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Fire Critic is Back Online!

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I apologize for the site being down off and on for the past several days. It has been completely out of my hands. Many of the issues caused problems with many of the blogs here at FireEMSBlogs.com. However, the machines that are Fire Critic and Firefighters Enemy experienced other issues. Then on top of that Fire Critic was totally offline for much of today.

I know what you guys went through… almost relapsed huh? Not being able to get to the site can cause a certain rage. Don’t worry, I think we have gotten it figured out.

Thanks for being patient! I hope all that mess is behind us!

Posted by firecritic on May 29, 2010 • Filed under: News, Videos

Intimidated by Fire? I Think Not!

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This video below is titled “Firemen Intimidated By Electrical Fire”. Apparently the firefighters are on scene of an electrical fire. In the video, one firefighter makes an attempt to extinguish the fire using an extinguisher. It doesn’t work. Intimidated I think not. Sometimes it just isn’t as easy as putting the wet stuff on the red stuff.

Posted by firecritic on May 29, 2010 • Filed under: News, Videos • Tagged: ,

Lighting a Fire…The Ballerina Edition

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Enjoy!


Epic Bonfire Lighting Fail – Watch more Funny Videos

Posted by firecritic on May 27, 2010 • Filed under: News, Videos • Tagged:

Sharing the Wealth…Passing the Torch

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This is my submission for this months First Due Blog Carnival being hosted over at Fire Daily. If you have not submitted yours, you have until midnight May 26th to submit it to John at Fire Daily!

The First Due Blog Carnival this month is looking for great stories relating to how you have had the wealth shared with you. That is, some jewel told to you by someone else which has been a moment of clarity and helped define you.

Here is the problem… I cannot for the life of me figure out one “moment of Zen” in which I have had told to me. Truth be told that as much as I talk I listen just as well. My memory sucks, but I do retain the important things. I just can’t think of a true “moment of zen”.

I have had the opportunity to hang around many firehouse kitchen tables, gotten to meet many industry celebrities, enjoyed working with some great firefighters, and met many “unsung” heroes who have so much great information to share.

One thing that someone recently told me was that the fire service is so different that many other professions. He was speaking to the fact that when we come up with a new idea, new ideals, new  ideology, new technology, or new ways of doing things we share it with ALL firefighters. In so many other professions, that information is held close to the heart yet over the heads and out of reach of their peers.

first due blog carnival1aWe are different in that aspect and I believe that is why I have heard so much.

I have also gotten so many little tidbits of information because I like to ask questions. I learned a long time ago that people like hearing about themselves. If you are tactful you can learn a lot by talking and listening to others.

In my days, I have hung around many retired firefighters in my department. They took a liking to me because I am interested in the history. That history was their lives. So many firefighters forget about the ones who came before us because they are so wrapped up in themselves.

Since I don’t have a juicy “moment of Zen” for you, I will instead give you some things I have learned along the way from some great guys. I don’t take credit for any of these. Some are serious and others humorous!

  • You are replaceable… For those guys who think that they walk on water, to the beancounters we are all just a single notch in a magic number that creates budgets. This is more for the paid guys but I think it keeps us grounded. It is unfortunate, but most administrators and politicians don’t give a shit about you or your family. Kinda hard to swallow isn’t it!
  • Never underestimate fire… Whether you have been taught to do it one way or another, always have a backup plan. Fire is unpredictable!
  • Always prepare for the worst… No matter what incident, what circumstances, or whatever else if you prepare for the worst and it doesn’t come, the outcome will be easier to handle.
  • Don’t kiss ass… This is plain and simple. And yes, we all know it is going on when it happens. Don’t think for a minute that we think you are being sincere!
  • Don’t be so hard on yourself… Don’t worry about making the wrong decision. If you made a decision at all you are doing better than some. Mistakes lead to experience too. Ignorance is making the same mistake twice.
  • A complement can go a long way… How many times have you been told you did a good job? The same goes for others. We hand out criticism too often and complements not often enough. Whenever you have the chance you should give your peers at least a pat on the back.
  • You have to give respect to get respect… If you don’t understand it you probably are not respected!
  • Volunteer vs. Career… It doesn’t matter. Seriously guys, it is about being professional and getting the “job” done!
  • Never say “never”… I learned this early on. In firefighting, no matter what you are talking aboutff there is never a “never”. It will happen!
  • Enjoy your job… If you come to a moment where your job seems like a chore reevaluate what you are doing, set goals, and move forward.
  • Family first, job second… Your family comes before your job…always!
  • The people we work for (in most cases our citizens) do not and probably will not ever fully understand what we do, why we do it, or many other aspects of our jobs.

For some other inspirational reading you might check out Fire Nuggets one liners here.

Learn, train, have fun!

Posted by firecritic on May 25, 2010 • Filed under: First Due Blog Carnival, News • Tagged: , , , , ,

Fatal House Fire in Midland Texas

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A fire in a small single family dwelling claimed the life of one person on the 24th. Here is video from the fire.

Posted by firecritic on May 24, 2010 • Filed under: Videos • Tagged: , , , ,

Monday Morning Shoutout – Youngstown Fireman Blog

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We have a new writer in our midst… The Youngstown Fireman Blog is fairly new to the scene and offers up some fires, training, lessons learned, and day to day life in the firehouse. It kinda reminds me of me (minus all the fires!).

The blog is run by Jamie Goodlet.

The site is promising… 3 things could help it be better right off the bat.

  1. Smaller header image. You should have content start above the fold!
  2. Wider blog format. A very small percentage use 800×600 aspect ratio anymore. I say to hell with that 2-3% and make them scroll.
  3. A link to Fire Critic.

Keep up the great work Jamie. I am glad you had fun at Andy Fredericks Training Days down here in VA!

youngstownfdblog

Posted by firecritic on May 24, 2010 • Filed under: Monday Morning Shoutout, News • Tagged: , ,

Wills For Heroes… Are Your Children and Assets Protected?

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We have all heard the joke “Procrastinators Unite…Tomorrow”! Creating a Last Will and Testament is one of those things that I should have done at the very least 7 years ago (my children are 6 and 7 years old). I kept putting it off and putting it off. Suffice to say that had something happened to my wife and I, my children would have potentially trapped in all the legal red tape prior to HOPEFULLY being placed with one of our siblings or parents…hopefully.

Luckily for me, through the assistance of  a very worthwhile program, my wife and I have finally created our own wills, advanced medical directives, and durable power of attorney forms!

The program I am referring to is Wills For Heroes. The program was started by Anthony C. Hayes and Jeffrey H. Jacobson.

Wills For Heroes history:

Anthony Hayes, a partner at Nelson Mullins Riley and Scarborough, LLP, in Columbia, South Carolina, started the Wills For Heroes program shortly after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Anthony emailed the Columbia Fire Department asking what lawyers could do to help that department. During an impromptu focus group, it became clear that there was a glaring need for estate planning services.

wfh_logo2Basically, my wife and I received free legal assistance through the Wills For Heroes program. The program was set up locally and there were many firefighters and police officers who took advantage of the service. My wife and I were assisted by Attorney Bryan G. Bosta. It was kind of interesting seeing a litigation Attorney sitting behind a laptop w/ printer doing our forms out of compassion for what I do for a living. I must say that it was great to take advantage of others supporting us out of thanks for what we do.

Please do not contact Bryan though. Actually, individuals are asked NOT to contact the Wills For Heroes program. Instead, organizations or departments are asked to contact them to create a program in their area. Their web site offers the States who offer the program, the ones who are working on getting the program, and the ones who do not.

I now have comfort in knowing that if something were to happen, my children are taken care of!

Posted by firecritic on May 20, 2010 • Filed under: News • Tagged: , , , , , ,

World Trade Center Bangkok “Central World Mall” Burns

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Below you will find several videos of a huge fire in Bangkok, Thailand. CentralWorld, which was originally named World Trade Center Bangkok, was torched last night. I will post more on this later as more video and photos are available. I was not able to find video with firefighters in action yet.

photo from http://sparklette.net/

photo from http://sparklette.net/

According to Wikipedia:

CentralWorld (Thai: เซ็นทรัลเวิลด์) was a shopping plaza and complex in Bangkok, Thailand[1]. It was the second largest shopping complex in Southeast Asia, after SM City North EDSA of the Philippines. The complex, which included a hotel and office tower, was owned by Central Pattana. In 2006, after three years of design and renovation, CentralWorld was expanded to 550,000 square metres of shopping mall and 1,024,000 square metres of complex, topping its nearby rival Siam Paragon in terms of size. On May 19, 2010, CentralWorld was damaged by fire by rioters in the aftermath of a military operation against anti-government protesters known as Red Shirts. (link)

Posted by firecritic on May 19, 2010 • Filed under: Fires, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , ,

Android in the Fire Service

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The Android phone has become a very popular smartphone among firefighters. I replaced my blackberry with the android OS based motorola Droid with service from verizon after having two different blackberries for around 5 years.

I was met with pros and cons of switching phones, operating systems, and service providers.

Firegeezer posted a guest article by Rodney Gentry (Salem, VA FD) on the Droid back in November (link). Rodney is a friend of mine, and a very tech savy firefighter! The article includes some decent applications for the Fire/EMS service!

The biggest thing I miss about the blackberry is the powerful email interface that I don’t believe anyone can beat.

However, the web browsing of a blackberry doesn’t hold a candle to the Droid.

I will admit, while I might know a little about web sites…I have not taken the time to learn a ton about my Droid. Simply put, I am not using it to its fullest potential. I am fine with that, but occasionally I will spend the time to add an application, change a setting, or see what is new.

Brian Rueger, a retired USAF computer/ information systems operator AND retired FD Captain, likes to keep me abreast of the news surrounding the Droid. I get email links to new applications and news sporadically.

motorola_droid_verizon_officialI will share some of those with you to potentially further your Droid experience. Check the links out below:

I will tell you that my most used applications on the Droid are the following:

  • Facebook for Droid
  • Tweetsride (formerly twitteride)
  • Advanced Task Killer
  • PicSay
  • Google Talk
  • Youtube
  • Foursquare

The Droid is fully functional with google. Therefore, getting gmail is easier than most other clients..

I also use many of the standard applications which come with the Droid.

What are your favorite applications? I am ready to learn!

Posted by firecritic on May 19, 2010 • Filed under: News, Technology & Communications, technology-communications-ems-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

My Contribution to National EMS Week – Super Sexy CPR

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Oh yes… The Fire Critic is a bonafide EMT! I love EMS just as much as the next guy who doesn’t have to ride the medic unit…

Therefore, in the below video you will find my tribute to all the hoopla that surrounds National EMS week.

Eat your heart out…medic! (the video is safe for work in most Countries)

Super Sexy CPR from Super Sexy CPR on Vimeo.

Ok, so maybe I am not that quick with this…I did check the EMS blogs to make sure I didn’t miss them posting this. However, Raising Ladders did post it. Oh well, he is apparently getting his info quicker than me. However, I will add a bonus video that Mike Ward commented with over at Raising Ladders…enjoy.

Posted by firecritic on May 18, 2010 • Filed under: EMS Health & Safety, EMS Topics, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , ,

Detroit Stays Busy, The Voice of Reason, EMS Week, Paul Combs, and Budget Cuts

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Firefighter Netcast is live tonight introducing “The Voice of Reason”. The new show is hosted by Art Goodrich and produced by the crew at Firefighter Netcast. Tune in and see what all the hoopla is about! (link)

Firefighter Netcast has continued to rock the Fire Service world by offering live netcasts and podcasts that matter. The revolution and move to online audio is real and they do it better than many of the industry leaders! So what if my view is a little biased, I am merely pointing out what many are saying!

Another great audio show of note is coming back! Burnin it Down, produced by Chris David over at The Bravest Online has stated that he will be bringing the show back online. We do not have a secure date yet though.

The Fire PIO has an excellent video. In my own words, it explains why if you don’t think Social Media matters you should get your head out of your ass! (link)

If you haven’t seen it yet, you are missing it… Dave Statter has excellent footage of two houses off in Detroit. The total was 7 houses in an hour set by 5 teenagers who confessed. The two videos in this post offer proof of great firefighters up in Detroit! (link)

Chief Billy Goldfeder has a very unfortunate story of how idiotic some people can be when it comes to funding. Apparently libraries are more important than the public’s safety….This is definitely a FAIL for Westport! (link)

Life Under the Lights has an excellent series of posts for EMS Week. (link)

Unfortunately, I missed any and all coverage of the live meetups last night for EMS Week. When I say I missed it, I was not able to go and I also thought it was tonight. If you made it, send some pics and I will run them. Links are also welcome!

If you have not seen Paul Comb’s blog over at FireEngineering.com you should! Paul is amazing with his illustrations. In truth, he writes an entire story with one still illustration. The points he makes are worthwhile and stimulate conversation! Check out his blog here.

Posted by firecritic on May 17, 2010 • Filed under: Eyes on the Blog World, News • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Monday Morning Shoutout – Average Jake Firefighter Blog

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This weeks Monday Morning Shoutout goes to a brand new blog. The Average Jake Firefighter Blog is a blog by Robby and Danny Owens. I got to meet them at FDIC this year (although I am the idiot with the camera who forgot to get a pic!). Robby is a guy I have had the opportunity to bump into via email, other blogs, on the air over at Burnin it down, and occasionally on Firefighter Netcast. Danny is usually along for the ride as well. You could easily consider these guys constant students of firefighting. They seem to train hard and fight fire harder!

Join them on their new blog Average Jake Firefighter Blog!

average jake

Posted by firecritic on May 16, 2010 • Filed under: Monday Morning Shoutout, News • Tagged: , , ,

Firehouse Dolls 2011 Calendar Sneak Preview

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That is right… The Fire Critic has a sneak preview of the Firehouse Dolls 2011 calendar.

You might remember my top 10 calendar post on last years calendars (Firehouse Dolls came in 2nd place)…I plan on doing the same thing this year!

Firehouse Dolls has gone through a metamorphosis (not a riga metamOHphosis as one of my brothers eloquently pronounces rigor mortis). The calendar has a brand new look and feel (no guys it is not scratch and sniff yet).

Some of the Firehouse Dolls! Looks promising!
Some of the Firehouse Dolls! Looks promising!

The new look is that of a classier more professional feel. The days of almost completely naked women are behind us. Now you can enjoy real women firefighters who enjoy still showing off their bodies and might not have as big an issue with job security.We can all respect that!

To be honest with you, I am not sure exactly why they have changed the format. I can guess that it has something to do with being more professional, less controversial, and more representative of the class of our American Women Firefighters.
I actually had the opportunity to have a drink with Jaime Wendt, one of the model/firefighters, at FDIC. She was a blast to hang out with and was enjoying her time at FDIC.

The new calendar has a new size (although I am not sure if it is bigger or smaller). Part of the proceeds will be going to the Progress Fire Company.

The new Firehouse Dolls 2011 calendar will be released at the Harrisburg Fire Expo and will be selling for $15. You will also be able to purchase the 2010 calendar for $5 more.

If you are there and purchase the calendar you will be given a $250 gift card for the design of a web site from FireCompanies.com offered by Firefighter Rewards.

Here is a bonus picture of the lovely Jaime Wendt. She is a firefighter and a current model for Firehouse Dolls.
Here is a bonus picture of the lovely Jaime Wendt. She is a firefighter and a current model for Firehouse Dolls.
Firehouse Dolls 2010 Calendar...still available!
Firehouse Dolls 2010 Calendar...still available!

This is part of the cover of the new Firehouse Dolls 2011 Calendar
This is part of the cover of the new Firehouse Dolls 2011 Calendar
Some of the Firehouse Dolls! Looks promising!
Some of the Firehouse Dolls! Looks promising!


Posted by firecritic on May 12, 2010 • Filed under: Must Read, News • Tagged: , , , ,

Firefighter Netcast is Moving on Up!

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I have been busy with Firefighter Netcast and some of my other sites.

If you have a guest who wants to be on Firefighter Netcast, an idea of a topic or guest, or good or bad things to say about it we want to hear it!

firefighter_netcastWe have been wrestling with going to 1 hour shows instead of 2 hour shows. More than likely this will happen soon because we are going to start producing shows for other people soon.

The first of those will be on May 17th when we turn over the mic to Chief Reason Art. More information will follow!

Let us know what you think!

We just recently posted an article on Firefighter Netcast about our shows, check it out here.

Firefighter Netcast is the most downloaded Fire Service related content on itunes!

Spread the word, follow us on facebook, and catch us on twitter. All the links are on the top of FirefighterNetcast.com!

Posted by firecritic on May 12, 2010 • Filed under: NetCast, News • Tagged: , , ,

Social Media Use on the Job

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On the last Firefighter Netcast Live Netcast with Jason Hoevelmann we discussed social media use on the job along with many other topics.

We are coming to a point in time where Fire Departments are letting their firefighters lay the foundation for their social media policy.

What I mean is FD’s are learning what social media is, they are formulating their opinions of the various facets of social media, and they are watching to see how/when/why/where/how much their firefighters are using social media.

This process is developing blanket policies basically stating that NO social media may be used while on duty for some firefighters. This is mainly because of the stupid actions by few.

Basically, Chiefs are letting firefighters hang themselves and then swooping in with strict enforcement of other policies like “conduct unbecoming a firefighter” to serve punishment for their actions. What follows is typically a blanket policy prohibiting the use of social media.

Firefighters should not be using social media while in the operations of an emergency incident!

Also, Firefighters should be concerned about what they are saying via social media and how it will be inferred by the readers! I have heard it said that if your mom or Chief would not want to hear you say it then don’t say it!

Two things could curb this blanket policy…

  1. Firefighters being smarter with their actions.
  2. Proactive policy development and research by Fire Departments.

Firefighters need to be smarter about what they do while online both on-duty and off-duty. Recently, a firefighter lost his job for creating a video. Some felt the video was in poor taste and potentially racist.

Others have been seen texting, tweeting, updating facebook while on the emergency scene. Some Company Officers are dealing with firefighters doing these things while the firefighters should be training.

My point is that if firefighters were smarter about using social media we wouldn’t put ourselves in these situations.

Fire Departments need to be proactive and not reactive. Unfortunately, FD’s are put in the situation of being reactive typically due to firefighters stupid actions.

If you are a Chief or developing a social media policy, you owe it to your department to learn what social media is and what it isn’t.

The use of social media can increase the positive public relations FD’s yearn for. They can do this through proper policy and usage by the employees of the department. Likewise, negative public relations can be created by improper use.

Do the homework and get the policy right the first time…quite wasting time and protect your firefighters by creating the policy today.

The Fire PIO has an excellent post on social media policies for Fire Departments here. Another great tool for PIO’s and FD’s preparing for a social media policy or simply learning about social media is PIO Social Media Training!

Does your department have a social media policy? Please share the basic premise of it in the comments!

Posted by firecritic on May 10, 2010 • Filed under: Must Read, News, Technology & Communications, technology-communications-ems-topics • Tagged: , , ,

Monday Morning Shoutout – Leatherhead Firefighter Blog

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There is a new blog on the circuit. The Leatherhead Firefighter Blog is this weeks Monday Morning Shoutout. The blog is created by twitter user @leatherheadff and looks very promising. There are several blog posts up so far so you can catch up pretty quick. Take a chance and leave a comment!

leatherhead firefighter

Posted by firecritic on May 10, 2010 • Filed under: Monday Morning Shoutout, News • Tagged: , ,

Product Review: Black Diamond X2 Boot

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I love doing product reviews…For better or worse, I get to give my readers a first hand account of new products which might help them in purchasing gear. You can read more of my product reviews here and my policy on product reviews here.

I am currently doing a review of Black Diamonds X2 Boot. This is a brand new bunker boot that Black Diamond rolled out at FDIC. I actually got my pair just before heading to FDIC and only had the chance to stick them on my feet once before leaving.

I will give you my first impression here and some technical data, then follow up with a more detailed review in the next couple of weeks once I get to wear them in good!

This is part 1 of 2

black diamond x2 bootMy introduction to leather boots…

These boots are comfortable! When I joined my career department 11 years ago I was introduced to leather fire boots. It was one of those moments of zen when I wondered why in the world I wore rubber boots as in my volunteer department prior. Upon graduation, we were allowed to wear any certified leather boots we wanted…after we bought them ourselves. Let me just say that I will never wear rubber boots again. I cringe when I see firefighters wearing rubber boots. It is unfortunate that so many departments invest in rubber boots only to see them sit on the tops of gear lockers…take care of your firefighters and purchase leather boots!

My first impression of the X2 Boot…

The look – Let us just say that if they make another batman movie, they could use these boots for his outfit! These things are slick looking!

The feel - Out of the box, they are a little stiff from top to bottom. This is good and bad. Good that they stand up and don’t fold over when you take off your bunker pants and get ready for the next call. Bad that they will need to work in a little so that I can bend them at the ankle to press the floor switch for the federal Q without as much effort.

The toe - These boots offer great protection as you will read below in the specifications. One thing I did notice is that the top cap seems as though it will stand up over time. My current boots (different brand) don’t have the best protection and the toe cap is all but crumbling off through normal wear and tear.

Best feature – The best feature so far is the integrated and reinforced pull on system. You simply do not have to worry about leather straps breaking over time.

Worst feature – Made in China. This may not be a huge deal for some, but for others it is. Firefighters are Patriotic. I am not a stickler for “Union Made”, but I do like to look in the boot and see that little tag with the American Flag on it. Being made outside of the USA might have a lot to do with the price tag of around $250 as some other boots are more expensive.

black diamond x boot2Technical Specifications:

  • The Calf-Fit System: allows for maximum comfort and fit
  • Integrated Pull-On System: integrated and reinforced loop pull on system
  • Shin Guard Protection: maximum protection that conforms to the shape of your shin
  • Leather Upper: fire retardant, genuine heavyweight FireTuff leather
  • Fusion Upper: a powerful alloy of solution dye Nomex / Kevlar and Teflon F.P.P.E. Combines the durability of Nomex, the strength and abrasion resistance of Kevlar and water resistance of patented Teflon F.P.P.E.
  • 3-Point Heel Lock System: exclusive 3-point heel lock system for comfort and fit. Ankle guard for maximum protection
  • Lining: CROSSTECH membrane with Omaha lining is a high performance, wicking fabric originally developed for aggressive military applications
  • Lining Construction: stitch-down ‘Stroble’ lining  construction ensures non liner pullout and maximum fit
  • 3M Scotchlite Reflective Material: flame-resistant, fluorescent, and reflective material for added viability
  • Ortholite Footbed: Tri-density, multi-fit, removable footbed with TPU heel cradle for comfort, anti-odor, anti-fungal, breathable, and shock absorption
  • Toe Cap Protection: rubber top cap protection for high-abrasion and a steel toe, HI 500 Oblique Comfort Toe meets or exceeds ASTM Standards
  • Lenzi Puncture Protection Midsole: high performance composite, penetration-resistant

About Black Diamond Group, Inc.

black diamondBlack Diamond is a leading brand of performance protective footwear.  The company’s highly acclaimed fire boots are used by fire departments around the world and are developed with the finest, most durable materials and components to endure the extraordinary demands placed on firefighters.  Black Diamond is the only brand in the industry to combine the latest technologies for superior comfort and performance in harsh conditions. They are the only boots to be certified by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and receive the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) Seal of Approval.

For further information, please visit www.blackdiamondfootwear.com.

The Fire Critic is not compensated for product reviews. The opinions contained within this article are my own.

Posted by firecritic on May 8, 2010 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, News, Product Reviews • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Firefighter Netcast Live tonight at 9pm EST with A Firefighters Own Worst Enemy

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Yeah, I know that I have not been posting much. I have plenty of articles to write I just need to get them done! Some great stuff coming soon!

Tonight I will be LIVE on Firefighter Netcast with my co-host John Mitchell. Our guest will be Jason Hoevelmann of FirefightersEnemy.com (A Firefighters Own Worst Enemy).

Be here (link) at 9pm EST for the event.

Learn more about it on FirefighterNetcast.com!

See you there!

Posted by firecritic on May 6, 2010 • Filed under: NetCast, News • Tagged: , , , ,

First Due Blog Carnival Episode 2 in the Books

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Bill over at Backstep Firefighter just published the 2nd episode of the First Due Blog Carnival. He did a superb job with his topic as well as capturing the essence of each article in episode 2…did I just use the word essence?…sorry about that!

There were some new blogs in the mix and some non-bloggers who submitted their articles to be posted on blogs as well! It seems as though this thing is catching on. Episode 2 titled “Influential Fire Reports” struck a cord with a lot of people and really helped put a thumb on what has influenced many firefighters! I must say that the best part of episode 2 is the thought that a family member may come across it and see that their relative’s death/injury resulted in a positive learning experience for someone else. It also proves that no one is forgotten…

You can read episode 2 here

Episode 3 is being hosted by Fire Daily. He is quick on the draw with getting the information out quickly! Especially after doing a ton of editing to finish up Firefighter Netcast’s audio from FDIC! Great job John! Get your submission in by May 26th to be included!

You can view the “call for submissions” for episode 3 titled “Share the Wealth”. This is a great opprotunity for more blogs to get involved in the First Due Blog Carnival…cough cough…Traditions Training…Vent Enter Search…Irons and Ladders… That is right, the topic is inclusive of just about every Fire and EMS blog out there! There is no reason why all you narcissistic bloggers don’t hop on board to get more readership and share your stories with everyone!

first due blog carnival1a125John has also offered anyone who doesn’t have their own blog and would like to contribute to post their article on his site! See, us bloggers are very friendly!

I look forward to seeing more and more bloggers getting involved in the First Due Blog Carnival!

Read episode 2 here
Read the call for submission for episode 3 here

Catch up on all the information you need to know about the First Due Blog Carnival here

Posted by firecritic on May 3, 2010 • Filed under: First Due Blog Carnival, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Monday Morning Shoutout – Firefighter Wife

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This weeks Monday Morning Shoutout goes to Firefighter Wife. Firefighter Wife is a blog by just that…a firefighter’s wife! She talks about the perils of being married to a career firefighter. She also discusses the differences between now and when he was a volunteer.

I picked it partly because of the content…partly because I am a huge fan of what our counterparts think of us on the job…and partly because of the half naked woman in her logo!

Check it out!

firefighter wife

Posted by firecritic on May 3, 2010 • Filed under: Monday Morning Shoutout, News • Tagged: ,