funny run last night

[mendotruckwork]

Dwelling fire.
really just an "odor of burning" on the ticket.
roll up on the engine.. there is definitally some sort of burning smell. homeowner says his wife turned the heater on right before they went to bed. so we go down to check the heater, hot water pump, dryer etc. guy from the truck walks in.. "it smells like.. like.. burnt meat"
homeowner "well.. our hampster got out of its cage this morning... and we havent seen it all day"
the hampster had gotten down the vent in an opening. and when she kicked the heat on...
I had to leave the room to contain my laughter.. thought some of u might get a kick out of that.

[nmfire]

So, how do you explain to the little kid where their cherished pet is? And I would love to hear how command reported this to dispatch. "Have all units return to service, burning odor caused by a flaming hampster."

[CALFFBOU]

I dont mean to be really PC, but I dont see
the humor in someone's pet getting fried in
the home heater.

Hope they didnt hear you laughing to hard.
Remember, we (or atleast me) are here to
help people, not laugh at their problems.
(esspecially around the holidays)

[nmfire]

Well, obviously you don't laugh when your there. Everyone has been to a call where something makes you chuckle and you have to hold it until you leave.

[captstanm1]

I wouldnot laugh when there...but would have to get a chuckle out of it when back at station.. As a pet owner I can concur that there is no humor in losing a pet...but when someone was laughing at thi, i am sure they meant no disrepect to the homeowner or the passing of the pet. They merely were getting a chuckle out of the surrounding circumstances and how the FD got involved.

The shift before me ran a call (Xmas Eve) for shortness of breath. Seems the lady who has CHF and COPD was having a bit of difficulty breathing. They asked for list of meds which she said she kept in her purse. Her husband responds by getting the purse to supply the meds and the first thing he pulls out is a pack of cigarettes! Now keep in mind that these smokes were found in the pocketbook of a 70 y/o woman who had her husband convinced she had quit smoking "years ago."

[Weruj1]

WHHOOOPS on the smokes ..........LOL ......yes we have all had a call like that ........and I am sure that no one would purposefully laugh about it there ...........but it is kinda funny about how you got there...

[hwoods]

How OTHERS see you while "doing your job" is what I watch out for. A nearby station ran an Ambulance call for a sick person, and one of the guys thought that a bunch of toys scattered on the porch and sidewalk could be a problem. He picked up the toys and moved them out of the way, and, in doing so, flipped a Frisbee off to the side yard. Someone saw that and called the Chief to complain that firefighters were playing Frisbee while a lady was dying. Big stink for a day, the facts came out and that was the end of it. Stay Safe....