The Fire Brigade

Unsung Heroes

Firemen are of great courage, and of all emergency and dangerous professions fire fighting is noblest. They save lives while the others take lives. Also you must have compassion and must be fearless. They are the unsung heroes.

I had many friends there firemen, they call a spade a spade, but always in a rather amusing way, and there you can here the most extraordinary but true stories, as well as very tall ones. 

Training and experience

As fire-fighting and paramedics those men all had done the then compulsory military service of two years and thus trained as soldiers. Young men, very strong and physically very fit. One of my friends had already worked at the fire station as volunteer when we were in school.

With ongoing training in fire and ambulance work and in any circumstances, most of them were friends from school even. Many had Technicon diplomas too. Their training in general is very thorough and in practical skills, a friend from high school did as far as an  (equivalent of a university) BTech degree I know actually of only him.

These people are all highly trained and experienced in their work.

The N1 South

These friends were also first on the accident scene I was really badly injured a month in orthopaedics in traction and four more, on crutches. The car looked like a crumpled sheet of paper they said no one could have survived that. God must have been very angry with me just swiping me off the road for saving me from a standstill truck wiping me off in the last millisecond before certain death. It was night and raining the truck's chevrons were dirty.

That piece of road is called the hell highway. My brother also had an accident on the same stretch involving a pedestrian. There you can see the landmark, a lonely deserted a very old building known as the "Ghost House'.

Friends

So that I became a kind of mascot there. Even the officers didn't mind me there I visited my friends often sometimes even telephoned to the whatever man was on duty in the control centre, called the box, very late at night late when all the city were sleeping.

Anyway, a lot more interesting company than mathematics professors.

There was handsomely take home pay then but many resigned and took their pension. Not such a good idea had resigned when "overtime" was taken away, and of course as it works you lose your best people first.

A new career

First then they worked for the UN in central Africa training local people for aircraft landing fields on putting out fires. Some came back others stayed longer. One guy loved his dogs like his own children, when he got off the plane there his wife phoned from home and said she had his dogs put down. Can you believe it?

One went farming cattle a few then went to the Middle East as professional soldiers, far as I can see technically mercenaries. You don't want to look for trouble with a guy like that never mind the movies. There were who were from the special forces, hand-picked from the best, having had very specialised military training, experienced in war and have seen a lot of action.

Men who mean what they say.

You can imagine what skill sets such soldiers have they earned a lot of money, a lot and usually squandering it against the wall. Looks like they enjoyed this adrenalin rush already long passed addicted.

Personal life

There were many friends were married then, most are divorced now or re-married probably because of the nature of the work and they were drinking on off days myself eagerly participating. Also of course being at home days when the wives were at work. I vividly recall scenes of men passed out on the carpet these guys don't believe in half measures.

On and off duty

Not on duty also were playing golf especially fishing is very popular here, working on their motorcar engines also sport and other recreation.

On duty in the evening at playing cards or chess, music or TV, reading or studying for tests and exams, or just resting and sleeping. In the daytime there were all kinds of tasks and things that had to be done and further training.

Until suddenly those sirens start whining and howling the whole station alive in seconds sirens wailing and red lights turning flash flash flash and men run grabbing torches, fire gear and jackets. Then into the night disappear those deep hooters I've seen it seen it it is a sight.

Fire Engines

The other day I bought a fire engine model kit it will be big as a loaf bread. Very expensive. I bought all the colours of course a lot of red. I asked the shopkeeper I need matt black as well, he said no, you won't be needing matt only gloss, I said and what about the under carriage? The man said "every thing on a fire lorry shines".