It's almost like I feel like I'm ruining the party, but I'm trying to utilize this network for something other than the obvious social side to get some information on hot topics. I have been looking at your profiles (that's why you put them there, remember?) and trying to get a grasp on what we feel like are the pressing issues that need to be discussed and researched.
I can tell you right now: everyone needs more money. That one's kinda a no-brainer. But other than looking at fire trucks, what would be something that you might read because it seemed like a really compelling article? Feel free to bat it around a little.
Oh, and by the way, the truckies are meeting over at Cancel The Engine if you happen to be one of those. I find it hard to believe there's only 9 of us.
Hey, Mick;
Been to the Jake site lately?
I told them over there about the new platform.
I think they're upset with my absence.
I'll have to tell you about it, you rockstar, you.
You; you; you're very good. Yes, you are. Yes, you are. You're very good...
By the way, that was in my best DeNiro impersonation.
Taxi?
Art
Ideas for articles...here is a good one. We in this service, the best damn service in the world if I do say so myself, are quickly falling behind in one important area. Yes, some of you right now are going, oh great Cap is going off on his Pub Ed soap box again. Well as a matter of fact, I AM.
Around the world our brothers and sisters are promoting fire education/prevention. In some contries it is madatory in that you start your career in the prevention division. I am not sure exactly why we do not do that here. I have my personal beliefs of why, because it isn't "media" sexy. We (the general population) see the Hollywood version of our service and that is what we fit it to. Education and prevention isn't as great has putting out a fire and saving lives and valuable property. It is a larger challenge though.
I see almost everyday the same articles that many of you do. This station is closing, these fire departments are "letting go" of more FFs, and so on. Then you hear the comments from the communities like..."I can't believe that they are taking this station or FFs away, blah,blah,blah." NEWS FLASH FOR US AND OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, administrations don't just wake up one morning and think, hmmm I think I'll get rid of 16 FFs today. This is a long process of weeks and months. There is almost always some kind of public hearing. People don't get upset or want to get involved though until they are their locking the doors or handing out the pink slips. It is too late then people.
If we are out there on a daily basis in the sight of our communities doing proactive things then we can also educate them on what is going on in their local governments. We can have them be our voice to these city and county admins. rather than just expecting the white hats and (dare I say this) union reps be our mouth pieces.
I have said this before and will continue to stress it...here soon the days of sitting around waiting for the tone to go off are going away. If we don't get out there and build up our support "team" (the community members) then we will continue down this road of closures and "to-late" complainers. I keep hearing of this proactive instead off reactive movement, let's quit hearing about it and get this movement going!
Be safe and learn something new today.
Mick I am always interested in articles that concern firefighter safety, new equipment, and new ideas to deal with the everyday problems we face. Basically, I like to read anything that helps me be informed and on top of what's new out there. Truthfully, I will read anything about firefighting that catches my interest.
Training is awesome, as far as I'm concerned, everyday is training day. You have to know the basic, and also keep up with the new stuff coming out and is it right for you and your department.
Here's a issue though, if you have a jacka$$ trying to teach, well people arnt gonna listen as much. Some people think they have leadership, while others are a natural.
I use to put short leadership items together for our command staff meeting's. SOme times they only posed 1 or 2 question and let the battle begin.
I also get e-mails from a group called character counts, and if there is some intrest I would be glad to post some on here.
People tend to forget that a title may get them respect but their actions on a fireground and around the firehouse will earn them a much stronger Unity and aura of respect from their crews.
As a new member here I read allot of stuff. I usually only reply if I think that I have something to add. In the social topics like helmet or truck color, any post there adds equally, so they are easy to make. In a training article, it is less likely that I will have something to add, but that doesn't mean I didn't learn something and probably enjoyed doing so.