Hey Great to meet you. Welcome to FFN. A great group to join is the Chief's Back Room Crew if you are looking for social interactions and a place to vent and play. I look forward to seeing you around the pages. Stay safe. Lady Heather B

U got some nice fires down there!!

Great pictures.Keep safe

I've gotten a lot busier since we last spoke. I've got some cool things going on, lot's of irons in the fire! So, what is keeping your favorite USA Hazmat Fire Captain so busy?

1. I am continuing to write my book on ems wmd issues and hazmat, having met with my printer. I am going to do the first printing myself and not wait for someone to sponsor me.
2. I am just starting to get things going toward putting on a Caribbean cruise, possibly next February 2009, leaving from Tampa, Florida and making three stops during the week trip at three different islands. Of course there would be snorkelying, scuba diving and island adventures but I think I can pull off making a go for focusing a learning cruise where classes are offered dealing with EMS response and Fire Department response to a hazmat or WMD incident. Mass Decontamination, patient care, protocals, Advanced Hazmat Life Support, and a myriad of other subjects are possible. Through the FFN, I have met and made friends with an emergency room doctor in Buenes Aires, Argentina who has studied medicine in the USA. This is a work in progress. To be continued...
3. I've been continuing to work my knee, with the next scheduled visit to my doctor on 10SEP08. I will either be released to work what we call light duty (office job) or back to the floor as a station captain once again. To be continued...
4. Youngest daughter is now a senior in high school and is very much into waterpolo.
5. Middle daughter just transferred to the University from the local City College, she's sweating it but working at the same time. She works bussing dishes at a restaurant brewery here in Buellton and it's called Firestone's Brewery. If you get the american television show, The Bachelor, Andrew Firestone was one of the bachelor's featured and it is his family who owns not only Firestone Winery but now the new business, Firestone Brewery. Where we live is surrounded by celebrities. Michael Jackson's Neverland Valley Ranch is in the valley and I have responded there on a fire in MJ's personal office. I also don't like to brag about it but I was certified as being able to operate Michael's electric bumper cars... Ewwwwwwwww... by the way, this is the daughter who's picture I sent you after she got her new (2001) BMW 330ci with a Dinan chip, upgraded rims (3K was paid) and all the options you can think of on the inside, including a GPS. She is now into going to events where they set up cones and run through them for time. She has to wear a crash helmet and is really getting into it. My daughter is a car girl...
6. My wife is now working full time as a school registered nurse. She is really enjoying the job considering that her last job was a trauma nurse at the local trauma center emergency room... less stress for her = less stress for me
7. Where we live is incredibly expensive, and I mean expensive. We purchased our home four years ago for $850,000.00. Since we purchased it, coupled with the upgrades that I've been putting in, the property is now worth $1,250,000.00. Amazing isn't it. The bad news is that my monthly house payments are $4,000.00 per month. Both my wife and I have to work to be able to make the house payments but we look at it as an investment for our future.
8. Years ago, I invented and patented a decontamination tank. Sold them for years but just recently, the company that manufactured the product for me went belly up... So, until I get a lot of orders, I'm not sure what is going to happen to this portion of my company. Yes, I said company that consists of my wife, three kids, a poodle and me. It helps with paying the bills... (LOL) I can't announce it here but I have a new product for hazmat response that I will be unveiling this year. It should be really cool. Can't wait to share with you what it is.
9. We discovered black mold in the downstairs bedroom on the wall, which backs up to the bathroom and shower. We are in the process of getting rid of the mold and having the area remediated. Had to replace plumbing fixtures, repair drywall, re-paint the room and now it's time for replacing carpeting and cleaning other things like the HVAC system. To be continued...

So now Sewes, you can't give me a hard time about keeping in touch! The relative never actually went to South Africa after all. It turned out to be a friend of his that was going. I'm still hoping to someday come and visit you with my wife, put on a training seminar on WMD Patient Management and Scene Organization for Decontamination and Site Safety... or something like that... : )

Have a wonderful weekend brother and say hi to the wife and kid! Just kidding, I've written to Gerta and she is a very lovely person. You are a lucky man just like I am. I've been with my wife since 1974... : ) And your son and I are now friends on the old FFN, so I welcome the chance to talk to him more in the future.

All my love to your family, stay safe and God Bless.

Mike Schlags

Forgive me if I have already responded back to you. I'm no longer taking any of the pain meds and have had some trouble keeping my memory ducks in a row. So... wanted to share that I put a video on my FFN site that shows the surgery. Incredible technology makes what was once a major surgery to a low impact methodology that takes less time to heal from. Hope all is well on your side of the planet brother. My best, Mike