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Peter Lupkowski's Blog (39)
Is It a Full Moon?
The belief in Fate, a divine hand, or just plain bad luck is encouraged and promoted by our understanding that call volume has some association with innocuous universal truths. Friday the Thirteenth is a widely held bad luck…
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Added by Peter Lupkowski on October 19, 2010 at 9:01am — 2 Comments
Fluids
Added by Peter Lupkowski on September 1, 2010 at 2:23pm — No Comments
Not so sweet "Sound of Music!"
Doe, a deer a female deer
Ray, the medic on the call
Me, the name I call myself
FA, the start of what was said….
SO, what will my penance be?
LA, it was the newest in the fleet!
TI, it’s technically not my…
ContinueAdded by Peter Lupkowski on July 9, 2010 at 10:13am — 1 Comment
Dichotomy
I am roundly criticized for not yelling and generally being a wet blanket for exciting fun stuff. My outward form is quiet and thoughtful. It’s my form of the typical command presence. Inside however I am a maze of flashing lights and dichotomy. That’s the part I want to share, the other half.
Here’s the way my internal “dad psyche” works. I live at threat level “blue” for guarded, as in the Homeland Security Advisory System. The sound of our tone for an MVA with injuries interrupts my… Continue
Here’s the way my internal “dad psyche” works. I live at threat level “blue” for guarded, as in the Homeland Security Advisory System. The sound of our tone for an MVA with injuries interrupts my… Continue
Added by Peter Lupkowski on June 10, 2010 at 12:38pm — No Comments
IAFF Announces New Volunteer Initiative with NVFC
Fire Rescue Magazine reported today that Harold Schaitberger, General President of the International Association of Firefighters met with representatives of the National Volunteer Firefighters Council at IAFF Local 4799 Fallbrook International Airport, PA to announce a new union initiative.…
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Added by Peter Lupkowski on April 1, 2010 at 9:30am — No Comments
"Dad, we have no power."
Bear with me on this one. I am at work. My wife is at work. My children are at home. Here in lies the problem. Let me summarize the last 4,327,953 phone calls from home. Keep in mind I get a smaller percentage of them than my saintly wife receives, and when I am actually home my children gravitate to any other room in the home to avoid the “can you help me with this” question that I usually come up with as I see them idle in front of the, pick an appliance, TV, computer, microwave,… Continue
Added by Peter Lupkowski on June 23, 2009 at 3:58pm — 1 Comment
Last Responder not First Responder
Recently the Wellsboro Fire Department was notified that a local business was removing an existing fire sprinkler system during a significant remodeling effort. Naturally the Fire Chief called to express his, and the department’s, disappointment and offer some suggestions about retaining the operating system. Principally he mentioned that there has never been a multiple loss of life in a fully sprinklered building and that fire sprinklers are widely recognized as the single most effective… Continue
Added by Peter Lupkowski on November 21, 2008 at 12:31pm — 10 Comments
Nomex Skin Would Help
Isn’t it always like this: We were having a quiet night and preparing to head home when things began to pick up. We are in and out of this building regularly and think nothing of it because it is at the end of the business district, well hydranted, and fully sprinklered. No signs of problems from the outside so we head into the kitchen to see and ask what’s going on there.
I was the second firefighter into the kitchen area backing up one of our newer guys. There was a light smell of… Continue
I was the second firefighter into the kitchen area backing up one of our newer guys. There was a light smell of… Continue
Added by Peter Lupkowski on August 21, 2008 at 2:07pm — No Comments
Another night of funnel cakes
We’ve had an exceptionally busy month and it’s only half over. The capper to that is this is the Pennsylvania State Laurel Festival Celebration in our town. A week of runs. bikes, parades, carnivals, car races, and yes firemen. We get 50 or 60 thousand extra tourists in our first due and a concurrent increase in calls to boot. The nice thing is that we staff the station for visitor tours and have extra folks rotating in for stand bys and relief. I’ve met and compared notes with safety officers… Continue
Added by Peter Lupkowski on June 17, 2008 at 11:29pm — 1 Comment
F@#$ You Fireman; No, 14ga you Mean Gene
OK we're finally leaving after one of our guys just turned in his papers to get out and I mean this guy has been a fixture at the station for well, hell I think that they built the station AROUND him originally. Anyway we're outside and the local motorcycle Hecks Angels are revving up the Harley's and we can't even think it's so loud and we yell over across the street to tone it down and they issue a profanity laced tirade as they drive off across the street onto the sidewalk nearly crash into… Continue
Added by Peter Lupkowski on April 10, 2008 at 5:14pm — 7 Comments
Banquet Time Put to Good Use
It seems that every volunteer department in our area has an annual awards or appreciation banquet for its members. Good or bad I have been invited to be Master of Ceremonies at many of these get togethers. I can tell a few jokes, share a wonderful meal, and even get credit for taking my wife out for a night of dancing if everything works out to her liking.
Recently I have become friends with the local newspaper columnist that has also tagged along, by invitation, to many of these… Continue
Recently I have become friends with the local newspaper columnist that has also tagged along, by invitation, to many of these… Continue
Added by Peter Lupkowski on February 18, 2008 at 9:56pm — 1 Comment
Success is not final…
Do you think for a second that even Mick Mayers is going to change the way we read, write,… Continue
Added by Peter Lupkowski on February 13, 2008 at 2:44pm — 1 Comment
Hot Dogs and Ice
Wienermobile wipes out
Famed vehicle spins, crashes on snow-covered Pa. highway; 'hotdoggers' OK.
By George…
Added by Peter Lupkowski on February 11, 2008 at 1:09pm — 14 Comments
What is it?
Why would some want to be a part of your organization? Is there cache like being a Clydesdale pulling the Budweiser Wagon? Or is it something else? We recently brought on several new firefighters and we threw out the conventional wisdom and asked them, what made them chose emergency services.…
ContinueAdded by Peter Lupkowski on February 4, 2008 at 2:51pm — No Comments
What's YOUR New Year's Resolution
Times Square NY
As a departure from my usual ruminations I am looking forward to next year and, with a reasonable amount of apprehension, considering leadership goals.
The NFPA has thrust a rather large one upon us for the coming new year- Rehab. Sure we've always done it donuts, sandwiches if you're lucky, and of course all the coffee and soda that you can drink. But that doesn't play…
ContinueAdded by Peter Lupkowski on December 11, 2007 at 11:02am — 1 Comment
When Do You Stop?
Semi vs car
I was acting EMS chief and first on scene at a reported multivehicle with entrapment. I did the typical "are you OK" to the truck driver and continued on to the car. I got a pulse called in and command was established by another Asst Chief. We set up and worked like hell for 10 minutes. ALS called it. It was like every bit of adrenaline immediately left me and I was beat. After beating the reaper twce that day it…
ContinueAdded by Peter Lupkowski on November 29, 2007 at 11:17pm — 3 Comments
Paint a Picture with Words
Vehicle #1
First big snow of the season shows the rust we all have in our winter driving skills. Safety is only secondary in this installment. What do I want to know enroute to a vehicle accident? What is the most useless fact that I have to sift through trying to mentally prepare for my arrival? The dispatch information is a given in this discussion. Good or bad you have what you have. Obviously unknown vehicles, unknown…
ContinueAdded by Peter Lupkowski on November 20, 2007 at 10:18am — No Comments
Mass Casualty Incident
A run away horse wagon ride during an annual festival in Wellsboro, PA tested Responders.
Wellsboro, Mansfield, Blossburg, Lawrenceville, Middlebury, Morris, and Valley responded with SSMH ALS to the scene. Unified Command was established with Asst Chief Boyce and EMS Asst Chief Lupkowski. Of significance was the number of resources that were available almost immediately and that actually…
ContinueAdded by Peter Lupkowski on November 15, 2007 at 1:09pm — 1 Comment
Preachin' to the Choir
When's the last time that you threw a ladder?
Do you know the difference between a dog and a pawl? Do you give a rip that there are "dissipative ladders" and the fire service doesn't use them? Extension, roof, hook, fixed, Bangor. It sounds like a Billy Joel song. But can we rely on the Aerial to save us everytime?
Today the "truck" was 15 minutes away and we put up…
ContinueAdded by Peter Lupkowski on November 12, 2007 at 10:34pm — 1 Comment
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