普通勇气：经验教训

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这是我新发行的书《普通勇气：美国勇敢者的真实故事》的摘录，第1卷”

Mike was working as the Captain of Engine 7 when a call came in reporting a car fire in the midtown area of Jersey City. He and his crew responded and quickly extinguished the fire. As they were packing up, one of his crew members came up to him with a perplexed expression.
“帽子，看着那儿。所有的烟在哪里？”这位消防员指着一排大量的三层混合占领的大量烟雾。他们是位于繁忙地区的五个角落的商店的住宅占领。
迈克（Mike）抓住了他的广播，并称派遣在“发动机7进行派遣”，您有纽瓦克大道（Newark Avenue）进来吗？”他问。
"Yeah, we're transmitting a box for a reported building fire now Cap," the dispatcher replied.
“我们在这里结束了。我们会接受的，”迈克传播。
"Received, Engine 7." The dispatcher replied.
As the engine pulled in front of the fire building, Mike sized-up the situation. It was a three-story brick and wood constructed building with smoke and fire pushing out of two third-story rear windows. Mike gave his initial radio report to dispatch and immediately began stretching a line up the interior stairwell along with a new firefighter named John, who was also assigned to Engine 7. A third firefighter was helping the two stretch the line out to prevent the hose from getting kinked or caught up on anything. The driver, or Chauffeur as this position is often referred to in the fire service, communicated with the in-coming engine company that would be second due on the scene. The driver on that apparatus would help secure a water supply from a near-by hydrant.
“这是一块cake," Mike said to John as they approached the top of the landing.
他们正在拉伸一条干线，以使进步更快，更轻松。一旦他们找到了火，迈克就会呼吁司机为这条线充电。他认为，由于大火已经从几个后窗排出，因此热量和烟雾很小。他们要做的就是用水充电并熄灭它。其他公司正在接近现场，但是Engine 7必须独自工作以进行初步攻击。
当迈克（Mike）和约翰（John）到达顶层时，两人开始沿着狭窄的三英尺宽的走廊驶向后公寓。他们穿过双面摇摆的门，然后是另一个。每个门都在两个方向上打开。他们跪下来，但能够保持头部高，因为热量不足以迫使他们向下向下地板。这部分是因为大火在窗户上排气，部分是因为门有助于将火和元素限制在其原产地。
他们到达并打开了他们之间的最后一扇坐在他们和着火的公寓之间，只是被一个愤怒的地狱打招呼。房间完全参与其中，热量很快就在他们的顶部。由于两个人都期望这一点，所以两者都不感到震惊。迈克（Mike）指示约翰（John）退出房间并进入走廊，以便他们可以用水充电，并在房间重新进入房间。在泽西城消防局中，这是消防员在软管尽头处理喷嘴的普遍做法。船长的工作是与他一起留在他身边，并决定指导溪流。他还将与现场的其他官员进行沟通，以告知他们的进度或缺乏进度。
As the door in between them and the fire closed, they prepared for their attack. "Engine 7 driver, you can charge the line," Mike directed.
司机回答说：“收到上限，我正在收费。”
迈克和约翰为水做好了准备。他们知道，当在整个结构中以锯齿形图案剥落的干软管线被控水时，突然的潮流会以尴尬的位置将其推出。他们希望他们需要几秒钟的时间进行调整，然后才能重新打开门并攻击大火。两名消防员坐在狭窄的走廊上，就在消防室外面，等待着水的推力。火灾不耐烦地保持自己的位置时咆哮。大火的数量很大，足够强烈，可以开始通过门燃烧H ***。
该死的水在哪里？迈克（Mike）想知道，随着走廊中的温度继续升高。软管开始振动，表明水正在穿过线路。他们撑起自己，用针对门的喷嘴等着，但什么也没有发生。大火的速度比以前更快的速度吃了门，而且热量在他们的顶部努力缩减。
“打开喷嘴，”迈克呼唤约翰，期望水随时填满软管。
约翰向后拉动，完全打开喷嘴。水从软管的末端滴落到地板上，在它们前面约两英尺。大火继续进入走廊，在那里他们上演，导致迈克变得更加不耐烦。
"Engine 7 driver, increase the pressure… increase the pressure!" He called into his radio.
“我给你我应该给你的东西，上限，你有全额充电。”司机回答。
这位司机正在用他应该使用的软管的长度和直径的确切psi量抽水，但迈克几乎没有通过喷嘴滴一滴。它比软管水流更像水泉。
Without water, the two were helpless and the heat began pushing them back into what felt like a wall behind them. Smoke filled the hallway causing them to lose visibility, so Mike decided to pull back and wait for water at a safer distance. He reached behind and felt a wall on his right and on his left.
门在哪里？迈克想知道。他有点迷失方向，开始感到焦虑。他意识到门一定已经在他们身后关上，所以他伸出右臂，将手套的手的手掌上下滑动，感觉到门把手。没有一个。他用左臂重复了这一过程。没有。他想，也许这不是门，我们到底在哪里？
迈克伸手抓住软管，这样他就可以从房间里跟随它。无疑，软管线将通向敞开的门口。但是，这是一个很好的计划，但是，他很快意识到，在收费之前，秋千门已经关闭。当司机从线条上送水时，门框的底部充当夹具，阻止水经过并将门塞在关闭位置上。迈克（Mike）和约翰（John）被困在燃烧的走廊中，没有保护水。
Mike tried to push the door open but it wouldn't budge. The fire continued its rapid growth. The flames pushed John back onto Mike who was now stuck in between the firefighter and the door. Remembering that the door swung both ways, and considering that the hose on the other side of the door was full of water, Mike realized he would have to pull the door open, not push it. He frantically tried to get off the door, but the flames were only a couple of feet in front of John, who was pushing back hard on top of him. Mike was helpless and the two were burning up without the protection of water. During the struggle, his radio strap became twisted and he couldn't find his microphone to call for help.
约翰从极高的热量中尖叫。
“不要停止流水！”迈克大喊，即使他们只有最少的水流到捏合软管线上。他知道他们将需要每滴可以上火的滴。“把它放在天花板上！”他补充说，希望防止火焰与两个人直接接触。
当他们继续奋斗时，皮特·格里斯（Pete Griese）上尉和他的15号发动机的船员正在备用软管线上。他们沿着楼梯移动，迅速走下走廊，因为他们听到消防员在尖叫。当Engine 15到达两个摇摆的门中的第一个时，他们注意到它在线上已关闭。这意味着不是一个，而是我们要固定的两扇门。他们强行将门从线上推开，然后迅速向迈克和约翰迅速移动。他们走到第二扇门，可以听到另一侧被困的消防员。格里斯（Griese）也试图将那扇门推开，但他可能会在另一边感到抵抗。迈克（Mike）和约翰（John）现在正在努力进入门。充电的线被强行楔入下面，阻止了它们逃脱。
就是这个！迈克想。我们完成了！大火在天花板水平以下几英尺处滚动。感觉好像火焰在触摸他们的脸部，并缠绕着头盔。他们的空气低沉，筋疲力尽。
“我正在燃烧！”约翰尖叫。
“保持流动。不要关闭那条线！”迈克向他尖叫。他希望他们能够足够击败火，以便他可以将约翰从他身上赶下来，并允许发动机15的船员打开门。
听到他们的谈话，格里斯知道他必须做一些快速的事情，所以他用自己的一切都推向门。迈克（Mike）和约翰（John）抗拒，但格里斯（Griese）能够使门敞开，以使软管从门下方释放，并为遇险的消防员提供足够的开口，使其适合。迈克（Mike）和约翰（John）回到了15号发动机所在的走廊。两人在大厅里奔跑，尽可能快地走下楼梯，担心他们可能耗尽空气。大火获得了如此多的动力，以至于它也把格里斯和他的船员推回去。当他们所有人都到达楼梯的底部时，事件指挥官将所有人从建筑物中拉出，并过渡到防御性攻击。
Mike was shaken up after the incident. Over the next few days he analyzed what had gone wrong and contemplated how he could have prevented it. This was his closest call by far and he didn't want to find himself in that position again. After the incident, he became a walking hardware store, filling his pockets with wedge shaped wooden pieces that he would use to chock every door he walked through to prevent it from closing behind him. He began preaching the importance of such minor things like chocking doors to every firefighter who would listen. He also swore never to refer to any job as a "piece of cake" again because he had learned that the fire ground is a very aggressive, active environment that changes rapidly, and no one can predict every challenge that each job will bring.