For a number of years I’ve served in the capacity of Mrs. Firefighter, keeping the home fires burning while my husband David served as a volunteer, and for several years now, as Chief; 28 all together for the Grantsville Volunteer Fire Department. I’ve been content that, I’m not cut from emergency service cloth. But as publisher, the need to be on scenes and in the know has changed the perspective for which I view the tones dropping from Calhoun Control to dispatch local agencies. When the tones dropped this evening for multiple vehicles in multiple districts needing assistance, nobody was as shocked as David, when I slapped on my toboggan and snow b oots to join him in a day in the life of a fireman.
Our first stop was town hill, Grantsville, where Miss Brittany Stevens was in the ditch and against the hill in the south bound lane of Route 16. She was a short distance from Minnie Hamilton Health Systems where she was covering a shift for a coworker unable to to get in. While the fire fighters worked to keep traffic safely moving in the turns that obstructed views, the accident reports continued to come in to Calhoun Control, and more help was needed.
Further north on Big Springs hill, Route 16 north, multiple vehicles struggled to get up the long stretch of hillside curves, with a gentleman in a Buick LaCrosse coming to a complete impasse. The Department of Highways were not far off and we drove the distance to the County line to make sure no other travelers were having issues. Upon returning to Station 100 we were dispatched once again for a car over the hill on Norman Ridge. But after traveling the distance it was discovered the car had managed to get back into the road way and the occupants were home safe. Meanwhile the calls kept coming across the radio, but no others inthe district of Grantsville Volunteer Fire Department.
Station 200, the Upper West Fork Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched to a car in the creek on Wolfe Run, Milo. No injuries were reported, and the vehicle occupants had made it to safety.
Arnoldsburg Volunteer Fire Department had multiple vehicles in the ditch lines of Liberty Hill, creating traffic hazards for the vehicles who could get up the hill. It was on that call that I heard my favorite line of the evening come across the radio from Fire Chief Joe Tanner, who in calm frustration stated that they were “Stackin’ em like stove wood,” as the cars continued to come sliding into the area and into the ditch lines.
I’ve always had great respect for volunteers of emergency services. I’ve watched a very tired husband come in multiple nights exhausted from a day of work, only to be past the point of exhaustion hours later on a fire scene. It’s not a job for just anyone, but it may be a job for you. Dedicated volunteers are needed on every department, and I encourage anyone interested to check in with their area department to see if they can help.
But for now, we’re back at home, and the scanner is quiet. Praying it stays that way.
