Rush hour had just reached its
peak in the downtown area as bumper to bumper traffic inched through
intersections. Compact cars, SUV's, pickup trucks and buses alternately
worked their way to a point where the next green light would allow them to
quickly proceed through, only to soon line up once again for the next red
light.
In each individual vehicular
cocoon, drivers sealed themselves off from the noise outside and listened to
music, news, or talk radio as they waited to accelerate slightly, only to brake
again for another wait. A few drivers alternately glanced up from handheld
devices, some displaying text or email messages, and others confirmed on a
small screen the very traffic holdup they were experiencing using a map
application.
A few blocks away, the doors
of a Fire Station opened as the fire apparatus inside started up. Emergency
lights, installed both high and low on every side of each vehicle, lit up and
sparkled brightly as the doors rolled up and the daylight poured in. Vent hoses
uncoupled from exhaust pipes, and the gas and diesel engines powering an
Ambulance, Engine, Ladder Truck and a Shift Commander van quickly revved up and
moved out the front bay doors. The van led the way down the long concrete ramp,
then made a left turn across two lanes where traffic had stopped in both
directions. Then came the Ambulance, the Engine and even larger Ladder
Truck.
The convoy of red vehicles
loomed high over the rest of the traffic, plowing through the gridlocked field
of painted metal and windshield glass. Some drivers quickly saw the approaching
emergency vehicles, pulling to the side and coming to a full stop. Others,
ahead of the fire vehicles in the same lane, quickly confirmed that "objects
may be larger than they appear", as the sirens and loud air horns --
necessary to compete with modern vehicle insulation and sound systems -- came
even closer.
The fire apparatus approached
a traffic light controlled intersection and on-board signal devices triggered
and changed the red light ahead to green and switched cross traffic signals to
red. Cross traffic waited as each fire vehicle lumbered across in front of
them.
As the equipment passed those
closest to the oncoming traffic lane, drivers could only see massive black
tires going past at eye level. Some craned their necks and looked up to see
firefighters inside sliding arms and shoulders into straps of seat-mounted
air-packs.
Engine sounds were punctuated
by air brakes followed quickly by a loud engine acceleration roar. Electronic sirens
and air horns echoed and reverberated off the surrounding buildings increasing
the decibel level and bouncing the sounds in every direction.
Customers and shopkeepers
moved to front windows to see what was passing, many of them commenting or
speculating on where they might be heading. Pedestrians on the sidewalks
stopped to watch the equipment pass by.
One coffee shop patron, as he
paid for his non-fat, no foam latte, commented at the cash register, "I
wonder where they're going."
The young blond barista, not
even looking up as she gave him his change, replied, "Oh, that's just my
Dad on his way to work."
# # #
Happy Fathers Day!!
Great Fathers Day gift, or anytime gift: “10-24: A Firefighter Looks Back” Paperback and Kindle - soon to be available in iBooks.