Firefighters saving art for rich people?

[kenny]

Is this okay?
What say you?

IMO instead of using my tax dollars to spend even one second 'rescuing' the art of some one-percenter, firefighers should move on to save another house or life at one of the several fires raging all over So. Cal.
And if you ask, "But Kenny, what if it was your expensive art being saved?" I'd answer, they should leave it because the life or home that firefighters may be able to save instead of my art is more important.

Here's a quote from a BBC story about the fires in Southern California.
"In the wealthy Los Angeles enclave of Bel Air, firefighters were seen removing artwork from luxury homes on Wednesday as the Skirball Fire raged."
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42278027

and

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/na...re_joins_the_siege_across_southern_california

 

[lyra]

I can see at least 2 sides to this issue. First off, people should absolutely be the first priority along with safety. So all the people are taken care of first. Do we want to save irreplaceable pieces of art? I don't know. Part of me can see the point, yes. On the other hand, these aren't pieces available for the general public to see, so that's murky.

In general, I like to see art saved, but it seems like a poor use of resources. I don't feel every citizen would get this kind of additional care with their precious belongings. Precious being a relative term to each person. Most people would just like their lives and their loved ones lives saved. And pets, but pets are not even given priority. I've heard people crying over losing photos. So no, I guess I can't support this.

 

[kenny]

Yeah, if a da Vinci in a museum were at risk, and there were no other fires requiring fire fighters' attention, that would be different.

Now if we're talking about the "art" of Thomas Kinkade ... firefighters should just round all those up and throw them into the fires.

 

[arkieb1]

I don't think that has happened here in Australia and we have terrible bushfires in the summer here. Human life and then pets should always take top priority. Artwork should be insured and if it isn't replaceable then that is the responsibility of the homeowner not the poor firefighters.

 

[rainwood]

I'm not going to criticize what firefighters do as part of their firefighting efforts. I highly doubt there were people and pets being ignored. I have firefighters in my family and that's certainly NOT how they roll. Bel-Air had already been under evacuation, and the houses would have been checked beforehand. Plus firefighters are told where to go by their command. They happened to save a little art while they were there. Good for them.

Most people, when forced to leave, take those things that are irreplaceable. Most stuff in that house is replaceable. The works of art are not. Most pieces going into museums these days are donated by rich private owners. Much of Da Vinci's work was owned or commissioned by a rich person at some point. Leo didn't work for free, and he didn't come cheap. So you never know, the rescued art may end up being in a museum someday.

 

[sonnyjane]

I'm not going to criticize what firefighters do as part of their firefighting efforts. I highly doubt there were people and pets being ignored. I have firefighters in my family and that's certainly NOT how they roll. Bel-Air had already been under evacuation, and the houses would have been checked beforehand. Plus firefighters are told where to go by their command. They happened to save a little art while they were there. Good for them.

This. There are countless stories year after year of firefighters not being able to save pets or sadly sometimes even HUMANS because it's too dangerous for them to go in or because there are more pressing issues at the scene. I am sure they did this because perhaps it was opportune, not because they were instructed to, because they would never, ever be told that they had to risk their lives for art.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Maybe they had the opportunity to do something nice for someone who lost everything right before the holidays and took the opportunity. Doesn't matter whether they are rich or not, losing a home along with everything in it is devastating. Assuming pets and people are accounted for I say we need more people willing to do a good deed for others in this world, so good on them.

 

[OoohShiny]

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/na...re_joins_the_siege_across_southern_california

Nevermind the painting, that's a Lotus 340R! Save that!!!

 

[sonnyjane]

More information on the painting situation.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/southern-california-ventura-county-wildfires-live-updating/

 

[luv2sparkle]

I can see this happening very easily. However, it is not really what you think it is.
As you can imagine, there are fire crews from all over on these fires. Each unit or crew that comes from whatever entity reports to several battalion chiefs which may or may not be from their own department. Many times they are given assignments for structure protection where they don't have a lot to do besides wait until the fire gets near enough to them for them to try to save the homes that they are assigned to. They have to sit there, sometimes for days. Sometimes, the homeowners stay till the last minute and are incredibly kind and gracious allowing them to use their house to sleep inside or use the restrooms. It is hard to sleep outside where the smoke is thick and you have to breathe it all night long.
So it is not surprising that at the last minute they might see something they can save and do it to be kind. People are so grateful to have just one thing survive a fire like that. What they are not doing is saving treasures for rich folk at the expense of someone else. That doesn't happen. They don't take their eye off the ball for a minute because it could mean their lives if they do. Sometimes they are seen joking or laughing in photos. They need that to break up the tension of being out there for days on end, sweaty, dirty and choking on smoke, eating mostly packaged stuff that they hand out in bulk.

Other times, a BC could order them to remove what they can to be kind to folks and for good PR. My DH had a BC order his crew to mow the lawn of a homeowner. The home later burned to the ground but hey-the lawn looked good.
My point is, there are many reasons that might have been done-mostly kindness, sometimes by order but I am pretty certain it's not done to save stuff for rich folks and never done at the expense of others. They are hyper aware of what they can save and what they cannot and what the next step should be.
They see the loss first hand and know what it is going to mean to these folks, so they do what they can.
My DH is winding down a 35 year career. This past week he has been at the station for 4 in a row, waiting every day for a recall and to be sent somewhere. When the fires started the crew that was on duty was not allowed to go home, and still haven't been home. Hopefully, he will come home tomorrow but I am not holding my breath. We have been through too many of these for me to count on it.

 

[december-fire]

@luv2sparkle , my thanks to your DH for his service.

 

[luv2sparkle]

Thanks December-fire. The fire service has been incredibly good to us and we have been thankful for this job every day. We have been blessed.

This guy showed up at the shopping center when my husband took his crew shopping today. He tells me he is an actor on Empire. I don’t watch that show, so he looks vaguely familiar to me. All the babies love the trucks.LOL.

 

[december-fire]

@luv2sparkle , I've heard of the show but haven't seen it. Not much of a TV watcher.
However, that's a lovely photo. The babies aren't the only ones who love the trucks.

Wishing you and your DH a long, healthy and happy retirement!

 

[rainwood]

@luv2sparkle That is Terrence Howard, and he is indeed an actor on 'Empire.' He is one of the stars on it and plays one of the leads. He's also been in a number of movies. I recognized him immediately.

 

[sonnyjane]

@luv2sparkle That is Terrence Howard, and he is indeed an actor on 'Empire.' He is one of the stars on it and plays one of the leads. He's also been in a number of movies. I recognized him immediately.

He’s even been nominated for an Oscar! Very cool.

 

[GliderPoss]

I agree, it is likely this was done as a kind & generous thing by the firefighters at an opportune moment but at absolutely no risk to anyone's life. They would NEVER put art of any kind before saving a life ever....

 

[VRBeauty]

I'm not going to second-guess the fire fighters. And luv2sparkles comments make sense to me - since I did go through some basic emergency response training back in the day. During an emergency in California, there are many individual units working under a joint command. A unit leader is supposed to have her staff at their assigned place; she doesn't have the leeway to move that team to a spot that she considers to be a higher priority outside of that command system. So some units could be in a position that allows them to save possessions even as others are saving lives.

 

[doberman]

Terence Howard. Baby wipes lol.

 

[Phanie]

AS a RN, I would hate to see firemen being put in danger to save art. I don't give a rat's patootie what the art is (sending a fireman to maybe save the Joconde:no). If you were not prepared enough, too bad.
If the art and other expensive materail things re saved without putting the firemen in danger, fine. Otherwise even my Titine can burn.