There are plenty of road rules that people don’t mind breaking on a regular basis, but I feel like ones that allow for emergency services aren’t really one of them.

We’ve all heard what happens if you park in front of a fire hydrant, right?

OP was one of only a handful of female firefighters in her station/city.

Here’s the cast of characters for this story…

• OP – Me (Female ,5’11)
• Bob – Friend Store Manager
• Chief – my boss
• Entitled Jerk – who lost his car.

Ok background, I worked as a Firefighter as an Investigator for an Independent Department (for information a investigator was the rank of LT. and was based out of a Large Station, 2 engines, 1 newer 110 Tower Ladder Truck, (relative later) 1 chief car, and 1 Utility Truck.

Every day the Food Duties changed from firefighter to firefighter. It was my Chief’s turn to cook when this happened.

She had a friend who owned a local business and had trouble with a jerk customer.

My Friend Bob worked as a GM of a small Grocery Store. There was a long empty space in front of the store marked with the following sign “emergency Vehicles only”.

Enter entitled Jerk, he had a nice-looking BMW car and always parked in the above spot every week.

Bob told entitled Jerk that he couldn’t park there, “I can park wherever I f—— want. I make more in a day that you make in a week.” my friend calls me complaining about entitled Jerk.

OP went to meet the jerk, and confirmed the owner’s assessment.

I agree to go and watch the spot. I get into our Utility truck which had the Department decals on the door and a single red light on the dash.

I park in the Emergency Vehicles only spot. As I am walking in I here “You can’t park there its my special spot.”

I turn and look at entitled Jerk, “Excuse me?” I ask. “I am on official duties and can park there.”

I pointed to the decal on the door.

Entitled Jerk looks and says “You can’t be a firefighter your a girl, move your truck and leave ****.”

Now I’m proud of my job, in a department of 2000 I was 1 of 5 woman on the department. I graduated top in my class. I have a shocked looking expression on my face.

I get really angry.

I walk into my friends office to get more information about his problem with entitled Jerk.

As bob explains the continuous parking violations and I see a small notice on the fire suppression system (sprinklers) that said the inspection was coming up.

Then, she had an idea.

I smile as I get a idea..

I get some information, leave Bob’s office and get into the truck heading back to the station. I arrive and head into my Chiefs office,

I tell him of entitled Jerk and what he said and does. Chief is a 6’6″ 320 Samoan he sees everyone as family. Chief’s face gets Bright Red.

I explained my idea and he gets very happy. He rushes out and calls a Station Meeting, and I lay out my idea.

We send out the station to do a fire Drill/inspection by sending the old truck and 1 engine to the store. My friend will call the station the next time entitled Jerk parks in the fire lane.

When it was time to put it into action, it was a thing of beauty.

Skip to 2 weeks later Bob called the station stating that entitled Jerk had just parked. As I am thanking him, I hear his fire alarm go off.

I rush and change into my Investigator uniform with turnout gear, tell Chief, and send the trucks out.

We arrive and I see entitled Jerk’s car right in the emergency vehicle spot.

I radio to have 1 engine to pull right IN front of entitled Jerk’s car, and the truck to park right beside the driver side door.

I get out and the engineer starts setting up the ladder which means 4 very large and heavy Support Struts go down and 1 crushes the front of his hood.

The alarm goes off.

The lineman breaks his windows as he runs the large 5-inch draft line from the pump to the Standpipes (the fire access to the Sprinkler system.) through his front seats.

I go in to find Bob hurriedly getting people out as the alarm is going off. entitled Jerk runs out of the store, sees his car and goes ballistic.

I radio the PD dispatch and request a few officers to the store as I had a Male was impeding a fire operation. the dispatcher says that they will send a few officers.

3 officers show up and I ask them to follow me, they do when I call out “Hey, Leave my firefighters alone!”

Entitled Jerk turns and sees me he rushes up screaming that I’ll pay for damaging his precious baby.

I stop him and tell him that if he didn’t leave that he would be arrested.

He gets in my face “You did this I’ll have your job for this!”

He than turns pushing me back.

Do we think this guy learned a lesson?

The officers and I rush and tackle entitled Jerk to the ground.

After they cuff him I calmly inform EB that he was under arrest for assault, and interference with a fire investigation and that his car would be towed for parking in a Fire Lane.

I later found out that it was crushed.

Entitled Jerk got 12 months probation for pushing me and interfering with a Fire operation. He also got a fine of $500 for parking, the cost of the tow, and he lost his nice BMW.

Moral of this story don’t park where you shouldn’t or bad things will happen.

I wonder what Reddit’s thoughts are…

See, I told you!

All smart people know you don’t mess with a fire truck!

Let all of these stories be a warning to you.

It’s like they don’t understand the emergent nature of fire.

Why would you want to impede that?

People are so appallingly obtuse sometimes.

Follow the rules when it comes to emergencies!

If you liked that story, check out this post about a group of employees who got together and why working from home was a good financial decision.