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Green Lights for POV’s, VA LODD, CPR Stopped at Time Warner, Daily911Deals, and More

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Several of my brothers from Roanoke completed the Tough Mudder in Wintergreen yesterday. Congratulations guys! You make the rest of us in Roanoke proud. I am sure it was a blast and I would have loved to have completed it with you. I had originally planned on traveling this weekend, but the plans fell through. Maybe next time.

This upcoming weekend, Willie and I will be traveling to New Jersey and New York City. Willie will be hanging out with Zach Green of MN8 in New York City. I will be teaching social media in New Jersey. I will also be teaching in Kentucky in November. Read more about my classes in New Jersey here.

Virginia LODD

The Fairfax County (Virginia) Fire & Rescue Department is mourning the loss of Firefighter Horace Pendergrass. Firefighter Pendergrass passed away in his sleep at station 41. Read more on VAFireNews.com here.

Speaking of VAFireNews.com, they are chronicling firefighters wearing pink shirts during the Month of October here. The latest is from Staunton Fire & Rescue. I also added some photos of firefighters wearing pink here.

Daily911Deals™

Daily911Deals™ has a brand new deal today. The latest is a custom Helmet Front Holder from Westsider Front Holder. The custom holder is made by a firefighter in North Carolina and offered mostly through Facebook. If you imagined you will get it at a great discount you are right! Daily911Deals™ is offering the Westsider Front Holder for 50% off. Get yours for $14.99 delivered. Regular price is $29.99.

According to Jonathan Nixon, the firefighter behind Westsider Front Holder:

Westsider front holders were made because I wanted a holder that would not give or bend when you were doing work. My original holder was was ruined when I got out of the academy. Now that I have a Westsider on my helmet, I have confidence that it will handle whatever I can throw at it.

If you are new to Daily911Deals™ you should definitely check it out! They have had one great deal after another after starting several months ago.

Monday Morning Shoutout

The Monday Morning Shoutout goes to Beyond The Line. Check out their video! It looks promising. Watch the trailer here.

A cast of compelling characters brings to life a new and untapped perspective of the firefighting world. Through unique technology, watch the drama unfold from the viewpoint of the firefighters. Think COPS combined with Rescue 911. Toss in a “Real World” twist and mix in some hot firefighters, and you have “Beyond the Line.”

“Beyond the Line” sees the world through the eyes of the firefighters from Denver and West Metro Fire Departments. From gunshot wounds and drug overdoses, to rapes and transients drowning in the South Platte River, they see it all. In each 30-minute episode of “Beyond the Line” viewers experience the highs, lows, the joys and tragedies these everyday heroes face. With unprecedented access to the behind the scenes action of emergency calls and the daily lives of the rescue crews, we reveal the remarkable and inspirational stories of the firefighters and paramedics. Toss in a dynamic of brotherhood of raw characters, to say the least, and you experience the life of these firefighters.

Green lights for Volunteers in East Gwillimbury (located in Canada…somewhere)

YorkRegion.com:

East Gwillimbury has implemented a two-pronged green flashing light system for volunteer firefighters. The vehicles of the town’s 81 volunteer firefighters will be equipped with the lights that are affixed to the dashboard. As a courtesy, the town’s emergency services department is asking drivers to treat these vehicles as you would other emergency vehicles.

The death of a Time Warner worker sparks a Carl Monday investigation

WOIO.com:

GARFIELD HEIGHTS, OH (WOIO) – 19 Action News Investigator Carl Monday has a story about a local woman who lost her mom last month. Now, she has some serious questions about her death.

Was the good Samaritan who tried to save her prevented from doing everything she could?

Charlie Brown Restaurant Fire

Finally, check out this video from Newsworking in South Whitehall, PA. A stubborn 3rd alarm fire burns in the vacant Charlie Brown Steakhouse. The fire came in around 1am on October 23, 2011.

Posted by on October 24, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, Daily911Deals, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, In the Line of Duty, Line of Duty, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hiring of Uneducated Fire Chief in Florida Sparks Debate

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FireRescue1 has the story and two pages of comments here: Hiring of Fla. fire chief with no degree sparks education debate

Ron Rogers has been hired as Hillsborough County Fire & Rescue’s Fire Chief despite his lack of education. The education is a requirement of the position he now holds. To be exact “A master’s degree is preferred, but a bachelor’s with work experience will suffice.”

I say uneducated because we have to have a high school diploma or equivalent GED. That is a given. Rogers highest academic achievement is a high school diploma. No college degree exists with Rogers name on it.

This isn’t really about Rogers, this is about the process

The fire service has put such an emphasis on education, yet our communities might not care. Some firefighters are shaking their heads wondering what the hell is going on. Why did they waste their time getting a college degree or more? How could someone without the education get the highest job in the department?

We aren’t talking about experience. Rogers has 29 years on the job with Hillsborough.

Not firefighting experience though.  If you read the timeline of Chief Rogers career, it does not mention him ever riding on fire apparatus.

Senior emergency medical technician. Paramedic, senior paramedic, district chief for Emergency Medical Services. In 1997, Fire Rescue and medical services merged. He got a new title: battalion chief. He kept moving up. By 2006, he became assistant chief of administration, a job he held until Nesmith named him interim fire chief in January.

I don’t know Rogers. I don’t know if he can do the job. I cannot say whether this is a good move or a bad move by the County. I will say that a lot of the comments on FireRescue1 lead me to believe that the readers quit reading after the line “Chief Ron Rogers, 49, has a high school diploma and 29 years of experience with the agency.” The reason I say that is because they obviously didn’t read where that experience was experienced. I think if they had, they might change their tune.

I imagine that some firefighters are also pointing to the facts below…

Finally…this point:

Though he appointed Rogers interim chief before he left, retired Hillsborough fire Chief William “Bill” Nesmith said he was surprised Rogers was even considered for the permanent job.

“If a person came to any other major department with no degree, his application would be filed in the ’round can’ by a secretary,” Nesmith said. “Wouldn’t even get an interview.”

What do you guys think?

Read the entire article here with many comments

Posted by on October 22, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cooking Chicken Enchiladas with the Fire Critic

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Chicken Enchiladas

Feel free to send in your recipes to share as well!

One of my guys has been telling me for a long time that I should start writing about some of the food I cook at the firehouse. I agree with him and am finally getting around to it. I cook most of the time at our firehouse. The guys seem to like my food, or they are too lazy to cook good food and deal with it. I haven’t always cooked. I don’t like whining about eating what I consider “good” food. I have been at firehouses where I didn’t cook because the crew liked “meat and potatoes”. They ate some red meat, mashed potatoes, and green beans at every dinner. No herbs, no spices, no flavor…puke.

I enjoy cooking. I enjoy grilling while drinking good beer most of all, but I leave the beer at home. If you are friends with me on Facebook, I like to post a picture now and then of some of the food we eat at the house.

I am on the grocery getter this cycle…what the hell am I saying, I am always on the grocery getter. You know, the larger red truck that sits next to the medic unit that has firefighters on it. Actually, that is what our medics think it is…a grocery getter. They think that our sole purpose is to cook for them twice a day while they run calls. Unless they are riding the engine, and then it is just part of the job.

Here is one variation of chicken enchiladas…with pictures of course!

I don’t work off of a recipe that often, so use the amount of ingredients you will need.

 Ingredients:

  • Boneless Chicken Breast prepared in enchilada mix
  • Refried Beans
  • Spanish rice made with Rotel diced tomatoes
  • Pico De Gallo (onions, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, add jalapenos if you want)
  • Soft tortilla shells
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Enchilada sauce
    Start off with a soft tortilla shell on a clean surface. Remember, if one hits the ground you have 5 seconds...anything more is just disgusting. I only dropped two of them.
    Start off with a soft tortilla shell on a clean surface. Remember, if one hits the ground you have 5 seconds...anything more is just disgusting. I only dropped two of them.

    Smear refried beans on half of the tortilla shell. Don't worry, we will bake the farts out in the oven!
    Smear refried beans on half of the tortilla shell. Don't worry, we will bake the farts out in the oven!

    Add a row of spanish rice down the center as seen in the photo. You can chant Ole, Ole if no one else is around...I did!
    Add a row of spanish rice down the center as seen in the photo. You can chant Ole, Ole if no one else is around...I did!

    Add a row of chicken on top of the rice. Keep it neat! What am I saying...be as messy as you want to be!
    Add a row of chicken on top of the rice. Keep it neat! What am I saying...be as messy as you want to be!

    Next, add the pico de gallo. Add as much as you want. This is the good stuff!
    Next, add the pico de gallo. Add as much as you want. This is the good stuff!

    Now fold the side over towards the side with the refried beans on it. Make it tight! Don't be scared...grab a hold of that thing!
    Now fold the side over towards the side with the refried beans on it. Make it tight! Don't be scared...grab a hold of that thing!

    Finally, fold the side over that has the refried beans on it...be sure to keep it tight. The refried beans will keep the enchilada held together.
    Finally, fold the side over that has the refried beans on it...be sure to keep it tight. The refried beans will keep the enchilada held together.

    I didn't get a shot of the ingredients all set up, so this is the set up here a little later in the production. I have pico de gallo on the left. In the pans are spanish rice, refried beans, and chicken.
    I didn't get a shot of the ingredients all set up, so this is the set up here a little later in the production. I have pico de gallo on the left. In the pans are spanish rice, refried beans, and chicken.

    Here they are! Like piggies in a blanket minus the bun and wiener! Ok, nothing like piggies in a blanket at all actually.
    Here they are! Like piggies in a blanket minus the bun and wiener! Ok, nothing like piggies in a blanket at all actually.

    Place them in pans for the oven. Pour the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas liberally.
    Place them in pans for the oven. Pour the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas liberally.

    Douse the enchiladas with cheese. The more the better! If I were not at the firehouse, at this point I would be 3-4 Coronas into it. Substitute any other decent Mexican beer...No Willie, Coors Light does not count!
    Douse the enchiladas with cheese. The more the better! If I were not at the firehouse, at this point I would be 3-4 Coronas into it. Substitute any other decent Mexican beer...No Willie, Coors Light does not count!

    Put the pans in the oven and bake them for 20-30 minutes. Less if the firefighters look hungry, more if the medics are whining! Yeah, I know the oven is filthy...it seasons the food!
    Put the pans in the oven and bake them for 20-30 minutes. Less if the firefighters look hungry, more if the medics are whining! Yeah, I know the oven is filthy...it seasons the food!

    If you need help, look around to see if anyone is willing to help cook. In my case, nobody...not even a cricket was chirping. It's okay guys...the paid guy will get it!
    If you need help, look around to see if anyone is willing to help cook. In my case, nobody...not even a cricket was chirping. It's okay guys...the paid guy will get it!

    Be sure to use every pan in the kitchen...especially since no one was around to help. Yeah, these guys think that food just magically appears at noon and 6pm everyday! Actually, I cleaned the dishes this time. I was feeling froggy. OH, and that is a knife in the sink...I live dangerously!
    Be sure to use every pan in the kitchen...especially since no one was around to help. Yeah, these guys think that food just magically appears at noon and 6pm everyday! Actually, I cleaned the dishes this time. I was feeling froggy. OH, and that is a knife in the sink...I live dangerously!

    Here is the end result. 2 1/2 pans of enchiladas...did I mention it was only 4 of us eating. That's right, these things are excellent warmed up. Just pop them in the oven again for 30 minutes and they will be better than the first time!
    Here is the end result. 2 1/2 pans of enchiladas...did I mention it was only 4 of us eating. That's right, these things are excellent warmed up. Just pop them in the oven again for 30 minutes and they will be better than the first time!


 

Posted by on October 20, 2011 • Filed under: Cooking with the Fire Critic, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Citizens Arrest, Citizens Arrest…Sheriff’s Deputies Replaced by Security Guards!

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The axe continues to fall on public safety. The public’s safety is not safe anymore…but does anyone really care? Public Safety across the Nation has experienced closures, brownouts, cuts, lost benefits, hacked retirements, decreased wages, and been the scapegoat long enough. When will the public start caring about their safety enough to stand up and question these types of measures?

Kare11.com has the story here

You heard it right, Sheriff’s Deputies are being replaced by security guards in Foley, Minnesota. A private security firm, General Security, will be answering 911 calls full time beginning in January.

In case you were wondering…the security guards cannot investigate crimes or do traffic stops. They can’t even “arrest” people. What they can do is what every other citizen in Foley can do = make citizen arrests!

This is a cost savings measure by the City Council Members. Previously, they had Benton County Sheriff’s Deputies patrolling the area.

Apparently, the Foley City Council wants to be on the forefront of change just not change anyone can believe in:

Kare11.com: Mayor Gary Gruba said Foley is the first city he’s heard of that has used a private security company. But he said he has heard other cities are looking at the option to save costs. Read more

I don’t know about you, but I think they are missing the boat on this one. They could save more money removing all of the traffic signs and getting money for recycling them. Who needs them if no one is going to enforce them. Furthermore, why spend money on the security guards at all? Why not just set up a City-wide neighborhood watch.

What the hell are they thinking?

No one is safe. Not our jobs or the public we protect. As long as public safety is on the chopping block, the public will continue to suffer.

Why not just replace the City Council and other paid positions in the City of Foley with interns? That would save a dime or two!

Posted by on October 19, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Firefighters Go Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Across the Nation

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Across the Nation, Firefighters are wearing pink for breast cancer awareness. Wearing pink may not seem like a big deal to the public, changing from the normal department issued uniform T-shirt or polo rarely happens. When I say rarely…this is the first time in my 12 years at my department that I have worn anything but my navy blue t-shirt or class A or B uniform. It is commendable that Fire Chiefs have realized the good of the campaigns and allowed firefighters to wear pink.

I don’t know where it started, but it took off. This year more than ever, firefighters are seen in pink shirts during the month of October for breast cancer awareness and fire prevention month.

The causes vary. It isn’t all Susan G. Komen, Save the Ta-Ta’s, or “I Love Boobs”…It is just a general campaign for breast cancer awareness and it seems to have been mixed in with fire prevention month. Several departments are raising money for various charities related to breast cancer awareness.

I love it!

Zach Green (MN8 Products) Wyoming Fire Department (Cincinnati, Ohio)

My department is wearing pink shirts on the middle day of the cycle (it is voluntary). Why wouldn’t you wear the shirt? Yeah, we have guys who won’t wear it. I don’t get it. Many of those same guys are ones who complain about not getting a raise, not getting this or that, low morale. What better way to increase the public perception of your department than to get behind a cause such as this?

And then there is this department:

The North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue Firefighters were told they could participate in the National Pink for a Cure campaign…but their department “officials” told them they can only wear the pink shirt inside firehouses or under a department issued T-shirt when in public. Read the entire story here

I don’t think their “Department Officials” have got a clue.

I asked for people to share pictures of them in their pink shirts on the Fire Critic Facebook fan page. You can still share your pictures there. Some of those pictures are below.

View photos from across Virginia of firefighters in Pink here

 

Frederick County Fire & Rescue. Photo by Mike Redding‎Rockport Fire & Rescue (RVFD) ordered both Pink with black and Black with pink shirts. The pink sold out in a few weeks and we have more on the way! We are putting together a team and going to donate proceeds at our local Relay For Life! You can order a shirt mailed to you for just $20!Prince George's County Firefighters in PinkPrince George's County Firefighters in Pink

 

‎Rockport Fire & Rescue (RVFD) ordered both Pink with black and Black with pink shirts. The pink sold out in a few weeks and we have more on the way! We are putting together a team and going to donate proceeds at our local Relay For Life! You can order a shirt mailed to you for just $20!Prince George's County Firefighters in PinkPrince George's County Firefighters in Pink

 

Prince George's County Firefighters in Pink

Prince George's County Firefighters in Pink

More about Prince George’s County Fire/EMS wearing pink:

The Prince George’s County, MD, Fire/EMS Department has donned pink t-shirts for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and has raised $10,000 selling the pink T-shirts. With an original goal of just 200 T-shirts – a group of PGFD Firefighter/Medics have sold about 1,200 shirts and counting.

Posted by on October 19, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Prevention & Education, Fire Rescue Topics, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Social Media in the Fire Service: Catch the Class in New Jersey Soon!

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I will be in New Jersey teaching about Social Media in the Fire Service at the end of the month. Willie Wines Jr. will be traveling with me, but he will only make it to the second class. He will be in New York City with Zach Green of MN8 Products (Foxfire) hanging out with some of the guys/gals from the FDNY. I will rendezvous with them in NYC in the evenings.
 
My goal with these classes are to make them as interactive as possible. I enjoy questions and helping others understand social media and what it can do for them and their companies, departments, organizations, and even personal networking!
 
There is still room in the classes if you want to attend.
To register:

Registration is through myNewJersey, the state’s website.  The registration instructions are on page3 of the Fall 2011 Course Brochure. Here is a link to the brochure:

http://www.keanfiresafety.com/PDFs/Fall2011CourseBook.pdf

 If you are from out of State, you might be able to skip the online registration. Contact me and I will put you in touch with them.

Here are the places and times I will be teaching. The actual name of the class is “Social Media: Fire Service’s Next Biggest Innovation”.

Rhett Fleitz teaching social media at FDIC 2011

Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 8am
Morris County Firefighter and Police Training Academy
500 West Hanover Ave
Parsippany, NJ 07950

 
And
 
Friday, October 28, 2011 at 8am
Burlington County Emergency Services Training Center
53 Academy Dr
Westampton (Mt Holly), NJ 08060 
 
The class focuses on getting started as well as how to utilize social media. I will also be focusing on what not to do with social media and how to keep from making some mistakes others have made.
 
Willie and I will be making a cannonball run up and back, but might have some time to stop in to some Fire Departments if you want to meet up.
Posted by on October 18, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, News, Social Media, Training & Development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

NFFF Memorial Weekend Wrap-up

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The NFFF Memorial Weekend is behind us. However, we must continue to honor and respect the men and women we have lost. Remember…We will never forget.

Attending the Memorial Service is one way of paying tribute to those who have died, but not all of us can attend.

Read more about my trip here, here, and here.

Each year, the NFFF strives to make every facet of the weekend better. Live streaming of the Candlelight Vigil and the Memorial Service bring the event to so many more people than can attend. Through their web site and social media, the NFFF has been able to share pictures, video, and audio. This was my second year there and I am still learning about how they accomplish everything they do. It truly is amazing.

If you have a web site or blog, check out this link for the NFFF tribute widget. If you don’t have it on your site, you should!

New this year was “Bells Across America”. I failed to get that information out, but plenty of other people shared it. What was interesting was how it reached Afghanistan. Dave Statter has more on that here including a picture and video.

I also uploaded around 300 photos on the Fire Critic Facebook fan page here. Check it out, click like, and then go to the photos!

Also, if you aren’t one of the 250,000+ fans of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Facebook fan page you should be!

Here are some links to more coverage:

I leave you with three videos from the weekend. Check them out!

Posted by on October 18, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, In the Line of Duty, Line of Duty, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Willie’s Uvula Almost Sends Him to the Hospital

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You should be sitting down for this one…

There we were at the NFFF Memorial Weekend. It is Sunday morning and I am dead asleep. I am awoke by Willie telling me he has to go to the hospital. I immediately think that this is going to be a great story! Willie going to the hospital. I didn’t move. I was comfortable, and half asleep.

I asked him if he had a stroke. He says no, that it is his throat. I asked if it was sore and he said, no something is in it. I told him to cough it up. Willie says “I did”. So I said, “good, lets go back to bed”…but then Willie chimes in that it is sitting on his tongue. Ok, spit it out. He is a grown man after all. I was not going to grab a hold of some epic lugee that is caught in his throat and pull it out.

Willie then said “I can’t spit it out, it is attached to me”. Huh? Ok, now he has my interest, so I get out of bed and take a look. I don’t see anything but his dangly thingy at the back of his throat. Apparently it is swollen. Willie can hardly talk and I was kind of enjoying it. I am pretty sure I laughed…a lot!

Willie's uvula and piercings

What I realized next was something I didn’t know…Willie not only has his tongue pierced, but his uvula too!

My next move was the google machine. I googled “the hanging thing in the back of your throat”. Apparently it is called a uvula. It sounds like part of the female anatomy…which wouldn’t be out of place on Willie who right then was acting like a little girl!

This is what I found… If you’ve woken up this morning with a swollen uvula then the best thing to do is eat lots of ice cream and just calm down. This is a common condition which usually resolves quickly without any medical attention so try not to worry. Directly from http://swollenuvula.blogspot.com/. Who would have thunk it?

So instead of going to the hospital or calling an ambulance, I went to the grocery store and got the little tike some ice cream.

Willie couldn’t talk most of the day as his swollen uvula sat right there on his tongue most of the day.

On the trip home, Willie started telling me more about his “emergency” that morning. When he got up and into the bathroom, he swallowed his swollen uvula part way and ended up puking. When it came back up, he took his finger and tried to push it back down…you guessed it, making him puke again!

Never a dull moment with that guy!

Posted by on October 17, 2011 • Filed under: Humor, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Helmet Cam Video Captures Rescues in Contra Costa Fire

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This occured on October 13th.

Two people were rescued from their Contra Costa home around 1:30am on Thursday. A woman and her caretaker were found inside the home and were rescued without life threatening injuries. The fire was in the attic.

The rescue was caught on video by a helmet camera of one of the firefighters involved in the rescue.

I still think that overall, helmet camera’s  have a positive use in the fire service. To ensure that they are used correctly, fire departments should mandate approval of using the videos online through an approval process. If there are victims involved, they should be given the courtesy of approval for use as well. I am not sure what Contra Costa FD’s policy is, but I see no harm in using this video. As a matter of fact, this video could be used in fire prevention applications in the future.

Here is some more on this incident from Backstep Firefighter

Great job guys!

Posted by on October 17, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, News, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

30th Annual National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Memorial Service

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If you are following along (both of you), then you know that Willie Wines Jr. and I were in Emmitsburg, MD for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation 2011 Memorial Service. This was also the 30th Annual event.

We were there to help out with Firefighter Netcast and FireHero Radio. We accomplished that and much more.

Wille and I always keep ourselves busy. We also got to help out Dave Statter. Yes, I swallowed my pride and only gut punched him once. If you get a chance, ask him about dinner and his uncontrollable yelling!

This might be my favorite photo from the bunch I added to facebook. It might have been a great shot if a real photographer had taken it!

This year marked the 2nd trip for Willie and I to the NFFF Memorial Weekend. It is an honor to attend and also be able to help out.

At one point, I was asked to assist the “social media” crew at the event. I snapped several photos for them and spoke with the people in the photos. Unfortunately, none of the photos were used from what I could tell…bummer. Because I don’t want them to feel left out, I have included them below.

If you saw Willie or I taking photos of you this weekend and cannot find them on Facebook, let me know and I will get a copy to you.

I added about 300 photos to the Fire Critic Facebook Fan Page in several albums.

The links for the photos are here:

Here are the other photos

This might be my favorite photo from the bunch I added to facebook. It might have been a great shot if a real photographer had taken it!
This might be my favorite photo from the bunch I added to facebook. It might have been a great shot if a real photographer had taken it!
The O'Fallon Fire Protection District Honor Guard from Missouri
The O'Fallon Fire Protection District Honor Guard from Missouri

The O'Fallon Fire Protection District Honor Guard from Missouri
The O'Fallon Fire Protection District Honor Guard from Missouri
The family of Steven Crannell from Guthrie Center, Iowa. The group is wearing the same shirt in solidarity.
The family of Steven Crannell from Guthrie Center, Iowa. The group is wearing the same shirt in solidarity.

The family of Steven Crannell from Guthrie Center, Iowa. The group is wearing the same shirt in solidarity.
The family of Steven Crannell from Guthrie Center, Iowa. The group is wearing the same shirt in solidarity.
Honor Guard team from Indianola, Iowa. 11 of the 23 members of the group traveled to the NFFF Memorial Weekend for the first time. They raised money all year long to afford the trip.
Honor Guard team from Indianola, Iowa. 11 of the 23 members of the group traveled to the NFFF Memorial Weekend for the first time. They raised money all year long to afford the trip.

A group of visitors poses with the clowns at the Memorial
A group of visitors poses with the clowns at the Memorial
A member of the Richmond, KY Honor Guard stands post at the NFFF Memorial.
A member of the Richmond, KY Honor Guard stands post at the NFFF Memorial.

Levi, the grandson of Fallen Firefighter Joe McCafferty inspects the NFFF Memorial.
Levi, the grandson of Fallen Firefighter Joe McCafferty inspects the NFFF Memorial.
Honor Guard members from Columbia, SC discuss plans for their role at the NFFF Memorial.
Honor Guard members from Columbia, SC discuss plans for their role at the NFFF Memorial.


 

Posted by on October 16, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

NFFF Memorial Weekend Coverage. VueToo and Live Video of Vigil Service Tonight

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The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation has really stepped up coverage of the Memorial Weekend this year. So many more people will be able to follow along this year. More pictures, more video, more tweets, more facebook updates, more everything.

Here is the live video of the Candlelight Vigil which will be available at 6:30pm tonight.

I will be updating throughout the day onhttp://twitter.com/firecriticand on the Fire Critic Facebook Fan Page

I am going to try to keep up on the information, however Dave Statter has the inside scoop on most of this stuff as well.

Here are some important links:

 

Posted by on October 15, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Road Trip! On our way to Honor and Remember at the NFFF

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Captain Wines and I are on our way to honor the fallen brothers from the past year and remember their legacy. We will have the chance to speak with and hear from their family members while we work with Firefighter Netcast. Last year was a sobering experience, but at the same time it was very fulfilling to learn about the Fallen.

We hope to make as much of this trip as we did last year.

We left this morning and stopped briefly in Fairfield to see Willie’s grandmother. This is the second time we have stopped in and I love it. I don’t get to see my grandparents often since they live so far away. Being able to see his grandmother reminds me of mine. I cherish the opprotunity.

We are back on the road again.

Ok…actually now we are on campus. I started writing this in the van on the way up.

This is our first time staying on the campus of the National Fire Academy. This is one heck of a campus. If I remember the story right, this was a school at one point and was given to the United States by the family who owned it. Look it up, it is a great story.

Willie and are in our rooms and are going to enjoy dinner tonight with friends. Afterwards, we will be at the Ott house or The Command Post for drinks. We are more likely to be at the Ott house.

If anyone needs a bed while they are in town, we have an extra bed. Let us know and we will hook you up!

If you are interested in hooking up with us, you can email me at firefleitz@gmail.com or text me at 540-537-8158.

In the morning, we will be joining Firefighter Netcast in front of the chapel around 8:30 am. We will be available to talk, but our main goal will be recording the stories of families (survivors) of the Fallen.

Don’t miss the opprotunity to say hello to Willie Wines Jr. and I. We love meeting firefighters from around the World.

If you walk up to Willie and ask him if he is the cowboy from “Brokeback Mountain” I will give you one of our Brotherhood Chips!

Posted by on October 14, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Teen Charged in Fake 911 Call that led to Fire Truck Crash. His Fault or not?

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A teenager in Connecticut was charged with making a false 911 call. The problem isn’t just the prank call. The problem is that a fire truck crashed on the way to the call.

Read the whole story with video here on FireRescue1.com

What do you think? I agree that it is wrong to make fake 911 calls, but do you think it is his fault for the fire truck crashing?

Should the punishment be more severe?

Posted by on October 14, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Willie and I are heading to Emmitsburg!

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Willie and I are heading to Emmitsburg, MD Friday morning for the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend. If all goes well, we will be blogging while we are there.

We will be hanging out with John Mitchell of Firefighter Netcast, Dave Statter, and many other friends from NFFF.

If you are going to be there, be sure to hit us up! Don’t worry, we will be out on the town a little bit while we are there as well.

I will be posting later this weekend with the live stream of the Memorial Service as well.

Tune in and watch it!

 

Posted by on October 13, 2011 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Comment Using Facebook Now…And Our Brotherhood Chips are Available!

1 comment

In the ever changing world here at FireCritic.com, I aim to please.

The comments have been completely overhauled here on the blog.

First of all, I removed the Disqus commenting system and reverted to the native comments. I did this to make it easier to comment.

And then…I added a Facebook commenting system. So now you have your choice of commenting via wordpress or with Facebook. Take your pick.

It has worked out pretty good so far. One issue I found was that I am not notified when there are new Facebook comments. I try to keep an eye on it though!

One note on the comments…I will put up with a lot. What I won’t put up with are slanderous comments about others and all around stupid comments. Trolls are welcome to comment over at STATter911.com!

Another addition here at FireCritic.com is the Brotherhood Chips which are available for $5 a piece. Willie’s mug is on one side, and my logo on the other! Click here for ordering information. Don’t worry, Willie and I aren’t going to squander the money. It will be set aside for use on beer, totties, and lap dances! We will be handing them out at events we are at though. If you are going to be at the NFFF Memorial Weekend be sure to hit us up!

Willie and I head out in the morning for Emmitsburg! Read about our trip from last year here and here

Other than that, I am plugging away.

Posted by on October 13, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, News • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Top Ten Advertising and Marketing Ideas for Fire, EMS, and Police Markets

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This advertising and marketing advice is applicable to businesses, products, departments, start-ups, establishing  a name for themselves or their brand, or continuing to saturate the market with their brand name. Whether you are big or small, there is something out there for you.

The question isn’t whether to advertise or not, it is when and how you will advertise. How else are people supposed to know who you are?

I have seen many companies spend a ton of money on advertising and marketing campaigns. Some of those campaigns have paid out in huge dividends, but others have wasted money on campaigns that missed the mark. I have also been a part of creating creative campaigns for my brands that have been on a shoe-string budget.

Below are what I feel are the top ten advertising and marketing ideas for products in the firefighting, emergency medical services, and law enforcement fields. Consider these ideas, and that an actual “campaign” might involve one or more of these ideas implemented concurrently or consecutively to create a buzz about a brand or product.

In viewing these ideas, consider time spent on the idea, money spent on the idea, and the ability to understand and analyize the return on investment (ROI) as well as the ability to view progress of the idea or campaign. The list is in order from 10 to 1, 1 being the best in my eyes based on return of investment and not price-tag.

The scale is $-$$$$. The more the $ symbols the more the cost!

10. Print Advertising

Examples: Fire Engineering, Fire Rescue Magazine, Firehouse Magazine, JEMS, Police Magazine

Some might say it is old fashioned (I am one of them). Does print advertising have a value? YES. However, when compared to new media abilities and ideas, print marketing only provides “potential” reach and does not offer “actual” reach when analysing the value of the campaign once delivered. What I am saying is that when you purchase print marketing, the salesperson can tell you how many magazines will be delivered with your advertisement in it. They cannot tell you how many people will put their hands on it, nor how many times each person will put their hands on it. They also cannot tell you if the reader will actually flip to the page where your ad resides in a publication. Print advertising usually costs a pretty penny when talking about the leading market magazines. Although the less circulated event programs might be cheaper, you have to consider their potential reach. Other print advertising mediums: magazines, newsletters, catalogs, event programs $$$$

9. Facebook Ads

Marketing through facebook ads can serve one of two purposes. You can get traffic to your web site or you can get traffic to your Facebook fan page. Facebook fan pages are a great asset to create conversation between your brand and your fans. You can use your fan page to ask questions, draw attention to your web site, post products, get feedback, and communicate. Facebook ads are not very expensive. You can opt to pay by the impression or by the click. I have used both of these formats and have found them to be well worth the investment for the price. Of course, it is all about the image you use for your ad! You can control the demographics of the people the ad will appear in front of as well as the keywords that your ad will show on pages of (types of pages and users). $$

8. Online advertising on leading market web sites

Examples: Firehouse.com, FirefighterNation.com, FireRescue1.com, JEMS.com, PoliceOne.com

Web sites which lead the market in fire, EMS, and police substantiate their existence with advertising. It is what pays the bills. Many of these sites have accompanying print magazines, however they are run by separate teams…yes even the advertising team. Every one of these web sites offers many different types of online advertising like ad banners, text links, product articles, and newsletter advertising. Most also incorporate advertising on their Facebook fan pages as well. Advertising with the conglomerates can be costly, but they have the a lot of reach. A huge benefit of online advertising with these web sites is the ability to track click-throughs, impressions, and  conversions. These sites are National or even International in reach with readers all over the World. Don’t let that dissuade you if you are looking for advertising in a specific region, State, or even Country though. Most of these web sites should have the ability to run ads for users from areas you want to reach. $$$

7. Link advertising

Basically, we are talking about a text link on other web sites. Typically, this will mean in an article, post, or links page or sidebar. The easiest way to get this done is to trade links. Put up a link to other sites and then email them and ask for a reciprocal link. If you don’t have a links page, or want to increase the chances of having that text link appear on other sites, you could offer some money to have your link appear. The price for the link will depend on the popularity of the page you are trying to get a link on. Free to $ 

6. Online advertising in market blogs (individual blogs)

Examples: STATter911.com, IronFiremen.com, FireCritic.com, HappyMedic.com, MotorCopblog.com

This is where I think more and more companies should be looking to advertise and connect. The reason is because companies can connect with individual bloggers and web site administrators forming a relationship. It is more feasible to formulate a campaign that hits directly what you want. Whether you want an ad banner, text ad, article written about your product, or something else you can speak with the writer directly and ask for what you want. Be aware though, most bloggers will entertain writing an article about a product they DO NOT want to be told what to say. You have to realize that the bloggers/writers have an image to uphold. They do not want to be viewed as a sell out especially if they do not like your product. Start off with advertising on their site and ask to speak in the future about an article maybe. These bloggers have very low overhead, but like to make some money along the way. Most bloggers aren’t going to know their exact value when it comes to advertising. Be sure to check them out on Alexa or Compete.com to see what their traffic is. $

5. Product Reviews

Examples: FireCritic.com Reviews, Fire Rescue Magazine Gear Tests

Product reviews offer companies the ability to put a product in a writers hands and see what they think about it. If you have a great product, you have nothing to worry about. The review might bring up conversation about the product and feedback on it as well. Currently there aren’t many sources for product reviews. In all honesty (maybe a little bias), FireCritic.com offers probably the best market for product reviews for fire and EMS products. Many of the print magazines offer gear tests or product reviews, but I am unsure of the cost. Some of them might be syndicated on the accompanying web site for the printed magazine. Probably the easiest way to get a product reviewed is by contacting a reputable blogger in your market. Most bloggers will do a product review with the understanding that the blogger will get to keep the product once the review is completed. The bigger sites probably offer gear tests or product reviews as part of an advertising campaign and will cost money. In the future, the reviews at FireCritic.com will be available on a larger market with other bloggers involved. To view information on product reviews as well as past reviews right here on FireCritic.com click here. Free to $$ (depending on cost of product reviewed)

4. Marketing through Collective Buying web sites

Examples: Daily911Deals.com and Deals.FireRescue1.com

These types of web sites are new to the realm of public safety. They offer no up front cost marketing and target the markets in which the deals (products) are offered. The deals are offered in limited time and quantity. The deals are designed to attract new customers, referrals, and market the brand. The deals are shared among others via social media. Businesses control the terms, quantity, and price of the deals. While this is new to the fire, EMS, and police markets, it is a HUGE market outside and was made popular by companies like Groupon and Living Social. As the trend continues, the benefits of using collective buying sites will increase. These sites make money on a percentage of the vouchers sold. Depending on the deal, the company might take a loss on the sale of the product. What it is important to realize is that the marketing reach has a value that the company is not paying for up front. Even if you take a $1 loss per item and sell 100 items to 100 individuals, the marketing campaign only cost $100 and you received 100 new customers, their email addresses, and sold products. That is cheap! $

3. Online Contests

Contests are a great way to increase your reach. Whether it is a twitter contest, Facebook contest, or contest on your web site you can create a buzz around a product. If you plan on running a Facebook contest, sure to research Facebook’s rules for running contests before you dive in though. There are companies available to help you run contests and increase your reach and effectiveness of a contest. Twitter contests revolve around people retweeting and following you to enter. It is a great way to get people to retweet your username and increase followers. I have found twitter contests to drastically increase my number of followers. Sure, some will unfollow you once the contest is over, but not many.   $-$$ depending on the prizes

2. Online advertising in local web sites

Examples: FireNews.net, PhillyFireNews.com, VAFireNews.com

Local could be a City, region, or State. There are many web sites which specialize in information for “local” users. The topics and information is catered to the area in which the web site services. These web sites have smaller reach than National or International web sites. However, this can be very beneficial to certain campaigns because the cost will be lower and the reach is concentrated on certain areas. For instance, if you are a company in Virginia you might want to focus your advertising on users from just that State. VAFireNews.com focuses on news and information for Virginia (call me biased as I also run VAFireNews.com). These sites have lower overhead than the larger conglomerates and are often run by one person or a small team. They can offer lower prices and should because their reach and traffic is not the same as larger web sites.$-$$

1. Online Ad Networks

Examples: Emergency Services Ad Network (ESAN), EMSBlogs.com, PSCLicks.com

These ad networks have a lot of reach depending on the amount of sites their ads appear on. The bonus here is that the ads appear on all kinds of sites. They might include fire, EMS, and police sites. The sites might also include leading market web sites, blogs, forums, and message boards. Be sure and ask where else your ad might be able to be incorporated. ESAN ads appear on some of the best fire and EMS blogs, fire and EMS local web sites, and FirefighterNation.com. I have used advertising on ESAN numerous times and have always been happy with the campaign. EMSBlogs.com offers advertising on their blogs which includes some great EMS blogs. PSClicks.com offers text and banner advertising. $-$$$

Another online ad network worth mentioning is Google Ads.

Google ads are very similar to Facebook Ads. You choose the keywords you want your ad to run with and your ad (either text or banner) will appear on those pages of search terms or other web sites. In order for your ad to appear on a site outside of google search they have to be using google ads on their site. For the money, it is well worth a try, but there are better avenues for ensuring your ads are running on sites related to the content you want your ad showing up on.  $$

Posted by on October 12, 2011 • Filed under: News, Social Media, Training & Development, training-fire-rescue-topics

Using Inmates as Firefighters…Camden County, GA Inmate Firefighting Program is a JOKE

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Felons as firefighters? We have discussed that here and here and here on FireCritic.com.

However, we aren’t talking about people who have a felony in their past this time. No, this time we are talking about current incarcerated convicts (inmates) being firefighters. And no, we aren’t talking about the convicts being a part of a wildland firefighting crew which is common out west.

We are talking about having inmates as firefighters…plain and simple.

Apparently, ladies and gentlemen…we are replaceable. Our replacement is inmates.

Why in the hell do we have such strict regulations like clean driving records, no convictions, no drug use, random drug tests…How come we are held to a higher standard only to be replaced by some inmates.

I will tell you why. We are held to a higher standard because we are firefighters. We have to be trusted by the public. We cannot afford to have our citizens worrying about whether or not they can trust us. We are firefighters…not inmates.

Let’s be clear…there are no “good” inmates. There are three types of people in this case. The ones who follow the law, the ones who don’t get caught, and convicts.

Why not hire convicts to work in City Hall?

This story comes from Camden County, Georgia:

ST. MARYS A select group of inmates may be exchanging their prison jumpsuits for firefighting gear in Camden County.

The inmates-to-firefighters program is one of several money-saving options the Board of County Commissioners is looking into to stop residents’ fire insurance costs from more than doubling. The county is also considering whether substations or a volunteer force could improve its Insurance Services Office, or ISO, rating.

The inmate firefighter program would be the most cost-effective choice, saving the county more than $500,000 a year by some estimates. But that option is already controversial, drawing criticism from the firefighters who would have to work alongside – and supervise – the prisoners.

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2011-10-09/story/camden-county-considering-inmate-firefighter-program-0#ixzz1aPQ6CnCs

…

If the program is approved, it will be open to inmates who:

- Committed only low-level crimes, such as drug offenses and thefts;

- Have a record of good behavior;

- Pass an interview process;

- Agree to not use cell phones, have visitors, or leave the station unless responding to an emergency. One violation would result in immediate removal from the program.

The inmates would not be paid for their work, but upon release they would be able to apply to work as a firefighter 5 years after their conviction dates instead of the normal 10.

I guess the firefighters in Camden County have found out what they are worth. Likewise, I guess the citizens of Camden County have found out what their supervisors think of them.

Not only do they reduce the number of ACTUAL firefighters, but now the ones they keep have to guard the inmates that the County doesn’t mind posing as firefighters.

Brilliant!

The truth is that this program should not have even been a thought. The powers that be should have fired the idiot who came up with it…there is a cost savings measure!

Billy Goldfeder weighs in on this on The Secret List here

Posted by on October 10, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Funding & Staffing, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rak Wear Memorial Pins – Product Review

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Rak Wear has created Memorial Pins for Law Enforcement, EMS, and the Fire Service. The pins were sent to me last week for a product review.

Each of these pins is made of high quality 3D polished nickel and enameled. The pins are 3/4″ high and 1 1/4″ wide. They look great and are a perfect size for many uses. You could wear this on your Class A uniform, your regular duty uniform, they would even work on your class b uniform. I guess it al depends on what uniforms your department issues.

These pins would also work on a Police uniform or turnout gear…And of course you could wear these day to day on civilian clothes as well.

These aren’t made just for Police Officers, EMT’s, and Firefighters though. These are for everyone to show support of Law Enforcement Officers, EMT’s & Paramedics, and Firefighters.

The pins represent The Thin Blue Line (Police), The Thin White Line (EMS), and The Thin Red Line (Fire). Keep reading below for what these pins represent. Rak Wear did a great job with these pins!

Rak Wear Web Site – Facebook - Twitter

These pins just hit the market this weekend and are being sold as a three pin set on Daily911Deals.com. For a limited time, you can get three pins for 50% off! Check out the deal here:

50% OFF 3 Piece Memorial Police/EMS/Fire Pin Set


 History of The Thin Blue Line:

The Thin Blue Line is a symbol in use in the United States to show support for Law Enforcement Officers. Since then, there have many others created including the Thin Red Line for Firefighters and Thin White Line for EMT’s.

Although the original is the “Thin Blue Line”, its origin is the historical “Thin Red Line” which references the Battle of Balaclava on October 25, 1854.

The Blue represents the officer and the courage they find deep inside when faced with insurmountable odds.

The Black background was designed as a constant reminder of our fallen brother and sister officers.

The Line, the line is what cops protect, the barrier between anomie and a civilized society, between order and chaos, between respect for decency and lawlessness.

Together they symbolize the camaraderie law enforcement officers all share, a brotherhood like no other.

Since the creation of The Thin Blue Line, there have been many others created…including The Thin White Line and The Thin Red Line.

Rak-Wear.com:

You might remember that I did a product review on Three Rak Wear Shirts here. The crew at Rak Wear actually had to take some time off due to an illness. They are back…with a vengence. This is the first new product since getting back on the radar screen. Rak Wear is led by a woman who has a keen understanding for Public Safety. Check out all of the great products at Rak-Wear.com!

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 October 10, 2011 • Filed under: Daily911Deals, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, News, Product Reviews • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Video: 70 y.o. Man Struck and Flipped by Loose Fire Hose In Revere, Mass.

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Wait until the 00:42 mark in the video to see a 70 year old man get completely flipped by a loose hose being dragged behind an engine. The accident happened in Revere, Massachusetts. It appears to be a preconnected crosslay that came loose and came completely out of the hosebed. For those not in the fire service, these crosslays are typically 200′ long and are connected to piping on the truck. That is why the hose remained connected to the apparatus.

There would not be any warning system to warn the firefighters that the hose was not secured in the bed. Although newer apparatus have been designed with webbing covering the hose on fire engines after a child was killed in a similar accident several years ago in Pennsylvania.

Kurt Varone has more on the need for hose restraints and prior accidents with loose hose striking people here

WHDH.com:

“The engine was to the right, he was on the ground. And there was a hose,” said Pantano.

Fire Chief Gene Doherty said when he heard the incident on the radio, he went to the scene.

“It wasn’t transmitted what had occurred, I just knew the inflection of the voices of the officers calling for additional help that something was drastically wrong,” Chief Doherty said.

Chief Doherty said someone had flagged Engine Four down, and when the crew got out they were stunned to see what had happened.

 If the video doesn’t play below click here

Posted by on October 6, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

IronFiremen.com’s Captain Willie Wines Jr. Makes it Big in Hollywood

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I am not sure if you have seen it yet, but our very own beloved “Cowboy Captain”, Willie Wines Jr., has made it big in Hollywood! That’s right! Captain Wines was in the latest Dish Network commercial seen below. Ok, to be honest it is was filmed in Tijuana…but that doesn’t matter. The other thing is that even though they had makeup and costume crews on set, Captain Wines didn’t need it. He came to the set all ready to go! He even gets his own line in the commercial! Apparently the technology and web tutoring I have been giving him is paying off! They even used his own cowboy hat…apparently the one they got for him was only a 55 gallon hat, Willies clearly holds more than that!

Just one question…What in the hell does HOE DILLY mean?

See guys, you have to realize that the entertainment industry has not been all that forgiving to Captain Wines. He got beat out on a movie role and a huge venture with Warner Brothers. First, Willie was beat out by some cartoon for the role of Yosemite Sam, and then just when Willie thought things couldn’t get any worse he got beat out by a damn mouse in Fievel Goes West. The original role was that of a RAT, and Willie was told by the Steven Spielburg that he had a lock on the part. Unfortunately, they changed the role and some cartoon mouse got the part.

 

Posted by on October 6, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Humor, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Capnography or Cat Pornography? Fail at the Conrad Murray Murder Trial of Michael Jackson

1 comment

Check out this image that captures a closed caption fail during the Conrad Murray murder trial of Michael Jackson. When a Paramedic was on the stand being questioned, the discussion turned to capnography which is the monitoring of the concentration or partial pressure of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the respiratory gases – wikipedia…I assure you it has nothing to do with “cat pornography”. Hilarious!

 

wtf photos videos - Paramedics Have AWESOME Jobs
see more WTF Pictures and WTF videos by Picture Is Unrelated

Posted by on October 4, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Humor, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Another Ambulance Exploding Caught on Video. This one in California

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Another ambulance exploded and was caught on video. This one occured in front of a Walmart in El Cajon, California. When will the third one occur? Remember, things happen in three’s!

Follow this link to the video on FireRescue1.com or click on the image below

Last week, STATter911.com had a video and comments on an ambulance catching fire and exploding in Maryland. That story here.

 

 

Posted by on October 3, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Queen City Burns – Monday Morning Shoutout

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This weeks Monday Morning Shoutout goes to Queen City Burns by Taj, a 24 y.o. firefighter in the South (I am not sure if he wants his full name/location posted). Taj is trying to make a difference. He is part of the bloggers trying to make a cultural change in the fire service through writing, training, teaching, and learning. This crowd has actually got me working out half-regularly now and I thank them for the motivation and inspiration!

I see similiarities between Taj and I. I was 24 once. I just hope that his road is a little easier than mine and he makes as much difference as he can in the fire service. We need change…who better to it come from than the younger generation who know what the fire service can be while understanding the foundation that has built the fire service to this point. These are our future leaders.

Taj is inspirational with his posts. He makes you think and he stands by his words.

Queen City Burns Blog – Facebook - Twitter

Although I might be the enemy.

Taj does not like the bad stories related to the fire service. He doesn’t think they should be shared, talked about, or given credence. I disagree.

My thoughts…if everyone turned a blind eye to the robbery prank in Macon-Bibb, Georgia, what would be next? If firefighters who don’t know the difference between right and wrong didn’t learn that this was a terrible idea, what would be next? I think these incidents need proper coverage showing the damage it can do to the fire service to prevent it from happening again…or worse.

About Taj:

I’m a 24 year old firefighter. My first due is a mix of poverty stricken ghettos, multi-story commercials, and multi-family dwellings. The purpose of this whole project is to both exercise the mind and the body. Through sharing my ideas and activities, I hope to learn as much as I can from others. On the QCB’s facebook, twitter, and main site, I freely support the writings and broadcasted thoughts I find worthy of discussion and, hopefully, worthy of your time. While we openly discuss problems within the fire service, I hope to at least add suggestions to alleviate them. Website hits do not matter to me. I will not cater to the trash-type broadcasting crowd. I have no interest in discussing blatant mistakes of specific departments nor will I partake in the spreading of their dirty laundry. I will not be a part of something I feel is destroying everything I hope to have a piece in building. There are enough places to find the current “viral video” of firefighters doing stupid things, on and off the fireground. This was not, is not, and will never be one of those places. Some may see this as sweeping it under the rug, I find it to be a mature way of staying out of the drama.

 

Posted by on October 3, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Monday Morning Shoutout, News, Training & Development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,