Firefighter/EMT Corey Ankum: Truck 34. 34 years old, 16 months on the job and previously a police officer. Husband and father of two children.
Firefighter Edward Stringer: Engine 63. 47 years old, 12 years on the job.
Fallen Chicago firefighters Corey Ankum and Edward Stringer (photo source)
Today has been busy…and very bitter sweet.
Today is very bitter…
Chicago Firefighters are joined by firefighters everywhere as we mourn the death of Firefighters Corey Ankum and Edward Stringer. These deaths occur on the anniversary of two other very well known LODD fires.
Chicago fire personnel evacuate an injured firefighter at a extra-alarm fire at 1700 East 75th Street. (E. Jason Wambsgans/ Chicago Tribune)
Today is also very sweet…
Many firefighters are rejoicing with the passing of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act
Photo from CNN.com. In the years since 9/11, respiratory and mental health issues have been a concern for firefighters and other first responders.
Today, the Senate passed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act passed through Senate. The measure had previously passed through the House.
There is speculation on why it passed through the Senate after having been shot down just days ago. Some people think it might have something to do with The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart’s hilarious political jabs at the Republicans who filibustered the bill.
It really makes you wonder what the catalyst was. After all, the bill was rewritten removing over $2 billion in cost. Republicans have caught a bad rap on the whole deal…maybe they realized how damaging the bad press could get.
Then again, maybe the nay sayers just did the right thing…we may never know.
Photo from CNN.com. In the years since 9/11, respiratory and mental health issues have been a concern for firefighters and other first responders.
CNN.com:
Washington (CNN) — The Senate on Wednesday passed a compromise version of a bill to provide free medical treatment and compensation to first responders of the September 11 terrorist attack.
The bill passed on a voice vote on what is expected to be the final day of the lame-duck session of Congress. It now goes to the House, which also is expected to approve it and send it to President Barack Obama to be signed into law.
Jubilant Democrats hailed the last-minute approval as a triumph for firefighters, police officers and other emergency personnel who put themselves in harm’s way to help others in the 2001 terrorist attack.
GOP lawmaker responds to senator’s opposition to legislation
Republican senators refuse to vote on the 9/11 health care bill until wealthy Americans receive an engraved notification that their taxes won’t go up.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Republicans Block 9/11 Health Care Bill | ||||
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Here’s a tribute to a few Republican senators who find comfort and advantage in invoking the heroes of 9/11 but refuse to give them health care.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Lame-as-F@#k Congress | ||||
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9/11 first responders express their thoughts on Mitch McConnell’s tearful sendoff of a retiring friend and Jon Kyl’s reasons for why the Senate can’t work after Christmas.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| 9/11 First Responders React to the Senate Filibuster | ||||
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Senate Republicans filibuster the Zadroga bill but pass tax cuts for the wealthy, which is great news for firefighters who make over $200,000 a year.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Worst Responders | ||||
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I have kinda been sitting on this one a while, the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act was voted down in Senate. Today, a friend sent me the link to the video below and I had to run it!
Who better to explain what happened and expose the GOP leaders who continue to utilize 9/11 to seem compassionate all the while not giving a damn about the first responders who worked at Ground Zero than Jon Stewart on the Daily Show. Even if this is Political humor, the humor is typically not to far from the truth.
The House bill passed at 268 to 160 (17 Republicans voting for the bill and 157 against). Only 3 Democrats voted against the House Bill.
The Senate bill failed. The vote was 57-42, short of the 60 votes in favor needed to proceed under Senate rules.
Getty Images. (source) Construction workers at the World Trade Center site in October. A bill to provide health care to workers sickened by toxic debris during the recovery effort at Ground Zero failed a test vote in the Senate on Thursday.
All I can say is that this is ammunition for when the debate comes up next time at the firehouse. You know, when all those guys sit there and talk about Abortion and Gun Rights…claiming that the Democrats are going to take away their guns.
That being said, I am not a staunch Democrat. I vote for the candidate. My livelihood comes from my job. Therefore, issues like abortion and gun rights take a back seat to those which directly affect my job. Certainly, the Democrats are not perfect…but it is despicable for these Republicans to think that they can stand behind the flag of OUR FALLEN BROTHERS and then vote down a bill which provides for our first responders at Ground Zero.
Watch the video below….til the end!
The Bill:
Known as the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, the bill bears the name of a New York City detective who participated in the rescue and recovery efforts at ground zero for about three weeks after the Sept. 11 attack.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Lame-as-F@#k Congress | ||||
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The Silent Killer – visit the web site for more information and to request a free DVD.
Firefighters have enough to worry about on the fireground. Things like fire behavior, reading smoke, wearing PPE, building construction, and many more. Over the years, firefighters have developed training, education, protocols, safety ideology, and risk management in a job that is as dangerous as it gets. So many things in our job on the fireground we can recognize using our senses like smells, sights, feeling, and hearing…
We rely on these senses to recognize and understand our environment, and keep us as safe as possible while operating in deadly conditions.
What if there was something on the fireground killing firefighters that you cannot see, you cannot feel, you cannot smell, and you cannot hear. What if I told that that it could increase your chances of a heart attack and/or stroke even up to 72 hours AFTER you leave the fireground AND your exposure to it happens after MOST of the danger on the fireground is over.
What if I told you that it can kill you immediately.
I am talking about Carbon Monoxide…The Silent Killer.
Carbon Monoxide is the Number 1 cause of poisoning deaths in the world. Firefighters have an increased risk operating around Carbon Monoxide and Cyanide on the fireground.
Consistent exposure to Carbon Monoxide (CO) can cause serious disabilities, heart attacks, strokes, Neurological disorders, and premature death.
The leading cause of death for firefighters is heart attacks and strokes. Carbon Monoxide exposure increases those risks.
Randolph Mantooth hosts a short video teaching the effects of exposure to Carbon Monoxide. The video is also available as a DVD free of charge.
The video is not over the top and they don’t try to shove the lesson down your throat. The message is simple. Know your environment and wear your SCBA through the overhaul stages of fire. What you can’t see and can’t smell can kill you… Carbon Monoxide…The Silent Killer.
I also love seeing my IAFF logo in the video showing that they are doing their part to educate us on The Silent Killer.
“Firefighters take necessary risks every day, but CO is an unnecessary risk. Educate yourself on CO, wear your mask during overhaul, avoid exposure, and get yourself tested… so you’ll be around to share with your family, life’s most precious moments.”
Randolph Mantooth
Johnny Gage from Emergency!
Watch the video below, watch it with your entire crew. Email it and share it.
Chiefs…send it out to your entire department. Because what firefighters don’t know could kill them. As the soundtrack says in the video…Move Us Further Down The Line….Move Us Further Down The Line….
Visit TheSilentKiller.net for more information on Carbon Monoxide, to request a free DVD, and learn more about The Silent Killer.
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.
Check out the story and video below. The West Midlands Fire Service spent around $8000 (US) for two rappers to create “The Fire Song”. Now it has some people thinking they spent too much.Some are citing frivolous spending in a slow economy.
I think that $8000 is a drop in the bucket. If any fire department wants to get down to spending there are so many other things to point fingers at.
The song may not be extremely appealing to me, but it does have a good message and I think it should be used as much as possible. The song already has over 7000 views on youtube. Let’s just hope they do some ideal marketing on this one to get their moneys worth!
As for the product, production, song, and subsequent video I think they got their moneys worth!
WEST MIDLANDS, England — A city councillor has claimed a rap song highlighting the importance of fire safety was too expensive.
West Midlands Fire Service has spent pounds 5,000 — almost $8,000 — of taxpayers money on The Fire Song which it hopes will become an internet hit.
It cost a total of pounds 10,000 to produce with the other half raised through grants.
Birmingham-based Corey ‘SMan’ Campbell was joined by fellow rapper Nigel Hinds on the safety-conscious song. Film director Daniel Alexander produced the video.
I wrote about the state of Detroit EMS several months ago when Charlie Leduff reported on how broke it was. You can find that article and video here.
It is now 3 months later and nothing has changed. Despite reports from the Commissioner about making changes, free offers from others to help the situation, and Paramedics sticking their necks out as Whistleblowers nothing has changed.
Watch the latest below:
I got this clip sent to me by a Crusty Old Jake. I do not know who made it.
The video (warning: vulgar language) features some of the old school mentality vs. new school mentality. While I don’t completely agree with everything that is said, the dialogue is interesting in the points it makes about how training is being created to not be dangerous. The outcome is firefighters who might not fully appreciate how dangerous our jobs can be.
It may not be as easy as saying “go in and put the fire out”, the video might bring a question to the table like “how come we are making it so difficult to go in and put the fire out”.
Standards like “two in, two out” were created because of lessons learned. The ability to follow this standard is typically accomplished by first due assignments in the area where I work. However, in more rural departments this might take some time.
As for the whole training in metal containers, class b burn buildings, and simulators is an issue which really peaks my interest. So many people are pointing to how effective simulator training can be in the fire service. I have a hard time buying it though.
Simulator training did nothing for my ability as a driver. However, I was already a seasoned apparatus driver when I took it. Subsequently, I think that simulator training is very effective for IMS. I have learned a lot by doing IMS training in front of a simulated house fire.
As for learning how to actually extinguish fire, simulators don’t seem to be a reasonable trade off. Even after hours of classroom to learn fire behavior, building construction, reading smoke, extinguishing agents, hose and appliances, water streams, and all that other stuff I feel that actual firefighting in the very least a Class B burn building is necessary to effectively teach what it is like to put out a house fire….and I mean a hot and smoky class b burn building with plenty of fire.
In all my learning, I always felt as though a class b burn building was a simulator in itself. It simulated a real fire. It was controlled and safe. Unfortunately that isn’t always the case.
What do you all think?
Here is the video…
Episode 6 of the First Due Blog Carnival is being hosted by Backstep Firefighter.
This month he is asking us to write a social media policy for the fire service.
So here’s your chance. Write out a draft policy on social media/networking for members of your department. Chances are good that most of you don’t already have one in place. Be serious about it as your work might be a catalyst for change, and could help prevent your department from experiencing some of the problems we’ve read about – and will continue to read about. Check our you current disciplinary process to be sure your draft policy is fair and legal.
Post your draft or on Backstep Firefighter by Sunday, 28 November.
The 6th edition compilation will be posted on Monday, 29 November.
Who knows? You just might be doing something your department could seriously consider.
Click here for background information on the First Due Blog Carnival.
There is a blogger who needs your help.
Matt McDowell (S.A.F.E. Firefighter Blog) and his wife are expecting a baby girl. She will require surgery after being born.
The Bluffton Township Fire District Firefighters have set up a raffle to help raise money to offset the costs of the expected health care bills. Read more on EMS12lead.com.
Captain Willie Wines Jr. (IronFiremen.com) has posted an interesting two posts on a call he ran recently. The type of call could happen anywhere to any of us. The post is here titled “Ramblings”.
Who the call was for didn’t really matter either. Who made the call does.
In this case, there is a young child who is not living in the best conditions.
After the Captain ran the call and wrote the post “Ramblings”, he followed up with another post titled “Update..”. In the second post he talks about calling in an order for a pizza for the child just so he knew that the child would have a meal that evening.
That is completely unnecessary in our job and on our wages, but it is compassionate and acceptable.
Compassion is not easy to come by in our jobs. Some are able to meld compassion in with our day to day jobs, but we all know that we can perform our jobs without compassion. We get the job done, it just doesn’t come across as well when we add compassion.
Compassion in the fire service is learned. Officers and veteran firefighters need to teach compassion to our new firefighters.
Does that mean we buy everyone pizzas? No, but it means we have to care.
Take a look over at IronFiremen.com and read about the call and then check out the comments. What do you think about some of the comments?
Do you think we need to be compassionate?
I will tell you this, compassion will get you a lot farther than discarding the need for it. Our patients, victims, and their families and friends can tell when we are compassionate or not.
Oh yes… The Fire Critic is a bonafide EMT! I love EMS just as much as the next guy who doesn’t have to ride the medic unit…
Therefore, in the below video you will find my tribute to all the hoopla that surrounds National EMS week.
Eat your heart out…medic! (the video is safe for work in most Countries)
Super Sexy CPR from Super Sexy CPR on Vimeo.
Ok, so maybe I am not that quick with this…I did check the EMS blogs to make sure I didn’t miss them posting this. However, Raising Ladders did post it. Oh well, he is apparently getting his info quicker than me. However, I will add a bonus video that Mike Ward commented with over at Raising Ladders…enjoy.
This weeks Monday Morning Shoutout goes to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network. The Firefighter Cancer Support Network has been connecting firefighters with cancer to help them cope, assisting them throughout their battle, and giving them tools so they understand more about the cancer they have.
I remember meeting one of the guys behind the Firefighter Cancer Support Network at the IAFF Convention in Toronto several years ago. I am not sure the name of the guy, but he created it after battling cancer and winning his fight. He created it to help other firefighters.
I dare say that there are not many firefighters in the U.S. or elsewhere who do not know of a firefighter who has been stricken with some form of cancer.
Take a minute to check out the site and learn what they are all about!
My new Magnum Boots I am Field Testing...from my POV
I am partaking in a field testing of some new boots over the next week or so. These have not been approved by the Fire Critic yet, but hopefully the boots will wear well and be all they are supposed to be. I noticed that 999 Medic and Ckemtp are field testing the boots as well.
I got mine delivered the other day. They are Magnum Elite Force 8.0 WPi boots. They have a special ion mask that apparently is some new technology. I will have more information and a full report coming up in a week or two.
I have had the boots on since 8am (4pm at time of post). I had to get through a short break in period this morning where it seemed as though the hair on my legs was being ripped off, but I made it through ok.
Here is the deal on my shoe choice around the station…
I love Warrington Pro 10″ firefighting boots as my station boot for several reasons. I have worn through two pairs in the past 10 years and they have been very good to me.
My station wear. The Crocs at night (I'm a sissy), My Warrington Pros, My new Magnum Boots
I have just recently complemented my Warrington Pros with a pair of Crocs. Yeah, I know…say what you will. Once you are done laughing continue reading. At night you cannot beat the feeling of losing the extra weight of my boots when kicking back and relaxing. I do not wear the Crocs on calls. Think of them as my night slippers.
The Magnum boots I am field testing will not take the place of firefighting boots. They might take the place of my around the station and boots I wear on calls unless I have to put on my turnout gear.
I am currently wearing them loosely tied so I can actually slip them on and off.
Today, I am driving the quint and we have had a code (we ended up using the EZIO successfully) and a couple other bs calls. The boots held up well during our messy code!
I will get back to you on my analysis of these boots.
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