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Best of the Rest – Learning to Crawl, Fingerprints, Chicago Fire, All My Rowdy Friends…and More

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The other week, I had a Brother contact me about visiting Roanoke. When Brothers visit Roanoke, Willie and I try our best to roll out the red carpet and put our best foot forward. Unfortunately for Willie, he has two left feet! Chief Scott Morrison from  Knotts Island Volunteer Fire Department was in town working and I ensured him we would have a good time. Willie and I both would have taken him around, but Willie was working. Therefore it was my job to show him as much of Roanoke as I could. I think we stopped in or drove by firehouses 1, old 1, 2, 3, old 3, 5, 7, 8, old 9, and 13…not bad for a half day of touring. We broke bread with Captain Wines at 13 and were delighted when Willie Sr. showed up with a friend for lunch as well. It actually gave me a chance to step into some of the houses I don’t get to all that often. I even met two firefighters who I hadn’t met before from the last recruit school.

Captain Wines, Chief Scott Morrison, Lt. Rhett Fleitz

We got a new guy at #3 A-shift about a month ago. Aaron (prounounced A-run) Parker is from the last recruit school and is fitting in just great. I will be introducing my entire crew this week hopefully. I have been meaning to do it, I just haven’t gotten around to it yet. It will be worth it, trust me!

Other than that, everything is busy as hell. Lacrosse season ends this weekend with a league tournament. I coach my son’s U9 and U11 teams and the U11 will be playing in the tournament. It should be a blast.

Dave Statter and I are gearing up for our presentation on Social Media in two weeks. Join us at the Ohio Fire & Emergency Services Foundation’s 2012 Leadership Conference in Newark, Ohio for May 23 & 24. Click here to sign up.

a little humor for your day. Shared by Benjamin Kimball

Shoutout – AESTFire

Facebook – AEST Inc.

About - In March of 2009 we incorporated to meet an ever-increasing need to provide quality training to area emergency service and industrial organizations. AEST Inc is comprised of many highly qualified, trained, and professional instructors.We all began as firefighters. AEST Inc expanded our services to include testing pumps, ladders, and fire hose all on site at your department. We are able to provide an excellent service at an affordable price.

Training

For EMS Training, check out CentreLearn. Our good friend Greg Friese is on the team there. They have a blog set up here as well…and on Facebook!

Tac-Med LLC is running some online training via their Facebook page. Check it out here.

FireGround Flowthrough – The Order of Operations. Check out this article by Chris Brennan of Fire Service Warrior.

Green Maltese offers Fireground Considerations. Check it out!

Video: Jason Jefferies teaches us how to crawl…check it out! Thanks to Chief Mike France for posting this in the Fire Service Training/Safety FB Group!

Tweet of the Week

 

Seems reasonable!

News and Opinion

Mark Vonappen offers us “Fingerprints” in his latest installment at Fully Involved…sink your teeth into this one. Mark’s musings are becoming very popular due in part to the topic, in part to the writing style, and in part because it is unforgiving, candid, and no nonsense. I love it!

I took this pic from the bumper of their fire engine a week into the recovery efforts after one of the worst tornadoes Indiana has seen in a long time! -Bill- Nineveh FD

Chicago Fire Preview: Clips From NBC’s Drama Show Fire And Heated Conversation. Have you heard of the new series on Firefighters based on Chicago’s Bravest? Get the sneak preview here!

Retired Norfolk Firefighter Sara Jones needs your help in her 4th battle with Cancer. Read more about it here.

FirstDueTackle.com put together a pretty decent list of Training web sites, blogs, and magazines in this post here.

All My Rowdy Friends…The Hose Jockey talks about “The Network” that is being created and he is a part of. If you don’t know what “The Network” is, read the post and then start reading some of the other great blogs out there!

5 Terrifying Secrets About Riding in an Ambulance…just as it implies, from Cracked.com

Backstep Firefighter - OHIO Close Calls. Blaming Radios and Remembering Past Tragedy Calls show hindsight and misguided blame. Are we sure we’re headed in the right direction when looking for “lessons learned”?

IronFiremen.com – America’s Fire Captain Willie Wines Jr. talks about “Old School Captains” and gets a little validation for his abilities.

Jury awards more than $800,000 to family of fallen firefighter. The civil trial for Kilgore firefighter Kyle Perkins’ death is finally over. After rehashing the 2009 tragedy in a two-week trial, Monday’s verdict is a small victory for an East Texas family, and a brotherhood of East Texas firefighters.

This video was shared on Facebook:

Posted by on May 15, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Best of the Rest, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, News, Training, Training & Development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best of the Rest – Training, News, Golfing, Pride, Rescues, Social Media, Detroit debacle, and much more!

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This week has been another busy one. Tomorrow will mark my first full shift in four. I have been off traveling and busier than ever. I am still playing catch up from over a month ago. I am getting there though.

Don’t forget to check out Daily911Deals.com for some great deals. Especially if you are interested in getting a Fire Critic/IronFiremen challenge coin from NM Coin! The deal won’t last forever.

We were in a reserve engine yesterday. That meant when running calls it seemed like we were in a parade. Yesterday was busy running around and running calls. We got a lot accomplished though. We even caught some work (dumpster fire). I don’t mind pulling the levers like this instead of being reintroduced after time off with a huge fire. Our firefighter extraordinaire Dave Lucas made quick work of it. Willie has wrote about Dave in the past. He is the one with the boomerang bugles. He got promoted to Lt. and then they rescinded the promotion because they simply didn’t count the available positions correctly. There are 4 boomerang bugle (Sergeants as we call them because we don’t have that position) in all. None of them have been promoted since. Dave is the kind of guy everyone wants working for them.

One other picture I would like to share was seen at Captain Wines firehouse #13…The message was apparently sent from downtown. What in the heck does it mean exactly? Kind of a mixed message I think.

I just signed up at the Chief level in the Officers Club of the National Firefighters Endowment. This is one of the ways that FireCritic.com gives back. The Officers club is a funding mechanism for the NFE and the funds will help support Fire Departments through the NFE. Join the Officers club here. Annually, you will receive a numbered collectors challenge coin. There are three levels of the Officers club.

Shoutout – Situational Awareness Matters

Web site - samaters.com

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/SAMatters

Twitter - @RichGasaway

Training

VentEnterSearch.com has a unique tool for getting into some closed vehicle gates. Check out Induction Loop Trick

Tweet of the Week

News and Opinion

Better Late Than Never Captain Willie Wines Jr. does some catching up since his computer died…and shows his love for Dave Statter.

Fully Involved – Cadence

“There can be no more us versus them. Training budgets are gone and turnover is occurring at a meteoric rate. We have to share our job knowledge at every opportunity, in every possible way.  It seems that things get better – like morale – when we train, sweat, and push our limits as a group.”

Firehouse.com – Are you a pink Flamingo? Ryan Pennington Do you do work? Or are you just there to have fun and look pretty?

Firefighters in hot water for building a golf course behind station  Firefighters make use of some of their free time…the biggest issue is the land they groomed for golfing isn’t theirs!

Former mansion of the late Isaac Hayes goes up in flames Big McMansion fire!!!

What is a firefighter worth? This article has gone viral. Written by the wife a firefighter

“So before making our minds up that firefighters are the financial problem, sit down with a local firefighter and ask him about his job. Ask him about his wife and his sons or daughters, what kind of house he lives in, and what type of car he drives. And then ask yourself, if you were to take on such a career, what would you expect in return?

Tina Clarke

Proud wife of a Cumberland firefighter”

I will be my brothers keeper  Another great article by Chris Sterricker.

Proud to be a firefighter A short article detailing pride for being considered one of America’s Bravest

What if we are Community Paramedics Already? 

“And I couldn’t agree more.  The goal of a community paramedic program seems to be providing care to fill a gap in a particular community.  While many of the existing and proposed programs are focused on the rural environment, why can’t we do the same in urban systems?  In fact, what if we’re already doing this in an urban system?”

Hampton Workers Take “Like Button” Firings To Court

“Roberts said some of the workers were let go because he wanted to replace them with sworn deputies while others were fired because of poor performance or his belief that their actions “hindered the harmony and efficiency of the office.”

One of those workers, Daniel Ray Carter, had “liked” the Facebook page of Roberts’ opponent, Jim Adams.”

Five San Francisco Firefighters Injured in Four-Alarm Apartment Blaze

Firefighters rescue man from burning Danville home

3 Steps to Improved Cardiac HealthCrucial lifestyle changes can prevent heart attack & improve health

“According to the U.S. Fire Administration, 87 firefighters died while on duty in 2010. Of those, 50 of the 87 firefighter deaths were related to heart attacks. Although there are certain variables associated with heart attacks that we can’t change (i.e., age, gender or family history), we can maximize those variables that are controllable.”

Disasters and Social Media a look at how social media plays a role in sharing information during disasters.

A Dose Of Mortality an excellent post about learning from shared information on a LODD with his son and aspiring career firefighter. 

What Happened to the Big Green Truck Donated to Detroit Fire? Charlie LeDuff is still at it in Detroit. This time uncovering a donated truck that should have been in service but instead just sitting idle in a lot.

Another False Alarm: A Tale of Complacency

“Recently on one of my trips I was startled awake at 2:53am by a fire alarm activation. The alarm only rang about 10 seconds. Knowing what I know about night clerks at hotels, I suspected the alarm had been prematurely silenced. My suspicion was confirmed when I went to the lobby and heard the clerk on the telephone telling someone the alarm panel is indicating the fire pump is running. I was the only patron of the hotel who came to the lobby.”

 Exclusive: Grieving FDNY Father Seeks Recognition for “Black Sunday” Son Retired deputy chief Joseph DiBernardo wants recognition for his son Joey DiBernardo.

Video: Wildfire Crew Bosses can’t speak Spanish and are laid off 

Posted by on May 8, 2012 • Filed under: Best of the Rest, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, News, Training, Training & Development, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best of the Rest – FDIC Wrapup, Bloggers at FDIC, Squirrel Pager Reports, and more!

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FDIC was a blast. I will probably write some more about our week there in the next couple of days. Someone mentioned to me that the fire blogs were quiet with so many of us at FDIC…I think I am making up for that now.

Willie and I can’t stress enough how much fun we had (even though he is sick as hell still). We always enjoy meeting up with our friends and meeting others for the first time.

As always, there is more posted on The Fire Critic Facebook page as well as on Twitter @FireCritic. Be sure to check it out!

My friend Andrew Catron snagged this picture at the beginning of the FOOLS Brotherhood Bash at FDIC. That is my helmet with a special run MN8 FoxFire band. It was given to all who climbed at Greenbelt, MD 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. Great Pic

Shoutouts

Here are some recent posts about FDIC:

Add any other links to the comments and I will update

Some other blog authors we ran into:

Sorry if I left any out

Random Tweet of the Week

News and Opinion

Dave Statter and I will be speaking in Newark, Ohio on May 23-24. Be there! The gloves are coming off…just kidding, we are speaking not fighting. Ohio Fire & Emergency Services Foundation’s 2012 Leadership Conference. We cover various aspects of social media and the fire service.  Join us in Newark, Ohio for May 23 & 24. Click here to sign up.

Captain Wines and I will be in South Dakota in September for a brand new event that promises to be a great one. Check out more on SDFirefighters.com. Wines and I will be speaking and having a great time with everyone else. That isn’t all though. We are actually going to tour South Dakota from Rapid City to Sioux Falls in a Spartan ERV fire engine. Yeah, that is how we roll! SDFirefighters.com

STATter911.com – Death Race 2010 and 2012…I think my chevy could hang!

FireRescue1.com – Practical PPE by Mike McKenna. Firefighter turnouts: Does color impact safety? The visibility of department members the fireground and on the roadways is critical to reduce the risk of injuries

FireGeezer.com – The Fashion Police err FireGeezer has a story about a cutie who headbutted his mom and burned her house down. Read more

Firefighter Nation.com - Massachusetts Firefighters Battle Six-Alarm Fire. Six neighboring departments responded to the Marlborough condo fire.

FireEngineering.com - Grant Awarded to Detroit Fire After Premiere of Documentary Film. Read more

Last I will leave you with this video of a house fire in a small single family dwelling. There is certainly some work being done, it just seems they are having trouble finding the seat of the fire.

Posted by on April 24, 2012 • Filed under: Best of the Rest, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best of the Rest – Lt. Richard Nappi, FDIC, Stair Climb, Raising Ladders, TETS, and More!

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Wednesday, Willie, Andrew, Mike, and I are heading out for FDIC. Look for a maroon mini-van with license plates “FLEITZ” on it travelling West. The one time family mini-van, grocery getter, and all around Griswaldish hoopty has been recommissioned as the touring van for Willie and I. Beyond that, I occasionally find myself driving it over my truck to and from work.

We are heading out from Blacksburg up 77 and around Cincy to Indianapolis I believe. Who knows, I have never driven to Indy.

In case you want to see what we will be up to, check out our itinerary at FDIC. If you are going to be there, hit us up here or on Facebook, or call/text/email me.

This weeks Best of the Rest is a little lite…I am still catching up from Aruba and gearing up for FDIC.

Shoutout: Rescue Humor

Web site:  Rescue Humor

Facebook: Rescue Humor

Quick Drills

You can view all of the weekly drills by FirefighterCloseCalls.com here. Try these two at the firehouse this week:

Random Tweet of the Week

Yes…they are sexy men too…wtf?

News and Opinion

FDNY Lt. Richard Nappi lost his life at a fire in Brooklyn. By all accounts, it appears as though Lt. was a very well respected firefighter. It is an unfortunate loss. Dave Statter covers what happened to Lt. Nappi here.

Also on STATter911.com is something I have been talking about for a while now… Two places I’d really like to see you in Indy: Stair Climb & Stop, Drop, Rock & Roll

Raising Ladders writes about another stair climb in DC on April 25th…no excuses. It is a huge accomplishment, trust me. I have completed 4 of them and I have found it to be an honor to climb and what it stands for. Read more here

The guys at ELAFF have begun a weekly column on their blog. Check out the latest installment which is chock full of great fire stuff! Weekend Update – 4/14/12

Willie turns it up with a request to show him your “TETS”…as in MN8 FoxFire Tetrahedrons. Read abou tit here!

Two companies you should really check out:

NM-Coin - for all your badge, patch, coin, and much other stuff!

Alt Kilt - If you need a kilt, hell even if you don’t need a kilt…you should check out Alt Kilt and order one today. Willie and I will be rocking the kilts at FDIC!

I will leave you with a video…another house burns in Detroit…yawn. Those guys are up against it in Detroit, that is for sure!

Posted by on April 17, 2012 • Filed under: Best of the Rest, EMS Topics, Fire Dispatch, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best of the Rest – Hero Rush, FDIC, Quick Drills, and More!

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I am gearing up for FDIC as many of my friends are as well. This year, Willie and I will be traveling with Mike Elston (Salem FD), and Andrew Catron (Kingsport FD). We look forward to many of the events. I will be posting our itinerary soon to let you all know where we will be.

My wife and I are planning on doing the Hero Rush in Maryland on April 28th. We just need to solidify someone to watch our children. We have a wedding to attend that evening in Norther Virginia as well.

Hopefully, Willie and I will have the patches and challenge coins by FDIC. The patches should be here later this week. We will let you know how to get yours soon! The patches were made by NM Coin LLC.

The pic on the right is our new patch!

This weeks “Best of the Rest” is a little short. Today, I decided to ride my bike (as in bicycle) to the gym and back. Did I mention it was “leg” day at the gym which is about an 8 mile ride one way. It was fun though!

Shoutout: Hero Rush

Web site: Hero Rush

Facebook: Facebook.com/herorush

Twitter: @HeroRush

An obstacle race & experience created by firefighters.

Quick Drills

You can view all of the weekly drills by FirefighterCloseCalls.com here. Try these two at the firehouse this week:

Random Tweet of the Week

News and Opinion

VAFireNews.com: Help VAFireNews.com spread the word about the Gore VFD needing a tanker. They are in desperate need of a donated tanker after they lost theirs in a wreck that claimed the life of one of their firefighters. Read more here and help by sharing on Facebook!

FireGeezer.com celebrates 5 years as a blog. He also has some stats, like over 12,000 posts! That is an achievement! Read more here

Fire Critic Chicken Salad: You guys asked for it…Here is the recipe that my guys love at the firehouse. Ok, maybe they like more, but this is one of them. Check out the recipe here.

FireLawBlog.com has the update on a local story for The Fire Critic. A lawsuit was dismissed by the judge in the case of a firefighter supposedly having sex in a station. The latest lawsuit alleged sex discrimination against Dennis Croft. Read more here

Boron Extrication continues to teach us about vehicles…and what we need to know to keep us safe!

Backstep Firefighter offers some insight and a few links on Transitional Attack. Read more here

STATter911.com originally shared this bit below of two firefighters trying to occupy the same space while heading to an alarm.

Posted by on March 27, 2012 • Filed under: Best of the Rest, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Humor, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best of the Rest – Alt Kilt, MN8 Contest, Boston Fire Gear, Random Tweet of the Week and Much More!

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New addition to “Best of the Rest” is the “Random Tweet of the Week”! Scroll down to see this one.

Willie and I are getting geared up for more traveling in 2012. We are looking forward to hanging out with the MN8 FoxFire team at FDIC. In September, Bob Gard is planning one helluva a good time in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. If you are anywhere in the vicinity you will want to be at this event. Willie and I will be speaking, and there will be plenty of other stuff going on as well! We will post more information soon.

In May, Dave Statter and I are presenting in Ohio at the Ohio Fire & Emergency Services Foundation’s 2012 Leadership Conference…Dave has been looking forward to this to some time. He gets to share the stage with his hero err idol (ME). Join us in Newark, Ohio for May 23 & 24.Click here to sign up

If you want to have Willie and I, or Dave and I, or all three of us speak at an event near you just let us know! FireCritic@FireCritic.com

Be sure to check out Fire Critic on Facebook and Click “LIKE”!

Voting for the 2012 Blog of the Year Contest, hosted by EMS1, FireRescue1 and FireCritic.com, and sponsored by the American Military University, will begin tomorrow (March 14th). There are some great blogs on the ballot in both Fire and EMS categories! There were almost 400 nominations for 55 blogs.

AltKilt.com

Shoutout – Alt.Kilt

Web Site: http://www.altkilt.com/

Facebook: Like them on Facebook: lt.Kilt

Twitter: @Alt_Kilt

Our purpose is to provide functional, stylish and well-made kilts that are individually designed and handmade custom for each client.

Alt.Kilt is making Willie Wines Jr. and I custom kilts. Hopefully, we will be wearing them at FDIC!

Quick Drills

You can view all of the weekly drills by FirefighterCloseCalls.com here. Try these two at the firehouse this week:

News and Opinion

Brotherhood Cuts – Willie Wines Jr. has an update from this past weekends inaugural “Brotherhood Cuts” fundraiser. The event raised around $2400 for local departments.

I visited the Shoals Volunteer Fire Department. I was there for the 1st ever Brotherhood Cuts Event.

“Brotherhood Cuts” is a fund raising event specifically designed for the fire service. It raises money through the National Firefighters Endowment who in turn, provides much needed funds and equipment to Departments in need all across the Country. Read more here

BostonFireGear.com

MN8 FoxFire is looking for your designs…and you could win!: MN8 Foxfire, you know…the photoilluminscent company, wants your help designing their new shirt! The new shirt will feature the MN8 FoxFire logo on the front and your design on the back.  The winner will recieve a $100 MN8 FoxFire credit and a t-shirt. The winning design will be available at FDIC. Check out details of the contest.

There might be a FireCritic/IronFiremen/MN8FoxFire shirt in the near future!

Boston Fire Gear: I just got my St. Patrick’s Day long sleeve t-shirt today from Boston Fire Gear. I love Boston, St. Patrick’s day is one of my favorite days to drink holidays, and as a good friend of mine told me yesterday…that is where Irish people are from! NICE! Get your Boston Fire Gear here

STATter911.com: Dave “The Investigator and UL Tester” Statter is at it again with the vinyl siding. This time, two houses go up in Loudoun County…in broad daylight. Check out the pre-arrival video and Dave’s investigative reporting here.

4 Factor "Thin Red Line" Door Chock

4Factor: Matthew Ritter, one half of the now known writers at ELAFFHQ.com, has branched out. Welcome 4Factor to the mix. Right now they are offering hand painted “Thin Red Line” door chocks. Check out the site here. Like them on Facebook here. I haven’t got my hands on one yet…but I will soon. They retail for $4….however read below.

**Current donations, for EACH wedge purchased , are going to Team ELAFFHQ.com bucket brigade for the National Firefighters Endowment! What this means to you is as follows: For EACH wedge you purchase, we make a donation to the bucket brigade in YOUR name. Each donation in YOUR name enters you into a DRAWING for a Phenix TL-2 Leather Fire Helmet! The more wedges you purchase, the better your odds in winning that helmet! Good luck Brother and Sister Firefighters!

FDNY Supports World Record Attempt: A SCARBOROUGH firefighter’s plans to enter the world record books are gathering pace as his fundraising challenge gets the green light in New York. Justin Rowe, who lives in Scarborough and is watch manager at Malton Fire Station, is planning to run to every fire house in New York in seven days. He will be joined in the challenge by Ryedale station manager Andrew Blades, Whitby station manager Mark Naylor and York firefighter Terrence Gregg. Read more here

FireRescue1.com: Are cellphones that important? Worth your life? FireRescue1.com has the story of a woman rescued from a trash compactor after trying to retrieve here cellphone she accidentally threw away. Read about it here

Magnesium Fire in Bellevue, Ohio

Magnesium Fire in Bellevue, Ohio: FireGeezer.com has this story which hits close to home for The Fire Critic. My Mother’s side of the family lives in Bellevue including my Grandparents. I was just up there for a short visit not too long ago. Paul Hasenmeier shared this photo to the right from miles away.

A MAGNESIUM FIRE PRESENTED THE BELLEVUE, OHIO, firefighters with an unusual challenge Tuesday morning when they responded to the MagReTech factory across the road from the Bellevue Hospital. Read more here

Random Tweet of the Week

Follow @FireCritic on twitter for more news 24/7!


Posted by on March 13, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Best of the Rest, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Major Incidents, News, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best of the Rest – Rescue Me, Shaving Heads, Mayor Called Out After Cuts, ELAFF Coming Out Video, Running with the Pak

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Busy…that is the only word to explain it. There is so much going on right now my head is spinning. I coach lacrosse in the spring and our season just started. I coach U9 and U11. My son is on the team. My daughter started playing as well…along with cheerleading. How do we do it all? Back in the day…were days longer? What the hell is going on here?

Did you guys notice the DCFD I added to the Fire Critic banner? Word is that Ellerbe gave me 3 days off for it.

Shoutout – Wolfpak Leatherworks

Web Site: WolfpakLeatherworks.com

Facebook: Wolfpak Leatherworks

High quality, custom made gear for your professional needs. Whether you are a Career Firefighter, a Volunteer, EMT or Medic. We can provide you with the gear that you can depend on and that will look great for years to come. We strive for quality craftsmanship and customer satisfaction. Made with pride in Northern California’s Central Valley. Become a FB friend to view our photos and track our progress. Thanks for your support! Be safe, and “Run With The Pak…”

Quick Drills

You can view all of the weekly drills by FirefighterCloseCalls.com here. Try these two at the firehouse this week:

News and Opinion

Brotherhood Cuts is off to a slow start down in North Carolina…The event is this week. I just donated $100. Can I get everyone to donate $5-$25 please?

Donate here…now

The Blog of the Year Contest for 2011-2012 Nominations are currently being accepted until March 10th. Nominate your favorite Fire and/or EMS blog here. This year, FireCritic.com teamed up with FireRescue1.com and EMS1.com for the contest. The sponsor this year is the American Military University.

Go here to nominate your favorite blog

Rescue Me - The popular firefighting drama was inducted into the Smithsonian.

Denis Leary @DenisLeary tweeted:

In case you missed it: Rescue Me was inducted into the Smithsonian, bitch! http://t.co/Rr2ises7

Backstep Firefighter - It is common in our culture and operations to expect engine companies to get as close as safely possible to the seat of the fire in order to make the most efficient attack possible (or most efficient as scientific research and field application have proven). The problem in this approach is that the experience of being tactically close is that the tell tale signs of this have led to “experience makeup.” The “salty” look is equated with aggressiveness and runs counter towards “too safe”. Read more at: THE AREA OF REFUGE AND “EXPERIENCE MAKEUP”

Firefighter Nation –  Massachusetts Firefighter Has Strong Words for Mayor after Fatal Fire. Haverhill firefighter says mayor should be charged with murder. Read it here

STATter911.com - DC Fire Chief faced sexual harassment claim in Sarasota County Floriday. Washington times questions why Kenneth Ellerbe wasn’t fully vetted by Mayor Vincent Gray.  Read it here

County Fire Tactics - a new blog to me…they ask “When do you wear your mask on the roof? When do you get down?” Check out the video here!

ELAFFHQ.com – The guys behind the increasingly popular fire blog ELAFFHQ.com have finally revealed their identities. Willie and I met up with the pair, Pete Sulzer and Matt Ritter, when they visited Roanoke a couple of months ago. They are great guys. They managed to keep their anonymity much longer than I thought. They revealed their identity in this post with video (also below) and they gave away some of the coveted “Lemon Wedges” as well as some freebees from MN8 FoxFire!

Speaking of MN8 FoxFire, they have free shipping right now! http://www.mn8products.com/

 

Green Beret Dies Trying to Save Kids in Fire -  A decorated Green Beret soldier who recently returned from Afghanistan died a hero’s death at home in North Carolina. After Edward Cantrell and his wife jumped from the second floor of their burning home, he wrapped himself in a blanket and ran back inside in an attempt to save their two daughters, AP reports. “He never made it back out,” said a sheriff’s department spokeswoman. The body of the 36-year-old soldier was found near those of his daughters Isabella, 6, and Natalia, 4. Read it here

Memorial Thursday for Posen firefighter killed in New Lenox accident - A memorial service for the Posen firefighter killed in an apparent drag racing accident over the weekend will be Thursday, officials said. The service for Zachary Orel is scheduled at 7 p.m. at Parkview Christian Church,  11100 Orland Parkway in Orland Park. Before the service, firefighters will pay their respects privately, according to a Posen Fire Department news release. Orel, 25, of New Lenox, joined the department in June.

Evanston paramedic calls reach record high - Evanston’s population hasn’t budged much in the past 20 years, but paramedic calls in 2011 were up 35 percent over two decades ago. Demand for paramedic assistance set a record in 2011, with the Evanston Fire and Life Safety Services department logging 5,467 calls for Emergency Medical Service.

FireGeezer.com - Hale Products moving to Florida. Hale Products, Producers of the best-known pumps for fire apparatus, informed the workers in their home plant in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, Monday that they will be shutting down the century-old factory and relocating their manufacturing to Ocala, Florida, by the end of the year.

Posted by on March 7, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Best of the Rest, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best of the Rest – Working the Job, Quick Drills, New Orleans, CO2 Rescue, and Tiger

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This past weekend, I was in Nashville with my family. My parents live there. We had a great visit. The return trip home wasn’t all that great…we spent about 5 hours parked on Interstate 81 because of Tractor-Trailer accidents. I thought truckers are always complaining about the 4 wheelers. Needless to say, it sucked. My children did great though. We had fuel, food, wifi, an inverter, and 3 computers plus the tablet.

One slight change to this ever changing column “Best of the Rest”…The shoutout will now be one site instead of potentially 3 separate with site/Facebook/Twitter. It will more closely resemble the old “Monday Morning Shoutout. This column is sometimes worked on all week long if I have time. I add to it when I see something neat to share.

As always, we have a blast over at the Fire Critic Facebook page. You should check it out and click “like” to make sure you stay caught up on what we are talking about!

Shoutout – Working The Job

Web Site: Working the Job – “Work the job, don’t let the job work you” written by Jason Jefferies

Facebook: Working the Job

Feature post: The 2012 Lent Challenge. “If I gave up something I hated then the challenge would be easy, for instance, I’d rather lick a boar’s anus than eat salmon patties, so if I gave up salmon patties there would be not hardship.  This year is a doozy….drumroll…….No cussing.” Read it here

Also noted is his post on the North Carolina Breathing Equipment School. Check it out if you are in the area and attend!

uh oh...yeah, a fill in driver backed through the door. The truck my father wanted to show me was at the garage. Apparently there is a 2000 gallon tanker/engine normally there. They run 300 calls a month in the outskirts of Nashville. See the other photos on Facebook by clicking on the photo.

Quick Drills

You can view all of the weekly drills by FirefighterCloseCalls.com here. Try these two at the firehouse this week:

News and Opinion

Willie Wines Jr. (IronFiremen.com) posted several great articles recently:

The Vampire Diaries Taylor Kinney Lands Firefighter Role - Former The Vampire Diaries werewolf, Taylor Kinney, has nabbed a lead role in new firefighter pilot Chicago Fire. Deadline reports that the NBC drama will be “action-driven” and set amongst the men and women of the Chicago Fire Department. The pilot has been penned by Wanted and 3:10 to Yuma writers Michael Brandt and Derek Haas with Jeffrey Nachmanoff (Homeland) directing.

Chili Firefighter LODD – RadioReference.com is claiming that “Firefighter Dies in Fire, City of La Granja (6:37 CST)” Read/listen here

STATter911.com – The Saga continues in DC. DCFD firefighters learn more about a Battalion Chief who might get demoted over his discipline of a crew who had beer in the firehouse. The kicker is that the beer was dropped off by a caring citizen. Read more here

I asked for a photo on Facebook and got a ton...This was the first one. New Orleans Fire Dept Creole No. 9 by Dawn Dawson. Click the photo for more of them.

I Never Wanted to be a Firefighter (Blog) – I would have pawned shit for it. The progression or tolerance I would have built up for fire would surely rival crack, heroin, and alcohol. I can see myself, haggard, unshaven, shaking in the cold and dark. Stumbling down the back ally in the worst part of town seeking a fix.
Me. “Hey what do you got?”
Fire Dealer. “I got some good stuff man. I got a three alarm warehouse fire. I got a, apartment fire, on a winter night.” Continue reading here

I asked and I received. The Facebook fans shared a ton of photos when I promted them for one. You can check out some of the other photos on Fire Critic FB. The photo to the right is from Dawn Dawson. View the other images here. Interesting enough, she also shared this link:

Support New Orleans Firefighters

Volunteer Firefighter Killed in New Jersey Car Accident – (non-LODD) David Gulig Jr., an 18-year-old volunteer firefighter, was killed in a New Jersey car accident when the truck he was driving slid on a patch of ice and slammed into a telephone pole.

FireRescue1.com- Firefighters make CO rescues on routine Maine inspection. Firefighters/inspectors Eion Pelletier and Lt. Shawn Esler went to inspect new store, saved 2 ‘who probably were moments from dying’. Continue reading

Tiger Schmittendorf – Tiger weighs in on a recent post by FireGeezer about Recruitment videos. Word is that he read it over lunch…must have been a long article! Read it here: Video Killed the Recruitment Star

Brotherhood Cuts – We are open for business. This is a very cool event that is kicking off on March 10th in North Carolina.Read more about it here. Brotherhood Cuts is an initiative to support the National Firefighters Endowment. Myself and Willie Wines Jr. are looking forward to more events in the future!

Posted by on February 21, 2012 • Filed under: Best of the Rest, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best of the Rest – ELAFF, Quick Drills, LODD’s, Brotherhood Cuts, and an Appeal for EMS LODD Benefits

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This past weekend was one helluva good time. I clocked out from the computer on my 4 day break (for the most part) and headed skiing with the family. I haven’t been skiing for around 15 years. It was my children’s first time on the slopes, and the first time skiing with my wife. We had a blast. If I had more time, I would have swung in to the McGaheysville VFD located just down the road from Massanutten Resort where we were staying. Already this year, I have family or fire service trips scheduled for Nashville, Gatlinburg, Columbus x2, South Dakota, Aruba, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Chicago, DC, Denver, and New Jersey. Let me know if you want to meet up and I will tell you when I will be in town!

Be sure to follow Fire Critic on Facebook and click “like”

Shoutout

Today’s shoutout goes to some close friends of mine. The guys behind ELAFFHQ.com have emboddied the grassroots effort of creating a fire service community…backwards. Not that there is anything wrong with that! I found it interesting how they created a Facebook Page (albiet a joke at first), then a Twitter account, and finally ended it with a blog of their own. The truest tell of their ability is that they have been able to keep it going for 2 years now. I don’t know the exact timeframe, but most guys pack it up way before 2 years…These guys are still going strong!

Where is Chuck Norris when you need him? Word is that she was talking on the phone about something she was reading on FireCritic.com! Found on the net, not sure if it is a real photo or not.

Facebook: Excessive Leather Accessories for Firefighters

Web Site: ELAFFHQ.com

Twitter: ELAFFHQ

Their latest post “A New Frontier” talks about getting to 1500 “likes” on their Facebook page and then they are going to start giving away swag. Click here, click “like”, and sit back and see if you win!

Quick Drills

You can view all of the weekly drills by FirefighterCloseCalls.com here. Try these two at the firehouse this week:

News and Opinion

FireProductReview.com - Firefighter Product Reviews is online. Right now, we are still working out the glitches and getting all of the previous reviews online. Next, we have a dozen new reviews to complete and publish. The new site allows readers to rate and comment on the products as well! Check it out now: FireProductReview.com

Two Virginia LODD’s – For those of you who don’t know it, I also run VAFireNews.com. This past week, we have had two Line of Duty Deaths.

Paramedic Weissman’s funeral arrangments are available here

Can anyone tell me what this "FD" mark is next to the front door. The photo was taken in Florida.

Quick Takes on STATter911.com – Dave Statter always has a pile of news saved up for his Quick Takes he publishes on Monday. Read all the latest news here. 

Brotherhood Cuts – We are open for business. This is a very cool event that is kicking off on March 10th in North Carolina. Read more about it here. Brotherhood Cuts is an initiative to support the National Firefighters Endowment. Myself and Willie Wines Jr. are looking forward to more events in the future!

Speaking of National Firefighters Endowment…The first sweepstakes winner from The National Firefighters Endowment is Dan Shuck, firefighter at Williamston Fire Dept. He won a Bail-out bag. Connect with the Endowment on Facebook to see when the next sweepstakes will be!

Leatherhead 109 - Remember when the new buzz going around the Internet was all about better ways to do the job?  Better tactics, little nuggets, the tips and tricks.  That wasn’t all that long ago.  I remember one of the websites that I really took a liking to was “Fire Nuggets”…continue reading Fire Service Writing and Blogging: We were on a roll…

On The Lamb Productions -  My cousin died in 9/11 and in his honor I created a super hero called Fireman. A young firefighter with soul of a viking warrior in him. It’s a great story. I just released the first issue last week and I’m looking to sell thousands to bring an awareness of the men and woman that sacrifice their lives for everyone. The first responders. There will be 8 issues in this series and all are filled with suspense and drama. Oh and action.

Legislative Appeal for EMS LODD Benefits – Danny was a paramedic, a cop, and a firefighter.  If Danny had been working as a law enforcement officer, his family would have been covered. If Danny had been working as a firefighter, his family would have been covered. Danny died in the line of duty, and the federal government denied his family the Public Safety Officer Benefit to his wife & two children because his employer, Bensalem Rescue Squad, is a non-profit. Read my post here

FireGeezer - MORE THAN 100 MONMOUTH COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS were called to a commercial blaze in downtown Long Branch, New Jersey, Monday mid-day.  A large and difficult-to-control fire ripped through a 3-story apartment building and several adjoining businesses. via Fire Geezer – The Digital Dayroom – Firefighting Blog.

FireRescue1.com - Medics’ alleged mistakes in Chicago girl’s death likely to cost $1.75M — Chicago taxpayers will likely spend $1.75 million to compensate the family of a 13-year-old girl who died of bronchial asthma in 2002 after a string of alleged mistakes made by Chicago Fire Department paramedics. via Medics’ alleged mistakes in Chicago girl’s death likely to cost $1.75M.

Controversy in Philly: Union says department is punishing heroes with burn policy. Commissioner says it’s about safety. | STATter911.com - From KYW-TV, firefighters are upset over a Philadelphia Fire Department policy about being burned on the job. The union says heroes are being punished instead of praised. The fire commissioner says it’s about safety. via Controversy in Philly: Union says department is punishing heroes with burn policy. Commissioner says it’s about safety. | STATter911.com.

Posted by on February 14, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Best of the Rest, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, In the Line of Duty, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best of the Rest – Moving Fires, Sweepstakes, America’s Fire Captain and much more!

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Product reviews are in the works. I have about 10 of them to complete. The hold up is the new site. Look for it in a couple of weeks. If you want/need a product review, let me know and I will set it up!

Shoutouts

Quick Drills

You can view all of the weekly drills by FirefighterCloseCalls.com here. Try these two at the firehouse this week:

News and Opinion

National Firefighters Endowment. The NFE is giving away a bail out kit. You can enter the sweepstakes once per day. It ends Friday! The bail out kit was donated by JB Rescue, Inc. in North Ridgeville, Ohio. Click here to enter. Plus you get 5 entries for every friend who signs up through facebook!

Presenting Dave and I. Dave Statter and I will be presenting in Ohio in May. Dave is already thinking up dreamy names for him and I. Not to worry, I get it a lot. It just never works out for the other guy. They always seem to want to be the bad guy!…I quote

“Come see Superman & Lex Luthor together: Or maybe it’s more like Austin Powers & Dr. Evil. Dave Statter meets Rhett Fleitz. Somehow I ended up on the same bill with THE Fire Critic at the Ohio Fire & Emergency Services Foundation’s 2012 Leadership Conference. It is May 23 & 24 in Newark, Ohio. Lt. Steve Robertson from the Columbus Division of Fire will also be at the conference and may end up having to referee. Click here to sign up.”

Petaluma battalion chiefs appear in Chrysler Super Bowl commercial. Two Petaluma Fire Department battalion chiefs appeared in one of the acclaimed Super Bowl Sunday commercials. Phil Sutsos and Jack Schach appeared for about two seconds in Chrysler Group’s “It’s Halftime in America” narrated by Clint Eastwood.

Statter911.com - Must see video of a fast moving fire: See the firefighter starting to run in the picture to the right? There is good reason. Firefighters in Australia had just pulled up on a box truck fire only to see the location of the fire suddenly move to the other side of a busy four lane road. Don’t miss this video.

Backstep Firefighter  So Much For That “It’s Not Vacant Until We Search” Ideology. Bill dissects a fire where a search occufred, a victim was missed, and a body was recovered during demolition.

IronFiremen.com (America’s Fire Captain) just wrapped up a 3 part post about our latest trip to New York City (Haw Dilly). Check them out here, here, and here.

FireRescue1.com:

MN8 Products is the leader in illuminating technology for firefighters. They also have a blog where you can keep up with their travels and new products! Check it out here

Firefighter’s Truck Stolen As He Battled Fort Gibson House Fire. A Green Country firefighter is fired up. The firefighter was the victim of a thief while he was out risking his safety on a house fire. When Virgil Walters got in his pickup and headed to the Ft. Gibson fire station for a house fire call, it was like most other calls he’s had during 16 years as a volunteer.

Check out these stories of rescues…Winston-Salem - Firefighters found a 3-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl unconscious at the house on 1809 Trellis Lane, off La Deara Crest Lane near 25th Street. INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Firefighters rescued a man from a house fire Monday afternoon in the 200 block of N. Glenwood in Independence, Mo.

This is firehouse antiqueing!

Posted by on February 7, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Best of the Rest, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, News, Rescues • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best of the Rest – Short and Sweet…Fire Service Warrior, FDIC, and Social Media

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Best of the Rest is a weekly column aired every Tuesday. If you have something to share, let me know! Our shoutouts (formerly the Monday Morning Shoutout) is now in this column and includes a Facebook fan page, blog or web site, and a Twitter profile.

This weeks is short because I am travelling…I am just getting to finalizing this post tonight…enjoy!

Shoutouts

Facebook Page:

Web Site: EverydayEMSTips.com. Here are some recent Everyday EMS Athlete profiles:

Twitter:

Quick Drills

You can view all of the weekly drills by FirefighterCloseCalls.com here. Try these two at the firehouse this week:

News and Opinion

Fire Service Warrior – Last week I posted an article from January on The Fire Service Warrior. Chief Ron Siarnicki commented on the post directly on FSW and apparently the two caught up to discuss it. This week, Chris Brennan talks about why he wrote the article and his discussion with Siarnicki. Read the original post here and the newest post here.

S.A.F.E. Firefighter offers a post titled I “Get It”… And I’m Gonna Give It To You. The post is short and sweet. It offers introspect to an issue that many bloggers, writers, and firefighters have been trying to put their thumb on.

 ”The Cure” is a response to “The Sickness”. Both are written by Jason Hoevelmann on FireEngineering.com and both are worth a read.

FireRescue1.com – Mississippi Chief cracks down on Social Media use…what do you think about the new policy? Read it here

Whats going on at FDIC this year? A lot. I will be there and will have plenty of information coming up on the happenings, what I will be involved in and what you shouldn’t miss at the largest firefighting conference of the year. However…I was checking out the Facebook page for the event and saw this photo that was apparently tagged with FDIC. Yes, this is one of those loopholes and shows the need to keep an eye on your social media sites. Or, I could be wrong and I will be posting on the class where you can see more of her soon!

What is going on at FDIC this year? I want to sign up for that class! Check out the pic of the lady! It seems as though someone has been very liberal with tagging FDIC in this pic!

 

Posted by on January 31, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Best of the Rest, Command & Leadership, Fire Dispatch, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best of the Rest – Quick Drills, Shoutouts, FDNY Rescue 2 MAYDAY Fund, Jay Bettencourt, and much more

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Best of the Rest is a weekly column aired every Tuesday. If you have something to share, let me know! Our shoutouts (formerly the Monday Morning Shoutout) is now in this column and includes a Facebook fan page, blog or web site, and a Twitter user.

Shoutouts:

Facebook fan page of the week: The Fire Service Warrior – it is about being combat ready in the fire service. Need I say more?

Blog/ web site of the week: S.A.F.E. Firefighter Blog – S.A.F.E. stands for Smart, Aggressive, Fundamental, Efficient.

Twitter user of the week: Greg Friese has been a long time friend of mine who I met through various circles. He stays connected using social media. If you are into social media, EMS, or Education you should follow him. @GFriese

Quick Drills:

You can view all of the weekly drills by FirefighterCloseCalls.com here. Try these two at the firehouse this week:

News:

FDNY Rescue 2 MAYDAY Fund – The Fire Critic, IronFiremen.com, and MN8 FoxFire have teamed up to raise money for the Rescue 2 MAYDAY Fund. Read more about it here, here, here, and here. Go Directly to MN8 FoxFire web site to donate/purchase. 50% of purchases go to the fund. 100% of donations go to the fund.

Captain Jeff Bowen

STATter911.com – Dave Statter is out first with this story about what Jay Bettencourt went through in the futile rescue of Jeff Bowen. We are turning STATter911.com over this morning and tomorrow to Firefighter Jay Bettencourt of North Carolina’s Asheville Fire Department. You may recognize Jay’s name from our coverage of the fire on July 28, 2011 at a medical office building at 445 Biltmore Avenue that took the life of Jay’s friend, mentor and captain, Jeff Bowen. Jay was seriously injured in the fire. This is a must read story!

The Fire Service Warrior – Quit Telling Me To Change My Culture. Although this was written a year ago, the post has found some new life being passed around facebook. It is short, sweet, and to the point! Check it out.

Police Officer Saves a Dog Stuck in a Fence – The End Will Blow You Away - You will NOT believe the end of this video! It’s hilarious and amazing all at the same time. After the police officer frees a dog stuck in a fence, the dog shows his appreciation in the cutest way ever.

Fire Truck Blog - Many of you have been asking for an update on 11-year-old Kyle McGetrick, the Barnegat, New Jersey boy who has been battling cancer for seven years. Jim Duffy, who read about Kyle here on FireTruckBlog.com in December, will have Kyle as a guest tonight on the Internet radio showFireground Strategies & Other Stuff From the Street that Jim does with Deputy Chief Anthony Avillo on Fire Engineering Talk Radio. It starts at 7:30 PM Eastern Time. Here’s the link 

Hybrid Medic – Why it’s important to be nice - You as a provider have a fiduciary responsibility, that is, having the characteristics of trust. If you display behavior that is not consistent of being worthy of trust, then the patients will not trust you to deliver the best care and certainly not for their family. This is important in all cases, but even more so in cases that involve poor outcomes, because poor outcomes could equal lawsuits even if you delivered stellar care, simply on the assumption that because you acted poorly that you performed equally as poor.

FireGeezer – Semi wipes out ambulance at accident scene - A TOLEDO, OHIO, AMBULANCE WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED Saturday morning after a tractor-trailer jacknifed and crashed into the unit that was stopped at an accident scene.

FireRescue1 - Zoe Saldana plays real-life hero after Calif. car crash. CULVER CITY, Calif. — A new celebrity hero has joined the ranks of real-life do-gooders. Zoe Saldana jumped to the rescue of an injured elderly woman this week in Culver City, Calif., after witnessing a car accident that left the driver with a scratched and bloodied face.

Surround and drowned in Detroit

This house fire happened on Hawkins Rd. off Hammond Lane in Centreach. No injuries. Great job by Centereach FD with a little help from Selden FD

Posted by on January 24, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Best of the Rest, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best of the Rest – Rescuing Myself, Fat Firefighters, Complacency Kills, FF Certification, Kenny Hendrick Memorial, and Quick Drills

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As the “Best of the Rest” column continues to grow, I have added a Facebook Fan Page of the Week and two Quick Drills by FirefighterCloseCalls.com. More regular content to be added in the future. As always, if you have something to share, send it in!

Over the weekend, we reached over 3000 fans on our Facebook fan page. Click “like” here to join as well. I offer plenty more information on Facebook than you will see on the blog. I also have over 2500 followers on Twitter @FireCritic. If you are more into Google +, I have got that set up too. Check out Fire Critic on Google + here.

I just got finished watching Food Inc. It left me wondering what the hell I am eating. I shall continue my ways of eating healthier foods. My wife and I eat healthy at home, but I think we shall make the move to organic. I might have puked in my mouth a little when watching the documentary. Read more about it here.

Shoutout:

Facebook Fan page: Rescuing Myself

Rescuing Myself – Check out this newer blog that has been online since September 2011.

Now, on to a more serious topic. One of the biggest reasons I am looking forward to being at FDIC, the 9-11 Memorial Stair Climb. I signed up today and can honestly say just submitting my information kind of choked me up a little. This will be my first stair climb, hopefully not my last. I will be climbing in honor of Captain Terence Hatton, Res1cue. Read it here

The site is run by Trevor: I’m a 19-year-old second generation fireman. The fire service has always been a big part of my life. I started writing this blog to pass along things I see and feel. Good and bad. I expect no one to take any of this as a gospel, but I expect myself to learn a lot.

Keep up the great work Trevor! I will see you at FDIC.

Quick Drills:

You can view all of the weekly drills by FirefighterCloseCalls.com here. Try these two at the firehouse this week:

News:

California High School student devises possible cancer cure - Angela’s idea was to mix cancer medicine in a polymer that would attach to nanoparticles — nanoparticles that would then attach to cancer cells and show up on an MRI. so doctors could see exactly where the tumors are. Then she thought shat if you aimed an infrared light at the tumors to melt the polymer and release the medicine, thus killing the cancer cells while leaving healthy cells completely unharmed. Read it here

Hero Rush – Do you have what it takes to complete? Hero Rush gives you the chance to put your mettle to the test. You’ll run an intense 5k+ race with multiple fire-related obstacles. Climb ladders and slide down poles, crawl through windows and break down doors, scramble through HAZMAT slime and locate trapped victims — but be careful — you might get the fire hoses turned on you! Don’t just play in the mud — be a Hero! Read more here

IronFiremen.com – Willie recently travelled without me. This time, back to Cincinnati. Read about it here: Firefighter Innovation…Homemade Tools and the 1st Road Trip of 2012. He posted an even better post on Sunday…Becoming Infectious

1st Generation Firefighter- Another blog from Southwest Virginia? Apparently so, although I have no clue who it is. Two posts have been written. We will give them some time to see if they last. Latest post: Experienced Based Training

FireGeezer – The self proclaimed Geezer has a story of a pre-historic tree that burned in Florida. We think at the very least, he is still young at heart! Read it here

Leatherhead 109 -   A skilled, attentive fire officer is much like that with his company.  Observing, critiquing, suggesting, …disciplining, but all the while remaining a “Brother”.  Like a file taking the burrs from an axe blade.  What kind of officer are you? Do you “hone” the firemen you lead?  Or are you like a grinding wheel, gouging, burning, removing too much steel? Read more here

Backstep Firefighter – Complacency can KILL YOU.Treat every alarm as the real deal… your life as well as the lives of your Brothers and Sisters may very well depend on it. Read more here

Mike Elston and Smitty attended the Pride and Ownership class and expanded on their experience on the 2 House Blog

2 House Blog – A local blog near me talks about the Pride and Ownership class we attended. Read it here

Average Jake FF – Why Aren’t You? The big question I have is WHY AREN’T YOU? Why aren’t you writing articles, reading up, drilling? Why don’t you care? I know putting yourself out there for all to critique can be hard, but for me even if one person comes up and says “I really liked your article” then it was all worth it.  Read more here

S.A.F.E Firefighter - First Due Friday; 2-Story Balloon Frame Rockin’ on the Peninsula

Fire Law Blog - Florida Firefighters Sued for $1.4 Million in Fatal Accident

FireCritic.com – I have written two parts of an in-depth look at Pride and Ownership in relation to my department. Check out part 1 here, and part 2 here.

STATter911.com – Dave Statter typically stays in front of the big news even before Fire Engineering, Fire Rescue1, Firefighter Nation, and Firehouse.com… Check out these articles:

Fire Rescue 1 - Chicago brotherhood embraces fallen NC firefighter’s family. When Fire Capt. Will Caviness of North Carolina died running the Chicago Marathon, the brotherhood of firefighters took care of his family. Read it here

Firefighter Nation- Rescue Operations on Italian Cruise Ship Halted. Costa Concordia ran into a reef Friday night and capsized into the port area of Giglio. Read it here.

Fire Engineering – Ray McCormack asks if the fire service should have an Annual Attack Certification for Firefighters. My biggest question is: Would there be a Volunteer Certification and a Career Certification? Read it here

Firehouse.com - Study Finds Firefighters Have Higher Rates Of Obesity Than Public. This is just embarrassing. Hey LAZY ASSES, get off your asses and do something about this. Talk about black eye for the fire service… NO EXCUSES. Read it here

Kenneth Michael Hedrick is remembered with a service 20 years after his death in the Line of Duty. Watch it below. Another perfect example of Never Forgetting.

 

Posted by on January 17, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Best of the Rest, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, In the Line of Duty, Line of Duty, News, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best of the Rest – Reviews, Chevy Volt, Volunteers, Firehouse History, and @Ochocinco on Twitter

1 comment

Best of the Rest this week…

Reminder: if you want to be included in the “Best of the Rest” just let me know!

Check out this Facebook page: J5 Firelids…this one is new to me. However, if you are in the market to customize your helmet these guys offer custom inserts for your helmet. They offer handcrafted professional accessories created by a firefighter for firefighters since 2008.

If you are looking for a decent example of how to build your community on facebook, check out MN8 Products Facebook Page. They are currently at over 11,000 fans! It is all about communication and building a buzz!

CharlotteObserver.com: Off-duty rookie firefighter alerts couple in burning home - As house fires go, the one early New Year’s Day wasn’t a doozy, but for rookie firefighter Henry Calle it was a big one. Calle, who is 24, had just finished his 24-hour shift at Station 31 on Ridge Road and was heading home with his car windows down. As he passed a small white-frame house on MallardCreek Road, he caught a whiff of smoke. Then out of the corner of his eye, he saw the smoke, pouring from the attic. Read more here

Chad Ochocinco got a reply from @FireCritic on Facebook. I am sure he cherished it and blogged about it!

Ochocinco offering condolences to the family and friends of Peabody FD's Firefighter James Rice.

Chad Ochocinco on Twitter – I have been sitting on this story waiting for the right time to bring it up. I thought it was kinda neat that Chad Ochocinco mentioned the Peabody LODD on Twitter. Ochocinco has over 3 million followers on twitter. It is great to see someone with his celebrity offering condolences for one of our fallen. Follow Ochocinco on Twitter @Ochocinco

Boron Extrication - GM Announces Safety Enhancements for Chevy Volt

TheTailboard.com – Written by Teague Kenny. Read an article on the DCFD..err FEMS…err DCFEMS, or whatever they didn’t agree on…Let’s Hear it for the D.C. FEMS!

Raising Ladders – Need more on DCFD/DCFEMS? This one is hilarious. RaisingLadders.com: Comment Cards

The Fire Critic Product Reviews: You might have seen my brand new helmet adorned with a custom shield from Box Alarm Leather. I am working on a product review for the shield now. Soon I will be wearing custom leather suspenders from Wolfpak LeatherWorks (only seen on Facebook, but a web site is in the works). I currently am wearing Overhaul Logo Nylon Suspenders from Black Helmet (review coming soon). There are so many great firefighter owned and operated companies out there. Be sure to hook up with Fire Critic on Facebook and let us know your favorites! I also have two book reviews coming soon. I just finished the books.

Brotherhood Instructors – Speaking of reviews, the Brotherhood Instructors offer a review of the Bam Bam Tool. Read about it here

Shortage of volunteer firefighters - WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WDTN) – They’re experts at putting out flames, but now they’re fighting something else. ”There is just not the interest there used to be out there,” says Washington Township Fire Chief William Gaul. Over the last decade Washington Township has seen a dip in volunteer firefighters. Continue reading

FireRescue1.com – The Domino Effect, a FireRescue1.com blog by Mark van der Feyst offers this one. Handicap firefighting: Water source issues - Whenever we respond to structure fire, having access to, securing water source is vital component of overall fireground operation

Firefighter Nation - Two Dead, One Critical after Philadelphia Apartment Fire

TurnOut Blog – TurnOutBlog.com is a new blog on the horizon by Eric Lamar. Read his latest about Firehouses: History versus Safety here

Quick Takes on STATter911.com – Dave Statter offers his usual rundown every Monday of his biggest stories from the week prior as well as some other goodies that don’t require a separate article. This is always a great stop every Monday to see what is going on in the World of Fire. Check out Quick Takes for January 9, 2012

FireGeezer – Do you need more fire news? Check out the News Ticker over at FireGeezer.com. Read it here

And finally, I will let you all be the critics! What issues do you see in the video below? It doesn’t matter what department it is…just take a look and discuss how things might have been done better. Is that a red (booster) line?

Posted by on January 10, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Best of the Rest, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, In the Line of Duty, Line of Duty, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best of the Rest – Fires, Stair Climbs, Training, Best of 2011, a Huge FAIL and Much More

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Welcome to a new column here on FireCritic.com. I am shooting for having this column run on Tuesdays each week. If you have something you want to share whether you are a reader or blogger, have a video or photo, or anything else just let me know.

The Best of the Rest is a column featuring other bloggers, videos, news, and information you might have missed over the past week or so. Enjoy!

You can also follow along and connect with The Fire Critic via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Youtube.

As seen on FailBlog.com

Addison Fire Protection District – Can this be real? FailBlog.com has this photo of the message board at Addison Fire Protection District Station #3. The message “Better to arrive late than never”..WTF? Who approved this? Maybe the Chief’s message was directed to firefighters and should have read “Better to arrive safe than never”…or maybe it is meant as a message to the citizens and should have been “Call 911 and we will get there whenever we can”.

Daily911Deals.com - 40% OFF MN8 Foxfire Illuminating and Reflective Helmet Tetrahedrons. EXCLUSIVE NEW PRODUCT! I think they are pretty decent tetrahedrons. Read my review here.

Firehouse Zen- Chief Mick Mayers continues to lay it down in his writings that occasionally have me seeking dictionary.com for a definition. Don’t let that dissuade you from reading though. He offers some great insight to the fire service. Check out: OKAY, IT’S 2012: NOW WHAT? and 2012: “WHAT IF?”.

Statter911.com – Dave offers a video of a house fire in Maryland. This is video posted yesterday of a December 23 fire in Upper Marlboro, Maryland (Prince George’s County) Raw Video: PGFD House Fire in Upper Marlboro. Switch to Defensive Operations

911 Memorial Stairclimbs – The majority of the stair climb events are now affiliated with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. One of the original climbs is a bit smaller scale and has a local feel. The Albequrque Stair Climb started in 2003. Read more about it here. If you are looking for a stair climb event check out http://www.9-11stairclimb.com/

Here is a lost photo I just found. This is a picture of Willie and I immediately after climbing 110 floors in Atlanta at FRI for the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb.

FireGeezer.com - A FIRE LATE SUNDAY NIGHT in a downtown brothel in Mitchell, Australia, is still deemed suspicious by the fire investigators.  The Canberra area business was closed for New Year’s Day, as all the city’s brothels were when smoke was discovered coming from The Gentlemen’s Club on Grimwade Street around 11 pm. http://firegeezer.com/2012/01/02/brothel-fire-suspicious/

The Colorado Firefighter Facebook Page - This page continues to impress me on the sharing of links and information. Check them out here and click “like”!

ELAFFHQ.com – Their latest post “Raise money for a good cause, and get a chance to win a leather helmet” is just that…a chance to win a Phenix Leather Helmet. The chances are $1 a piece and the helmet will be given away once they reach $1000 for the National Firefighters Endowment. Click here to go directly to the donation page. They are currently 1/4 of the way to their goal! The Fire Critic gave $50…If I win the helmet I will give it away to pay it forward!

Fire Service Warrior – This site continues to impress me. The latest post “Brotherhood Insurance: A Pay for What You Get Policy” by Brother Brian Brush is a great post on the Brotherhood of the Fire Service and a must read!

IronFiremen.com – America’s Fire Captain Willie Wines Jr. outdoes everyone on his End of Year Review for 2011. Even though this post probably took three weeks for his little fingers to type, it is well worth a read. See what he has accomplished this past year!

Firefighter Nation – They have the story and the video of a huge fire at a former Illinois factory here.

Happy Medic – The Happy Medic is handing out his “Best of 2011″ awards. Check them out here!

IronsandLadders.com – This blog is great on content. Their latest post “Thru-The-Lock Time Trial (storefront doors)” is just one of many great training videos available.

Brotherhood Instructors – One of the leading privately owned and operated by firefighters instructing team offers “Forcing Doors in Zero Visibility – By Andrew Brassard” Check it out and continue your learning!

FireRescue1.com – They offer this story: Authorities probe fire attacks on 4 NYC sites “Blog post that may be linked to attacks: ‘Throw 10 Molotov cocktails into these mosques and burn them down’” Read it here

I love sushi and I love wasabi. I understand the use of wasabi and how it enhances the flavor with a little spice. I would never eat a spoonful of wasabi. I don’t think this next firefighter ever will…again! He might say this is a near death experience! Maybe this is the new cinnamon dragon challenge!

Crews battle flames and smoke at Westport Presbyterian Church

KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -

As dozens of onlookers packed Westport Road Thursday evening, all they could do is watch as Westport Presbyterian Church burned.

“We were out in Westport and my wife got a message on Facebook saying ‘Westport’s burning,’” Luke Rocha said.

Rocha, like many others, went down to see the flames shooting from the roof of the historic church that stood at Westport and 40th street for more than 100 years.

Video of the fire is here

Posted by on January 2, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Best of the Rest, Command & Leadership, EMS Health & Safety, EMS Topics, Fire Dispatch, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, Humor, News, Training, Training & Development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,