[tommy steam]

We were driving towards the sanibel gate when we saw a lot of smoke in the distance. As we got closer to the gate we saw a fire in the planted area just in front of the guard building. I pulled thru and as I did,I saw the gate guard on the phone, I assume calling the FD. I pulled up a bit and stopped for a minute to see the fire rapidly spreading . As I was going for my cell ,a lady was already on her cell making a call. I sat there for a minute or two looking over at the FD across the street . Nothing was happening there. I would say a few minutes later ,the fire truck was heading down Morse to sanibel. I did not stay by gate as I did not want to get in the way of the Fire truck. If you drive by the gate you will see quite a large area was burned. Those pine needles really burn fast. It was good thing the wind was blowing east because Without a doubt the gard shack would have caught fire. When I came back later I was talking with a few others by the gate , and some one told them that they think the fire was started by a careless smoker who flipped out their cigarette while waiting their turn to get thru the gate. I thinking along those lines also. I mean , how could a fire get started there?

[NotGolfer]

That's terrible!!! Just heard on the news tonight that there's a "red flag warning" for Central FL. That means it's dry, it's windy and the purpensity for a fire to begin is high. IF someone flicked their cigarette or cigar...that could instantaniously begin what you saw.

Glad to hear the "guard-house" didn't catch fire!!! Be careful folks!!!

[shcisamax]

As it happens, I was the one to alert the guard house. I had just pulled through and spotted a small fire...maybe 12" in diameter. I actually did a double take because it was so small. I stopped my car and ran over to the guard and told him to call someone. I turned and went back to the fire which in the 15 seconds it took me to get to the gate, tell him, and get back the fire, it had spread to four lor five feet in diameter. I started asking people in the golf carts for their sand to see if we could put it out but got no takers. I jumped back in my car and drove across the circle to the fire house. Not a fire engine to be found. Someone said the firemen were on their way. Went back around to see smoke billowing and it took about 10 minutes for the engines to get there. Lots of people sitting around watching. I got out of there when the engines came and the fire was about 30 ft down the median. And you are right, tommy steam, if the wind were going in the other direction, the guardhouse would have been gone before the engines got there. ANOTHER GOOD REASON TO GIVE UP SMOKING. or if you are going to smoke, put it out in the ash tray not in the environment.

[tommy steam]

Originally Posted by shcisamax;6***28

As it happens, I was the one to alert the guard house. I had just pulled through and spotted a small fire...maybe 12" in diameter. I actually did a double take because it was so small. I stopped my car and ran over to the guard and told him to call someone. I turned and went back to the fire which in the 15 seconds it took me to get to the gate, tell him, and get back the fire, it had spread to four lor five feet in diameter. I started asking people in the golf carts for their sand to see if we could put it out but got no takers. I jumped back in my car and drove across the circle to the fire house. Not a fire engine to be found. Someone said the firemen were on their way. Went back around to see smoke billowing and it took about 10 minutes for the engines to get there. Lots of people sitting around watching. I got out of there when the engines came and the fire was about 30 ft down the median. And you are right, tommy steam, if the wind were going in the other direction, the guardhouse would have been gone before the engines got there. ANOTHER GOOD REASON TO GIVE UP SMOKING. or if you are going to smoke, put it out in the ash tray not in the environment.

It was scary how fast the fire spread in a short time.

[Happinow]

I was coming back from The store on my cart and noticed the fire. At the time, didn't know it was at the Sanibel gait until I got closer. Traffic backed up in and out of the gate. Only traffic allowed through was golf carts on the path. I also wondered how the fire could have started. It makes sense that it would be a cigarette butt. I t brought great sadness to,me that someone would be so careless to throw a cigarette out the window when it's all over the papers and news that there is a high danger for fire. Shame on the person who did that. Could have been much worse. Lets take care of,this beautiful community in which we live.

[gomoho]

It saddens me even more that not one golf cart was willing to throw their sand on the fire. I would have done it without a second thought, had someone asked. People we are in this together.

[shcisamax]

Don't get too sad. I only yelled out once but the people closest who could hear me said they didn't have sand. By the time I was turning to ask the next bunch of people, it had spread so much there is no way we could have put it out. I kind of wonder how they are playing golf without sand to fill divots but that's another thread.

[Bogie Shooter]

A 2 quart bottle of sand would do little to put out that big of a grass fire.

[CatskillBill]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter;6***90

A 2 quart bottle of sand would do little to put out that big of a grass fire.

Very surprised, that every gaurd house and Community Watch truck isn't equipped with a fire extinguisher for emergencies.

[shcisamax]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter;6***90

A 2 quart bottle of sand would do little to put out that big of a grass fire.

True. However, 10 two quart bottles of sand WOULD put out a fire that was a foot in diameter.

[graciegirl]

I have worried a little myself about how dry is is and about how quickly fire can spread and about the practice that takes firemen to the hospital with emergencies with whom they MUST stay until their charge is looked at and sometimes that takes FOREVER.

NOW that worries me.

Does anyone know where that rule about emergency personnel staying with people at the hospital comes from? Or HOW we might go about changing it? It is tying up our firemen and first responders for too long.

[Cantwaittoarrive]

Originally Posted by CatskillBill

Very surprised, that every gaurd house and Community Watch truck isn't equipped with a fire extinguisher for emergencies.

That's what I was thinking. I have five fire extinguishers in my home

[skip0358]

The Fire Dept I belonged to very rarely did the Firemen respond with or stay at the Hospital. The Ambulance personnel stayed until the patient was released to the ER . In the case of the Villages the Ambulance is a contract outfit with their own personnel. The Firemen are dispatched with the Ambulance as they are all medical qualified and in most cases arrive before the Ambulance and all Fire Apparatus carry medical equipment, but most times they return to the firehouse after the call. As for the fire here's my question? There has to be water in the gate house as I'm sure there's a bathroom and possibly an outside hose bid. If so a bucket or similar (empty sand bottles and coolers could have been used to dampen the fire. JMO

[elevatorman]

Check this out Pine straw much more flammable than mulch | abc11.com

[getdul981]

Years ago, when I was on the Volunteer Rescue Squad, we very seldom had to wait at the hospital to turn our patients over to the ER staff. Most of the time the nurses were ready to take our patient as soon as we arrived. If we had to make another call, they were even quicker tohelp us. Sometimes if we had the dispatcher call ahead, the ER staff would even meet us in the driveway. All this is depending on how busy they were and of course "the times, they are a changin".