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“Haunted” Suburban Chicago Fire Station to be Featured on A&E This Week

According to a news article in today’s Chicago Southtown Star, Frankfort (IL) fire station 3 on LaGrange Road will be featured on the new A&E program “Paranormal Cops” Tuesday night at 9:30 CT and again at 1:30am.

Read the full story here, including these claims by firefighters:

Shadowy things going in and out of the ambulance…a darkened figure walking in front of a firefighter watching TV one night after the rest had gone to bed…..a tall blue shadow in the hallway….several silhouettes and shadowy figures going by doors or windows and standing over their beds at night.

“I’ve heard they are friendly spirits. I just wish they would do some work around here,” Lt. Kevin Linhart said.

Fire Lt. Kevin Linhart stands in a hallway Friday near where a ghost reportedly was seen at Frankfort Fire Protection District Station 3 in Green Garden Township.
(Matt Marton/SouthtownStar)

Posted in Chicagoland, In Da House, Just For Fun, WTF?

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Posted by John Mitchell on February 8, 2010 • Comments

If You Had Something Valuable, Would You Share It With Your Crew? You Do! And You Should!

SHARE THE WEALTH!

Yesterday, I ran a post focusing on quick, simple, and innovative tailboard training sessions.  Those of us who see the length and breadth of all four seasons, including the frosty bite of Old Man Winter, have come up with a few great ideas to train on a small scale- say a company of 3- inside on your bay floor.  I asked if you might want to SHARE THE WEALTH with the rest of us looking to become better at what we do.

The results are quite impressive.  Dozens of ideas have flooded in already, and not one is a repeat of another.  You can submit your drill suggestions simply by commenting on this post, or by emailing me at blog@firedaily.com.  Keep them coming, we’ll be sharing them all shortly.

We can’t speak about SHARING THE WEALTH without again giving a shout-out to our friends at VentEnterSearch.com.  I have yet to find a better site devoted to forcible entry and rescue techniques.  Specifically, they feature a page called Tips From the Bucket of submissions from their readers sharing their wealth.  If you have a moment, page through their site- you’ll find them quite interesting!

Don’t forget to vote for your favorite Fire EMS Blog of the Year 2009.  You can vote every six hours until the polls close January 12 at 17:59 hrs ET.  The winner will be announced on the live premiere episode of the Firefighter NetCast Tuesday night at 8pm ET.  Check out the Firefighter NetCast website for all the details and links.

* * * * *

Many of you have changed shifts this new year.

Perhaps you are working for a new company officer or B/C.  The fire service is a dynamic, ever-changing experience.  Whether you feel you’ve made a move for the better or otherwise, look to your new changes as a perfect opportunity.

You now have an opportunity to learn from a new cache of individual knowledge from your new partners, or offer your own bits of wisdom to them. In either case, your opportunity to SHARE THE WEALTH results in a team that becomes better prepared to meet the challenges we all face in the coming year.  It sounds cliché, but if you strive for professionalism, you’ll probably get there sooner than you think!

Again, keep the suggestions for tailboard training drills coming, and stay warm out there!

Stay Stoked!

-J

Firefighter NetCast Premieres Live Tuesday, January 12 at 8pm ET

Click the logo above for more info

Posted in Brotherhood, In Da House, Tips and Tricks, Training, Training & Development, training-fire-rescue-topics

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 11, 2010 • Comments

What Simple “Tailboard Drills” Have You Found Valuable?

Baby it’s cold outside.  It’s our busy season.

That’s why it’s so important to stay on top of our game, now more than ever.

It’s a great time for a simple “tailboard drill.”

I’m looking for your suggestions on quick company drills that you have found to be great ways to spend a few minutes while stuck inside.

Let’s gather some ideas and we’ll use them on a future Firefighter NetCast as well!


Firefighter NetCastEpisode 1- Live Premiere Tuesday, January 12 at 8pm ET

Posted in In Da House, NetCast, Tips and Tricks, Training, Training & Development, training-fire-rescue-topics

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 10, 2010 • Comments

In The Blink of an Eye

An Indescribable Sense of Loss on an Incredibly Lucky Day

Fire Daily started just a few scant months ago as a way to stay involved in the fire service after suffering a disability on the job.  Forced into an early “retirement” of sorts, I was surprised at how much I really wasn’t enjoying it.  Beyond the medical issues, I have to tell you about the overwhelming sense of loss which became almost unbearable.

I have been a firefighter all my adult life, starting as a volunteer in my home community and eventually becoming my department’s first full-timer.  After a long while, I started all over again at a career department down the road where I began that special firefighter relationship with a whole new group of guys and gals.  My second job was as a fire and EMS instructor.  My whole life revolved around my family at home, my family at work, and my family of students and fellow instructors.

Then, the accident happened.  Another quarter of an inch shift in location, my neurologist explained, and my skull fracture would almost certainly have resulted in me becoming a quadriplegic.  So I fully appreciate the “luck” that befell me on that warm spring day in May.  But, even with help from above, I must tell you how everything changed in the blink of an eye.

Let me repeat that.

Everything changed in the blink of an eye.

The regularity of having contact with the guys and gals with whom I truly held a special bond was severed.  One day there, next day- crickets.

It’s difficult to try to describe the different relationship that developed when I was no longer part of the “team”, yet always still a part of the “family.”  Although I’m able to pop in anytime I want (there’s an open invitation forever) to break bread and bust a gut with the guys, it just isn’t the same.  I’m not going to be on the line with them for the next “big one.” Or even the next little one.  Or even the advanced living center call for assistance.  Or training.  Or shopping.  Or watching “Family Guy”.

In the blink of an eye, it’s all gone now.

The longer I’ve been away, the deeper the sense of loss of being apart from them and the job I honestly loved.  This emotional response must be similar to the feeling experienced by firefighters that are forced to retire before they want to due to age. Be kind to them, folks.

Enter Fire Daily.

It all started out as a means by which I could remain somewhat connected to the fire service without gearing up and actually battling the red devil.  Blogging has been extremely medicinal for this injured firefighter/paramedic.

Just like the change that happened halfway through my career by switching departments, this new change has brought me into yet another family- a group of bloggers and readers that have quickly become my friends.  As the days and weeks and months plod along, these ties, too, will continue to strengthen.  How can I be sure?  Because we enjoy a certain pact– call it brotherhood- that is inherent to the fire service.  It lives in each of us and continues to develop each day no matter who we are, where we live, or what capacity we hold.

Although I will always have a sense of loss, I thank each and every one of my readers and fellow bloggers for allowing me to remain connected.

As another well-established blogger puts it- “Thanks for taking the time to read my stuff!”

You are my new family.

Posted in Brotherhood, Change, Close Calls, In Da House, Line of Duty

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 7, 2010 • Comments

FireYesterDaily Best of 2009- “Nicknames”

We’ve got a long way to go, but I am optimistic.  We gotta just keep pushing along.  So here is the fourth installment of “Two Thousand and Nine Favorite FireDaily Blog Posts from 2009”.

In case you missed the first three, you can find them here:

#2009-  Got a Bad Attitude?  Stay at Home!

#2008-  30 Minutes a Week of Training is Unfair and “Unreal”

#2007- “Da Chief”

#2006  “Nicknames”

So we find ourselves sitting around the kitchen table patiently waiting for someone to make the first move to clean up the dishes, and digesting Scotty’s Garlic Stoup- of which none is left.

Perhaps drunk off the stuff, one of the guys burps then blurts out from nowhere, “I need a nickname.”

Oops.

Click here for the full story

Posted in In Da House, Just For Fun, Tradition

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Posted by John Mitchell on December 22, 2009 • Comments

We Are So Eager to be Offended. Well, Get Offended About This.

When will they grow up?

In another controversial case racial tensions ignite, shining the spotlight of idiocy on a tiny majority firefighters- yet again.

A story from the Connecticut Post reports that an email sent by an FDNY Battalion Chief to the Captain at the Bridgeport CT Fire Department contained a small message at bottom.  The Bridgeport Captain then forwarded the message, along with the “offensive content” to dozens of department members of various races on November 30, apparently inadvertently. The report claims the department is “an already divided department”

Bridgeport Fire Chief Brian Rooney said he initiated an internal investigation into the matter after it came to his attention on Wednesday, and sent a department-wide letter of apology.

“We don’t condone this,” the chief said in a telephone interview Friday. “It has no place in our fire service or even in our country. (The e-mail was forwarded) innocently — it wasn’t done maliciously. We’re trying to cut it off as soon as possible … explain again that there’s a zero-tolerance policy.”

Here is a link to the original article.  It is accompanied by an unbelievable YouTube video of a so-called “religious leader” spouting some discriminatory venom.

We do not yet know who is responsible for the original message.  If you think you know, no you don’t.  If you want to believe you know, you are lying to yourself.

In my opinion, the person(s) responsible should lose their job- for starters. These imbeciles are weak and noisy, and are not fit to be called my brother.

In a few days we begin another new decade here in the United States.  Yet it seems that we are seeing more and more of these reports of prejudice and racial issues percolating and bubbling up to the surface like a noxious acid eating away at our souls.

For what?

Those of us who have been around for a few years know very well the stink of sexual harassment in the fire service.  Although the problem still exists, there is much less tolerance of this immature behavior, and rightfully so. Agencies and municipalities were and are paying out huge sums of the almighty greenback to settle multi-million dollar sexual harassment lawsuits.

Why do you think you were mandated to receive specific, focused training regarding this litigation nightmare?  Follow the money.

Is that what it will take to get us “all growed up” concerning the ancient views of intolerance of a different race?

If we don’t have what it takes to police our own personal behavior while in the workplace WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, then you’d better be willing to face up to the fact that your employer will be stepping in to show you how.

How much longer will it take before the hateful, bigoted, myopic, loud-mouthed imbeciles are called on their crap BY THEIR PEERS?

It will take firefighters that have the cojones to stand up to the tiny minority of bad apples who think it’s OK to spew the hatred that we all should have grown out of so long ago.

It’s not OK to enjoy the undying praise and admiration of children of all colors then turn around and act like a child.

Are you proud of the brotherhood you enjoy as a firefighter?  Prove it.

When you hear an idiot start mouthing off, put a stop to the crap.  Take back the pride of brotherhood you have worked so hard to earn.

Offended?  Good.  You oughtta be.  Now go do something about it.

Stay stoked!

-J

Posted in Brotherhood, In Da House, News, WTF?

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Posted by John Mitchell on December 20, 2009 • Comments

Fire YesterDaily- “Da Chief”

Der Tannenbaum ist lit.  Der blogmeisterberger ist lit too.

As we approach the end of the year, the crack staff here at FireDaily has taken advantage of the open bar.  What better time than now to return to the thrilling days of YesterMonth for the third installment of “Two Thousand and Nine Favorite FireDaily Blog Posts from 2009”.

In case you missed the first two, you can find them here:

#2009-  Got a Bad Attitude?  Stay at Home!

#2008- 30 Minutes a Week of Training is Unfair and “Unreal”

#2007- “Da Chief”

Sometimes the Fire Gods might truly smile down upon you.  When you are blessed with the presence of this special guy, drop everything you are doing and be near him. Hear what he has to say. Drink it all in… (full post here)

In the meantime, we’d better get the rest of the bar checked out.  I’ll put some more ice on….

Posted in Chicagoland, In Da House, Leadership, Tips and Tricks, Tradition, Training

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Posted by John Mitchell on December 17, 2009 • Comments

This was crap. Something had to be done. And we on black shift were just the guys to do it….

Way back in the last century, we had just returned from a particularly gruesome call. Kids in our area like to go “hill-hopping”. That’s when they take daddy’s Beamer to the roller-coaster-like hills in the rural, wooded area of our district and go fast enough to grab some air. Sometimes they land back on the pavement, and sometimes they don’t. When they don’t, we get called.

After hosing down and restocking the rig, the boys and I trooped into the kitchen looking for a lil’ something.  You know- for the effort…..

“Hey, check this out,” shouted Al as he peered into the freezer. At our station, we shared one fridge with all three shifts, so there’s always a fair amount of scrounging.

He pulled out a quart of Breyer’s and pointed at the lid. There, scrawled in black sharpie was “RED, DO NOT TOUCH!!!!!!”

Red shift had “marked” their ice cream.

Like a dog marks a tree.

“This is just wrong,” Bruce said ripping off the lid and spooning a huge chunk into his mouth. “Wha-eva havven to buvverhood?” he mouthed, chowing down on the mint chocolate chip.

“Yeah. Brotherhood,” we chimed in, each grabbing a spoon and digging into the carton like puppies at a nipple. We didn’t stop until we had polished off the forbidden fruit.

What the hell is wrong with those guys? Sure, it’s understandable to label a pack of good steaks or some special item once in awhile, but this was not the first time. It wasn’t even the eleventeenth time- this had gone on long enough to become “an issue”.

This was something that could no longer be ignored; it deserved an answer- loud and clear.

We on black shift were good at answering. Sometimes we answered too well and got our noses thumped with a newspaper from the bugles, but we usually found a way to straddle the line. And the end result was that a message was sent- and a message was received.

Here’s what we did:

Immediately, all the food in the fridge found its way onto the kitchen counter. Armed with sharpies, we each began marking all the food- leftover lasagna, half a head of cauliflower, 4 cans of pop all got the label “RED.”

Sticks of butter, yogurt cups, tomatoes. “RED.”

A carton of eggs were marked “RED” on the outside, then all the individual eggs were marked with little “R’s” to connote ownership.

Some of the eggs were even drained of their contents with a sub-Q syringe and replaced with tomato juice. Red.

RED, RED, RED, RED, RED, RED. In the pantry cabinets, individual slices of bread was marked “RED” along with Styrofoam cups and plastic utensils.

Aluminum foil was unrolled, marked, and meticulously re-rolled. Oreos (unscrewed then re-screwed), oyster crackers, banana peppers- all got marked.

We were pleased to find out how embarrassed the tightwads on red shift were when they had been called on the absurd level of frugality. It was all the news, and never forgotten.

We are brothers, dammit. If you want some of my nummies, well then help yourself, my friend. None of this “DO NOT TOUCH” crap in our house.  Need a buck?  Here.  Now don’t ever make me “buy” your brotherhood again…..

Posted in Brotherhood, Chicagoland, In Da House, Just For Fun

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Posted by John Mitchell on December 9, 2009 • Comments

We wish you a Merry Walmart and a Happy Best Buy. Not so fast… Enter Kiva.

Here we go again. We’ve been seeing posts regarding Christmas and the policies involving the display of signs on public buildings.

Bah, Humbug.

My family and I don’t understand the conflict involving the passing of good wishes to everyone during the holiday season.  We have heard the arguments, understand the dilemma faced when religion meets government meets litigation.

Why have we become so “eager to be offended?”

While we’re talking about “whatever happened to Christmas,” you may have noticed I have been featuring some videos on the site that display how uber-capitalism and has replaced the celebration of humanity and spirituality during the season.  Instead of wishing each other a Merry Christmas, or a Happy Hanukah , or any other expression of peace and love, perhaps we outta just say “We wish you a Merry Walmart and a Happy Best Buy.” Here’s one of my fav’s:

Have we lost it?

We feel all of this is counter to what we believe is the true meaning of the holiday season- whether Christian, Jewish, Afican-American, Hindu, Muslim, Neptunian, Blogger, or whatever.  It’s not about being unyielding, inflexible,or even confrontational.

It’s about love for our fellow man.

Our family said enough is enough.  Since last Christmas, our family has pledged that we will be spending less on ourselves and giving more to others.  It’s a simple as that.

Well, not quite that simple.

My eight-year old daughter used to get dozens of presents for Christmas, and will have a tough time adapting to the sudden downturn of goodies headed her way under the tree this year.  But she will be learning what I think is a valuable lesson as she goes through her life.  I hope she takes away from this lesson a certain capacity for compassion for her fellow humans- something I think might be a key element in our idealistic view of the future of humanity.

Let me start by saying I don’t think that what we’re doing is necessarily the right thing to do, nor may it be right for any of you.  We are not evangelists, we aren’t putting our values up against yours, and we are not better than anyone else because of our decision.

I simply want to tell you about how our family decided to counter-steer a bit and try to head back toward what we believe is closer to the true meaning of the holiday season.  It’s just right for us, and it might be a something you wish to consider as well.

Donating time, talent, and treasure to religious and social organizations will continue.  But in addition to throwing dollars to the needy or sheckles in the kettles, we’ve discovered an innovative way to invest in the future of those less fortunate than us.

It’s called micro-financing.

Here’s how it works:

You take a Jackson and a fin and you give it to a micro-financing organization such as kiva.org.   They take your $25 and add it to a pool of other donations that gradually add up to a sum that constitutes an amount of money that has been applied for by a person in need.  You even get to peruse the applicants and decide for yourself who to help out.  It could be to buy a goat in Eastern Europe, beauty supplies to be sold in Senegal, or even a struggling business owner right here in the U.S..

But it is a loan.

So, after a certain period of time, your loan will be repaid!  Your original investment is available to you and you have the option of taking your money back or re-investing in another loan.  That same $25 can be used over and over and over again.

Of course, there is the chance you’ll never see your $25 again.  But catch this:  The default rate on these loans at Kiva is under 2%!

See, these people are so dedicated to their chance to dig themselves out of poverty that they treat their loans as a crucial part of their character.  In fact, if one loan recipient is having trouble paying back their loan, it’s not uncommon for other loan recipients to step in and assist them in order to keep the program running in high gear.

Here’s a short video describing Kiva; there are several others out there if you are interested.  Just search for kiva on youtube.com.

Instead of turning beggars into survivors, we can turn them into providers.  Instead of just feeding the poor a fish, or even teaching them to fish, we’re financing a local fishing entrepreneurship that can be built upon for many others benefit..

If you think this is something in which you might like to participate, it couldn’t be simpler.  Just go to Kiva.org and they walk you through the steps.  It takes all of 10-15 minutes and can make a huge difference.

Once you make your loan selection, you can tie it into one of many “groups”.  We’ve started a Kiva Fire EMS group It’s a good way to show how much firefighters and EMS workers care about their fellow man.

So whether you choose Kiva or any other micro-lending organization, we’re sure you’ll find it rewarding to feel the true meaning of the holiday season begin to reappear.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you.

In the spirit of brotherhood,

-J

Posted in Brotherhood, In Da House, Videos, WTF?

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Posted by John Mitchell on December 5, 2009 • Comments

Another Example: Size Really Does Matter…

Brand new ladder truck? A cool million.

Price to certify staff to drive it? $100,000

Price to build a new station because it won’t fit inside the ones you have? Priceless.

The Clarksville (IN) Fire Department must be doing a collective face palm.

After taking delivery of their beautiful new ladder truck, they were confronted with a problem. It was too big to fit in any of their stations.

OK. Think.

Eureka! Apparently the only station large enough to house the new apparatus was their Station 3, so they raised the door to fit it in. Problem solved.

Or not.

You see, Station 3 is staffed by volunteers with this combination department. None of the volunteers are currently “qualified” to drive the monster.

OK. Think.

“We’re trying to go the cheapest route,” said Clarksville Town Councilman Don Tetley, a liaison between the council and the department. So, earlier this month, the Clarksville Redevelopment Commission approved spending up to $100,000.00 to contract with the neighboring McCullough Volunteer Fire Department in order to have a qualified driver there 24/7.

But that’s not all.

Rick Dickman (his real name, I checked) weighed in on the size issue.

Dickman, Clarksville Redevelopment Director, noted that the size problem won’t be long-lasting an issue much longer for long.  That problem will be licked solved when a proposed new firehouse — to replace nearly 40-year old Station No. 2 – is erected built.

Ahh. Now it seems to make more sense…

Stay Stoked!

-J

Posted in In Da House, News, Staffing, Vehicle Operations & Apparatus, WTF?

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Posted by John Mitchell on November 7, 2009 • Comments

Candy Corn- The Fruitcake of Halloween

So the boys were shopping and had finished grabbing the food items for the day. With a heavy day of training ahead, we were looking for something quick and easy. We found ourselves a pot roast to throw into the crock part with a big jar giardiniera peppers (set it and forget it and it makes the best Italian beef sandwiches).

Thoughts turned to next shift, Halloween. Kids would be by the station, all dolled up and cute, waiting to see what treats awaited them from their heroes.

“The only kind we should get is candy corn, it’s tradition.  Kids won’t get a chance to eat ‘em again,” offered the pre-diabetic Eric.

“Those are crap. They are neither candy nor corn, my friend,” scoffed Art. “You want to kill the kids?”

“Then let’s just get these and get outta here,” Al said as he snatched up a government-sized package of raisins.

“Are you guys nuts?” I said, already knowing the answer to my question. “Don’t you remember how we used to sort out our candy after a hard night of trick-or-treating? There’s a ‘good pile’ and a ‘crap pile’. I don’t want the kids to think of us as losers. Kids love Reese’s, Milky Way’s, Snickers- you know, the good stuff.”

So we grabbed a mixed bag of M&M’s, Butterfingers, and Twix and headed out.

After dinner that evening, talk again turned to the ‘crap pile’. Memories of Halloweens past brought to mind all the horrid treats that found their way into our bags…

Candy corn- ahh, the ‘Fruitcake of Halloween.’ First, we used to nibble off the white tip, then decap the yellow part before finishing off the orange section. Then we used to just scarf down handfuls of them. Then we headed straight into the bathroom….

Toothbrushes- not even candy. Halloween is not the time for do-gooders to get all doctory on us.

Tootsie rolls- always found their way to the bottom of the bag. Cavity-filling remover. Too tiny, usually stale, looked like turds.

Raisins- First, we tossed the wrinkles nuggets, then used the box as an improvised kazoo!

Miscellaneous wrapped hard candies- we could get these anytime we wanted at grandma’s house. In fact, they’re probably still there.

Apples- remember how we used to be able to head over to the local hospital to have them x-ray the apple to make sure they were absent of razor blades?  The only thing we used to do with apples after trick or treating was to hurl them. I won’t tell you what any of the targets were, you should be able to figure that out.

Pennies- my kids won’t even stop to pick a penny up off the street!

Business card from the neighborhood mortgage broker. Pitiful.

Jesus pamphlets- see above.

Circus peanuts- Should never be eaten, only for display next to the circus’ three-headed goat.  Not even peanutty! Wallboard soaked in artificial banana flavoring. Never ate ‘em, but loved watching them in the microwave!

Cheese and peanut-butter crackers- The commercials never went “Hey you got cheese in my peanut butter!” There is a reason for that.   Also, by the time we got home after dragging our bags all over the neighborhood, they turned into cheese and peanut-butter dust.

Chuckles- many of you might not remember those sugar-coated jelly wedges that looked like slices of lemon, lime, or orange. After tasting one, you would never forget it.

Necco Wafers- Just like the Smarties of 1847, when the nation’s scientists were still figuring out fun and flavor. They look like slivers of sidewalk chalk, but don’t taste quite as good. Interesting side note- they used to substitute as quarters in our toll booths.

There are so many more.  I purposely left some out so you could add your ‘favorites’ to the list.

Stay stoked!

-J

Posted in In Da House, Just For Fun

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Posted by John Mitchell on October 29, 2009 • Comments

Firefighter Cooking Show Seeking Best Firehouse Cook

Everyone claims to know the best firehouse cook.  Here’s another opportunity to lay claim to the fame.  Check these guys out at HeroesInTheHouse.com

Posted in In Da House

Posted by John Mitchell on October 5, 2009 • Comments