Fire chasing 101

My motto, "I love drama, as long as it isn't mine", was put to the test today.

BIL and I were heading to the hardware store, my new favorite place to go since BIL moved in and loves to fix things for us, when he saw a column of black smoke off in the distance.

Me, being the voyeur that I am when it comes to that sort of thing thanks to my Dad, right away turned off the road to try and find the source of the smoke. As we were weaving our way through the streets trying to find the fire, I mentioned to my BIL that it seemed to be awfully close to where my cousin lived.

Turning down a few more streets and I commented on the fact that the fire seemed to be VERY close to her house.

As we turned the corner, I was shocked and scared to see that it WAS indeed my cousins house on fire. Talk about a sick, sinking feeling in my stomach.

We pulled in just after the fire engine got there, just as her sons and daughter-in-law were running out of the house with the baby. Right away, BIL and I asked what we could do to help. We didn't know whether we needed to be pulling things out of the house or what. The front yard was filled with black smoke so they asked us to take the baby to our car to keep him away from the smokey air. Friends and neighbors were coming over to see if help was needed but the fire department had it under control. I called J as soon as I got the baby in my van and she came rushing over, ready to start pulling pictures off the walls if need be.

Turns out, it wasn't the house on fire, thank goodness. The fence along the side of the house was totally destroyed but the fire was put out before it jumped to the house. The family is spending the night in a hotel tonight because of the smoke damage inside the house.

I've always been one of those people that firefighters hate. The ones that have to rush to a fire to watch. You would think I would know better, being that I have two sons who are firefighters, but I cant help it. Its something that was ingrained in me from an early age by my Dad, the original fire truck chaser. Maybe that's the reason both my sons became firefighters. I drug them along, just like my Dad did me.

This time was no different. I wanted to "see the fire" but it became a totally different experience when I realized it was the house of a family member in danger. It was really scary. I know this wont change me. I will still start to drool when I hear fire engine sirens blasting. The urge will still pull me to find the fire when I see smoke, but I think from today on, I will have a little more respect for the fire and the people who are involved. You just never know when it could be you or yours.