Best of the Rest – Blowin’ Smoke, A Blessing, FH Expo, NC Chief Resigns, Staying the Course, and Much More!

Captain Wines (IronFiremen.com) and I just got back from Firehouse Expo. We had a blast as usual. Hell, we have a blast everywhere we go.

You can read about our trip in the articles below:

Here is the Best of the Rest…

Model City Firefighter – Blowin’ Smoke With The Fire Critic (yeah…that guy)

Mostly, I would like to leave it better than it was when I got here. I think we should all strive for that. Collectively, if we all focused on that, I think the fire service future could one day be regarded with the same honor and integrity many feel it has lost. I am not saying we don’t have a great fire service, I just don’t think many can see it right in front of them.

Model City Firefighter – Blowin’ Smoke With Rick Lasky

Train every day.  Train, train, train!  Never think you know it all. Become a student of the fire service.  Read something about this job every day.  Always strive to be better at what you do.  Be a mentor to younger firefighter.  Help them be better at what we do.   And never, ever, forget just how special it is to be a firefighter!

IronFiremen.com – A Blessing

Without a doubt, one of those blessings has been our Fire Department Chaplain, Reverend Sandy Webb (aka Father Sandy or Father Webb).

I met Father Sandy for the first time while on duty back on St. Patrick’s Day 2011. I’m on duty again tonight and seen him for what may be the last time (in this world anyway).

Supporting Todd Harris (Facebook Page for One of Captain Wines’ Firefighters Battling Cancer)

Those who know Todd Harris (aka “Boots”) will know that he’s been fighting an uphill battle against throat cancer. This page was designed for his friends and family to leave messages of support and encouragement. 

Controversial or a Good Idea? – Green Rub Rails on School Buses?

As more and more alternative fueled vehicles hit the road, we still haven’t really seen an industry standard that identifies these vehicles easily for first responders.  Little hybrid, propane, or CNG stickers on the trunk or fender can be hard to see at night and/or destroyed during a crash.  The tale is similar when talking about school buses.

Staying the Course: Johnson “You Can Do it”

Friend and Brother Mikey Johnson was featured in this article. You can read more about Mikey in this article featured on FireCritic.com back in October 2012.

Sons of FDNY firefighters who were killed by 9/11 illness losing chance to serve

Complicated ‘legacy points’ system bumps offspring of 9/11 heroes looking to serve in FDNY after deaths of firefighters who died of Ground Zero-related illness considered administrative not ‘in line of duty.’ Gov. Cuomo has not signed the bill to change the definition.

The Education Fund For Brigit Emerick

My sister Kelly was taken from us Monday Morning by a cowardly act of domestic violence. A memorial fund has been set up in her honor to help her 11 year old daughter who has been left with out her best friend. Please share this lick with all the Brothers and Sisters and donate what you can. Kelly was a Paramedic Field Supervisor for 12 years with IU Health Bloomington Ambulance Service. Thank you Lt Greg Doane Eastern Fire Department

Increase Corpus Christi Fire Departments Daily Staffing Level to 100 (petition)

Please support the increase of our daily staffing and help stop the reduction of 4 person companies to 3…All fire service experts have stated how dangerous this is, yet they still ignore the data. Thank you for your help…

Change EMS/FIRE federal labor wage laws, in order for emergency medical personnel to be paid for a full 24 hour shift (petition)

 According to the U.S. Department of Labor wage and hour division, there is a wage law that pertains to sleeping time. When an employee is working for a 24hr period or longer, the employer can exclude up to 8hrs out of the 24hr shift for sleep time provided that the employees can enjoy an uninterrupted night’s sleep during his/her 24hr shift. EMS/FIRE personnel around the country fall into this federal labor wage law of working 24hr shifts. Some departments and companies around the country take advantage of this law and do not pay first responders for the full 24hrs worked at an emergency station. These first responders take time away from their own families to serve others, and to not be paid for the full 24hrs worked is unjust. With your support we can change this federal labor wage law.

Operation Rebuild: Mineral City VFD

We are raising money for the Mineral City Volunteer Fire Department which was destroyed by a tornado on Wednesday July 10, 2013 at approximately 4:50pm. This building also housed the Mineral City Senior Center which met Monday through Friday in the morning. The fire department has also been used for Christmas, birthday and graduation parties, it was even going to be used for a wedding of a couple members of the fire department in less than two months.

A Firefighter Tribute Music Video for the Heros of 9/11

We are making a music video for the song “Saint Florian” that’s worthy of its subject matter. The song is a tribute to the heroic firefighters of 9-11.

Our goal is to release the video on September 11th, 2013. We plan on filming in California in mid-August.

The song itself demanded a video of epic proportions. In order to reach this lofty objective we sought after the finest professionals in the industry who believed in this project as sincerely and passionately as we did.

FireNews.net – High Point Fire Chief Resigns After One Year

After a year and two weeks on the job, High Point Fire Chief Rick McIntyre resigned from the department.

According to City Manager Strib Boynton, McIntyre’s resignation will be effective on July 31.

“He sent in his resignation to pursue some other career opportunities he has before him, and it was accepted,” Boynton said.

Related: Tommy Reid named new High Point fire chief

9/11 Photo Deemed Too “Rah-Rah American”

 An iconic photograph of firefighters raising the American flag amidst the rubble of Ground Zero was nearly excluded from the 9-11 Memorial Museum because staff members considered it too kitschy and “rah-rah” American, a new book alleges.

Check out this Incident Mapping Program

Custom mapping program made for the Cayuga Heights Fire Department in Ithaca, NY by Sam Jones.