Inside the lives of firefighters in Atlanta's Squad 4 | AJC Docs

Veteran multimedia photojournalist John Spink takes you into the life and work of the firefighters of Atlanta Squad 4 in "Into the Fire," an AJC doc. (Directed by Ryon Horne, Produced by Sandra Brown)
2 dead after overnight blaze at SW Atlanta home
By Caroline Silva
Updated Dec 24, 2023
Two people died early Saturday morning after a fire at a southwest Atlanta home, officials said.
Crews were called to the home in the 1800 block of Willis Mill Road shortly after midnight on reports of a residential fire with people possibly inside. Firefighters were informed once they arrived at the scene that two residents remained inside the home, according to the Atlanta fire department.
Read more at: www.ajc.com/news/crime/2-dead...
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Chapters
00:00 Meet John Spinks
05:07 What makes Heavy Rescue unique
10:53 The Men and Women of Squad 4
16:36 The Brotherhood

[@robertsmith470]

Strangely enough, inside a house fire is the most relaxed my brain has ever been. Something about the chaos, and knowing your brothers have your back as you're doing something good.

[@goodolslippyfist7339]

Funny you say that because that's how I've described it to my parents and my girlfriend, something about the warmth, the roar of the fire, the excitement. It's all very exhilarating. It's all scary chaotic and fun all in the same swoop. But as soon as the line is in my hand or I'm backing someone up on the line, that's all I gotta worry about is that fire and it going out.

[@robertsmith470]

@Good'ol slippyfist things are much simpler in a fire...The wet stuff goes on the red stuff, and everybody goes out the same way they came in. There's no worry about bills, or drama, or politics, or BS. It's just stay alive, make sure your team stays alive, and put out the fire.

[@markieschofieldjr9076]

Police, firefighters, teachers should be the highest paid career

[@Predkite]

yeah and childcare imo, protectors or the public or children should be a high paid honourable role in society

[@schoolbus6028]

Forgot the paramedics 💀😭

[@bdanielcal4608]

Teachers lol kids these days are dumb as a stump so teachers no way

[@truckingoperator]

Agreed

[@waynevanluven9447]

It's not about the dollar it about helping people

[@scottl3789]

Hats off to the Firefighters! Like the military, most run from the destruction, they run to it! I just started volunteering at the local Fire Station. I'm too old to be a fire fighter, but I can drive, get them there safely and make sure they DON'T run out of water!

[@waynevanluven9447]

Thank you for your support

[@dougfalstad5227]

You sir are awesome!

[@justinwade9723]

Thank you for doing that man. That’s arguably the most important part of firefighting 😂

[@djlouyang98]

best job i ever had. i would never replace the brothers and sisters i work with. shout out from Spartanburg, SC

[@fcriii]

Outstanding! Well done documentary. My mother used to attend church across from AFD Station 19. Met those guys. Great bunch. We all have a lot in common. It is a brotherhood! Remember the fallen. Work as a Captain for a large dept. in TN.

[@leftystrat62]

"...I said yup, these boys go in and get it" That's how we were trained, 28 years in the 2nd oldest paid fire dept. in the country -Providence E10

[@firefightergotoguy]

Outstanding. I love this guy. He understands his subject matter to a level rarely seen. Class act!

[@ColinEft]

Interesting I came across this video and found out you worked for the Kansas City Star. I am a third generation FF and my grandfather, great uncle and great grandfather all retired from KCMO Fire Department. I did some research years ago through the Kansas City Star to try and locate publishing's about my predecessors and found a few interesting articles. I cannot thank you enough for what you do, stay safe out there!

[@FalconsFanForever]

Hats off to the brave men and women who work hard to keep our fire men safe I want to become a fire fighter very badly and im 33 years old.

[@johndavies7180]

Brought so many memories back. The brothers will keep er goin!!

[@catman11o]

Outstanding Photos and well told truth of the Greatest Job Ever. Well done sir

[@ceobigspoon]

I just put my resume in for Atlanta fire and I literally can’t wait to help out the community and create a bond with the brothers and sisters around me!

[@romellomadrid7730]

What county are you in I'm also trying to get into the fire business

[@FalconsFanForever]

Awesome good luck brother

[@JohnPaul-ii]

Thanks for your service Frank, RIP.

[@electricsurge7435]

firefighters are the "special forces" of first responders. Everything that police and paramedics dont do, they will do it

[@michaelcrossman8739]

Local high school is currently hiring a janitor. starting pay is more than I make as a FF / Paramedic.

[@zesolodar]

sounds like your in the wrong city. where i live a basic firefighter/emt (not cheif or anything like that) median pay is 65k. if you make captain it jumps to the median pay of 106k

[@cpo87]

This guy is legendary 🔥🔥

[@Paramedic772]

That was amazing….and by the way you ARE a brother….brother…

[@tnzayatz6579]

Thank you Mr. Spink, you done good.

[@b.a.d.2086]

Well done!

[@mr.moostache6740]

This was a good documentary, and the photos of the firefighters at work are worthy of being mounted on a wall.

[@johnnybuice1404]

Great job Spinks GSD#34 @2:25 in

[@Mark-em5zm]

Don’t wear dirty gear brothers. I know it’s not sexy but clean those helmets and get those bunkers looking new. Wear your mask and stay on air especially through overhaul. It’s not worth the early death. Keep it aggressive till the end.

[@douglasiles2024]

It's amazing how the mentality has changed over the years. It used to be that dirty/smokey gear was the sign of a veteran guy who had seen a lot of action. Little did we know what it was doing to us. Trading in your old gear for a new set used to be the last thing a guy wanted to do. Now we know better. But how many brothers and sisters did we lose from this bravado?

[@drop12341]

Well done. Very well done. Bravo Zulu!

[@moemcgovern7345]

Firefighters are worth their weight in Gold.

[@moemcgovern7345]

My nephew is a Firefighter brother in Philly.

[@moemcgovern7345]

I'm very proud of him.

[@moemcgovern7345]

Excellent video!

[@Burritosarebetterthantacos]

Not a single ambulance in this entire video😂

[@FINfinFINfinFINfin]

Holy crap. You should have rode with Engine 16 to see some good interior attacks. Not the Squad shooting water from the parking lots. I will say nobody can beat them when it comes to roof ventilation and overhauling. I think Hank Williams was the first out gay fire captain as well. Great guy.

[@blackice3395]

Great fucking video!

[@chancesGLEC14]

Name of song ?

[@ajcvideo]

Terrible Tommy by Ryan Horne

[@dadlifeadam]

Wish he would come photo the Georgia Forestry Commission!! We are underpaid, overworked, and exhausted yet no one cares to listen to us!!

[@watchthe1369]

With a facade like that how do you forget the 2 eyes and toothless grin look? Amityville fire is what may as well be called.

[@jamescampbell1242]

Maybe in my next life I can work for a real fire department

[@280StJohnsPl]

Which one would you choose from ?

[@Kzh207]

American houses are so weird. When they burn, they burn as a whole. Nothing seems concrete. Everything is inflammable. Never seen such tactics used in europe but I think these kind of houses are the reason.

[@lynskeyti9940]

Most have no concrete other than the foundation, average flashover time is 3-6 minutes. I have seen a house become fully involved in less than 15 minutes. Our minimal flow is 150 GPM or around 560 lpm

[@SouthernGround]

All burning buildings can kill you, American houses as you mentioned can kill you faster, that's why we fight them so aggressively and carry bigger balls in doing so, you have to if you wana make to 8:00am. But in the end firefighters around the world face the same and have one goal, to go home at the end of your shift or event in the case of the volunteer.

[@280StJohnsPl]

@@SouthernGround " carry bigger balls in doing so, " Really...what department are you a FF at ?

[@notthatdonald1385]

You can see this video is dated when there's no mention of a 'fast truck'.

[@douglasiles2024]

"Fast truck"(s) (or a RIT truck) have been around long before this video was made. Every department uses their own terminology. What really brought that to the forefront nationally was the Worcester 9 fire.

[@280StJohnsPl]

Severe kink in the handline at 10:08.....a good Engine Company would have not done that

[@williampell8458]

Vertical ventilation is just not a good tactic

[@evanknox2395]

It is if you do it right.

[@williampell8458]

@@evanknox2395 don’t use it in the uk, and the fires still go out. Seems to put firefighters in unnecessary risk. But that seems to be the American way.

[@tadtanakatsubo6067]

@@williampell8458 honestly, we could care less about how things are done in the UK. We have our ways, you have yours. Our ways work for us. Simple as that.

[@williampell8458]

@@tadtanakatsubo6067 not a great attitude to have if you want to develop and improve your self and the tactics you use you should study the practices of other brigades. Glad I don’t have you on my watch

[@tadtanakatsubo6067]

@@williampell8458 we would never agree either way. I’ve seen enough of European tactics that I don’t agree with. High pressure washer attack lines, a lot of operations from the exterior, hose reel attack lines. So again, America has our ways, Europe has their ways and they are very different as are the mentalities.

[@thebronzetoo]

Great video!! Terrible Tommy is a great song! RIP Frank...

[@johnnytoppside]

Thank you boys. Hope to be there soon!

[@suffer247]

13:33 WTF exactly is that roofman doing? The roof is vented, fire is ripping out of it. GTF off that roof.