Posted on 08/31/2009 7:16:38 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
As the roaring wall of flame raged through the Angeles National Forest, firefighters Ted Hall and Arnie Quinones worked feverishly to protect their fire-crew camp, made up mostly of prison inmates.
But all too suddenly, the fire invaded the campsite. Hall and Quinones shepherded 55 inmates and several corrections and fire personnel into a cinderblock dining hall to shelter them from the blaze.
The fire burned through the camp, leaving it in ruins. The dining hall provided adequate shelter for now, but Hall and Quinones knew they had to get everyone to safety. So they jumped in an engine truck and left to search for an escape route down Mount Gleason.
It proved a fatal move.
Smoke blanketed a winding road that is perilous in the best of conditions. The truck careened off the blacktop, tumbling as it plunged 800 feet down the steep mountainside. The vehicle crashed upside down, killing the two men.
The fire they had tried to outrun quickly caught up to them and left the truck a scorched hulk—a reminder that death lives in the shadows of firefighting.
Quinones, 35, leaves behind a pregnant wife who is due to give birth to the couple's first child in the next few weeks. Hall, 47, had a wife and two adult sons.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
God rest their brave souls.
Fire is hell.
Sounds like these were low security prisoners if they were working at a fire camp.
Firefighters, like police officers and our military are among the bravest people in the world and we should honor their service and their sacrifice accordingly. These should be the highest paid people in the world, not Congressmen and not politicians and certainly not Hollywood liberal elites.
Without the inmates we would not be able to put enough trained people in place, unless there was an extremely large surge in volunteers who were trained.
Oh our local firemen who probably have never seen a fire in their life are guaranteed to retire as millionaires.
Cops and firemen deserve good pay but 20 years and ready for double dipping and the union perks like city, county and state workers in unions are bankrupting cities, states and this country.
I support cops and firemen 100% but don’t get carried away about pay. It bankrupts cities - just ask LOADS of cities in Calif.
They also get paid better than enlisted soldiers fighting two wars in Islamic countries with a CIC who is also a muslim. With advisers connected to Hamas and the Muslim Bortherhood who are probably leaking intel back to the Taliban and Al Qeada.
These two brave men were saints trying to save others. Very very sad.
You got that right...add teachers to the toxic mix
3% x years of service x highest annual salary at age 50. 90% of salary tops. Overtime not included.
The formula was 2.5 at 55 about 8 years ago. If they return to this, it would save the fund a few billion.
Evelle Younger was the first triple dipper I every met. Military, LA DA, and state AG. But it's not what the average cop gets.
A tragedy.
I don’t think you understand what firefighting is. It’s a career that takes an extreme physical and mental toll on its dedicated practitioners. Those able to retire have the scars to prove their worth. If their pay is out of line, it will correct in time as with the private sector. Plenty of retirees would pay a million dollars not to have the memories of a toddler accidently run over by grandpa, a newlywed couple incinerated in a car wreck, or the restoration of their marriage when their spouse can’t take it anymore. Lighten up Francis.
Oh our local firemen who probably have never seen a fire in their life are guaranteed to retire as millionaires...............
They are gutting and re-doing the firehouse around the corner. God knows why. Whenever you drive by the bay doors are open and you see all kinds of weight benches and weights near the engines. So they get to work out a lot. They never see fires so they started changing these jobs into fire and ambulance just so they would keep somewhat busy.
They are primarily paramedics not fighting fires as far as I tell. Another firehouse has a jogging and exercise station path in the back.
I’ll bet the highpoint of their day is suppertime
And trash men too 21 bucks an hour and all you can eat
I know it's right near the top of mine.
I don’t think you understand what firefighting is. It’s a career that takes an extreme physical and mental toll on its dedicated practitioners. Those able to retire have the scars to prove their worth. If their pay is out of line, it will correct in time as with the private sector. Plenty of retirees would pay a million dollars not to have the memories of a toddler accidently run over by grandpa, a newlywed couple incinerated in a car wreck, or the restoration of their marriage when their spouse can’t take it anymore. Lighten up Francis.
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You couldn’t be more wrong. House fires and fires of all kinds have been declining for years. They are not busy. They get early retirements and on to a new career. They work out a lot where I am and polish the fire engines I suppose. They do ambulances too. Fight fires?? Very rare and not dangerous here
You must live in Mayberry
You would fit in great at Engine Company Number Nine where the only hounds are chow hounds
May God bless Ted Hall, Arnie Quinones and their families. They were both taken in the prime of their lives trying to help others which is typical of men of their caliber.
I was privileged to know Ted when he was a teenager and worked with his Dad and his uncle who were also County firefighters, his uncle was one of my best friends.
The County Fire Dept and the communities these two men lived in will miss them greatly.
Prayers for them and their families.
I say let the free market figure out what teachers, plumbers, firemen and soldiers are worth in pay.
If it gets to the point that you are not getting enough well-qualified competent employees, increase the wage.
It’s perfectly fair.
God rest the firefighters’ souls. They died well.
If it gets to the point that you are not getting enough well-qualified competent employees, increase the wage.
It’s perfectly fair.
All these gubbermint unions work hand in glove with the Democrat hacks in office. THUS there is no free market. They just point a gun at you and say keep paying taxes and shut up. The implication is these apparatchiks are my overlords
They get sweetheart labor contracts. They are living charmed lives and you are paying the taxes for this bs. I resent paying taxes for these people and like Frantzie said these police and fireman and teachers retirement contracts are bankrupting California towns and cities
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