Local 112 watchers	Overtime 2008
Ron Harmon Captain II	$74,098
Al Poirier Captain II	$92,706
Bill Wick Captain II	$73,063
Jeffrey Dapper Captain I	$87,935
Greg Avery Captain II	$67,771

 

Woman Found Dead at Scene of Van Nuys Fire

From the specialist in volunteer firefighter recruitment comes: FireRECRUITER.com — your clearinghouse for recruitment and retention resources.

Tiger Schmittendorf brings almost 20 years of experience in providing solutions to the fire service’s staffing and leadership challenges. FireRECRUITER.com will offer a comprehensive guide to survival and success in today’s volunteer fire service.

Stay tuned here as the site develops and rolls out over the next few weeks.

Bored? Homes for Heroes found a solution – check out these fire helmet camera videos. The videos are filmed by firefighters in action, wearing a camera on their helmet, so you can see what it is like to be one of them.

My earliest career choice wasn’t to be a princess like most little girls want; I think I had a strong enough sense of reality to know princesses from the “happily ever after“ genre really didn‘t exist, and Prince Charming would never ride up on his white stallion and carry me away. Instead, I longed to be a mermaid. That’s right–a very concrete dream–much more “do-able” . . . that desire lasted several months, and was repeatedly at its peak every time I was in the bathtub. I would shrink down into the tub, becoming one with the steaming liquid that covered me, spreading my long brown hair as if it were drawn in a piece of Japanese art, floating about my head with curly-Q‘s on the ends of each strand. Inevitably, my toes would pop out of the cooling liquid and become lodged into the large water spigot, my only lifeline to the physical world, and I would be abruptly transformed back into reality. Like a thief in the night, the thoughts of mermaids, peaceful underwater surroundings, and the hauntingly beautiful music sang by much better voices than mine, must have quietly slipped down the drain with the icy water.

Once upon another time, I fancied myself a photographer–or at least an aspiring photographer. I found I had a passion for developing and playing around with black and white film in my college’s darkroom and couldn’t wait to build one of my own. That dream was cut as short as the blinding pop of a camera’s old fashioned flashbulb, and ended up in the same place one would put the blacked orb of glass, with it’s shattered filament, when I had an interview for admission to the Department of Cinema and Photography at Southern Illinois University two years later. They would have actually accepted me into the program, but I was wise enough to realize I couldn’t come close to competing with the kind of work I saw displayed in the Dean’s office and on the hallway walls. Fortunately, photography did serve as enough of a diversion that it saved me from being a permanent business major. Yikes.

Somehow, the old photography hobby must have been the foundation for my taking pictures at a friend’s wedding several years later. I know I didn’t volunteer to do it–I would never do that–because when I put my camera down, I really put it down. So, my friend must have asked me, and knowing the persistent soul she is, all the protesting in the world wouldn’t be enough reason for her to back down from what she thought was a brilliant idea. I took roll upon roll of wedding photographs until out of the corner of my eye, I spied a candelabra in serious trouble. I watched vigilantly as a candle slipped further and further down the brass holder, with its flame being forced by a ceiling fan, dangerously closer to a beautifully tied bow and most certainly, onto the carpeted floor. Being the impatient soul I am, the candelabra and I could wait no longer for the many firefighters in the wedding party and in the family pews to come to the rescue. Exactly midway into the wedding vows, I sat the camera on a pew and ran to the fully engulfed bow. Instinct took over, and I picked up the entire holder, towering well over my 5’2” frame, with upwards of 12 burning candles on it, over my head and teetered toward the nearest door. The only fear I recognized at that point, was that the door might not be tall enough or wide enough to fit the entire flaming fixture and me through it. By the time I reached the door, several firefighters lifted the prize from my hands, deposited it on the ground outside, and expertly stomped the flames with their shiny, patent leather shoes. It was a sight to behold, but no one got it on film. I did get chastised by a couple of firemen, for not leaving it where it was and letting them handle it. Ha–they didn’t even see it until I paraded through the front of the sanctuary with it. Shame on me. And thus, I ruled out yet another potential career–albeit one that had never been lovingly lingered over like the previous two–that of firefighter.

“Go thunk yourself” philosophy—“Positive”, Put a plus before everything in your life—Day 6

(The ideas that have been learned from the book “Go thunk yourself” by Dr. Robert C. Worstell, are being shared. This is the sixth principle)

From today on start emphasizing on the positive side of the life, or in other words look out for the brighter sides, for there are a lot of good things to come in your life!

Some pratfalls you could avoid are as follows:

TV-raised generations and their thinking:

Creation takes place through our thoughts which are  POSITIVE ACTIONS. Thoughts are the blue prints for all the creation that takes place. Destruction, while thought of as a negative action, is not a negative action but the lack of any POSITIVE ACTION.

This is like darkness, which is nothing but the lack of light and there is no darkness in itself.

Darkness—Insufficient light

Non-positive thoughts—Inefficient, old junk (IE. Lack of new solutions and ideas)

This is emphasizing the NEGATIVE SIDE instead of taking the POSITIVE SIDE in your life, by new, innovative thoughts and solutions to problems.

Younger TV-raised generations have been taught how to use the gadgets and other modern equipments but not how to use their mind. They lean on solutions that are “Ready-made” rather than come up with their own solution or innovative and creative ideas!!

They are struggling to kick start the CREATIVE POSITIVE ACTION.

Just because someone’s thoughts and thought pattern appear to be stupidity, vagueness in expression or irrelevant doesn’t mean they can’t think clearly but has been conditioned to “Not to put effort” in thinking. That’s because they think through the solutions that others have already achieved for themselves.

In stark contrast, have you ever seen a firefighter, soldier, paramedics or any other professionals who could come up with a POSITIVE creative solution in a jiffy?

How are they equally good to the emergency?

That’s just because they had practiced thinking on a regular basis by solving problem after problem gaining a vast storage of ready-made solutions or the data that could be combined instantly to produce new solution(s).

Void of positive message in news media:

News media—TV, radio and newspaper are so interested in presenting all the controversial and negative news to the public than giving them positive, GOOD news.

Once again, non-positive is the lack of POSITIVE which doesn’t give us any chance to come up with a solution or find a solution as most of the information they provide us are NEGATIVES, not to mention they feed us with gloomy thoughts or thoughts that mislead.

Garbage in garbage out:

To have a positive light flowing through your life, start eating and feeding everything that is positive.

How many times could you see someone going around being critical of others whether in workplace or anywhere for that matter and getting complete support from the people?

You’ll see a miracle if that happens even once!

Very shortly, the other people would start their part of criticizing toward that person!

That is what life is basically.

If you are POSITIVE; if your approach toward others is positive; and if your thoughts are positive, then you get all the things that are in harmony with your “POSITIVE APPROACH”

When one thinks of others as his/her “competitors” wherever he/she goes, then all those people become that person’s “enemy” in his/her mind.

Stephen Covey says that criticizing, complaining, comparing and contending are the “Spiritual and emotional cancers”, like in the above example.

So what happens when one go on with this mentality?

1. With whoever they come in contact with they always wants to win against the person instead of thinking that they both should benefit.

2. Finding fault with others because they are now his/her “enemies”

3. Constantly on guard to dodge attacks that may arise from the “enemies”

This is the NEGATIVE outlook of life which results in negative feedback and results.

This mentality could be seen among some managers who don’t want to trade tips or exchange ideas but exchange glares!

Sales men and women who fight against each other and think the other as their “enemy” instead of considering a mutual benefit and sharing of their lessons they learned from their experience or training.

Positive contribution:

Think of Ray Kroc of McDonald’s and Sam Walton of

Wal-Mart.

What did they have in common?

They both had green papers that would take at least another century to count them by hand!

And secondly,

They both were top contributors. Walton could have easily become the richest man in the world but he routinely gave money to his children which ensured that he didn’t lead the Forbes richest people list.

It’s not how much one could amass but how much one could give POSITIVELY after he/she has gotten to a great level.

Prosperity and happiness is not just in receiving but in giving also, for Warren Buffet has contributed more than $30 billion to the now philanthropist Bill Gates who is operating “Bill and Melinda Gates foundation”.

Elimination:

If you want to improve in any area the first step must be ELIMINATION- elimination of non-positive attitude and non-constructive attitude. It’s easier to run without a baggage around your back, isn’t?

In the same manner, it is much easier to do a work or to carry out your endeavors in any area when you don’t have the baggage of “Non-positives”.

Let us finish this beautiful topic with the following astute lines by Wallace D.Wattles:

“Moral and spiritual greatness is possible only to those who are above the competitive battle for existence; and only those who are becoming rich on the plane of creative thought are free from the degrading influences of competition.If your heart is set on domestic happiness, remember that love flourishes best where there is refinement, a high level of thought, and freedom from corrupting influences; and these are to be found only where riches are attained by the exercise of creative thought, without strife or rivalry. ”

Wish you all the riches to come with God’s blessings

Peter Anand

We’ve created some simple recruitment flyer/poster templates to help you do some public promotion of your want for more volunteers.Based on the simple theme of: “Fight Fires. Save Lives. Volunteer Today!” – these marketing pieces can be used simply by printing them out in whatever size your printer can handle and hand-write, label or stamp your fire department contact info into the box provided.

Want a customized version of the poster/flyer? Contact Tiger Schmittendorf at schmitte@erie.gov or 716.681.7111 to learn more about how Erie County Emergency Services can help make your local recruitment efforts more successful.

Click our Flickr.com account to see some samples: http://www.flickr.com/photos/40216465@N03/sets/72157622813314746/

TheBPlot was the first to bring you the scoop on the making of the Asbury Park Firefighter Calendar and the only outlet to take you behind the scenes of the photo shoot (click here).  Today, The Coaster and TheBPlot are the only media with the full-story.

The first Asbury Park Firefighter calendar will be unveiled next Saturday (Nov. 28) at the Third Avenue Pavilion, revealing an another wonderful side of some of the city’s biggest heroes.  

I had the honor of bearing witness to the photo shoot, spending time with our beyond-amazing firefighters and I could not wait to tell you about it – here and in The Coaster – before any other publications.

“We have joked about doing a calendar for years at the firehouse,” said Chief Kevin Keddy, leader of the busiest fire department, per capita, in New Jersey.  “I thought it was a great idea when ArtsCAP approached me after the Fall golf outing.”

WHINY STRIPPERS ARE NOT CUTE… BELLIGERENT  BANK MANAGERS AREN’T EITHER… BUT ‘SAFE’ WORDS AND BRIBING PEOPLE TO BE QUIET SURE IS FUNNY.  “YOU SAY WHO” – GOSSIP ALMOST AS DELISH AS YOUR GRANDMOTHER’S PUMPKIN PIE

The 2010 calendar, proceeds benefitting the Fire Department Building Fund and ArtsCAP, was photographed over two days in late October with fourteen  ladder men (one for each month and the front and back covers).

As award-winning photographer Alan Barnett’s camera began to click, the new models quickly became competitive; attempting to ensure their photo was the best by grabbing cool props including gear, saws, hoses and even the Jaws of Life.

“Their enthusiasm was contagious,” said Alan.  “When Jason Fazio appeared for his shoot, he had already applied mineral oil to his arms and he good-naturedly tried to outdo his friend Gavino by choosing a larger axe as a prop.  When I asked if he would scale a ladder to the second story of the firehouse, he was up there before I could focus my camera.” 

Wives, fiancé and even one mother-in-law stopped by to check out the making of the calendar, encouraging the guys further and energizing the interviews I conducted to develop a backgrounder to accompany calendar photo. 

“These guys are beautiful inside and out and we hope everyone sees that more now,” commented Michele Conklin, Firefighter Conklin’s wife, via TheBPlot.com.

Purchase the calendar for $15 and learn who considers himself shy and is looking for an extraverted lady, who wanted to “chase fires, not money,” who has “too many tattoos to mention” and who enjoys classic Russian literature.

One hysterical firefighter asked me to describe his “marital status as complicated” however I thought he might not find it as funny in 2010, so I left that comment out.

Every one of the firefighters I had the pleasure of meeting during the 16 hour shoot – many more than the 14 who are part of the calendar – was a kind, selfless, dedicated and fearless gentleman.  All honest-to-goodness life-saving heroes in the flesh. 

Buy one of them lunch or a cup of coffee the next time you see him.

“Bringing together two very important institutions was great,” said Dennis Carroll, president, ArtsCAP.  “I was most delighted with the hospitality – we all felt like were members of the department when we left.” 

The fourteen firefighters (twelve months plus one cover guy and one back-cover guy) – their names revealed here for the first time – who generously participated in the making of the calendar and deserve our thanks:  Marcus Blackmon, Patrick Castellano, Carney Conklin, Rick Dawson, Rich Dreyer, Jason Fazio, Jon Hart, Courtland Heyniger, Mike Mautner, Gavino Siciliano, Ronald Slinger, Andre Spann, Jamar Stephens and Christian Stevens.    

Aaaaaand on top of everything, I had once-in-a-lifetime Asbury Park moment; I slid down the gorgeous, original, brass, 30 foot long, finial topped fire pole…twice! 

So which of the equally fab firefighters will be the 2010 cover guy?  Which month will your favorite firefighter represent?  All will be revealed on Nov. 28^th.  Launch party is 7 pm to 10 pm at the Third Avenue Pavilion.  TheBPlot reader’s invitation, click here.      

The calendar will be available through ArtsCAP.org and local businesses, including: Bodega, Heaven, Mike’s Beach House and Shelter Home.  Supplies are limited.

Richard@TheBPlot.com

Follow TheBPlot on Twitter and you could win $100 in fancy pants dog products

 THEBPLOT = THE AREA’S MOST-READ FEATURES SITE… AND GROWING EACH WEEK

Whether you are a seasoned non-union or union set medic, knowing how to work with stunt coordinators and stuntmen is crucial in the motion picture industry. Too many set medics tend to be too relaxed in the area of stunt safety leaving all the details up to stunt coordinators or Fire Safety Officers. The bar has been raised yet again and now medics are being utilized more as eyes and ears for stunt coordinators. When it comes to safety, no chances should taken.

Set Medics must know how to work around stunts which is why Southern California FIRE & EMS is hosting workshops to address set safety. The classes are being taught by some of Hollywood’s biggest names in the stunt arena.

If you are interested, please go to www.socalfireems.com/training_classes.htm

Southern California FIRE & EMS
www.socalfireems.com
800-661-7418

We Appreciate Your Not Smoking Here.

ANDERSON, Ind. — The Anderson Fire Department will give up part of its ambulance user fee collections, set aside to maintain equipment and fire stations, to help pay for its salaries in the midst of a city budget crisis.

via The Herald Bulletin – Fire department gives up user fee money.

Should these 17 firefighters be require to attend and pass paramedic school to help the EMS billing fund?  This fund did help keep their jobs!

Fire and gunpowder do not sleep together. ~Proverb

Can you believe that the fire was in April and they’re still not done!

Not hard to imagine why some companies go out of business.

Just as a reminder…make sure to check your fire alarms and extingushers before winter sets in…check your furnace, electrical outlets and dryer vents/screens!

If it’s not in-use…unplug it!

Essentials for Fire Safety!!!

“The best decision I’ve made in years.” That’s how Andrew Dukes describes the choice he made to leave the restaurant industry seven years ago and join the Port Hardy Processing Plant (PHPP).

“I wouldn’t go back to cooking for anything,” he said.

Joe Warmington, The Toronto Sun Oakville | Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 5:12 am

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