All Blog Posts (7,007)

One step closer!

Today, I am an EMT-IV. I passed the National Registry exam this morning, putting me one step closer to my goal of becoming a career firefighter. That was probably the toughest test I have ever taken. I spent most of the afternoon thinking that I probably failed. I bet I checked the NREMT website 75 times between 11:30 and 3:30. I was the top student in my class, posting the highest scores on every test we took, and had no problem with the practical exam. But that Natl Registry made me question… Continue

Added by Blaine on May 12, 2008 at 10:22pm — No Comments

My kind of town......

Hello all I am back in Chicago. Whoohoo. Going to a Cubs game on Thursday (Club seats) so you know I am going to get my eat and drink on. I will have one a cold one for you all.
Stay safe out there.

Added by firegirl1 on May 12, 2008 at 6:43pm — 1 Comment

A Fireman's Prayer

When I am called to duty, God,

Whenever flames may rage;

Give me strength to save some life,

Whatever be its age.

Help me embrace a little child

Before it is too late

Or save an older person

From the horror of that fate.

Enable me to be alert

And hear the weakest shout,

And quickly and efficiently

To put the fire out.

I want to fill my… Continue

Added by Daniel Ian Woods on May 12, 2008 at 2:41pm — No Comments

Tools of the Trade

I'm just looking for some thoughts and comments here. I want everyone who reads this to tell me their favorite tool they use in the fireservice. Favorite, most useful, coolest, etc. Whatever you guys want to say. GO FOR IT!!! Just curious and looking for some good discussion

Added by Dustin J. Millis on May 12, 2008 at 1:00pm — 1 Comment

YOUR SICK SENSE OF HUMOR

Fire Chiefs exwife's house lol (that's funny I don't care who you are).

A few years back we responded to working fire in an older brick mansion that had been converted into a business. It was a good fire (notice what we as firefighters call good). Fire was blowing out several of its windows. After we had the multiple alarm fire contained we gathered in the parking lot behind the smoking ruins and swapped war stories. Because it was a… Continue

Added by Chasefire on May 12, 2008 at 12:00pm — 16 Comments

Critical Incident Safety Debriefing

Hello all! I hope everyone is safe and well. Today I would like to open up a topic about Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD). As we watch the news for changing conditions in Iraq and Afghanistan and to possibly catch a glimpse of our dear friends and family members who are serving overseas, we do not see how some of the soldiers are returning home. Can you imagine how tired the soldiers are with the war now into it's 7th year? You can see in their eyes the fatigue, you can hear it when… Continue

Added by M Clark on May 11, 2008 at 11:40pm — 2 Comments

RIP UW Med Flight Crew (Madison, WI)

My thought and prayers go out to the UW Med Flight Crew that lost their lifes on May 10, 2008 after dropping a patient off in La Crosse. We lost our own people a nurse, MD and pilot who went above and beyond to help others out.

Added by EMTMICHELLE on May 11, 2008 at 7:35pm — 1 Comment

ITS A SAD DAY TODAY

ITS A SAD DAY TODAY AT THE RHODESTOWN VOL. FIRE DEPT MRS.RITA ZIMMER #1337 WENT TO BE WITH THE LORD TODAY 5-11-08 AT 3:30 AM.. OUR HEARTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU AND THE FAMILY . YOU WILL BE DEARLY MISSED.... WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU AND ALL THE GREAT THING YOU HAVE DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND COUNTY.. YOU TAUGHT US ALL ALOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS AND SHOWED US WHAT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT.. YOU WERE ALWAYS THERE WHENEVER ANYONE NEEDED YOU.. YOU NEVER SAID NO IF SOMEONE HAS ASKED FOR YOUR HELP... WE… Continue

Added by Michael Bird SR on May 11, 2008 at 5:38pm — 1 Comment

WE LIVE TOGETHER... WE RIDE TOGETHER... FIREFIGHTERS FOR LIFE!!!

Added by j selke on May 10, 2008 at 10:09pm — No Comments

2nd week in May

well here we are Saturday afternoon and in the middle of hose testing what a way to finish the week, the good thing is they should be done this evening so I can stay home on Mothers day that will make the wife happy. It has given me a chance to catch up on all the paperwork since the first of the month which is great. Still been a fairly busy with calls this week but nothing major, all routine stuff so far. Anybody who has never been a chief at a volunteer fire station should give it a try its… Continue

Added by Gordon Hennigs on May 10, 2008 at 7:16pm — No Comments

NEW TYPE OF FOAM

We are haveing a class on this new foam today, it is going to be a blast. It should cut down on water uesage, and cut down on time. Class B foam is good, but this is better.Will let you all know how it goes.

Added by Louis on May 10, 2008 at 1:00pm — 8 Comments

Why are we Firefighters

Many years ago a great President asked “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what can you do for your country.” Although many of todays firefighters are too young to remember these famous words spoken more than a few years ago by President John F. Kennedy. The word still ring true, even in a small village like Eastlake where our great country begins there are a group of people who dedicate themselves to serving their fellow man. They do not do it for money, fame or personal gains, they… Continue

Added by Eastlake Fire Department on May 10, 2008 at 10:01am — 1 Comment

The Good Ol Boys 2

So it sounded like a maybe upset a few of the readers of The Good Ol Boys of the Firehouse, I apoligize right now for doing this, that was not my intent at all. After reading some of the comments on the post i decided maybe I should answer some of the questions that were posed to me about the post. First of all, Idk why we would tear down a wall during a defensive attack on the structure, I didnt even think about that until it was brought to my attention. Secondly, nothing upsets me about my… Continue

Added by Dustin J. Millis on May 10, 2008 at 9:00am — 3 Comments

Thursday 5-8-08

hey all just a lil note to say all went very well at the docs yesterday, even the doc we have had probs with n the past said things are looking great!!!! lil mikayla finally is getting some more fluid on her own and even passing all the tests faster than zoey. they both are growing bigger and kicking harder, but for some strange reason i have this feeling i may be going in early for delivery and i'm not talkin friggin pizza!!! oh yesterday was my moms b-day (no i will be nice and not say how… Continue

Added by Trish Girard on May 9, 2008 at 4:43pm — 2 Comments

Climate change

From the title, you might get the idea that this post will be about global warming.... well its not. I looked at the draft report from NIOSH on the Charleston LODD's from last year, and got to thinking about the climate in which we do our jobs. Incidentally, the report is available at: http://static.wciv.com/niosh.pdf.

Maybe I am just venting and maybe this will conclude with some ideas for positive change, I don't know. But I do know that generally speaking, the public, the… Continue

Added by Joel C Kelley on May 9, 2008 at 4:37pm — No Comments

The Good Ol Boys of the Firehouse

I havent been around the fire service for a very long time, just about a year now. Ive been through mandatory training, Firefigher 1 and 2, and EMS Academy. Being surronded by all of this training makes me realize all of things that some of my officers do that really arent that safe. Now don't get me wrong, I have all the respect in the world for these guys, they have definatly put in their share of time, some of them 30 years or more. Normally I don't say anything to them and just kinda let… Continue

Added by Dustin J. Millis on May 8, 2008 at 12:46pm — 8 Comments

End of April

Well it ended with out a hitch fairly busy around here don't know about the rest of the state, lots of paper work to catch up on after being gone for 9 days the preivious week. The transition to the 5" supply line has been stressful with some issues loading on the older engine we were not able to get the 1000' on the engine like I had planned, 800' will just have to do it should go easier on the new engine I suspect we will be able to get well over a 1000' on it. The price of fuel has me a… Continue

Added by Gordon Hennigs on May 8, 2008 at 12:09pm — 3 Comments

Back Again

I haven't had a chance to be real active on the boards lately because we just got back from China where we adopted our first daughter. It's been a whirlwind experience. I tried to visit a fire station while we were there but it's government controlled, so we weren't able to visit or take pictures. I was pretty bummed. I guess they probably wouldn't trade patches either?

I have managed to get Firefighter Ministries website updated with… Continue

Added by Wendy Norris on May 8, 2008 at 11:41am — 2 Comments

Recruitment Clearinghouse - ERIE COUNTY NY

Recruitment & Retention Toolkit: The Recruitment Clearinghouse - Samples of Success: Erie County NY

By: TIGER SCHMITTENDORF

This article is one in a series of toolkits focusing on recruitment, retention, fire service marketing and leadership. It first appearing in the May-2008 edition of FASNY's The Volunteer Firefighter magazine.

In Part 1 of… Continue

Added by Tiger Schmittendorf on May 7, 2008 at 11:19pm — 10 Comments

AWESOME CLASS EVERYONE SHOULD TAKE

A few weeks ago i took a class called Firefighter survival, saving our own. This class was the most challenging, most tiring thing i have ever done. I left the two day event sore with bruises on my legs and arms and back pain like you wouldnt believe. However, I am sooooo glad that I took the class. Not only did we train on drills that involved saving other firefighters like the Denver drill but we also practiced saving ourselves. Going headfirst down a ladder and bailing out a second story… Continue

Added by Dustin J. Millis on May 7, 2008 at 6:44pm — 1 Comment