AJC > Sandy Springs > Blog > Archives > 2006 > October > 16 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USWhat happened to the dream of being a fire fighter?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There are likely few men out there who did not, at some point from birth to around age 12, fantasize about becoming a fireman. It was the fodder of a young boy’s dream.
You got to ride on a bright red truck. You got to hit the siren and the flashing red light. There was a faithful Dalmatian seated right next to the driver.
The truck was covered with stuff. Axes. Hoses. The helmet and coat. That tall ladder that probably stretched beyond Jack’s beanstalk. And let’s not forget the brass pole back at the fire station that you got to slide down.
Most boys also, at one time during those years, had their own toy fire engine. I did. It had the ladder, the red flashing light, the siren. It even shot water. Santa was a big hero that year, as he was the year my son Zach got his fire engine.
No, I did not elbow him out of the way Christmas morning to play with it myself. That would have been quite unbecoming my status as an adult. I waited until he was out of the room – then I played with it.
Along the way boys lose that idealized dream. Sports, music and girls begin to take up brain space, as does reality. Firemen go to the scene of horrible accidents and see things one never forgets. Firemen run into burning buildings to fight fires and sometimes they don’t walk out. It takes a special person to do that job. No one gets rich fighting fires.
If you ever wanted to reach out locally and make a difference, opportunity is pounding on your door. In December we Sandy Springsteens will have our own fire department and there is a wish list – hell, I’d call it a need list – for the stations.
For instance, Station #2 at Johnson Ferry and Sandy Springs Circle needs kitchen supplies/service for 10 fire fighters. This includes plates, cups, silverware, mixing bowls, a blender and a commercial-quality coffee maker. Mattresses have been secured, but nightstands and lamps are needed.
Beyond the immediate needs, it would be a great thing for all of us to adopt these heroes on a regular basis. I’m sure they wouldn’t turn away homemade cookies, pies, cakes, etc. They probably also would be pretty happy if from time to time someone brought in 10 pounds of really good coffee. District 4 council member Ashley Jenkins is bulldogging this effort and can be reached at Ashley.Jenkins@sandyspringsga.org.
This is near and dear to my heart. What they give us every time they roll is beyond my ability to place a value on. We are forever in their debt.
Not only is this a good thing to do, we owe it.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Danny
October 16, 2006 10:58 AM | Link to this
When bringing holiday goodies and sweets to the station, please keep in mind that many departments have guidelines on food brought in now. Too many folks brought in too many sweets and wastelines got too big. Please try to bring in healthier fare…they appreciate that too! A pan of lasagna or a pot of spaghetti are never turned away…dessert sometimes is.
By Karla
October 16, 2006 12:03 PM | Link to this
Why do they need these items when they were donated in the first place by us? Is Fulton County taking back the forks and spoons?
By TheOne
October 16, 2006 01:35 PM | Link to this
Kudos to all the firefighters, everywhere!!!
As for the Sandy Springs (aka we’re better than the rest of Fulton County so we want our own little city) firefighters…..why can’t the rich, think they’re better than evreyone else, stuck up little city buy their firefighters what they need? Why do they have to have a wishlist? Take your wishlist to the city council that formed your “great little city” and let them provide whatever you need.
If I were to donate a dime, it would be to my own city/town!!!
By Jeremy
October 16, 2006 01:38 PM | Link to this
HA! You bunch of whiny Sandy Springs poofs can’t even take care of your fire department…Such a Super City Sandy Springs is! Maybe next week you will ask us to by coffee and donuts for your cops too!
By Lauren
October 16, 2006 02:22 PM | Link to this
What’s with the negative comments, Jeremy and The One? Anyone who has followed the politics of the new city of Sandy Springs knows that Fulton County isn’t going to do one thing to help make their transition easier, which, in this case, obviously means leaving their fire houses fully equipped. They will do fine, but the intial start-up costs for ANY new city is staggering. If you don’t want to help — great, but leave the negativity at home. I really appreciate Jim Osterman getting the word out so that those of us who are proud of what Sandy Springs is trying to accomplish can help. (And, no, I am not a resident of Sandy Springs OR Fulton County.)
Thanks Jim! I’ll be contacting Ashley Jenkins.
By TheOne
October 16, 2006 02:30 PM | Link to this
Well goody goody for you Lauren. And I have the right to post my comment just like you, negative in your opinion or not……SO GET OVER IT!!!! This isn’t a “positive opinion only blog”, and seeing that I didn’t try to make it personal to any individual, it wasn’t THAT bad. I don’t have to leave or take anything anywhere, I spoke MY comments, just like you spoke yours. And I will say it again, Sany Springs can support their own!!!!! (They had no concern for the rest of the cities in Fulton when they embarkled on this little adventure.) This is real life, not the candy coated version, so just keep it real!!
By Jeremy
October 16, 2006 02:37 PM | Link to this
Hey Lauren—bite me! Sandy Springs is like the obligatory fat girl at a party that thinks she is fine. She has no clue everyone is laughing at her and blames everyone and everything else rather than just realizing she is a big ‘ol heffer!
By TheOne
October 16, 2006 02:53 PM | Link to this
^Jeremy….very good analogy!!
By Lauren
October 16, 2006 02:54 PM | Link to this
Sorry, guys, but the only ones who are upset that Sandy Springs has broken away from Fulton County are those who have soaked the area residents for their tax base all these years and can’t figure out how to make up the lost revenue. Everyone else is shouting WAY TO GO, SANDY SPRINGS! Fulton County never understood that it wasn’t right to bite the hands that fed it.
Sour grapes is all you can offer. The rest of us will help out Sandy Springs — and John’s Creek and Milton, when it’s their turn.
By TheOne
October 16, 2006 02:56 PM | Link to this
Well Lauren, now you can join the list with the rest of the suckers!!!!! Happy Sucking!!!
By singlemom
October 16, 2006 02:58 PM | Link to this
As usual, nastiness rears it’s ugly head when we don’t all agree, the Name calling, etc. What a shame adults act this way. I will be more than happy to help out ANYONE who would choose this line of profession. I have two in-laws in local Firehouses, and even though they are not in my city or county, I support them. They put their lifes on the line each and every day, just like police officers, etc. They do not get paid what they should for the jobs they do. Think about this, the next time you dial 911. KUDOS TO SANDY SPRINGS FOR BREAKING AWAY FROM FULTON COUNTY!!!!! And thank you to a previous poster who suggested lasange or spaghetti. I’ll be at my local firehouse tomorrow evening with dinner for these brave men and women. It’s the least I could do.
By Realistically
October 16, 2006 03:54 PM | Link to this
Realistically do they really risk their lives DAILY??? When was the last serious fire?
By Lauren
October 16, 2006 04:25 PM | Link to this
Realistically, do you even know what firemen do every day?
Every time they go to a serious car accident, they run the risk of the car exploding. Every house fire they go to involves the risk of explosions and built-up heat creating life-threatening scenarios. They are the first-responders when a crisis erupts and must be ready to risk their own life in order to save yours.
Maybe you need to spend some time with a few firemen to understand what they risk on every shift.
By Cherish
October 16, 2006 04:46 PM | Link to this
My DAUGHTER is 5 and wants to be a fire-fighter. She actually asked me this weekend if girls can be fire-fighters. I told her “absolutely.” I know it’s a dangerous job, and I commend each and every firefighter … male or female :)… for their hard work and care for others.
By JC
October 16, 2006 06:05 PM | Link to this
The most danger fire, police and EMS personnel face is being involved in an accident on the way to a call, it kills more than you think.
The rest of Fulton county has robbed the North Fulton tax payers lon enough! Let the rest find someone else to pay for the things they robbed from others in the past, the taxing body of Fulton and Atlanta are NOT Robin Hood - and besides that - it is any groups right to form their own local government - you could too!
By Realistically????
October 16, 2006 09:45 PM | Link to this
Ok, here was my day Sunday Realistically…. spent time in the morning inside of a house that was on fire, looked pretty serious from where I was. After a short break to make lunch (and then leave it on the kitchen counter at the station) I went to a wreck, where I had to dodge cars while trying to help kids and their parents go to a local hospital.
Nothing serious according to somebody sitting at a keyboard, but I’ll be there again Tuesday morning to help the people in my community when they need it.
By Rishia
October 17, 2006 09:15 AM | Link to this
Hey Realisticlly, yes they do! My boyfriend is an Atlanta Firefighter and every time he is at work I worry about him. Would you want to do what they do, I mean going to the house fires and pulling out dead bodies? Dead bodies of small children, something he had to do two years ago. (it was in the ajc) All three children died. Or go to an emergency call where a pregnant woman is going into labor but loses her baby anyway because the umbilical was wrapped around the baby’s neck? The baby was so tiny it fit in the palm of his partner’s hand. Or to a car wreck where the person’s head was completely smashed? Pick one any one, but there is more. A lot more. I’m not trying to start a fight and no they do not always go out on calls BUT IT ONLY TAKES ONE TIME. And I don’t ever, ever want that time to come. So if Sandy Springs needs something and it’s in my power to do it, I will, gladly. To all the firefighters, YEA for you!!
By gttim
October 17, 2006 09:21 AM | Link to this
You might need some firefighters as well. Since you are slashing salaries, cutting benefits and reducing vacation days, most the firefighters I know at the Sandy Springs stations are leaving, or are looking to leave.
With all the money you are saving by paying firefighters well below market rate, why can’t the city buy all this stuff themselves? Republicans, which have taken over Sandy Springs, say they support firefighters, but they cannot provide for them, or pay them well for that matter? Target does not charge much for this. IKEA would probably have great prices! Pony up the money for the guys and gals who are going to be protecting your family and home, for God’s sake. Why are you asking for charity? Is the city already so mismanaged that they have to go begging?
This is the same crap the GOP pulls with soldiers. They say they support them, but keep cutting their benefits, and they keep cutting the benefits for the VA hospitals. If your city really supportsit working people, provide for them!
By Hap
October 17, 2006 09:31 AM | Link to this
I think that wanting to help firemen is a great and wonderful thing to do. Where were you when my family member and the rest of the firefighters from Fulton County that were your local firefighters until recently lost their means of supporting their families? I’m sure that in the transition they didn’t just stand there and let the fires, wrecks, etc go unanswered just because your a city now and didn’t want anything to do with Fulton County. (which now includes several laid off firefighters)
By Mike Lynch
October 17, 2006 11:06 AM | Link to this
I heartily agree with Jim about supporting the Sandy Springs firefighters. A good friend of mine was a firefighter in a small town in Illinois who died in the line of duty.
As a member of Sandy Springs Masonic Lodge #124 F&AM we showed our support by providing the firefighters of Station #2 (corner of Johnson Ferry and Sandy Springs Circle) with complimentary tickets to our Annual BBQ on October 7th (we also provided complimentary tickets to the Sandy Springs Police Department and City Council).
The two firefighters that came to pick-up the food were greeted as the public servants they are and were also given desserts by the ladies of the Order of the Eastern Star.
Our lodge gladly supports the Sandy Springs community and will contact Councilwoman Jenkins to see what else we can do.
By Lewis
October 17, 2006 01:27 PM | Link to this
It is a simple matter to determine what firemen should be paid. Investigate what other communities are paying plus benefits. Review the data and determine if the current wage schedule is satisfactory. Or,is a premium required to maintain the current fire dept. employees? Maybe a reduction is believed necessary. Whatever, explain the facts of the investigation to the firemen and taxpayers. Then, make your best offer and let the chips fall where they may.
By Price
October 21, 2006 12:53 PM | Link to this
God Bless the firefighters at Station 2. My nephew was stationed there until he passed away in March. The firefighters not only risk their lives daily, they deal with real life issues like losing one of their own. They supported our family heroically during our loss. Yes, they LOVE when people bring them meals. When we are in Atlanta for Thanksgiving - we will be there preparing them Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. They deserve so much more than what they are given. Remember they were Fulton County Firefighters long before Sandy Springs became a city. They just happened to be stationed at #2 and are having to deal with the fall out. They are a strong group but can always use the support of the community that they protect.