昨天我看了一部電影叫做 Ladder 49
台灣翻譯叫做浴火英雄, 是一個關於消防員的故事
對於該影片的一些消防知識跟看不懂的地方,
基於好奇心想說去問問看...

於是我找了這部電影當初的合作對象
就是Baltimore City Fire Department
上了官方網站, 看到了當局信箱, 就抱著姑且問問的心態寫信過去了

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I just watched a movie call "ladder 49" , I have some questions want to know , i'm really inquisitive for it ... , but i dont know where i can ask it ... so put it there..

1.When an show they are at this old apt bldg. and it's on fire and there are a team of firefighters on the roof poking the rooftop to make sure where they are stepping isn't soft by the fire , why they need go roof ? for survey?and what Building of material how it soft when fire?

2.Is it a tradition that everytime you lose a firefigher, a red car will be driven to inform it's families?

Thanks! and sorry about it fool questions ... i know you're busy ! thank you again !
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以上是我的寄信內容(我的英文很差..請各位別見笑了..@@)
我就問說電影當中有兩個我滿好奇的地方,

有一幕消防員爬上屋頂去敲地板,邊走邊敲
我是想問為什麼要這樣做? 有什麼原因?

另外一個則是消防員殉職的時後, 真的都是開著車親自到消防員家中告知家屬嗎?
因為電影是這樣演的...

結果就在剛剛, 真的回覆了..

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Greetings,

Thank you for your interest in the Baltimore City Fire Department.

I hope you enjoyed the movie.

The firefighters on the roof are assigned to the truck (ladder) company and their primary role is to perform search and rescue, ventilation of building and turning off utilities that can pose dangers. In Baltimore and other cities, a lot of row houses have flat roofs. They did this to assess the integrity of the roof materials (weak or strong). Also, to create a scene that would cause a firefighter to fall through the roof and unfortunately perish. This was only performed for filming purpose to create the scene. However, in Baltimore our firefighters do walk on roofs and use pike poles to assess the instability of the roof to perform ventilation operations by using circular saws to cut through the roof to vent the building of smoke and heat.

If and when a firefighter perishes in a fire, the fire chief and top assistant Chief go to firefighters house to inform his family that he has passed away. We find it to be the honorable and respectful way of communicating this to the family.

Best Regards,

Chief Cartwright
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老實說, 我是覺得我自己問這些不相干的問題真的是很無聊
就只是我單純好奇去問的, 但沒想到會得到如此詳盡的解說
還包含了包括真實跟電影的區別, 我是覺得...我只是基於好奇心去發問這種無聊問題
得到這種詳盡的解答, 真的讓我滿....驚訝的...但又很高興!

我曾經也寫信過去交通部公路局工程處去詢問過一些關於馬路厚度的問題..
但得到的回覆就像Ctrl+V的樣子...很官方.....

我並不是說外國的月亮比較圓,
又或者我只是沒問過一些真的會認真回覆的政府機關..
但這讓我感觸真的滿深的..