Spent Christmas as a 24-hour fire lieutenant working in the Inspections section at the Fire Prevention division.

During the weekday we would perform scheduled code enforcement (hazardous use and occupancy permits) and assist the shift work fire investigator.

Evenings, weekend and holidays we handled issues coming from fire companies and public complaints. Responsible for monitoring any building required to maintain a fire watch.

DFC Coffman picture

Responded to every working fire. Spent too many winter nights digging out fire scenes.

Three lieutenants covered the shift inspector position, working out of a quiet engine-paramedic ambulance station.

Not much time to schmooze with the station crew, reported to work at 0700 and had to be at the fire prevention office by 0800.

WHEELS

A perk was a newer hand-me-down cruiser.

It was a police package 1986 Chevy Caprice originally assigned to an administrative chief.  It had a first generation strobe/sealed beam light bar, controlled by a too small on-off switch mounted on the lower dashboard.  The switch would get too hot to touch if the light bar was left on more than 15 minutes.

Much better than the tired 1977 Plymouth Gran Fury the daywork lieutenants were using. All of the police Gran Fury cruisers were replaced long ago.

CHRISTMAS DAY

Had a handful of follow-up inspections and fire watches. Highrise hotel suffered a spectacular failure of a state-of-the-art alarm system 10 pm Christmas Eve. Apparently the manager who worked during the incident did not adequately relay to the day manager what actions are required to maintain a fire watch. The day manager tells me that her copy of the Notice of Violation (NOV) is "lost."

I have our copy and provided enough photocopies for all of the managers. Said I would be back to meet with the night manager and review the required fire watch documentation.

Drove to an isolated industrial site in the southernmost part of the county to look for evidence of unapproved midnight activities. The issue was flammable liquids spilled on the parking lot after an all night thrash. We only had a PO box as a contact for the tenant, preparing warrants to identify the responsible party. Manager of the industrial park remained unhelpful.

DINNER

All of the eateries near the industrial park are closed. Had to start back to the highrise district. Thought that a Howard Johnson's next to I-95 was open.

At 6 pm I drive up the service road to the only crowded parking lot in a sprawling shopping complex. HoJo's is surrounded by dozens of cars, many with out-of-state plates.

The restaurant is packed, the staff is short-handed and there is a feeling of circumstances overrunning resources.

A waitress with a thousand-yard stare tells me that they are out of clams and roast beef. Sitting at the counter, I order a hot dog and a diet soda.

There is yelling in the kitchen, children whining in the booths and customers attempting to make complicated special orders. People are getting seated at tables that have not been wiped down. The men's room is out of toilet paper.

I leave $20 for a $8.76 bill and appreciate that some have it rougher than others when they work on a holiday.

I hope that you have a merry Christmas and take a moment to think of our armed forces deployed in hostile, desolate or dangerous environments.

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

2008 Christmas:  8:45 am, December 25 @ Walgreens