Somebody Put That Fire Out! Let's Play Fireman!

synkr0nized · 03-11-2010, 07:13 PM

This is not an LP.

You are a fireman at the local university town. Around noon today, you get a 9-1-1 call (emergency response in the US, as I am aware it's a different number in other countries) about a gas leak. Some Mennonite contractors destructing old deck/balconies and then putting up new ones broke a gas line and caused a gas leak in one of the buildings in a housing/apartment community. Your crews immediately are sent out to respond.

You arrive with at least two of the large engines, an ambulance, and a police squad car. The main road is closed off, the complex's parking lot closed off, and buses are re-routed. Do you:

a) immediately turn off the gas.
b) check the buildings for tenants and make sure they get out safe.
c) cordon off the area.
d) light some matches.
e) make fun of the gas company.

If you answered all but B and D, you are correct. At least in my area, I guess. I was asleep, as the university is on Spring Break and I am a night owl (i.e. I had no classes or labs to teach and am taking advantage of not having to clock in to my job/to do work). While they responded quickly and cleared out the area, apparently no one saw fit to knock on doors and check the apartments of the affected buildings. It wasn't until half an hour after the call that I woke up to use the restroom, actually heard the leak and smelled gas, looked outside to see the fire trucks and watch an ambulance pulling in, and realized what was going on as I shook the sleep off. I tossed on some clothes and went outside, at which point two representatives of the apartment complex standing away in the road hurriedly motioned for me to get away from the building.

About three years ago, in my previous apartment, when there was a fire next door in the laundry room, the firemen had busted through my door to check my apartment for signs of the fire spreading and for me. I was not home, so I came back to the inconvenience of needing the door fixed but the satisfaction that the firemen had mad an on-site judgment call and checked. Here, apparently, either no one cared to check or they stupidly made the assumption that "Oh, the undergrads are all out of town." despite there being many graduate students and even some families living here. Half an hour or so. I am pretty sure that's not cool.

Anyone else have any tales like this? Am I wrong to be upset by this? Any firefighters that have some insight?

03-11-2010, 07:13 PM	#1
synkr0nized synk-ism Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: throughout the Wired Posts: 6,861	Somebody Put That Fire Out! Let's Play Fireman! This is not an LP. You are a fireman at the local university town. Around noon today, you get a 9-1-1 call (emergency response in the US, as I am aware it's a different number in other countries) about a gas leak. Some Mennonite contractors destructing old deck/balconies and then putting up new ones broke a gas line and caused a gas leak in one of the buildings in a housing/apartment community. Your crews immediately are sent out to respond. You arrive with at least two of the large engines, an ambulance, and a police squad car. The main road is closed off, the complex's parking lot closed off, and buses are re-routed. Do you: a) immediately turn off the gas. b) check the buildings for tenants and make sure they get out safe. c) cordon off the area. d) light some matches. e) make fun of the gas company. If you answered all but B and D, you are correct. At least in my area, I guess. I was asleep, as the university is on Spring Break and I am a night owl (i.e. I had no classes or labs to teach and am taking advantage of not having to clock in to my job/to do work). While they responded quickly and cleared out the area, apparently no one saw fit to knock on doors and check the apartments of the affected buildings. It wasn't until half an hour after the call that I woke up to use the restroom, actually heard the leak and smelled gas, looked outside to see the fire trucks and watch an ambulance pulling in, and realized what was going on as I shook the sleep off. I tossed on some clothes and went outside, at which point two representatives of the apartment complex standing away in the road hurriedly motioned for me to get away from the building. About three years ago, in my previous apartment, when there was a fire next door in the laundry room, the firemen had busted through my door to check my apartment for signs of the fire spreading and for me. I was not home, so I came back to the inconvenience of needing the door fixed but the satisfaction that the firemen had mad an on-site judgment call and checked. Here, apparently, either no one cared to check or they stupidly made the assumption that "Oh, the undergrads are all out of town." despite there being many graduate students and even some families living here. Half an hour or so. I am pretty sure that's not cool. Anyone else have any tales like this? Am I wrong to be upset by this? Any firefighters that have some insight? __________________ Find love.