I would like to announce the birth of my first child. On wednsday 12/17/08, Paityn Corinne Bates arrived at 6:34 pm , she is a perfectly healthy little girl weighing 7lbs 15 oz. and measuring 19 1/2 inches.she is absolutely beautiful, and her mother and I are so happy to have her. She was due on the 8th but wanted to be fashionably late, she really had her heels dug in and mommy had to be induced. If anyone has ever had to be a part of an induction… Continue

Well it's been nine months since my wife told me she was pregnant. This will be our first. She actually sent me a text message, Saying "congrtulations dad!" I just happened to be pumping at a structure fire when I found out. So anyway, this weekend she is due to deliver our first baby.

I'm extremely excited, but also very nervous, i've never really spent much time around babies, so I will be learning as I go.we've spent countless hours, prepping the nursurey, shopping for stuff we need ,… Continue

Well here in the states we are preparing to elect a new president. Meanwhile those of us in the volunteer service are preparing for the time honored tradition of electing new officers. It's the time of year all sorts of stuff happens around the fire house. Member's you haven't seen all year start showing up, so to be sure they're eligible to vote. Friendships are broken and alliances are formed. Usually some young guy's start campaigning on the change platform. The he said she said rumor mill… Continue

It's not enough just to train but we need to be sure we perform tasks correctly, or as we would on scene. If your gonna do a search drill; wear a pack , have a tool and a lite, a radio, and of course wear all your PPE, "even my hood" yes even your hood. practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.A coach i had as a kid drilled that phrase into my head. He said if your not gonna do it right your only cheating yourself. In this business it's not just yourself you will be… Continue

It has come to my attention, that our yearly budget from the township we protect is being not only cut , but slashed in nearly half. Now i'm sure many of you belong to volunteer fire companies that get funded either partially, or in whole by your local gov't,. Then their are those who get nothing or next to nothing. Well we get next to nothing and now they're going to give us half of that.



16 yrs ago I became a volunteer firefighter, in a small suburban town in northern New Jersey.… Continue