Firestation 5

Off to visit another firestation today.  

Station 5.

Apparently we are creating more competition. Again, we explained that we were visiting all the stations.  These guys really want to be classified as the "coolest" station in Gwinnett County. 

So they pulled out all the stops.

This is a thermal imaging camera for looking at fires behind walls, even searching for people if necessary.  He let Lucas try it out.  Very cool.

 This firetruck is only 2 years old and costs $1.3 Million dollars.  That's a serious piece of equipment.  It is a ladder truck with a bucket and everything.

 Lucas got to put on an air tank...and realized how heavy it really was.

 This is the same ladder that station 3 showed us except here it is folded up...very convenient for tight spaces.

 Here is a stretcher attached to the bucket of the truck so patients can be lifted/carried.

 and then...out came the coolest remote control EVER!  Yes, this remote is for the firetruck.  And YES Lucas is operating it!!!

 These water "cannons" -(that's what I call them) can be controlled by the RC.  Lucas got to move the head of the hose around for a while with the remote.

 and then up into the bucket of the ladder...

 That would be Fireman Scottie.

 You can never have enough emergency cones.

 More RC "fun"...

 We learned that they have huge fans they actually use for fire fighting.  I didn't realize this but it makes sense.  The fans are used in conjunction with hoses in order to control the direction of a fire.  Of course too much fan would just "fan the flames", but there is a fine balance where they are very useful for battling the blaze.

 Then more "coolness"... Lucas inside the truck and able to talk on the headset to Fireman Scottie.

 Notice Scottie chatting on his own headset in the backround. I'm not sure who had more fun...

 The coolness factor just kept increasing...Fireman Scottie and his buddy Josh got permission for Lucas to pull and turn dials and nobs on the big Firetruck to really pump water to a small hose that he could spray...so here he is with Josh...

 and we have water....

 time to spray the hose...

 time to shut down the water...

 and reel up the hose...

 could the day get any cooler?...
oh yes.
When Josh said under his breath..."We're gonna set the record"...
They pulled out the BIG Ladder truck...
Let LUCAS sit in the passenger seat, with the headset on his head, pulling ropes and setting off sirens, horns, lights, and the whole works as Scottie drove him around the parking lot.  No JOKE!  I got to sit in the back seat for our little cruise adventure with another headset and the 3 of us communicated like "real" firemen.  Lucas said "over and out" and Scottie responded back.  I was cracking up in the backseat because I could see the joy in the boy and it just tickled me for him.

 my veiw from the backseat...

 eventually the day has to come to a close...

 Thanks guys of Firestation 5.  You were awesome!!!
Josh, Dean, Lucas, Scottie, Lieutenant Michael.

Firestation 4

We visited Station 4 on Sept 28.

The Captain at this station made our visit very interesting.  He kind of hassled his guys about their knowledge of how much hose is on their trucks/engines...poor guys...=)  a few of them knew the answers but some didn't. He was funny though.  He has been a firefighter for 24 years.  

This was the first Fire Truck (with a ladder) that we have seen.  We learned that when they get a call, the Captain rides in the passenger seat of the Fire TRUCK and the Lieutenant of that particular station rides in the Fire ENGINE (unless for some reason one or the other is not available then it becomes others)

 Med unit 4...Lucas got to sit in the seat in the back briefly to see what the paramedic sees.

 Truck 4

 One of the temporary engines in the county...but Sir Lucas got to spray the hose for a few moments.

 Thanks guys...
Clay, Justin, Dustin, Lucas, Captain Glenn, and Vee

The Captain was very helpful and answered lots of questions and gave Lucas lots of information about being a fireman.  He took a lot of time with us and was very fun.

After I was done taking this picture (below), I said to the Captain..."Lucas always wants to know why the firetrucks never get a Call while we are at the station.  One day he would LOVE to see you get a call while we are here..." and Just like I had scripted it, a moment later--I mean just a moment...BIng Bong Boong..."Engine 4, Med 4..." Got a CALL....We popped open the video camera for that one and video taped them sirens blazing as they headed off to their emergency.  That was SOOO cool for Lucas to see.  Then he asked if I could do that again next time.  uh hum...I don't think so...=)

 A boy and A Fire Captain...
so much information
so little time.

Thanks guys of Station 4.  You were lots of fun and as we left I asked Lucas what he liked about the station and he said, "He was a very kind man.  I loved him too."...=)
oh and for those that are interested....
The Ladder truck holds less water than the Pumper truck (engine)
Ladder=300 gallons
Pumper=500 gallons
The Ladder stretches out to 95 feet and there is 600 feet of supply hose on the ladder truck.
The Engine has 1,000 feet of Supply hose.
Supply hose is just the hose that goes from the hydrant to the truck. (5" diameter)---
Who on this earth ever thought I would be giving you detailed information on hoses from a firetruck?