Author Topic: It looks like a war zone!  (Read 1817 times)

nube

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It looks like a war zone!
« on: May 18, 2011, 10:26:12 PM »
Hey guys, I am back in town.  I must say the last few days are filled with all kinds of emotions.  When I arrived the first night in Slave lake there were fires in the bush all along the road for the last couple miles before town.  As we entered town I saw a whole subdivision on fire.  It was hard not to go to work right there but we had to report to the fire hall to get our assignments.  The next couple days were filled with tears and moments of joy as we saw major devestation and were also successful at saving many homes from burning down. 
Hydrants were close to no pressure at all.  Water was limited and a lot of times we relied on water trucks to pump us water.  We were not allowed to go into burning buidings as safety was a BIG concern but I will say that my team also realised this meant we would not be as efficient and will say we did what we had to do and twisted the rules as much as we could to protect what we thought was necessary. 
We slept on the firehall concrete floor the fist day when we had breaks but there was not much rest.  The hall was crowded, loud and busy.  The airport was next to us and the amount of air support was unreal.  Those pilots deserve great credit for what they are doing.  Food was limited.  We had bottled water as there was no water in the taps.  No flush toilets.   
It was hard to see the neighborhoods involved.  Rows of houses were gone.  It reminds me of a movie after a nuclear explosion.  Nobody is around.  It is quiet, skeletons of vehicles on the streets and nothing but holes in the ground where a house was. 
Spirits were high as we felt we were helping and there was not one complaint of the work being done. 
I feel for the families involved.  If you have a chance to donate to the cause I encourage you to do so. 
I won't post my pictures here at this time as the families have not had a chance to get home yet and i will wait a while yet for that. 
All i will say is be greatfull for what you have.  If you feel your life sucks, put your feet in a resident of Slave lake for a moment.  We have things pretty good! 

Orrin

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Re: It looks like a war zone!
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2011, 10:33:43 PM »
Cudos to you nube and all of the folks who were up there with you. Without you guys Slave Lake would be a total write off. Good job!!
Yeah that what he said........

Paul

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Re: It looks like a war zone!
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2011, 10:51:50 PM »
There will be a long recovery for that town. I lived there for  quite a few years and have many friends there. My dad was displaced little hard on him he's 70 years old and has been there many years. There are a lot of spirited hard working people there, I am sure they will work hard to rebuild. Thanks for sharing nube.

nube

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Re: It looks like a war zone!
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2011, 10:56:36 PM »
One thing I forgot to mentions guys is that it was amazing to work beside a bunch of other departments.  It was a team effort all the way around.   Volunteer, fulltime  or any level of training they all worked hard and wanted to do what they could.  My hat goes off to all the Departments that came to the call to try and make it better if they could.  The papers and the news just doesn't do it justice.  It was a total disaster!!! 

BBJ

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Re: It looks like a war zone!
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2011, 11:09:09 PM »
Nube I gotta say thanks to you . You and all the other firefighters , forestry workers , pilots ,RCMP . Have done a hell of a job to keep everyone safe and to save what they can . Ive been talking with Jeff Brownbear416 and has been passing the odd picture and its very saddening to see.

I was watching the news there today there was a big fella on there and just crying and seeing that makes ones heart sink .

I just want to say Thank you .

badback

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Re: It looks like a war zone!
« Reply #5 on: May 19, 2011, 09:59:45 AM »
Good job Nube and thank you
Treat each day as your last; one day you will be right.

SnapShot

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Re: It looks like a war zone!
« Reply #6 on: May 19, 2011, 07:03:54 PM »
Good on ya phil... I couldnt even imagine what the residents are going through up there...
Already donated... 
Cudo's phil on a job well done...