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Paul Combs's Blog (375)

CREW UNITY

Psalm, 133:1 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

Crew unity provides members with a sense of cohesion and confidence during calls, and a natural support network when returning to, or at, the fire station. A close crew is one whose members share a strong bond, loyalty, and commitment to…

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Added by Paul Combs on June 11, 2018 at 8:43am — No Comments

LET GO OF MY EGO! - June Fire Engineering Magazine Editorial Cartoon



How BIG is your ego, and are you getting in the way of the very people you should be building up?



STAY FIRED UP, and remember, it is always about them!

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To see more Drawn By Fire, go to:…

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Added by Paul Combs on June 6, 2018 at 9:47pm — No Comments

SEEING RED!

Recently, I read this quote by an anonymous author - “A strong woman stands up for herself. A stronger woman stands for everybody else.” I can think of nowhere else this is truer than in today’s fire service.



My daughter, now 24, has never known a mother and father that wasn’t inspiring her to be anything she wanted – anything, regardless of the physical,…

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Added by Paul Combs on May 24, 2018 at 4:02pm — No Comments

FDIC TIME!

It's that time of year again! Time to train, learn, laugh, hug, and bask in the brotherhood that is FDIC International! This is my Christmas, New Year's Day, and Easter all rolled into one... and I personally can't wait. 

Looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones. Looking forward to working my butt off for our RIT Combat Challenge students.…

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Added by Paul Combs on April 20, 2018 at 9:10am — No Comments

ZIP IT!



What is leadership? What does it look like? What does it walk like... sound like? For most of us, we know a good leader when we meet them. They have a certain magnetism and charisma that just makes people gravitate toward them, and if they're true and deserving, we follow - not blindly, but willingly. My friend EJ Mascaro was one of those leaders - true, trustworthy,…

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Added by Paul Combs on March 22, 2018 at 4:01pm — No Comments

HAND OVER THOSE KEYS!



Have fun out there, brothers and sisters - but leave those keys with a sober designated driver!



STAY FIRED UP, and get home alive!



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To see more Drawn By Fire, go to:…

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Added by Paul Combs on March 16, 2018 at 2:53pm — No Comments

ARE YOU READY FOR THE MAYDAY?

RIT COMBAT CHALLENGE!
FDIC 2018 H.O.T.
 
Going to FDIC 2018? Looking for a hands-on class that will challenge you and give you the…
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Added by Paul Combs on March 14, 2018 at 2:22pm — No Comments

CATS



STAY FIRED UP, brothers and sisters, and be unique. Be original. Be you... but keep an ample supply of kitty litter:)



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To see more Drawn By Fire, go to:…

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Added by Paul Combs on February 26, 2018 at 8:38am — No Comments

THE MONSTER INSIDE

From the time we are children, we are told to be afraid of monsters. Monsters under the bed. Monsters in the closet. The monster in that dark and treacherous basement that our parents never wanted us to explore alone. As we grew older, our teenage monsters changed to be the bully in second-period literature or our ever-present self-doubting reflection in the mirror.…

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Added by Paul Combs on February 20, 2018 at 12:41pm — No Comments

GENERAL POSER - February Magazine Cartoon

A shtick and stickers are a must!



STAY FIRED UP, and keep it real, brothers and sisters!



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To see more Drawn By Fire, go to:…

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Added by Paul Combs on February 19, 2018 at 8:31am — No Comments

BIG GAME LEADERSHIP

The Super Bowl - the pinnacle of professional football greatness, myth and lore, where there have been some amazing athletes who can claim to be the glorious victors, or the devastated runner-up. However, one thing is for certain, whether you are the winner or loser of the BIG game – they all got there by being 100% dedicated to their craft and lead by passionate…

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Added by Paul Combs on February 1, 2018 at 10:10am — No Comments

THE EGOCENTRIC OBJECTIVE - January Magazine Cartoon

NEW Fire Engineering January editorial illustration.

You as an instructor are there for your students, they are not there to pad your ego! I have seen way too many instructors and officers who love to show you how much you don't know, instead of how much they can…

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Added by Paul Combs on January 17, 2018 at 3:28pm — No Comments

GHOSTS

 

Ghosts by Chief Jim Crawford



“Which one of us are you going to tell him…

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Added by Paul Combs on January 14, 2018 at 12:19pm — No Comments

AFFORDABLE PLACEBO

From Chief Bobby Halton,

Firefighters, Support H.R. 973/S. 1651 or H.R. 711 Now!

Fairness—you hear that word a lot today. “I will make sure they pay their fair share” is something we hear constantly from politicians about taxes. The first income tax code was established by President Abraham Lincoln to fund the war effort and was…

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Added by Paul Combs on January 4, 2018 at 8:26am — No Comments

BRENNAN & BRUNO UNPLUGGED 2.0

December Fire Engineering magazine illustration.



Here's a link to my previous post and memories of Chief Brunacini. Rest easy, Chief... and thank you!…

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Added by Paul Combs on December 21, 2017 at 8:43am — No Comments

YOU'RE WRONG!

There is a common understanding among the firefighter and EMT community that there are lives that can’t be saved or rescued. It’s a fact of life, and death. Usually those lives are lost due to circumstances beyond our perceived control, and most of us have come to grips with this certainty so we can focus on the next savable life. Understanding doesn’t make it…

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Added by Paul Combs on December 18, 2017 at 11:49am — No Comments

DON'T FORGET ABOUT ME!

Today I publish an illustration that was harder to draw than I thought it would be - and I knew it would be hard! The subject of alcoholism, alcohol abuse, and drunk driving is at times a taboo subject in the firehouse and our national conferences. We eagerly discuss tactics, obesity, cancer, suicide, depression, seat belts, speed, health and fitness… the…

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Added by Paul Combs on December 12, 2017 at 1:28pm — 3 Comments

CARNIVORES CLUB

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!



STAY FIRED UP, and stay safe out there!



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To see more Drawn By Fire, go to:…

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Added by Paul Combs on November 22, 2017 at 11:56am — No Comments

CHARGING NOWHERE: November Issue

NEW Fire Engineering editorial cartoon: Charging Nowhere.

This commentary came to me while presenting Get Fired Up at a regional fire conference where an instructor was boasting about how his training academy was using nothing but dollhouses and YouTube…

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Added by Paul Combs on November 15, 2017 at 9:08am — No Comments

CHIEF ALAN BRUNACINI

My very first encounter with Chief Alan Brunacini was not what I would have hoped for. I was attending my first FDIC and was sitting through a presentation on how to submit articles to become a Fire Engineering author. Being the introvert that I am, I naturally sat in the back row while taking notes. Chief Lasky had already set the fire under my tuchas two days earlier to…

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Added by Paul Combs on October 29, 2017 at 6:50pm — 2 Comments

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