Fresno Fire was established in 1877 and since then we've yet to have a firefighter death in a fire. Not even last Sunday.
Yes we've had our fair share of close calls and also a few LODD. An apparatus crash from the era of black and white photography, a firefighter who died on scene of a heart attack at the "Gemco Fire" in 1970 and a captain in 1998 who died of a heart attack in a station bathroom.
5th largest city in California, Fresno Fire is under staffed, under equipped a...
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!['I walk a line, a thin red line that few will ever understand.
It's a thin line filled with blood, sweat, heartache, pain and lots of tears.
It can be rewarding, and it can also be sadly tragic.
I walk a line where brothers and sisters stand side-by-side, arms reached over each other’s shoulders confidently assured that it’s our meaningful bond that holds this line.
That thin line can be damaged, bent, scratched, taken for granted and even forgotten about.
But that line, that thin red line is always there and will always and forever prevail.
Although it can sometimes be burnt, it will never be tore down or completely destroyed… neither by man nor nature.
It’s a thin red line that burns deep within the hearts of young and old firefighters and at some point has affected everyone’s life.
Not many will ever truly understand this line.
Few have ever walked it. Most never will.
So until you have walked a mile on that line, please empathize and don't criticize.
We walk on a line, a thin line… a thin red line.
Collaborative work by:
Captain S. Pelphrey
Salyersville Fire Department, KY
Captain Jonathan Lusk
Fresno Fire, CA
Publisher “Brotherhood of Fire”
“Brotherhood Strong”
@[187557941277871:274:Brotherhood of Fire]
Photo: Sillouted image of Firefighter is of recently critically injured Fresno Fire, CA Truck 4 Captain Pete Dern.
Please have a moment of silence, say a special prayer, or do whatever it is you do to send positive energy to Pete Dern, and to the men and women of the @[319960938364:274:Fresno City Firefighters - Local 753]
We are hurting'](https://scontent-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/p118x90/11094684_931847333515591_7443273918758597583_n.jpg?oh=759c12ee52f6c7aa2992c475ead51bcc&oe=55AB8160)
!['Fresno Fire, CA USAR - Truck 4 visiting our beloved and downed man Captain Pete Dern at Community Regional Medical Center Burn Unit
"Brotherhood Strong"
@[187557941277871:274:Brotherhood of Fire]'](https://scontent-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/p118x118/11060101_931560120210979_5479580051530563024_n.jpg?oh=f4c3cd690ae11d954c03dfdef59e5b2b&oe=55BE1069)
!['Update on my friend, mentor and HERO Fresno Fire, CA Captain Pete Dern:
Former Army Cobra Copter Pilot (PIC), 25+ year veteran of the Fresno Fire Department. Fire Captain on the USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) team.
On Sunday March 29, 2015 Fire Captain Pete Dern was leading his crew across the roof of a single-family-residential structure fire to provide vertical ventilation to remove smoke and gases and provide for the safety of the interior attack crews when a catastrophic roof collapse over the garage dropped him into the inferno.
Fellow Fresno Firefighters rescued him within minutes but sadly and unfortunately he suffered 65-75 percent burns across his body including second and third degree burns.
His most severe burns are to his hands and a full thickness burn to his left hip.
Pete is heavily sedated with enough medication to keep him pain free but not in a coma. He is intubated and breathing on a respirator. He has already undergone the first of many more surgeries to come.
The burn doctors say it will be a minimum of 4 - 6 months in the hospital. However he is still not out of the woods. The majority of the people who sustain this much burn trauma succumb to infection and do not live.
It's been an very difficult and emotional last 24+ hours.
I just got back from a hospital visit with him. He was conscious and alert but could not speak because of the breathing tube.
Pete is a dear friend and of one of the most competent, skilled and experienced firefighters I know. He's also one of the best people I know on the planet. Badass Brother with a gold heart.
The overwhelming show of support both personally and for my department from across the nation and around the world has been nothing short of humbling and reminds me once again that despite all the tragic and terrible things we encounter and endure this is still... and will ALWAYS be the best job in the world.
We love you Pete and want you restored. Long road ahead for all of us.
Our hearts, thoughts and prayers are very heavy in Fresno, CA
"Brotherhood Strong"
@[187557941277871:274:Brotherhood of Fire]
Jonathan Lusk
Captain - Fresno Fire
Publisher "Brotherhood of Fire"'](https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/p118x118/10421231_931535600213431_3790538800517463541_n.jpg?oh=15f6f89dd9d3698cd3d680cb22f9e144&oe=559ACBB0&__gda__=1436343639_ca44860f0ff2e52b7c79a6f590954a17)
!['I walk a line, a thin red line that few will ever understand.
It's a thin line filled with blood, sweat, heartache, pain and lots of tears.
It can be rewarding, and it can also be sadly tragic.
I walk a line where brothers and sisters stand side-by-side, arms reached over each other’s shoulders confidently assured that it’s our meaningful bond that holds this line.
That thin line can be damaged, bent, scratched, taken for granted and even forgotten about.
But that line, that thin red line is always there and will always and forever prevail.
Although it can sometimes be burnt, it will never be tore down or completely destroyed… neither by man nor nature.
It’s a thin red line that burns deep within the hearts of young and old firefighters and at some point has affected everyone’s life.
Not many will ever truly understand this line.
Few have ever walked it. Most never will.
So until you have walked a mile on that line, please empathize and don't criticize.
We walk on a line, a thin line… a thin red line.
Collaborative work by:
Captain S. Pelphrey
Salyersville Fire Department, KY
Captain Jonathan Lusk
Fresno Fire, CA
Publisher “Brotherhood of Fire”
“Brotherhood Strong”
@[187557941277871:274:Brotherhood of Fire]
Photo: Sillouted image of Firefighter is of recently critically injured Fresno Fire, CA Truck 4 Captain Pete Dern.
Please have a moment of silence, say a special prayer, or do whatever it is you do to send positive energy to Pete Dern, and to the men and women of the @[319960938364:274:Fresno City Firefighters - Local 753]
We are hurting'](https://scontent-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/s480x480/11094684_931847333515591_7443273918758597583_n.jpg?oh=3aedefdac0ca8076d35ec3d408ca818a&oe=55AF56E1)
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