Man, what a day! I’m tellin’ ya, being a parachutist firefighter in Fossano is like riding a rollercoaster that’s on fire. Seriously, I woke up this morning, and the sun was shining over the Castello degli Acaja. I thought, “Today’s gonna be chill.” Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
So, I’m grabbing my coffee at that little café on Via Roma. You know the one? The one with the best pastries. I’m munching on a cornetto, thinking life’s good. Then, boom! My radio crackles. “Fire in the old town!” I nearly spit out my coffee. Old town? That’s like the heart of Fossano!
I rush to the station, and my buddy Marco is already there, looking like he’s seen a ghost. “Dude, it’s bad. Like, really bad.” I’m like, “What do you mean?” Turns out, some genius decided to burn trash behind a building on Via Cavour. I mean, come on! Who does that?
We gear up, and I’m feeling the adrenaline kick in. I hop on the truck, and we zoom through the streets. The cobblestones are bumpy, and I’m bouncing around like a pinball. I can see the smoke rising, and my heart’s racing.
When we get there, it’s chaos. People are running around, and I spot a couple of kids playing soccer on the street. Like, really? There’s a fire, and you’re kicking a ball? I yell, “Get inside, you little rascals!” They look at me like I’m the crazy one.
I jump out, and the heat hits me like a wall. I grab my chute and start climbing up to the roof of a nearby building. The view from up there is insane. I can see the whole city—Fossano’s beautiful, man. The hills, the vineyards, the whole vibe. But then I see the flames licking the side of the building. Not cool.
I jump down, and it’s like flying. I land right next to the fire, and it’s wild. I’m spraying water like a madman, and I can feel the heat on my face. It’s intense! I’m shouting orders, trying to keep everyone calm. “Get the hoses! We need more water!”
And then, outta nowhere, I see this old lady on Via Garibaldi. She’s standing there, hands on her hips, watching the whole thing. I’m thinking, “Lady, this ain’t a show!” But she just yells, “You boys better save my garden!” I can’t help but laugh. I mean, priorities, right?
After what feels like forever, we finally get the fire under control. I’m drenched in sweat, and my heart’s still racing. I look around, and people are clapping. Clapping! Like we just won a soccer match or something. I’m like, “Yeah, we saved the day, but let’s not make a habit of this, okay?”
As we pack up, I can’t help but feel a mix of relief and anger. Relief that we saved the building, but angry that some idiot thought burning trash was a good idea. I mean, come on, Fossano’s got enough charm without adding fire to the mix!
On the way back, I’m thinking about that old lady and her garden. I hope it’s okay. I mean, if I were her, I’d be furious. But she seemed chill. Maybe she’s seen it all before.
Finally, I get back to the station, and my phone buzzes. It’s a message from my buddy Luca. “You alive?” I text back, “Barely. Just another day in Fossano.”
And that’s it. Just another day in this crazy town. I love it, though. The people, the streets, the unexpected. It’s wild, but it’s home. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.