I’ve been off for a couple of days and, in fact, won’t be back at work for another week or so. Using up holidays before I loose them.
The last job I was at before this break was a house fire with one fatality. An elderly smoker who fell asleep and set fire to himself. Not a nice thing. What got me thinking were the actions of the 20-year-old neighbour who ran into the house to try and rescue this old man. A highly commendable and brave thing to do and an action that almost restores my hopes that society is not totally screwed. There are those who would say it was stupid to do this. This is what I have been contemplating over the last day or two:-
Is it stupid and would I do it?
Is it stupid? Well, I’ve got to say yes. He placed himself at risk and while he was unharmed, other than breathing in some smoke, he could of died. It is undoubtedly a brave, courageous thing to do but not the most sensible.
Would I do it? I haven’t decided on this yet. I would like to think that I’d find a nearby phone-box to change in and save the day but I don’t know if I would. Inherently I’m a bit of a coward or at the very least don’t like the idea of getting hurt. There are people I would try everything for; my family, my friends and their kids and, possibly, my neighbours (although I’m not sure about the last.) I’d do everything I could for this select few. If your not known to me I think I might let you fry. Sorry about this but unless I know you’r worth saving I’m not sure I’d risk my life.
Would I expect them to do the same for me? No. I’d be pretty pissed off to think that someone I know placed themselves in danger on my behalf. They all have families to think of and this is the job of the fire brigade. Someone who does not know me from Adam should think about their families too.
Would I run into a burning house? I really don’t think so. All this means is that if I ever find myself in this situation I probably will and be pretty pissed off if someone doesn’t for me.
It’s all theoretical and hopefully will never happen, but I’m still thinking about it. I hope my decision wouldn’t depend on weather or not I thought you were worth saving. Hopefully I’m not that jaded with the world. I think this is what is causing me to stop and think more than the idea of the fire itself. While working I have to place crew safety first. Would I do the same at play? Hmmm???
8 comments:
First thing they teach you in training school: your safety first. I don't know what I'd do either, but I wouldn't worry about it. If (touch wood it doesn't) a situation like that does come around, I'd like to think the ol' "fight or flight" would kick in good and proper and guide me through. I trust my instincts most of the time.
My instinct is for self preservation. I'd rather be a live coward than a dead hero. None the less would I step up to the mark if needed? I guess I'll only know when it happens.
Scenario got me thinking about what i would do and i think you're right, nobody truly knows what they would do until they,re faced with a situation.
Believe that if it was someone close to me, then personal safety would be the last thing on my mind, but if it was someone i knew to be an incredibly bad person i might suddenly find something really interesting about twiddling my thumbs and might eventually get round to phoning the firefighters. That said, wether or not someone is worth saving is really not my judgement to make
Making a decision about wether or not someone is worth saving is not something I think I would/could do. I hope theres enough humanity left in me to realise this.
It was however something that entered my mind; made me feel quite bad but it was there. I think that your perception of society gets warped working in the emergency services for even a short time.
It is most definitly not something that crosses my mind during my work, nor on a daily basis. It's not my call. Running into a fire howevere would scare the crap out of me and I'd need pretty good motivation yo do it.
" Running into a fire however would scare the crap out of me and I'd need pretty good motivation yo do it. "
How does £30 k a year and two calls a shift sound....
Carmelo, that's about what it would take.
Roll on the water fairies.
Great dilemma macbain,
Got me thinking, before reading this post I may have ran in wearing nothing but a white vest or alternately I may have just stood outside sighing. Now I will never now. You see you are a crazy thief. You have robbed me of my natural reactionary instinct. If it happens to me I will immediately think of this post, oh the agony. What will I do, what will I do? You make head hurt. Maybe if it happens I will have to sit down & think or just pop into local pub. For it is important to make the right decision. If wrong decision made I could burn to death or regret not going in & causing the slow collapse of my once stable & sharp witted mind.
Oh god, what if I see a fire today whilst driving to work. I’m not prepared. I will have to phone in sick. This needs thinking about, but what if I stay at home & the neighbour’s house goes up in flames. I feel ill. I must stay alert, stay awake. If I sleep I may miss the opportunity to help or do nothing. But what if I become tired, so tired. So tired, that I become careless. So careless that I leave the gas on & cause the fire myself. Oh GOOOOOODDDD! It hurts! Do I save myself, do I rescue myself. Do I phone trumpton or do I wait. Do I test my neighbour’s resolve? Will he rescue me?
Come to think of it his eyes are very close together. His eyebrows meet in the middle. I’ve seen the way he looks at my wife. Perhaps he will take this opportunity to let me die. So he can have my wife. Perhaps he is having her already yes it all makes sense now. I must do it to them before they do it to me, that’s it I will make it look like an accident yes, yes a fire. A recklessly discarded cigarette. They will never know my precious…………………………..
Grannys.myth.peeler, you twisted fire starter, if my house is ever on fire i hope you walk past, at least i'd die laughing
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