where u are from u guys do good work.Guess it just matters where u are from. Around here people just either dont respond at all, or give u a call after like a hour or two and ask if u still want them to come.Take it from me i been shot once,slit with a knife twice and hit with a ice/meat hook once, but that one was a work related injury.I do praise those who do do there jobs though such as yourself

thank you for sharing, m45

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"I'm all for bringing back the birch, but only between consenting adults".
~ Gore Vidal

Thank you so much for sharing with us ...

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Life isn't as hard as you think it is if you have someone to love.

Thanks you guys.
Want you to know the first time I read this I to had many tears in my eyes.

I can deal with the wildland fires but that medical I have a hard time with.
It takes a very special person, something from with-in.

The guys in the inner city are special bread, I would not want to do it. But many of them think that us wildland guys are CRAZY!

Guess we must be, who in their right mind would run into a forest that is on fire?

ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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GirlWatcher......;-)
Love Them Little Tits

Pixie's Wildland Fire Fighter
Find'em HOT and Leave'em WET!