Featured Blog Posts – May 2008 Archive (46)

The Continuing Chronicles of the FNG(irl): Lather, Rinse, Repeat

We had drill this week that I knew was coming down the pike from our disgruntled Chief (if someone's disgruntled, then why isn't "gruntled" a word too?) . We had a drill two weeks ago with an outdoor live burn that didn't go as hoped. The hydrant tapping process was, for lack of a better word, complete and utter chaos. As our chief stated at the end of the training drill..."If this had been an actual fire, we'd be doing nothing but raking up ashes, and I'd be turning in my white helmet out of… Continue

Added by Mary Ellen Shea on May 4, 2008 at 1:00pm — 15 Comments

TNT: The Accidental Runner: Courage in the Face of the Unimaginable

We had our group run yesterday (Saturday)10 miles, which is the second to longest run in the prep for the half marathon. After next weekend (which I have to run by myself again because I have to work yet another Saturday for FASNY) we start the "taper" process; meaning that we start scaling back the mileage so that everyone is rested, uninjured (with me? You never know....four years ago I almost knocked myself out of my first half-marathon after I fell down a flight of stairs at work. I know… Continue

Added by Mary Ellen Shea on May 4, 2008 at 12:31pm — 8 Comments

What Are YOU Doing to Prevent Another Station Nightclub Tragedy?

There's been a lot of stuff written and said about the Station Nighclub fire and tragedy in which saw the loss of 100 lives and a further 200 injured.

I'm not here to call into question the response of the emergency services to this event.

But we MUST use events like this and 9/11 and Worcester and others to learn from.

What can we do better?

What worked?

What didn't?

What needs… Continue

Added by lutan1 on May 3, 2008 at 11:00pm — 17 Comments

Three Montgomery County, MD Firefighters in Close Call Collapse

Source: Scene Reports & MCFRS Press Report

Three Montgomery County, Maryland firefighters were injured when a catastrophic floor collapse occurred while fighting an apartment fire that also claimed the life of a civilian.

Firefighters from Rockville and the surrounding area were dispatched to the 12800 block of Twinbrook Parkway shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday and arrived with heavy fire showing from the second and third floors of the building,… Continue

Added by Firefighter Nation WebChief on May 3, 2008 at 11:30am — 10 Comments

Continued Success takes dedication.

Hey folks. I posted this to the Seat belt pledge I started, and since there will be more folks signing the pledge soon(hopefully) I assume it will become buried before some folks can read the letter. The last 2 letters I sent to Senator Kerry and Senator Brown I did so without thinking of adding them here to my blog or to the forum. I sent a letter to Senator Byrd today. (West Virginia)

The reason for me adding it to my blog is that I am looking for constructive criticism to ensure my… Continue

Added by Engineco913 on May 3, 2008 at 9:30am — 9 Comments

Just trying to make sense out of it.

I have been an active member in our department for 17 years now, and I have already seen more things that I keep trying to make sense out of and just can’t.

About 3 months after finishing Essentials we were dispatched for an auto accident with entrapment and a vehicle fire. On arrival we had one victim out and the EMS crew was working on him across the road away from the vehicle. The second victim was still in the vehicle and you could hear him screaming in the car as the fire was… Continue

Added by Kimberly A Bownas on May 2, 2008 at 1:38pm — 16 Comments