The most dramatic images of firefighters often depict them emerging from a building engulfed in flames, a person draped across their arms, or making their way down a ladder high in the air, a child held tightly to their chest.
Rescues from burning buildings happen, but are rare. In fact, firefighters with the Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District more commonly conduct water rescues, having averaged nearly three per week this spring and summer.
Captain Jeffrey Frye, one of 47 of the district’s firefighters qualified in water rescue, said at some of the stations, like Station 29 in Knights Ferry where he works, firefighters respond to more water rescues than structure or brush fires.