charles kerns's Page

Profile Information

Primary Fire/EMS Department:: City of Fairfax,Virginia Fire and Rescue Department

My Training:: Fire Science Certificate, N.P.Q.S. EVOC,Driver Operator Pumper and Aerial,Haz-Mat Adjunct Instructor Commonwealth of Virginia Currently
NFPA Fire Instructor III,Fire Officer I
I.F.S.A.C. Dept. of Defence
Airport Fifirefighter Air Crash Rescue and others.
Fire Officer II
Fire Inspector I

About Me:: Over the past fifty years,my involvement has been with some type of volunteer fire /rescue or other emergency service. In addition, twenty five years was spent in the career fire and rescue service in a metro setting (Fairfax,Va.) along with military service with both Army (medicial) and Air National Guard (Aircraft Crash Fire and Rescue Units in Europe and South America as well as the Continental U.S. totaling an excess of thirty years service. Having retired in 1998, Have been a member of the local rural community V.F.D. here in Tn. where I have instructed Basic Firefighting with specialization in Aerial Fireground Operations at both The Tn,Fire Service and Codes Academy at Bell Buckle ,Tn. and at Cookeville,Tn . Other activities include: acquiring used equipment and writing grants and spefications for fire suppression apparatus and equipment for many volunteer fire departments who ask for help.

Presently reside in a very rural area of Tn.

Why I Love Fire/EMS: Who else can you call who will run into a burning building when everyone else is trying to get out?

Top Issues Facing Responders:: Fire and Rescue Safety Issues; It appears, that some of the fire and rescue community cannot either drive or at times totally disregard the emergency vehicle operations training or the lack of when responding to or returning from an incident or event. In addition,there seems to be an increase in accidents with fatalities to emergency responders in their own P.O.V. especially in the rural settings.

At 12:39am on March 22, 2009, Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp said…: Charles, the snow pictures were taken when I went up to Alaska to see my Daughter. We dont get snow here much at all. Very temperate here. They call this area the Banana Belt. More like Southern California. We are 4 miles from the California, Oregon border. Have fun with the site. It is better after you spend a little time roaming around.

At 2:55pm on March 21, 2009, Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp said…: Charles, welcome to the Nation. I am glad you dropped in to join the Group. Your contribution and involvement here is important to us all. Dont be shy just jump in anywhere to get your feet wet. You will get out of this site what you put into it. Lots to do, read and become involved with here. Have fun and be safe.

Chief William Sharp
Southern Oregon Coast