June 2008 Blog Posts (111)

If your standing on the edge, your in my way!

Don't be a watcher, get involved. That means you have to pick up a rope, tie those knots, and build a system or two every week until it becomes natural to you. Other wise your one of the 80 percenters who stand around, playing at tying your part of the system, and eventually pass your part to someone else. This is a business of leaders and go getters, that are self motivated. Ask someone to pull a hose, throw water, or climb a ladder, and there off to the races like Dale Earnhardt (3). But ask… Continue

Added by Jim on June 30, 2008 at 10:30am — 1 Comment

Look At The Instructors Before Blaming The Recruits!

For some time now on this website and many other forums the world over, there has been some pretty hot debates about the attitudes and skill levels of recruits and the "younger" generation entering the emergency services.

Well, I've got a newsflash for ya'!

Check out who's teaching 'em.

Even more importnantly, check out what they're being taught by these people.

By way of background, I run my own… Continue

Added by lutan1 on June 30, 2008 at 2:01am — 6 Comments

4 Alarmer

Hey ya'll I just returned from a 4 alarm fire:

On June 29th, 2008, South Roane County Vol Fire responded to 16390 Blue Springs Rd @0312 for reported barn w/ 2nd alarm automatic mutual aid from Midtown Vol. Fire @ 0316. U/A on sence @ 0330, found to have 3 strutures fully envolved, a 3rd and 4th alarm was struck out bring mutual aid from Loudon County Vol. Fire and Philidpla Vol. Fire. The fires were brought under control around 0500, and mutual aid agenices returned to service around… Continue

Added by ERCVFD 842 C. Warren on June 29, 2008 at 8:42am — No Comments

About P.V.F.D.

Justin here...Well Pine Village Community Fire Department is in a small town of about 255 people. We cover 96 sq. mi. and around 2000 people. In our district there is about 5 smaller towns. We have a fleet of 6 trucks. 2 pumpers, 2 tankers, 1 grass truck, and 1 squad. Well that is about it for the P.V.F.D.

Added by Justin/ F-225 on June 29, 2008 at 12:31am — No Comments

happenings here

hey all just letting you know.. jimmy and i are still here. we are limited to using the library's computers til after the first when we get our phone back on. the girls are getting bigger and better everyday the nurses are working on bottle feedings with mikayla now and zoey is on the fast track to coming home soon. but they have to see how she does in a crib first instead of her cubbie hole..lol we will be going to canton on wed and staying the night. as soon as we get our phone bak on and… Continue

Added by Trish Girard on June 28, 2008 at 4:43pm — 2 Comments

END OF DAYS

END OF DAYS

As the seasons change blows through the air,

our minds are lost in pain and despair,

our hearts heavy with choises to make,

wandering how much more our nerves can take,

We walk though life looking for a light,

always finding out that it is somewhere out of sight,

we choose to blame someone else,

instead of getting up and offering help,

we need to… Continue

Added by Jeremy Phillips on June 28, 2008 at 10:30am — 2 Comments

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter

I almost wrote my last column today. I just completed one full week at the Morris County Training Academy.

Yesterday during our afternoon drill, I choked on the 30 foot ladder. Just 4 rings to where I had to hit the 3rd story window and I just couldn't do it. I did do my 4th leg lock of the day, but I just felt the ladder was wobbly (which it wasn't) and I just said I couldn't do it. The weird thing was I didn't feel scared.

When I got in my car (we were outside about… Continue

Added by Denise Imperiale on June 27, 2008 at 9:51pm — 2 Comments

Trench Panels

I'm looking for a design shematic for the fin-forms. This would show the complete Panel with strong backs and bolting patterns.

Added by Dave Reed on June 27, 2008 at 9:06pm — 2 Comments

Overtime a Problem at your Department? This Chief has an Answer...

So a guy in our band says he's about to loose overtime and a station to a city with no budget and a chief out of answers. What do you think?

HOBART, IN

Fire Chief William McCorkle sees the temporary shutdown of Fire Station No. 3 as a road test toward a possible permanent closure. The station, on Colonial Drive and 37th Avenue, will be closed until July 7 due to sewer work.

That's sufficient time to determine if it's possible for the city to get by on having three… Continue

Added by Band of Brothers pipes and drums on June 27, 2008 at 5:30pm — No Comments

last week of June

wow it has been a while since I have had time to get on this sight it is cazy! So let see if I can remember everything some where along the way wildland fire season started we have been out on 2 rather good calls one 5 acre and one 118 acre fire pretty good fire behavior. Building is really gone crazy I have been covering for the building official he is on vacation for 3 weeks so I have to cover for him. Fireworks are on sale so that should heat things up as well as the weather. I met with the… Continue

Added by Gordon Hennigs on June 26, 2008 at 11:27pm — No Comments

Firefighters doing city workers jobs...

In some of my past posts you will see my department went from vol. to a Public Safety department with the cops. We are also a combo department now M-F 7am-5pm we have part time guys in house. Our City manager (who is also Public Safety director and chief of police) has stated that the Firefighter on duty will now be doing city worker types of work like turning off peoples water, assisting in changing out sewer pipes, cleaning up yard debris, mowing public parks...ect. This is the dumbest thing… Continue

Added by Matthew Cosgrove on June 26, 2008 at 10:44am — 11 Comments

Finished Scene Support Class

So last night was the last night of class!! It was fun! I dont know what I am gonna do with my Wednesday nights. hehe! It was very interesting and I learned alot. Still confused on some things but I guess that I will learn now won't I? I think it would be more effective to learn on our own rigs and with your own department. Cuz it seems like the 3 departments we had in the class, all did things different! We used our Engine and one of the other departments engine and even tool placement was… Continue

Added by Hilary on June 26, 2008 at 9:10am — 1 Comment

RIP Scott Brown 6-24-2008

We lost a dear friend on Tuesday evening.......

LUMBERTON,NJ - A motorcyclist was killed Tuesday after his bike collided with a car on Stacy Haines Road near Fostertown Road, township police said.

Scott I. Brown, 38, was pronounced dead at Virtua-Memorial Hospital Burlington County in Mount Holly after the accident at 6:45 p.m.

He was traveling westbound on Stacy Haines Road near Fostertown Road when he passed a vehicle and then ran into a Ford Taurus which was… Continue

Added by Felonee Ketchum on June 26, 2008 at 6:30am — 1 Comment

Anniversaries

Today is our 9th wedding anniversary, and with any luck we will be taking our children to a nice restaurant for a fine dinner. We will be celebrating nine years together, a high school graduation for our daughter and a new beginning for our son. I say “with any luck” because in the emergency services, one’s plans often get interrupted by the insistent beeping of a pager.

Three times over the last nine years, on this date I have been involved in the misfortune of others. In 2002 we… Continue

Added by Joe Stoltz on June 26, 2008 at 12:13am — 4 Comments

More Emergency Personnel Needed!

I feel that there is a lack of emergency personnel that are actually available to respond to situations where they may be dispatched to. I believe that this situation applies for all emergency personnel whether it is police officers, firefighters or EMS personnel. On any given day I can listen to my scanner at my house and hear in emergency dispatchers having to dispatch emergency departments from outside of the area of the incident or incidents. This situation applies for both paid emergency… Continue

Added by Stephen Smith on June 25, 2008 at 10:40pm — 3 Comments

A Friend Lost.....

I write to all who are in this service.

WE, have recently lost one of the bravest. I never had the chance to fight beside him. But I know he would have had my back. I lost a very dear friend and fellow firefighter this last week. He was only 22 years olds. He had grown up on the fire service. He was known as the "Gentle Giant" Vince Vixon was well over 6 foot tall and wore size 20 fire boots. He may have only been part time but I know his heart was always there full time. He Never knew how… Continue

Added by Amanda Kiser on June 25, 2008 at 10:15pm — 2 Comments

human race

A little girl asked her mother,

'How did the human race appear?'

'God made Adam and Eve and they had children and then all mankind was made.'

Two days later the girl asked her father the same question.

The father answered,

'Many years ago there were monkeys from which the human race evolved.'

The confused girl returned to her mother and said,

'Mom, how is it possible that you told me the human race was created by… Continue

Added by nazy on June 25, 2008 at 5:44pm — 4 Comments

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter

Yesterday I saw a film produced by the National Fire Academy on fire safety for firefighters. We were told if it made us uncomfortable we could leave the room. However, no one did.

I thought of the calls and drills I've been on during the last seven months and how my captain and assistant captain go over safety with us all the time. "Put your goggles down," or "Wear your gloves!" are things I will now never ever forget. I even appreciate how I used the belt on a ladder drill. And I'm… Continue

Added by Denise Imperiale on June 25, 2008 at 4:11pm — 2 Comments

Knowing what we teach is getting through..

In my profile, it’s mentioned that I am head of our fire prevention team in my department. I joined my department as a firefighter in April, 1991 (I’d been active in the Auxiliary for several years prior). It didn’t take me long to get involved with the fire prevention in our department, at the urging of the Chief at the time.

With another member of our department, Rich, I started a newsletter to distribute around the village for the community to take and read. We had a lot of safety… Continue

Added by Kimberly A Bownas on June 25, 2008 at 12:21pm — 4 Comments

Buffalo New York Fire Department - "Pseudo Military?" - I dont think so !

When and where does the "Chain of Command" start and end ? Is it actually adhered to ?

This subject has plagued Fire Departments for years.

Some try to argue a Fire Department is a "Pseudo Military Organization." Given that reasoning , heres a definition :

(quote from Wikipedia) In a military context, the chain of command is the line of authority and responsibility along which orders are passed within a military unit and between different… Continue

Added by Rick on June 24, 2008 at 2:11pm — 2 Comments