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Boston Fire: We only smash through cars when we have to

Seems people are asking the Boston Fire Department why firefighters didn't just smash up that car parked next to a hydrant at the Rutland Street fire this morning, like they did in April at an East Boston fire. In this case, the location of the fire meant firefighters didn't have to put their hoses through the car, the department says:

We don't intentionally damage things.

In this case, nothing was to be gained from going through car. The only goal is to get water as quickly as possible.

Purpose of posting the photo is to remind all firefighters need access to hydrants. Help us help you when there is a fire.

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Comments

What would have happened had the firefighters left it intact, but the local folk taken things into their own hands?

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But I'd like to find out!

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Magic 8 ball says this car has a high probability of being keyed or worse in the next week or so. Owner might want to find a new place to park for awhile.

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...just how much damage a hydrant wrench can do. Accidentally, of course. Damn thing is, the law says ten feet but even three or four would be enough in a pinch. To park right on it is kind of a dick move.

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Ya that vigilante justice thing is so cool. Maybe they can murder the woman who parked there, too, or at least savagely beat up anyone they think might drive a BMW.

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"We don't intentionally damage things."

Apparently there are actually enough people in this city disappointed that the BFD didn't needlessly destroy someone's property, who also took the time to criticize them for not doing so, that they felt the need to actually release a statement to that effect. No, we don't smash people's cars just to satisfy some twisted people's desire for vigilante justice.

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It's about preventing the deaths of those in the burning house, both residents and firefighters alike. Sure, the firefighters were able to hook up and get water flowing without damaging the vehicle, but what about past and future incidents? i don't want needless property damage, but I also want people to live, and anything that slows down the work of firefighters infuriates me.

I know you're not calling out people's desire for vigilante justice when a car is legitimately blocking a hydrant and goes through the windows is a much quicker and effective solution, but it makes my blood boil that the only things I can do when I see a blocked hydrant is to call the mayor's hotline or to wait around for the owner to come back to have a discussion.

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Due to how close the car was, they weren't able to use the hydrant because the hose would be so kinked that there wouldn't be adequate water flow. However, breaking the window wouldn't have helped, because it was the body of the car blocking the hose.

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That beemer killed that hydrant. If it was needed, there are plenty of nice heavy duty emergency vehicles capable of moving that car. Sue the City for damages? Good luck with that. Parking there is, if I'm not mistaken, called 'assumption of the risk'.

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My comment regarding vigilante justice was sarcasm (obviously lost on some) aimed at a very vocal and wackadoodle minority on UH that has suggested on more than one occasion using violence to the point of great physical harm against someone they believe has in some way done them wrong, or someone they perceive has "gotten away" with some (usually hypothetical or imagined) alleged "crime." I think the BFD is in the best position, and perfectly in their right, to make the call on whether or not some dumb ass has parked his car in such a way as to prevent them from doing their job in the safest, most efficient manner. Beyond that, I think it's the BPD who should be the ones that dole out the punishment for any infractions, not some some, err, well-meaning "concerned citizen" from a random suburban town. In the mean time, we all can call the cops if we see something like the person blocking the hydrant. Do you really want the UH Vigilante Squad to key your car because they decided you parked wrong, or drive over your wife because someone proclaimed she crossed against the lights? Because that's how vigilante justice operates.

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It's actually faster for the BFD to smash two windows then snake a hose through a car, than just throw it over, around, or under the car? You gotta be kidding me.

A fire hose is what, 6-8" in diameter? It's impossible to believe they can't go over, around, or even under (although I admit that might take the longest) an ordinary car, in any circumstances.

So yes, I'm calling it all out. Unless it's an illegally parked box truck, parked bumper-to-bumper, and with no ground clearance, going through the windows seems to be entirely unnecessary. Go around it, ticket it, and maybe tow it once there's time to do so.

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How long have you been working as a firefighter?

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The angle of the hose affects the amount of pressure. Sometimes they have to break windows in order to get the right angle.
When they did smash the windows of the other Beamer, last time this happened, they actually tried to move the car and couldn't get it out of the way.

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The KKK were (are) big on vigilante justice. They, too, rely on threats and other scare tactics to persuade people to toe the line.

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They also took my baby away

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Maybe the Squad determined your stroller wasn't within the permitted dimensions, set forth and enforced by the Squad, so they confiscated baby and impounded stroller.

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this just made my day

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None of you Chowda-heads havent run the plates and posted who it belongs to.

"GAWDAMN BEEMAH OWNAS GOT NO RESPEC' KEHD."

Freudenschade is a Bostonian staple.

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Freudenschade? Isn't that the thing where all your friends posting happy stuff on FB makes you feel bad?

So in this case I guess that's the term for people being upset that the car wasn't trashed.

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Use of the system to look up plates is very much traceable and regulated.

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You mean schadenfreude?

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We are thinking, "if I did this, my car would be smashed, towed, and I would have to pay $500 in fees" , while this person probably wakes up the next morning and continues his life like nothing happened, and will not learn from this potentially dangerous event how selfish, dumb, arrogant, and evil they are.

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One of the local TV news stations reported that he went to the fire station and apologized for parking in front of the hydrant. Regardless, his arrogance to not to bother looking for a hydrant when he parked is beyond... that is if his claims of not seeing the hydrant are true.

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Owner sounds very apologetic and even went to the local fire station to apologize. Good for him, no sarcasm. Hopefully he will be more vigilant in his parking next time.

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Just saw on the news at lunch that WCVB is reporting on this too. Why the hell is the media focused so much on this guy? Surely there's more news to talk about.

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It lets their audience feel good that they're better than this guy.

A feel-good story.

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monkey do" attitude. Station XYZ is covering this story, so we need to as well. Plus, covering the same story as somebody else is easier than actually doing independent reporting and finding stories on your own.

Why do you think so many "local" stories are actually attributed to the AP?

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