California Fire

my buddy shot these as he was bugging out in Camarillo Springs




the rv storage lot

Buzzcut is right, unless you were on the scene as it was happening you can only make assumptions and we all know the definition of assume. I have been a firefighter for 25 years (recently retired) and been involved in many incident debriefs after the fact. There is always room for improvement, but that is learned after the fact using 20/20 hindsight, not during the incident when you have no idea what is going to happen in the next 30 seconds let alone 24 hours. By looking at the photo I would guess that the propane tanks on both of those RV's had already vented and the risk of explosion had passed. In addition the fireman is abviously protecting some exposure we can not see, which may have been a building or another RV but we have no way of know without further information.

After being to many fires I can say that a picture does not tell everything. He is NOT putting out the burnt vehicles, looks like he is protecting something else that you cannot see. Also you do not know why he was there so please do not judge - the tanks may have already blew.

As for moving vehicles, sure do it - if you are around. If this was an RV storage area more than likely the owners were not around and were probably fleeing the fire without worrying about the RV - an RV can be replaced a life cannot!

JumboJet wrote:
Someone did not move fast enough.......

Life and limb are more important than things.

My first reaction when I saw this picture was "That would suck!".

Two things that really hit home - That is a Lance AND a Dodge RAM!

My old TC:

This "was" the area of the Sycamore Valley campground at Point Mugu State Park
no TC Camping at the beach this summer.

After living in the CA foothills for years and watching these firemen respond to forest fires and home fires and yard fires over the years, the comments about training and send them back to school better not be voiced in my presence - these guys respond immediately and with everything they have, including endangering their own lives. We have nothing but respect for them, and we know a lot of fire-fighters personally, and have assisted with trucks and equipment and water collection at times as well.

SO, you guys complaining about fire-fighters better sit at some other campfire if that's how you think. You can't possibly judge from those photos how or what that one fire-fighter was protecting, nor can you tell how close he is to that RV.

We tip our caps to every single one of these men and women who engage in fire protection.

Golden HVAC said
"Sorry,

But I spent to much time working for a city, and in risk assesment, though not working for the Fire Department. We did have to review each "Accident" and see if there was a way to prevent it from happening twice to a second person. "

I spent 24 years as a New York City fireman. The biggest and one of if not the busiest dept in the country. I take offense to you calling the fireman pictured "stupid" although this seems to be a habit with you , the camper owner is also labled by you as "stupid". So you spent "much time " working for "a" city in risk assesment. In other words a Suit. Paper pushing doesnt give you the experiance , or smarts to make the assesment you did based on a picture, nor do you show the respect needed to work productivly with men in the field to actually make a positve differance. You show all the earmarks of just another Bean Counter. You must have been tops in your field based on your "stupid" snap judgements based on a misenterpreted photo.

Golden_HVAC wrote:
That fireman is really stupid to stand that close to a fifth wheel, when there might be propane tanks inside it!

Yes it is a sad day when someone can not know the smoke is in the air, and get in the truck and move it a day ahead of the fire showing up.

You have to be really stupid to wait and think "I know it will not come my way" when the fire is only a mile from me, I would be gone. I would not wait for a Sherriff to stop by and say you have to evacuate now. And when it is only 5 miles away, I would be starting up the RV and moving it. I know that ash and fire can fly more than a block in a minute. With 35 MPH winds, can you expect the fire to move slower?

WHy would a fireman risk his life to put out a fire on a vehicle that is already half burned? It would be much more productive to be at a house that is not yet on fire, and protect it instead. Good thing the fireman did not die from a exploding propane tank. He needs to go back to school!

Fred.

At best the type in red is a very poor choice of words. Especially That fireman is really stupid. My first thought was to delete the post as a Troll or for Flaming. After reading follow up post, I have decided to leave it, at least for now. Personally, I think one photo might raise questions, but care should be made in judging peoples actions.

Please choose your words more carefully.

Wayne
Moderator

Just into the month of May and we have late summer type fires burning up and down the state. Yesterday the state snow survey announced we got 17 percent snow fall of a normal year. Shaping up to be a truly summer from hell.

And Wayne, I took it as close to a troll as it could get. Poor choice of words indeed.

just an FYI I do have some experience on the line, that is me on the left