Paul Combs's Blog (375)

Hey, a man has got to have his priorities, right?

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A cold, hard February epiphany about firefighter/EMT layoffs and cut-backs.

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A little Fire Line humor to start your week. Hey, if ya gotta clean the john, you might as well do it the firefighter way!

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Bueller? Bueller? Bueller...?  Oh, we've all sat through this class, haven't we?! A class where the instructor reads each word from the never-ending source of dull PowerPoint slides with all the excitement of Ben Stein's character in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I feel inspired just thinking about it!



I have often said there are two types of instructors -…

Carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen chloride, acrolein, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, benzene, toluene, cadmium - these are some of the known carcinogens that are produced during vehicle fires. So why in the world would we attack a vehicle fire without an SCBA?!!



Pack-up, people!

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Smoke detector programs are a great way to help protect your community, assist folks that may not be able to afford them, build trust, and give an overall feeling of goodwill between you and the people under your watch. School programs are another great way to insure that most households have at least one smoke detector hopefully being installed and…

While signing books on Monday during FDIC, a large (pushing 375 lbs) firefighter approached me with his slightly slimmer, but still girthy entourage of three. I extend my hand in greeting, which was met with a chest puffing and the comment "I don't like the way you make fun of big people!" Being taken off my guard by his comment, I respectfully asked if he is a front…

To all my Brothers and Sisters out there, have a very Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year!!

Paul

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"You never know when you're being watched. It's my least favorite part of acting, celebrity."

- Denzel Washington

 

Make no mistake, when you're operating at an incident you are a celebrity. People gather to watch the drama that is unfolding within their neighborhood with admiration, fascination, and curiosity. This is a behavior that has not changed…

December Fire Engineering magazine commentary.

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http://www.artstudioseven.com/page-LE_Prints.htm

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Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family - may it be a joyous and safe time! Keep less fortunate friends and loved ones in your prayers and be thankful for everything in your life.



...just beware of the canned cranberries!!

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This is not the time to realize that you should have trained more on aerial ladder operations and tactics - pre-plan your response areas and train on proper placement and quick set-ups! Train, train, train...

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To ALL our veterans, wounded warriors, and active service members - THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!

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This editorial seems very appropriate now that the handshakes and photo-ops are over. Every politician loves a firefighter, especially during an election year!

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Shipping out for another USO tour and an opportunity to thank and serve our Nation's Warriors! I will be drawing along side five other incredible cartoonists and look forward to their camaraderie over the next few weeks. I will not be posting during this trip, but will have plenty of stories, photos, and of course, sketches to share when I…

From time to time I get asked how I create my Fire Engineering illustrations. Well, I thought I'd take this month's theme and show you the drawing process.



Every drawing that I do typically starts in my small sketchbook that I carry everywhere. If you seen me at FDIC, you've seen me with this little black book. This is my idea book - where all the things that are bouncing around in my crazy brain get scribbled out before they drive me insane!! Below is the original thumbnail for…

Getting into the spooky spirit of my favorite time of year!! Watch for full moons and empty coffee pots, everybody:)



Happy Halloween, and be safe out there!

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Size DOES matter!

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Let's have a show of hands, figuratively speaking... Who likes to be micromanaged and placed under the ever-present scrutiny of a magnifying glass? If you raised your hand, please quietly leave my blog now - I'm sure there's a mega-corporate blog out there in Internetland just for you!



Great leaders lead by placing trust in their subordinates and empowering…

This illustration is in response to the many letters and emails I've received from followers of my commentary. They state that texting and responding in department vehicles or POVs is becoming very commonplace - and has resulted in a few accidents, as well. To be honest, I'm guilty of doing it myself on occasion. Not while responding, but driving to the station or…