December 2008 Blog Posts (170)

Life in today's volunteer fire service...

I see a continuing trend today of departments trying to phase out volunteers to "improve services". This is B.S.! This is B.S. because at the same time you see departments cutting budgets and laying off firefighters or just not filling open positions to save the same money they spent to hire folks and phase out the volunteers. I will agree, most volunteer departments have longer response times than a full time or a part time staffed department, but to what benefit when due to budget cuts you… Continue

Added by Rob on December 29, 2008 at 3:37am — 1 Comment

Thanks

Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers

John

Added by John on December 28, 2008 at 2:51pm — 1 Comment

LODD Hicks Bay Chief Ray Barrett, 27 December 2008

I am sitting here feeling very sad over the LODD of Ray Barrett who was killed when the truck he was responding to a motor vehicle crash in rolled off the road yesterday just north of Hicks Bay at Waihau Bay.

Of even more concern for me is that the 30 year old truck involved, a Bedford MK65 is the same as what my unit is running.

Having seen some… Continue

Added by Mark Montgomery on December 28, 2008 at 3:00am — 3 Comments

Happy News

My daughter and son-in-law are going to be parents, she is due around July 18, 2009. This is my first born having my first grandbaby. I am so excited!!! My oldest son has graduated boot camp and is now stationed in White Sands, NM.

Added by Rebecca Marlow on December 28, 2008 at 1:02am — 4 Comments

Volunteer Firefighter poem

I am looking for a poem or something like a poem that I saw several years ago and I have lost it. It starts out when the pager goes off in the middle of the night and the firefighter awakes about 3 feet above the bed, while trying to get on his turnout gear he steps on the jacks left on the floor by the kids, runs out the door and the walk is iced over sliding all the way to his truck when he get to the fire hall he tries to park with ice or snow on the ground he slides into a spot only to find… Continue

Added by Allen Cummings on December 28, 2008 at 12:00am — No Comments

My wifes grandma

Well yesterday My wife had to head out to Pa cause her grandma wasn't doing real well, This morning she had texted me and said she had passed away. I got to talk to her later today and she says all is well, I am guessing from what she had said, her grandma was in her 80's and was failing health wise. Rest in Peace Grandma.

I am now hoping the next few days go by fast, as I had to stay behind and continue working while she went to PA, I am very lucky that she understands and was never upset… Continue

Added by John on December 27, 2008 at 11:50pm — 4 Comments

my AWESOME page

hey this is my AWESOME page !!!!!!!!LOL!!!!jst kiding but u should get on my page and be my friend so no mor bout me

THANKS

Added by Hunter Cullen on December 27, 2008 at 9:47pm — No Comments

Simple Gifts

It is the day after Christmas. Our house is decorated with enthusiasm if not style, the living room cluttered with wrapping paper. We came home from Christmas with the in-laws to find a large package on our porch, and after quick work with a pocketknife on the many layers of tape, we opened more gifts.

Its quiet. Just the hiss and swish of iron on fabric.

Getting the pleats just right takes skill. First, I take off the badge, take off the nametag, take off the tack pin… Continue

Added by Kimberly Robinson on December 26, 2008 at 11:23pm — 1 Comment

Just Another Statistic

Friday, December 19th, shortly after lunch...I started having severe chest pain, radiating down my left arm, and up into my jaw. I had been dealing with this for several months, and had been to my cardiologist about a month previous for a stress test, which came back normal. My personal physician had prescribed Nitroglycerin, and I had found that it broke the "attack" in a matter of seconds. It just seemed the attacks were coming more and more frequently, and took longer to break. I went to… Continue

Added by Terri on December 26, 2008 at 10:04pm — 3 Comments

About me and my life

Hello to everyone,

I am a new member here and I am just stating to gain new friends. I just wanted to post a blog about me so everyone gets to know me and where I am coming from. I hope it helps you all to get where I am in my life.

My name is Matt Jankowski and I am 26 years old from Baldwin, Pa, and currently living in Carrick, Pa. I have one son, Deakyn, who is 10 months old and 3 step children, Ty 11, Shayne 8, and Jadyn who is 3. I love all of them equally as if they… Continue

Added by Matt on December 26, 2008 at 7:30pm — 2 Comments

Christmas & Firefighters

From the time I was old enough to know what was happening on Christmas morning, my life has revolved around the fire service.

On Christmas morning 1971 I was 4 years old. Since most Christmas memories center around what we received that year, mine isnt like most peoples childhood memories.

Well...not including many on this board anyway. But I digress.

Christmas morning was exciting with the huge tree (maybe 5' with the star on top!) in our small mobile home that… Continue

Added by Allen Wahlstrom on December 25, 2008 at 9:38pm — 4 Comments

It gets me....

It gets me everyday. What you ask? The general apathy of the general public to the fire, rescue, EMS and police services. Has the public totally forgotten the sacrifices the men & women make for them on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis? Everyone seems to believe for some reason that we in the fire service have unlimited funding. Where do they get their information?

Where I live, we have 17 seperate departments. Of these, at least 4, possibly 5, recieve some funding from their… Continue

Added by Tandy Young on December 25, 2008 at 7:40pm — 3 Comments

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter...December 25, 2008

This blog is taking a day of silence in memory of Michelle, a volunteer firefighter from Delaware who passed away. May she rest in peace and my prayers and thoughts are with her family and daughter.

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20081224/NEWS/81224013

Added by Denise Imperiale on December 25, 2008 at 3:50pm — No Comments

hope everyone had a safe and happy Christmas and you all got what you all wanted and needed i know i did. thank you all for being here this is a great place and hope to make some new friends in alot …

hope everyone had a safe and happy Christmas and you all got what you all wanted and needed i know i did. thank you all for being here this is a great place and hope to make some new friends in alot of different places to learn how you all do things if there is anything different. best of luck to you all. Continue

Added by robbie-volunteer on December 25, 2008 at 2:00pm — No Comments

Happy Holidays

On behalf of me, my family, and the Brady Twp. fire and rescue dept. I would like to wish everyone Happy Holidays.
May God Bless and stay safe out there.

Added by Brian Dill on December 25, 2008 at 11:07am — 1 Comment

(Firefighter) Night Before Christmas

(Firefighter) Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas,

And all through the house,

All the firefighters were asleep,

Even the one called "The Louse",

The bunk room was filled,

With farts and snores,

With visions of no fires,

Nor calls to pry open doors,

And the Captain had just laid down,

His big fat head,

Hoping and praying

The night would be dead,

When he heard a noise,

Out in the bay,

If it were a… Continue

Added by Darnell on December 25, 2008 at 5:01am — 4 Comments

2 car wrecks 4 injured firefighters!!!!!!!

Two days ago I read an article about a ff being injured while working a car crash where the vehichle came flying through the scene and struck the FF without any warning. Today I read an article where three more FF's were injured after a car came through the scene, initially struck one FF, then struck the car involved in the initial accident where two FF's were working the vic inside. All three were injured!!!! I dont think the explicit words need to be said to show how I truly feel about the… Continue

Added by Dustin J. Millis on December 25, 2008 at 2:19am — 1 Comment