May. 23, 2007 - Today's set of photos
Are you ready for some MORE fire photos?
Here are a couple of recruits, which are even NEWER than New Kids. A recruit isn't even a Firefighter yet, they are students that are in a twelve week academy, learning the skills that are needed to become Firefighters. These recruits are practicing their ladder throws. This is a fairly short ladder, at a mere 20 feet long. The longest ground ladder is 40 feet, but the "40" is a two section ladder. Our longest single section ladder is 24 feet long. I had to wait until both recruits were looking straight up in order to capture the profiles of their helmets.
.......................................................................................................................................................................
Here is a shot of a water shut-off. Cars or trucks will occasionally hit a fire hydrant. This is the result. Sometimes that column of water comes straight down on the street valve. It feels like gravel pouring down on you as you fight to shut it off.
This photo was taken by my good friend, Danny. I've got a few shots of hydrant shut-offs, but nothing that communicates the way a Firefighter feels about getting that close to so much fast moving water as this one does.
.............................................................................................................................
People like the fire shots, so let's take a look at this one from the Drill Tower. This is the propane prop. The objective is to shut off the gas with out getting scorched. You do it by pushing back the heat and flames with two teams, each staffing a fire hose. This is Anthony, and he has just "lit off" the prop for the next group of students.
.............................................................................................................................
This is Sean. He is doing the dirty job that we call "overhaul". Before we leave a house that has been burning, we chop, cut and scrape away any burnt material that might harbor a smouldering ember. That ember could grow into what is called a "re-kindle". A re-kindle is a second fire that comes back to do even more damage to the house. No Firefighter wants the shame of being responsible for a re-kindle, so we work as a team to remove all the debris that might shelter such an ember. It is the longest, slowest and least glamorous part of fighting a fire. Sean is working to clear the area between two houses. I am shooting straight down on him from the second floor of the house.
.............................................................................................................................
That's all for today, folks. Please remember to pray for the Firefighters that protect you, they need it! See you next time.
Hec @ 19
| 
