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DEL.ICIO.USA day in the life of Fire Station No. 11
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The proverbial cat didn’t get rescued from a tree, but the firefighters of Station No. 11 did respond to a fuel spill, suicide attempt and bogus medical call.
On Wednesday, I got to experience something many kids, and probably adults, wish they could do. Hang out with firefighters. Ride in a firetruck with sirens and horns blazing.
It’s easy to take firefighters for granted, and in the case of the Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services, that would be a squad of 725 men and women. You don’t think about the profession’s dangers until something horrific happens, like the recent deaths of nine firefighters in Charleston, S.C.
“What it does is heighten your awareness that it can happen anywhere,” said Capt. Wayne Mooney, a 20-year veteran who took his dad’s advice and entered a career that makes him happy.
In its 36-year history, the county department has experienced three losses, two in the line of duty.
• James D. Cox died in 1981 after a heart attack while jogging around Station No. 8 in Grayson during physical training.
• Lt. Bobby Patrick of Station No. 3 in Mountain Park collapsed and died from a heart attack in 2003 while battling a blaze in a motorcycle repair shop in Lilburn.
• Brant Chesney, a Gwinnett firefighter who also served as a volunteer firefighter and training instructor in Forsyth County, died in 1996 fighting an apartment fire in that county. He worked at Station No. 9 in Lawrenceville.
Station No. 11 in Norcross responded to no fires during Wednesday’s Badie Tour. The first call was for a gas spill on the southbound entry ramp of I-85, near Indian Trail Lilburn Road. Firefighters Jordan Keough, Ty Suber and Marino Favre helped the hazardous materials response team — also part of the fire and emergency services department — spread absorbent material.
Then, we were on our way. To Kroger.
The men, who work a 24-hour-on-48-hour-off shift, needed chow for dinner. Each man typically chips in $7 for the day’s lunch and dinner. There are usually six firefighters, two paramedics and a battalion chief on duty at all times. Because some of the staff was off Wednesday, dinner is the only concern. Last night, they were to have a chicken-and-cheese dish that firefighter and paramedic Phil Merck jokingly calls “Norcross cheesy chicken.”
After Kroger, we stopped by Chick-fil-A for lunch. I assume we’ll sit and dine. No dice. Calls from dispatch are imminent, they explain, so the men eat at the station off Live Oak Parkway.
After lunch, Merck gave me a tour of the station — the bunks, kitchen, common area, offices and exercise room. His radio cackled, something about a suicide attempt at a residence near the corner of Steve Reynolds Boulevard and Hillcrest Court.
We’re off. Sirens singing. Horns honking. The patient gets hauled away by ambulance.
We returned to the station. Keough apologized for the day’s lack of excitement. He’s dead serious, but before I can reply, we’re back in the truck. This time, dispatch said it was a medical call for a residence off Silver Lake Drive. See firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics handle a little bit of everything. Station No. 11 expects to field about 40,000 calls this year.
No one answered the door of the well-kept home. Keough, Suber and Favre looked for ways to get inside. They busted open a drop box that had a key. No one was home. A neighbor spotted us and called the owner of the abode. He gave the cellphone to Favre, who explained what had transpired. The owner isn’t upset.
Obviously, he understands.
Had this been a real emergency, the crew of Station No. 11 would have been just as determined to get in, to reach him or his pets, to protect and serve.
— Rick Badie’s column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact him at 770-263-3875 or e-mail rbadie@ajc.com.
Permalink | Comments (6) | Post your comment | Categories: Rick Badie
Comments
By delta dawn
June 28, 2007 11:47 AM | Link to this
We take so much for granted. People who serve us, laying it all on the line, to whom duty is more than a job. Thank you for what you do. You make the world a better place.
By Bruce Wilcox
June 28, 2007 12:33 PM | Link to this
Rick I do not know what time you got there or what time you left but seems like you missed a bit. The morning equipment check and test to make sure everything is stocked and in the right place. The daily chores, there are no maids at the stations. Maybe a training session or video on the subject. Those drives to the local market also gives the crew a chance to check out the neighborhood, new construction, road work, NOT another sub-division!
If you had stayed overnight you would know how it is to jump out of bed, dress and be on the rig in a minute or less. No coffee is needed, the adrenaline takes care of it, over the long run it does wonders for the heart.
But it is the best job in the world and they all earn the title “America’s Bravest” everyday.
By Jean Ebert
June 28, 2007 8:26 PM | Link to this
In March I had to call the paramedics at 2 AM when my son’s friend (who was spending the night) had a severe allergic reaction to our cats. The paramedics and firemen were there promptly. They were professional, thorough, and compassionate. They had a very scared 11 year old boy calmed down very quickly even as they examined him. I pray I never have to use their services again, but it is great peace of mind to know that Gwinnett County has such a wonderful fire department full of dedicated and hard-working individuals. They don’t hear this enough-thank you for helping to keep us safe!
By RWH
June 29, 2007 3:21 PM | Link to this
Here is a situation and a case that has torn our elected justice officials apart from one and other. It appears that we have a power struggle leaping over here and there! The act committed in this case with an underage; is not withstanding with Wilson who is serving time for that act. He feels that he should be released. However, when the laws was changed, it did not mentioned that it would be retrosactived to all those involved in the same identical case. Where does the legal system goes from this point…and does it means that when the law was changed, it affected the Wilson’s case? Wilson’s lawyer and those involved are looking at the law that it is to be administered in all other case like the Wilson case to date. Mr. Baker, acting to preserve the laws are keeping others like Wilson in jail…and if the law say’s that those like Wilson’s situation also needs to be released. We have a mound of laws stacking laws on top of one and the other; and what one judge decision; it is appealed on the Mr. Baker’s decisons and noone is able to interpret the laws as it is written. Mr. Wilson do not want to take a plea-agreement; he do not want to serve 10 years, he feels he needs to be release and not be put on the sex-offender’s listing. He also turn down a written plea to day…and he remains in prison. Somehow, somebody has to figure this puzzle out and put the puzzle together so we all can understand where cases such as this and those like this will go!
By RWH
June 29, 2007 3:23 PM | Link to this
Here is a situation and a case that has torn our elected justice officials apart from one and other. It appears that we have a power struggle leaping over here and there! The act committed in this case with an underage; is not withstanding with Wilson who is serving time for that act. He feels that he should be released. However, when the laws was changed, it did not mentioned that it would be retrosactived to all those involved in the same identical case. Where does the legal system goes from this point…and does it means that when the law was changed, it affected the Wilson’s case? Wilson’s lawyer and those involved are looking at the law that it is to be administered in all other case like the Wilson case to date. Mr. Baker, acting to preserve the laws are keeping others like Wilson in jail…and if the law say’s that those like Wilson’s situation also needs to be released. We have a mound of laws stacking laws on top of one and the other; and what one judge decision; it is appealed on the Mr. Baker’s decisons and noone is able to interpret the laws as it is written. Mr. Wilson do not want to take a plea-agreement; he do not want to serve 10 years, he feels he needs to be release and not be put on the sex-offender’s listing. He also turn down a written plea to day…and he remains in prison. Somehow, somebody has to figure this puzzle out and put the puzzle together so we all can understand where cases such as this and those like this will go!
By rmbr343
July 9, 2007 9:27 AM | Link to this
Rick, thank you so much for this great column! The firefighters in at GCFD are the BEST in the country. Gwinnett County has a wonderful program called the Citizens Fire Academy. The Citizns Fire Academy is an eleven week program that includes hands-on fire, medical and emergency service demonstrations and classroom discussions to provide an overview of the department as a whole. It meets one night a week so it’s not too time consuming but it’s the most rewarding 3 hours a week you’ll ever spend! It’s open to all citizens 18 years or older who live or work in Gwinnett County. As an alumnus of the Gwinnett CFA I can tell you that the only risk you take in attending the academy is that you’ll get hooked like I did! And if that happens there’s always the Citizens Fire Academy Alumni Association to give you the opportunity to stay involved. The number to call to obtain additional information is 678.518.4824.