We had one once on the second floor who had to go to the hospital, about 600 lbs. Had to take the window out of th second floor put the Aerial ladder through the window wrap her in the stokes wrap her in a a salvage cover and tie her to the end of the ladder.
Too big for the stokes but got the handles around far enough to tie to them.
When she got to the hospital she told them she needed a bedpan, they stuck one under her and took a chance it was in the right place, impossible to actally see as if anyone wanted to.
People do not understand that any job in a city that no one else wants to do , It is the Fire department that gets called.Water leaks, Sewer leaks, Gas leaks, Short circuits, Tree’s down, flooding,auto accidents, extraditions,elevators stuck, people trapped on top of Swedish cranes, window washers who can’t tie a proper knot in the ropes of their platform, people crushed under the Metro, People lost in the woods. Body recovery,suicides ,shootings ,stabbings,drug overdose,
Cats in trees,river rescue,boats sinking,Fire watch’s, Haz mat incidents, strange powders in the mail,decontamination.
You name it. Christmas and New Years at the firehouse, up all night with medical locals and fires while they sleep in their beds. out in 18 degree weather with snow azz deep to a tall Indian, put the chains on , take ‘em off, repair ‘em.
Shovel out the Fire plugs, jump up from your meal and go, eat it cold when you get back,One minute in bed, next minute going all out to save a naked guy hanging from the third floor. Knees wasted from sliding poles, No hearing in the left ear because of the ear horn and siren (Now they issue hearing safety devices.Didnt get those in my day.)
Arthritis in my back because of falling down a flight of stairs at a fire.
Dealing with some of the worst human scum on the planet, and in turn ,some of the nicest people on earth.You see them all as Firefighter.
Being lucky enough to live 20 years in retirement ( straight retirement, not medical) while going to funerals for my firends and being told I didnt earn every dime of my pension.
I wouldnt have changed my career for anything, The job offered retirement benefits and I took them, and I dont turn my back in shame when I cash my check, I earned every penny of it.
I had a neighbor once who actually had the nerve to call and ask that the fire department use their ladder truck to rescue her cat from a tall tree. After telling her - we don’t do that anymore - they did indeed come get kitty out of the tree. Kitty was terrified to the point of ferocity, the firefighters were laughing the whole time, the neighbors got a good show and a good time was had by all.