May Incidents 2021

The near legendary yet factual stories of the perils affixed to the vocation of firefighting appeared once again, in dramatic fashion, around 2 PM on Thursday, May 6th, during an emergency response to a residential structure fire on Restlawn Drive. The first arriving firefighters from Station 36 reported visible flames and heavy smoke from the scene, with the added information of a reported occupant still inside of the dwelling heightening the urgency and overall exigency of the response. With no time to lose or to spare, firefighters immediately entered into the house, advancing the attack line and making their way in the direction of the seat of the fire while performing their primary search in order to pinpoint the location of anyone trapped inside who would be in dire need of a rescue initiative. Without discovering a single soul inside of the home, the first repsonders completed their suppression objectives and called the fire under control in less than 20 minutes but not before, unfortunately, one of the firefighters had tragically sustained injuries that would necessitate a swift transport to the UF Health Shands Burn Center in Gainesville. The fire itself was believed to have originated in the attic, with the State Fire Marshal's Office performing the requisite investigation. Command also called for the Red Cross to deliver assistance for two displaced adults. The injured firefighter represented, once again, the exceptional level of commitment and dedication routienly observed in action, and as performed daily by the men and women of the Jacksonville Fire/Rescue Department, who risk their lives in order to protect other lives and property. This aforementioned valor and selfless sacrifice is always assured even, as was the case here at the house fire on Restlawn Drive, when the dangerous incident includes only an unverified and putative account of a potentially trapped soul: our city's firefighters will, nevertheless, risk everything to ensure the safety of our citizens.