# Calgary Fire Department is standing by ... and having a little fun **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 29, 2008, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672 "2008-09-29T04:39:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/1 "2008-09-29T04:39:23Z")
Today was a beautiful fall day in Calgary. Bright sunshine, no clouds in the sky. Not a day anybody wants to spend inside. So I couldn’t blame the fine men and women of the Calgary Fire Department for bringing their trucks and equipment to the park across the street for a little fun with a football and a frisbee. I was mowing the lawn then they pulled up–a support vehicle, a rescue truck, and a pumper. The firefighters piled out of the trucks, wearing T-shirts and shorts. After adjusting the radio to blare out over a truck’s PA system (just in case), the game was on. With lots of shouting (“Good one, Cap!” “Aw, too bad, Frank!”), and plenty of laughter, the firefighters played their game. Every now and then, I could hear the dispatcher on the amplified radio: “Pumper 36, please respond…” And the firefighters would pause just for a moment before making sure the call wasn’t for them, then return to their games. They were still on the job and I had no doubt that if they were asked to respond to a call, that they would have done so immediately. But no calls were for them, and they continued to play. I guess they were there about an hour or so before they packed up the football and the frisbee, and went on their way. But for a little while, the firefighters got the chance to play in the park on a nice fall day. Kind of nice to see. Maybe mundane and pointless, but I had to share. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/2 "2008-09-29T05:37:04Z")
I live five minutes away from you, and you keep a bunch of firemen playing frisbee in the park to yourself? I’m married, not dead, dude! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/3 "2008-09-29T05:42:36Z")
I did notify my wife. She watched for a while … for a long while. 😉 Okay, maybe I should have said, “Honey, you should call **featherlou** ,” but I got distracted by a football game on TV. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/4 "2008-09-29T14:29:57Z")
Mmmm, firefighters. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/5 "2008-09-29T15:18:02Z")
I think we need a new rule around here - firefighter threads, like cat threads, are required to include a link to photos and/or video. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/6 "2008-09-29T17:20:23Z")
I’d like to second that rule. [Here’s mine.](http://cutestwebsiteever.com/cutestuff/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/firefighter-with-dog.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/7 "2008-09-29T18:08:33Z")
I can personally attest that Toronto’s finest are, indeed, among the finest. Oh, yes. 😉 (Toronto vs. Calgary matchup?) ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/8 "2008-09-29T18:12:59Z")
> [@Kythereia](#): > > (Toronto vs. Calgary matchup?) Yes. Please! Preferably shirtless. In a mud pit. On my lawn. …I’m gonna go take a cold shower now. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/9 "2008-09-29T18:16:47Z")
When they turned on their PA system, was the song “Playing with the Boys”? ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/10 "2008-09-29T18:27:32Z")
Ooh, playful firemen. If they get bored with their own park, just send them over here, plizz. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Onimous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@Ann\_Onimous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Onimous)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/11 "2008-09-29T18:42:25Z")
> [@Mahna\_Mahna](#): > > I think we need a new rule around here - firefighter threads, like cat threads, are required to include a link to photos and/or video. And, in this case, an immediate call to nearby Dopers. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/12 "2008-09-29T18:43:07Z")
Yeah! I second that motion! ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/13 "2008-09-29T19:45:33Z")
Many years ago, I lived in Miami. Oh the glorious summer days when I got to drive down A1A past the Coral Gables Fire Department. There must be some sort of Disneyesque “they aren’t an employee, they are a performer” rule in hiring them. A metric buttload of very well built men in little red shorts washing their fire trucks. _sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/14 "2008-09-30T01:14:37Z")
> [@Juliana](#): > > And, in this case, an immediate call to nearby Dopers. 😃 Well, given that the weather for the next week is supposed to be quite nice and there’s a good chance the firefighters will be back, I’d like to let you know. But I might also suggest that you don’t want to be too conspicuous. You should, y’know, look like you have a _reason_ to be across from the park when they play. F’rinstance, I’m pretty sure my lawn will need cutting again pretty soon… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/15 "2008-09-30T04:42:11Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Yeah! I second that motion! Thirded! ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/16 "2008-09-30T05:14:29Z")
Wait a second, **Flutterby** - I’m onto **Spoons** - he’s looking for free yardwork! Very sneaky, my friend. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/17 "2008-09-30T14:48:11Z")
Well I can have an excuse to actually _be_ in the park. Velociraptor love to run around and play. Or a picnic on a sunny day would be nice. To take advantage of the last of the nice fall weather of course. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Onimous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@Ann\_Onimous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Onimous)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/18 "2008-09-30T17:52:30Z")
Hmm. Is this a good enough reason to book a plane from Mississippi to Calgary? Nah. Not worth death by hubby. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/19 "2008-09-30T23:31:35Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Wait a second, **Flutterby** - I’m onto **Spoons** - he’s looking for free yardwork! Very sneaky, my friend. Upon some discussion with my wife, I don’t think she would allow me to co-opt the labour of local (and not-so-local) Lady Dopers who want to unobtrusively watch the firefighters in the park. More likely, she’d want me to make sure there were enough chairs on the porch, and plenty of chilled Chardonnay for everybody. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672/20 "2008-10-01T00:42:27Z")
Cause it wouldn’t look suspicious at all, five or so ladies mowing one yard in the neighbourhood (while staring across at the firedudes). 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calgary-fire-department-is-standing-by-and-having-a-little-fun/465672.md?page=2)