Gas Yes Gas

The price of gas went up,I'm sure the firefighting community felt it the hardest since as usual all the fearless leaders of the communities said it will be alright we will just make up for the shortfall by taking it out of the fire department budget, I mean after all thats the budget with all the FAT to trim in every city, nationwide. Here in the fire service we are always trying to figure out what to do with our surplus, and it is a struggle when your looking at a five trying to make it a twenty.

Community leaders it is time to find someone new to cut to shreds, and while your at it go to school and learn about the people you have in your fire department and what a fire department does. Federal government, NIMS is sure nice now how about you tell the local governments they will support the fire service or be fined each day like if there was a sewer leak!

Okay ,just a few short reminders for all of us. It is summer, do not forget to drink plenty and watch your self. The construction of homes is very poor and built to kill us quick so watch your back and your brothers too. Resources and people are stretched and short on energy from the three jobs we all work so call for help early,early,early. When your officer tells you to do something do it right then! If something doesn't seem right to you, get out! Have a great week !

The Big One

The tone has dropped and the report is not good, big building,old building and flames are showing through the roof. The first company arrives and confirms it is going to be a firefight and they go to work. The old engineer drags hose to the hydrant and get the advancing crew some good water as he looks at the scene thinking ahead to multiple lines and the need for more water. A Chief arrives and calls for more help and then meets the crew coming out of an active fire attack to say that it is well beyond them and it is big water time.

Now there are a bunch of firefighters arriving, hoses are being laid and up goes the ladder to get at the fires deepest core. More Chiefs arrive and the plan is getting an evaluation as firefighters start to relay what else is needed. After awhile the fire seems to be beat back by the toughest ones we have to put on it. A crew of six goes in to pull ceiling an see if we got and as they get close someone reports that the roof is moving and you realize that even with radio communications at an all time low they must get out now! I rush to the top of a staircase and beat on the floor until they come out. Now everyone is out and we pour the coal to the masterstreams out front until we see no more fire. Good communications even without the radios in a timely manner can be life savers, we all went home!

Firefighter Rescues and Rescue

There was a time when ,here in the small city, we barely thought about any of us needing rescue. I think mainly we figured we were tough enough to get out every time even though we knew that we could be wrong! Now that we know better why will the Chiefs not iron out their differences for the good of the firefighters? It is obvious in the training that they do not come to that there is great need for manpower in these situations, yet what we observe is that they are still struggling with the concept of incident command. Firefighter rescues will be for sure the worst moments for us all and there are legal repercussions for commanders unwilling to change, ie: Manlius,NY.

Rescues have to happen quickly and with all your experience brought to bear upon what is happening. They require a thing called automatic aid each and every time so that the people we protect go home and we go home.

Rescues require great communications between those attempting the rescue and command, not just a frantic rush and high pitched radio traffic, although undoubtedly there will be some!

Any rescue will require resources you do not always use, because it is a rare event!

Keep on Running

I was pulling on my hood and zipping my coat up when we turned the corner and saw smoke showing from most of the front of the house. I came out the truck door determined to get that line before my captain did, why, because I just want to be first in. I pull and drag and it seems like forever but I get the line ready to go. My Chief is there beside me at the door and my captain is not ready to go, I look inside and the smoke is down close to the floor and I can see where this fire is. I want to put this fire out so I tell the Chief I think I can just go inside a few feet and put this one out, he says go for it. I am in the door before I realize it and putting out fire wherever I can find it. The captain finally catches up and we continue to push through the rest of the house, searching for fire. We come upon a large dog and my captain rescues this dog only to reach the front porch and have the dog crap all over him. Back into the house we go to get some overhaul done because it is just us for the most part. We get it done and catch a drink of water. Our driver takes us back to the station and then the captain realizes we ran over his prescription glasses at the scene, bad day for the probies.

This is a short story from when I was starting out and I remembered to keep a good attitude and keep on running because you have to be determined to persevere in this business. Be good and stay safe, BuckleUp!

The KISS Method

Where have all the get it done leaders gone? Why does everything these days have to be complicated and frankly unbelievable when your talking leadership? I hear all this talk in our service from the leaders and even on the national level it seems like all the big red tape lovers are in charge. Those of you in power, wake up and do something meaningful for the the fire service, TODAY!

Just unbelieveable but again as I have said before , thank GOD there are still firefighters out there that get the job done without the all the bull crap. The keep it simple stupid method needs to rise again.

Everyone be careful,watch your brothers back,make sure Mr.Obvious is close by and call for enough people to get the job done right. Love your family and the family and last but not least, put your gear on every time even if it seems like it won't be much!

Just a Little Truth

I was thinking about manpower again, ya know the kind of manpower we all need is sometimes the kind that is hard to appreciate. I'm talking about those hardheaded individuals that we all have that also train hard and take the job real serious. These guys will call you out on anything, say stuff you would rather not hear, yet when that working fire comes in or a real job needs to get done they will go the distance. These people come out of the fire to tell you what is done not why they could'nt do it. They do not back down to much and that is why they are the best! Firefighters are like soldiers in that they are not always the best at being real nice, it is a battle after all!

Alright! Rollin Out

There is nothing quite like when the tones drop and you just know your going to get to go to work. Ya get out in the bay put on your gear and everybody is repeating the dispatch info and of course adding in a little this ought to be a good one! Your rig gets moving toward the scene and your running though what may need to be done plus the five hundred things you trained on and then your there and there are lines coming off trucks, the Chief is given you a report and when you get in the smoke is to the floor and your hunting that fire down! I love a good day, when the guys roll out to a fire and it all goes well, it is just, Alright!