All Blog Posts (7,003)

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter...January 20, 2009

Today I woke up like many Americans with the bright hope for a great new future for our country. Not like all of our problems can be solved overnight, but the amount of hope that is shining out there is catching.

I had the same hope today when I went to talk about my daughter's placement and recent situation. Because of privacy, I cannot post what we did today, but suffice to say that I have been strong throughout my… Continue

Added by Denise Imperiale on January 20, 2009 at 9:16pm — 2 Comments

Possibilities

I have been thinking alot this quarter since I had to take a break from medics class, I may if all things work out right take a level II firefighter class in the spring. But that all depends on when and if it is offered then. If I take it this spring I should be able to continue with the medics class during the summer, as long as things around here calm down some by then.

Added by John on January 20, 2009 at 3:27pm — 1 Comment

Let's Help a Brother Firefighter

For the past couple weeks I have been working with someone from the National Marrow Donor Registry to encourage Vermont firefighters to join the registry in support of Firefighter Chris Fretta of the Castleton (VT) Fire Department. It occurred to me this morning that this information needs a wider audience. There has been information on the Nation in the past about the registry, but perhaps it's time for another reminder!

Help Chris & Others!

Chris Fretta, 24, a… Continue

Added by Kristy Oxholm on January 20, 2009 at 11:10am — No Comments

A Healing Story

I was at a birthday party when I received an urgent request from another chaplain to take a call for him because he was to far away to respond in a timely manner. Because of the excellent rapport we have in each others districts I was more than happy to fill this request.

When I arrived, the engine company filled me in on the events of this code. The captain told me that the patient had been struggling to breath then began having chest pain before collapsing. After several attempts to… Continue

Added by Joel Peterson on January 20, 2009 at 1:08am — No Comments

A Very Special Firefighter

A Very Special Firefighter

The 26-year-old mother stared down at her son

who was dying of terminal leukemia. Although

her heart was filled with sadness, she also had

a strong feeling of determination. Like any

parent she wanted her son to grow up and

fulfill all his dreams. Now that was no longer

possible. The leukemia would see to that.

But she still wanted her son's dreams to come

true. She took her son's hand and asked,… Continue

Added by Meaghan on January 19, 2009 at 8:25pm — 3 Comments

Firefighters Wish

I wish you could know what it is like to search a burning bedroom for trapped children, flames rolling above your head, your palms and knees burning as you crawl, the floor sagging under your weight as the kitchen below you burns.

I wish you could comprehend a wife's horror at 3 in the morning as I check her husband of 40 years for a pulse and find none. I start CPR anyway, hoping to bring him back, knowing intuitively it is too late.

But wanting his wife and family to… Continue

Added by Meaghan on January 19, 2009 at 7:41pm — No Comments

Fire Service Monkeys

A man walks into a pet store and is looking around when he spots a

Chimpanzee in a cage marked, "$1000". The man looks a little closer

and discovers that the chimpanzee is wearing a T-shirt bearing the

Maltese Cross and is cleaning a fog nozzle. Curious about this, the

man summons the… Continue

Added by Skelly_Crash on January 19, 2009 at 7:30pm — No Comments

Be a PUPIL and be successful

When confronted by a big fire, big emergency, or big project, it's easy to fall into the temptation to think that if you're in charge, you're the teacher. You can control outcomes, you can have all of the good ideas, and you can make the kiddies do it your way. Then reality intrudes. Sometimes we are faced with situations, personalities, or budget limitations beyond our control, no matter how in charge we think we are.

Approaching a big fire, emergency, or staff project with the mindset… Continue

Added by Ben Waller on January 19, 2009 at 5:30pm — 2 Comments

Double Pin For The Rescue

The Rescue caught a double pin today as mutual aid. Check out the pics and story at www.gafc27.com.

Added by Brett on January 18, 2009 at 10:44pm — No Comments

I'm back

Guess it's been awhile now since I've been on my page and posted anything. I've now finished firefighter 1 and am taking firefighter 2. Sucessfully passed emt-b. Things are rockin here for me... Even though I haven't been able to run as many calls recently. I'm trying to get back up on that... I loving it just as much as ever! Keep your chin up everyone. You all are my heros!

Added by Abby Lawton on January 18, 2009 at 10:26pm — No Comments

Everyone Has Their Parking Lot Somewhere

Like I was discussing in my blog at Firehouse Zen, experience is useless without learning from it. As an officer with a few incidents under my belt, I too have my parking lot somewhere as a stark reminder of my failures and inadequacies (this isn't it, by the way). When I need a little humbling, I take a little spin by the ol' place to remind myself of what I was like as a young officer.

Unless you… Continue

Added by Mick Mayers on January 18, 2009 at 10:00pm — 5 Comments

The "JOYS" of paid EMS, or EMS in general...(I just needed to vent)...

I work in paid EMS 24/72 hr shifts, which I love--MOST of the time. I also volunteer practicall 24/7 on my days off. I just wish that people who call 9-1-1 just before midnight for an "illness," and who walk out to meet your ambulance BEFORE it's even in park in the driveway, who's only complaints is nausea & vomiting and pain "all over," could be told to just take 2 ibuprofen, a drink a glass of water and go to bed. Seriously, if you ask for pain meds, you ain't sick and you DON'T need me,… Continue

Added by Jessica on January 18, 2009 at 2:16pm — 5 Comments

How to find out where in your town the Transmission pipeline of natural Gas or hazardous liquid passing through..

How to find out where in your town the Transmission pipeline of natural Gas or hazardous liquid passing through..??

National Pipeline mapping System...Public domain...

To find out Transmission pipeline in your town or you Fire companies area..

Go to this web link

http://www.npms.phmsa.dot.gov/

Click on tab NPMS PUBLIC MAP VIEWER

it will take you to PUBLIC MAP VIEWER....where you can select State ...then county...and it will open up… Continue

Added by Paresh Trivedi on January 18, 2009 at 11:00am — 1 Comment

All Firemen are brothers and sisters

Everyone says all firemen are brothers and sisters. No matter where your from and no matter what state or department you come from you can always just walk into a firehouse in another state and just start talking to one another whether it be a volunteer dept or a career dept. Now to be honest I think it dont even matter if you are a rank of a junior firemen/ explorer you still are part of a family

Added by Sam Smith on January 18, 2009 at 9:56am — 5 Comments

Winter Safety Tips

Here in Southwestern Pennsylvania, we have been experiencing colder than average temperatures lately. Potentially, we will be responding to more furnace malfunctioning calls, CO calls, water break calls, wires down calls, in addition to our fire calls and vehicle crashes. Please take care and buckle up when responding to the fire station. We need you to arrive safely in order for us to do the job efficiently.

Some tips:

Dress in layers when responding and just in… Continue

Added by Andy Marsh on January 18, 2009 at 7:15am — 1 Comment

Blackhelmetapparel.com

chack out this website if you havent already. If you are tired if the same ole same ole in firefighter apparel you will love this stuff.

Added by Boomer on January 18, 2009 at 12:13am — 2 Comments

Jan. 17 2009

The coldest days so far in this winter and bought 2 house fires. No one got hurt, had a good turnout for both of them. Hope everyone has a safe year.

Added by Joe Tenhagen on January 17, 2009 at 3:17pm — 1 Comment

The Continuing Chronicles of the FNG(irl): Probie-ness---Welcome to the Dumb-A$$ Club

Well, ok…so “Probie-ness” isn’t a word, but I added it to my Word dictionary, so according to MY word processing software…it is now. Maybe I’ll add it to Wikipedia too---dazzle them with confusion….it lets you get away with all KINDS of hijinks and lunacy. Hmmm....maybe "Probiedom" would be more apt.

Anyhoo….”Probie-ness” … When I first joined the department, I felt so stupid and clumsy and green (read some of my “Chronicles of the FNG (irl)" posts right here on FFN to get a… Continue

Added by Mary Ellen Shea on January 17, 2009 at 12:33pm — 11 Comments

First responder

I have finally done it.. I passed the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians. I did my best on the test, and the scores proved that. So I have now completed my first step in the fire service. I am now a First Responder.

Added by Fire Fighter 1713 on January 16, 2009 at 10:39pm — 3 Comments

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter...January 16, 2009

I started the day on a good note...it's Friday and on Fridays I wake up happy because I am a Eucharistic Minister and get to go see Mary in Cranford. And today I got my hair done and was visiting a friend in Garwood.

But then the call came. My child was being released from the treatment facility it took me months to get her into. Back to the shelter she goes, then to court, and then hopefully a facility that will help… Continue

Added by Denise Imperiale on January 16, 2009 at 9:23pm — No Comments