Firefighters are cool. They're all about helping people and they are model examples for being organized and clean. While they always say the public is welcome to visit the station, it is best for any grown-ass adult to bring a kid - your own or borrowed. Get paid triple-overtime when visiting on a Saturday with one of my favorite kids to babysit? Score!!
LAFD Station 13 is extra special to me now. Not only is it literally down the street from Dino's Chicken and Burgers (Dino's Fries is all I need), but they have an Asian Captain (Represent!). And I got the most interesting fire station tour. All the fire trucks/engines were out on call so I got to see the KITCHEN and the LAUNDRY room. This is exactly the stuff I want to see but usually never. The kid saw a bunch of firefighters so he was skipping-back-to-the-car happy too.
The crew at Fire station 13 was extremely welcoming. I don't recommend anyone/everyone walking up and taking time away from firefighters doing their work. I just happen to be in the area, and having a kid who makes the best puppy eyes, and had already paid the meter for an hour across the street.
The chief happened to walk across the empty station and saw us wave. He waved back and could have kept walking inside but he opened the garage doors. Being oblivious to his apology that the station is empty (e.g. let him walk back to his office), we (mostly I) asked if we could check out the very cool-looking vintage truck out back. The chief was extremely kind and said yes and we ended up taking up an hour of his and his 9-person crew's time.
Not only did we get to spend time on the vintage truck, the kid got 2 helmets (damn greedy kid), and got the best tour I have ever had. Saw all the rooms in the fire station (Turnout is where the gear for firefighters who were not working that day is stored; the fitness room; conference room; chiefs' offices; the fax machine that prints the calls that are dispatched to the station; the pole; and the commercial kitchen with 3 refrigerators). I am a behind-the-scenes person and this is the stuff I am interested in. By the way, I am posting photos from the tour so that others don't need to see it in person - it's nothing special but this is the stuff I like.
The kid got to see a fire truck come back to the station AND a truck taking off to respond to a call broadcasted at the station (the red phone and white phone ringing and all) as well as firefighters hustling. That was cool, even for me. Firefighters talked to him, gave him a juice packet, offered him a hotdog, which he gobbled happily in the car and between bites wouldn't stop talking about the experience. The Asian captain even offered to put bulgogi on the hotdog. Love it!
I wasn't expecting much when I waved in front of the garage door but turned out to be the best fire station experience yet. I won't show my face again because I don't want to waste their time again but am definitely grateful for the comprehensive tour and service that they provide to the Pico-Union area. read more