Tuesday, November 29, 2005

After getting up outrageously early (for me) two days in a row, I slept in late this morning. I cleaned up and packed up the car by around 8:30 and went next door to get a take-out breakfast. After eating breakfast in bed, I checked out around 9AM. I had forgotten that I would lose an hour between Murfreesboro and Chattanooga.

By the way- I did hear Murfreesboro FD a couple of times overnight. I had the right frequency. The frequency of their transmissions however, was few and far between. The sun was shining brightly as I departed Murfreesboro. It was a cool 40 or so degrees. I got back on I-24. The local law enforcement community had set up at least four speed traps with SUV’s southeast of Murfreesboro. I didn’t see anybody pulled over though.

It was a nice drive into Chattanooga. It was partly cloudy there. You get some spectacular views of the city traveling along I-24 to meet up with I-75. Chattanooga is very hilly in certain areas. I got on I-75 around 11:00AM. I had about 80 miles to go until I got into the northern suburbs of Atlanta.

I arrived in the Marietta area around 12:30 and stopped at MFD Station 6 (Cobb County #56). I met the nicest firefighter there who showed me around and told me that I should stop at Station 1 (51) to see their Fire Museum. He pulled out the Engine and HazMat Unit so I could get photos and gave me directions to get into Station 1 without fighting traffic.

When I got to Station 1, I couldn’t find anybody around. The doors were all open and I pushed the intercom button outside the main door. No answer. Then I proceeded to knock on quite a few doors before I got anybody’s attention. I met some really neat firefighters there that pulled out the Engine, Truck and Rescue and then took me into their very nice museum.

Station 1 was built back in the late 60s or so. In the late 90s the station was completely remodeled and they added a large apparatus bay for a museum. The money they spent on the rigs is unbelievable. The city gets some funds for tourism and they spend a ton on the museum and restoring the apparatus. They spend $100,000 alone just restoring a 1879 Silsby steamer! But does it look impressive.

They have a pristine 1921 ALF pumper, a 1929 Seagrave (not yet restored), a 1949 Pirsch aerial ladder and a 1952 Chevrolet Squad to go along with the Silsby steamer. All are perfectly restored (save the Seagrave) and probably look as good as the day they were delivered. I spent more time than I should have looking around and getting ideas. They had the perfect display unit that we need at our museum for displaying fire patches.

I finally got out of there around 3:00 and decided to check into a motel before it got too late in the day. I checked into a Red Roof Inn that I’ve stayed at before about 15 miles north of downtown Atlanta, just off I-75 in Cobb County. The Cobb County FD is very busy. They have 27 of their own stations and dispatch for Marietta (6 sta’s) and Smyrna (4 sta’s). There are no borders for FD runs here. The closest companies respond everywhere in Cobb County. After checking into the motel, I headed to Marietta Station 2 (52). When I got to where it was located on the map, it was nowhere to be found. I headed to nearby Station 4 and got temporarily lost. I eventually found my way to the station. I got a photo of their Engine and directions to the correct location for Stations 2 (52) and 3 (53). I headed back to Station 2 as it was closer.

All the apparatus was parked out on the front apron of the station as the spare Medic unit had a flat tire and they used the air system in the truck to repair it. I got photos of the Engine, the Truck and the Reserve Rescue. The sun was getting pretty low by this time and I decided to call it a day and picked up some food on the way back to the motel.

It got up to 60 degrees here today. It was very nice to get rid of my jacket. There are still late fall colors here- nice reds and yellows. Tomorrow morning I will check out of this motel and take a slow drive south and west through Fulton County. As of yet, I have not visited any southern Fulton County Stations. I visited three Fulton County Stations located on the north side of Atlanta this last spring.

Then tomorrow night I’ll stay on the south side of Atlanta in Clayton County near I-75. That way I can make a quick exit out of the area Thursday morning. Thursday night I’ll be in the Tampa area and Friday morning I pick up Karyle at the Tampa Airport.

I’m monitoring Atlanta right now as they are giving out a run to 1014 Oakland Drive for E17-7-25-4-PE*20, Lad 25-16-17, Squad 4, some “customer service unit” and Bn’s 4-5 for a fire reported in an auto body shop. After sending all that apparatus, it turned out to be a crank call from a pay phone. (*- Paramedic Engine)

I haven’t heard any fires since I got into town, but DeKalb County FD is not coming in here at the motel. Must be too far south and east of here. They are SE of Atlanta and really busy. I just saw a fire on TV overnight in De Kalb that burned the roof off a very large home. I am also monitoring Fulton County, including both the Cities of Roswell and Alpharette (both in the northern Fulton County).

That’s it for today.

Your comfortable roving reporter.