Today is Patriot day, September 11th, 2009. Eight years since the 9/11 tragedy. Eight years since thousands of people lost their lives in a matter of less then two hours. Sons, daughters, fathers, mothers. All lost in what seems like the blink of an eye. All lost for reasons we may never understand. My heart breaks for the families and friends who all lost someone that day. They watched the news in terror; just waiting, hoping, praying for someone to walk through the door just one more time.…
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Added by Dustin J. Millis on September 11, 2009 at 12:12am —
2 Comments
Hey kids,
just got back from a call and had to talk about it.
I think just about every ff knows that we are never really appreciated by the public until they need us. Thats fine, I'm not a ff for the public's adoration. I do it because I love it!!!!!
Anyway, When I was still in high school, a few years back now; there was a kid that thought he was just the hottest shit on the planet, the typical jock type that just always found a way to piss me off. lol anyway,…
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Added by Dustin J. Millis on July 28, 2009 at 2:52am —
4 Comments
Okay kids, I've given you all awhile now to start your weight loss adventures. Its time to see you have done so far. Use this page to post your results so far. If you are just starting, feel free to post your starting and goal weights here or at the original blog. I'll start... If you remember, my starting weight was 178. I'm down to 176. Yeah its only two pounds but I was really wanting to lower my BP; which started at 158/102... Just took it... down to 146/88. So I've still got some work to…
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Added by Dustin J. Millis on June 9, 2009 at 1:02am —
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For those of you who have responded to my forum "top five issues facing ff's," you have seen that ff fitness is one of the issues that alot of ff's are thinking about. The sad thing is... its true!!!! While attending FDIC this year, I saw more overweight people then I ever wanted to. I'm talking a hostess shop could have opened and sold out in five minutes!!!! Okay... so maybe that last part isnt true but the point is we as ff's face a dangerous, physically demanding job on a daily basis and…
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Added by Dustin J. Millis on May 28, 2009 at 3:50am —
84 Comments
In a world of IPhones, sattelite radio, plasma tv's, and even cell phone service at the top of Mt. Everest; it is hard to imagine where our technolically crazed society will stop. New advances are made almost daily it seems.
Over the next few weeks, I will be discussing a variety of new products that we as firefighters have the possibility to encounter on a daily basis. I will present to you a topic, then proceed to discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of the item. The…
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Added by Dustin J. Millis on April 24, 2009 at 1:39am —
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Brothers and Sisters, It seems everywhere I turn these days; someone is complaining about the government, the president, and the country. I understand that these are very hard times and that after losing a job, a house, a car... people have a right to be upset. However; If you will let me, I would like to remind you just how blessed we are to live in America.
Most of you woke up this morning and got ready for work, a job that you have a choice to go to. You will wake up your children…
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Added by Dustin J. Millis on April 20, 2009 at 5:28am —
11 Comments
The USS Maersk Alabama has returned to port safely. The crew and everyone aboard is doing well and are in good health. However; The captain of this ship is still being held hostage by pirates.
As firefighters, we all know the feeling of not being sure if you will make it home safely from a call. I urge all of you to keep the captain, crew, and their familes in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
Added by Dustin J. Millis on April 11, 2009 at 3:45pm —
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Nice title, huh? It may be true very soon in Indiana.
Yesterday, Indiana's senate proposed plans for a new two year budget. With the economy the way it is right now, naturally there were cuts in almost all areas. Included in the cuts... Public Safety, things like overtime for police and FF's, fuel and maintnence budgets, and funding for new PPE all face the chopping block.
However; one area where the senate has decided to increase spending... Healthier meals for Indiana…
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Added by Dustin J. Millis on April 10, 2009 at 1:27am —
3 Comments
One of my officers, who prefers I dont give his name, is suffering from serious back and shoulder problems. Anyone who believes in the power of prayer, please keep this brother FF in your thoughts and prayers. Stay safe and Thank you
Added by Dustin J. Millis on April 4, 2009 at 7:45pm —
9 Comments
Well if that title didnt get your attention then I dont know what will!!! lol
Isnt it funny how little kids who can hardly spell their own names somehow make us scratch our heads for hours by just saying one sentence? I have a much younger brother who seems to get smarter and taller by the day and a few nights ago he dropped a line on me thats kept me awake for nights.
Let me give you some background... A neighboring dept. is having a life fire training this saturday, of…
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Added by Dustin J. Millis on April 2, 2009 at 3:01am —
3 Comments
Okay kids... Who doesnt like a good ghost story???
After watching an episode of SciFi's now famous tv show; Ghost Hunter's, I started to think about all the spooky things that go on at my firehouse. I could tell you how radios turn themselves on and off, doors open and close when no one is around, and emergency vehicle lights turn on without anyone even being in the truck. I could tell you all of those things... but they wouldn't be true LOL.
Despite the fact that I think…
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Added by Dustin J. Millis on March 20, 2009 at 9:00am —
4 Comments
As FFN continues to rise in popularity, more and more people are coming to join the ranks. I get e-mails on almost a weekly basis saying things like FFN tops 30,000. FFN tops 35,000. FFN tops 40,000 and still growing strong. I read these and I think to myself "Hey thats awesome, the more FF's we have on the site, the more we can learn from each other, the more discussions we can have, the more brothers and sisters that we can meet and become friends with.
As I read more and more of…
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Added by Dustin J. Millis on March 4, 2009 at 3:01am —
13 Comments
So let me start by saying that when I say "tanker," I mean a truck. Not a helicopter, not a plane, a truck!!! LOL I know that the word "tender" is now the proper term for what I am referring to however I have decided that until county dispatch changes our "tanker box alarms" to "tender box alarms" that I will keep calling them tankers. I am only claryifying because I know that if I didnt, people on this site (cough Lutan1 cough) lol would be sure to point out that I am wrong in calling it a…
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Added by Dustin J. Millis on February 20, 2009 at 2:49am —
3 Comments
So let me start by just saying that it was pure boredom that lead me to youtube today. After a few stand up comedians, some guys being hit in the groin, and a squirl (wait... how do you spell squirl?) that ended up on the wrong end of a clay pigeon thrower; I found myself watching the now famous "fireman vs. policemen" videos. For those of you who havn't seen this series, definatly check it out because its funny!!!!
Anyway... after watching all eight or nine installments of this…
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Added by Dustin J. Millis on February 14, 2009 at 6:45pm —
10 Comments
So I've read a few articles about guys keeping their gear in their POV at all times... I've also talked to a few guys who do exactly that. I always ask them why and never seem to get a clear answer. Lets think about this for a second...
First thing that comes to my mind is what the hell good is your gear gona do you in your POV??? Say you get a call for a structure fire, you respond to the scene in your PV, now what??? You most likely have no tools, you have no water, no partner, no…
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Added by Dustin J. Millis on February 5, 2009 at 5:02am —
19 Comments
Recently i wrote a post about a neighboring dept. who tends to have a BIG problem with their radio traffic. Usually its things like all their officers putting themselves enroute to station, not listening to dispatch information, etc...
Well yesterday it only got worse!!!!! Just like last time, I was sitting around the firehouse, it was a real slow day, and this same dept. gets a call for a rollover MVA. My ears kinda perked up and I started to listen their call on the radio just to…
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Added by Dustin J. Millis on January 24, 2009 at 6:03pm —
9 Comments
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…
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Added by Dustin J. Millis on December 25, 2008 at 2:19am —
1 Comment
I recently attended a training event involving firefighter rescue and firefighter escape. Very similar to the "getting out alive" or "saving our own" training that is becoming very popular. I took the "saving our own" training about a year ago and despite being incredibly sore and having a huge bruise on my leg for weeks, It was the best training I have ever attended. Anyway... So im at this training at a neighboring dept. and we are all practicing bailing out a second story window through the…
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Added by Dustin J. Millis on December 19, 2008 at 1:31am —
9 Comments
So im sittin around the firehouse today not doin much and I hear one of neighbor departments catch a chimney fire. I got kinda excited hopin that we might go to this one seein as we havnt had a big fire for almost two months now. We didnt end up goin but anyway, let me get to the point. As soon as the tone dropped everyone got to listen to every single officer from that department get on the radio and put themselves in route to the station. When I say every officer, I mean every officer!!! I…
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Added by Dustin J. Millis on December 13, 2008 at 7:06pm —
8 Comments
Okay, so the title pretty much says it all here. Throughout my short time in the fireservice, right around two years now; I've spoken to more then a few firefighters who say that they would rather be 1000' up on a roof then 10' up on a ladder. Just today, I was talking to a firefighter that told me he wouldent clean his own gutters because he didnt like being on a ladder!!!! This guy is a firefighter!!!! Anybody see a problem here??? I DO I tried to explain to him that being on a ladder is a…
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Added by Dustin J. Millis on October 25, 2008 at 10:36pm —
8 Comments
