The term can be used in a couple of different ways.Sometimes it denotes the retirement of a firefighter or even a rig.Other times it is used to say that a firefighter has made the ultimate sacrifice.The "last alarm" is the one they never returned from.My usage in my earlier post refered to the latter one.

 

It means the FireFighter takes their last ride on the back of a Fire Truck in an American Flag draped coffin.
Saw alot of that after 9/11 in N.Y.C.!

 

I remember an incident that happened well over 20 years ago now, down in So. Cal. I was parked at a local store on the corner of a busy intersection when the siren of an approaching ambulance could be heard. There was an old lady with a big hat on getting ready to cross the stereet. The light turns green for her, and she proceeds to walk across as the ambulance approaches the intersection! The ambulance has to come to a complete stop, while she continues crossing the street. Siren blaring, and he is laying on the horn to boot. She just covers her ears, and continues walking! I have never seen anything that stupid in my life.

 

Another hydrant pic...

 

You can see the broken glass in that one.

 

Autoglass, I have rode the tailboard on a couple of last alarms.The sound of "Amazing Grace" on a lone bagpipe has been known to send me running from a room.

 

Didn't read the whole thread, but get the gist of it.
Can't remember the movie, but I saw one once where a vehicle was parked in front of a hydrant illegally. The firefighters just smashed out a window on each side of the vehicle and ran the hose right through the car. That was a very satisfying scene!
What's that song??? "The world is full of stupid people......" By the Replacements maybe?

 

That would be Backdraft

Ditto Redcat

 

I never knew it was illegal (or even stupid) to drive over a fire hose...heck, I've driven over my cheapo garden hose plenty of times & it still works fine. So I'm glad I now know & am stupid about one less thing.

The obstruction at the scene is what shouldn't be tolerated. If it's illegal to not yield to a moving emergency vehicle on the road, it should be a much heftier fine to block access to a burning building. That's world-class stupid (& about as thoughtless an act as can be imagined!).

Hey, and for cars parked in front of hydrants, why just bust the windows...get the "jaws of life" & give that jerk a permanent sunroof!

 

I thought the post talking about using 2 short feeders with a loose coupler between the front seats was a nice touch. Somtimes it might not be necessary to break windows, but I understand the statement it makes to the ignorant driver. If one is none too gentle about tossing hoses on top of the car, or on the hood or trunk, I bet they leave some really nice scratches and gouges, too. Whatever it takes.

I have no sympathy for anyone whose vehicle is damaged to obtain access to a fire hydrant. There is NO excuse for parking in front of one.

This entitlement mentality is ruining the country. Everybody has this attitude that the rules only apply to the "other guy."

 

Although I'm not a fire Fighter, Those bagpipes makes me want to also teary eyed!

daddio 360, using the Jaws to access a fireplug would get a major lawsuit against the dept.! + it has to be justified to use them.

 

good movie

 

People don't care.

We were doing roadwork near the hospital. We had 1/3 lanes closed from 7-9am. And from 9am-3pm, we closed 2/3 lanes which would back up the traffic as people start going to work around that time.

Whenever we heard the ambulance coming our way, we'd drop everything, stop the opposing traffic, and wave all the cars thru our job site to get that ambulance thru a.s.a.p.. And they counted on us to do that cuz we get a wave hello every time.

Now if you've ever driven in the city, you know how frustrating it is to wait behind a car waiting for a left turn when you want to go straight. And this service road we were working on was very bad for that. All the left turns lead to small bridges over the expressway and the service road on the opposite side. And those little overpasses can only hold maybe half a dozen cars.

So when the ambulance is coming, we block the traffic, and tell the people to go straight thru the red, and go now!!

But people still try to make left turns, or they would refuse to move, or roll down their windows and argue with you. Even with the ambulance driver leaning on his horn 3 blocks behind. I'd literally have to yell "MOVE!!" and bang my fist on the car to make them go, at my own risk cuz I should stay on the sidewalk when I'm waving cars thru at 40mph

I don't know what could make a person so inconsiderate. It's going to cost you five minutes to do as you're told and take the next turn. There's a guy could be dying, and we're trying to help him, every second counts.

 

I was Fire Cheif of a small rural VFD in Coosa Co. Alabama and it is amazing how stupid some people can be, all to get a look. I currently work as a paramedic and shift captain here in NW GA. for an ambulance service and there are still the same stupid people getting in the way just to look. The best picture I have seen is the new BMW with a 5" LDH running in the passengers window and out the drivers window because he had blocked a hydrant.