Fire Zouaves.

This is coolbert:

1,000 homes, 45 square miles, darkness at midday, etc.

Thanks to Corecom and the AP we have the story of the Texas wildfires. I am seeing on the evening news and reading on the Internet the progress being made, or rather lack of it, in fighting the wildfires as currently raging in Texas.

Again, as has been noted a number of times, these forest and wildfires so destructive and the manner which the fires are fought reminiscent of WAR, nothing less than war, as close as one can experience and approach mortal combat without having an enemy shooting at you.

"Texas fires kill 4, destroy more than 1,000 homes"

The devastation, the apocalyptic nature of the clouds of smoke, the flame, the scorched earth, all suggestive of an Armageddon, and the language as used by the firefighters also the same as would be the words of a military commander when in confrontation with an enemy - - "we are now in a defensive mode of operation!" Defensive, offensive, withdrawal, reinforcing, etc.!


"a·poc·a·lyp·tic - - 3. predicting or presaging imminent disaster and total or universal destruction"

"Ar·ma·ged·don - - 3. any great and crucial conflict."

The duty of the firefighter in Texas as we speak - - right now - - NOT a whole lot differnt from that of the combat soldier in Afghan. As it was NOW, as it was too one hundred and fifty years ago. The American Civil War in the earliest stages of the conflict, the troops at the time the Fire Zouaves.


Fire Zouaves a regiment of Union light infantry as comprised exclusively [?] of fire fighters from the city of New York. A regiment assembled in response to the rebellion of the southern states, fire fighters even at that time THOUGHT TO BE THE RAW MANPOWER MOST SUITABLE FOR SOLDIERING DUTY!!

Fire fighters of even that era [American Civil War] persons accustomed to hard physical labor in a dangerous situation. Persons already also trained and able to fight as a team, under the command of a leadership, working according to a plan. Almost identical to the duties of a soldier, hardly with any difference.

Zouaves those soldiers very distinctive in uniform - - in emulation of the French Zouaves, those troops of the French army, light infantry and renowned for their combat ability.

A French Zouave - - 1888.

Zouaves again wearing a distinctive uniform consisting of:

* A tunic over a shirt, that tunic unbuttoned in the front.
* Oversize pantaloon style pants.
* A fez like hat, perhaps even with tassel.

"The chief distinguishing characteristics of such units were the zouave uniform, which included short open-fronted jackets, baggy trousers and often sashes and oriental headgear."

Zouaves also having a stylized and almost ritualistic by-the-book drill, both for the parade ground and the battlefield, and highly trained in a choreographed routine never failing to impress onlookers.

Fire Zouaves at the First Battle of Manassas [Bull Run] finding themselves however, lacking to a degree, as with all [?] Federal troops leaving the battlefield in a state of rout and disarray, the EXPECTED QUICK AND EASY victory over the forces of the Confederacy NOT materializing!

"the 'Fire Zouaves'. The 11th New York . . . The regiment was badly mauled during the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861 as it acted as the rear guard for the retreating Army of the Potomac"

Victory as thought was possible only in a few months becoming a long hard slog lasting four years. The "conflagration" [I use that word figuratively] lasting for a far longer period than ever expected, the fire fighters of NYC too encountering something far beyond what was in their experience, or anyone else for that matter!

coolbert.