Carry a light, save lives

jzmtl

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Okay maybe that was a bit dramatic. Today a senior's home caught fire at 6 AM when it was still dark, here's an excerpt from the news article.

Security guard P1erre G0dbout was on duty when the fire started. He went from unit to unit to help the seniors get out.

"It was black. I felt the beds to see if there was anyone there," said G0dbout.

Amazing eh? The guy is a security guard working night duty, and he apparently doesn't have a flashlight. You'd think people would have some sense and carry one when they need it for their job. :sick2:
 
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kyhunter1

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Just further reinforces the fact that we are not so weird after all... Everybody loves our lights when they need one.
 

Empath

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According to the Canadian Press:

MONTREAL — Choking on the thick black smoke that poured into the corridors around him, the overnight supervisor of a Quebec seniors residence darted from room to room through the darkness, checking each bed.

As an "overnight supervisor", it appears that Mr. Godbout wears many hats. Whether he had a flashlight or not, I don't know. If he used one, I don't know how effective it would have been against black smoke.

Regardless, it looks like Mr. Godbout was more of a hero, than a "pretty lame security guard". At times it can be embarrassing seeing our public board end up with such negative, demeaning and hurtful commentary. A web search of the name Godbout will likely lead directly here for Mr Godbout, his friends, acquaintances, and those thankful to him for the help he gave. For one wishing he could have done more already, (according to the article) the words here should smart like the ****ens. Is that what you want?

Those of you that have given of yourself enough to justify your poisonous comments against one that rates so low on the hero scale, please relate your stories. They should make fascinating reading.
 
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jzmtl

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It seems different news agency write things differently, and you are reading one that's different from mine.

There, I changed the name so google won't lead back to you.
 
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Empath

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Did yours downplay his efforts to save lives and refer to him as a dufus? It seems you quoted this:

Security guard Pierre Godbout was on duty when the fire started. He went from unit to unit to help the seniors get out.

"It was black. I felt the beds to see if there was anyone there," said Godbout.
 

jzmtl

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No body said he wasn't, not sure why when I merely said he should have a flashlight people would feel the need to be righterous and defend his hero status.
 
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Monocrom

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Wow, that is a pretty lame security guard.

Sorry Wade, have to disagree with you there. I've worked with some pretty lame security guards. Things I've had to put up with include: My relief not showing up on time and not calling ahead to tell me he'll be late, he calls but tells me he's still in bed at about 2 minutes before the end of my shift, or decides to quit but doesn't bother to tell anyone, (and my personal favorite) always shows up late despite having worked at the same spot for the past 4 years.

Speaking from experience, the entire security industry in America is bull$#^%. That's the best way to describe it. That guard went in, put his safety on the line, and saved lives. Reminds me of an older guy I used to work with. He was posted at the WTC on 9/11. When the planes hit, he called up his Account Manager to report what had happened. He was then told to run upstairs and get the client's employees to safety. And damn, that's just what he did! Saved a bunch of lives, got hurt, in the hospital for over 6 months. When he got out, the client (Bank of America) gave him a check for $5,000 as a thank you. What did he get from the company he worked for?.... A cheap @$$ plaque as an award, and the "honor" of coming back to work at the same security company. They didn't pay him a single penny for the 6 months he was in the hospital. And since that particular company doesn't even offer medical benefits, he got stuck with the entire hospital bill.

In this industry, if the guard mentioned in the first post had run across the street for his own safety, dialed 911 from his cell, and then pointed to where the fire was when the fire trucks arrived; he'd be hailed as a hero just for doing that much! Even the security company he works for would have thought of him as a hero.

Yeah, he should have had a decent light on him. But I can tell you that as a guard, I've had to buy my own equipment, deal with broken equipment, or was issued horribly substandard equipment. I've worked the night shift at a couple of client sites that were considered prime terror targets by the FBI. Both places issued me p*ss poor flashlights that made a Mag Solitaire look as bright as the Sun. Don't be upset at the guard for not having a flashlight, be upset at the cheap @$$ client who never even bothered to issue him a decent one.
 

WadeF

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I agree, the guy was a hero for going in there, but he's still lame for not being prepared. He could have ran in somewhere and gotten himself killed, and maybe someone else, because he doesn't have a flashlight on him and got lost in the dark, or tripped on something. It's pretty sad that there are that many under prepared and irresponsible security guards out there as well as the clients who hire them and aren't making sure they are properly equipped. In my experience the security guards I come across often have a big old mag hanging on their belt.
 
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