I Don't Like to be Idle....

I hate to be idle. I am not the type of person to just do nothing….I always have to be doing something. I am sure there is a name for someone who hates to be idle, but I don’t know what it is. Yesterday after work, I went home, got my mower and mowed two lawns. Fortunately, it was not as hot (middle 90’s), so it wasn’t so bad. Either way, though, it was still hot. I got home at around 6:30 pm, ready to eat. My wife cooked a wonderful meal of fried boneless chicken breast, mashed potatoes, green beans and baked beans…..and…….sweet tea. It was delicious. While I ate, I checked out my FB page and listened to my scanner on my laptop. While listening, I heard a report of a grass fire at SW 44 and Newcastle Rd. Even though I was tired from mowing, I considered responding to it. Right as I was finishing my meal, the incident commander called for traffic control. Out the door I went………

Here is the report I submitted to the REACT Board of Directors.....


On 6-21-11, at around 18:45, I was at home, eating supper and listening to the fire calls, when I heard a call about a grass fire at SW 44 & Newcastle Rd. Within minutes after the first units arrived, they called in more brush pumpers. I continued to listen, not planning on responding…..until OCFD started asking for traffic control. I left the house, contact Unit 768 (advised him of my disposition) and arrived on the fire scene at around 17:10. I found the incident commander and told him who I was and asked if he needed my assistance blocking off traffic. He directed me to block west bound traffic at SW 44 & Newcastle Rd, so I parked my truck across the west bound lane, put on my reflective vest, grabbed my hand-held UHF radio and diverted all traffic. OCPD was at the other end of the fire blocking east bound traffic. After realizing I could use some help, I contacted Tanner Owen via phone and he started to respond.

At around 17:45, I noticed that the area I had blocked off was no longer on fire and the fire engines and brush pumpers had moved further west. There was nobody to report to, so I left my post and headed west to MacArthur Blvd, where an OCPD officer was blocking the road. I pulled up next to his car, approached him and advised him I was with Central Oklahoma REACT. Of course, he had never heard of us, so I gave him a brochure. I explained I was there to assist with traffic control, if I was needed. He got on his radio and checked with other officers that were also blocking the road and they advised him they did not need any help. I thanked the officer, contacted Tanner and told him to cancel and left the scene at 17:50.

http://www.centralokreact.org/

http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/OCFD_Citizens_Fire_Academy_Alumni_Association