the firehouse scene...the firehouse scene -december 2003 2 house burn photos by sheryl drost...

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THE FIREHOUSE SCENE AA mmoonntthhllyy ppuubblliiccaattiioonn ooff tthhee

Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection District Chief Oscar Presley

Vol. 9 No 12 www.harlemroscoefire.com December 2003

INSIDE:

• Firefighters burn in downpour...…......…....p. 2 • Basement Fire …………………......….......p 3 • Oscar Predicts…….………… ...….….…..p. 4 • Keep the Wreath Red……..……..….......…p. 5 • Accidents…………….……….……..….….p. 8 • Christmas Happenings……………...……..p. 11 • Station Gossip..…………….………………p.12

House Burn

December 9, the two-story house on the corner of Hamborg Road and Elevator Road came down in a ball of fire. The training burn was planned, but the rain storm that night sure wasn’t. ….see pg.2 for more details

Photo by Sheryl Drost

Photo by Sheryl Drost

The Firehouse Scene -December 2003

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House Burn Photos by Sheryl Drost

Harlem-Roscoe Fire’s Tuesday night training burn December 9 was almost cancelled when a thunderstorm rolled through. But a little rain wasn’t going to dampen the planned drill. So, in pouring rain, the two-story house and a couple of corn crib barns on the corner of Hamborg Road and Elevator Road were burned to the ground. Water supply was an obstacle with no hydrants in the area. Water was shuttled in using the department’s two 3,000 gallon super tankers, a couple 1,000 gallon pumpers, and mutual aid from Rockton Fire and Town of Turtle Fire with a tanker each. So along with a great water shuttle training, several new firefighters honed their fire suppression skills protecting power lines and neighboring homes with regular hose lines and monitor water guns. After waiting months for an E.P.A. permit to burn, the house was burned down to make way for the subdivision that is being built around the property. Hopefully within the month the department’s training burn tower will be finished and the firefighters will be able to do live burn drills there.

L-r Captain Mike Drost, Deputy Chief Richard Schoonover, Captain Tim Schrader and Dan Borchardt set up for the next tanker as Scott Johnson engineers Engine/pumper 704.

A Town of Turtle Firefighter empties his tanker into the folding tank.

A Rockton firefighter empties his tanker into the folding tanks.

Firefighters took turns working the hose lines protecting exposures.

Even though the nearest homes were across Hamborg Road, a curtain of water was put up to keep the flames and heat from causing any damage.

Marty Green engineered the truck used as the main attack truck – Engine/pumper 701. In this picture you can see how the rain was really pouring down.

After the house was on the ground, a small corn crib barn (left) and another small barn that had already collapsed were burned.


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Basement Fire Photos by Sheryl Drost

December 2, Harlem-Roscoe Firefighters responded to 244 Teakwood Rd. for a possible house fire. The resident reported the house was filling with smoke and that he was evacuating. Engine 701 arrived and the crew quickly found that a small fire in the basement could be extinguished with fire extinguishers, and no water was sprayed. A positive pressure fan was set up then to rid the home of smoke. The investigation team went to work then and Captain Mike Drost reports that rags used in some furniture refinishing the homeowner was doing in the basement are the likely culprit.

A positive pressure fan is set up to rid the home of smoke.

Hose line is re-racked on Engine 701. The hose had been pulled and readied, but was not needed. Basement Escape and Rescue Openings Story by Debbie Rykowski

Have you ever been at a party at a friend or family members “finished” basement with people having fun and playing games, maybe smoking – perhaps some beautiful glowing candles as holiday decoration or lit on a birthday cake? Have you ever thought about what you would do if in fact there was a fire in that room with 12-15 people panicking to get out, or worse yet – a fire in the house above your heads that would get a big advance start before you even realized it was occurring, possibly preventing you or your loved ones from getting out of the house? Unfortunately, people usually do not think of these things until there is a fire – and in America, most change comes from fires after they occur.

The Winnebago County Building Code requires that all basements with habitable space and every sleeping room shall have at least one open able emergency escape and rescue window or exterior door opening for emergency escape and rescue. Listed below are code requirements from the Winnebago County Building Codes: 1. Where openings are provided as a means of escape and

rescue, they shall have a sill height of not more than 44” above the floor.

2. All emergency escape and rescue openings shall have a minimum net clear opening of 5.7 square feet.

3. The minimum net clear opening height shall be 24”. 4. Emergency escape and rescue openings shall be operational

from the inside of the room without the use of keys or tools. Window wells required for emergency escape and rescue shall have horizontal dimensions that allow the door or window of the emergency escape and rescue opening to be fully opened. The horizontal dimensions of the window well shall provide a minimum net clear area of 9 square feet with a minimum projection and width of 36”. Window wells with a vertical depth greater than 44” below the adjacent ground level shall be equipped with a permanently affixed ladder or steps usable with the window in the fully open position. Ladders or rungs shall have an inside width of at least 12”, shall project at least 3” from the wall and shall be spaced not more than 18” on center vertically for the full height of the window well. Homeowners are allowed to place bars, grills, covers, screens or similar devices over emergency escape and rescue openings provided such devices are releasable or removable from the inside without the use of key, tool or force greater than that which is required for normal operation of the escape and rescue opening. The above information was obtained from the Winnebago County Building Code, Section R310.1. In researching this article, I spoke with Winnebago County Inspector Urbanowitz who was very helpful and I would like to thank him for his assistance. When considering a building or remodeling project, please try to keep the above information in mind if you are planning on having sleeping quarters or a family room or game room in your basement area. Planning ahead can save the life of you or your family today! General Contractors are able to install escape and rescue openings in both new and old construction. Many new homes are installing window wells that have stairs incorporated directly into them for emergency situations. If the home you are in does have an emergency escape and rescue opening, practice opening the window and getting out – before an emergency happens. Be sure to inspect your window monthly to be sure it is functional. The window and well area should be clear of debris that may prevent the opening of the window in an emergency. Have your children practice getting out of the window, be sure that they are able to open the emergency escape opening and climb out to safety. When practicing your “Exit Drills In The Home” this would be a great time to have family members practice getting out of the window in an emergency to be sure everyone knows how to open the window and climb to safety, and then of course – go to your designated meeting place. As firefighters we need to be mindful of the many ways people are remodeling their homes to incorporate more living and sleeping areas for their family. When doing size-up on a house fire or basement fire – look for escape and rescue openings and window well escape windows, this could be a good indication there is someone sleeping in this area that may need your rescue assistance. Window well escape windows can also provide an emergency exit for you, the firefighter, and become your emergency escape route in the event of you becoming trapped in a basement as well!


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Frozen Pipe Bursts Photo by Sheryl Drost

Early morning November 9, Harlem-Roscoe Fire responded to a broken water pipe at 407 Morning Cloak St. at an apartment building under construction. The freezing temperatures that morning caused a water pipe in the building to freeze and burst. Left, Dave Doyle and Captain Mike Drost quickly had the water shut off at the street as dispatch contacted the builder.

Chimney Fire Photo by Sheryl Drost

Jim Daughenbaugh and Jon Pyzynski check the chimney from the top.

November 28, firefighters responded to 11606 Edgemere Terrace for a report of a chimney fire. The homeowner reported to first in units that he thought the fire was out. The roof was laddered and the chimney was checked from top to bottom. It seems the homeowner had started a fire in his fireplace and the creosote buildup in the chimney caught fire and luckily burned out quickly

Note: Will Oscar be right on again this year? Help us keep count. Any snow counts that a dog or cat can leave prints in.

You Can Prevent Fireplace Fires!

1. Have your fireplaces cleaned and inspected! 2. Make sure your fireplace chimney has been

properly installed. Check that there is the manufacturers recommended clearance from the chimney and any structural members and insulation. Don't forget where the chimney meets the roof in the attic. Also, check for metal fatigue.

3. Install smoke detectors on every level of your house. Don't forget your attic because electrical and chimney fires can burn unnoticed up there.

4. Do not burn wood in fireplace inserts that are designed for gas burning logs.

5. Never burn wrapping paper or cardboard etc. in any fireplace because they burn fast & too hot.

6. Always make sure your flue is open and functioning before starting a fire.

7. Be sure to clean out your fireplace regularly and keep it free from accumulating ash.

8. Always keep your safety screen closed while burning wood. As wood dries as it is burning it can snap and pop and a hot ember may "jump" out of the fire box and land on surrounding carpet, decorations, people, etc.

9. Maintain a 2' safety clearance around the fire box opening, do not have combustible items stored in this area.

10. Do not allow children or pets to play near the fireplace opening, accidental falls into the fireplace hearth or fire box area may cause burn or blunt trauma injuries.

11. Never leave a burning fireplace unattended with small children and pets in the area. Children and pets are curious and may try to imitate mom or dad sticking wood on the pile or a pet may stick their nose in accidentally.

12. Be sure to have a working fire extinguisher in the room of the fireplace.

13. If you notice soot on the face of the fire box or dripping onto the floor of your fireplace - do not use the fireplace, call immediately and have it cleaned and inspected by a professional.

14. Always remember - if a fire does start outside of the fire box or smoke begins to fill the room - try to extinguish a small fire yourself, while having another family member call 9-1-1 and get the Fire Department on its way and get your family out of the house. Fire spreads very quickly, the important thing is to get you and your family out of the house and call 9-1-1 immediately.

15. And most importantly - never, leave a fireplace burning, either gas or wood, when you leave the house. Always be sure the fire is out completely before leaving your home.

Oscar Predicts…

17 Snowfalls

(15 left as of 12/10)


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Harlem-Roscoe Fire personnel: The Holiday season is upon us again. A whole year has passed, giving us much to pause and remember what has happened and what we have accomplished this past year. We’ve had many occasions to assist those in need of help during emergencies and times of stressful situations. And I believe you have all made a difference in the outcome. Now let’s all enter the Christmas season by bringing in the beauty of the season. By giving those who need it, a little help, and smiles to remember us by. Now let’s pause to be thankful of our good fortune, wonderful families, and all our good friends here at the department. Hoping you have a great holiday this year, Thanks again for all you’ve been and what you’ve done Chief Oscar Presley Keep the Wreath Red! Story by Deb Rykowski, Photos by Sheryl Drost

December 1, the Harlem-Roscoe Fire Department started the “Keep the Wreath Red” fire safety campaign. Each of the Harlem-Roscoe Fire Stations now has a large holiday wreath on the building, lit with red bulbs. If there are no holiday-related fires, the wreath remains red. If there are any fires which occur during the

holiday season, the red bulb is replaced with a white one. By looking at the wreaths, the community will be able to see how “fire safe” Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection District residents have been. This program will run from December 1 through January 2.

The Harlem-Roscoe Fire Department personnel urge you to follow some of the simple safety guidelines listed below to help promote a safe holiday season:

If you must have a real tree, be sure to check for freshness, some trees are cut months in advance and are already too dry on the tree lot.

Cut off about 2” of the trunk of the tree when you get home to improve water absorption and keep the tree fresher longer.

Keep your freshly cut real tree watered at all times. Place your Christmas tree away from any open flame or

heating devices. If your real tree feels like it is getting too dry, do not turn on

your decorative lights and take the tree out of your home for the safety of you and your family.

Use only UL (Underwriters Laboratory) tested decorative lighting.

Do not overload extension cords. Check your decorative lighting cords for frays, broken

spots, bare wires or cracks and discard if you find any imperfections.

Do not run electrical cords under carpets, rugs or heavy furniture.

Make sure you have a working smoke detector on every floor of your home and in all bedrooms by testing them monthly.

Never leave home with your holiday lights on. Use caution with holiday candles, fragrance burners, etc.

never leaves them burning unattended or near flammables. Place candles where they cannot be knocked down or blown

over by children or pets. Remember, a flickering flame is a fascination to a child –

keep candles out of their reach. Never burn wrapping paper, evergreen branches or

Christmas trees in your fireplace. Never leave your home while your fireplace is burning. Never allow horseplay or leave children or pets unattended

in and around your fireplace. Always keep a working ABC fire extinguisher in your home

for emergencies. Plan and practice a fire emergency exit drill and be sure all

family members know the plan. Call 9-1-1 for an emergency.

Fire safety does not take a holiday, but it can ruin your holiday. Taking precautions can enable you and your family to celebrate a fire safe holiday season! The members of the Harlem-Roscoe Fire Department urge you to practice fire safety every day and want to wish you and yours a happy and safe holiday season and remember to – Keep the Wreath Red!

A big thank you to Ron Klaman above for setting up the three wreaths with lights and to Joe Quast for making the three stands the wreaths are on.


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False Alarm Photo by Sheryl Drost

Firefighters responded twice this month to the Ledges Stables on Love Road for commercial fire alarm. Luckily both times they were false alarms. New Minipumper Arrives Photo by Sheryl Drost

Harlem-Roscoe Fire’s new minipumper - 762 finally arrived on December 2. A couple months late, but it’s here. It is a 2003 4x4 Ford F-550 truck with crew cab that will seat 4. It has a 6.0L V-8 OHV direct diesel injection 32 valve intercooled turbo diesel engine. It also has a 130 amp dual alternator, 750 amp battery with dual batteries, a 5k generator mounted under the hood, and 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive. It has a 350 gallon tank, a 1600 Series foam system installed in the pumping system, and a 500 gpm pump And a special feature this minipumper has is a variable stream remote controlled monitor water and foam nozzle located on the front bumper that can pump 39 – 90 gpm of pressure. It has two electronically controlled spray nozzles mounted on the front bumper and it will carry an extension ladder, tools for extrication and stabilization, gas and co monitor tools, an AED, and scene light spotlights. 762 is a quick response vehicle for accidents on the highways, brush fires, dumpster fires, etc. The new minipumper will run out of Station Two after it is completely checked over and stocked.

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Attitude

Our attitude toward the world around us depends upon what we are ourselves. If we are selfish, we will be suspicious of others. If we are of a generous nature, we will be likely to be more trustful. If we are quite honest with ourselves, we won’t always be anticipating deceit in others. If we are inclined to be fair, we won’t feel that we are being cheated. In a sense, looking at the people around you is like looking in the mirror. You see a reflection of yourself.

Construction Continues… Photos by Sheryl Drost & Chief Oscar Presley

The new training burn tower continues to move along as you can see below. You can also follow the progression on the department’s website, www.harlemroscoefire.com….just check out station three area on the website.

November 15

November 21

December 4


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HHaappppyy BBiirrtthhddaayy!!

John Presley “40th”

January 17th

Gone, but not forgotten

Some people come into our lives, And quickly go. Some stay a while,

And leave footprints in our hearts. And we are never, ever the same.

• Guy Shelley, step-father to Kris Cosme, passed away Nov. 22.

• 81-year-old Carl Stokes, grandfather to Paul Stanphill passed away December 3.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Kris and Paul and their families.

Ladder Testing

Angus Smith from Diversified Inspections spent the day at Station One December 10, inspecting all the department’s ladders.

Website Update www.harlemroscoefire.com Please note that the department’s newsletter – The Firehouse Scene - is uploaded to the department’s website the second Sunday of each month. We are also updating and adding pictures as things happen. Check the Station #3 area for construction pictures of the new burn tower as it goes up. Check back often you just never know what you are going to find. Please forward any corrections, additions, or ideas to Sheryl at [email protected].

In Appreciation

Matt Bush (right) presents Chief Oscar Presley with an Appreciation Plaque. The plaque thanks the Harlem-Roscoe Fire Department for their help with the Roscoe Rockton Football League New Doors for Station #3

Workers from Opening Systems installed new entrance doors at Station Three this month. Nextel Visit

L-r Chief Oscar Presley, Northwest Fire Trustee Richard Haug, & Andy Sneed from the Winnebago Co. Sheriff’s Office meet with a representative from Nextel to go over possible wireless communications.

Welcome Home

Please note: Let us know if you know of a serviceperson that is home from Iraq and we will put their name on the sign at Station One like we did for Ken Lukowski. Call -815-623-7867

Birthdays

December

11th Nick Jupin ‘21st’ 12th Tracy Krause 13th Nick Jackson ‘21st’ 19th Shirley Schoonover 26th Ron Klaman

January

3rd Jimmy Johnson 5th Matt Bush 7th Scott Johnson 17th John Presley ‘40th’ 21st Ray Pytlarz 28th Chad Radke 31st Mark Soppe

Total Calls

Nov. 2003

Medicals - 84 916 Accidents - 16 162 Fires - 6 187 Misc. - 15 180 Total 121 1445

January Breakfast Crew Mike Pierson, Steve Pomahac, Chuck Poveromo, Mike Powell,

& John Presley

The Firehouse Scene is a monthly newsletter produced by the Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection District. The paper is written and assembled by Photographer Sheryl Drost, edited by Chief Oscar Presley, and printed by Premier Printing in Machesney Park. The newsletter is available at Station One - 10544 Main Street in Roscoe and on the department’s website wwwharlemroscoefire.com after the second Sunday of each month.


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Accidents Photos by Sheryl Drost & Chief Oscar Presley

11/08/03 Belvidere Road & Hwy 173 11/12/03 8317 Prairie Hill Road 11/25/03 Hwy 251

11/13/03 Prairie Hill Road & Willowbrook Road 11/13/03 825 Ralston Road

11/13/03 825 Ralston Road 11/21/03 Hwy 173

11/21/03 Prairie Hill & Willowbrook Road 12/10/03 West Gate Road

. 11/28/03 Forest Hills & West Lane 12/04/03 2264 E. Rockton Rd.


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Rescue Equipment Training

November 25, a representative from Air Shores gave a presentation on using our shoring equipment. Certificates Awarded

Left, Jill Evans received her Firefighter II, Hazmat Awareness, & Technical Awareness Certificates. Right, Aaron Miller received his Instructor One Certificate. Congratulations and Good Job Jill & Aaron! Certificates of Appreciation

Harlem-Roscoe Fire Chief Oscar Presley and Fire Prevention Lt. Bill Sabin pose with left Dustin Bergeron and right Savannah Bergeron.

December 4th, Harlem-Roscoe Fire Chief Oscar Presley and Fire Prevention Lt. Bill Sabin made a special trip to Stone Creek School. There they presented 2nd grade Savannah Bergeron and

her 4th grade brother Dustin Bergeron with Certificates of Recognition from the Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection District. The duo was recognized for responding correctly to an emergency last month when their baby sister pulled a hot cup of coffee on herself. Dustin called 9-1-1 and gave all the information correctly as Savannah helped her dad with running to get wet cloths to cool the burn until the fire department arrived. "I'm very proud of Dustin and Savannah and the department wanted to recognize their actions" said Chief Presley, and adds, "It's always great to see the Fire Prevention Safety training that we teach the kids work."

CPR Certified

Roscoe Middle School Teacher Mrs. Terry Hausvik, above left, who is a licensed CPR teacher, was very proud that 162 of her 187 PE students had passed the adult CPR/AED Class so she held a special ceremony on December 5 to honor their achievement. Parents and students watched as Harlem-Roscoe Fire Chief Oscar Presley and RMS Principal Marian Crosby (above right) called each student's name and then as Harlem-Roscoe Fire Prevention Lt. Bill Sabin and Kinnikinnick School Board President Jeff Lightfoot presented the student with their Adult CPR/AED card and certificate.

Lt. Bill Sabin and Board President Jeff Lightfoot present student Kristin Lewis with her certificate and card.

Mall Display

L-r Kris Cosme, Danny Gunderson, Tom Lake, Chief Oscar Presley, and Chaplain Jim Cole at the display the department set up at the Machesney Park Mall during an expo over the Thanksgiving Day weekend.


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Turkey Dinner a Success Photos by Sheryl Drost

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone as well as the annual Senior Turkey Dinner sponsored by the Roscoe Lions Club and hosted by Harlem-Roscoe Fire. This year’s dinner which is always held the Thursday before Thanksgiving was well attended with over 200 seniors and plenty of compliments to the chef – our own firefighter John Donovan.

Roscoe Lions Club members lined up to help serve the seniors.

The kitchen crew put in a hard days work serving the dinners. L-r, Kim Schrader, Mike Sherbon, John Donovan, Lt. John Bergeron, Keith Lincoln, & Captain Mike Drost.

Chief Presley jokes with some of the seniors.

Betty Alexander, Sheryl Drost, and Dean Presley made over 170 turkeys out of cookies for the dinner.

Grandpa is my name, Spoiling is my game.

Harlem-Roscoe Trustee Jerry Ocker pretends to get a ride from his grandson James in the minipumper 761.

Loren Brown brought his little grandson in to see the fire trucks. His grandson missed the day when his preschool class made a visit to the station and he was very upset. So grandpa came to the rescue and brought him down to the station.

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Your physical condition can best be judged from what you take two of at a time – stairs or pills.

****************************** Donation

L-r Extrication team members Jim Daughenbaugh, Ramona Baldoni, Aaron Miller, Lt. Bob Hamilton, & Jeff Morris gratefully accept a donation from Donny Ball. Donny’s donation will help with travel plans for the team’s trip to the National competition.


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Christmas Happenings

This year the Christmas float participated in Loves Park’s Lighted Parade where the firefighter reindeer float pulled Santa and won the Best Community Float. Then it was in Beloit’s lighted Parade where they also pulled Santa. Next they pulled Santa to the lighting of the lighted displays at Riverside Park, and finally December 6 the float was in Rockton’s Lighted Parade. Parade Chairman Joe Quast said he could have had a little more help; he even had to coerce his wife Jane to help in the Beloit parade.

L-r April Cooper, Dan Borchardt, Tom Lake, Mike Pierson & Jackie Soppe made some mighty cute reindeer!

Dan Borchardt waves as he walks next to the sleigh with a couple of children riders as it made it’s way through the Rockton parade.

The fire truck float became the mainstay of this year’s lighted display and can be seen lit up nightly at Riverside Park.

Breakfast With Santa

A big thank you to Deb Alms (left) for putting together another great ‘Breakfast with Santa’ for the department’s children on December 5. With a full tummy of delicious eggs, sausage, and hash browns, the kids enjoyed drawing with the one and only Mr. Mustache. Then Santa arrived on a fire truck and handed out presents to one and all.

Left, Mr. Mustache was a big hit with the kids as you can see right, little Sabrina Morrison helping her daddy Mike draw.

There were big smiles from many of the kids like Austin Miller left, and there were still a few little ones like Emmy Morgan right, that weren’t very happy to see Santa.

Everyone got to have their picture taken with Santa in front of the fire truck.


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Station Funnies

You just never know

What goes on at the firehouse!

Hey Kirk,

What does a polar bear say?

How many fire ghosts can you see?

I count 9

Station Gossip

• Rumor has it Virgil Johnson has been seen sneaking around Station One. Good to hear he is up and moving around after his heart surgery.

• Good to hear Chuck Poveromo is recovering well from his shoulder surgery. Chuck will also be leaving us for the warm state of Florida in January after he retires from UPS. Chuck we are all going to miss you.

• The 2004 Fire Calendars are in. See the Chief for some. • You will notice there is one white light on the wreaths so far.

Luckily, it was a small fire – in a basement on December 2. Let’s all be careful and make it through the rest of the Christmas holiday without another fire.

• A couple of us had a little too much fun at the training burn during the downpour. Neil got a 10 for his flip into the folding tank when Nikia cranked up the pressure on the hose line just a little too much. Then Lt. Ball could have used hip waders when the puddle he waded into was a lot deeper than he thought.

• Ok, a note to the new guys from the photographer…..Please don’t turn to smile or pose for the camera, or try to move to get in a picture. And just a note for future reference - if you aren’t doing anything at the moment, it makes a better picture if you all look like you are. ☺

• I think it took the shift crew a whole day to clean the mud and clay out of the trucks, stations, and hoses the next day after the training burn.

• Hey Pierson, heard a funny thing the other day. Someone was telling me they saw you stalled at the stoplight a block from the station. Bummer…

• The other day Oscar was driving down the Tollway and his cell phone rang. Answering it he heard his wife’s voice urgently warning him, "Oscar, I just heard on the news that there's a car going the wrong way on I-90. Please be careful!" "Heck," Oscar told her, "It's not just one car. It's hundreds of them!"

• Goodness gracious we are in a baby boom. There are now 5 babies due to Harlem-Roscoe firefighters. Let me know if I missed anyone.

• Congratulations Captain Kirk Wilson and Tracy Krause on your engagement.

• A special thanks to Joe Quast this month for his work with the Christmas float, the lighted display, and for his special part he played in the children’s Christmas party. Joe you were great.

• Let it snow, let it snow; let it snow…..Please!

Two elderly women were out driving in a large car - both could barely see over the dashboard. As they were cruising along, they came to an intersection. The stoplight was red, but they just went on through. The woman in the passenger seat thought to herself, "I must be losing it. I could have sworn we just went through a red light". After a few more minutes, they came to another intersection and the light was red again. Again, they went right through. The woman in the passenger seat was almost sure that the light had been red but was really concerned that she was losing it. She was getting nervous and decided to pay very close attention to the road and the next intersection. At the next intersection, sure enough, the light was red and they went on through. So, she turned to the other woman and said, "Mildred, did you know that we just ran through three red lights in a row? You could have killed us both!" Mildred turned to her and said, "Oh, am I driving?"

the firehouse scene...the firehouse scene -december 2003 2 house burn photos by sheryl drost...

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