Type of Organization

Combination Fire Rescue Department

Job Function

Safety Officer

Years in Fire/EMS:

22yrs/Fire & EMS/Retired

Primary Fire/EMS Department:

City of Onalaska Fire Department

Years With Department/Agency

22

Dept. Web Site:

http://www.cityofonalaska.com/departments/fire.html

Other Past or Current Departments and Organizations

City of Onalaska Water/Sewer Department.

My Training:

Too numerous to list right now. Will later!

About Me:

Retired, due to injuries, just before 9/11. Now...I'm a writer! Short stories,memoir; life & fire experiences. Magazines, anthology's, newspapers."America's Heartland Remembers, Spirit of America, The People Book, The Wisconsin Academy Review and LaCrosse Magazine." At this time I'm working on a few of my own books. And now, I'm an AML (Leukemia) survior, for good I hope.
http://www.meetthewilkins.com/terry_smith/
Now my granddaughter is going for an Associate (EMT/EMS) Degree and then into the Emergency Services (Ambulance/Firefighter) field. I can live with that. I don't know where she picked up on that vocation? :)

I'm German/Dad (Smith,Prise); Irish,Scottish, English,Cherokee/Mom (Williams, Bradley, Linam,Teague,Hodges) Oh yes, a certain Irish President O'Bama is my cousin; through each of our mother's branches of our family tree's. And now I know that Thomas Jefferson was a cousin through my cousin Robert E. Lee. It really is a small world! And, now I know that 11 other President's are distant cousin's.Plus Princess Diana, Winston Churchill and Robert the Bruce I & II. :) I wonder if the Pres. and my other cuz, Hank Williams Jr., are aware of these historical tidbits? It actually goes on and on, but I'll stop there.

Relationship Status:

Married

Why I Joined Fire/EMS

I just had to; after watching the Onalaska department fight our middleshool fire and just after my mom died at 47 from a brain tumor. Plus, when I was a little kid in Waukegan, Illinois, the fire chief lived next door and was always saving me from fires and explosions; usually from moments of my own stupidity; like, when I tried to develop rocket fuel for my own rocket. Then, after a tornado hit our house and others, he put his big, heavy white chief's helmet on my 6 year old head and told me to keep it - telling me that someday I was going to be a firefighter - if I didn't burn the neighborhood down first. Four years later, after the rocket fuel explosion, he retired and moved to Florida. Yes, the neighborhood's still there! And, contrary to some rumors, I had nothing to do with "The Great Chicago Fire." I was nowhere near that barn. :) Now that was O'Leary's. Maybe Denis Leary was at that one? :)

Why I Love Fire/EMS

Brotherhood/Sisterhood! Once its in your blood, its forever!

Top Issues Facing Responders:

Staffing, funding, Insurance, training and recognition. Especially for volunteers!