The following is a fictional story, but is based upon real events.
Late one night, the call came in for Battalion 16. "Ladder, Pumper, Apartment Fire at the corner of Smith and Weston Road" I heard as I slept.
Jumping out of bed, already dressed, I slide down the pole into the ground floor to where the Ladder and Pumper Trucks are waiting. I quickly gear up with the shift and jump in back of the Pumper.
We scream out of the Fire Station, doing 90 towards Smith and Weston, I lower my head, thinking about what is waiting for us, this could be a long night.
Pulling up to the Apartment, I jump off the Pumper before we even pull to a stop, I done my Breathing Apparatus and my Helmet quickly
I hear the Chief behind us, organizing everyone and radioing to Central Command. I turn to listen.
"Alright, we got one 10-45s (Missing People) inside the building, Reports have it that its a little girl on the top floor, team one will go to top while team two vents the smoke off the roof"
I am on team one so we start towards the inside of the building. Taking the stairs, we are met by heavy smoke the higher we climb. I drop to one knee, fastening the breathing apparatus mask to my face and we continue up.
Entering the top floor, the flames are everywhere, black smoke as dark as bat fills the room.
Tommy calls out behind me "Fire Department is there anyone out there?" We listen.
I would of sworn I heard a faint cry, I click my radio "I hear something in the back" "10-4, lets check it out" Tommy replies.
We slowly move towards the back of the floor, the crying grows louder, its coming from a room.
Tommy touches the door, feeling the heat, its safe and he tries to open it, nothing happens. He reaches for his Pick headed axe, swinging it at the door, crashing it open.
We both rush in looking for the girl, I noticed her in the corner, clutching a small Black and white Cat, she looks about nine, she looks burnt but fine.
I rush over to her and pick her up, she looks at me, and I carry her in my arms. "Save My Kitten Mister" She breathes into my ear and I nod behind the Mask and Helmet. I grab the Cat in my other arm and we exit the floor.
Tommy and I hurry out of the building, while I click the radio "Unit 82 has the 10-45".
Leaving the building, I hear a moan and a gasp, I look down at the girl, she looks at me "Save My Kitten Mister" she whispers again and fades. She dies in my arms.
I stop. Its like everything goes into slow monition, the sirens and sounds around me dim and everything goes blurry. I drop to my knees, set the girl down and hold the Cat in front of me. We look at each other, and I swear I saw tears forming in its eyes as well as the tears in my eyes.
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Two days later was the Funeral for Mark Gillis on my shift, Mark was killed when the building collapsed shortly after me and Tommy left it.
Five Thousand People attended the funeral, Fire fighters, Police Officers, Paramedics from all over the country.
As the honour guard carried the casket of Mark Gillis towards the fire engines waiting, there wasn’t a dry eye at the funeral.
They load the casket on the back of the Pumper that Mark had always rode on and we slowly marched behind it, with another thirty fire engines, pumpers and ladders back to the fire house.
As we made our way in a convoy of honour, people on the streets stopped, looked and paid their respects. People pulled over, got out of the cars and trucks and watched. As I marched with my brothers and sisters, I saw little children wide eye on the streets and watching, mothers bent down next to them, I could imagine them whispering to their kids "A Fire fighter has died, Its a sad day, they are paying their respects."
Late one night, the call came in for Battalion 16. "Ladder, Pumper, Apartment Fire at the corner of Smith and Weston Road" I heard as I slept.
Jumping out of bed, already dressed, I slide down the pole into the ground floor to where the Ladder and Pumper Trucks are waiting. I quickly gear up with the shift and jump in back of the Pumper.
We scream out of the Fire Station, doing 90 towards Smith and Weston, I lower my head, thinking about what is waiting for us, this could be a long night.
Pulling up to the Apartment, I jump off the Pumper before we even pull to a stop, I done my Breathing Apparatus and my Helmet quickly
I hear the Chief behind us, organizing everyone and radioing to Central Command. I turn to listen.
"Alright, we got one 10-45s (Missing People) inside the building, Reports have it that its a little girl on the top floor, team one will go to top while team two vents the smoke off the roof"
I am on team one so we start towards the inside of the building. Taking the stairs, we are met by heavy smoke the higher we climb. I drop to one knee, fastening the breathing apparatus mask to my face and we continue up.
Entering the top floor, the flames are everywhere, black smoke as dark as bat fills the room.
Tommy calls out behind me "Fire Department is there anyone out there?" We listen.
I would of sworn I heard a faint cry, I click my radio "I hear something in the back" "10-4, lets check it out" Tommy replies.
We slowly move towards the back of the floor, the crying grows louder, its coming from a room.
Tommy touches the door, feeling the heat, its safe and he tries to open it, nothing happens. He reaches for his Pick headed axe, swinging it at the door, crashing it open.
We both rush in looking for the girl, I noticed her in the corner, clutching a small Black and white Cat, she looks about nine, she looks burnt but fine.
I rush over to her and pick her up, she looks at me, and I carry her in my arms. "Save My Kitten Mister" She breathes into my ear and I nod behind the Mask and Helmet. I grab the Cat in my other arm and we exit the floor.
Tommy and I hurry out of the building, while I click the radio "Unit 82 has the 10-45".
Leaving the building, I hear a moan and a gasp, I look down at the girl, she looks at me "Save My Kitten Mister" she whispers again and fades. She dies in my arms.
I stop. Its like everything goes into slow monition, the sirens and sounds around me dim and everything goes blurry. I drop to my knees, set the girl down and hold the Cat in front of me. We look at each other, and I swear I saw tears forming in its eyes as well as the tears in my eyes.
-------------------------------
Two days later was the Funeral for Mark Gillis on my shift, Mark was killed when the building collapsed shortly after me and Tommy left it.
Five Thousand People attended the funeral, Fire fighters, Police Officers, Paramedics from all over the country.
As the honour guard carried the casket of Mark Gillis towards the fire engines waiting, there wasn’t a dry eye at the funeral.
They load the casket on the back of the Pumper that Mark had always rode on and we slowly marched behind it, with another thirty fire engines, pumpers and ladders back to the fire house.
As we made our way in a convoy of honour, people on the streets stopped, looked and paid their respects. People pulled over, got out of the cars and trucks and watched. As I marched with my brothers and sisters, I saw little children wide eye on the streets and watching, mothers bent down next to them, I could imagine them whispering to their kids "A Fire fighter has died, Its a sad day, they are paying their respects."
