December 2008 Blog Posts (170)

12/6/2008

Today was a quiet day mostly sold Christmas trees.

Added by Eric Harjula on December 6, 2008 at 3:59pm — No Comments

Lately my vollie department has begun placing a lot of emphasis on RIT teams and calling, and responding to the MAYDAY. At my career dept. we've been training on this for years. My question to everyone is this: Why is it that we're now spending so much time on teaching each other how to get out of this situations AFTER the fact? Why is it that we don't spend more time as a family and service teaching each other how to avoid, or recognize the factors and warning signs that can put us in these… Continue

Added by Nic on December 6, 2008 at 12:18pm — 3 Comments

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter...December 6, 2008

Last night we had a class on Bloodborne Pathogens. The instructor gave me a bit of germophobic awareness! I didn't know that soaps that claim to be 'anti-bacterial' are just as effective for washing hands as Ivory soap. If you want to read up more on the topic, go to this link http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/bloodbornepathogens/index.html.

Today I'm going to… Continue

Added by Denise Imperiale on December 6, 2008 at 12:14pm — No Comments

Fighting

Why is it that we fight as volunteers and paid ,we all do the same job but one is blessed with a pay check ,i have done both and i have enjoyed both ,if you stick a paid fireman and a volunteer fireman next to one another in full turnout gear you cant tell them apart, we are all brothers and sisters with the same goal in mind we just have to quit fighting because one person is more trained than the other, well help that person who is under trained to become a better firefighter it will only… Continue

Added by Tim Dickerson on December 6, 2008 at 6:28am — 5 Comments

Hi Everyone!!

Wow.......it's been such a long time since i got here at Firefighter Nation. I just been very busy working. There has been some struggles there and there but everything is ok. That's what all matters right now. I have been feeling very bad because i stoppped going to my club organization ELAC(Association of Future Firefighters) because there has been some financial problems. I had to make a sacrifice to take a break from school so i can work again and help out my family. I guess later on it… Continue

Added by Valerie on December 5, 2008 at 7:43pm — No Comments

Blogging As A Tool

I’ve said it from the beginning- this blogging project is a work in progress for me, but I'm enjoying it and it's apparently pretty contagious. As far as my writing skills, however, I’m quickly learning about how to catch your interest in sound bites rather than in paragraph form, which is a big transition from technical writing. Of course, I know that to put “Buy Cialis” as a title to a firehouse blog will get people to look, even though it has… Continue

Added by Mick Mayers on December 5, 2008 at 12:30pm — 4 Comments

One Reason People Get Frustrated at the Police

Taken from KCMQ.com.

Today’s award goes to a state trooper in Massachusetts for unfairly ticketing a married couple. Jennifer Davis was stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic while she was in labor, with contractions just 3 minutes apart. Her husband was trying to stay calm, but was driving in the breakdown lane of the highway. They pulled up behind a state trooper to ask for his assistance, and instead of helping them get to the hospital, he gave them a $100 citation for driving in the… Continue

Added by Bruce C Ziebarth on December 5, 2008 at 10:19am — 8 Comments

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter

I was driving in Bernardsville NJ today, trying to think of a special gift for a fellow firefighter who recently lost his dad. I stumbled upon a store called Cigars and Firetrucks in Bernardsville, NJ. It was the coolest store I've seen in such a long time. The people that worked there were so patient with me. And guess what! I ordered my boots. Now just have to hope Google makes me some money. Here's their online site http://www.candfsupply.com and the… Continue

Added by Denise Imperiale on December 4, 2008 at 8:30pm — 2 Comments

New Dad to be...

Well it's been nine months since my wife told me she was pregnant. This will be our first. She actually sent me a text message, Saying "congrtulations dad!" I just happened to be pumping at a structure fire when I found out. So anyway, this weekend she is due to deliver our first baby.

I'm extremely excited, but also very nervous, i've never really spent much time around babies, so I will be learning as I go.we've spent countless hours, prepping the nursurey, shopping for stuff we need ,… Continue

Added by Michael Bates on December 4, 2008 at 7:45pm — 11 Comments

Better Lost

A girl is confronted in the bathroom by a friend of 6 years, whom appears quite troubled....The girl asks her friend what is wrong.....her friend doesn't answer her until the girl touches her shoulder....then she breaks down and tells the girl what is wrong ......giving her quite a list of things. Then the friend (in confidence) pulls out a razor blade and tells the girl that she is thinking about using it.....The girl knows her friend quite well and knows that she is distressed and that the… Continue

Added by Jenelle on December 4, 2008 at 1:00pm — 21 Comments

lost a friend

On dec 3rd a member of the Southeast vol fire dept that i belong to lost a long time member from a massive heart attack at his home he was also a good friend of mine he was learning me how to send fire reports in and other important paper work he always done due to his wife being sick and in the hospital a lot pray for his family thank you Betty

Added by Betty Cook on December 4, 2008 at 11:23am — 4 Comments

Daily Dumbass December 4, 2008

Taken from KCMQ.com.

Today’s dumbass should’ve just put a flashing neon “arrest me” sign on her car. A 40-year-old Reno, Nevada woman was arrested after authorities saw her driving on the highway with a fuel hose and nozzle sticking out of her gas tank. When they tried to pull her over, they couldn’t get her attention so they called in additional troopers. Not surprisingly, the woman failed her sobriety test…and they’re still trying to find the service station that is missing the… Continue

Added by Bruce C Ziebarth on December 4, 2008 at 9:41am — 4 Comments

Just wondering

I was just wondering if anyone else goes on the local news websites and copies and pastes any articles from calls they were on and saves them. Every fire call we are on and the news crews show up usually the next day I go through and save the articles on my computer, I know that sounds wierd doing that and of course I have been called(jokingly though) a freak and such LOL. I like having these I guess don't know why maybe its a phase and it will soon go away. I was wondering if anyone else did… Continue

Added by John on December 4, 2008 at 9:22am — 4 Comments

Young People in the Fire Service

I am 20 Years old and have been involved in the both career and volunteer Fire and EMS since I was 18. In my Two and a half years in this business I have noticed that I am have a very difficult time staying friends with people my own age. I feel that this job has made me grow up much faster than them. I find myself getting very frustrated with them. I spend my day at work running calls going to fires, car crashes, and medical calls , and for my friends my age their biggest concern in life is… Continue

Added by andrew on December 4, 2008 at 3:49am — 3 Comments

Big Move

Well I just moved from CT to NH. Big Life change wow, people are so much nicer up here. LOL. Anyway 2nd night saw a mooose in my backyard ( holy crap)!! Awesome!!!Hope to meet some cool people, actually I have from the Grantham Fire Dept I just joined. Feel free to add stuff or comment please.

Added by Jason McMahon on December 3, 2008 at 5:40pm — 2 Comments

New

Hey everyone well i just wanted to write in my blog to say that i am new to this site and would love to meet new people and make as many friends as possible.. I'm still trying to figure some things out on here but im sure ill get the hang of it fast.. well if anyone wants to know more about me or has any questions for me plzz just ask and ill answer them the best way i know possible.. And for those of you that welcomed me thank you soo much.

Added by Beth on December 3, 2008 at 4:42pm — 5 Comments

Patches Wanted

If you guys haven't known, I am a patch collector. I would like to collect your stations patches and other stations that are near you. If you gys like to give my an hand to collecting these, I will give my address to mail me a patch from your company. Here is my number to call me for my home address: 610-324-6423. If you were in or know body that were the scouts, I am looking for those too.

Thanks again,

Stephen Bretz
King of Prussia VFC 47

Added by Stephen Bretz on December 3, 2008 at 4:30pm — 1 Comment

I don’t know, maybe I’m just pissed over all this and thinking about the past too much today. You guys tell me what you think.

Ok, so I have to vent or I’m going to lose it. As I sit here at my desk thinking about today’s history in the fire service. I think about all the times I have taught RIT or LODD case studies and see these blank looks. I see these faces go totally blank when I say places like Hackensack, NJ, Worcester, Ma, Keokuk, Ia, Marks, Ms, & Charleston, Sc. Now the last one, I get someone in the course that says…oh yea, those guys in South Carolina that got killed, right? I sit here today and think… Continue

Added by Chris on December 3, 2008 at 3:40pm — 5 Comments

Don't Carry a Gun While Your Drunk!

Taken from KCMQ.com.

Today’s award goes to New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress. He was drinking at a New York bar early Saturday morning, and of course he was illegally packing a gun with him. The gun slipped down his pant leg, and when he tried to get it back into position, he accidentally shot himself in the leg. Luckily no one else was hurt - except his teammates who now have to play without him due to him being a dumbass. Plaxico is… Continue

Added by Bruce C Ziebarth on December 3, 2008 at 9:25am — 1 Comment

Structure Fire

WOW we had another incident, a structure fire in an office warehouse that houses electronic bingo games. The call went out as a burglar alarm at around 3 AM and once the Sheriffs got there they were calling it fire thru the roof working structure fire. My Engine (45) was first on scene after the battallion, and was told to check the roof and verify whether it was thru or just a roof fire. we laddered the roof and it appeared to have burnt thru. Then made entry to the adjacent office and found… Continue

Added by John on December 3, 2008 at 9:04am — 1 Comment