January 2009 Blog Posts (170)

I Wish You Could Know.

I wish you could know what it is like to search a burning bedroom for trapped children at 3 AM, 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 six 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 know everything… Continue

Added by Christian Cossey on January 28, 2009 at 10:14pm — No Comments

Cold Weather Firefighting Quiz

With much of the nation locked in by cold and ice, I thought it would be useful to share a quiz that deals specifically with cold weather firefighting. If you're game, here's the scenario:

It's 0212 hours and the crew of Ladder 9 have been dispatched as the 2nd due truck on a building fire. For Ladder 9's crew, this will be the 4th response of the evening, two of which were working fires. Because of the previous jobs, there's some standing water remaining in the ladder pipe and the… Continue

Added by Lou Angeli on January 28, 2009 at 9:42pm — 1 Comment

Returning to National Fire Academy in '09

I have received confirmation that I will be attending the 2009 NYS Weekend at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg! I will be taking Leadership Skills III: Statagies for Supervisory Success. I will be returning with Paul Zemla, my Second Assistant Chief, this will be his 3rd NYS Weekend.

Added by Joseph Sajdak on January 28, 2009 at 7:55pm — No Comments

Fishing Stories and the Cool Cat...

Ok, so many of you know that I celebrated my 55th birthday with some other firefighters at a local lake that included some fishing. So why not another fish story? Here's mine...

We drove down to the shoreline and saw a boat anchored off the shore and assumed it was owned by a friend of ours. With this being the mind set, I went out to the boat, climbed aboard and noticed a fishing pole in the water with some slack line laying on the surface... What an opportunity for some quick down… Continue

Added by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on January 28, 2009 at 6:30pm — No Comments

Command and Conquer

Some things never change. 32 years of service and I still see some things that should change, but never do.

Command is one of these things that never seem to quite work the way we're taught.

Company "A" has a fire and calls for help from neighboring departments (mutual aid) who have pledged to respond. Sounds good, so far... but that is when the trouble starts.

The control and command of the fire is the responsibility of Company "A", but upon arrival of the… Continue

Added by Richard Shankman on January 28, 2009 at 5:30pm — 5 Comments

I added NEW PICS Check them out PLEASE!!!

Let me know what you think! HAve a great day and be Safe!!

Added by Heather Dennis on January 28, 2009 at 3:00pm — No Comments

hey all

hey all here is an update on how everyone here is.

jimmy- is still crazy and is doing good despite the lovely weather and happenings in the house.

bladen and wesley are driving us crazy since school has been cancelled for the second say and it looks like they will be out tomarrow too.

mikayla and zoey are getting bigger and louder everyday. mikayla weighs 7lbs 8 1/2 oz. zoey weighs almost 12lbs. both are doing great

me- we nothing much about me except… Continue

Added by Trish Girard on January 28, 2009 at 1:48pm — No Comments

Gloves

During the holiday I purchased a pair of Chiba Flame-x gloves (short wrist) but they are seriously back ordered so I also just purchased a pair of Pro-Tech 8s becasue I heard good things and they were on sale for $30!!! So I am excited for both to arrive.

Added by Teddy on January 28, 2009 at 1:17pm — 2 Comments

First

So I'm not very good with this bloging type thing, but I figured I'd give it a try. I figure I would just start about an event that i recently attended. I went to see fire chief Rick Lasky do his speech about Pride & Ownership, and it was AWSOME!!!! He is such a motivation to me and I admire him a lot. I never read books, but have not put his down yet. It is great and highly recommended.

As always stay safe, and remember Brotherhood above ALL else!
~Teddy

Added by Teddy on January 27, 2009 at 11:31pm — No Comments

hgh

HGH products can actually be harmful if you chose injections. What many people don’t realize is that HGH products which are synthetically produced lead to problems such as diabetes and premature arthritis. Even though HGH usually lowers blood pressure, artificial HGH products have been shown to cause hypertension. Almost any doctor you’ll speak to will…

Continue

Added by Ulrich Schwedler on January 27, 2009 at 4:47pm — 1 Comment

Appreaciation Dinner

This Saturday Night our Department is having a dinner for our families mainly to show our appreaciation for putting up with what we do, (run out at dinner time, just as we start out to go to the store Etc.) It also turns out to be an awards ceromony at the same time, and not just awards that are for things we do well but some how should I say, for some crazy things as well LOL. I did not attend last year mainly cause I wasn't to sure of what it was going to be like where they held it. This year… Continue

Added by John on January 27, 2009 at 11:42am — 1 Comment

Pictures

Yesterday, while I was I surfing the "net" because I was bored and waiting for the wife to get home with dinner from Outback (Yes, we eat good sometimes and I am not afraid to admit it), I came across the IFBA Page. Fore those of you who are not are not as fire worthy as I am, the IFBA stands for the International Association of Fire Buffs. Bassically, it is a group of people who support firefighters in their duties and functions, but are not firefighters. In major metro areas, they run the… Continue

Added by Brady Matthew Grim on January 27, 2009 at 9:00am — No Comments

State regualtions and volunteer warning lights

I recently became the acting captain of my volunteer EMS organization in rural Pennsylvania. Being the captain I am entitled to use a RED warning light on my personal vehicle. Atop my car roof is the standard BLUE light that I also use for volunteer fire calls. Does anyone know if the RED light must also be visible for the full 360 degrees?

Where would one find the laws specific to each state that addresses the use of emergency warning light, who can use them and also their… Continue

Added by Jeffrey Miller on January 27, 2009 at 2:49am — 3 Comments

New Blog

So I've started a new blog on a different site. This isn't a "please read my blog" attempt, but if anyone is terribly interested in the goings on of my life, they can read it there. It's called "Hydraulic Ventilation" and has nothing to do with firefighting. If anything terribly important happens regarding firefighting, rest assured, I will probably post it here.

Hvent.blogspot.com

Added by Adam Box on January 27, 2009 at 2:20am — No Comments

more pics

view more pics at myspace.com/bigfordboy8661

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

Good bye Skip

I (as well as many others) attended the funeral of a fellow Chief today.. I knew Warren "Skip" Highwood of the Chesterton Fire Department of Porter County Indiana for a long time (most of my life in fact). As I sat in the Church listening to the tributes and accolades from family and friends, and fellow fire-fighters I began to think back about the things I remember and the things I have learned from this man.

He had been a fireman all his adult life and a Chief of his department for… Continue

Added by Bill Branham Sr on January 26, 2009 at 10:14pm — No Comments

Subject: Common Sense Obituary

Subject: Common Sense Obituary

Mr. Common Sense, birth date unknown.

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be forever remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, I should… Continue

Added by Norman E. Flanders on January 26, 2009 at 6:43pm — 2 Comments

My Mean Mom and Grandma, there should be more

Mean Moms & Grandmas

Someday when my children are old enough to understand the

logic that motivates a parent, I will tell them, as my Mean ole Mom told me:

I loved you enough . . .to ask where you were going, with whom,

and what time you would be home.

I loved you enough to be silent and let you

discover that your new best friend was a creep.

I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room,

a job… Continue

Added by Norman E. Flanders on January 26, 2009 at 6:38pm — 1 Comment

" Three Things " you should know...and more

THREE THINGS IN LIFE THAT, ONCE GONE, NEVER COME BACK

1. TIME

2. WORDS

3. OPPORTUNITY

THREE THINGS IN LIFE THAT CAN DESTROY A PERSON

1. ANGER

2. PRIDE

3. UNFORGIVENESS

THREE THINGS IN LIFE THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER LOSE

1. HOPE

2. PEACE

3. HONESTY

THREE THINGS IN LIFE THAT ARE MOST VALUABLE

1. LOVE

2. FAMILY

3. KINDNESS

THREE THINGS IN LIFE THAT ARE NEVER CERTAIN

1. FORTUNE

2.… Continue

Added by Norman E. Flanders on January 26, 2009 at 6:33pm — No Comments

Freedom of Speech in Guatemala

A chronology of key events:

1523-24 - Spanish adventurer Pedro de Alvarado defeats the indigenous Maya and turns Guatemala into a Spanish colony.

1821 - Guatemala becomes independent and joins the Mexican empire the following year.

Relatives of civil war victims try to identify remains before funeral at Zacualpa, 2001

1996: Rebels, government sign peace deal