Blowin’ Smoke with Matt Flagler

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My name is Matt Flagler. I am a father and a Fireman. I am a Lieutenant with the Cincinnati Fire Department. After serving in a variety of roles for the CFD, both operational and administrative, I am currently assigned in Operations, on Engine Company Three, the best engine in the city.

When I come home, I serve as the Volunteer Assistant Fire Chief for Wyoming, Ohio Fire-EMS. We are a 78 member combination department where 100% of the firefighting and BLS transport operations are provided by volunteers.

I am also involved in many other endeavors, regional IMAT, Chief’s association, IAFF etc. However, the one area that I am very passionate about is helping firefighters in developing nations. Check out an awesome project at https://www.facebook.com/AfricaFireMission . We could use your support!

How many years have you served in the fire service?

I began as a cadet (junior firefighter) a little over 25 years ago. I have been a firefighter for 21 years now.

Why did you join the fire service?

Growing up in a volunteer firefighting family, I always knew I would have an involvement in the fire service. Once in college I was searching for a career path when I realized that as a then part-time firefighter I had a job I loved and that I actually looked forward to going to work. From that day forward I leaned into the job and have made it my life’s work.

I specifically like the family atmosphere and the physical and mental challenges that come with every call.

Is there any distinct way that you have tried to make a difference?

I love working with people. I work very hard to help others enter, survive and thrive in our profession. I enjoy teaching and working with our newest firefighters very much. I hope these efforts accomplish two ends: First to make sure that our citizens, our civic leaders and most importantly the fire service itself knows that Firefighters (people) are the most important part of keeping a community safe. Second, I hope that our Firefighters take their value to heart: working hard, being safe and serving their citizens fully, no matter what the call or who the caller.

Have you accomplished any specific personal goals during your career?

Yes. However, I am most proud of the group goals that I have accomplished while working with other firefighters. Being part of an amazing team that integrated two volunteer departments successfully is just one example.

What is the biggest change that you have witnessed since joining the fire service?

When I first joined the fire service, the Fire Department was seen as a vital function of local government. Following September 11, the fire service took on many additional duties to better protect our communities. With the depressed economy, many fire departments are seen as a drain on the budget, and often the first place to cut. I have experienced this reality in both my urban and small town environment.

What do you believe is the biggest challenge that the fire service faces today?

The biggest challenge we face is reversing the trend of diminished value to our communities. We need to be active. We need to use solid data to support our requests for resources. We even need to change (gasp) our way of thinking, of deployment, of procedures.

What is the best firehouse prank that you might have “allegedly” been involved in throughout your career?

A tried-and-true Cincinnati Fire tradition is to baptize the proby on his/her firs day in the firehouse. The Captain will say “Come on kid, stand in front of the firehouse and we’ll take your picture”. Meanwhile, the rest of the company is waiting on the roof above with buckets of water.

On a related note, if you’re ever on the bay floor of a Cincinnati firehouse on a hot summer day, and someone from above calls you over to the pole hole to “show you something”, that “something” will also be a bucket of water.

During your many years on the job, how were you able to push through the darkest of times?

Three F’s. Faith. Family. Firefighters. Being open to all three will see you through.

If you could provide some of the younger generation of firefighters with a few “words of wisdom,” what would they be?

Firefighting is very much a job. When you have a job, you are expected to WORK. Hard. Paid or volunteer, you are your community’s only line of defense from fire and disaster. When that call for service comes you must take action. You must push your physical limits. You will even have to take calculated risks to protect others.

But more than that hero stuff, the WORK of the fire service is constant. Whose job is it to train? Yours. Whose job is it to clean that pop can out of the rescue truck? Yours. As a firefighter, especially a new one, it is ALWAYS your turn. So get in there and work. Hard. It will change your life and you won’t regret it.

Busy as a “B”

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I’m on shift today on the East side of town and we’ve had a busy day to say the least. I have kept check on the Facebook page “Likes” and very glad that we hit 2,000 likes today! I would like to thank all of our followers for checking out our Facebook page!

This is a screenshot of an apartment fire we had last shift on the west end of town via Fire Cam HD (FireVideo.net)

With a few retirements on the horizon, the rumors have started circulating at work about who is going to what shift in the moves that are to take place. This typically happens any time that a transfer is expected, and I always just look forward to the “official” announcements to put everyone’s mind at ease. As several of you may know, I am on the list for the Technical Rescue Team, and this time that plays into ”who goes where” of the moves. I was hired in on “B” shift, and have remained her for the past 5 years. All three shifts have a great set of guys. At the end of the day, I am thankful to have the BEST CAREER in the world. No matter what color day I show up to work on, I will look forward to walking through the doors for years to come.

Several of our medical runs today have been pretty serious runs that resulted in our paramedic riding in the ER with the ambulance. While we were at the ER to pick up our personnel, Engine 7 was doing the same. These are two of our four Seagrave engines, E-3 and E-7 at the hospital today.

 

With the summer approaching, we typically don’t have any more than minimum staffing on-duty. When the max number of personnel are off, then I hit the road to float between the stations to fill in for the guys who have the day off. I expect to be on the road travelling throughout most of the summer, but I enjoy working with crews that I typically may not get to work with very often. The down side is that I may not to get to work on a few of the projects that I’ve been trying to tackle at my station. This will give a few of the other guys a chance to help out some more while I am out.

This is a rough sketch of a shield that is in the design phase by 1st In Leather. Head over and LIKE their page by clicking the link. The shield will act as a memorial plaque in Station 2, where Captain Charles Berry was running out of when his apparatus (K10) crashed. His death was our most recent Line of Duty Death in 1988. The shield showcases the years on the job, the apparatus he work off of, as well as his love for fishing in his off time. You can read the article about Captain Berry by clicking here. This is going to be a great tribute to a brother that I never had the chance to meet. I will keep you posted as we work to complete the project.

Station 3 Challenge Coins

It was no coincidence that on the day that I get moved out to work on Engine 3 that our Station 3 coins arrived. These turned out GREAT and I’d like to thank Mike from NM-Coin LLC for producing such an amazing product. This is our 3rd station coin that we have designed, and we hope to design one for each station.


The design concept around the coin is partly an inside joke, and those in the area may see the relation to Station 3′s response zone. We came up with the slogan, name, and mascot just for the coin and based it off of the territory. Station 3 is on Memorial Blvd and on the downside of a hill. The station also has quite a few nursing homes that are in the first due area. That’s about all I’m going to say about it, but I’d like to think that everyone can read between the lines.
Here is a shot of the entire collection. If you are local, the coins are for sale for $7 per coin. I have a few extras, and I will also be giving some of them away on our Facebook page. If you haven’t LIKED the us on Facebook, click here to possibly get in on the giveaways!

The Blowin’ Smoke articles are taking off and I sent out around 15 emails today for individuals to complete. I know they have been some of the most popular posts to date, and I know that we have some great things in store for you! The next one features a Lieutenant with the Cincinnati Fire Department. You will want to be sure to check back and give it a read.

Stay safe,
The “Model City” Firefighter

 

Blowin’ Smoke with Brian Brush

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This is one Blowin’ Smoke article I have looked forward to posting for some time now. I first met Brian at FDIC 2012 when I had the chance to climb in his footsteps during the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. Since that day, I have looked up to Brian and have gotten to know him better. Brian walks the walk. I hope you enjoy the article as much as I did. Also check out some of Brian’s work at www.fireservicewarrior.com.

My name is Brian Brush, I live in a suburb of Denver Colorado with my wife of 10 years and 3 children. I am a Lieutenant in Lakewood, Colorado for a what I would consider a mid-sized department that serves about 270,000 people across 120 square miles on the West side of the Denver Metro. The operations division responded to just over 30,000 calls in 2012. At full strength we are 340 members running out of 15 stations with a daily staffing of 87 firefighters for 15 engines, 9 medic units, 3 trucks, 1 heavy rescue, 3 chiefs,  a safety officer and on duty fire investigator.  My current assignment is the technical rescue station, a two company firehouse with the Heavy Recue and an Engine.

How many years have you served in the fire service and why did you join the fire service?

16 years  -

I came to the fire service as a volunteer in my home town in Northern California at 16 years old. Since most of the adult volunteers worked outside of the town the department depended on the young volunteers at the high school responding to the station by pager to be the tailboarders for the career officer and driver.

At the time becoming a firefighter was  a really cool way to get out of class on a regular basis but looking back I can’t begin to tell you how blessed I am to have been introduced to the fire service at such a young and impressionable age.  My passion for the fire service, its values and traditions were forged at the perfect time.  I was asked recently if I ever had considered joining the armed forces and I joked that the military never had a chance, the fire service drafted me two years before any recruiter had their opportunity. After that kind of introduction to the fire service and the example set by the firefighters I worked for, I really never considered doing anything else as a young adult; I just knew I found it.

I went on from there to school at Oklahoma State to study Fire Engineering, returning to work as a seasonal firefighter for the California Department of Forestry (now Cal Fire) in the summers, traveling the state on an engine going to fires. In my last year at OSU before moving to Denver I was hired at Oklahoma State Fire Service Training as a tech and it was there that I really found my interest in training, teaching and attention to detail in skills work.

In 2002 I was hired at my current department and have been lucky to have served in a variety of companies and special teams including USAR Colorado Task Force 1 as a Rescue Specialist for a few years.

Is there any distinct way that you have tried to make a difference?

I don’t know how to answer this one because the times I try to make a difference I usually fail. The times I seem to have made the biggest difference I was just doing what I thought was right.

Have you accomplished any specific personal goals during your career?

I certainly have personal goals and aspirations, I have also been fortunate to have been in the right spot when opportunities have come along.  Becoming a career firefighter was the first step to all this, that at the time was an all-consuming goal. I will never forget the sense of accomplishment that came when that badge was pinned by my father.

Since then I have tried to keep pressing,  completing paramedic, my bachelor’s degree.  Special certifications like technical rescue, public safety diver, USAR, promoting to lieutenant and now working through my EFO.

Aside from the “career track” I have found incredible inspiration in my work with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb Campaign and I will continue to try to support the goal of honoring the 343 and supporting survivors by expanding that tribute.

Finally, moments like this; getting to talk about my passion for the fire service with a brother who appreciates the trade the way that I do.  I believe that getting to the point where I have found a way to network with like-minded individuals from around the country on a regular basis is an unrealized personal goal that has brought me a great deal of motivation.

What is the biggest change that you have witnessed since joining the fire service?

I think that it might be the amount of requirements. It seems cliché but, I remember a simpler time when you would come up with ideas for training and you decided to go do x,y or z in your district between running calls. Now it seems that there are so many requirements to meet, demands for our attention and performance pressures that our time in the station that it is nearly completely scripted for us when we walk in the door. For example in my current company, I add up the required hours for basic fire training, ems continuing education, technical rescue technician, RIT, then add in new programs like Blue Card and put them on a schedule that includes checking and maintaining the apparatus and equipment of a special operations company, keeping a firehouse in working order and meeting the administrative duties of the first in as well through business inspections, hydrants, community outreach programs  and so on, you start to wonder what happened.  A lot of this is due to my change in perspective over the years from firefighter to company officer but I also believe that the do more with less, be more with less is a much harsher reality than most are willing to admit.

What do you believe is the biggest challenge that the fire service faces today?

Where do you begin to answer this one? Dictated/mandated training is failing in function and will continue to as long as it is being dictated and mandated by people who do not know the current state of affairs in the street or information developing in the field of research. Two and 3 person engine companies are a reality but they don’t look right in text books so we will just act like it isn’t. Unfit firefighters die because of known physical and mental limitations but it is easier to document “lack of sufficient incident command”, “poor communication” and “lack of accountability”. Political attacks and tax ignorance, plus a poor economy, coupled with vendors treating firefighters as government contracts are fiscally destroying us.  Attempts to solve real problems with avoidance strategies or advances in technology.  I think that might be a long enough of a rant about challenges.

What is the best firehouse prank that you might have “allegedly” been involved in throughout your career?

I have either been caught in the act or had no connection what so ever to firehouse pranks so therefore I cannot answer to any “alleged” involvement.

During your many years on the job, how were you able to push through the darkest of times?

Support and perspective. The really difficult calls and events we typically go through with each other and you get through them by trying to supporting each other. When it goes beyond that, the few times that those calls have snuck out of the firehouse and followed me home I have been fortunate to have a very supportive wife.  When it comes to dark times professionally I think it is perspective, I may get incredibly frustrated with the way something is going at the department, be it cutting positions, budgets or even just a poor example being set then 20 minutes later be on a run for a medical at a school and see a group of kids looking at us like we are super heroes and you realize that the “darkness” is temporary and for the most part completely within our control

If you could provide some of the younger generation of firefighters with a few “words of wisdom,” what would they be?

It is good to love what you do.  I think too often we eat our young. These guys work their butts off just getting hired, complete a 20 week academy and then the first year of the job of their dreams they meet guys who downplay the importance of what we do, belittle the need to prepare and disrespect the potential risks we face.  This is an outstanding profession, paid or volunteer, we have an incredible stock of public trust, we get to do some amazing things but if we aren’t careful we could be taken off this earth in a heartbeat.  You will be better served if you love what you do, so wear your heart on your sleeve when you wear your badge on your chest. Trying to be cool by standing in the corner, sitting in the lazy boy or talking trash isn’t getting us anywhere. We are here to put out the fires in the buildings not our brothers.

Conclusion

I want to just add a disclosure to this interview to whoever happens to read this. I am not perfect in any way shape or form. As you read this I am probably making several mistakes simultaneously, I do not train as much as I should and I am nowhere near in the shape that I want to be. I can give back more and bitch less, I can listen to, learn from and look to others more than I do. I certainly can be a better company officer, father, husband and citizen. With all of this I hope that you can see that we have a lot in common, I just happen to be the one that got picked to be interviewed. It doesn’t mean I am anything special or different then you. The important thing is I recognize I am not who I want to be and I need to work towards being that person. Hopefully the day I walk off this earth I will be a little closer to that guy then I am today.

Being “That Guy”

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Since getting my assignment to Station 2 in January of this year, I’ve dumped a little money and a lot of time into the projects I have been working on. I never once had any second thoughts about doing it because I have a positive attitude and love my job. I realize that each department, including my own, has the guys that may not have the best attitude and may not “get it.” I’m no better than any of the other guys, and probably even fall short of expectations at times. I’m not liked by all, and to be honest…probably hated by a few.

When it comes to work, I take pride in my department, my station, and my profession. I believe in tradition. With that being said, I believe just because things have always been done “this way,” it doesn’t mean it should always continue to be done. Also, just because things may not have been done in the past…that doesn’t mean that new traditions shouldn’t be created.

I have posted recently about several of the station projects I have been working on. I have no hesitation to spend a few dollars here and there to make the station feel more like a ”home.” After all, we live here roughly 10 days a month for 24 hours at a time. With bland walls, the station can be a gloomy place. I also am sure to always ask for feedback and ideas from the guys that work out of the station. I don’t want others to look back and say that I decorated the station the way I wanted it.

We have those who don’t comment on the things I have done. Is it because they don’t notice? Of course not. As soon as you walk in the station, you can’t help by to notice the things that have been done. None of these things could have been accomplished without the help and support of those within my department though. The comments saying that they like what the projects I’ve been working on keep me going. I also seem to catch hell from a number of the guys, but lets face it…I work at a firehouse. It is expected and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

A senior driver on my shift once told me, “If we didn’t like you, we wouldn’t give you a hard time. Look at those that aren’t liked…people don’t talk to them.” I quickly replied with, “I am glad that ya’ll like me, but apparently ya’ll LOVE me. Maybe I’d prefer if everyone didn’t LIKE me quite so much.”

In all seriousness, I have no problem being “that guy.” I have enjoyed touching up the station with the patch wall, making our station logo come to reality, putting up framed photos that showcase the history of our station, etc. Within a few weeks, I hope to have a custom flagpole mounted out on the front balcony of our station. It is my hopes that a new tradition will be created at this station by the raising and lowering of the flag each day.

Recently, I received a message on Facebook from a fellow first responder in the Tri-Cities. I can’t express in words at how great it truly felt to read that someone had taken notice to the work I had put into my firehouse. Below is an excerpt of the message:

“I just wanted to take a minute to tell you that I went by station 2 last sunday and I really like the things you have done. I think it is very important that the guys know and understand the history behind firefighting and kfd. I also enjoy reading your post and looking at the pictures you post. Keep up the good work my friend although I’m just a ems/rescue junkie , you won’t see me fighting fire. So thanks for your hard work and dedication”

For both of my readers that follow my blog, I want to stress to you how important it is to take pride in your station/department. I haven’t met anyone that has told me “our department/station morale could not use any improvement.” Showcase the history that your department has, and be proud of it. While my Captain was going over my evaluation today, he reminded me that it is making an impact on others. Many of you may not realize what a few simple projects can do for the morale. Take the time and communicate with your crew to see what you may be able to offer. Make a team effort out of it. Don’t let the negativity push you away from accomplishing tasks. My Chief even joked that I should let him know when I finish with my station so that he can move me to get started on the next.

I have attached a few photos below of an update of a few of the projects. As always, feel free to leave feedback and let us know what you are doing around your station.

The Mourning Never Ends

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It seems to never end. It seems to be getting worse.

I have been away from the TV and internet a lot of the day with the typical Friday chores at work. We have been pretty busy with CEU class, service calls, and mowing the lawn since the start of the shift this morning. See the latest at Statter 911 by clicking here.

I did catch the reports of the 5 alarm fire in Houston earlier today after the MAYDAY had been transmitted, and early reports stated five or six injured firefighters (a couple critical). I was afraid that there was going to be a LODD or two based on the reports that I was getting earlier in the day. It wasn’t until this evening that I was told that the injured listed above were in addition to four of our brothers who were killed in the Line of Duty.

Every situation is different, and they are taking place all across the US. It seems that Texas has been hit hard recently with losing members of the fire service.

From Bryan, TX, to West; from West to Dallas; Dallas to Houston…they continue.

It’s more often than not that I see a thin red line profile picture on Facebook while scrolling through my friends. Maybe part of it is that everything is publicized more on social media then it used to be, but there is no doubt that it’s happening more frequent.

Each time a LODD occurs across the country, we all mourn. We all relate to what situation they are reported to have been in. We have all had moments and situations that we should not have been in, and we relate to how we managed to not become a statistic.

I mourn each time that I hear of a brother or sister passing away in the line of duty. I honestly think it effects me more and more each time I read a news report. I have lost sleep over them…over the deaths of individuals that I have never met. Why? I think it’s because each day I have more and more to live for, and couldn’t imagine leaving my family and loved ones behind. I knew going in to this that it was a dangerous business, and that I pray that I will do what I need to in when faced with a tough situation.

Let us truly remember each and every brother and sister who are killed in the Line of Duty. Let us mourn the loss. Let us remember their family. Let us study what happened. Let us train to beat the odds. Let’s face it…the odds are against us.

Read and remember those who were killed today (information from the Houston Fire Department):

Captain EMT Matthew Renaud (35) of Engine 68. He began his career with the Houston Fire Department in October of 2001 and in addition to Fire Station 68, has served out of stations 51, 39, 83, 73, 37, 60 and 35.

 

Engineer Operator EMT Robert Bebee (41) of Station 51. He began his career with the Houston Fire Department in August of 2001 and in addition to Fire Station 51, has served out of Stations 37, 40, 10 and 48.

 

Firefighter EMT Robert Garner (29) of Station 68. He began his career with the Houston Fire Department in October of 2010 and has served out of Fire Station 68 since.

 

Probationary Firefighter Anne Sullivan (24) of Station 68. She graduated from Houston Fire Department Academy this past April and was assigned to Fire Station 68.

Blowin’ Smoke with Christopher Brennan

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The featured member of the fire service in this article is one who had made an impact with individuals across the country. I first met Chris in 2012 at FDIC, and I had followed his articles prior to meeting him. I am thankful for Chris taking time out of his busy schedule to complete this Blowin’ Smoke article.

Christopher Brennan is the author of The Combat Position: Achieving Firefighter Readiness (PennWell 2011), editor and contributing author to Fire Service Warrior Foundations (Spartan Concepts 2012), publisher and editor-in-chief of the website www.fireservicewarrior.com and regular contributor to Fire Engineering on the topics of Firefighter fitness and decision making.  Chris is the founder of the “Fire Service Warrior Concept” which postulates that firefighters will experience greater longevity and wellness, as well as reduced risk of injury or death, if they have prepared themselves to Thrive on the Fireground.  Chris has presented programs at the Fire Department Instructors’ Conference, the Nebraska Society of Fire Instructors Les Lukert Conference, for the Pikes Peak Firefighter’s Association, the Illinois Fire Chiefs’ Association, and the Terry Fund – Colorado Chapter, as well as to numerous other state and local departments.  Chris has been an active instructor and consultant for Fire, Law Enforcement, Emergency Management, and Public Heath agencies, for the Department of Defense, and for friendly foreign governments since 2001, has 16 years of experience as a paid-on-call, part time and career firefighter.

How many years have you served in the fire service?

I am in my 17th year of service.

Why did you join the fire service?

I got into the fire service because I liked the idea of doing something that was physically and mentally challenging that also gave me the chance to help people.  I was raised doing a lot of service work and a career that allowed me to keep that up has meant a lot.

Is there any distinct way that you have tried to make a difference?

I think that the writing and instructing I do has been the biggest way I have tried to make a difference.  I’ve pulled I a lot of material from law enforcement and military communities that I had never seen in the fire service with respect to training the body and the mind to thrive on the fireground.  I’ve gotten emails from firefighters who have said that the work I’m doing has helped them turn their career and life around.  That means a lot.

Have you accomplished any specific personal goals during your career?

Publishing a philosophy book for the fire service is the biggest personal goal I set for myself that I have accomplished so far.  I am currently in line to be promoted to Lieutenant at my department and that is another challenge I hope I have the opportunity to test my hand at.

What do you believe is the biggest challenge that the fire service faces today?

I think the biggest challenge the fire service is facing is the constant demand that we “Do more with less.”  The only way to do more with less is to reduce the work load of an individual through a technological change or to maximize the ability of the individual firefighter.  I see it as my responsibility to help firefighters maximize their ability.

During your many years on the job, how were you able to push through the darkest of times?

I try very hard to not look upon any time as “the darkest time” but to see whatever moment I am in as being a chance to live my life, to grow, and to learn.  Over the last 16 years I have had a friend die after being lost, running out of air, and having a building collapse on him; I’ve experienced a divorce and ten years later a custody battle; I’ve had a friend die from occupational cancer and my wife has battled cancer for the third time in her life.  These experiences have been difficult of course, but at the end of the day I still consider myself to be a very fortunate man and I’m grateful for all I have.  Throughout this world there are people who are suffering every minute of every day from famine, from a lack of clean water, who live in oppressive nations where their safety is in constant peril, and who are subjected to horror and abuse at the hands of loved ones.  I have the chance to read, to think, to write, and to fight fires.  Recognizing how fortunate I am pushes me.

If you could provide some of the younger generation of firefighters with a few “words of wisdom,” what would they be?

Don’t Stop; I have that tattooed on my arm, and it’s burned in my soul.  Don’t stop striving to be your best; don’t stop training; don’t stop learning.  Never accept mediocrity.  However even more so than that I think they should commit to memory the words of wisdom from a man far more eloquent than I, Chief Tecumseh:  “So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none. When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision. When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.”

If you or someone you know would like to be featured in a Blowin’ Smoke article, send us a message on our Facebook page here or comment below.

Our Freedom Didn’t Come Free

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As I put on my uniform this evening, I am thankful for all of those men and women who served this great country. Many of those have given their lives for this country, and many continue to lose their lives on a daily basis. It is great to scroll through social media and read all the statuses about our military personnel. There are many thanks going out to all of them today, and we should remember them more often.

My grandfather, Robert G. Veselik, was a Sergeant in the US Army Air Force. He served from 1941 til 1946 while working in data processing of coded weather data for the D-Day invasion. He also worked at the Pentagon after the war. I had the pleasure of knowing him for the first 23 years of my life. While we didn’t talk much about his service, he was a stern man. There isn’t a day that goes by when I wish we could have sat and discussed the old days more. I remember him telling me about meeting my grandmother and how simple life seemed back then. On a day like today, he has stayed on my mind.

 

I have many friends that are veterans, may co-workers that are veterans, and have some family members that are veterans. Let us all remember them today and be thankful for the time we are able to spend with them.

Happy Memorial Day!

Product Review- Smoke Is Showing

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Smoke Is Showing Fireground Photography

“Smoke is Showing”, is an online gallery dedicated to Fire Service photography. It is operated by Mitchell Brown, and he is the photographer as well as the Canadian Director of the International Fire Photographers Association. He currently lives in Southern Ontario, between Toronto and Niagara Falls. He is also an Official Photographer for the National Firefighters Endowment.

Services
Smoke is Showing provides photography for training, live scene, apparatus and traditional firefighter portraits, and collages to departments in the area. They also create custom and creative helmet and turn out gear images. He is available to travel to meet your needs.

  • Training images are a valuable tool for both positive re-enforcement and to address areas for improvement.
  • Most departments have Class A portraits of their members as well as collages.
  • Live scene images can be used for an investigative tool and for archival purposes.
  • Apparatus, custom and traditional portraits are always in demand for archival, identification and personal purposes.
  • Custom helmet and turn out gear imagery are just plain “cool” to hang on your wall.

Features

Online Gallery- Smoke is Showing offers an online gallery of Brown’s work. You can view his work by clicking here.

Prints/Posters- The images that are available for purchase can be seen by clicking here. Many departments have wall art hanging around their station, and I would recommend looking through his work to consider in decorating your firehouse.

Helmet Photos- Smoke is Showing also will customize an image for you. I sent him an image of my helmet after a fire, and he was able to really make the photograph POP! You can contact him about touching up your photographs or any needs that you have.

 

Review
Smoke is Showing sent me several images that I have around the house. He also completed the enhancement on my helmet photo. The work was completed very quickly, and the images he captures are even breathtaking at times. I would recommend anyone looking for fire photographs or wanting photos taken to get in contact with him.

Contact Information
Phone: 905-929-3686
Website: www.smokeisshowing.ca
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SmokeIsShowing
Email: contactmitchell@hotmail.com

 

Catching Up

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I’ve been away from the computer a little bit lately and only relying on my Facebook page for means of communication. I’ve had a couple of weeks off from my part-time work, which is where I typically do most of my posting. Anyways, I wanted to shoot something on the site to keep everyone posted with how things were going.

If you aren’t following us on Facebook, click here!

Blowin’ Smoke

Our next Blowin’ Smoke article will feature Brian Brush from West Metro Fire in Colorado. I first met him a couple of years ago at the FDIC 9/11 Memorial Stair climb, and have kept in contact since. Brush was one of the original ones that climbed the 110 stories for the 343 several years ago. He is very aggressive into firefighter fitness and also writes some for Fire Service Warrior. The article is simply amazing. He is able to tell his story so well, and shares information that I think we can all learn from. I have the post ready to go, and am hoping to share it when we hit 2,000 likes on our Facebook page. That’s only about 350 more…and I know we can hit it soon! Be sure to share it with your friends and co-workers.

Station 2 / Company Pride

I am about to wrap up several of my projects at The Deuce! We are hoping to have our station logo finished up today, and we will be putting up some old photos from the 50′s and 60′s tomorrow in our kitchen area. We also have 100 patches of our logo on the way from NM-Coin. As always, further projects are in the works, but I am trying to wrap a few of them up. Stay tuned for a new article about the station within the coming week.

Thanks to everyone who has sent patches our way! Our collection has more than doubled, and they are still rolling in. If you would like to trade patches, let me know! We still have a spot on our wall for your station/department patch. Contact me on my Facebook page or at admin@modelcityfirefighter.com.

Speaking of station pride, be sure to check out The Fire Critic’s newest article posted this morning about company pride and moral. Click here to read Improving Fire Department Morale at the Company Level. There are a lot o great points in the article, and many of which I have been working on incorporating into our firehouse.

Charleston 9

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation has just recently released a very in-depth video of the changes that have taken place in the Charleston Fire Department since the 9 firefighters died on June 18th, 2007. The video covers the old traditions that had to be transformed into new traditions. It also showcases changes that were implemented under the leadership of Chief Tom Carr.

P-90 X’s Tony Horton Becomes A Firefighter for a Day
I came across this video this morning on the Firefighter Wife Facebook fan page. It says that it was posted on May 3rd, 2013…so it may be old news that I missed. Anyhow, in this video, Tony Horton from P-90X stops by the Santa Monica Fire Department. He helps them on their workouts, they show him what it’s like being a firefighter, and he even slams them for having SODA in the fridge at the firehouse!

That’s all for now
-AC

Blowin’ Smoke with 10seventyfive.com

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Blowin’ Smoke is back! This week it features “the anonymous guy that writes for www.10seventyfive.com.” If you haven’t checked out the site, you are missing out. I recently had the chance to meet this blogger at FDIC. The only way I was able to figure it out was by the 10seventyfive t-shirt that he was sporting at the Hard Rock. This article is probably unique in that he has only been in the fire service a few years, but he has been really active and catching on quick!

How many years have you served in the fire service?

I’ve been in the fire service for four years.

Why did you join the fire service?

I left the military and was looking for a way to give back.  I ended up finding a vollie department and immediately fell in love with it.

Is there any distinct way that you have tried to make a difference?

I’m a huge fan and advocate for new technology in the fire service.  After pleading to get a CAD system that would send text messages since people don’t keep their radios on them, I finally set one up on my own and everyone fell in love with it.  It’s increased the amount of people that respond to calls by a pretty large amount.  Any chance I get to try and introduce a new technology to the department is one that I take.  Outside of that, I try to keep up-to-date on the latest methods and training in the fire service, try to master it, and then teach others around me.  Until recently, the training culture in our department was very lax, but now we’ve established a very good training program. We’re finally able to implement a PT program that I’ve been pushing for since I joined.  I can’t take full credit for any of it, but I like to think that I’ve helped make some of it a reality.

Have you accomplished any specific personal goals during your career?

I’ve accomplished a ton of personal goals, but there are a lot more that I’m still striving to reach.  When I first started, it was things like “memorize everything on the engine” and “learn how to pump the truck”.  I still have those small goals that I work towards every day, including becoming better and more efficient at tasks that I already know how to do, but my long term goal is to learn how to become a better leader and mentor.

What is the biggest change that you have witnessed since joining the fire service?

I’ve only been in the fire service for 4 years, and all of that has been spent in my tiny little volunteer department, so I obviously don’t have a very broad career to draw from on this question.  One thing that I have noticed though, is that the fire service seems like it’s finally starting to take safety and accountability seriously.  The state of Texas is making the “Courage To Be Safe” class mandatory for ALL firefighters in Texas by either 2014 or 2015, and I see this is a very positive thing.  Between talking to the old-timers and reading, it seems like the fire service has always had a mentality of “invincibility” and it seems like we’re finally realizing that it just isn’t true anymore.

What do you believe is the biggest challenge that the fire service faces today?

I don’t think that I would call it the “biggest” challenge, but with the cameras, cell phones, and wide-spread media presence that we didn’t have 5 or 10 years ago, I think we’re looking at having to finally learn how to manage PR.  A good example of this is the recent video that Dave Statter posted where a Captain in Florida goes off on a man for filming an LZ.  Although the Captain crossed the line, in the past it’s something that might have been talked about between friends and forgotten.  Today it is something that immediately gets posted on YouTube and leaves a bad mark on the department.  With that said, I think it’s an AMAZING PR tool if used correctly, but it’s something that we all have to be extremely aware of.

What is the best firehouse prank that you might have “allegedly” been involved in throughout your career?

Haha, no way am I answering this!

During your many years on the job, how were you able to push through the darkest of times?

Thankfully there haven’t been a whole lot of calls that really bothered me, although a few have gotten to me.  We always talk about incidents after they are over with, and everyone is very good about being open with each other when something is getting to them.  There are a few that I look back on and think “If I would’ve done X different, I wonder what would have happened?”  I’ve come to realize that I can’t let things like that get in my way.  Bad things happen to good people sometime, and it’s not our fault.  We’re there to help AFTER something happens.

If you could provide some of the younger generation of firefighters with a few “words of wisdom,” what would they be?

This is a weird question since I am part of the younger generation.  What I would tell anyone new to the fire service is to find a good mentor and to stick by them.  If someone tells you to do something differently than you’re used to, don’t ignore the advice, but add it to your toolbox.  Train as much as you can.  Learn as much as you can.  The fire service is one of the greatest things you could get in to.  When I joined the military, everyone preached about how strong the brotherhood is and they were absolutely right.   The brotherhood in the military doesn’t even hold a candle to the brotherhood in the fire service.  I thought that by joining my volunteer department that I would have something fun to do on weekends and when I wasn’t at work, but what I really got was a family.  My department has helped me out tremendously many many times, and for that I am truly grateful in every sense of the word.