I’ll post a blog about my boot camp experiences later, after my thoughts have been published in The Volunteer Firefighter magazine, so stay tuned for that.



I participated in drill night with my department this week and I never cease to be amazed at how many ways I can find to make a complete ass of myself.

It’s astonishing really. Disturbing, but astonishing. At least this week’s antics didn’t feature any eight-legged crawlies.



I’m still on vacation, so I spent the… Continue

The following message for the Fire Service is from U.S. Fire Administrator Greg Cade.



Seatbelts: Enough is enough. Buckle up.





On any given day as United States Fire Administrator, I receive an abundance of information regarding the nation's fire service. As one can imagine, some of the information is good — and some is tragic.





It is the information I have been receiving over the past weeks which motivates me to comment today regarding the use – or,… Continue

Some people wonder why I run half marathons and fundraise for Leukemia, and I’ve posted some comments on here before in my TNT: The Accidental Runner blogs to explain, but I don’t think anything can say it better as to why I do what I do than the note posted below.



One of the kids that the Upstate NY/VT Chapter is running for is Dylan Mayo, 8 years old, from Clifton Park, NY.

He was diagnosed with AML M4 Leukemia on 1/9/07. He and his family have never given up hope. Their motto… Continue

Reposted courtesy of Patrick O'Connor from Shaker Road-Loudonville Fire Department.



We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.







Two-hundred-and-thirty two years ago, 56… Continue

Finally we get to go to the Guilderland Fire Tower and do our confined space drill....We were shut down two weeks prior...something to do with 97 degree heat and bunker gear and insurance liability.



Having never even seen a confined space drill, let alone participated, I was a little antsy on arrival. We pull up and I see four massive round concrete towers interconnected by these ridged plastic tubes......a Habitrail on a grand scale if you will. Little did I know that I was the… Continue