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I need a “do over” …

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I need several “do overs” actually. Unfortunately, I know that I can’t have a second chance at many of the events in my life over the past few months.

I’d give anything to be able to go back and save my brother from the dark place he found himself in on December 30, 2012. A place so dark it enabled him to make the decisions he made … the decision to take his own life. Even though it’s too late for me to change those circumstances, it’s not too late for me to bring something positive from this tragedy.

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Follow me on Face Book by clicking “HERE”

I’ve learned so much about emotional / mental health and wellness since Jack’s suicide. I’ve learned first hand what PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is and how it affects us. I’ve learned about grief and it’s various stages. I’ve learned that although their are many similarities in how it affects us all, it’s also (and often) very much so different for those of us “on the job” (Fire, Rescue and Police).

I’ve learned that “talking” about it helps. I’ve learned that showing and sharing emotion (as raw as it may be) is also not just “ok” but can also be therapeutic. I’ve learned that “we” , as a Fire Service; need to come to know and understand that. We NEED more education on these types of issues … our bosses do too. We need to understand that our “role model” firefighter is also HUMAN.

I’ve learned that there are some GREAT resources out there for us to “reach out” and talk to. “Sucking it up” and getting back to work is not acceptable anymore … not in my book. It shouldn’t be in yours either. I’m going to work to bring a lot of this to light. If you continue to follow the site, you’re gonna see and read a LOT about our emotional / mental health and well being…. I hope to decide to stay with me…. you deserve to know what I’m learning. YOU’RE WORTH IT…. everyone of ya.

For now, with that said; if you find yourself wanting or needing to talk to someone who will truly understand what it is you’re going through or feeling, I’ll add a few of the links I’ve been using in recent posts. Check them out and USE THEM….. they HELP.

Grief.com,   Recover from Grief.com , The Sweeney Alliance,Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance, North American Firefighter Veteran Network

There’s another “do over” however that I may can arrange (if they’ll allow me). You guys may remember that back on January 26th, I was invited to speak at the Lexington Fire Department’s (Va) Annual Awards Dinner and Banquet. Just the invite was a HUGE honor!

I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to. I was still “lost” in my grief and unable to focus on the simplest of tasks.

Lexington’s Chief, Ty Dickerson; is not only a close and personal friend, he’s also a great mentor and leader.

Ty told me to come anyway (if I could … to speak or not). He said that if I felt like it and could, to attend so at least he could hug me again and assure me that I (and my family) were not alone (he also wanted to make sure that I was eating). If I couldn’t attend, he and his members fully understood. THAT in itself speaks VOLUMES about Chief Dickerson and the Brothers and Sisters of the Lexington Fire Department.

I had prepared a couple speeches. I arrived empty handed …. my thoughts and words seemed to “scattered”. I decided to speak, but would do it from the heart. That usually works out good for us but this time, I’m not even sure what i said.

There was so much I could have and wanted to say but it just wasn’t the “right” occasion. This was their (The Lexington Fire Department’s) first banquet as a “combined” Department and it should have been memorable.

I decided to speak about “Brotherhood” and how alive it is within their Department. So many times we hear Brothers and Sisters complaining of how “the Brotherhood” is dead in the Fire Service today but I can tell you for certain IT’S NOT.

I had just been witness to a HUGE act of Brotherhood from all across the world. Good friend and Brother Firefighter Nate Camiford. After my post “A Firefighter’s Boots”, Nate started a campaign where hundreds of Brothers and Sisters from all over the world sent me pictures of their “boots” in support of me getting back into mine. It was very humbling to say the least … I was honored.

Often times, Department’s such as Lexington just need a little “outside” reminder of how the Brotherhood is alive and well within their own Department. Like with “the boots” I had witnessed the Brotherhood at work within the Lexington Fire Department many times and wanted to share my experience with them. Here’s what I should have said…..

Usually, I don’t speak alone. Most of you know that Rhett Fleitz (The Fire Critic) and I are very seldom seen apart. We are more than a “team” … more than “partners” … more than Brothers even. I can’t explain it …. it is what it is …. you don’t get one of us without the other (most times).

Whenever Rhett and I speak about Brotherhood, we always include the values which we believe make it up …. TRADITION, PRIDE, HONOR and RESPECT.

The Lexington Fire Department (and City) has a rich history full of tradition. The banquet that night was just another example. Many new traditions were started that night as well as in some of the awards and recognition’s made. They will see many new traditions made and kept as they move forward with their new “combination” Department.

What a HUGE undertaking that in itself is. Moving from an all volunteer Department to a Combination (career and volunteer). It shows care and a concern for their community and a PRIDE in being able to overcome obstacles. Pride in being able to serve their community … to do the job we signed up to do. It takes a special group of people to make that model work. It takes strong leadership and members working together towards a common goal. It takes patience and understanding to say the least … give and take. These Brothers and Sisters are setting the standard.

I wanted to tell them about the picture I had (and shared with them at the banquet). A picture of my dad as a member of the Lexington Volunteer Fire Department from back in the late 60′s. A picture of their entire Department standing in front of their 59 Mack Fire Engine. I wanted to explain how that picture exemplifies PRIDE for a Department … for THEIR Department.

I wanted to explain how their donating that truck to the Kazim Shriners shows, HONOR and RESPECT. I wanted to explain how that was evident to me (and the members of the Melrose Misfits) when we had the honor and privilege of helping to restore some of the equipment on that truck. Seeing the name “Lexington Fire Department” spoke volumes to my members.

I seen more examples when one of their members invited me down for a birthday party. Actually, Cassie Potter (wife of Chris Potter) invited me down for a “surprise”  party for Chris. She explained how he was a loyal follower of the site and how excited he’d be to actually get to meet and spend some time with me. I was again humbled and honored.

I made the party and many new friends in Lexington. The best part was getting a personal tour of their house that night. It’s a new station and one that I hadn’t been in before (I remembered the old one downtown as a kid).

You could see the PRIDE in the eyes of their members as they showed me around. I seen it on the floors …. in the corners. NO DIRT. The equipment, station and members were IN ORDER and ready to roll. I look for that … the little things. They offered me a cup of coffee right off …. I felt at home.

They showed me their history and again I was flooded with a sense of Pride, Honor, Tradition and Respect. A full trophy case. Banners and ribbons. Wooden ladders. Hand pulled ladder trucks! I hope the Brothers and Sisters of Lexington know just how “rich” they are…. I do.

Rhett and I witnessed even more of the Brotherhood at work through the Lexington Fire Department while attending the 2012 National Fallen Firefighter’s Memorial Weekend.

There, we meet a member of the Lexington Fire Department (Michelle) who was volunteering her time to serve as an “escort” for one of the families of our fallen. There is no batter way to HONOR our fallen than to take care of their survivors. Talk about RESPECT and PRIDE!

I could go on and on. I should have back on the 26th. The City Manager, Sheriff and many other dignitaries were present and I hope they know what a valued asset they have in the Lexington Fire Department, it’s Chief and members.

I say I need a “do over” because I think it was an important message (although one that I didn’t get across). They need to hear it …. they have EARNED and deserve to hear it. The Brotherhood is alive and well in Lexington and it’s all because of their members. They have, are and will continue to make an impact / difference. Maybe Ty can find a spot to bring me back ( along with Rhett) so we (I) can deliver the message in person.

Sorry for the lack in postings …. obviously, I’m still working on getting to my “new normal”. Thanks once again for all the messages and support …. I couldn’t have made it without you all!

Stay SAFE and in House!

Captain Wines

Posted by on February 11, 2013 • Filed under: administration-leadership, command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, funding-staffing, news, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Volunteer Leadership

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I am a career firefighter. Actually, I’m a paid, Union firefighter and I’m proud of that. I worked hard to get this job and followed in my fathers footsteps. I know that many men before me have sacrificed and paid dearly to allow me the opportunity to work in the greatest profession in the world and for that, I am thankful.

I also know that today’s fire service was built by volunteers. I’d dare say that every Fire Department in the United States started off as volunteer. Mine did. If you don’t know the history of your Department, you should.

Rhett wrote  a book on the history of our Department. The book is titled “Firefighting in Roanoke” and  traces our history up until the year 2000. He has plans for a second book if we ever find the time.

Buy your copy of Firefighting in Roanoke  HERE 

Chapter 1 is titled “The Volunteers“. Back in November 1882, the foundation of the Roanoke Fire/EMS Department was laid. A group of men with a vision and desire to serve created a Fire Board and Roanoke Fire Company No. 1. The Vigilant Steam Fire Company No. 1, The Junior Hose Company No. 2 and Friendship Fire Company would soon follow.

The Fire Board composed a set of Rules and Regulations or bylaws to govern the various Volunteer companies. IMAGINE THAT …. 100 years ago these men seen the need to have all their members / individual Departments working off of the same guidelines. It wouldn’t have worked any other way.

Today’s Fire Service is no different in that aspect. We are running and counting on mutual or automatic aid more and more these days… even here in Roanoke. We need to be compatible. Our lives and those of the people we are sworn to protect and serve depend on it.

It’s not easy. It takes discipline and strong leadership. Leadership at all levels. For the most part, we have a lot of that here in our area. Our City (all paid)  is surrounded by either combination or fully volunteer Departments. For those that haven’t had to already, most are now working towards the “Combination” model.

Volunteering is difficult and almost impossible these days. The call volume in itself would keep most volunteers on the road most of the day and night. Our minimum standards have training hours up into the hundreds. Firefighter 1 & 2, Haz-Mat, Driver Operator, EVOC, Rope 1, RIT, May Day, Vehicle extrication, Confined Space and Technical Rescue are just some of the basic classes needed. Throw in a full time job, a family and a house with grass to mow etc and a volunteer has NO TIME REMAINING.

What happens is that more and more calls go uncovered (then turned over to the next jurisdiction / company) or response times get higher and higher until they reach an unacceptable level. The City, Town or County then HAS to do something. The result of late has been to supplement with paid employees.

We’ve seen it work here. In Wednesday’s post, I mentioned Roanoke County. Today, they remain a combination Department serving 251 sq miles. They have grown to 153 full time employees and approx. 250 volunteers. Individual “volunteer” companies still remain and operate administratively under their own rules and regulations. Operationally, everyone operates under the same protocol.

Bedford County is another good example.

Chief of Department Jack Jones and Deputy Chief Marci Stone have recently began supplementing their system with part time paid members. Not in every station but where justified and needed.

The Town of Bedford has a very strong volunteer Department ( I call em “Little Brooklyn”..LOL). Not only do they make their calls, they also run County wide as a Rapid Intervention Team (RIT). Their Chief, Brad “Bedford” Creasy; works for our Department and was a member of mine back at “old” station #3 when I first made Captain in 2000.

Another past member of mine, Brad “Opie” Glidden (from our Station #9 days); is the Vollie Chief for Company #13 in Bedford County.

Bedford County is approx 753 sq miles. They have to have Standard Operating Guidelines and a Chain of Command.

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Franklin County is the same way. I was a volunteer there when they began supplementing with paid personnel back in the 90′s. Chief Ty Dickerson is doing it in Lexington. Augusta County is hiring. They ALL have coordinators / directors. They need em.

Being on the road as often as Rhett and I are, we get to meet some great members and visit strong companies. We have had the privilege of seeing some great leadership moving Departments forward in a positive manner. Our good friends “Big Nick” and “Little Nick” from Hyattsville are great examples. Nick and Nick have developed some great “Live In” programs that have helped keep volunteer companies meeting their benchmarks.

Learn MORE and visit FD LiveIn.com by clicking HERE 

Another GREAT friend of ours is Chief Tiger Schmittendorf. Tiger runs the site “Run To The Curb” and is the leading authority on volunteer recruitment and retention.

Visit Run To The Curb by clicking HERE

My point here is that providing Emergency Services to our communities is becoming harder and harder these days and just like it did 100 years ago, it will take progressive and forward thinking to overcome the hurdles that lay before us. We have to work together as a team, as Brothers and Sisters. As a “Department” rather than individual companies.

The days of “Territorial” Volunteer Companies is passing. A 15 or 20 minute response time because you think it’s “YOUR” call and you don’t want to turn it over  is unacceptable! Our citizens expect more. They demand more and they DESERVE it! We can not compromise on Public Safety for the sake of ego stroking.

The sad thing is that despite all the progress being made, one stand out can cast a black eye on the entire service. It’s been happening here.

My last few posts have been about one of our neighboring Counties, Botetourt; hiring a Emergency Services Coordinator.

Botetourt is a progressive County who is growing by leaps and bounds. They have recently started supplementing their system with paid staff and keeping in line with their 2003 Strategic Business Plan are now searching for a Coordinator.

They have met some  opposition, most of which has been led by the Volunteer Chief of the Buchanan VFD, Billy Joe Carter.

Chief Carter opposes the new position for fear that the Coordinator will have the authority to assume command of an emergency scene. His quote in a local paper left me speechless.

“He said Tuesday that if an emergency services director assumes control of a scene “there are going to be a lot of hurt feelings and busted noses.”

 Read my original post on the issue by clicking HERE

Well, that wasn’t bad enough. Jim Bob Billy Joe decided to get a little more publicity and take the issue a little farther. The next morning, he announced in a television interview that he intended to step down as Chief at the 7pm Wednesday night meeting.

He moved away from hurt feelings and busted noses and stated “you can’t fight politics”

Read that post and watch the VIDEO in my follow up post HERE 

Well guess what ??? HE DIDN’T QUIT. The Buchanan VFD missed a golden opportunity. They should have accepted his resignation, taken his pager, radio and keys then filed a restraining order.

Latest from The Roanoke Times HERE

He’s an embarrassment to his Company, the County and the Fire Service.

In the interview where he announced to the world that he’d be stepping down, it was said he feared …

“the change will tear down the century plus tradition of the Buchanan Department” 

I wonder what traditions he’s afraid of losing???? I’d honestly like to know.

I don’t know what this guys is so scared of. The same model / system has worked all around him. Traditions weren’t lost.

I don’t know why the issue gets under my skin but it does. I grew up in Botetourt. I have family there still. When Rhett and I travel, we are often looked at as representing the entire Roanoke area…not just the City. One guy is making an entire Company look like a bunch of hillbillies and it reflects on us all.

Today, he was quoted in the paper as saying “I don’t need anybody down here baby-sitting me,”. Apparently he does.

I’ve received numerous phone calls, e-mails and texts today.

We’ve been on “High Alert” and I’ve even been forced to get a disguise.

Rumor has it that John Boy Billy Joe is pretty upset with my opinion / coverage of this 3 ring circus and is on the hunt.

Actually, several of the calls were to warn me that he was on his way to beat my ass. I just can’t believe that’s true. No way a Chief would would react in this manner right?

I did a little checking just to find out exactly who it is that is apparently “after me” but I came up empty.

I did find someone sharing the same name and a similar  address from back in 2002 but this guy had a felony charge for assault and 2 for eluding police ( found HERE ) . I guess there’s no way this could be the same guy. He couldn’t have felony charges and be a Chief… right?

 The Fire Critic asks “Should Felons be allowed to be Firefighters?” Click HERE

Anyway, we made it through the day. Obviously, I’m very hard to locate.

I guess it’s a good thing he doesn’t know that I work on A-shift and that I’m on duty tomorrow.

I hope nobody tells him that I work at Station #3 on Williamson Rd.

It’s also a good thing that he doesn’t know that I’m the driver and sleep in the first bunk on the left in the Lieutenant’s bedroom.

Of course, if he knew I’m 5’1″ with light blonde hair, hazel eyes and a baby face I’d be near impossible to miss. Shhhhhhhh!

I just hope he isn’t smart enough to come at me by kidnapping Rhett. We have a srtick policy here at Ironfiremen.com …….

WE DO NOT NEGOTIATE WITH TERRORIST ! 

I am however always open to good debate. If Chief Carter or anyone else for that matter wants to debate / argue my opinion, Im more than willing to entertain their thoughts. I’LL EVEN POST EM HERE! Just write em down and send em in. Comments are easier than ever as long as you’re logged into Face Book or don’t hide behind an anonymous name. I’m waiting by the mail box!

 LMAO… you guys stay SAFE and in House maybe this circus will move to another town.

Captain Wines

 

Posted by on February 25, 2012 • Filed under: administration-leadership, command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, funding-staffing, news, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

HEAVY FIRE, JUMPERS AND JACKED UP ON MT. DEW

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Our Brothers of  B-shift  caught some work over the weekend … a LOT of work.

Here in “The Noke”, we take a lot on pride in holding a majority of our fires to “room and content”.  Despite older homes and balloon construction, we do a good job at getting water on the fire quickly and efficiently.

This job just had too much of a jump. What makes this fire odd is how it got such a jump …. it’s only a few blocks from Station #5 and it was occupied (up and down stairs).

The call was received around 01:43am with reports of people trapped. Heavy flames (above the roof line) made the fire visible to the 1st due companies from near their station.

Upon their arrival, the crews quickly learned that the two occupants from the upstairs apartment had jumped from the 2nd floor and lay injured on the ground. With all occupants now accounted for, operations became defensive.  Read brief local news coverage HERE.

The members of stations #5, 13 and 2 of B-shift did a GREAT  job on this one … SOLID WORK! What I’d also like to share with you is part of the reason that I believe it got such a “jump” on em.

The picture shown is of the front of the house. It’s believed that the fire may have started on the 1st floor, right front bedroom (Division 1, Alpha / Delta … but remains “under investigation” at this time). It’s reported that the occupants of the first floor escaped through the front door and left it open. One of those occupants then went to the rear of the structure and opened the back door to gain access to the stairs leading up to the 2nd floor apartment.

Having both the front and rear doors open allowed the heat, smoke and gases (Fire) to rapidly spread front to back ( Alpha to Charlie ). When the 2nd floor occupants opened the door at the top of the steps, they were pushed back and forced to jump.

HERE’S THE LESSON …. YOU’VE GOT TO DO THAT 360 WALK AROUND.

As bad as the front looks, the rear sustained even heavier damage. You can’t get “tunnel vision”, focus only on the fire you can see and push into jobs  like this…. SITUATIONAL AWARENESS  … have it or die!  If you’re on the job and don’t know what that means, you’re lucky to be reading this. That’s a post in itself but nobody teaches / preaches it better than my good friend and Brother Chris Naum from over at Fire Safety.com . If you haven’t been to his site before, HIT THAT LINK …. it’s worth your time!

I’ll also say that I (and many others) consider our Department to be “AGGRESSIVE”  ( I like to think “cautiously” aggressive). We are an interior Department who, like I mentioned above; take pride in getting water on the fire quickly and efficiently. We not only get water on the fire, we get it on the seat and do so from inside.

That said, it takes DISCIPLINE  for an “aggressive” Captain / Chief  ( Company Officer ) to go defensive. It’s like you’re giving up without a fight. Well, sometimes; it’s what has to be done and my hat is off to my brothers on B-shift for having the discipline to do so. IT’S NOT AN  EASY CALL  (although it should be). We could have got several brothers hurt or killed on this one. I wish I had more pics for ya … it’s amazing that it’s still standing at all.

Do YOU have that “Situational Awareness” and “Discipline” ? 

I hope so. Again, WELL DONE  to my B-Shift Brothers … solid work and sound decisions!

Ok, moving on …. “Jacked up on Mt. Dew” ! LOL …. well that fits both me and the Buckaroo here lately.

We’ve been very busy and the result has been sporadic  postings here at Ironfiremen.com. Obviously, the farm has kept the Buckaroo and I on the road but, beyond that; I’ll try to catch ya up on some Fire Department happenings of late …

This past Saturday was VERY busy. I was scheduled for duty and it was our “Vacation Sign Up Day” . For those that may not know, we have to sign up for our days off a full year in advance. It’s a long story that I’ll explain in a future post but will tease you with the fact that Rhett ( The Fire Critic ) and I already have a lot of trips scheduled for 2012 and I got all the days off I needed.

Saturday was also our Union’s Banquet ( IAFF Local-1132) . The Banquet is ALWAYS a good time and this year was no exception!

One of the best things about the Banquet is that you get to see so many of the Brothers and Sisters that you normally don’t get to because they’re on opposite shifts.

A lot of the retirees also return on Banquet night. The picture to the right is 2 of my favorite retirees … my dad ( aka “Pop” ) and Jimmy Jennings.

Firemen… good friends, cold beer, good looking gals and a live band all in the same room….. WooooHooooo!

Attendance was up this year and everyone seemed to have a good time. Mike Hank’s tie ended up tied around his head and someone’s pants hit the dance floor! LMAO … here are a few pics from the festivities ….

 

Rhett and I even had dates! Yea …. girls … REAL ones … and pretty too!

I found this one hanging out with a real “Grinch” and convinced her to trade him on a taller model …. ME …LOL

I don’t talk about her much and don’t think I’ve ever posted a pic but that’s actually my beautiful bride of 25 years Donna.

I think the gals have as much fun at the banquet as the guys do … and WHY NOT. Married to and putting up with all us firemen …. they deserve the night out as much or more as we do.

Donna is a fairly active member in our Women’s Auxiliary . These ladies do a FANTASTIC job of supporting our members and play a HUGE roll in pulling off our Banquet.

Visit the Roanoke Firefighter’s Auxiliary Web Site or find them on Face Book .

Special Thanks to Missy Mutter, Lori Compton and all the Auxiliary members for all their hard work and efforts year round!

Things have been just as steady around the station. Vacation sign ups, riding the Battalion and Randy nearing his 6 month evaluation.

We’ve also had a few visitors drop by….

Lexington Firefighter Chris Potter stopped by for a visit. Chris made his Ironfiremen.com debut back in July after his wife invited Rhett and I down to attend his suprise Birthday Party .

See that previous post HERE

We have remained in touch and became good friends … Chris is a GREAT guy! He was in town shopping for his wife’s birthday and dropped by with a bag full of hand cut steaks for me and the crew! They were FANTASTIC  brother!!! Steak and eggs for breakfast on the morning of and during vacation sign ups …. BEAUTIFUL !!!  Thanks again Brother!

I also got to meet another avid follower / fan of the site this week.

Brother Chris Gardner stopped in for a visit and to purchase several of our Ironfiremen / Fire Critic.com Brotherhood Chips!

Chris has been trying to catch up with us for a while now …. I’m glad he did. He actually works part time for our Department as a Fire Inspector. He is also on the job up in nearby Radford, Va.

Visit the Radford Fire Department web site HERE

We always enjoy meeting and making new friends … Chris was no exception. We had the chance to sit down for a few minutes and swap a few stories etc. I enjoyed the visit and hope he finds the time to drop by again for a cup of coffee and more story telling.

OK, so to wrap it up tonight; I’ll give ya another “tease” in that I will soon be kicking off my “2011 Santa’s Sexy Helper” postings. Those of you who have been following me for a while may remember that we counted down “19 Days” in 2010

See the kick off post “Working Fires and Santa’s Sexy Helpers” by clicking HERE

See how it all ended by clicking HERE

This year, I think I’m going to narrow it down to a 10 day count down so STAY TUNED … you’re NOT going to want to miss it!

As always, thanks for reading and following along. Don’t forget to follow, like and recommend us on Face Book / Twitter as well. We start 4 day break in the morning but I’ll check back in with another post in a day or so. Until I get back, stay SAFE and in House!

Captain Wines

 

Posted by on December 5, 2011 • Filed under: command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighting-operations, fires, news, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized, videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Busy 4 day!

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We usually call it our 4 day “break” but I didn’t get much of a break on this one. Thursday and Friday was spent getting up hay and preparing the Farm for visitors and tours due to a community celebration. Everything worked out well and the Buckaroo even got in a little “creek time”.

Saturday morning, I met my Lieutenant George, his wife Caroline, sister Debra and her fiance’ Dave for a quick motorcycle ride down to Lexington. We rode down to participate in the  Sgt. Mark Riley Charity Poker Run.  Mark’s home was severely damaged in recent storms, flash flooding etc.

I couldn’t stay for the ride but Georgie did and said they had a GREAT time!  Our brothers and sisters from the Lexington Police and Fire Departments were very gracious hosts. The run took Georgie and the group through some scenic areas of my hometown … Rockbridge County. They made several stops along the way. They took in a couple of firehouses and even made it by Sgt. Riley’s house. I’m not sure of the official count but I think they had somewhere around 30 riders. I hope they were able to raise enough money to help Mark and his family get back on their feet.

That’s what brotherhood is all about! I’m glad we made the trip and I know that Sgt. Riley and his family were thankful. Georgie actually had the 3rd best hand of the run and donated his winnings back to the cause! Class act Georgie! The run ended in Buena Vista where they had a chicken dinner, live music, a raffle and silent auction. Georgie commented several times today on how much they enjoyed the day and that we plans to ride the route again. Thanks to Chief Ty Dickerson, The Lexington Fire and Police Departments for inviting us down.

I rode down to the registration (paid the fee and purchased 50/50, raffle tickets etc) but couldn’t stay for the actual ride. I spent a little time talking / visiting with Sgt. Riley, Chief Dickerson, good friends Chris and Cassie Potter and others. My visit was brief because I had to be in Charlotte, NC for a wedding.

Not just any wedding … my sister Marci’s wedding!

Marci lives in Charlotte with my mother and step father. Actually, they live just outside of the City in Indian Trail, NC.

Indian Trail is a beautiful, rural community.

They had the wedding at the house with the front yard pond as the back drop.

Family and friends did a ton of work to have everything looking “just right”.

They did an awesome job …. it was BEAUTIFUL!

The colors were purple and white with a “butterfly” theme.

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The only thing more beautiful than the setting was my little sister!

She made a stunning bride!

And yes …. I even got a little teary eyed (I do have a soft, gentle sensitive side too you know …LOL)

Everything went according to plan and off without a hitch.

Little Miss Marci Wines is now Mrs Aaron Barrier … I’m PROUD of them both and wish them MANY MANY happy years together.

There were several “neat” and “cool” things about the wedding but I’ll share just a few with ya.

First was the fact that she had 2 Grandmothers in attendance, both of which are 90+ years old.

The 2nd was the fact that she had “Granny Wines” and me sign the marriage certificate as witnesses. Mine name on there is not such a big deal but it was awesome that she thought to have Granny sign …. her signature and the memory of the signing will always be there!

Something else really cool was the Pergola Aaron (the groom) hand crafted for the ceremony.

He hand crafted this thing out of saplings and vine! It looked as if it had been there forever and fit perfectly with the decor (YES .. I just used the words “pergola” and “decor” in the same post….. see above mentioned “soft, gentle, sensitive side” comment).

The other really cool thing that I’ll share is the fact that my baby sister Jessie was in from California for the wedding!

You folks may remember Jessie for our Rampage Football trip out to California …. see that post  HERE   and HERE  .

She worked her tail off making sure all details were attended to.

Saturday, the day of the wedding; everyone was busy busy but I did get to spend a little time with her on Sunday.

The wedding was a HUGE success and everyone had a wonderful time.

CONGRATULATIONS and BEST WISHES to my sister and new husband Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Barrier!

Ok, on to Fire Department stuff. The earlier post announcing the Sgt. Mark Riley Charity Poker Run was titled “Brotherhood”. I had another example of “Brotherhood” during my trip to North Carolina. You folks may remember Firefighter Bill Shick of Charlotte’s Ladder Company #1.

See a previous post about Bill HERE

Bill is a self described “avid reader” of Ironfiremen.com and dropped by the station for a visit while traveling through back in early July. He even brought apple pie and ice cream!

Bill and I exchanged information and when he read that I was heading to Charlotte, he shot me an e-mail. Bill invited me out to his station for a visit and offered to show me around a bit. Sadly, this trip didn’t allow me the time to take him up on the offer but with family in the area, I assured him I’ll be back soon enough and we will definitely meet up for a tour, beer etc. THANKS to Firefighter Bill Shick for following the site and for the gracious offer!

My visit to NC was short because I had to be back for duty today. It’s been a fairly busy start to the dreaded Monday, Wednesday Friday tour!

We started out the morning with CPR training. The FULL EDITION of the new AHA  standards.

One person, two person, adult, child, infant … blah  blah  blah. Could they make these training videos any more BORING?

It was also a little embarrassing. You see, even though Randy is engaged to be married, I don’t think he’s kissed too many girls.

 He seemed to enjoy the “mouth to mouth” ventilation part of the class a little too much if you know what I mean. It was like watching  soft porn or something!  LMAO I felt like I needed a shower after watching it. That said, Dana is ONE LUCKY GAL because he sure looked like he knew what he was doing!

He was in HOG HEAVEN. He got to kiss a few gals he had never met (manikins) plus he got to cook!

We were late getting out of class so we were pushed for lunch. We decided to let him keep it quick and simple .. hot dogs, chili and fries.  EASY right?

Apparently NOT.

Who knew it took an hour and a half to bake a pan of fries and fix a few chili dogs? I thought we had adequately explained to him how we eat at noon and six. I though that’s why we chose dogs and fries. Hummm?

.

Maybe he’d do better this evening?

I’m not sure how to answer that one.

It seems as though I have another “NINJA COOK” in my midst (that’s what I used to call Opie back in our Melrose Misfit days).

I call him a Ninja cook because  dinner hit the table at 6pm but I never seen Randy in the kitchen. It was almost like Boots helped did it for him.

Or maybe he really is a Ninja and was able to sneak in and out of the kitchen without  being detected? LMAO

All kidding aside, Randy did cook today. Boots helped him out a little bit this evening but all in all, and despite being late for lunch;  Randy did a good job. Once again I’m proud of him.

Apparently, I’m not the only one proud of Randy and his performance.

It’s seems as though Dana and his parents feel the same way.

He neglected to remind me that he had a birthday back on the 4th.  They threw him a nice surprise party over this 4 day break. Not only did they throw him a party, they also got him somethings he’s been wanting since getting on the job… A leather style helmet!

A brand new 1010 complete with a Fox Fire Illuminating Helmet Bandand New York “insert” style shield!  VERY NICE!!!   Ain’t he cute?

So, this evening; we have little Randy off learning to drive the Medic truck. He should be heading back to Lucky #13 any minute now and hopefully, we will have a quiet night. As I mentioned, we’re back Wednesday and Friday. I’ll check in as soon and often as possible. Until then, stay SAFE and IN HOUSE !

Captain Wines

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by on August 15, 2011 • Filed under: ems-health-safety, ems-topics, fire-rescue-topics, news, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized, vehicle-operation-ambulances • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Middle day, 4th of July weekend

2 comments

Another beautiful day here in “The Noke” and we’re stuck on duty. It’s almost scary …. pretty weather, the 4th of July eve and we’ve actually been pretty quiet. I’m just waiting for the bottom to fall out.

I’m hoping for a quiet night but know how it will most likely end up.  Either way, we’re ready for it.

My “A – #1″ fireman, “Boots”  actually decided to come back to work today. He’s been off for about the past 3 week due to a duty injury. Nothing serious and he’s back to 100%.

He’s behind the wheel today because our Lieutenant (Georgie)  is off. We have an overtime man (McKelvey) riding backwards.  I’ve explained several times on the site how, due to staffing issues; we only have 3 men assigned to Lucky #13 here on C-shift. Next week, all that is supposed to change. Only July 8th, our latest recruit school is scheduled to graduate. I’ve been told that I will be getting one of the new “rookies” but I don’t know which one yet.

I’m kind of supprised to be getting a rookie. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for a few reasons.

First, we’re considered to be a slow house. We run our share but when compared to the run volume of other houses, we’re on the bottom end of the scale. I would think they would want the rookies at busier stations to get a little more experience.

Second, we are a single engine house. We don’t have a Medic unit here. We have 8 houses with ambulances. In those houses, all members assigned rotate through the Medic each cycle (firemen and medics anyway … not the Officers).

That means that if you’re at a house with a medic unit, odds are that you’ll be riding it at least one day out of our 3 day cycle. Obviously, our Medic units are a lot busier than Engine or Ladder companies. Riding the Medic is pretty much a sure bet for not sleeping. Again, I’d think they would want the rookies in a house with a medic unit.

Now, don’t get me wrong … it’s not that I don’t want a rookie, I just would have thought they would have put them at a busy house or with a Medic truck. Getting a rookie here is actually more good for me than the rookie. You see, I have a GREAT crew. A well seasoned crew of veterans. Although we train and hone our skills, we don’t have to be as aggressive at it as we will with a rookie. Now, it’s more like “brushing up” or “fine tuning”. With a fresh rookie it will training all day everyday. Good for us (me, Georgie and Boots) because it will keep us fresh….and, I guess even better for the rookie because he is going to be subjected to years of on the job experience and quality training.

Our Captains have no say in who is or isn’t assigned to our companies. Most likely, I wont even know which rookie I’m getting until he walks through the door. Heck, the Battalion Chiefs wont find out until the last minute.  Assignments are made out of “down town” by a person behind a desk. He tells the battalions who they get and where they are assigned (yea…the Battalions don’t even make their own station assignments). For whatever reason, assignments are a “big secret”. Even Captains are fair game. When this group of cadets come out, there will be several more moves of additional personnel to make room for the new hires. 

Some of the moves make sense … others don’t. Senior men and even officers are often moved for no apparent rhyme or reason. It often appears as if some are retaliation moves, some are the “good ol boy system” at work while others are just because they can. Micro Management !  Abraham Lincoln once said …

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power”

So anyway, Boots is back today, Georgie will be back Tuesday and next week we’ll have a brand new guy.

Moving on, we had a really cool visitor today….

That’s Firefighter Bill Shick of Charlotte NC ‘s Ladder Company #1. Bill says he’s and avid reader and fan of Ironfiremen.com.  Can you believe it ? All this time and I finally got to meet him … my ONE reader and fan …LOL.

Bill was heading home from the DC area said he just had to stop in for a visit.  HOW COOL IS THAT ?!? He even brought gifts … apple pie and ice cream!

I really enjoyed the visit. I’m still shocked and humbled every time someone comes up and says they follow and like the site. Bill got a quick tour of the house but mostly we hung out by the rig and talked. He seemed like a great guy.

From what I know, Charlotte has a great Department. I’ve met several of their members in the past while playing football in the National Public Safety Football League. See previous posts   HERE   HERE   and  HERE .  They have 41 Engines, 15 ladders and 1,044 suppression personnel.

Learn more and visit the Charlotte Fire Department web site HERE

Bill says he passes through here about 3 times a year. He’s always welcome and will have a place to stay. Thanks for everything Brother! For thinking of us, for taking the time to stop by, for the pie and ice cream (it was delicious) and for following the site!

Charlotte is a cool place to visit as well. Not only have I been there playing football, I have family there. My mom, step dad and sister live in Indian Trail which is just on the outskirts. I’ll be heading down there again August for my sisters wedding.

Hopefully I can take in a few of the places I visited on previous trips and maybe even hook up with Bill and / or some other Brothers I know down there.

While playing ball in 2010, we ended up at a really cool bar … Whiskey River. They have a mechanical bull and everything … that’s one of our players girlfriend riding it back in 2010.

A Charlotte FD Brother and Cobra player #55 Nick Henderson took REALLY good care of us while we were there. That’s Nick with the red shirt in the center.

I hope I can catch up with Nick while down there in August. I can’t remember her name but I also hope he’s still dating that cute blond by his side … she was a BLAST to hang with and as you can see .. easy on the eyes …LOL. (If you’re reading this Nick … shoot me an e-mail and we’ll work out the details for me buying you a beer in August)

Moving on …. there is a pretty good employment oppurtunity here locally.

Brother Ty Dickerson dropped me an e-mail to let me know that the Lexington, Va Fire Department is hiring!

I have talked about the Lexington Fire Department many times here on Ironfiremen.

My history runs deep in Lexington. I was born there at Stonewall Jackson Hospital and live there as a child.

My dad began his firefighting career as a volunteer in Lexington back in 1968.

Most recently, I blogged about Lexington after making the trip up for birthday dinner and drinks with Brother Chris Potter. That’s my cousin Jarred Harlow on the far left, Chris Potter on the far right and Assistant Chief Jimmy Swink and the Buckaroo in the center.

We had a great time at dinner and afterwards, the fellas gave me the grand tour of the station.

 Read the related post … I was  Honored and Humbled !

This is not the station my dad started out in but they have done a great job in holding onto a lot of their history.

They have it displayed all over the house (check out the link above for some cool pics)

It’s obvious that the Lexington Fire Department is full of tradition,  honor and pride!

Wooden 50′ ladders, hand drawn ladders, old helmets, banners etc … they have tons of their history on display. They are not far off on I-81 so if you ever get the chance to stop in for a visit .. I highly recommend it (Lexington is also the home of VMI and Washington and Lee University).

As far as that goes …. you may even want to go to work for them. It sounds to me like a great oppurtunity to “get in on the ground floor” of a growing and progressive Department.

They will be hiring  3 – Firefighter / EMT’s, 3 – Firefighter / Medic’s,  a Fire / Rescue Technician and a Fire/Rescue Lieutenant. Application Deadline is Monday, July 18, 2011.  The pay ranges from $31,300-$45,200. Visit the Lexington Fire Department’s web page  HERE  or …

Click HERE for job descriptions, requirements and applications .

Ok, I think I’ll stop here for the night. Before I go … don’t forget to start making plans to attend Firehouse Expo in Baltimore, Md July 19-23. Rhett (Fire Critic) and I will be in Booth #743 with Fire Geezer and Dave Statter.  We will also be participating in the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb.  They need more members to climb !!

Brother Bill Carey challenges you to “Put all that ‘brotherhood’ and ‘never forget’ talk where your feet are” !

Click HERE for details and to sign up to climb

See ya in Baltimore! Until next time, Stay Safe and in House!

Captain Wines

 

 

 

 

Posted by on July 3, 2011 • Filed under: fire-rescue-topics, funding-staffing, news, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,