Soon, three representatives of the
LCFR (Lowndes County Fire Rescue) opened the truck's shiny red doors and hopped
out to join the folks, as special guests at the neighborhood picnic.While the grown-ups wandered over to admire the array of high-tech
equipment, children climbed aboard to get a good view of the dials, hoses, jump
seats, and gear.
Tommy Crump, Sergeant on Duty, stacked his bunker gear on the tarmac in
the at-the-ready position for everyone to see. When not in use, these clothes
are turned inside out so a firefighter can quickly step into them and pull them
on. Did you know that a firefighter must be able to get into his or her
gear--including air tank and mask--in two minutes, in order to be certified?
"We love to meet and greet the
community and let the people get a glimpse of our world. This way we can show
them what we do in different situations," said Sgt. Crump.
"Often times we visit to educate and impress the children, but it's
the adults who seem to enjoy it even more." Over the next hour, the
firemen fielded lots of questions from the crowd and enjoyed discussing how
they use specialized training and equipment to help the community.
"Being a firefighter involves a
personal commitment to service that comes from the heart," said Joe Brown.
Often, these teams are your first line of defense. They will even respond to
EMS calls if no ambulance is available. "Sometimes, the action is
non-stop. Whether it's putting out a fire or just helping grandpa back into
bed, we do whatever we can to be of assistance," added Jeff Fitch. "Thank you for allowing us to come out to serve our customers."
After the getting a close-up look at
the fire truck, everyone gathered to enjoy burgers and hot dogs hot off the
grill and an assortment of homemade appetizers and desserts. 
