Hear the radio transmission from firefighter in burning building

(3/29/07 - KTRK/HOUSTON) (KTRK) -- We've shown you the fire, but now find out what's it like to fight a roaring, four-alarm blaze. Hear from a Houston firefighter who did just that in his own words.

That firefighter got out, but right now, he and another captain are still in the hospital, recovering from their injuries. The radio traffic is chilling. It begins about 50 minutes into the firefight. Just listening to the firefighters in their own words gives you a true feel for the risks they endure daily.

The transmission was made at 6:04pm Wednesday. It was the first time you could hear Captain Eric Abbt struggling as he searched for victims inside the building. Captain Appt on radio transmission "Engine 8...I'm on the fifth floor." Fire officials say Abbt was using a thermal imaging device and had located at least one of the victims. He was trying to get that person to safety when he began running out of air. Then came the call that no firefighter wants to hear.

Radio transmission: "North Loop command, all companies stand by. We have a mayday call"

Abbt sent out that distress call. His air pack was vibrating, signaling the end of his oxygen supply.

"At the point your air runs out, once that vibe alert goes out, it's really down to your last breath and then it stops," HFD District Chief Tommy Dowdy told us.

Then, this plea.

Captain Appt on radio transmission "I'm outta air...outta air...outta air."

Fire crews scrambled to get to Abbt. The trouble was finding him.

Radio transmission: "We heard firefighter, engine 8A, say he's near a window. He was near a window. He's trying to talk to you now on the radio, but he can't get any air"

Abbt was able to give rescue crews enough information to find him on a landing near the stairs on the fifth floor. Though you can't understand all the radio traffic, the relief present upon finding him is clear.

Radio transmission: "You've located the firefighter, is that true?"

It was true, and a huge relief to the 3,800 firefighters in the Houston Fire Department and everyone who knows them. Abbt is a veteran firefighter who teaches firefighting courses and is known for his ability to improvise and stay calm under pressure.

"I would attribute Captain Abbt to being one of the McGyvers, pulling all stops out," said Roland Chavez with the Houston Professional Firefighters Association. "He's that capable."

Captain Abbt is listed in fair condition at Memorial Hermann Hospital. There were two other firefighters sent to the hospital.
(Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)

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