FIRE!

On Wednesday night, just before 5:00, I opened the back door to let the dogs outside and, as usual, I stepped onto the porch and glanced around the valley...just in case. I always do this, no matter the time of day or night. I noticed black smoke pouring from the far side of Russell's house and wondered if they were burning brush. I grabbed the binocs and telephone and began walking to the driveway, dialing Daniel, our Fire Chief, on speed dial. He didn't answer so I left a message, "I might be crazy but I think Russell's house is on fire" with my unease growing leaps and bounds. It took me about six seconds to remember brush smoke is white; this was black smoke and that meant the house was on fire so I dialed 911. Bless the woman who answered the telephone! It took only one sentence for her to understand exactly the location. She asked my name, I told her and then said, "not all our firemen have pagers, I have to make other calls" and hung up.

I called our former Fire Chief and when he answered, I gave him a terse message, "Russell's house is on fire!" and hung up on him and the proceeded down my list calling people.

The Cove Volunteer Fire Department responded within fifteen minutes (perhaps less) which is pretty excellent when you consider all are volunteers and most men were still at work somewhere in the pastures or on the mountains. 

The water hoses are heavy and tend to fight and snarl; it takes two men to direct the spray of the heaviest hose.  The CVFD equipment is old and was second hand when it was handed down some twenty-six years ago; some of our men were even sharing gloves! Additionally, the CVFD covers thousands of acres including all or portions of Ward's Cove, Witten Valley, Wardell, Thompson Valley and Laurel Gap. 


Morgan, Ashley and I directed traffic and I took the opportunity to take photos but from the road where I wasn't in the way of firefighters. I let two cars go by before it dawned on me...DONATIONS! So, every vehicle that, slowly, passed, I would tell them, "the people and animals got out alive but everything else is lost, please donate." Most people did and some folks, from a neighboring fire station, stayed to help. In time, Thompson Valley Volunteer Fire Department was called in and they brought two more trucks plus a pick-up outfitted with specialized gear. Thank God, there was a pond nearby and pumps were put into place so water could be sprayed onto the fire once the trucks were emptied of their H2O. 

The fire raged from around 5 until after 9 and I had collapsed onto my pillow when the telephone rang. It was Ashley, "they just got called out again; can you go and put another set of lights on the house?" I used the truck because it's higher off the ground and would, hopefully, shine more light than the smaller car.  When I got to the house, the fire was, mostly, at the back of the house and it was impossible for me to get into position to be of any help.  This time, our men didn't get back to the fire station until after 1:00 a.m.  

I've lost count of how many times the VFD's have been called out although, at 1:00 a.m. Thursday morning, as the CVFD was leaving the scene, the antifreeze hose burst on the firetruck. According to procedure, the Fire Chief called it in so the County would know the CVFD truck was out of commission until it could be repaired. I saw the Fire Chief  around 9 a.m. Thursday while he and other men were working on the truck. They still had to go into town for parts and that made a long job longer. 

As soon as they repaired the truck, they called the County and said, "back on duty!" We only have a single bay 1 pumper 750 gallon truck and it was second hand (possibly third hand but I'm not sure) when we got it almost thirty years ago. At this point in time, having a second truck is a luxury we can only dream of; in the meantime, we dream of new fire fighter's suits but they cost $2,200.00 helmet to boots and that's money our small community just doesn't have.  


It worries me sick our men are lacking in basic safety equipment; no man's life is worth shoddy equipment. Heck, a life isn't worth brand new equipment but old equipment makes an already dangerous job more hellish. Fortunately, no one was injured, either residents nor fire fighters; all proved their merit and, once again, volunteers are the unsung heroes. 
Especially the Cove Volunteer Fire Department fire fighters; THANK YOU! You make me proud to be a member of this community!