Almost 6 years ago, I wrote a post discussing what I felt was happening to the Fire Service and the next generation of firefighters and medics. I just wanted to post it again because I feel it is still relevant and it’s a problem that looks to continue and keep getting worse. I am also seeking feedback and solutions.

 

From 22 July 2015

”What the hell is the fire service coming to? It is supposed to be a brotherhood / sisterhood. Well,…

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While I was reading all of the comments that citizens had left in the local newspaper about the release of the "external" review of the February 5, 2010 fire I have writing about, one post caught my attention.



The post asked “if anything had really changed" since the the tragic February 5th fire, and then suggested that all of the Chief Officers who made the "critical" mistakes should have resigned from office? The answer to that question is a definite no! Most of the officers…

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Well, Thursday night came and went. Basically, in my eyes, the entire budget process that the Commission I sit on worked on for almost 4 hours was a total waste of time. Yes, every department except 1 had a representative there to explain and justify their budget requuests, but some of the people the departments sent had no idea why they were there and had no clue what a line item buget is. To make matters worse, we did not even have enough Commission members there, according to our Bylaws, to… Continue

It is Budget Time for FY 2011. Hard to believe it is upon us already because it seems like we ust got done working on last year's budgets. In the County I live in, the Commission I sit on is responsible for for "scrutinizing" 5 volunteer department budgets and then reporting our recommendations to the Board of Supervisors (BOS). You can say we are sort of the middle man in the process. Does the process work, no. Do the departments get what they ask for regardless of what the Commission says to… Continue

First off, let me start off by saying I am not a writer or a typer and I make mistakes. I try to correct as many of them as I can find, but I am not perfect and I am continuously finding errors and correcting them so please forgive me if you see an error.



Second, I am open to any criticism, discussions or whatever you want to call it based on my writings. I have been in the fire service for over 20 years and have very round shoulders and will let the crap flow on by and take the… Continue

My post today will probably piss some people off whom I consider friends, but so be that. I will not use any names or name any departments involved, but those involved in the incident I am going to discuss will know who it is I am talking about it.



Back in a cold 2003 night, I was sound asleep at my volunteer firehouse trying to get a good night's sleep, but that was not in the cards. I was riding OIC (Officer-in-Charge) of our Engine that evening and I knew we had enough staffing… Continue

Yesterday, while I was I surfing the "net" because I was bored and waiting for the wife to get home with dinner from Outback (Yes, we eat good sometimes and I am not afraid to admit it), I came across the IFBA Page. Fore those of you who are not are not as fire worthy as I am, the IFBA stands for the International Association of Fire Buffs. Bassically, it is a group of people who support firefighters in their duties and functions, but are not firefighters. In major metro areas, they run the… Continue