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360 Burn Size-Up of the Fire Web 1/2/10

Stupidity, Buttons, and Balls- Oh, my!

With the holidays behind us, it feels good to me to get back into some type of routine.  Sipping a homemade three-shot sugar-free vanilla skim latte from my newly-aqcuired FireGeezer mug, one of the first things to do is to sit and flush.  Then I’m off to sit and flush again.

Whilst whistling Mr. Postman, I sit down and open my email, clicking through things to flush into my deleted items folder in a great attempt to stay ahead of the email pile that will surely accumulate.  Items that catch my eye are temporarily pardoned for future perusal.

This morning, the folks at FirefighterCloseCalls and The Secret List sent an email referring us all to their post Stupid Message, Buttons, Balls, and Forgetting the Secret List .  It takes about a minute or so to read.  I would urge you all to pause just one moment and start off the new year with these special thoughts.

How Would You Like to Be in This Academy Class?

Many times during the hunt for interesting blogs, we find ourselves stumbling upon something we’ve never before seen.  During one such hunt, Tiger Schmittendorf tripped over this blog written by St. Paul MN Fire Chief Tim Butler titled On Scene with Car One.  In recent years, St. Paul Fire Department has had some pretty public issues between firefighters and management.  If this blog is any indication, those days seem to be fading into the past.  Although not required to do so, and with decades of fire service already under his belt, Chief Butler has decided to attend and complete his own department’s academy as a recruit.

“Fundamentally, I believe that all members of the Saint Paul Fire Department’s uniformed division must share a common bond – a common culture – and a shared base of experience and perspective. We all must be confident in each member’s ability to operate safely and effectively on an incident scene or when representing our department to the public. It shouldn’t matter if we’re assigned to a hazardous materials team, an Advanced Life Support medic rig, or the Chief’s office – all of us should share the core competency and the shared experience of being first – and foremost – a firefighter.”  -Chief Tim Butler

How refreshing.  Thanks for sharing, Chief!  We’ll be watching.

God help anyone who finishes behind you.  Or ahead of you.

Cast Your Vote for Fire EMS Blog of the Year 2009

If you haven’t heard already, a contest is being held over at Fire Critic’s site.  We’re looking for the Best Fire/EMS Blog of 2009.  Voting is open for a few more days, so I urge you to take a couple seconds to shine the spotlight upon the blog you feel best fulfills the following criteria:

Caliber of posts relating to the Fire and/or EMS fields

Design elements in their blog

Professionalism towards our service(s)

Use of other social media to extend the network of their blog

Longevity as a blogger

Nomination period:

Begins on December 30, 2009 at 1500 hours EST and concludes on January 5, 2010 at 1459 hours EST.  Ten finalists will be picked by our judges (TBA) from the list of eligible nominees.

Read more information here…

(just one “l” in Daily)

Well, I’m out of latte for a moment.  I’ll trek back upstairs and schpritz up another.  If you had stock in Starbuck’s, dump it now.  Lori, Sue, and Rose will be seeing much less of their best customer as I’ve become my own barista.

Stay Stoked!

-J

Posted in 360 Burn, Administration & Leadership, Just For Fun, Leadership

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9/11 and the Forgotten (The Secret List)

From www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com

Thursday, September 10, 2009 

-Hey,
8 years ago.
When we recall the World Trade Center attack, the  Pentagon attack and the hi-jacked crash in Pennsylvania on the anniversary of Sept. 11, we get angry. Or we should. If we don’t, that’s a real problem.

So first and foremost, we take time to remember all those murdered on 9/11 along with the Firefighters, Police Officers and EMS Members murdered in the Line of Duty.

We also take time to remember those who survived and those who are survivors of those murdered.

There is also a group of THOUSANDS of Firefighters, Police Officers and EMS Members who live 9/11 every day. Most who it seems, have been forgotten. They along with other support workers, are suffering from major upper respiratory illnesses, some of them life threatening, that were contracted from inhaling the air at Ground Zero. It started with the first arriving company, police officer and EMT and continues today.

For me, I will NEVER FORGET the statements by "officials" claiming there was no harm being caused to those breathing the fumes. Elected and appointed idiots who think that we would believe their crap.

Incredible.

What’s more incredible is that they were believed by the clueless majority-and those who might have to write checks or actually TAKE responsibility. WTF?!

For now, responders receive federally funded monitoring and treatment, but this "system" is in a precarious situation. Funds are allotted annually, and next years funding could be cut or not granted at all, leaving many ill responders with nothing. Nothing. Congress is also considering a bill that would establish permanent Federal funding for 9/11 medical monitoring and treatment, giving workers and lower Manhattan residents some long-term health resources. Without that, some may have nothing.

Congress needs to be held to the fire in TAKING CARE of those who responded, gave their lives-or are GIVING their lives in helping others. Ask your member of Congress where they are on the issue?

The James Zadroga Act, named for an NYPD Detective who died as a result of illnesses contracted while operating at Ground Zero, has support in both houses of Congress from the New York and New Jersey delegations and lobbying muscle from the unions, but it appears to inspire little action from other lawmakers. It seems that some feel that it’s a NY and NJ problem, not "their" problem.

What happened to 9/11 being an AMERICAN PROBLEM?

Make the call. Find out where YOUR elected officials are and what they are doing-and will do..

You’ll also LOVE the fact that the bill has also lost some of its supporters from last year; it was shelved in October when Congress turned its attention to a $700-billion bailout package for Wall Street.

How’d that work out? We’re just say’n.

If you are interested in the politics of this, GOOGLE the "9/11 Health" and you’ll find plenty. I know there is ALOT to this issue and to some it is VERY complicated. But sadly, it reminds me of how we treat many war veterans and now, 9/11 survivors, and those who are dying a slow death-as they too were attacked on 9/11/01. They just didn’t die soon enough for the politicians.

As far as we are concerned, we just wanted to remind all of The Secret List members that NEVER FORGETTING, as Rick L says, means NEVER FORGETTING. And as a part of that, it means never forgetting:
- who attacked us.
- why they attacked us.
- who gave their lives that day.
- who continues to suffer each and every day.
- and who, amongst all of our members of Congress and Senate actually care enough to support them.

There is a clear moral obligation on the part of the Federal Government to take care of all those genuinely affected by 9/11, both physically and mentally.  8 years later-how are your local Federally elected officials responding?

Ask’em.

Take Care,
BillyG
The Secret List 9/10/09
www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com

Posted in Brotherhood, Firefighters, Never Forget, WTF?

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