We are reminded often of the simple fact that firefighters face danger on a regular basis. For this, of course, they earn our admiration and respect.
But a recent news item made us realize that firefighters may also face, um, other unpleasantness.
On April 19 of this year, according to the Brinnon, WA, Fire Department, its members and members of Quilcene Fire Rescue responded to a call concerning a woman who fell into a toilet at Olympic National Forest.
Oooo-kay... Just how did a woman fall into a toilet?
It is reported that the 40-year-old California woman was inside a toilet facility at Olympic National Forest when her cellphone dropped into the toilet.
The woman first tried to take apart the toilet seat and tried to use dog leashes to get the phone out. “Eventually, she took the leashes to help support herself, which failed, and she slid into and fell into the vault head first,” the fire department’s Facebook page stated.
The Vault? Yes. Commonly used in remote locations, a vault toilet is an improved version of an outhouse. While still basically a hole with a seat over it, a vault toilet can store up to a thousand gallons of human waste before it needs emptying. Improved ventilation makes a vault toilet far less odorous.
In the vault, the woman struggled for some time, trying to get herself out, before she was able to grab her cellphone and call 911. Brinnon FD Rescue 41 and Quilcene F&R Aid 21 responded to the mountaintop location.
The rescuers made a makeshift platform, passing pieces down to the woman. Once the platform was suitable for her to stand on, the crew pulled her to safety.
It was stated that the woman was unharmed and refused transportation to the hospital. The crew washed her down and “strongly encouraged her” to seek medical attention because she was exposed to human waste.
Yecchh.
The photo, posted by the Brinnon Fire Department, shows the scene of the grime and two of their team members, identified only as Rubal and Torres.
