IOD
I guess it was bound to happen eventually and as injuries go, I suppose it could have been much worse.
Myself and one of my partners were dispatched to an apartment building for the report of a burning odor. My department responds to all calls with the fire department because A) we always beat those hose draggers there, and B) sometimes we can do some good before the "heroes" show up.
In this case, I arrived first and acknowledged a burning musty odor and advised I was investigating. It didn't smell like a wood fire or an electrical fire. I couldn't place the smell. My backup arrived about a minute after me and together we search for the source. The report came from the 5th floor and that's where we started. Unable to find anything there, we systematically began checking the floors above and below. When we finally reached the basement and opened the door, we had found our source. Almost immediately, my partner became so dizzy he had to hold the wall to remain standing. I notified HQ and sent him back up the stairs. I was starting to feel woozy myself, but went further in, looking for anyone in trouble. Less than a minute later, I was crawling back up the stairs myself.
Back outside, we were dizzy, faint, nauseous, and I had a headache hit me so quick and hard my knees buckled as I leaned on the hood of my car. In between coughing fits, I gulped large breaths of air, not caring about the 14 degree temperatures. About this time help started arriving. Both my partner and I were rushed to a nearby emergency room where nurses were busy fiddling around all sides. We were hooked up to 100% oxygen, jammed with IVs and medication drips, and had what seemed like a half of gallon of blood drained for testing.
Four hours later we were discharged and sent home complete with workman's comp paperwork. What a joy that is to fill out, let me tell you. Fire investigators found a welding crew in a sub-basement, wearing full respirators. They were working on steam pipes and venting the fumes into the basement instead of outside. They face no punishment.
You'd think that we did this to ourselves on purpose based on the reaction from the command staff at a meeting afterword. They've ordered training be completed because we "obviously don't know what to do" in cases like this. The only supporting words we received were from our shift Lieutenant and the other officer working that night. Oh, I almost forgot. At that meeting I mentioned, an award was given to an officer who took the initiative to clean the dispatch office without being asked. I didn't expect anything, but come on.
Yep, nothing like being gassed and then kicked in the dick.
Myself and one of my partners were dispatched to an apartment building for the report of a burning odor. My department responds to all calls with the fire department because A) we always beat those hose draggers there, and B) sometimes we can do some good before the "heroes" show up.
In this case, I arrived first and acknowledged a burning musty odor and advised I was investigating. It didn't smell like a wood fire or an electrical fire. I couldn't place the smell. My backup arrived about a minute after me and together we search for the source. The report came from the 5th floor and that's where we started. Unable to find anything there, we systematically began checking the floors above and below. When we finally reached the basement and opened the door, we had found our source. Almost immediately, my partner became so dizzy he had to hold the wall to remain standing. I notified HQ and sent him back up the stairs. I was starting to feel woozy myself, but went further in, looking for anyone in trouble. Less than a minute later, I was crawling back up the stairs myself.
Back outside, we were dizzy, faint, nauseous, and I had a headache hit me so quick and hard my knees buckled as I leaned on the hood of my car. In between coughing fits, I gulped large breaths of air, not caring about the 14 degree temperatures. About this time help started arriving. Both my partner and I were rushed to a nearby emergency room where nurses were busy fiddling around all sides. We were hooked up to 100% oxygen, jammed with IVs and medication drips, and had what seemed like a half of gallon of blood drained for testing.
Four hours later we were discharged and sent home complete with workman's comp paperwork. What a joy that is to fill out, let me tell you. Fire investigators found a welding crew in a sub-basement, wearing full respirators. They were working on steam pipes and venting the fumes into the basement instead of outside. They face no punishment.
You'd think that we did this to ourselves on purpose based on the reaction from the command staff at a meeting afterword. They've ordered training be completed because we "obviously don't know what to do" in cases like this. The only supporting words we received were from our shift Lieutenant and the other officer working that night. Oh, I almost forgot. At that meeting I mentioned, an award was given to an officer who took the initiative to clean the dispatch office without being asked. I didn't expect anything, but come on.
Yep, nothing like being gassed and then kicked in the dick.
posted by Moe at 11:21
4 Comments:
That stinks. Hope you are feeling better. Speaking as a dispatcher I vote for you over the one cleaning the room. Sounds like he was just looking for bonus points bcuz I know there's no way in hell you would catch one of our guys doing that!
Hi,
just lurking through your blog. I find police blogs to be very interesting, and often very amusing. Sorry for your luck on this one, and thanks for the reading material.
I am very glad you're all right, that the fumes weren't something worse. It sucks badly when admin treats you no better than the public does. Or, I guess in some cases, when the public treats you better. Take care.
Thats why you never go on fire calls.Fireman wear SCBAs,coppers do not.
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