dear reader,
Hold on, don't judge or question the title before reading what i have to say. Im sure you're thinking, "what kind of fire turns into a lovely experience?! hear me out.
Saturday, a fire started nearby.
The Beginning
I was sitting on our longest couch in the living room, watching tv, one sister on the computer, the other in the bedroom, and parents in the kitchen watching tv while my dad ate.
Not long after, my sister comes out of the room, speaking in a high-pitched voice (but not yelling) saying, "they're telling everyone to get out of the apartments."
We opened the balcony door not long after going a little crazy because she wouldn't tell us what was going on. Out of the balcony we could see tons... TONS of black smoke coming over us.
(that's when we knew something serious was up, besides the smoke being up in the sky.)
Get it? .. No. Ok.
*first time i texted Twitter so that everyone would pray that no one was hurt. (thanks to all of you who did.)
Moving On.
We decided we'd leave the apartment to go see what was going on. going around some corners, we saw that the black smoke was coming from part of the south wing.
*cause of fire; unknown.
As we approached, we saw that some apartments behind the laundry room were on fire, big time. It was simply unbelievable how much fire & smoke was coming out of there. (first experience in front of a real fire, with people i knew-which i later found out there was MORE people i knew involved)
*place where fire erupted; first floor apartment. cause still unknown.
As is the norm, everyone from the apartments was nearby... as nothing more than spectators. The whole time we were out there i wondered, "is this being, you know... like when you're up in people's business? Nosy?" Then i told myself no, it's not. We're just worried and want to know what's going on... after all we live here too. We are all neighbors. And our neighbors are in trouble. Although the regular people (the spectators) out there, in the scene of a fire don't normally help the Firemen out, we were still there to see if anybody got hurt. Nosy? Nah, i still don't think so.
The Middle; Firemen + Spectators.
I don't know what was my favorite part, seeing how amazing Firemen are, or seeing how amazingly they put out the fire. I think it's a tie. They are smart, intelligent, selfless people who put their own lines on the line to save others,(but you already knew that) leaving their families hanging on a thread worrying that today, today may be their Firemen's last day. *Cause of death; dies in a fire trying to save someone's life, without regard of his own.
Yup, it fits. Perfectly.
So, four out of five of my family members were out there, along with the rest of the complex literally, as we all watched in awe the work the Firemen are putting in to put the fire out. Or some of us at least, ok just me. Some, we're critizing that the Firemen weren't going fast enough and that there was still smoke/sparks at the top of the building. I thought to myself, "could you be anymore DISrespectful? these men know what they're doing, i don't see you suited up in a huge yellow suit, with a big helmet, holding a huge 20+ pound hose in your hands in this 90+ degree weather. Let the men work."
I always thought, (i think), that if you're putting a fire out, you start from the bottom. From the source. Not try to put it out from the top down, i'll keep coming up. Plus there was wind. Isn't that right? Yeah, that's what i learned in my "First-Aid and CPR class last year."
It really bugged me that there was this particular guy, who kept criticizing the guys. In the end he FINALLY left, and i didn't see him around anymore until... the end of the commotion.
People. Humans, when will we learn? Never.
People. My friends.
I later found out that my dear friend's apartment was near the fire. Nothing happened to her home, but i couldn't find her and she wasn't answering her phone. The worry began when her dad came around and asked if we'd seen his kids, (my friend and her little brother) but we hadn't. Both of her parents were at work and he'd just gotten home from leaving work early. So he went to look for them. He found them later on, then i saw them a little later and they were fine. Thank God. Then my friend told me that one of my other friends' apartment was actually in the fire. I was shocked. She told me which one, and the apartment nearly lost a whole wall and part of the ceiling. I just hoped she was ok, i couldn't see her anywhere. I had her number, but i didn't want to be the bearer of bad news for her. I just couldn't. How could i text/call her and tell her "hey, your house was just on fire." So i chickened out, (is that being a bad friend?) and didn't tell her anything. Just after i decided that (in my head), i saw her and her mom come through a walkway. So a little bit later i went up to her and she said that she was supposed to be back from Mississippi 7 hours before the fire but decided she'd go to her cousins place instead, while her mom got out of work. She also said that if she would've come home, she would've been asleep. Asleep. Now, i don't think i need to explain to you why that's important, but was God in this all along or what? Another proof, that things happen for a reason. Or reasons.
The Other Side.
So we also went around, probably on a 180 degree turn around the whole building to where the firetrucks & police cars were parked. Nothing really happened to the other side of the building, but we were closer to the Firemen and the trucks, and away from where the smoke was blowing.
I saw; the trucks, two firemen who come out of the burning apartments red as can be, reaching for oxygen, (scariest part because for a while one bent over one of the trucks and stayed there... trying to breathe), a man who's arm had been barely touched by the fire due to the red-kinda bloody arm he had, (not big time, just a tad-bit), scared people, nearly everyone on their cellphones, Paramedics, cops, you name it.
As soon as they pulled some beds in from an ambulence, i feared the worst. Frantically looking around to see who was hurt so bad that they needed a bed. No one. It was just a precautionary move on their part, ... just in case.
My eyes were literally lost in the scene. Like in a movie where that one person, in the middle of all the chaos looks around trying to find hope in all of it, and then the camera slowly zooms out on her leaving her in the middle, amoungst all the other scared people, and when there are now tons of other people on the screen, no one can take their eyes off of her, you can still see her there. Scared. Except, it wasn't a movie. It was real.
I saw how each caretaker moved, how they reacted, how calm they were, and how amazing they were. I'd never seen them in action so close, it amazed me. Making sure everyone was OK, was their main priority. They handled the situation with class and skill. (of course they had skill, they train for these kinds of situations, Gaby!)
I know, i just never saw it in action. It was amazing to me.
I also saw how the spectators were, i saw our community, our complex community. While it's not the kind of community with lots of happy-go-lucky, friendly people, it's our community. Where God has placed us, altogether. Even if a lot of people don't know that.
This experience only left me wanting to be a caretaker, specifically a Pediatrician, even more. I cannot wait to serve my community and other communities.
God provides.
You'll be happy to know that the managers here gave the families that lost their homes another apartment to stay in, so they aren't completely homeless. In every sense of what that word means. Since it's not really their home, just temporary or perhaps a replacement. Ya know? But God is good, so good.
The End.
So in my first experience near a real fire, i learned and examained a lot. As you've read. If you've stuck with me this far, read all the way to this point, thank you for that. Im sure there are lots of other blogs out there who could probably explain this better, or use better-bigger words to describe a danger scene, or who've learned more interesting things. I'm sure. But i'm also sure they are famous, with degrees and real jobs. Ok, maybe.
So thank you for reading all of my words.
This is me and my experience.
P.S. My sister and i were so proud to be girls when we saw like three women-Firefighters ;) haha.
The was this one lady who was feeding the water hose to the men in the building (by herself after the fire was out, and she said, "that lady's my hero." :)
all my love,
gabyyy
Hold on, don't judge or question the title before reading what i have to say. Im sure you're thinking, "what kind of fire turns into a lovely experience?! hear me out.
Saturday, a fire started nearby.
The Beginning
I was sitting on our longest couch in the living room, watching tv, one sister on the computer, the other in the bedroom, and parents in the kitchen watching tv while my dad ate.
Not long after, my sister comes out of the room, speaking in a high-pitched voice (but not yelling) saying, "they're telling everyone to get out of the apartments."
We opened the balcony door not long after going a little crazy because she wouldn't tell us what was going on. Out of the balcony we could see tons... TONS of black smoke coming over us.
(that's when we knew something serious was up, besides the smoke being up in the sky.)
Get it? .. No. Ok.
*first time i texted Twitter so that everyone would pray that no one was hurt. (thanks to all of you who did.)
Moving On.
We decided we'd leave the apartment to go see what was going on. going around some corners, we saw that the black smoke was coming from part of the south wing.
*cause of fire; unknown.
As we approached, we saw that some apartments behind the laundry room were on fire, big time. It was simply unbelievable how much fire & smoke was coming out of there. (first experience in front of a real fire, with people i knew-which i later found out there was MORE people i knew involved)
*place where fire erupted; first floor apartment. cause still unknown.
As is the norm, everyone from the apartments was nearby... as nothing more than spectators. The whole time we were out there i wondered, "is this being, you know... like when you're up in people's business? Nosy?" Then i told myself no, it's not. We're just worried and want to know what's going on... after all we live here too. We are all neighbors. And our neighbors are in trouble. Although the regular people (the spectators) out there, in the scene of a fire don't normally help the Firemen out, we were still there to see if anybody got hurt. Nosy? Nah, i still don't think so.
The Middle; Firemen + Spectators.
I don't know what was my favorite part, seeing how amazing Firemen are, or seeing how amazingly they put out the fire. I think it's a tie. They are smart, intelligent, selfless people who put their own lines on the line to save others,(but you already knew that) leaving their families hanging on a thread worrying that today, today may be their Firemen's last day. *Cause of death; dies in a fire trying to save someone's life, without regard of his own.
Definition of selfless; showing unselfish concern for the welfare of others.
Yup, it fits. Perfectly.
So, four out of five of my family members were out there, along with the rest of the complex literally, as we all watched in awe the work the Firemen are putting in to put the fire out. Or some of us at least, ok just me. Some, we're critizing that the Firemen weren't going fast enough and that there was still smoke/sparks at the top of the building. I thought to myself, "could you be anymore DISrespectful? these men know what they're doing, i don't see you suited up in a huge yellow suit, with a big helmet, holding a huge 20+ pound hose in your hands in this 90+ degree weather. Let the men work."
I always thought, (i think), that if you're putting a fire out, you start from the bottom. From the source. Not try to put it out from the top down, i'll keep coming up. Plus there was wind. Isn't that right? Yeah, that's what i learned in my "First-Aid and CPR class last year."
It really bugged me that there was this particular guy, who kept criticizing the guys. In the end he FINALLY left, and i didn't see him around anymore until... the end of the commotion.
People. Humans, when will we learn? Never.
People. My friends.
I later found out that my dear friend's apartment was near the fire. Nothing happened to her home, but i couldn't find her and she wasn't answering her phone. The worry began when her dad came around and asked if we'd seen his kids, (my friend and her little brother) but we hadn't. Both of her parents were at work and he'd just gotten home from leaving work early. So he went to look for them. He found them later on, then i saw them a little later and they were fine. Thank God. Then my friend told me that one of my other friends' apartment was actually in the fire. I was shocked. She told me which one, and the apartment nearly lost a whole wall and part of the ceiling. I just hoped she was ok, i couldn't see her anywhere. I had her number, but i didn't want to be the bearer of bad news for her. I just couldn't. How could i text/call her and tell her "hey, your house was just on fire." So i chickened out, (is that being a bad friend?) and didn't tell her anything. Just after i decided that (in my head), i saw her and her mom come through a walkway. So a little bit later i went up to her and she said that she was supposed to be back from Mississippi 7 hours before the fire but decided she'd go to her cousins place instead, while her mom got out of work. She also said that if she would've come home, she would've been asleep. Asleep. Now, i don't think i need to explain to you why that's important, but was God in this all along or what? Another proof, that things happen for a reason. Or reasons.
The Other Side.
So we also went around, probably on a 180 degree turn around the whole building to where the firetrucks & police cars were parked. Nothing really happened to the other side of the building, but we were closer to the Firemen and the trucks, and away from where the smoke was blowing.
I saw; the trucks, two firemen who come out of the burning apartments red as can be, reaching for oxygen, (scariest part because for a while one bent over one of the trucks and stayed there... trying to breathe), a man who's arm had been barely touched by the fire due to the red-kinda bloody arm he had, (not big time, just a tad-bit), scared people, nearly everyone on their cellphones, Paramedics, cops, you name it.
As soon as they pulled some beds in from an ambulence, i feared the worst. Frantically looking around to see who was hurt so bad that they needed a bed. No one. It was just a precautionary move on their part, ... just in case.
My eyes were literally lost in the scene. Like in a movie where that one person, in the middle of all the chaos looks around trying to find hope in all of it, and then the camera slowly zooms out on her leaving her in the middle, amoungst all the other scared people, and when there are now tons of other people on the screen, no one can take their eyes off of her, you can still see her there. Scared. Except, it wasn't a movie. It was real.
I saw how each caretaker moved, how they reacted, how calm they were, and how amazing they were. I'd never seen them in action so close, it amazed me. Making sure everyone was OK, was their main priority. They handled the situation with class and skill. (of course they had skill, they train for these kinds of situations, Gaby!)
I know, i just never saw it in action. It was amazing to me.
I also saw how the spectators were, i saw our community, our complex community. While it's not the kind of community with lots of happy-go-lucky, friendly people, it's our community. Where God has placed us, altogether. Even if a lot of people don't know that.
This experience only left me wanting to be a caretaker, specifically a Pediatrician, even more. I cannot wait to serve my community and other communities.
God provides.
You'll be happy to know that the managers here gave the families that lost their homes another apartment to stay in, so they aren't completely homeless. In every sense of what that word means. Since it's not really their home, just temporary or perhaps a replacement. Ya know? But God is good, so good.
The End.
So in my first experience near a real fire, i learned and examained a lot. As you've read. If you've stuck with me this far, read all the way to this point, thank you for that. Im sure there are lots of other blogs out there who could probably explain this better, or use better-bigger words to describe a danger scene, or who've learned more interesting things. I'm sure. But i'm also sure they are famous, with degrees and real jobs. Ok, maybe.
So thank you for reading all of my words.
This is me and my experience.
P.S. My sister and i were so proud to be girls when we saw like three women-Firefighters ;) haha.
The was this one lady who was feeding the water hose to the men in the building (by herself after the fire was out, and she said, "that lady's my hero." :)
all my love,
gabyyy
Wow! *That's incredible* I'm glad that you and your family are safe :D God bless and take care!
ReplyDelete~Grace