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crashaz
January 3rd, 2010, 11:42
Was working online via Skype with JefPat to finalize PHP2 scenery release when my apartment building fire alarm went off.
I was annoyed as usually some drunk prankster pulls the alarm. So grumbling I walked to the balcony outside and saw no smoke. So I look out the front door toward the parking garage and wow... saw smoke from the floor above.

Now being that my knees are bad I could not run to the end of the bldg and take the stairs and run back upstairs. So I jumped in the elevator.

Got off on the 6th floor and ran over to the apartment as the door was open and smoke was billowing out. Lady comes out choking saying the fire is out. Ask if she is ok... give some orders to some bystanders to call 911 and tell them the fire is out... no one is hurt but the water sprinkler is running and we need someone to shut the water off.

While I was doing that the lady went back in the apartment! Her daughter was up on the second floor of that apartment. Could not see inside because of all the water and smoke.

Apparently it was a kitchen fire on the stove and the fire had melted the overhead microwave... which was causing all the smoke from the burning plastic.

Well no one else was rushing in to help... so yep... I rushed in and found the mother downstairs... had her open up the balcony door to let out the smoke and found the daughter and had her kill the breakers to the power in the kitchen and entry hallway as electricity and water do not mix.

Man those sprinkler put out a ton of water! Must have been water a 1/4 inch deep in the apartment.

Anyways got the women out and most of the smoke had cleared by the time the firefighters arrived. They shut down the sprinklers and busted out the squeegees the get rid of the water... lots of smoke and water damage in the apartment.

I laughed about 2 things after it was all over.

1. Probably not a good idea to rush into a building filled with smoke and water while the electricity is on and water rushing everywhere and over lighted fixtures.

2. The whole thing reminded me of my Navy drills... smoke, water and alarms ringing.:icon_lol:

You just stop thinking and start following training.... been 20 years but weird how that just fell into react mode.

So to all my shipmates out there.... we are well prepared to handle fires.:salute:

N2056
January 3rd, 2010, 13:05
You just stop thinking and start following training.... been 20 years but weird how that just fell into react mode.

So to all my shipmates out there.... we are well prepared to handle fires.:salute:


Bravo Zulu! :salute:

Only thing I would have done different would have been to de-energize the space prior to re-entry, but you already figured that out! :icon_lol:

I totally agree about the "react mode" kicking in. I experienced it a little over a year ago when someone torched a car in the alley behind my property at 1 AM. Within one minute of being woke up by my son I was stationed as the nozzleman out in the yard, duck walking up to the back fence spraying it down to keep it from totally going up and getting into my yard. I ended up with a few scorced boards, but it would have been a lot worse if I had waited for the pros to arrive. The crazy thing was how it was just instinct.

Marlin
January 3rd, 2010, 13:22
Good job man, you more than likely saved that girls life.:salute:
Smoke is the killer during a fire, usually not the fire itself.

Willy
January 3rd, 2010, 13:39
Yep, that training comes in handy when you least expect it.

Navy Chief
January 3rd, 2010, 14:11
WOW!!!! Good going, James!!!

So all those drills were not in vain, eh?

NC

Collin
January 3rd, 2010, 14:24
Well done that man:applause::icon29::icon29:

regards Collin:ernae:

Snuffy
January 3rd, 2010, 14:38
Good Job Crash! :applause:

crashaz
January 3rd, 2010, 17:45
All those drills were not in vain Chief... I joined the Navy when I was 23 so by that time I knew there was purpose behind every drill, every polish, every roll of the socks.

Also tried passing on that knowledge to shipmates as well... younger and didn't see the point.

Last night was just weird... after the fire dept arrived... came back down and caught up with Jeff... he was still on Skype and I had my webcam on so I looked a little wet LOL!

Craig Taylor
January 4th, 2010, 11:37
You can always tell a Navy man... Bravo Zulu! :medals:

Z-claudius24
January 4th, 2010, 13:15
Hi,

Experienced 3 fires on ship.
The first 2 I was in assistance squad (galley and hold fire)
The 3 was in the engineroom .. and was the more dangerous and scary (my designated place as intervention squad)
Training paid off .. and it's indeed experience never forgeted.
Well done crashaz

harleyman
January 4th, 2010, 16:52
Well Done Indeed.......:salute:

stansdds
January 5th, 2010, 02:09
You did the right thing! :salute: