Based on some requests, and probably some overlap in interest, I will use this thread to post photos of fire life in West Texas.

I've got over 26 years on. The last 16 at the fitness station as fitness specialist: my true passion. I joke that I'm a fitness specialist who happens to drive a fire truck.

As a cadet. I'm the pudgy guy in front. 
 


My station - #3




My two rides.



As driver, I'm at the pump panel, so I'm able to get some pics. The lads putting wet stuff on the red stuff.






I won't send a flood of pics. A few at a time.

Thanks that's a dramatic scene last photo! Just sent a pm with 60532 Chris

2nd Round.

We've established who I am, where I'm stationed, and my role. Now I'll be showing random pics of fire station life, fireground photos, training, physical fitness, etc...

Feel free to ask any questions.

Sometimes weird things happen.  That car somehow jumped a curb, flipped, and cartwheeled; coming to rest against the house without damaging the house.



The 2021 Great Texas Freeze or Snowmageddon: at this point we fought fire in the coldest recorded conditions  - 0 degrees. Later that night our short-lived record was broken when another fire was fought below zero.

This crazy cold snap caused a cascade of systems to collapse. Most of my city was without power and water for days. People froze to death. Our station had a generator so other stations and some old retirees came and slept on cots and recliners for a few days.




Holidays at the station.




Foreigner came to town!!  It happened to be the singer's birthday.

How does real life US firefighting compare to what we see in the likes of Station 19 and Chicago Fire?

Quote from: Steven B on June 14, 2026, 11:19:21 AMHow does real life US firefighting compare to what we see in the likes of Station 19 and Chicago Fire?

 

Most of us hate those shows.   

Actually most of the things they depict are realistic-ish, it's just the compression. They are making a show so they are squeezing a month of runs, fires, drama into one episode.
Yes; firefighters love drama  and we talk (changed by forum) constantly but a lot of our lives at the station would be too boring for TV: training, drills, inspecting businesses, testing fire hydrants, talking to kids/schools, eating, working out, playing cards.

We get paid for the giant "what if" and the fact that it comes unexpectedly any time of the day or night. Our true hazard isn't fires or disasters, it's the "coiled spring" affect of being on high-alert for 48 hours and sleep deprivation. Those are the true killers, which is why health and fitness has come to be emphasized lately.


Good question though!
*Caveat - Busy districts in big cities might have a higher volume of dramatic calls, but then their station density will be greater.

Wow, the owner of that house go play the lottery after that? Super fortunate that they didn't take damage. I'm guessing they live on the outside of a curve?

I bet you guys have the same sick sense of humor that we had in the Navy. One guy would get a pack of m&ms in the mail, sort them out by color and gather up the ones that had a cracked shell. At the end of the day, he'd go to the fantail and flick each one, one at a time, into Davey Jones' locker.

I get a kick out of this guy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lohU3b2yI8k

Quote from: kusojiji on June 18, 2026, 12:03:02 PMWow, the owner of that house go play the lottery after that? Super fortunate that they didn't take damage. I'm guessing they live on the outside of a curve?

I bet you guys have the same sick sense of humor that we had in the Navy. One guy would get a pack of m&ms in the mail, sort them out by color and gather up the ones that had a cracked shell. At the end of the day, he'd go to the fantail and flick each one, one at a time, into Davey Jones' locker.

I get a kick out of this guy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lohU3b2yI8k

Yes, exactly. On a curve. 

Yeah, it's like living with a bunch of 13 year olds. 

Round 3 -

I'm a day early but we just had the most stereotypical firefighter call ever...












Poor girl made not a peep the whole ordeal. 




Pressurized smoke acts weird and here it looks like it's oozing.


Some groupies wandered into the station...

The photo of the poor dog with his head stuck in a wheel reminded me of when I got my head stuck between the stone pillars of a bridge parapet when I was a nipper.

As for the "groupies", in France many fire stations have an open day when we celebrate French culture day and in the month of June every fire station in France organises a "Firemens' Ball" to which the local population are invited (they have to buy a ticket).

Do you have that in Abilene ?

Quote from: joe cassidy on June 20, 2026, 03:00:25 PMThe photo of the poor dog with his head stuck in a wheel reminded me of when I got my head stuck between the stone pillars of a bridge parapet when I was a nipper.

As for the "groupies", in France many fire stations have an open day when we celebrate French culture day and in the month of June every fire station in France organises a "Firemens' Ball" to which the local population are invited (they have to buy a ticket).

Do you have that in Abilene ?

Oh, man. Glad you made it! How did you escape?

No we don't have that. What a great idea. We have a lot of community things, but that sounds very cool.

Those are my personal groupies. 

Don't know how I escaped but I still have 2 ears.

You should try to launch the Firemens' Ball in the US.

Many mariages started that way in France 

Round 4 - A week already?!

Foamy action shot. We can add special soap to make foamy water.



Covid vax: That look in her eyes? Over two decades of marriage on the line... 



Chief Sanders, in a fit of pre-game bravado, thought his Irish could take my Buckeyes. Fail! Now wear it!




A bit of drill tower "gallows" humor.

It's always amazed me how a car will burn. The engine compartment after.



My crew before I was off three months with mono. Two have retired. We went from ages of 61, 58, 51, 38, 35 to much younger now. 



We often have to sit with a gas leak or post-fire watch and, well, the Luitenant sometimes succumbs...



My true passion is fitness and as I'm now 52 I'm making one last charge at my powerlifting goals; against father time's protests.   

I think the caption to the last photo should be "I'll be back...". Great post Scott @scottmitchell74

Tim