Author Topic: 911 response to grass fire (Read 518 times)

mirage1988 · « **on:** February 18, 2009, 04:52:41 PM »

When I was on my way home on monday i saw a weird smoke trail into a swamp. When I got up to it, there was a grass fire about 5 feet in diameter. I called 911, told them where it was. Turns out it was started by a 15 year old shooting off black cats. He turned himself in,(?) The fire burned about 20 acres because the fire dept. didn't have water in their grass trucks. I should have turned around and tried to put the fire out myself, but then it would not have made the news then huh?

Matt · « **Reply #1 on:** February 18, 2009, 05:35:49 PM »

Well if it was really only 5 feet in diameter then yes you should have put it out... and should turn yourself in along with the kid because You could have prevented that fire...

I was a Firefighter for about 5 years and I have to say not having water in a truck just don't seem to make much since to me unless the tank leaked or something... where was it you said this was...boondocks what...

Matt

Cabin4 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 18, 2009, 05:46:03 PM »

I agree, you should have stopped to put it out. Thats what a good citizen should so. Unless of course its beer time then the heck with the fire.

mirage1988 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 19, 2009, 02:27:39 AM »

I was on the freeway going the other way- it would have been at least ten minutes before I got to the next exit and got back there.

Matt · « **Reply #4 on:** February 19, 2009, 12:06:45 PM »

Quote from: cabin4 on February 18, 2009, 05:46:03 PM

I agree, you should have stopped to put it out. Thats what a good citizen should so. Unless of course its beer time then the heck with the fire.

but if it was after beer time it should have been easy to put out...

of course I would hope he was not in the car after beer time or soon after anyway..

Matt

mirage1988 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 19, 2009, 12:18:38 PM »

No Matt-
It wasn't beer time yet- I was talking to a volunteer firefighter today, asked him what he thought. He said I did the right thing. I didn't have an extinguisher or anything with me. The fire dept. has four wheel drive trucks they use for grass fires. They didn't have water in them because we usually don't have grass fires in minnesota when there is still snow on the ground. Like I said it would have been much larger by the time I got back there.

victorcharlie · « **Reply #6 on:** February 19, 2009, 12:26:11 PM »

Quote from: Matt on February 18, 2009, 05:35:49 PM

Well if it was really only 5 feet in diameter then yes you should have put it out... and should turn yourself in along with the kid because You could have prevented that fire... I was a Firefighter for about 5 years and I have to say not having water in a truck just don't seem to make much since to me unless the tank leaked or something... where was it you said this was...boondocks what...

Matt

In some places the water gets hard this time of year. Maybe they had to store their tankers outside?

Don't know, just trying to make sense out of it myself.....

Westbound · « **Reply #7 on:** February 21, 2009, 07:14:31 AM »

You did what I would have done. If you don't have a good means to fight a fire (extinguisher) then there's no sense in running out to grass fire trying to stomp it out. I will usually report them to the proper authorities.
I don't know how grass fires are in Minnesota, but in Texas a 5 foot diameter fire can go to several acres in a couple of minutes. I don't want to be out there stomping and realize the wind just kicked up.