I was active for 22 years, the last 14 as chief. We took our department from ISO 8 to ISO 6. I helped to spear-head the referendum to have our district's trustees elected rather than appointed. We now elect the trustees. I attended our state's first fire service summit which helped to establish the state's Cornerstone training program through IFSI. I served on the rules-making committee for the state's Fire Truck Revolving Loan Fund, commonly referred to as the Zero Interest Loan Program and have testified at fire service public hearings. I have served as president of the fire district's board of trustees since being elected in April, 2003. We have been able to pay off the building, the newest fire truck and almost doubled the budget through tax receipts. We are a department of 25 active members. I have been attending Trustee training seminars since 1996.
Professional Affiliations: Illinois Fire Chiefs Association, Illinois Association of Fire Protection Districts, Western Illinois Firefighters Association, National Fire Protection Association, American Society of Safety Engineers and National Association of Safety Professionals.
I am also a well known fire service blogger under the names Art Goodrich and ChiefReason.
-Art, though I do look forward to reading and participating in your blogs, in reference to your most recent blog The Debt Ceiling, I wonder if this firefight training site is not he appropriate formate for discussing political views, especially given that political topics tend to be extraordinarily polorizing.
-Art, I totally understand the point you make as to politics and the tie in to our profession, art, and community. I also knew that Frank had a podcast/radio show and he and I have discussed my variance of opinion with that venue as well.
-My contention is not politically motivated but rather born out of a belief that our service is comprised of so many different types of people, and political discussions tend to be such a harsh and immediately polarizing topic, that I'm concerned firefighters will no longer read articles or blogs by authors they recognize or identify as politically motivated, and leave a site that has so much to offer by way of instruction and "long distance mentorship", if you will permit such an idea.
-Just my opinion; and opinions are like noses, everybody has one. What's more, this is the grand ol' U.S. of A. and we all have the right to blow our horns if we so choose so I guess we'll both keep on doing what we do.
Michael Bricault (ret)
-Art, though I do look forward to reading and participating in your blogs, in reference to your most recent blog The Debt Ceiling, I wonder if this firefight training site is not he appropriate formate for discussing political views, especially given that political topics tend to be extraordinarily polorizing.
-Just my thought.
Jul 31, 2011
Michael Bricault (ret)
-Art, I totally understand the point you make as to politics and the tie in to our profession, art, and community. I also knew that Frank had a podcast/radio show and he and I have discussed my variance of opinion with that venue as well.
-My contention is not politically motivated but rather born out of a belief that our service is comprised of so many different types of people, and political discussions tend to be such a harsh and immediately polarizing topic, that I'm concerned firefighters will no longer read articles or blogs by authors they recognize or identify as politically motivated, and leave a site that has so much to offer by way of instruction and "long distance mentorship", if you will permit such an idea.
-Just my opinion; and opinions are like noses, everybody has one. What's more, this is the grand ol' U.S. of A. and we all have the right to blow our horns if we so choose so I guess we'll both keep on doing what we do.
Aug 1, 2011
Elliot Belote
Thanks.
I was surprised to see how big the campus is and how big the memorial is, especially the 9/11 memorial.
Merry Christmas to you to
Dec 21, 2011