Musings Of A Sidewalk Observer

[MalahatTwo7]

**NOTE: the following is not meant to be derogitory in any fashion - just kinda wonderning about what I saw.**

I just came back in from a walk around The Mall, in beautiful downtown DC, and as I was walking towards the Captitol Building (I was just adjacent to the National Museum of Art at the time) when Engine Co 2 rolled past at a sedate code 3. I say sedate because its a narrow street and there were two vehs in front, with no where to go except straight ahead.

Ok, thats fine, I figure their responding to something that was behind me. No problem. Except that about 5 minutes later, now I am on 4th heading towards Pennsylvania Ave, when En Co 2, rolls past me yet again at a sedate code 3.

Now I am wondering: did they get one of those lovely "ghost calls" - "Hey I'm over here (not sure where "here" is though) and I've fallen and can't reach my beer." Which means no fixed address was given, or where they just out doing what we back home called "Cruis'n The Beac" (Beac, meaning Beacon Ave, in my hometown - main st)? In otherwords checking out the female population, while engaging in some FD PR by doing a sedate code 3 street patrol.

Inquiring minds are curious.

[doughesson]

Where I come from,Code 3 is lights and sirens and all the air horn needed to clear the way.
Must be different terminology.
Another possibility is that they coulda been exercising the rig,getting in some driver training or someone forgot the money on a grocery run.
I dunno.I weren't there.Hope you enjoyed the stroll,though.

[MalahatTwo7]

Code 3 for me is the same as for you... full lights/siren and air horn as required. The lights were up, and the siren was in 'manual control' - meaning that someone had his finger on the button and was using it 'sparingly' is the only way I can describe it.

I used 'sedate' code 3 because they were not travelling at anything close to a typical speed. When they were on the side street, I can understand the slow speed because a 10 truck just can not push aside two vehicles that are in front, when there is no where to push them to, except straight ahead. At the intersection of Pennsylvania and 4th, there was no traffic in front of them, but it was still slower than even typical traffic flow for driving on Pennsylvania.

It almost seemed like they had destination to be at, but had been orderd not to 'hurry'. I dunno just seemed strange to be giving the apperance of just strolling around, for lack of a better descriptor.

[doughesson]

I see now.Thanbks for the clarification.I thought they were just rolling down the street,no lights,sirens or hurry.

[JackTee09]

Why don't you stop in one of the houses and ask one of the brothers?

[MalahatTwo7]

Why don't you stop in one of the houses and ask one of the brothers?

I would have but the nearest one is still a bit of a hike, and I was at the bottom end of my lunch break; was headed back to the office. And actually I usaully see Engine Co 13 screaming around so I thought it was a bit odd to see E2 today in that neck o da woods.

Hmm just did a DC search of the FD stns around, and seems that although I see E13 most times, E2 is actually a lot closer....

[JackTee09]

It's a conspiracy.

[HFRH28]

It's a conspiracy.

Okay, Dale Gribble.

As for the doubles... maybe a diversion to another call?

[Spectre08]

I always get curious when I see an engine drive by. Mesquite FD station 3 is right up the road from me, and I see E3 fly past my house at least 4 or 5 times a day. It's only 5pm now and they've already gone by 3 times while I was home today.

I wanna buy a scanner so I know where they're going.

[dmleblanc]

They're coming back from a call (or on the way to some routine, non-emergency business), and someone forgot to turn off the lightbar.

That's my guess, anyway.....

Come one, nobody here has ever done that?

[MalahatTwo7]

They're coming back from a call (or on the way to some routine, non-emergency business), and someone forgot to turn off the lightbar.

That's my guess, anyway.....

Come one, nobody here has ever done that?

Dwayne, I'd almost give you that one, except that the siren was in manual control. Someone was working it rather than letting it just wail its song. And that was during both sightings. I've noticed that in the City they do that a lot, especially the cops - just in the intersections mostly.