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FRI Wrapup – Motorola Donates $1 Million to the NFFF

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This is from my continued coverage of Fire Rescue International last week. You can read more posts related to FRI 2011 here.

Matt Blakely, director, Motorola Solutions Foundation presented a $1 million grant to Chief Dennis Compton, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Ronald J. Siarnicki, executive director of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) during a ceremony today at Fire Station 11 in Atlanta.

Atlanta, GA – (August 25, 2011) A $1 million grant from the Motorola Solutions Foundation honors the nation’s fallen firefighters and will improve firefighter safety. Representatives from Motorola Solutions presented the grant to Chief Dennis Compton, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Ronald J. Siarnicki, executive director of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, at the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department’s Fire Station 11. Both organizations are in Atlanta for the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ annual Fire Rescue International conference. The money will support the Motorola Solutions Foundation Memorial Scholarship Fund and the Everyone Goes Home® Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives. Both are programs of the NFFF.

“The Motorola Solutions Foundation has been a steadfast supporter of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation over the years, and we are grateful for their commitment to our mission to honor the fallen heroes and their families,” said Chief Ronald J. Siarnicki, executive director of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. “This generous grant enables the survivors of the fallen to further their educational goals and fulfill dreams that they may otherwise have to postpone. It also assists the Foundation in our efforts to reduce line-of-duty deaths and injuries through the Everyone Goes Home® Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives.”

“This funding is the next evolution of the long-standing support and commitment by Motorola Solutions Foundation to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the American fire service,” said Matthew Blakely, director of the Motorola Solutions Foundation. “For more than 70 years, Motorola has been a proud supplier and supporter of the American fire service, providing mission critical communications for our nation’s first responders. On behalf of Motorola Solutions employees, we salute our nation’s fire service and pay tribute to the fallen firefighters who have given the ultimate sacrifice in serving their communities. Motorola Solutions is privileged to team with the NFFF and assist the survivors of our fallen fire service heroes.”

The attendees stood in ovation for the award by Motorola.

The Motorola Solutions Foundation Memorial Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to children, stepchildren, adopted children, spouses and life partners of firefighters who died in the line of duty. The scholarships focus on science, technology, engineering and math and are awarded annually for full- or part-time study at accredited colleges, universities or vocational institutions.

The Everyone Goes Home® Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives program is designed to change the culture of accepting the loss of firefighters as a normal occurrence. This is achieved through education and training of fire service personnel and leadership. The program was developed following the 2004 Firefighter Life Safety Summit.

In addition, Motorola Solutions is a top sponsor of the National Fallen Firefighters Annual Memorial Weekend and other programs and fundraising events during the year that support the Foundation’s efforts. Motorola Solutions Foundation and Motorola Solutions partner in their desire to support the wonderful efforts of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the American Fire Service.

Posted by on August 31, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Captain Joe Schmoe Retires

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Captain Joe Schmoe is retiring from his fire department. His last day is today. He will be leaving around dinner time.

I spoke with him on the phone earlier and he sounded upbeat about it. I can only imagine what it would be like to be working my last day on the job. It cannot be easy to leave what you love doing, your passion, and something you have done for so long.

I don’t think it will be long before he realizes how much he will enjoy retirement.

Congratulations on your retirement Captain!

Willie Wines Jr. wrote Schmoe’s last day here

FireGeezer has an article here

Captain Schmoe is offering a contest to win his Pelican Products “Big Ed” 4C flashlight. Check it out here

All you have to do is guess where he works.

I know the department so cannot enter or it would be mine. I cannot be bribed…I don’t think.

All I can tell you is that it is not near me and I have never met Captain Schmoe.

Posted by on August 30, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Great Deals Continue on Daily911Deals.com

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Be sure to check out the latest deal on Daily911Deals.com. If you haven’t checked out the site, it is like Groupon for Firefighters, EMT’s, Paramedics, and Law Enforcement.

The latest deal is for 50% Off Bundle Pack of Sample AFG Successful Narratives from Firehouse Grants.

There is a new deal starting tomorrow morning as well.

If you have a web site or blog of your own and you would like to embed the Refer A Friend affiliate marketing code then check out this page for all your information. Get paid $5 just for adding the code, then earn when new users purchase at Daily911Deals.com.

Posted by on August 30, 2011 • Filed under: Daily911Deals, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, News • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Dave Statter or Rhett Fleitz…You be the Judge

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Maybe you have been reading that rag of a news blog called Statter911.com. Dave claims that not only am I not a firefighter, but that I don’t exist. I admit, it is quite humorous. Moreso, it is flattering that he will spend so much time increasing traffic on his site by running my name as much as possible. He has put together two very well edited yet fairly corny videos he taped when he passed through Roanoke on the way to FRI. You can see the videos here.

You just have to love the comments showing up on STATter911.com as well. Typical OBJ style Dave. Writing your own comments again are we?

Obviously, I cannot stand by idly and let him get away with this. I don’t get mad, I get even.

So here it is, a simple comparison of our parallel lives. You be the judge of who has it better, Dave or me. I think there is a clear winner here. No wonder why Dave is so hung up on me.

With Women

Dave wouldn't know a hot women if she was standing right next to him. Rhett can't keep women off of him. He embraces arm candy and usually has to give out a fake phone number just to keep them from calling him all the time.

Honor

Dave asks what it was like for real firefighters after they have climbed in a 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. Rhett participates in the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb’s and has Dave “the waterboy” Statter bring him water when he needs it.

Eating

Dave wears a bib. Rhett wears a bib as well, but eats crab three at a time...shell and all!

Firefighting

Dave finally has proof that he has been in a fire engine. He is pictured here riding in the back seat as a fanboy of Willie’s. It reminds me of when parents bring their children by to sit in the fire trucks. Rhett drives a fire engine every day he goes to work.

Dress

Dave dresses as Jerry Engle on his days off. Rhett can pull off the Hawaiian shirt better than Mike Legeros.

Travel

Dave hangs out with Bill "FireGeezer" Schumm and Mike "FossilMedic" Ward in his spare time. However, they bring along the troll to make Dave feel at home like the trolls on his site. Rhett hangs out at the Jersey Shore house with J-Woww.

With Willie Wines Jr.

Dave pays Willie to hang out with him. Rhett fights fire with Willie.

Friends

Dave hangs out with trolls. Rhett hangs out with sharks. Neither of us have any real friends and are hated about equally wherever we go.

Mrs. Fire Critic

Rhett's beautiful wife can typically be found reading FireCritic.com and hanging out with Rhett.

Mrs. STATter911 

Dave's beautiful wife can also be found reading FireCritic.com and hanging out with Rhett!

Posted by on August 29, 2011 • Filed under: Humor, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Dr. Stefan Svensson Insults America’s Bravest at FRI

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I did not attend the class by Dr. Stefan Svensson at FRI this year or in 2007. My opinion on what I have read, heard of, and discussed are below.

This year, Dr. Stefan Svensson spoke at Fire Rescue International. He did the same thing in 2007. Both times he tore apart his view of the firefighting in the U.S. I say “his view” because if you know anything about firefighting in the United States you know that it is not the same everywhere. I could pick out some huge differences in firefighting just about anywhere I go…differences beyond the obvious like which coast you are on, staffing (# of positions in addition to being staffed or responding from home), and standard operating procedures (SOP’s).

ugh…headache

My very first thought was that maybe firefighting in Sweden is not dangerous. Maybe, they won’t risk anything for anything and that as long as nothing happens to their firefighters then everything is peachy.

Firefighting is dangerous. We can do everything right and we still might die. We can do everything right, and put everything on the line and others may die. Not many people like talking about it, but our job is dangerous and we might lose some firefighters along the way doing our jobs. We understand that. We train, learn, teach, understand, and preplan so that we can minimize that risk…but the risk remains.

The only reason why I am writing this is because I hope that too many people don’t take his opinion the wrong way.

It is irresponsible to compare firefighting in the US to that in Sweden.

He might has well have been comparing the FDNY to a rural volunteer fire department in Montana.

You just can’t compare them.

The only place where this talk might have an application is if he were talking to the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). They wouldn’t have a clue what he was talking about, but at the very worst they may think we need more funding for the deffiencies Dr. Svensson talks about.

In 2007, the article in FireRescue1.com from Svensson’s first speach offers this:

Just one firefighter has died in the Scandinavian country in the past seven years, while the United States already has more than 80 line-of-duty deaths this year alone.

Sweden has about 16,000 firefighters compared to approximately 1.1 million in the United States – but the difference in death rates is marked. 

The article on this years talk can be read here.

I need to see more data on this. More than can be offered in a class at FRI. Details like comparing firefighter death and injury rates, comparing civilian death and injury rates, comparing pre-incident value and dollar loss after fire, building codes, fire codes, building construction, as well as a complete comparison of qualifying criteria which dictate a Line of Duty Death.

I still do not think you can lump all of the fire departments in the United States into one category.

The FireRescue1.com article states (quoting Dr. Svensson):

“I see a very serious lack of knowledge in the U.S. fire service especially when it comes to fires in buildings.

“There seems to be a lack of understanding of what’s going on inside the building and what’s going on outside the building.

“Venting the fire is not always the solution; sometimes it’s the cause of a lot of the problems especially if you don’t have the knowledge.”

HUH? Speak for yourself. You are not talking about my department…not our firefighters. That is where some of this got personal. That the IAFC would allow this guy to come back and give a similar talk to 2007.

I work for a very aggressive fire department, we contain fires to the room of origin or at least the floor of origin a large majority of the time. As for LODD’s, I will not comment. I think it would be irreverant because anything can happen at anytime. I do not want to jinx myself or my brother/sister firefighters. 

Maybe I am missing something. Maybe I don’t have a clue about firefighting at all. Maybe all of the great instructors in the American fire service don’t have a clue and we need a wake up call from a Dr. in Sweden.

I will agree with the Dr. about one of his points though.

He points to health/fitness being an issue in our fire service. I WILL not fall into a trap of grouping firefighters across the US into one category. I will instead look at how so many fire service leaders utilize LODD statistics to point out that too many of our firefighters are dying of cardiovascular issues. I feel as though that this is an issue. It is something we need to continue raising awareness on.

What do you guys think?

Posted by on August 29, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Funding & Staffing, News, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Fire Rescue International Update

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We are about to head out to the FRI exhibit hall for the last day of the event today.

I thought I would offer an update about what is going on. First of all, we are having a blast. Apparently several attendees and even some of the exhibitors headed home last night to beat Irene to their doorstep. We will be heading home on Sunday.

Jeff and I have been combing the exhibit hall floor talking to exhibitors. There are some great products out there. I will have a recap of that coming soon.

Once again, the busiest booth at the show is the MN8 Products Foxfire Illuminating technology booth 2853. Zach Green has employed Willie Wines Jr. and several others. The traffic is steady. Apparently, Zach and his company/booth are up for an award today for “best in show” or something like that. We will find out if he won around 1pm.

Foxfire Web Site – Facebook - Twitter

Another company to check out is Fire Rescue TV. They have rolled out one hell of a setup. I will have more on it later, but basically it is Fire News right in your firehouse. They have the complete setup. Your company officer and/or Chief can even capture half of the display for company news and information. The product is truly revolutionary on how we get our news. Fire Rescue TV will offer news just like we watch our local news. Check out more here

Daily911Deals.com is in full swing. We are live with our second deal geared towards fire departments. The deal is for 50% off of AFG grant writing templates. The templates are samples of successful grant applications.

Check out the newest deal here

Zach Green and Willie Wines at the MN8 booth

Willie explaining the technology to firefighters. All day long, firefighters were coming in saying they had heard about it and that they HAD to see it!

Zach discussing the technology to Dave Statter.

Posted by on August 27, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

John’s Creek FD A-Shift…Firemen’s Firemen

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Willie and I hung out with firehouse #63 in John’s Creek on Wednesday night. They invited Willie and I was his date. Willie set it up and we headed out there after settling in to our hotel room.

You can read what Willie wrote about the visit here.

On our way out there we wanted to make sure we beat the traffic. It was not near as far as we thought it was and we go there pretty quick. So we did what we thought was right. We stopped by and bought them a cake.

A-shift with Willie and I

We pulled up and half of the crew was outside waiting on us. It was like we were picking up their daughter for prom…

We got out of the truck and this is what I immediately thought…

Captain Mark Akins has a great station with some great guys and runs a pretty neat crew.

Lt. Eddie Lee has fun having fun. He likes to laugh and we would have a blast working together. This guy reminds me of me.

Sergeant Tom “Sloppy Joe” Johnson knows how to cook. He had the steaks going on the grill and was ready to feed us.

The entire crew: Captain Akins, Lt. Eddie Lee, FAO Phil Pirkle, FAO Kevin Castleberry, Sgt Tom Johnson, FF Jost Cater, FF Brandon Kingrey, and FF Grant Eckard 

What more could we ask for. Oh yeah…it was A-shift too. Willie didn’t know what to do. All this time he thought C-shift was the shift to be on. He has a new found respect for my shift…A-shift.

What Willie doesn’t realize is that if he moved to A-shift, his crew would have to cut the grass, take the trash out, empty the dishwasher, wash the trucks, wash out the bay, and do the station laundry…he thinks maids do it now.

Dinner with the crew

We felt right at home. We could have grabbed our gear and put it on the rig and we would have fit right in. As a matter of fact, after discussing how the City of John’s Creek treats their employees we wish we could have put our gear on their trucks. I mean really…could it be a night and day difference? Apparently so.

These guys were great. All of them. We were shown half the station and then got to eat a great meal. Afterwards they wouldn’t let us clean up and they showed us the rest of the station.

Their station is immaculate. As a matter of fact, we were amazed when we thought the station was about 3 years old only to find out it was built in the early 1980′s.

I could talk about these guys for several more days. I probably will.

Willie and I made our exit. We didn’t want to stay around forever. You have to keep them wanting more. Until then, I will sit by my phone and await their Chief’s call that they are hiring. I’m young…I could start over, but I don’t think they could handle me.

Thanks for the dinner guys. Willie is still crying about not having a piece of that cake.

Lt. Eddie Lee, myself, and Captain Mark Akins

Posted by on August 26, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Video: Billy Goldfeder and IAFC President Jack Parow on HLN with Honorary Fire Chief Robin Meade

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Loveland-Symmes Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder, IAFC President Jack Parow, and Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Mark Light were on HLN with Robin Meade this morning. Willie and I were busy, so we had them stand in for us…ha.

What a great opportunity to educate the public about what we do, who we are, and what we are about.

Watch the video below

Kudos to Chief Goldfeder on bringing up the budget issues that nobody wants to talk about. Tactful he is…

Might I note that firefighters across America LOVE seeing Robin Meade on the news every morning.

IAFC President Jack Parow even honored Robin by making her an honorary Fire Chief for her truthfullness in reporting news on firefighters. She was humbled by the honor.

Great job gentlemen!

Posted by on August 25, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

110 For 343… Finishing the Climb

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Today, Willie and I climbed another 110 stories for the 343 brothers who were murdered on September 11, 2001. I wrote about our first climb here that we did at Firehouse Expo in Baltimore. Every firefighter should commit to at least one 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb event.

I am sure that Willie will be posting something at IronFiremen.com soon enough.

This climb was different. It was in a different City, a different building, different layout, I had done one before, and it I had a different focus.

Willie and I climbed again. Why, you might ask? Simply because we could, we wanted to, and we owe it to our brothers.

Our team at FRI. Cheryl Horvath, Martha Ellis, Rhett Fleitz, Mark Nugent, Chris Riley, Willie Wines Jr., and Matt Tobia. Sorry for any spelling mistakes.

The climb in Atlanta was 10 times harder than the one in Baltimore. Baltimore was 22 stories 5 times. Atlanta was a straight 73 stories, and then another 45. I know it doesn’t add up to 110, but somehow they had it worked out to that. Somewhere in that equation it equalled 110 and I didn’t question it. The only break that we had climbing was the stop at the 73rd floor and the ride down the elevator to begin again. We had 4 of those breaks in Baltimore.

We ended up being in the first team to climb today. Willie and I climbed with Fire Chief Chris Riley, Chief Matt Tobia, Chief Martha Ellis, Cheryl Horvath, and Chief Mark Nugent. Sorry for any spelling or rank mistakes. Willie and I were the only ones in turnout gear in our group.

The second set of steps that we climbed to the 45th floor it was me and Willie. The others went on without us. They wanted to move quicker than we could move in our turnout gear. We accepted it. It gave Willie and I time to reflect without anyone within floors of us. Just us…climbing…for the 343. The quiet was only broke by the sound of Willie offering support in keeping me going. His encouragement which I desperately needed. It was tough. Willie wanted to make sure I was alright. Like any great Company Officer he was looking out for me. It was just us climbing, and we were able to pay our respects in our way without any distractions.

We are probably around the 90th floor right here. It was tough.

I could not have completed the climb without my brother and partner Willie. This climb was one of the most difficult things I have ever done in my life. As hard as I thought the climb was in Baltimore, this one was harder.

We completed the climb. We completed the climb for the 343 again like we did in Baltimore and we did it again as a personal accomplishment.

Just like in Baltimore, I hit every step on the way up.

As a matter of fact, I had to stop twice to go back a couple of steps to hit one I had skipped.

I have to thank the Westin Peachtree Plaza, Atlanta Fire Department, the NFFF, and the IAFC for putting on the event and allowing me to pay my respects to the 343.

If you EVER have the chance to climb in a 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb I CHALLENGE you to do it. Do it for yourself, do it for the brotherhood, do it for the 343.

FINISH THEIR CLIMB

Captain Willie Wines Jr.

After the climb with Ron Siarnicki and Dave Statter. Dave was excited to be around real firefighters! He has always wanted to be one, but apparently didn't have what it takes.

Posted by on August 25, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Health & Safety, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Close Call Video: Why We Wear Full Turnout Gear on Car Fires

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Los Angeles Firefighter has close call with explosion at car fire caught on video.

This is why we wear full PPE even on car fires.

I don’t think anything else needs to be said.

Posted by on August 24, 2011 • Filed under: Close Call, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, News, training-fire-rescue-topics, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Virginia Earthquake Coverage

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For all the coverage you are looking for on the earthquake in Virginia please check out VAFireNews.com (another site I run).

I am updating there as more information comes in.

Currently, the coverage includes live streaming video, links, news, and data on the earthquake.

Posted by on August 23, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Major Incidents, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

On our Way To Fire Rescue International

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Willie Wines Jr. (IronFiremen.com) and I are on our way to Atlanta for Fire Rescue International. I am typing this as he drives like my grandmother…He says I drive like a Yankee, but I do get us to where we are going quicker.

At this pace, we will be in Atlanta for the first snowfall. Willie has some serious white knuckle driving going on.

We are heading down to hang out with my sister and her family tonight (Tuesday).

We will be up early to head downtown Atlanta for the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at the Westin Peachtree Plaza. The hotel is 73 floors, and is also where we are staying thanks to my other sister who works for Starwood Hotels. If you have never slept in a Heavenly Bed (featured at Westin hotels) you are missing out.

You can still sign up for the stair climb here

The hotel has a revolving restaurant on the 72nd floor and a revolving bar on the 73rd floor. For the stair climb I think the plan is to walk up to the 71st floor then go back down and climb to the 29th floor. We cannot wait. These events are an excellent way to pay tribute to the 343 firefighters who lost their lives on September 11th.

This will be our second 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb event. We also climbed at Firehouse Expo. See related post  HERE, HERE,   HERE,  and HERE

On Wednesday night, Willie and I are heading to John’s Creek Fire Department for  dinner with the guys. Brother Mark Akins invited Willie and I out to firehouse #63 and we look forward to hanging out with them. Sergeant  Tom Johnson (from the Rescue) will be cooking for us. Word is that he makes a mean sloppy joe! Mark tells us that Tom doesn’t have any taste buds and they don’t know how to tell him that the food is so-so. Hopefully, Tom “Sloppy Joe” Johnson will surprise us. (JUST KIDDING).

Once the exhibit hall opens on Friday/Saturday Willie will be found at the MN8 Products (Foxfire illuminating products) booth. He is the booth babe!

We will also be meeting up with Jeff Harkey. Jeff is my co-hort at Daily911Deals.com and runs FireNews.net among other things. He is based out of Raliegh, NC.

If you just crawled out from under a rock, Daily911Deals.com is in full swing. We launched our first of many deals the other day. The deal is for a GAME sportswear jobshirt. Not just any job shirt though, this is the creme de la creme of jobshirts. You can purchase it for 50% off. Trust me, you won’t find a better deal.

This first deal is offered by Reality Workwear. You can catch them online at RealityWorkwear.com, follow them on twitter, and like them on facebook. They have many other great products available on their site. We will be offering more products from them in the future!

Willie and I should have some more time than usual to make sure we stay connected on the interwebs during FRI.

If you are going to be in town, be sure to hit us up and we will meet up.

Posted by on August 23, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Buy it Now! Daily911Deals Goes Live with 50% OFF Jobshirt

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Daily911Deals.com has gone live with the first Deal. The Deal is 50% Off a GAME Sportswear Canvas Collar Workshirt at Reality Workwear.

The workshirt (or jobshirt to some of us) is made in the USA!

PURCHASE IT HERE

 Joe Schmoe did a great job of explaining why you should be using Daily911Deals right here.

Refer a Friend

The real secret here (for those of you paying attention) is the refer a friend credit. You can read more about it here.

Basically (info from the site):

Refer a friend using a referral link. If your friend makes their first Daily911Deals™ purchase within 72 hours from the time they click on the referral link you sent them, you will receive a $5 credit to your account. You will be notified via email when this occurs.

You can refer as many people as you would like. Spread the fun!

Think about it: you could potentially refer so many people that you get to enjoy the deals we offer on our site without ever spending a dime of your own money!

This deal will not last forever and there are a maximum number of vouchers available.

This deal is offered by Reality Workwear. More about Reality Workwear here

Posted by on August 22, 2011 • Filed under: Daily911Deals, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, News • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Kilted to Kick Cancer

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Have you heard of Kilted to Kick Cancer yet? Don’t worry if you haven’t, it is fairly new to me as well. That is why I am writing about it. To spread the word.

Kilted to Kick Cancer is about awareness of prostate cancer. All you have to do is wear your kilt during the month of September. Kilted to Kick Cancer is not looking for your money. If you have money to give, they do have several places you might want to donate to on their site KiltedToKickCancer.org

More than likely, I will probably not be taking part in actually wearing a kilt because I do not own one. However, I plan on getting one soon to wear. I am certain you will be hearing more about Kilted to Kick Cancer in the future…Happy Medic and MotorCop wouldn’t have it any other way!

They will be at EMS World Expo in Vegas around the same time I am at Fire Rescue International in Atlanta.

Feel free to send in photos of you in your kilts. I will post them here…or you could just put them on the FC Facebook page.

Seriously, can you see me in a kilt?

More information:

Press Release:

INDUSTRY BLOGGERS, companies KILT UP TO KICK prostate CANCER

 

Kilted to Kick Cancer official artwork by Norm Quiros

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.

– Magnum Boots USA and Alt.Kilt have partnered up with Bloggers Motorcop and The Happy Medic to raise awareness for male-specific cancer during September, Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. The goal of the campaign, better known as Kilted to Kick Cancer, is to encourage men to take control of their health and get screened for cancer.

For the entire month of September, the Happy Medic (Justin Schorr) and Motorcop (Anonymous) will be wearing kilts everywhere they go when off-duty. With the help of Magnum Boots USA and Alt.Kilt, Motorcop and the Happy Medic are taking the topic by storm through the likes of social media, particularly Twitter and Facebook. Since both are first responders by trade, it only made sense to kick off the campaign at EMS World Expo in Las Vegas at the end of August.

“When a man walks into a room wearing a kilt, everyone has the same question… what’s he got on under there?” said Motorcop, a law enforcement officer who blogs anonymously at motorcopblog.com. “Our aim for September is to bring as much awareness to male-specific risk factors for prostate and testicular cancer as we can. What better way to get the attention of others than through kilts?”

According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America, affecting 1 in 6 men. The older a man is, the more likely he will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. A man with a father or brother who developed prostate cancer is twice as likely to develop the disease.

“For men in the U.S., the risk of developing prostate cancer is 17%,” said Justin Schorr, known to most online as the blogger behind TheHappyMedic.com. “Motorcop and I, along with Magnum and Alt.Kilt, want to do our part to help reduce any stigma and fears behind this disease – and more importantly, the screening process. If that means dressing up in our Magnum duty boots and a kilt for the entire month of September to get people talking, then we’re all for it.”

Other risk factors for aggressive prostate cancer include tall height, lack of exercise and a sedentary lifestyle, high calcium intake, African-American race and family history. For more info on Prostate Cancer, visit www.pcf.org.

“Our goal is to talk to as many men as we can and get them to get their butt – pun intended – to the doctor,” said Schorr, who encourages others to don their kilts this September and post photos online on the Kilted to Kick Cancer Facebook page, or on Twitter using the hashtag #KiltedtoKickCancer. “If you’ve got a Y-chromosome, and you’re 40 years or older, get yourself to a doctor and get an exam. It could save your life.”

About KILTED TO KICK CANCER

In light of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month this September, two bloggers, Motorcop (Anonymous) and The Happy Medic (Justin Schorr), are kilting up to kick cancer. For the entire month of September, the two bloggers will be wearing kilts from Alt.Kilt (whenever off duty) to raise awareness of deadly, male-specific cancers often overlooked by the public. The goal? Encourage men to take control of their health and get checked for cancer. For more details on this cause, visit www.kiltedtokickcancer.org. To learn more about the risks and symptoms of prostate cancer, please visit www.pcf.org.

About Magnum

Since 1982, Magnum has been providing high-performance tactical and service product with credibility second to none. It is the mission of Magnum to be the best in class by delivering unsurpassed product designed for its end user. Distributed in over 100 countries, Magnum attacks the marketplace with unmatched comfort, technology and value in uniform footwear and apparel used by law enforcement, military, fire/rescue, emergency medical, and service agencies around the world. For more information, visit us online: www.magnumboots.com.

ABOUT ALT.KILT

Since its conception in early 2006, Alt.Kilt has made a point of being personal. Our purpose is to provide functional, stylish and well-made kilts that are individually designed and custom built for each client. Each kilt we sell is made one at a time, from the pre-washing of the fabric to hand sewing the buttons. From our humble beginnings in Madison, WI, we have spent time and effort to create a handsome product that fulfills the needs and wants of our worldwide customer base. For more information, please visit us at http://www.altkilt.com.

Posted by on August 21, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Health & Safety, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, News, Social Media • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Helmet Cam: Firefighter Close Call with Acetylene tank at Building Fire

7 comments

Several things caught my eye in this video. Early on in the video, an acetylene tank off gases due to the fire just as firefighters open the door to the building. The firefighters quickly back up and regroup.

This acetylene tank raises the biggest question though. If indeed it only off gased due to the heat and did not rupture, shouldn’t they have trained a hoseline on it to keep it cool. It is obvious that they don’t have enough water for the fire, they could at least keep the tank from rupturing if it hadn’t already.

The Grove Fire Department in Oklahoma battled this fire with other mutual aid departments.

Let’s be clear, these guys didn’t have a chance with the 1 3/4″ line they had in their hand. Our department would have hit this with 2 1/2″ lines and aerial deck guns, although the outcome might have been similar if we showed up with the same amount of fire. The building had fire end to end, it just needed some more oxygen. That being said, we have a municipal water system with hydrants everywhere…they might not. They might have been working off of tank water and water shuttles. It is hard to tell.

I would have picked a solid tip nozzle.

One thing is for sure, they should have opened that door sooner to get to work. After they do, they would have had a better futile effort by keeping the water stream trained on the interior of the structure.

It was a goner, that is for sure. As always, it is hard to determine the capabilities of the fire department and their resources just by one video.

Keep in mind that these questions are for thought provoking conversation.

What we can do is sit back and watch the video and think about how we might have done things in our department. How our resources, manpower, water capabilities, and other contributing factors might have played out if this fire was in our area. That is what these videos are great for.

Posted by on August 18, 2011 • Filed under: Close Call, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, Fires, Helmet Camera, News, training-fire-rescue-topics, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Firefighter In Hot Water After Posting Pictures in his Gear on Dating Site Fubar.com

7 comments

Ernie Hase III, aka Plugger, is being investigated for reportedly uploading photos of himself in his department gear on an online dating site. Hase is a member of Liberty Fire Company No. 2, in Bangor, PA.

He posted pictures on Fubar.com, an online dating site. Some of those pictures include him dressing up in his turnout gear. Those pictures and his profile are no longer accessible without logging in.

In several of the photos, which had been accessible to all, Hase shows himself flexing shirtless in his fire helmet and fire pants. At least two photos showed him with his fire pants’ fly folded open and his underwear exposed. Read more at lehighvalleylive.com

The problem with Hase’s pictures are that they are against department policy.

Read the entire report from LehighValleyLive.com for more details on this story.

Ernie "Plugger" Hase III. Fubar.com photo

Fire Chief Robert Owens offered this written statement on Wednesday:

“The Bangor Fire Department issues personal protective gear for the use of our firefighters during an emergency situation. The gear is to be used only for that purpose and the use of the gear as depicted in these photos is in violation of the policies of the department. This matter will be addressed by a disciplinary committee, as is our standard procedure for such policy violations,”…

…“The gear must be with our volunteers so that they can go directly to the incident 24 hours per day and seven days per week. We cannot possibly monitor the actions of our members 24 hours per day and seven days per week as is true for any volunteer organization. We are not aware of any other firefighters who are violating department policies in a similar fashion, but should we learn of any such violations, they too will be subject to the ruling of the disciplinary committee.”

What do you think? Is this behavior acceptable? Should he be disciplined? What should the discipline be?

Posted by on August 18, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Video: Ladder Training at Kakaako Station in Honolulu Circa 1930′s

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Check out this training video from back in the day. Firefighters train with wooden ladders in Honolulu.

Posted by on August 18, 2011 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, News, Training & Development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Where in the Heck is the Fire Critic?

6 comments

Great question…

Especially since my wife and children are both out of town this week. My wife is at the University of Kentucky in Lexington having pillow fights and panty raids at the Alpha Phi house. I wish I was there.

My children are at my parents house in Nashville.

As for me, I am sitting at home thinking about how I am going to use this HALL PASS my wife gave me. Just kidding, I would just be wasting my time.

Seriously, where have I been. Well I have good news and bad news.

The Bad News

I am no longer a part of Firefighter Netcast. The live firefighter radio show/network I built with John Mitchell is no longer co-hosted/co-owned/co-produced by me. I have too many things going on and I needed to lighten the load. So I handed over my part of Firefighter Netcast to John. It was not an easy decision, but one that I felt needed to be made.

Don’t worry, we will reunite at the NFFF Memorial this October.

The Good News

I have several things coming up that I am proud of…

Daily911Deals.com will be launching with deals this week! Woohoo. I have been working on this project for several months with Jeff Harkey. Needless to say, this has taken up most of my time outside of my job. Check us out on facebook subscribe and “like” the page!

Some more great news is that I will be teaching some more this year.

Fire Rescue International

I will be at FRI in Atlanta in a little over a week. Willie will be with me as well as Jeff Harkey. We cannot wait. Look for Willie in the MN8 Products booth. Jeff and I will be around as well.

We look forward to catching up with some of our brothers at John’s Creek Fire Department in Georgia as well. They read Willie’s blog, they would read mine but apparently mine is blocked from their browsers. I am working on a fix now! Let me know if this site is blocked by your station computers please!

9/11 Memorial Stair Climb

We will be climbing in Atlanta. If you are planning on climbing please let me know. I would love to catch up!

We are also planning on climbing at the stair climb in Greenbelt, Maryland on September 11th as well.

Several of my brothers will be climbing in the stair climb in Richmond, Virginia on September 11th as well.

Teaching Social Media in the Fire Service

At Fire Rescue International I won’t be teaching, but I will be facilitating a 90 minute discussion on social media. The discussion/conversation on Social Media and Incorporating Technology in the Workplace will be on Friday, August 26, 11:00 am-12:30 pm in the Firehouse Café. Thanks to Dave Statter for being busy!

At Kean University this upcoming semester I will be teaching two days. I am teaching on October 27th at Morris County Firefighter and Police Training Academy and on 28th at Burlington County Emergency Services Training Center. Willie is planning on joining me again this time around. We had a blast back in April in New Jersey!

I am still finalizing the opprotunity of teaching at the Northern Kentucky Officer and Leadership Symposium on November 11th. I will keep you posted.

That is what I have been up to and why you haven’t heard a lot from me in the past month or so. Don’t worry, I will be firing this thing back up more and more in the near future. I am also going to hit you with another side of the blog that is more reminicent of my days when I was blogging at RoanokeFire.com…just wait for that!

Posted by on August 16, 2011 • Filed under: News, Social Media • Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Black Diamond Footwear X2 Firefighting Boots – Product Review

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Black Diamond X2 Footwear X2 firefighting boots are by far a superb example of what leather fire boots should feel like and look like. These boots are well worth the investment. I have been wearing these boots for 4 months and I must say that I am impressed. Other firefighters have noticed them as well. Many are always asking about the reviews I am doing. They want to know about the decent products out there. The point is that these product reviews are paying off locally as well as globally with the reach of this blog.

You might remember I did a review of the Black Diamond X boot here and here. They took that design and made it even better.

These boots are beyond comfortable. I know that because not only have I been wearing them for 4 months, but I have fought some fire in them and even did a 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Firehouse Expo in them.

Web Site - Facebook - Twitter - Youtube

The Black Diamond Footwear X Boot

I don’t take product reviews lightly. I take my time and do it right. My reputation as a reviewer is on the line each time I do a review. I want to make sure I hit the high points and the low points of each product. My intention was to do a video review of these boots but I just couldn’t pull it off.

My first impression of the X2 Boot…

The look – These boots are solid black. They look solid. Just look at the pictures. This is after 4 months of decent use.

The feel - Out of the box, these boots slipped right on. I did not have to wear them around to break them in. I put them right in my gear and got ready for business. They don’t hug your foot, and the 3-point heel locking system holds your foot in place and keeps your foot from slipping around inside. They slipped on and off very easily.

The toe -  The toe on these boots is probably one of the best I have seen yet. They have a molded rubber toe cap that has held up very well so far.

My X2 boots as they sit in my turnout gear.

Best feature – Much like the X boot I think the best feature is the integrated and reinforced pull on system. They also added a lip on the heel to assist in taking them off….great idea!

Worst feature – Made in China… the potential lower cost from outsourcing to China probably means more sales for those who don’t care about where a product is made…but for myself and many others that “Made in USA” might mean the difference between purchasing this boot and another which is made in the United States.

For all of the specifications of the X2 boot check out the spec sheet can here

 

Molded Rubber Toe Cap and Heel for High Abrasion and Ankle Support Guard Protection

Now for the serious stuff…
 
 

 

On the fireground – I caught a pretty decent fire wearing the X2 boot. I didn’t even notice I had them on. You can read about the fire here. I was on the nozzle (that doesn’t happen all the time). It was a hot fire, but then again I don’t know of any fires which aren’t hot. They got some use and were very comfortable.

Walking – I have done plenty of this wearing the boots. On every call for the past 4 months I have worn them. Most notably, I participated in the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at

The construction is solid on these boots.

Firehouse Expo wearing the X2 Boots and my full turnout gear. Willie Wines Jr. did the same. You can read about our climb here and here. We walked 110 stories in the X2 Boots and I never thought for a minute about my feet hurting because they did not. Those boots are that comfortable. There were other firefighters wearing running shoes and I cannot imagine their feet were any better off than mine.

Design:

Upper

  • Leather : Firetuff flame retardant waterproof heavyweight leather
  • Fusion fabric : Nomex®/Kevlar®/Taflon® F.P.P.E)

Exclusive calf-fit system allows for extended CALF WIDTH, maximum flexibility, comfort and fit

Lining:

 

  • CROSSTECH® membrane with Omaha lining
  • Kevlar lined for cut protection

    •  

Footbed:

  • Ortholite® 3-density, milti-fit, removable footbed with TPU heel cradle
  • Proprietary rubber comfort cup sole with comfort flex, high abrasion and traction performance

Other notable design specs:

  • Form-fitting shin-guard protector
  • Built-in heel boot jack for easy-off
  • Exclusive calf-fit system allows for extended CALF WIDTH, maximum flexibility, comfort and fit
  • The boots come in one width with removable footbed inserts for those of us with wider feet.

If you don’t take my word for it, check out these other fire service bloggers who have reviewed the Black Diamond Footwear X2 Boot:

Thanks so much for Black Diamond for sending me a pair of boots to review.

The Fire Critic offers product reviews. Please visit this page for details on how to get your product reviewed and what our policy is on reviews.

Posted by on August 9, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, News, Product Reviews, Training & Development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Videos: London Burns as Rioting Keeps Firefighters Busy

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For the sake of time and ensuring you get to the proper videos I have simply given you a link.

The link is good for the most recent videos on Youtube related to the fires in London.

Click here for the latest videos of fires burning in London.

The other reason I simply added a link is because a ton of the videos will be pulled and some are just trash.

Firegeezer has coverage of Night 1, Night 2, and Night 3

Ok, I couldn’t resist…here is one video!

Posted by on August 8, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, Fires, Major Incidents, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Fire, EMS, and Police Bloggers are Becoming Spokespersons for Products and Services

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Every time I turn around there is a new company setting up shop in the Fire, EMS, and Police markets. These new and typically smaller businesses are doing their research. They are investing the time to create a social media rich marketing plan.

Larger businesses are doing the same, although this is probably in part because the marketing firms they are hiring use social media as much as they can. The firms see the value in it.

Willie Wines Jr. recently helped out in the MN8 Products booth at Firehouse Expo. Not only was he a huge draw, he blogged about it and was even seen kissing some babies!

Whether it is a small business with a small budget or a larger business with a large budget, they are basically doing the same thing… in theory.

Utilizing Facebook to connect with your customers is a vital marketing task that usually takes a skillful eye and many hours to stay on top of. Twitter is similar, however the reach is not as wide. That reach doesn’t matter though…you cannot pass up the opportunity to connect with a customer.

Bloggers are a key point in this connection. Why? That is simple…we have followers. Tribes, if you will. Most bloggers are connected to other bloggers and the whole social media thing is [BAM] connecting thousands of people!

Many bloggers are very connected with social media. Even so, many socially connected firefighters, EMT’s, and even some police officers who don’t blog in the beginning end up creating a blog in the end.

So what about this spokespersons claim I made in the title of this article?

Here is the thing…Fire,EMS, and Police don’t really have many ”Celebrities”. Outside of the Editor in Chiefs of  our trade magazines or the women and men who teach at almost every event there aren’t many ultra-recognizable names in our fields. For the Firefighters you might think Bobby Halton, Tim Sendelbach, Billy Goldfeder, Rick Lasky, Alan Brunacini, for a couple of examples. Even then, my view is skewed because I write about some of these guys, have followed them for years, and recognize someone who knows what they are talking about when I see it. Those guys have put in decades of time teaching, creating, writing, and spreading the word of what they know. They have been there and done that. I know it, you know it, everyone SHOULD know it.

Again, what about the spokespersons claim in the title?

Companies want to spread the word of their products and services. They want to make it as affordable and effective as possible. Sure, having a picture of a big name celebrity firefighter holding the newest innovative product on a banner can have a positive effect on the product and company. But what is the reach? What is the cost?

Similarily compare print advertising to online advertising.

Does that person post about the product on their blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc.? What is their reach? What is their cost?

This is where bloggers come in. Fire, EMS, and other Public Safety bloggers have reach that most companies do not realize. Thousands of loyal readers, thousands of facebook friends, thousands of facebook fan page “likes”, thousands of twitter followers. Each of those mediums feed to more and more people. A single blogger could have a reach of more than 10,000 people. 

When I think of spokesperson, I don’t mean on television spots. I mean creating a working relationship between companies and bloggers.

Think of Zoll’s collaberation with Chronicles of EMS (ChroniclesofEMS.com). Justin Schorr, Mark Glencorse, Ted Setla and many more could be seen at the Zoll booth at conventions. I saw first hand how having these “celebrities” on hand really drew in a crowd. It seemed a lot more effective than just having the sales persons walking around in the booth all day. It gave people another reason to stop in and say hello. Hell, I did it.

Another example is Willie Wines Jr. (IronFiremen.com) being in the MN8 Products booth at Firehouse Expo. Willie will also be at the MN8 booth at Fire Rescue International. People come up to him all day long to meet him.

How does it work?

It is really this simple…Willie blogs about where he is going to be (advertising the company and/or product) and when people get to the conference they seek him out.

Sure, having busty tall blond booth babes works very well too. But that typically just gets guys to stop and stare for a little while. Having a personality that many people know prior to the show in your booth can be an even bigger draw. Plus, what do those booth babes know about your product? You probably gave them a 5 minute crash course on your product and expect them to be experts. Once they leave the show they aren’t going to write about the fun they had, the people they met, publish pictures from your booth, or any of that.

But it doesn’t have to be at exhibit halls only.

Product reviews, advertising on blogs, and simply communicating with bloggers are other ways to engage bloggers and make use of their social networks.

It is about connecting, networking, and working together.

More about this in the future!

As for bloggers, here are two steps you can do to increasing your branding and making it a little more personal…

  1. Make sure your readers know who you are. Include a picture of yourself on your blog. Do you really want to be known as an avatar? Quit hiding behind your banner and logo.
  2. Don’t shy away from who you are. If people want to know who it is being the blog let them know. After all, if you are writing about something shouldn’t you stand behind it.

Fire Critic Note:

If you have not “liked” Daily911Deals on facebook yet you are about to miss out. Head over to the facebook page and “like” us, then subscribe. The deals are starting soon! That is why I haven’t been writing much on FireCritic.com. Once we are live, I will be back to my normal posting!

Posted by on August 8, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, News, Social Media • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dramatic Video: Edmonton Firefighters Rescue Woman from 3rd floor Apartment at Deadly Fire

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Firefighters were able to rescue a woman via ladder through a window at a deadly fire in Edmonton on August 2nd. The fire occured at Bethany Senior Citizens Home near 83rd Avenue and 99th Street. Two people died in the fire which began around 12:30am.

The fire is believed to be deliberately set.

The rescue was caught on camera and uploaded to youtube. It is available below.

Keep in mind this rescue was performed at the 3rd floor. These firefighters did a great job.

More news coverage: Fire at seniors lodge deliberately set, homicide detectives now investigating

Posted by on August 2, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, Fires, News, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,