I just sent this LA fire Department promo to a buddy who is a 6'7" born in San Francisco American. In his full bunker boots / gear set he is every bit of 7 feet tall. I asked him for his professional opinion and a comment on this video.
You might think this is an SNL clip, but I do not think it is: https://youtu.be/0DxU3kJgn0A?si=XYPqGram2sYynwm0
As a young man he applied to become a San Francisco fire fighter and was told he was "a white male" and would have to reapply in the future if he wanted to become a fire fighter in San Francisco. That did not happen.
He left his home state of California in search of a job and moved to NYC where he became a 42year fire fighter and retired a decorated Captain. He knows firefighting and the dirty politics that go along with it, he has seen it all. Including working the pile on 9-11. He has some real interesting observations about the day and "other" observations he made subsequent to and during the cleanup.
And of course, he has a respiratory condition due to his many years fighting fires and particularly from working the pile after 9-11. Remember the "Official" pronouncement from your government about the safety of the air quality in lower Manhattan? Nothing to see here, it's all good! He thankfully is still with us. I personally know several other firefighters who are not. And I salute them all and their sacrifice doing a dangerous job and serving the public interests.
My buddy is quite humorous and should get a kick out of the video and have an interesting professional interpretation and comment :)
Just like the several thousands of people whose houses burnt to the foundations in LA should get a "kick" out of the video.
My fire fighter friend responds:
"So . . .Say YOU smell smoke. You DON'T have to search for that number, it's 911, (saving TIME)
An operator will answer promptly, (saving TIME)
You describe what's going on, (Police / Fire / EMS, whaddya need?)
She / He / They / Them forward this emergency call, this PLEA for HELP to, in this case the NEAREST Firehouse, (saving TIME)
The Firefighters get the alarm, DROP whatever they're doing, and?
Rush to the scene, some, sliding down a POLE to SPEED their response, (saving TIME)
The Fire Engine, facing OUT of quarters, (to save TIME), has flashing lights, a siren, and air horn, (some still have a bell)
Traffic is SUPPOSED to yield to us, though, they don't always do so very readily, but all this to? Save TIME
We can run red lights, cross double yellow lines, shoot one-way streets the wrong way, in OUR effort against TIME
We carry hundreds of gallons of water so we can hit the fire quickly BEFORE we're even hooked up to a HYDRANT, (more on THIS in a bit)
(Thus, saving TIME) Parking IFO one of these, same as IFO our firehouse, is ILLEGAL, (because THIS saves TIME)
While we're responding, we're donning our protective gear, so that when we arrive, we're READY to spring from the rig, and into action (Saving MORE TIME)
We RUN UP, (in Gotham), to any fire on or below the SEVENTH Floor), to save TIME.
In Gotham, (though lately, tragically, the entrance standards HAVE BEEN relaxed), we're the MOST physically fit people to do this, with our MINIMUM, of an 85 pound combat loadout, (our gear & tools), as the entrance exam was a COMPETITIVE process, (the resultant hiring list running, as the saying goes, 'from first to worst', to SAVE TIME).
We break down the door to the fire apartment, (WE have the, 'keys to the City') Waiting for, say, the Super would NOT save TIME
According to your video, IF, through the blinding, choking SMOKE, the victim were in a wheelchair, She / He / They / Them would REFUSE MY help, because I don't FXXXXXG, 'look like them?!
EVERYTHING we do is a RACE against TIME, when LIVES are in danger.
ALL the above I've listed in order to REDUCE the amount of TIME it takes for us to make a difference would be okay with LESS than the optimal, MOST Physically FIT, (admittedly, young), men / women / they / them?
IF the ABILITY OF the folks who'll be dragging the hoses, (Assuming there's WATER), doesn't matter, favoring instead, WHAT the folks LOOK like, (SXXT, IF what we WEAR is a COSTUME, given to a performer, rather than a UNIFORM, EARNED by its wearer),
THEN WHY ALL the OTHER things we do, to save TIME?
(And, I played football, from my youth, up through college, and even on the FDNY team, which competed in a semi pro league. TOUGH game, (my old Pop Warner coach, Horgan, told our parents at the spaghetti dinner: 'Football is NOT a contact sport, it's a COLLISION sport"), TOUGH GAME. Fighting fires is even tougher, and? It sure as HELL AIN'T a GAME . . .)
The DEI argument, as applied to the fire service, should then allow that I'd finish my meal, BEFORE answering the alarm? Or, that the rig face IN to the firehouse? (So, it'd take a little longer to BACK out, it'd be easier pulling IN)
How about, I don't put on my protective clothing until AFTER arrival, and, 'OH SXXT, It IS a FIRE! Guess I'd better put on my gear!"
The fire service's mission is: The protection of LIFE and property, from LOSS by fire or other emergencies.
Does THAT answer your question, Sir, and or Madam / Otherwise?
RIP ALL victims of DEI, which, in the fire service, is spelled: DIE . . ."
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He continued: "Testing for a cop or EMS worker, though they too respond to 911 calls, (LIFE threatening emergencies), requires some physical ability, but consider, a smaller, male or female, officer points his / her / they / their Service FIREARM at a perpetrator,
HOW much physical effort IS needed to pull the trigger? The gun is the leveler of that field.
The Officer should also be able to persuade the perp, with other than force, to comply."
"We never did ever negotiate a fire out".
Are you paying attention yet America? JGL 1/10/25
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