Stories of the Volunteer (NOT A RANT)

As some of you may know I am an actor as well as a firefighter.

I'm starting a new project and would like to hear any volunteer fire department stories. I'm looking for dramatic, or not so dramatic, funny, or not fire or rescue stories by volunteer firefighters.

Why ?

The project's purpose is two fold: First, to educate the public about volunteer firefighters. Second, to encourage people to join.

Sorry Career Guys, unless you volunteer as well, you'll have to pass on this one.

SO ... if you're a volunteer firefighter, and have a firefighter story, I'd love to read about it.

Thanks for "listening".

Rich

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Comment by Richard Shankman on May 3, 2010 at 10:43pm
WOOOHOOO Had our first "Production" meeting today, it lasted for hours. It went very well, and I'm very excited about the project. Looks like we've got our producer, and are moving along at a good pace. I've been asked for as many "real stories" as I can get. SO COME ON let's hear em, but first : These must be stories from Volunteer firefighters, real stories of true events you've participated in, NO fiction, they'll probably check. Second: I believe the author will get a credit. Third: You don't need to be too detailed at this point, but a reasonable length summary (remember your "school essay" assignments. Fourth; this is about volunteer firefighters, and EMS too, but also includes how our jobs effect the community and our families, or significant others.

Our Producer comes from NYC and takes this all very seriously, so we need stories, lots and lots. The project is an episodic, and if all goes well we could be seeing this with regular episodes, guest appearances, lots of extras (including non-fire) who will appear in the selected stories. Locations are being scouted for season 1. Crews are being selected, equipment, and general crew, and post production. One of our writers has already accepted the job, and I know some of you know him.

SO JOIN IN! SHINE! TELL YOUR STORY! HELP THE VOLUNTEERS GET THEIR STORY OUT!

STORIES STORIES STORIES
Comment by WestPhilly on April 22, 2010 at 4:30pm
Rich,

I volunteered to be a career guy. That count? (I got stories out the ying-yang!)
Comment by Richard Shankman on April 22, 2010 at 4:16pm
Project Update: Thank you one and all for your comments, stories, and suggestions. I have a meeting scheduled next week with a producer. Still looking for more stories, as we may be shooting multiple episodes (cost factor). Now another question. It is being considered to create this "show" based, as in "Rescue Me", "Third Watch", or "Emergency (ahh the old days) on a handful of base characters, with "guest stars". All episodes based on stories from real Vol. Firefighters.

OR

We could structure it with entirely different casts for each episode.

Any opinions out there?
Comment by Richard Shankman on February 21, 2010 at 10:41pm
I'm back.... well....sort of ....

Project Update: WOW these things take forever to get off the ground, but I'm actually working with some people on the "pilot" of this project. At this time a budget is being compiled, interviews and submissions from camera people are starting. A general build of the production crew comes first, along with stories, writers, and scripting. Next comes locations and cast (real firefighter/actors) auditions will be almost the last thing before we shoot the first episode.

Still looking for stories from volunteers, so if you want to contribute we're still all ears...er ...eyes....

thanks,

I'll keep you posted.....
Comment by Richard Shankman on May 21, 2009 at 12:35am
These are great ideas, and I'm adding them to the mix. Still need some stories though, email is fine for those who like to tell em long...
Comment by Mitchell Hooper on May 7, 2009 at 10:37pm
Last year we had an explotion at Alon USA refinary in Big Spring, TX there is video clips on you tube of it theres to much detail to put on here i would have to email you the story. It was on all the major news channels. They told us it would take 2 to 3 days to burn out and it would have taken the oil field firefighters 3 days to get there, it only took us 16 hours to put it out. That was just one of the bigger fires we had that year. We were averageing 3 calls a day and this year so far our average is about 2 fires a day. We fight all fires, ( wildland, structure and oil field). We also have a dive team.
Comment by Dylan Blake Zachary on May 6, 2009 at 11:43pm
i almost forgot to say talk about the junior program and how those guys (as i am) become really close friends jsut because we have school together and have calls together. the bonds you get at a VFD are really close many of the firends you make there will be there with you in the good times the rough times and well..the call times. so is this movie for anything in particular? message me when its finished i would really like my dept. to see it if possible
Comment by Richard Shankman on May 6, 2009 at 1:10pm
Great comments, yeah there's more to this than the calls... much more. Keep 'em coming. I like it I like it.
Comment by John Schander on May 6, 2009 at 10:50am
You couldshow the human side of volunteers, and what effect bad calls can have on them. I was the first on the scene of a a veh accident where a 2 year old little girl was run over by the farm tractor she was riding on,and when I took her from her mother to treat her she died in my arms.I knew that she was gone and with the amount of obvious trauma to her face and head that CPR wasn't going to do any good, but with the family right there looking to me to save their little girl, I started CPR and we worked her for what semmed like hours until we could get her on a helicopter to be flown out. It took me quite awhile to get over that call. those of us on the call talkedto each other and did a debrief among our selves.
Comment by Dylan Blake Zachary on May 5, 2009 at 11:59pm
show them that volunteer firefighting isnt all about calls. show them what its like outside of that. like the friendships built at the dept. for example we took 200 gallons of ice and filled the bed of our friends truck, or if you want to talk about calls jsut some of the things people will do. like when some woman thinks her propane tank is leaking but turned the bleed out valve and how we crawl under her house in turnout and air packs to light her pilot light. show them how volunteers arent just abunch of guys who dont know what theyre doing, tell them about traning. these are real experiences of a small town volunteer firefighter. one more thing we usually play pool or play around after calls at the fire station. we have a pool table and all just sit around and laugh and talk. its really a great thing.

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