Why Fire Dept's at Medical Calls.

[Snowwalker]

I edited my post as you were typing , It was a Police Officer that lost his life , the current in the sluiceway was so strong that the harness on cost Nicholson's safety vest actually broke, his safety line held , but the men could not pull him up against the force of the water.
His safety line was then attached to the fire depts, aerial ladder to try and hoist him out , the rope held but his harness failed , sadly , unfortunately.
This should not have happened , the boy had already been under water , some say for up to 30 to 40 minutes, it should have gone down as a body recovery and not a rescue.
A lot of lessons were learned at this very unfortunate incident.

I remember that event. There was If I remember the news correctly something of a big issue about him being told he had to go, even though there was no safety/backup diver, and that there was as you say no chance of a "rescue"?

[JBen]

Maybe this will put at least a couple things into perspective. Don't take it as gospel, that's not the aim/goal. It might though surprise some.

Since inception around 1850. 250 TFD men have lost their lives. TPS 40

Times are different, there's fewer fires and really FFers are these days just glorified medical responders? While the mean streets of Toronto have gotten so much more dangerous?

TPS fatalities since 2000: Two
TFd fatalities since 2000: I stopped counting after 60

http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/honour_roll/

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/co...0071d60f89RCRD


It doesn't matter what field your in. There's "yellow" grass. Trying to compare 1 field against another is an effort in futility.
Different realities, different responsibilities. I've never understood how anyone can say well they get X so I should get X+ or X-. Maybe PMs are getting shafted and aren't compd for their yellow grass. Great lets give them all another 20k. Then someone else is going feel like they are short changed because like paramedics they to...have to deal with .

what about nurses in ERs or burn units who have to somehow cope with that. See the families as they break down looking at broken or dead children.
and on
and on
and on

might explain a few things "cough", but this isn't about that

[JBen]

Now that this has pardon the word play died down.
A couple pics for Jaycee and for the FFers that PMd me. Shame I felt I had to link the honour rolls to put some things into perspective.

By gone era's
One is a pic of my father in his kit, "safety equipment". One is a pic of something I've kept with me for 30+ years. Something my father got and received shortly before his death. Back in the day they were positioned all over city streets, and when pulled a bell would ring. These days, it rings his badge number.



Right corner of the garden


Tonight and tomorrow, there are going to be all kinds of families celebrating Christmas with their families.
There are also going to be all kinds of dads ( and moms these days) reporting to their halls and precincts ( No offence to the paramedics out there) for their shifts and answering the call. Whose families will be waiting for them to get home so they to can open presents, spend Christmas day together. Hopefully they all go home after their shift.

Money, corporate ladders, or time off, or getting paid to sleep counts for shyte in this life.

[Ladderman]

Great pictures, that's an old one. I see some leather helmets there.

[JBen]

If my memory is correct the pic of the crew was taken at the Exhibition grounds hall, but I question that due the soot on their faces. That posting was in someways considered a bit of lark. Not bad eh, getting paid to be part of merriment, watch all the scantily clad young women walking by, coming into the station hall. Guys would get posted there during the Ex, then go back to their halls once it shut down.

I was there in the hall, with the crew, the night the Alice Cooper riot broke out. Was driven by one of the guys out of the grounds through the utter chaos, to safety while all the other guys answered the call. They are after all the

first responders.

leather helmets.
Lol yup, I have more pics.My sister kept his hat and badge, I kept the alarm he received that the guys also modified to ring his badge number. Lots of memories of the good the bad and the ugly. But thats all Ive had for 30 years....

[Species8472]

John,

Of all the impressive pictures you have posted over the years - this one is the best. Merry Xmas.