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Seminole Firefighters Headed out to Find One of Their Own. FF Jerry Perdomo Missing in Maine

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I caught this story the other day…the plot thickened today.

Seminole County, Florida Firefighter Jerry Perdomo is missing in Maine. Perdomo,31, headed to Maine to meet a friend and was last seen on February 16th. When he failed to show up to work, his coworkers became worried. His vehicle was later found at a parking lot of a Bangor Wal Mart.

Missing Seminole Florida Firefighter Jerry Perdomo

In somewhat of a Hollywood twist, some Seminole Firefighters are headed to Maine to investigate for themselves. However, this is more like the truest example of what our Family and the Brotherhood is all about!

While it appears that there are plenty of details not being shared due to the investigation…I smell something fishy here. I don’t mean that Perdomo was doing anything illegal, but I have to wonder why a single firefighter would travel that many miles to visit a couple in Maine. 

There are two people who are believed to have seen Perdomo before his disappearance. Bangor police are looking for boyfriend/girlfriend Daniel Porter, 24, and Cheyanne Nowak, 23 (pictured below). They are believed to be in a tan 2005 Hyundai Elantra with Maine temporary tag 729-257. If you have any information, call Bangor police at (207) 947-7382.

CFNews13.com:

“We don’t want to be a hindrance to law enforcement but we also have a need in our family. We’ve got a family member that’s missing,” explains Dave Williams, Vice President of the Seminole County Professional Firefighters.

As Perdomo’s coat hangs from the truck that carries his team around to save lives, his colleagues wear yellow ribbons to remember his life.

From Seminole County Professional Firefighters Local 3254 web site:

Bangor police said they are looking for Daniel Porter, 24, and Cheyanne Nowak, 23

We are in contact with the family and using resources to help the family.  If you are interested in helping please call Vice-President Dave Williams at 321-689-7108.  If you have information about Jerry or his whereabout, please contact the -Bangor Police Department at 207-947-7382, Ext 6.

If you are interested in sending donations to the family or support the local with sending members up to Bangor to assist in the search you can send them to

Seminole County Professional Firefighters Local 3254
PO Box 952648-2648
Lake Mary, Fl 32795

Please keep Jerry and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

PERSONS OF INTEREST – IF SEEN CONTACT BANGOR PD ASAP

Police are looking for the following two individuals Daniel Porter, 24, and Cheyanne Nowak, 23,that may have been the last to see or talk to Jerry.  If you see them please contact the Bangor Police Department.

 

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!

Support the NFFF By Attending one of Their Events

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The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation hosts events all over the Nation all year long. This years calendar is beginning to fill up with some of their great events. From 9/11 Memorial Stair Climbs, to NASCAR races, to Golf tournaments, and a survivors conference which was just held. The Memorial Weekend will be in October.

Supporting the NFFF is supporting your family. Through supporting their events, participating in their events, to financial contributions it all helps our family members who have lost a loved one.

Below are just some of their events. You can read what the NFFF is all about by visiting their main web site FireHero.org.

Connect via FacebookTwitter - YoutubeFFNation

9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at FDIC

There will be another stair climb at FDIC this year on April 20th. Willie and I will be there. We have not decided if we are going to climb or not. If you have never climbed and will be at FDIC, plan on climbing.

This year, there are somewhere around 70 stair climbs taking place. Get to one and challenge yourself with the climb. Do it for the Pride of being a firefighter, Honor of our service, and Respect for our Fallen.

9-11StairClimb.com

Nascar

Information is available for the Daytona and Fontana, CA races. Registration is also available for both at this time.

Daytona, Florida - February 26, 2012 http://fireheroracing.com/daytona.html

Fontana, CA - March 25, 2012 http://fireheroracing.com/fontana.html

Dover, DE International Speedway - September 30, 2012 http://www.monstermileoffers.com/nfff

NFFF Memorial Golf

In 2004, the first Fallen Firefighters Memorial Golf Tournament was held to raise awareness and to help sustain the programs of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Now in its eighth year, the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Golf has grown to include over 35 regional golf tournaments.

Golf in Leesburg, Florida

This is our first golf tournament of 2012 in Leesburg, FL on April 20th. Registration is live at https://www.regonline.com/golf12-leesburg

Golf in Cincinnati, Ohio

Greater Cincinnati golf tournament on June 8, 2012 in Rising Sun, IN. Registration is live http://golf.firehero.org/oh/cincinnati/

There are 35 regional tournaments. See if there is one near you and get out and hit the links: http://golf.firehero.org/

Survivors Conference Recently Held

From February 12 – 17, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) sponsored the Annual Fire Service Survivors Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Now in its seventh year, the conference attracts more than one hundred survivors each year. Attendees include both those who have recently suffered a loss and those from years before.

http://firehero.org/news/2012/survivorsconference_013112.html

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.

Legislative Appeal for the Rights of EMS LODD’s

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This is a personal appeal for EMS responders. It is not just for Danny Mac, whom these friends and family set out to help, but for all EMS responders potentially effected by this legislation.

FireGeezer also posted on this here

Danny McIntosh died in the line of duty about two years ago. You can read his story here http://dannymac.org/INDEX.html.  His wife & kids were denied the $330k federal PSOB death benefit because… he was working for an EMS non-profit.  PSOB covers paid & volunteer EMTs, paramedics & firefighters who work for fire department based non-profits, but they deny all claims if it’s an EMS based non-profit.  It’s a stupid loophole.  The families of several hundred thousand EMTs & paramedics are not be protected by PSOB because of this loophole.  The ironic thing about this case is~ Danny was also a firefighter and a sworn law enforcement officer.  If he had responded to the same job wearing any of his other uniforms, Bethann, Delaney & Addison would have been covered.

Daniel "Danny Mac" McIntosh

Congressman Mike “the rockstar” Fitzpatrick got wind of the problems of the McIntosh family, and he got personally involved.  His staffers worked with Bethann on her appeals, and Mike proposed HR1668 “Danny Mac” to close this stupid loophole. They reached out to their brothers & sisters in Vermont http://www.honoringheroes.com/2011/06/danny-mac-progress-report-2/   Last summer, the bill was stuck in the House Judiciary committee.  Some of the staffers who work for the Chairman (Lamar Smith- Texas) had a problem with it, so we went to DC to educate them, and help get this bill passed.  They asked their brothers & sisters in Texas to talk to their member of Congress (Lamar Smith) about this issue.  They were glad to do it, because there are quite a few EMS non-profits in his district that were affected.  http://www.honoringheroes.com/2011/07/mutual-aid-needed-from-texas-for-danny-mac/

Nationally syndicated radio host Michael Smerconish got involved.  He broadcasts from Philly, and he has listeners in Austin & San Antonio.

and some bloggers got involved.

When he learned the truth, Congressman Smith became a supporter of the Danny Mac bill.

They then had to wait until the bill was passed by the House (happened in early 2012). A parallel bill was passed by the Senate (same time).  It should have become law- and then a little less than two weeks ago- the wheels came off.

Every time a bill becomes law, the last step is the House & Senate bills go to a Conference Committee.  The purpose of this committee is to RECONCILE the two bills.  Many times there are subtle differences in the language.  In this case, the Conference Committee CHANGED the two bills by pulling all of the “Danny Mac” language out of the bill.  They pulled the language 90 minutes before the bill became law!  Their arrogance is epic.  I’m told that the decision was made by one of the staffers who works for Congressman Mica (Orlando).

I’m told their reason was money.  They didn’t want to add to the debt/deficit.  I get it.  The government is out of control.  Guess how much it would cost… the Congressional Budget Office benchmarked it at $10 million dollars over 10 years!  That’s a massive 0.00027% of the budget!   If they had done their homework and read the bill, they would have learned that it is paid for out of drug seizure money.  It actually adds 0.0000000000000% to the debt/deficit.  Talk about failing!

One arrogant political-hack staffer violated the will of the people (the bill was passed by both chambers).  One arrogant political-hack staffer violated denied Danny’s widow and small children equal protection under the law, and denied them Danny’s death benefit… because he worked for a non-profit.  Tricks like this are the reason why Congress’ approval rating never tops 10%.  They played by the rules.  They used their First Amendment rights and “petitioned our government”.  They did it themselves.  They didn’t use lobbyists because they couldn’t afford them..  Can you guess how pissed they are?

They are not alone.  Congressman Fitzpatrick, Senator Leahy (author of the Senate bill), and Congressman Smith (TX) are going to introduce a stand-alone bill.  They need to get the bill passed ASAP because Bethann’s last appeal will be heard in mid-March.

This week~ boots on the ground~ again

They are heading down to DC on Wednesday (Feb. 15th, 2012) to hold Congressman Mica accountable for the actions of his staffer.  They (Bucks County PA guys) are being joined by guys from as far away as Vermont & Texas.  This is grassroots- set up by guys who knew Danny- to honor his memory and to take care of his family.  This isn’t being set-up, sponsored, endorsed, funded, or orchestrated by any lobbyists or national organizations.

They want to make it possible for the stand-alone to be passed before Bethann’s hearing, and to turn survivors’ issues into a political third rail.  The plan is to hold  Mica accountable in the court of public opinion.   It would be a grand-slam if they could get some guys in the Orlando area to show up in front of one of his offices down there- and get the local media to cover it.  They are working the networks to see if we can get it done…

Make the story go viral~

Share it, comment, repost it, and retweet it. Whatever you can do to spread the word!

Some of the text above was sent to me by the advocates. Some was edited and added by me. 

Brotherhood Cuts is Now Open For Business…First Event March 10th in North Carolina

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Brotherhood Cuts – Raising Cash and Shaving ‘Stash is now open for business.

He ain’t Hairy, He’s my Brother!

What the hell is “Brotherhood Cuts“?

Brotherhood Cuts is a fund raiser. However, it isn’t just any fund raiser. This is a fund raiser that gives back to the Fire Service. This initiative isn’t masked by some huge plume of smoke disguising the purpose or sending funds somewhere else.

We raise money for the National Firefighters Endowment. The National Firefighters Endowment then gives to Fire Departments.

National Firefighters Endowment seeks to support organizations that lack the tools and resources necessary to more effectively protect the life and safety of the public and their emergency response personnel with respect to fire and all other hazards.

How many departments do you know who “lack the tools and resources…”? Yeah, I think that pretty much covers all of us.

Myself (FireCritic.com) and Captain Willie Wines Jr. (IronFiremen.com) have teamed up with the National Firefighters Endowment…and in fact, the Endowment has teamed up with us as well. They have been very supportive of our ideas for the future.

Brotherhood Cuts is just one of those events.

The first event will be held March 10th (5pm) in Pinnacle, North Carolina at the Shoals Volunteer Fire Department (2964 Shoals Rd Pinnacle, NC 27043) Everyone is welcome to attend. More information here

Special thanks to the Shoals VFD and their members for putting this event on!

There is a Facebook group set up for those participating in the event. Check it out here

The first event is raising money for bail-out kits for firefighters in North Carolina

America’s Fire Captain Willie Wines Jr. is planning on attending this first event. Unfortunately, I will be unable to make it.

Word has it, if enough money is raised…ole Willie is willing to shave that dead squirrel right off his upper lip. I won’t tell you the number, but let us just say it has several zeros in it!

We encourage all those who are attending to raise money for the Endowment. To make raising money a little easier to swallow, we have thrown in some “prizes”.

Prizes:

raise $100 earn a Brotherhood Chip from the Fire Critic and Ironfiremen

raise $250 earn a Shirt from National Firefighters Endowment

raise $750 earn a miniature leather fire helmet collectible from National Firefighters Endowment.

raise $2,500 earn a Phenix TL-2 Leather Fire Helmet

If you would like to start your own “Brotherhood Cuts” event for your department or organization, please let me know or email the National Firefighters Endowment (shane@thethinredline.org)

The Conversation is Heating UP! Is an LODD Acceptable Ever?

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Over at the Fire Critic Facebook page, the converstation is heating up.

It has me questioning a lot of things. Don’t get that mixed up with me faltering on my convictions…just thinking in retrospect.

I would love to hear what you all have to say. This is a great reason to be connected with The Fire Critic on Facebook! Be sure to click “like” when you visit and share the page with your friends. Comments are always appreciated.

Also, make sure you are reading the “Everyone (Most Recent)” and not just what I post. You will be amazed at what is shared. Feel free to share your stuff as well. Join in on the fun as well.

The main conversation is centered around a topic started by an Australian Firefighter who is seeking some understanding.

Feel free to chime in.

I always appreciate the professional conversation.

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.comMust 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!

Our latest trip to NYC…We had a blast.

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Willie Wines Jr. and I recently made our way up to New York City. We actually stayed in Hoboken, New Jersey. We were travelling and hanging out with Zach Green once again.

This time, we had several reasons for being in NYC. One specific reason was to drop off a couple of checks to Captain Liam Flaherty. Willie, Zach, and I headed up a fund raising campaign for the Rescue 2 MAYDAY fund which netted around $2300.

I wrote about our experience at Rescue 2 here. Willie and Zach followed up with posts about our NY trip:

I was a little under the weather on my trip and still not 100% when I got home. I rested and made it back to work in time. Among working on a brand new web site that will debut soon, I have been trying to catch up on email, house chores, and being a father and husband.

I am not going to write a real long post here. There are a couple of pictures I would like to share though.

The entire set of pictures can be viewed on The Fire Critic’s Facebook Page. Actually, the direct link for the photo album is here.There is so much more on that page than here including links to the stuff I write on the blog.

Here are just some of the highlights of the trip. We could have fun at an “Occupy” event…oh wait, we have done that as well. The plans for the year keep filling up. We have scheduled visits, or ones in the works, in North Carolina, Ohio, New Jersey, and South Dakota already. We also plan on being at FDIC, FRI, and Firehouse Expo…Harrisburg maybe as well. Speaking of travel, I will be in Nashville on the weekend of Feb. 17th if anyone wants to meet up!

 

South Bend Firefighter Demoted for Taking Cell Phone Video

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A South Bend Firefighter has been demoted for taking a video of a recent fire with his cell phone.

The report does not state whether or not the “impromptu video” took away from a task the firefighter was completing. When I teach/present on social media, I always remind the guys/gals that they are firefighters, not reporters. They should leave the reporting up to others. I am also a huge proponent of taking pictures of your crew when the job is done.

I wonder at what point this video was taken. Was it really worthy of demotion?

I would also love to see the Facebook Policy for South Bend.

ABC57:

“As far as the punishments, the union doesn’t dole those out, that is an administration thing. Our job is to make sure that it is fair and equitable from member to member,” Kottkamp.

Through documents obtained by ABC 57 News and through close sources with the fire department, that is not the case. Several firefighters have gone unpunished for violating the same Facebook policy, including an instance back in 2010, where a firefighter posted an internal email to his Facebook page, followed by snide remarks. Yet, no action was taking against him.
Back in September, South Bend’s Facebook policy was in the news:

The South Bend Fire Department was supposed to implement a new Facebook policy Today but the local firefighters’ union has stepped in voicing serious concerns over the new social networking policy.

The union says the new policy is violating the firefighters’ First Amendment right to Freedom of Speech. Read more

Video: Apartment Fire in West El Paso from Multiple Angles. Firefighter Gets Assistance from Videographer

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Apparently a firefighter needed some assistance with directions for incoming units. He got answers from the guy holding the video camera. Nice teamwork!

 

KTSM.com:

According to George DeLaTorre, Spokesman for the El Paso Fire Department, a tenant was smoking outside on the balcony of a second-story apartment and did not put out the cigarette correctly. The cigarette fell onto empty cardboard boxes nearby and caught fire. The flames spread to surrounding units and resulted in heavy fire and smoke damage to three other units, and smoke damage to 4 others. The unit where the fire originated is a total loss.

Visit the Fastest Growing Firefighter Page on Facebook

on Facebook today: Rescue 2 MAYDAY Fund fund-raiser and “what gear to you wear”40+ responses?

Hilarious Video: Firefighter vs Police Officer vs Structure Fire

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Here is some humor for you…perfect timing since I have been posting serious stuff recently.

Enjoy… A funny skit about a police officer showing up first at a structure fire.

Warning: Language…and no offense intended towards America’s Finest. Just the Bravest having some fun…

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

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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 ExtricationGM 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 NationTwo 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?

Video: Santa Claus Spotted Changing Air Bottles at Dickson City, PA House Fire

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You heard it right! Santa Claus was seen changing air bottles out at this house fire in Dickson City, PA on December 23rd. He hangs out a while watching over the firefighters as they hit hot spots on the fire.

Watch as at just :14 seconds in Santa Claus helps with the air bottle of another firefighter.

The fire occurred at 724 Carmalt Street right next door to two vacant lots where an explosion and fire occurred two years ago killing 2 people.

http://thetimes-tribune.com:

The blaze, which ripped through their 724 Carmalt St. residence, destroyed all the Christmas presents Ms. Branch bought for her 13-year-old daughter and more than likely killed their cat, Flicker, and parakeet, Birdie.

They escaped with only the clothes on their backs and Claudia’s bookbag.

“I have nothing for her now,” said Ms. Branch, who saw the fire flare in a computer room on the second floor. “It just happened so fast.”

Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/blaze-rips-through-dickson-city-home-i-don-t-know-where-we-are-going-to-live-victim-says-1.1248874#ixzz1hTgTY9XM

Peabody, MA Firefighter James Rice Dies in The Line of Duty at Hancock Street Apartment Fire

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Earlier report on Fire Critic.com here

Officials have identified James Rice as the firefighter who died at a fire today in Peabody, Mass.

The fire went to 3 alarms at 5 Hancock Street in Peabody. Firefighters from Danvers, Salem and Lynnfield also responded to the fire to assist. The initial call came in around 1:30pm.

Firefighter James Rice leaves behind a wife and 3 children. Reports are varied on his age between 38 – 46 years old. He was an 11 year veteran of the Peabody Fire Department.

Many were circulating the news very early on twitter. They used the nickname “Jim” when referring to James. I am not sure that he went by Jim or not.

More updates on Fire Critic Facebook Page


News Links:

Updated: One Firefighter Dies at Three Alarm Apartment Fire in Peabody, MA. 13 Left Homeless

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Update 16:49 hours:

According to multiple news sources including MyFOXBoston.com, a firefighter has died from injuries sustained at this fire. There is a news conference scheduled at 5pm.

MyFOXBoston.com:

PEABODY (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) – A firefighter was killed on Friday after battling a fire on Hancock Street in Peabody.

The firefighter was rushed to the hospital where he later died from his injuries.

16:36 hours:

A  fire broke out at an apartment complex at 5 Hancock Street in Peabody, Mass. today leaving 13 homeless. The fire went to 3 alarms and apparently sent one firefighter to the hospital.

FirefighterCloseCalls.com reports other firefighters were injured as well.

The call came in around 1:30pm and the fire was out by 3:00pm.

Peabody firefighters were on scene with firefighters from Danvers, Salem and Lynnfield.

PeabodyPatch.com:

There has been no official word about the condition of the firefighter taken from the scene. There have been unconfirmed reports on social media about the firefighter, but Peabody Fire has not confirmed his condition. A 5 p.m. press conference is planned.

Photo from http://www.myfoxboston.com

Updates to follow

News:

Video: 5 Alarm Fire in San Fancisco Western Addition. 60 People Displaced with Half of SF Firefighters Working

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A 5 alarm fire engulfed two buildings in San Francisco’s Western Addition. The buildings were residential apartments and displaced over 60 residents.

150 firefighters were on the call equaling about half of San Francisco’s firefighting force.

News links:

MercuryNews.com:

Heavy winds helped spread the fire until firefighters contained it by 2:26 p.m. Firefighters were initially pushed back by the intensity of the fire but managed to prevent it from spreading to other buildings in the neighborhood. A total of four buildings were damaged. Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White said the fire began in the back of a three-unit Victorian building at 1502 Golden Gate and swiftly blew through the roof.

… The fire quickly spread to a 25-unit apartment building at 1015 Pierce.

MN8 Foxfire Illuminating and Reflective Tetrahedrons 40% off here while it lasts!

Top Ten Christmas Gifts for Firefighters 2011

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The 2011 Christmas season is in full swing.

Willie Wines Jr. recently posted IronFiremen.com’s Top Ten Stocking Stuffers here. There are some great gift ideas on the list! While some of those items might have made it to this list, I decided not to duplicate in order to give you all some more options.

What a great start to buying for that significant firefighter in your life.

You can read the past years Top Ten Christmas Gifts lists:

This year will be no different. The best gifts for firefighters. Some of these are custom gifts and will require ordering…don’t worry they are worth the wait!

Here we go…

10. Ride Backwards Apparel

Ride Backwards is what it is all about. Apparel for the fit firefighter…or the one trying to get fit. If your firefighter is working towards being healthier or is already there, Ride Backwards gear is made for them. Let me be clear though…Ride Backwards isn’t just an apparel company, they are a community of like minded firefighters who train, exercise, and lead healthy lives. I can’t put my finger on exactly why I love this company, I have only met a couple of the people behind the company once. I just love following them on Facebook and keeping in touch with their fan base.

If you are trying to get fans on Facebook or build a community you should definitely be taking notes from them!

Check out their web site here. They have some great products!

9. Phenix Leather Helmet

I wish I could tell you mine fit great, but I haven’t received it yet. I have one on order, a gift from a friend (more on that later). Let me say that I have had one on my head and it felt awesome. I have had several leather helmets and as the times change, technology changes, regulations change the leather helmets have changed. Some of them have become very cumbersome. While I have not tested this helmet out, it felt very good to wear. One of the biggest things I liked about it is that it sits low on my head.

I cannot wait to have it in my hands! The picture to the right is mine in production.

Check out Phenix helmets online here.

8. Firefighter Calendar

Whether you are looking for a bunch of hot men or women firefighters we have you covered. You can view the hottest male firefighter calendars here and the hottest female firefighter calendars here. Most of these support a great cause and are organized by firefighters. Pick your poison and order a calendar for that special firefighter in your life. Better yet, order one for yourself too!

My personal favorite has to be the America’s Female Firefighters Calendar. Check out their site here and they are on Facebook as well.

7. Firefighter Apparel

I admit, some firefighting apparel is gaudy and over the top. If your firefighter is going to wear firefighting apparel they need to be wearing the right stuff. Trust me, there is plenty of stuff out their for different tastes.

I suggest you look at:

6. Leather Bunker Boots

Much like #1 on our list this year, too many firefighters are not provided leather bunker boots. It amazes me that departments waste their money on rubber boots. In my department, rubber boots merely take up space on the tops of our lockers. Although there are a few firefighters who still wear them because they don’t care about their feet enough to purchase leather boots on their own.

I cannot speak for all of the brands, but I will tell you that the Black Diamond X Boot, Black Diamond X2 Boot, and Lion Apparel Marshall boots (all links to product reviews) are great boots.

I also hear that the Globe leather boots and Haix leather boots are great boots.

You can buy the boots on TheFireStore.com

5. NFFF Merchandise

Supporting the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) is the right thing to do. They take care of our Fallen and their families. Purchasing, gifting, and wearing their merchandise supports their mission.

They have cups, mugs, challenge coins, picture frames, posters, books, stuffed animals, charms, and so much more!

Support the NFFF, they are supporting us!

Check them out online. Their store is here.

4. MN8 Foxfire Illuminating Gear

I have been a long time fan of the illuminating gear from MN8. I have done some product reviews on their stuff and use it on a regular basis. The thing about their products is that it isn’t another product, it is a better spin on a current product. Instead of simply having a helmet band, you can have one that illuminates. Instead of having grip tape on on a tool, you can have grip tape that illuminates. They also have epoxy grip that illuminates for tools. Soon, we they will be unveiling a brand new tetrahedron for firefighter use. I can’t say much more, but it is impressive.

Check out MN8 on Facebook as well. Another company creating a community around their products.

View their products on their web site. Purchase their products on TheFireStore.com.

3. Custom Leather Accessories

No not the Excessive Leather Accessories for Fire Fighters (ELAFFHQ.com), I am actually talking about custom leatherwork by firefighters for firefighters. Might I point you in the direction of Box Alarm Leather. They do everything from helmet shields to radio straps and can custom make just about anything. Check them out here.

There are plenty of other great custom leather companies as well:

2. Brotherhood Chips

You may not know it, but that special firefighter in your life is sure to read both FireCritic.com and IronFiremen.com.

They can now carry us with them wherever they go. Introducing the FireCritic/IronFiremen “Brotherhood Chip”. It is smaller and weighs less than the typical “challenge coin”, but serves the same purpose.

Challenge Coins are a long held tradition within the Military, Fire and Police Service. Now, your firefighter can have one from 2 of the Nation’s top Fire Service Bloggers!

We designed the chips with the words “Tradition”, “Honor”, “Pride”, “Respect” and “Brotherhood” on the edge. That is what we are about and is exactly what we are trying to spread.

Get more details and purchase yours by clicking  HERE .

We got our chips made by TheChipSite.com. Check them out!

1. Personal Rescue Escape System

Too few firefighters have these!

I do not own and am not issued a commercially made personal rescue escape system, bailout bag, or whatever you might call it. I do have a pretty decent set up that I can use as a search line or rescue rope/webbing for victims or other firefighters as well as a bailout system for myself.

Here is the thing…every firefighter should own and carry some sort of setup. Whether it is a commercially made system or a made up system of caribeeners and rope/webbing they should have it.

If their department is like mine and doesn’t care about this need in our job, you can step in and get it for your firefighter.

TheFireStore.com offers several different setups. Check them out.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rhett Fleitz teaching social media at FDIC 2011

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

 
And
 
Friday, October 28, 2011 at 8am
Burlington County Emergency Services Training Center
53 Academy Dr
Westampton (Mt Holly), NJ 08060 
 
The class focuses on getting started as well as how to utilize social media. I will also be focusing on what not to do with social media and how to keep from making some mistakes others have made.
 
Willie and I will be making a cannonball run up and back, but might have some time to stop in to some Fire Departments if you want to meet up.

Social Media and FireCritic.com…The Big Picture

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This article serves two purposes:

  1. To help the readers understand what information is shared and where it is shared.
  2. To help other bloggers learn how to engage, share, and grow their social media networks.

FireCritic.com is a hybrid blog and social experience. The blog doesn’t quite fit in to a specific category like many other blogs. Other blogs might be lumped into training, news, or personal categories yet the Fire Critic fits all of these. In addition, I pay close attention to my Fire Critic Facebook fan page and Twitter. A lot of the information from the blog is shared on Facebook and Twitter, but there is even more updates on the two than on the blog.

Some people don’t like the moniker “blog” and would rather use the name “web site”. It doesn’t matter to me. To fully understand what the Fire Critic is, you should follow along on Twitter and the Fire Critic Facebook fan page as well. Various readers engage the Fire Critic in different ways. Some twitter followers might not visit FireCritic.com, likewise some Facebook fans might not follow along on Twitter.

Work-flow of FireCritic.com:

  • Blog posts are automatically shared on Twitter (I use twitterfeed.com)
  • Blog posts are manually added to the Fire Critic Facebook fan page. This is not automatic so I can customize the update and control the time of publish on Facebook.
  • Fire Critic Facebook fan page updates are automatically shared on Twitter (through connecting Facebook to Twitter under page settings)

I also have a facebook fan page box on my sidebar of FireCritic.com

Since the Fire Critic Facebook fan page automatically updates to twitter, anytime I add photos, updates, or most anything else it posts to twitter without me having to do a thing. I used to use Networked Blogs App on Facebook, but I would rather do it manually to customize the text and thumbnail. I have found this to be more beneficial than the automatic update via Networked Blogs.

FireCritic.com the Blog

FireCritic.com is a fire service blog. Probably ranked within the top 10 fire service blogs in the U.S., the blog offers news, product reviews, humor, videos, training, and links to other great information on the web. Consider it controlled chaos, I write about whatever comes to mind, whatever stories are going on, and anything else I think up. Many other bloggers have shared information through FireCritic.com and I do not mind sharing information I find useful to my readers. Readers can comment on blog posts and I try to answer any and all questions as well as engage others on the site.

The Fire Critic Facebook Fan Page

The home of  FireCritic.com on Facebook. I share the links to posts on FireCritic.com, engage readers about other news, stories, and information. If I have a story that has a lot of pictures, I will typically add a photo album on Facebook where they can view the complete set of pictures. Others are welcome to post on The Fire Critic Facebook fan page as well. I welcome the conversation and I am always looking for good stuff to read. Currently I have 1505 fans and I hope to increase that number every day!

Fire Critic on Twitter

This is where it can get fun, interesting, and weird. My Twitter @FireCritic account is fairly popular for being in such a small niche. As I said before, my posts on FireCritic.com and my status updates on my Facebook fan page are automatically fed to my Twitter account. Yeah, I know some people just don’t get twitter. I say it is a great tool in connecting with readers. Think of it as texting without having to give out your phone number. I add dozens of stories each day to my Twitter account 24/7 that you won’t see on FireCritic.com or the Fire Critic Facebook fan page. The sharing of information is ideal. Plus, you might be lucky and be following me during one of the few times I drink and tweet (happens a handful of times a year)…things get real interesting then! I monitor twitter off and on throughout the day. Currently I have 2044 followers on twitter. That number fluctuates through the day. Typically in a given week I will gain about 30 new followers and lose up to 10. Losing followers is normal because there are so many people who follow and unfollow just to try to get people to follow them without following back. The easiest way to get me to follow you is by retweeting on of my tweets, mentioning me, or asking me a question. I try to follow anyone who does any of the three of these. The reason is simple. I use Tweetdeck on my computer and they make it easy to follow others so I don’t have to actually log into Twitter to see who is following me.

Google +

I admit that I am a newbie to Google +. I have created a personal account, but I don’t think you can create business accounts yet. I am learning as I go. I think there will be value in Google +, there just isn’t enough for me to spend a lot of time on it yet.

Engaging others is what it is all about. I use other forms of social media too. The ones listed above are the ones I spend the most time on.

What works for you? How can I improve? Do you have any questions?

If you have any questions on how I set up any of the automatic feeds between twitter, facebook, or the blog let me know!

Now hurry up and connect with me on the Fire Critic Facebook fan page and Twitter if you haven’t already!

Introducing Firefighter Dan…Help Get this Worthy Cause off the Ground

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Your kids have seen Bob the Builder, Handy Manny, and Dora the Explorer. Have they seen Firefighter Dan? You can help make Firefighter Dan the next big thing.

Firefighter Dan was created by volunteer firefighter and educational animator Tim Saguinsin. He is looking to raise funds for Firefighter Dan’s Safety Tips through Kickstarter which is an online community funding platform. The community is based on offering rewards as incentives to give. Firefighter Dan is offering the usual fire paraphernalia postcards, stickers, patches, t-shirts and hats as well as the opportunity to become an animated character in one of the episodes and being listed as an executive producer. 

The campaign has 17 days to go and is in need of additional backing. He is looking to his firefighting community to support his message. $1, $2, $5, whatever… the change in your pocket, the coins in between your couch cushions, whatever you can give would be helpful. Do you really need that 5th Mountain Dew? And then please spread the word about Firefighter Dan to your colleagues. With Kickstarter, if you don’ t reach your goal, you don’t get any of the funding. This endeavor is worth backing.

Here is the fundraising campaign on Kickstarter

Firefighter Dan Web siteYouTube - VimeoFacebook

Firefighter Dan is a link to fire departments and fire prevention for children. Everyone is creating a curriculum for fire safety and using cartoons to try sell it to kids. Firefighter Dan is looking to create a brand to engage children to be confident, active, and helpful members of our community in addition to being safe.

Take a minute to check these sites out. Then give some money for this worthy cause!

FRI Wrapup – A Great Time in Atlanta

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

By now you should have figured out that I had a blast at Fire Rescue International 2011. Willie Wines Jr. and Jeff Harkey enjoyed the trip with me this year and we accomplished a lot. We got to hang out with a ton of people, some new friends, and some we have known for a while. We had a lot of laughs, had some time to reflect, and were able to continue telling people about Daily911Deals.com.

FRI was a success. Each conference we travel to has been a better and better time than the last. Each one offering its own new adventure. This time was no different.

Willie and I started out the trip with a visit to my sister, Valicia’s, house in Atlanta. I hadn’t seen her in almost a year. It was only the second time since I had seen my nephew Sebastian. What a cute little guy! Willie and I took my sister, her husband Carlos, and Sebastian out to the Front Page News restaurant.

After spending the evening with them we settled in early because we would be up early for the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb in the morning.

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

Wednesday morning began early. We go to the Westin Peachtree Plaza early for the stair climb. We saw some familiar faces from the NFFF at the climb including Victor Stagnaro, Cathy Hedricks, and Billy Hinton. We ended up climbing with Matt Tobia and other Chiefs from across the Nation. Willie and I were surprised by the number of firefighters climbing in gear. We were impressed with the turnout, but figured that the majority would be travelling and not bring their gear. We were wrong. There were many local firefighters climbing and it was great to see so many in gear.

You can read my account of the climb here and Willie’s account here.

Dinner with the crew from MN8 Products and Fire Rescue TV

Willie and I are doing our 3rd climb this weekend in Greenbelt, MD. The climb will be in the 28 story Maryland Trade Center. I will be climbing with Willie Wines Jr., Willie Wines Sr., Thomas Warshaw, and Bill Carey. We look forward to the event on September 11, 2011. This will be a fitting tribute for the 10th anniversary.

On Wednesday, we also went out and enjoyed dinner with the A-shift crew at station #63 in John’s Creek. Great dinner, great comradarie, great times. Thanks to the entire crew: Captain Akins, Lt. Eddie Lee, FAO Phil Pirkle, FAO Kevin Castleberry, Sgt Tom Johnson, FF Jost Cater, FF Brandon Kingrey, and FF Grant Eckard.

On Thursday, Willie and I headed over to Atlanta Firehouse #11 to check out Motorola’s $1 million donation to the NFFF and for Atlanta FD’s announcement of 100% participation in the Seat Belt Pledge.

Friday and Saturday kinda all ran together. We did enjoy a great meal at a Mexican joint courtesy of Zach Green from MN8 Products. We were there with his crew and the crew from Fire Rescue TV including Martin Grube and Mariah Leavitt.

During the expo, Jeff and I made our rounds and spoke with numerous businesses who are excieted about Daily911Deals. Look for some of those deals coming up. I also met up with two women I know via the internet. My face is not as recognizable as Willie’s, but some people have hear my name before…ok, actually more people know me as the Fire Critic, but it doesn’t hurt having an uncommon name. I was speaking with these two women for about 10 minutes before I handed them my card and they instantly realized who I was.

Me with the ladies of Industrial Fire Journal. Beth Lee Kershner on the left and Kelly Francis on the right. Follow them on twitter @thefiregirls

 Willie, Jeff, and I also helped stow away the better angels exhibit. Read about that here.

Willie getting frisky with Rhett

Saturday night was a memorable one. Willie wrote about it in a post titled “FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR RHETT FLEITZ AND JEFF HARKEY“. Let me just say that his account was not exactly 100% truthful. He was right on point with the account of Jeff Harkey though. Jeff led us down a path that Willie and I had not been in before. Where he started stretching the truth was about how Willie felt about being in that establishment. First of all, Willie signed up for drag night. He will be escorted by some great looking men. He will be right at home.

The “guys” wouldn’t stop buying him drinks and before Jeff and I knew it Willie was sucking face with 5 other guys. We told him we didn’t take any photos. We did, but you can’t see them yet. Willie still has to make several trips to Atlanta to go shopping with the only 3 females who were at the restaurant. When we left, Willie had them chanting BROKEBACK, BROKEBACK, BROKEBACK. They still think he was in the movie. Everyone kept asking us if we knew of any other “alternative lifestyle men” other than Willie. We told him he was the only one we knew and that he had won a night out with us two handsome and happily married straight men. Willie couldn’t get enough of it!

On Sunday, we headed home. Although we still had plenty to do. We had two stops before getting home. We stopped by Charlotte FD Station #1 and met up with Captain Blake Redden and 911 Dispatcher Jeff Williams. Jeff sat us down and showed us the dispatch center which is located inside Station #1. This station was huge. The dispatch center seemed to be top of the line. Jeff had some great stories for us about the recent earthquake, how they do business, and some war stories about some of the busier times inside the center. Blake showed us around the station and answered all of our questions. Thanks for the tour guys!

I still can’t get over the fact that you guys don’t use crosslays!

L-R Charlotte Fire Captain Blake Redden, Ironfiremen.com's Captain Wines, Charlotte Dispatch Supervisor Jeff Williams and The Fire Critic Rhett Fleitz

After Charlotte, we stopped by Davidson County Fire Station #1 and got to chat with several of the firefighters there. We got a tour of the station and their apparatus. The fire station is combination volunteer/paid part-time. Ryan Monteith, Julia, and Bill Shick showed us around. Willie and I always have a great time visiting other stations.

Ryan Monteith, The Fire Critic Rhett Fleitz, Captain Wines of Ironfiremen.com and Bill Shick

Also read “LOOKING BACK ON ATLANTA” by Willie Wines Jr. on his recap of Atlanta.

5-Point Breakaway Safety Vest 50% off. Only $9.99 on Daily911Deals.com

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Tomorrow morning, the 50% Off Bundle Pack of Sample AFG Successful Narratives from Firehouse Grants deal ends. Remember they extended the AFG grant application deadline by a week!

Yesterday, Daily911Deals started a brand new deal: $9.99 For an $19.99 5-Point Breakaway Safety Vest at Reality Workwear.

If you have not checked this site out you are missing out. You can register if you want and sign up to receive email notifications when new deals are available.

Daily911Deals Web Site - Facebook - Twitter

They also launched their “Refer a Friend” affiliate marketing.

Anyone can share and earn. If you have a web site or blog you might be able to earn more!

Daily911Deals is paying $5 credit just for putting their code on your site. In addition, you will earn $5 credit every time someone clicks on your ad to Daily911Deals and purchases for the first time.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Again, what about the spokespersons claim in the title?

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

Similarily compare print advertising to online advertising.

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

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

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

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

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

How does it work?

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

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

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

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

It is about connecting, networking, and working together.

More about this in the future!

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

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

Fire Critic Note:

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IronFiremen.com is Giving Away a Pair of Black Diamond X2 Boots

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Willie Wines Jr. is giving away a brand new pair of Black Diamond X2 boots over at IronFiremen.com.

His rules are simple…To enter, all you have to do is submit a picture of you in front of your rig to him via email or post it on his Facebook Fan Page.

He has had an excellent start to the contest. Firefighters from across the Nation have submitted pictures. He has heard from some as far away as Spain, but no pics from their yet.

All the entries will be put in a hat and the winner will be pulled (and captured on video) by a special guest.

Full rules are here