???
I could not shake the feeling that I was coming off as a demanding and impetuous bitch, if that's what you're talking about, but it's not every day that you run into someone that saw the bulge. Perhaps I could have been more supplicating, but it wears poorly.
Sorry, triforcharity, if I came across as trying to suck the life out of you. Greetings, triforcharity, pleased to meet you. I have great admiration and not a little envy for those who run towards danger. It's not my desire to dredge up any unpleasant memories, though I note you've spent quite a bit of time in this subforum, and as you said, only certain subjects are off-limits, quite understandably. Detail is desired but hardly essential. If I could distill it into three vague questions:
- Where were you when you saw the bulge?
- How long (seconds, minutes, a passing glance) did you see it?
- Did you notice it on your own, or did someone call your attention to it?
......
The burned appearance of the cars is somewhat interesting, even with a couple of acres of fire raining from the sky, but a more interesting question is why they stopped burning. Fire suppression? Burning cars came second. Haven't really looked at it closely in the video so I don't want to talk out of turn, but many of those cars look far from fully consumed and few (none?) are even smoldering. I've only seen a few cars torched in my time, but they do like to burn once started and usually go to completion without intervention.
Maybe putting them out was high priority after all, given personnel had to move through those streets. What do you think, triforcharity?
Edit: I do see, on second viewing, most were consumed. And it was probably long enough after ignition for them to burn out completely. Still, there are quite a few pictures floating around showing cars partially consumed or with only scorch marks. I have to imagine streets full of burning cars is an impediment to rescue operations.
First, you did not come across as abrasive or a bitch, so its ok.
Secondly, to address some of your previous questions.
I cannot recall exactly what time of day it was when I waas by WTC 7. I don't even think I looked at my watch untill well into the evening, when I stopped to get some food and water. I walked near WTC 7 before that time to get some water, most likely around 3-4 pm or so. I did see the noticeable bulge and contortions in the East wall, near the 12-18th floor, IIRC. I would say, just speculation mind you, that the bulge was about 2 feet or so, and nowhere near uniform. It was very wavy to describe it best. There really was no rhyme or reason to it.
I only passed by it on the north side, but just briefly, and didn't stick around long due to the fact that we all knew that WTC7 was unstable. I made a comment to another firefighter that I was with, and he said at that time they (Captains and such) had already noticed it, and had a transit set up to monitor it. Other than that, I really didn't know much more about it. But, I can tell you, that I knew that WTC7 was not going to survive the daylight. I was right. I was near it when it started going down, but only heard it, I did not actually see it. We didn't run, as we knew nobody was near it, because at that time, they had already moved everyone away.
The burned appearance of the cars is somewhat interesting, even with a couple of acres of fire raining from the sky, but a more interesting question is why they stopped burning. Fire suppression? Burning cars came second. Haven't really looked at it closely in the video so I don't want to talk out of turn, but many of those cars look far from fully consumed and few (none?) are even smoldering. I've only seen a few cars torched in my time, but they do like to burn once started and usually go to completion without intervention.
Maybe putting them out was high priority after all, given personnel had to move through those streets. What do you think, triforcharity?
Me personally, I had nothing to do with firefighting untill very late in the evening. I was not on duty that day, and had left the station late (About 8:20 or so, which is late because I usually get off much earlier) I had to wait around to finish my AARs, or After Action Reports. I left that morning, and had some errands to run, so did what I had to do. I was still in Manhattan when I heard the plane fly over (I noticed it because it was fairly low, and loud) I cannot tell you where I was when I heard that, but I can tell you that the explosion from the impact of the plane was heard all over Manhattan, and most likely even across the harbour in NJ. I have a personal radio (Handie Talkie as FDNY calls it) and heard the guys from 10 house call it into dispatch, and give a bunch of alarms and such. I knew this was going to be a long day at that very moment in time. Never did I imagine it would turn out the be a living hell.
I immeadiatly headed back to 10 house, parked my truck, and headed over to the CP that was set up. I was instructed to help the injured outside, as I was a medic at the time. My job was triage and care of the walking wounded. That was fine by me.
Anyway, as far as the cars are concerned, I personally was not involved in firefighting, as my job was search and Rescue. I know that after the collapses, the main concern was S&R. Sure, some crew most likely started firefighting operations, but, as we all know the water pressure in LM was very minimal. So we had to set up many lines to get water into the area of GZ.
But, as you can imagine, it only takes 10 minutes on average for a car to completely burn itself out. Sometimes more, sometimes less. And I can assure you, it takes quite a while to stretch lines, especially when you take into consideration that many of the trucks were totaled and burried under debris, so hose was in high demand, and low supply.
So, in conclusion, putting out cars was somewhat high priority, as exploding cars CAN pose safety issues and such. But, my crew was not concerned. All I wanted to do was find my friends.
PS. Have you watched the 9/11 movie by the Naudet Brothers?? In that, you can hear a screaching type noise. That is a PASS (Personal Alert Safety System) device. It only goes off if a firefighter says idle too long. Imagine many many of those going off, knowing that there are injured by alive firefighters in there, and you can't do a dag-gum thing about it. Like someone killing your brother, but you are tied to a lamppost.
Here is a GREAT slideshow WITH audio of a PASS device going off.
Yes, they do have issues, but I would rather have it than not. It has saved my rear a few times.
http://util.wickedlocal.com/multimedia/metrowestdailynews/firebeeper/
Listen to that sound. Some are different.
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