ORANGE COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS - Santa Ana, CA

Choice, Juliann, Tate, Shiloh, Derek, Ray, Gary, Ryder, Brian, and Jim

 Visiting fire stations has become a common activity for us on this trip.  I fear my writing will sound redundant but the visits are so very important.  There are similarities in each fire house.  Each has pride in their work and a true commitment to serving others.  The atmosphere is always tidy and comfortable.  The firemen are welcoming and generous.  But there are certain elements that make each of the stations unique from the others.    

Gary, Tate, Ryder, and Shiloh

At Station 79, they are equipped with a Hazmat team.  The Captain, Gary, gave us a tour on the engine they use for their Hazmat calls.  It was incredible how advanced their apparatus is in comparison to others that I have seen. 

Gary, Tate, Shiloh, Ryder, Juliann, and Choice

Gary walked us through and showed us the ins and outs of this rig.  The children were fascinated by the computer lab found inside and the many pieces of machinery used to depict various chemical elements in substances the firemen may encounter. 

Gary, Ryder, Tate, and Shiloh

Gary shared with me that their training material for their Hazmat studies last month were written on the Yarnell Hill Fire.  He and the other members of the Hazmat unit had been discussing for the past month the lessons that they can learn from that tragedy and how they can better prepare themselves for things that may have been unanticipated.  Gary had a reverence about him when speaking of our boys and it was evident to me that their deaths were not in vain.  Others are learning and adapting based upon the lessons learned in that life-altering fire.

Gary, Ryder, Tate, Choice, and Shiloh

Gary's knowledge and passion for firefighting and the many intricacies that go into his profession, were inspiring.  He is a true depiction of the firefighting hero you imagine...he even has the mustache.

Gary, Shiloh, and Tate

The highlight for the kids when stopping by a fire station is generally the fire trucks but that wasn't the case here.  They were amazed by the 3 story old-fashioned fireman poles.  Fireman/paramedic Derek gave each of them a chance to slide down the lower portion of the pole.

Derek and Tate

Derek and Tate

Derek and Shiloh

Derek and Choice

Derek and Choice

As luck would have it, just as Gary hoisted Tate and Choice up into the fire engine, a call came in over dispatch that they needed to respond to.  90 seconds is all the longer they have to get their gear on and get out of the station.  They must have used 30 of those seconds getting the boys out of the cabin of the fire truck.

 

Gary, Choice, and Tate

The kids and I watched as they put on their gear and quickly prepared to leave.

 

Derek and Gary

Orange County Firefighters

Tate, Ryder, Shiloh, Choice, and Juliann

 

While the others were responding to the call, the Battalion Chief, Jim, gave us a behind the scenes tour of real station life.

Ryder, Jim, Shiloh, and Tate

They saw where the real difficult training takes place...

Ray, Jim, Tate, Ryder, Shiloh, and Choice

They were allowed to check out the top of the three story fireman poles.  They weren't quite as tough when looking down from the top.  Ryder said, "Someday I'll slide down one of these...just not today."

Ryder

 

Choice

Jim even made them some snacks in the station kitchen.

Choice, Jim, and Shiloh

The crew returned from the short medical call before we had to leave.  We were able to get a few pictures with the crew and the representative from the fire union which is where the donation to the Granite Mountain Families came from.

Choice, Juliann, Tate, Shiloh, Derek, Ray, Gary, Ryder, Brian, and Jim

Shiloh, Morghen, Choice, Juliann, Tate, Gary, Derek, Ryder, Brian, and Jim

Gary gave each of us a flag pin to wear.  The fireman assisted the kids in pinning their new flag pins on their shirts.

Gary, Juliann, Choice, Tate, and Derek

Gary, Shiloh, and Tate

Gary and Tate

Choice and Derek

 After giving them sharp objects, they opted for the large, blunt instruments...

Brian and Shiloh

Shiloh

 

Ryder

Ryder and Tate

Tate

The firemen were such great sports dealing with my four little monkeys.  There are moments, such as the ones captured in these pictures, where it's obvious I've lost complete control.

We had time to visit briefly before we had to hit the road. 

Derek, Juliann, and Gary

The highlight of the entire visit for me was listening in on the conversation between Gary and Ryder.  With the longevity of Gary's service in the department, the tenderness in his heart, and his acquired wisdom, he gave Ryder some spectacular and heartfelt advice. 

Juliann, Ryder, and Gary

I felt chills all over my body when he spoke of the brotherhood within the fire family.  He told Ryder that because his Daddy was a fireman, he and his siblings can go to any fire department in
the country, at any time, and they will be loved and supported. 

He added the reassurance that they will always be there for him.  Gary advised him that if there is ever something he is dealing with that he doesn't feel like talking to his Mom about, he can always go to the fire department and speak to them in confidence.



Ryder and Gary

Gary, Tate, and Ryder

Tate, Gary, and Brian

Brian, Ryder, Tate, and Gary

Gary, Brian, Ryder, and Derek

Many thanks to the Orange County Fire Authority and the great men who opened their arms to us today.  How comforting it is to know that there is a village helping to raise these kids while they are coping with their Daddy's physical absence.