topic Our Firemen Are Great! in Community Chat

Our Firemen Are Great!

dulwich — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 15:26:11 GMT

These statistics amaze me.

Just listened this a.m. to report on ‘our’ fire in Santa Cruz and it blows my mind how hard they work.

since onset of our fire 80,000 acres burned, now 527 structures burned, we have 1,697 firemen there, yesterday they dropped 256,000 gallons water via helicopter - since onset of fire they have dropped 1.6 million gallons water.

Hard to imagine all this activity - today we are 19% contained. Still a long way to go but so thankful for all these hard working men Firemen, Sherrif Office, Volunteers so many great people.

Re: Our Firemen Are Great!

Miss Pepsi — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 15:30:36 GMT

They are unsung hero's. Pleast stay safe.

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Eileen in Virginia — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 15:36:38 GMT

At one point in my Federal career, I worked with the firefighter provisions of the retirement law. This entailed reviewing documentation of their duties, including those who fought wildfires. Military personnel aside, these are some of the bravest people alive. When everyone else is being evacuated, they head straight into the heart of the wildfire.

Re: Our Firemen Are Great!

hennypenny — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 15:43:30 GMT

@dulwich , We have dear friends in Santa Cruz who are sheltering in place. They were so excited about the 19%. I grew up with many friends from up in the mountains there . I heard a snippit on the news that they had managed to save trees in big basin. We camped there as a child. There used to be a gizmo that was a forerunner of a zip line. you sat in a basket thing and slid down a wire as I remember.

It is hard getting news from the bay area as so much else is occuring.

Please stay safe

Re: Our Firemen Are Great!

rms1954 — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 16:32:52 GMT

Special, selfless, caring people.

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Kachina624 — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 16:32:56 GMT

@dulwich Some of your firefighters may be our firefighters. A contingent left New Mexico Monday and headed your way to help fight fires, along with their gear and equipment. We had one major fire when they left but since several more have erupted, so they may need to come home.

We're getting smoke in Albuquerque from the NM, Colorado, and California fires. I can't even see our mountains.

Re: Our Firemen Are Great!

mousiegirl — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 16:54:03 GMT

So far today, I smell no smoke, first day in over a week, and maybe the cooler weather is helping contain the fires. They began North across the Bay, then lightning strikes began fires in my county, so I have smelled smoke from the North running down the mountains to and including Santa Cruz.

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ROMARY — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 20:28:14 GMT

Wishing firefighters from everywhere and all brave folks the best of health and safety.

I've been thinking................Since I've been hearing that they could use more fire-fighting help................Would it be a good idea to train military volunteers to be able to help out?

Basic fire-fighting duties, etc. All voluntary.

They would need to order special fireproof equipment and clothing, etc. ahead of time

But, for the hopefully very distant future (meaning no more forest/wild fires, hopefully, ever), the military could be handy.

I don't know anything about the military, but I'm guessing that they are on-going-ly trained to be very fit and strong.

Well, just thinking out loud.

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DiAnne — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 17:16:00 GMT

Several of our units (Washington State) are down there also. They lost a lot of man power not having the prisoners to help.

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Love my grandkids — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 18:08:10 GMT

@dulwich God bless all the firefighters, men and women.

I agree that they are unsung heroes and do a job most of us could not do. They are brave beyond words.

Re: Our Firemen Are Great!

Kachina624 — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 18:04:59 GMT

Many of the "hot shot" teams are composed of Native Americans. It's a cottage industry of sorts on the reservations and they travel together in their own buses with their equipment pretty much working 24/7 during fire season. They do a great job

Re: Our Firemen Are Great!

Love my grandkids — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 18:09:49 GMT

@Kachina624 I've heard of the "hot shot" teams for years when I lived in So. Cal. but had no idea how much Native Americans are involved. Bless them too, they do an awesome job.

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dodies — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 18:34:14 GMT

These kind words mean a lot, to the firefighters and to the proud mom of two firefighters. They are an exceptional group of people. My older son was a Hotshot for many years and still goes out as fire line safety officer. A day didn't go by I didnt worry. My younger son has been deployed on many, many strike teams throughout the West Coast. Of course the worry is still there but they are Captains now and experienced firefighters so I trust their judgement and the decisions they make for themselves and their crews. (Full disclosure.....maybe an itty-bitty worry...😏). The weird part? They LOVE it! Thanks again, keep them all in your prayers.....

Re: Our Firemen Are Great!

Spurt — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 19:02:50 GMT

UNSONG HEROS!!!

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dulwich — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 18:47:46 GMT

@dodies You must be so proud of your sons they are indeed exceptional, brave heroes. Heroes is the only word to describe them and what they do. First time I have ever been involved in fire.

What really pi—ed us all off was when some awful person robbed one of the Fire Captains fighting ‘our’ Santa Cruz Fire took his wallet, drained his bank a/c. Just awful- Sheriff ‘guarantees’ they will catch him.

Big thank you to your sons.

Re: Our Firemen Are Great!

Linmo — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 19:10:23 GMT

@dulwich wrote:
@dodies You must be so proud of your sons they are indeed exceptional, brave heroes. Heroes is the only word to describe them and what they do. First time I have ever been involved in fire.

What really pi—ed us all off was when some awful person robbed one of the Fire Captains fighting ‘our’ Santa Cruz Fire took his wallet, drained his bank a/c. Just awful- Sheriff ‘guarantees’ they will catch him.

Big thank you to your sons.

@dulwich And then another lowlife had the audacity to open a fraudulent GoFundMe "on behalf" of that Fire Captain. We received notification on NextDoor that it was a scam and was not associated with CalFire or any CalFire employee.

Re: Our Firemen Are Great!

dulwich — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 21:23:25 GMT

@Linmo So disgusting I do not understand some people glad you found out.

There appears to be lots of these scams going around here all based on the fire we are being told to not donate unless you know the people concerned.

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sann — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 22:17:16 GMT

Never meet a fireman I didn't like.⭐

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september — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 22:39:07 GMT

Yes, they are very special people!

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dodies — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 01:31:40 GMT

Thank you so very much for all your kind words for my two FF’s, and all of them in harms way. But...I may have jinked my older guy; he’s on his way to Santa Cruz as I write this! Ironic, yeah?