All Blog Posts (3,119)

I remeber to had read an article in this magazine about fiber glass curtains for forest fires trucks, but I can't find the info.

Those are intented for protecting the truck and occupants in fire entrampments, remaining protected in the truck's cabin.

Someone recalls that article or simmilar info??

Look-out folks, the 9/11 predators are out in force!!! They are selling everything from "commemorative" ball caps to stickers, patches, posters, helmets, t-shirts, t-shirts, t-shirts, and t-shirts! Some say they're selling these items for a charitable donation (and that's fine) - but please check their true intentions before buying. Verify the charity, if you can. I…

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

...and sometimes I just feel the need to be silly!!  I do find it humorous to walk the streets of Indianapolis during FDIC and see the sea of hulking SUV's lining the parking lanes and garages. I'm just glad the Hummer craze didn't catch on in the fire service - oy!

 …

If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, then this technology intrenched generation of youth is from the center of Pluto! Old-school thinking and marketing will be the death knell of today's fire service, especially in the volunteer sector with we don't learn to be creative in our recruiting methods.

How is your department coping with these…

The term “A perfect storm” refers to a combination of events that contributes to the drastic aggravation of a situation. From severe weather to a seeming unfathomable chain of events, this phrase is widely used.

In the fire service,…

On Sunday, June 19^th, NBC decided to show a patriotic montage during the showing of the U.S. Open golf tournament (Patriotic video). As a result, they committed a monumental error in their omissions.

The Pledge of Allegiance that I have been reciting since grade school has included the words “one nation under God, indivisible”. That any of the words from this very short, but very powerful recitation be omitted is very…

The kind and gentle approach doesn't work any more - so perhaps the current day Smokey needs an image adjustment! This is just a suggestion, of course:)

To see more of my work, visit:…

These past, few months have been “unusual” for me. For the first time in many years, I had to prepare myself to seek employment. It was my goal to have a new job before the lay-off became effective.

My work as a risk manager for my current employer will end on June 24^th. My work for my new employer will start on June 28^th.

What is interesting to note is that I thought that I bombed at the interview and who knows; maybe the…

If you carry a cell phone these days, you carry a camera and video recorder, too. Technology has made life recordable, anywhere, anytime, even when it's inconvenient or inappropriate! Take a moment to notice bystanders on your next MVA or structure fire; my guess is you'll see plenty of cell phones out recording our every move. This is the technological world we live…

Aside from residing in the pantheon of the greatest movies made, Full Metal Jacket introduced the world to the Rifleman’s Creed. The mantra recited each night by the soldiers in boot camp as they lie in bed with their last line of defense, their rifle. The intimate reciting of the creed ingrains the mutually important relationship…

For most of us in the fire service this job is a calling. It’s not something we do, it’s something we are, [insert additional corny saying here].  The bottom line is that we have dedicated ourselves to this profession for whatever reason and agreed to the responsibilities of our job; to help those who require our services in their time of need.

But some, including myself, have at one point lost…

Yes; I like titles that are a play on words.

Salient – (say-lee-ent) adj. Projecting or jutting beyond a line or surface; protruding. Strikingly conspicuous; prominent. Noticeable. Springing; jumping.

As we are seeing, many Americans who have held silent over the years are now speaking out about the condition of the human condition (and especially THEIR condition); how exclusive our “representative” form of government has…

Today's First Due Question is about Vertical Ventilation. What is your departments policy and who is assigned this task?

Head on over to First Due Questions on Facebook and weigh in your thoughts:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Due-Questions/181829911841961

Check out my interview at this past FDIC. Link below...

FDIC Interview

Blogger Note: My dad, Staff Sgt. Walter (Gotch) Goodrich is standing in the middle of the back row.

I must admit that I have been a selfish pig when it comes to Memorial Day weekend. I have been so consumed by HOW I was going to spend it that I forgot the REASON. Did you?

When…

Not sure how I missed this last week, but our illustrious Centers for Disease Control (CDC) posted a May 16, 2011 set of instructions to help citizens prepare for a potential Zombie Apocalypse.  Now, I'm not sure about you, but this tongue-in-cheek instructional set seems a bit out of line for our national health information web source.  The CDC has long maintained high quality, authoritative, and well…