February 2011 Blog Posts (34)

Every now and then we have an opportunity to lift someone up who needs our support, to reach out to someone who was always there for us, to pay it forward and pay it back and to just do the right thing. Most the time in these types of situations it doesn't cost us a thing rather all it takes is a few moments of our time and that's what I'm asking from you. My good friend Jason just informed me that another good friend of of of mine Jeff Schwering, active fire engineering community member,…

Blog Note: Another public sector employee has been fired for posting disparaging remarks about their employer. Is it a freedom of speech vs. employee conduct issue?

Read the article here: http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110224/NEWS/102240313

Good or bad; the explosion of the use of social media for its velocity and reach comes with some…

The NFPA 1917 Standard for Automotive Ambulances draft closed for comment in December 2010 and the Committee met in Dallas during February 2011 to review the 1,785 comments received. Many comments and proposals for change were duplicative: 133 received on Vehicle Data Recorders (VDRs), 136 on maximum top speed of 72 MPH, 131 on estimated in-service vehicle weight, 132 on visual indicators of tire…

Well, we did our ice rescue training a few weekends ago.

It was the usual rehash of what we do and say every year, a good refresher for everyone before the annual ice fishing derby the next weekend so we are ready with the know how fresh in our heads.

 …

Edit Note: I wrote that "protesters are getting doctors' notes". It should have said "teachers". I apologize for the error.

In addition, the Taft-Hartley Act outlawed the closed shop in 1947, but allowed for union shops. The errors have been corrected.

February 23; this just in:…

I was a senior in high school when the fire at Philadelphia's One Meridian occurred. It's impact for me, at that time, was solely that a friend of mine who worked there during summer vacation wouldn't be returning to his summer position. I was still two years away from…

Washington was a Firefighter

I never liked this Presidents' Day idea I always thought it was lame. There are presidents who deserve to have their own day, a day when we reflect on their legacy and their contributions to our nation. Men like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Calvin Coolidge, JFK, and many others but to lump them all together is probably politically correct although highly disingenuous.

Today's George Washington's birthday and if you look at the life…

For those who don't know yet, Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment is now part of the Fire Engineering family. I am pleased to introduce myself as Associate Editor Chris Mc Loone.

It has been an…

You would have to be living in a very deep h*** not to have noticed the vicious pro vs anti-union rhetoric being slung by everyone from politicians to the old lady walking her dog down the block.This is a nasty and dirty line being drawn in the sand, and one that my state of Ohio will face shortly (if not already with SB-5).

I am not a union member,…

According to a news report:

HOLLYWOOD HILLS (KTLA) -- Fire officials say one of their own has died from injuries suffered while battle a huge fire at a home in the Hollywood Hills early Thursday morning.

38-year veteran Glenn L. Allen died at 12:15 p.m. Friday, said Erik Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

He was 61 and about a year from…

Because of incompetent and failed leadership in our 111th Congress, our Fire Grant program and our SAFER program funding--for which many organizations had made plans, assuming they were secure--are not secure. It is absolutely unacceptable to allow the type of failed leadership that we have tolerated for so long to continue. Thankfully yesterday, on February 17, the House of Representatives approved an amendment to extend specific waivers to the SAFER program, which was introduced…

With the mid-term elections behind us, we now need to look forward.

With a nation concerned about the economy and our growing deficit that was created by out-of-control spending, it should come as no surprise that spending cuts are a reality that we must face.

As a push to limit federal government begins to kick in, I believe that less federal money will be made available to local government and in particular; local fire service.

Local and state governments will be asked…

Too late to stop, too early to quit.



What does that mean?



To me it means I have been doing this job to long to stop. It has become a part of who I am. It is more than just something I do. It is a part of me the same as my right hand; I can’t imagine life without it. For the years I was blessed enough to make a living doing this job I was the…