After dropping Alex off at school, the return to the house was a bit more interesting than is usual.
The Knightdale Bypass (I-87) was already massively jammed due to a MVC for luckily for me, the jam didn’t impede my ability to get off at the usual exit at the New Hope Road.
As I’m waiting for the light at the top of the ramp to change, one of the fire trucks dispatched from Fire Station 12 took the turn onto the ramp in impressive fashion. As in Formula 1 driver LEWIS HAMILTON would have been proud of that turn…hit the apex of the right-hander perfectly with just the right loading to those left side tyres and then gave the engine the full beans and roared down the ramp on their way to the incident.
Unfortunately, one of the fireman’s duffel bags didn’t exactly make the turn with the truck and was sitting on the road near the apex of the turn!
Of course, once a ramp rat…always a ramp rat! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a baggage cart dump a case or two on the tarmac on the ramp at MCO which is always so much fun to retrieve when you’re dodging 727s and MD-80s that are out on the taxiways. OK, it could be worse…the frequent electrical storms in MCO during the summer often requires sheltering in the cargo hold of an aluminum lightning magnet until the storm passes. Great view of the storm but nerve-wracking nonetheless when you’re thinking about being in the belly of the beast when the lightning bolts are striking all round…
So I’m pretty sure I irritated more than a few people retrieving said duffel from the top of the ramp (sorry…not sorry!) but the gents at the fire house were more than happy to see it turn up at their door as the fireman (who will mercifully remain nameless!) whose duffel it was had already radioed back that he was pretty sure it fell off the truck during the high-speed turn.
I’m sure he will be relieved that it was retrieved completely intact and returned considering that it contained his breather mask amongst other critical items that fortunately were not required for this particular call.
However there is apparently a tradition at this particular station that if your kit falls off the truck, it will be happily returned to you…once he scales the flagpole to retrieve it from the top where it will be suspended. 😉
Anyway, all the best to the members of Raleigh’s Fire Station 12…home of Engine 12 and Ladder 8. I can’t tell you how much happier I am they’re on my side of the I-440 bridge from where they used to be with the easiest access to Poole/New Hope and then onto the Rogers Lane if needed. I sleep very well knowing these consummate professionals are very close at hand and I’ve a hydrant in my front yard should they need it!
May they have a safe holiday season and very few calls for service! 🙂