Fighting more than flames; fire crews happy to serve in Vacaville

You know, the ones who run into burning buildings to save the family dog and emerge from the flames, Fido in hand, as the roof comes crashing down behind them -- those guys? While many have heroic, shining moments, the actual everyday life of firefighters that doesn't make the headlines often goes overlooked -- but is no less important.

It all starts at 8 a.m. with the changing of the guard.

On in 24-hour shifts, Vacaville firefighters arrive at their home away from home bright and early to relieve those working the previous shift.

And on a recent Thursday at the corner of Nut Tree Road and Ulatis Drive in Vacaville, it was no different as Capt. Phil Sanner, Ryan Purnell, Grant Tokiwa, Stewart Balderama and Clark Guglielmoni arrived to kick off "B Shift" at Station 72.

Gathered around the table, the day usually begins with morning muster, with the crew going over the game plan for the day -- it's a regular ritual that can include everything from safety inspections at local schools or businesses to cleaning the bathroom, washing the windows or buying aluminum foil. After all, they have to do their own shopping.

With firefighters spending an estimated 33 percent of their lives on the job and at the station, it really becomes "a family," according to Purnell, and they are quick to learn each other's habits and quirks.

After the day is mapped out, the crew begins its daily series of checks.

Hoses of all sizes, the brakes on the engine, bags of medical equipment, the epinephrine in each bag, it's all got to be checked. Each person is responsible for a specific aspect, with the engineer seeing to the truck or engine and the paramedic tending to medical supplies to ensure everything is ready to go for whatever emergency they might encounter.

After inspections are complete, the crew usually tries to squeeze in a trip to the gym -- something they are also required to pay for out of their own pocket and that Sanner insists has significantly cut down on city expenses stemming from workers comp injuries.

Armed with radios, they march into their respective gyms which are determined by proximity to whatever station they are working from. However, according to Purnell, they are usually lucky if they can fit in their allotted one-hour workout before receiving a call.

The second a call does come, they drop what they are doing and are out the door and on the way -- usually in less than a minute and less than 90 seconds in the middle of the night.

From lift assists for a fallen senior citizen to drug overdoses, traffic accidents and everything in between, every day offers something different.

"We never know what's next," Sanner said. "Electrician, plumber, psychologist, social worker -- it keeps it interesting."

Purnell agreed noting, "It's always a learning process. You learn something new every day."

Shifts usually include a drill of some kind, with the captain coming up with a scenario of ladders and hose lays to be executed. As soon as the drill is completed, they have the task of returning the maze of hoses to their carefully folded piles atop the engine.

At some point, a trip to the grocery store is inevitable and each member chips in around $10 at the beginning of the shift to be put toward buying food for lunch, dinner and breakfast the following morning.

The adventure usually begins the second they pull into the parking lot; for those who normally find parking a Honda a stressful ordeal, try doing it in a fire engine.

Once this is completed, the trick becomes getting through the store -- and checkout line -- before the next call comes.

Purnell said it isn't at all unusual for a firefighter to have a cart full of groceries and then have the radio summon them to some kind of emergency, leaving the fully-stocked cart behind. Fortunately, he added, the fire department has an arrangement with local merchants and in such situations, they take the cart to the refrigerated area in the back and save it for them until they return.

"This city's great," he said. "They take good care of us and in return we like to take good care of them."

Care for the city and those in it is a common theme for those in the Vacaville Fire Department.

"I think the best part and for me the thing I get out of it is the impact we have on peoples' lives," Sanner said. "And it's usually a positive impact. I think that's the more rewarding part."

"It's not always about the headline-making fires. It's the things we do day in and day out. Night in and night out," Sanner said.