One thousand and one calls

Logo of Lapland Department for Emergency Services

Sitting in the train, heading back south, a man can take a moment to reflect what he has done. The night flies past and I'm listening to some Bruce Springsteen. When I open my backpack I can smell the smoke from my crew shirt and everytime it makes me smile.

I would've never believed what I would see when me and my brother had an idea to send a query to the Kittilä Volunteer Fire Company, in the Levi Ski Resort, under the Lapland Department for Emergency Services. Levi Ski Resort is in a small town of 6000 inhabitants. During the high season of ski tourism, the population hops to 35,000 people. We asked for a possibility to provide manpower in the Ski Resort Fire Station number three. Before we even knew it, we were in the train, Aurora Borealis Express, heading north towards the arctic circle and the Finnish Lapland, home of the Santa Claus.

Lapland is something that is hard to describe. The countless fells, type of mountains in the north, rise towards the sky in these endless horizonts of snow and dense forests. And more than that, the welcome we got at the fire station. The brotherhood is something that only can be described as one of the most wonderful things in life. You enter the station and before you know it, you are chatting about calls, apparatus and what you have seen, comparing it all to their stories. "We've all been there, brother."

We got our gear and made home in the Levi 3. Me and my brother put our gear ready in front of the lockers and double-checked everything and familiarized ourselves with the equipment. We decided that he would be the lineman, or smoke 1 in Finland, and I would be the backup, or Smoke 2. After that, we checked the vehicle hall again and I once pressed the button to open the engine bay and the cold I felt coming from outside was something beyond description. We were in the arctic circle, after all.

Bells did not ring in the first night, but in the morning we drove around in the fire car, getting used to the cold, the roads, signs and landmarks. When by brother drove, I just looked out from the window with sheer amazement. Lapland truly was beautiful as they said it would be. Rest of the day would be spent cooking, chatting with the local crews and some equipment maintenance. We retreated to our bunk rooms and I put the smoke 2 radio to my night stand.

"Structure fire residential, medium severity, Kittilä, rescue services, stations Kittilä, Sirkka and Raattama, respond..."

This was it. I sprang up from my bed and the bells woke up my brother. I looked him into the eyes and said "This is it, finally. We are needed now." I wish everyone would experience that confident walk towards the vehicle bay. Rock-solid looks on the eyes of the crews and the thought that people need us now. It is no play anymore, this is as real as it gets, and we are ready.

We boarded the engine and started gearing up in the back, making sure of everything and double-checking duties. The engine rolls out from the bay and flies towards the road. I open my brothers valve from the bottle and he opens mine. We close our masks for the moment.

Arriving to the scene, the officer notifies everyone via radio "I can see smoke and flames coming out from the second floor." This is it boys, no false alarm.

Forced entry, search and and the whole nine yards. We did it and we did it good. Sitting in the station, fresh from shower, it is nice to reflect back on those feelings and experiences. Eight hours ago we crawled forward in pitch black smoke. "Can you see the flames, is there anybody in the bed room?". Chainsaw busting walls and soot stained faces swinging those axes.

Days rolled by, medical calls, automatic fire alarms, some more building fires and what not. In the meanwhile, we would visit all the interesting places, ride snow mobiles accross the wilderness and practice with all that equipment. We'd also hang out with the local crews and trade stories of different firefighting. Finnish Lapland left me with a mark that will not fade. There is truly something special there, something that is not found anywhere else. The beauty of the landscape, the lifestyle of the people of the arctic and the warmth of the welcome for the visitor.

I also had the honor to serve under an Officer that truly held high all the values of the Fire Service. I respect and honor this man to my full extent. I thank the employees of the Lapland Dept for Emergency Services, the members of Kittilä Volunteer Fire and the Finnish Lapland for teaching me to love its beauty. And I got one more reminder why the Fire Service is one of the greatest things on this green Earth.

Senior Volunteer Firefighter Vähäkylä, Levi 31 Smoke 2, bows down to one of the most deepest bows I have ever done. We won't leave this here.

"Officer, I can see visible flames coming out from the side of the chimney here inside."