FFPCogs

EXACTLY!!!!
Firemen, all firemen paid and voluneer alike, are a special breed. Only firemen put out fires and we are some of the very few in this world that put ourselves at risk for others. As Lt McComack stated in his now infamous FDIC speech, it is a priviledge to be a firemen and because of that we are, despite our differences, a family..so the loss of one, no matter how, is a loss for all.
Cogs

The truck has 6 seats, I would deem it "fully staffed" with 6 interior qualified firefighters.
Which, I have seen on a regular basis, T45 respond with all seats full.
And we left qualified guys behind in the barn.
Kinda nice, dontchathink?
On to the IC comment, without good strategy and tactics, an IC can end up micromanaging, which I think is counterproductive.
This is how we get the truck stretching the backup line and a 2nd or 3rd due engine on the roof.
My link

Now THAT'S a tower ladder.
Often imitated, never duplicated. When it counts call on an Aerialscope to get the job done right the first time...every time.
Cogs

Truck 45 could have been used at Deep Valley Trail fire, but, alas, the IC "did not want to wake up those guys at such a late hour".

My memory is still pretty good and I can recall the BFD Aerialscope being used quite nicely at fires in Stamford. Before, we get into a nice “beasty contest” here, although some are longer, the BFD truck succeeds in its ability to position.
Most recently at a fire on Minivale in Springdale, where it positioned on a neighbor’s driveway and a couple of inches off of the neighbor’s house (I have a nice photo of it, but can’t find it). East Main Street in 99, Canal Street in 07....and plenty of others.....I am not going to let my SFRD bias get in the way of giving credit where it is due.
And I think there was a lot of internal support from the SFRD members to get an Aerialscope for the new T1, prior to an executive decision made to get the Sutphen???
Now back to the first question, why is it being auctioned? Was this the Department’s decision or opinion....no (need I say more).

Word.

'200 years of tradition unimpeded by progress". Many of us are familiar with this phrase and most I'm sure can apply it to at least one aspect of their FD. Without doubt tradition is a powerful force within the American Fire Service. It can act as a catalyst for progress or in some cases, as an impediment to it. To me there are some traditions, some inviolate cornerstones, born at the inception of organized fire protection in this country, that are in fact the very foundation on which our service rests. Things like putting those we serve above ourselves, courage, honor, dedication and the desire to do our duty in spite of the obstacles. The noblilty of what we do and all that makes it possible is rare indeed in the world today and that is a tradition that thankfully has withstood the passage of time and changes to society. But when tradition impedes progress, when the steadfast refusal to "get with the times" causes a FD to stagnate, it is not only a disservice to those we serve but dangerous. For many "we've always done it that way" suffices because it is comfortable...that is until tradgedy strikes. Change...progress...is always difficult because it takes people out of the known, out of their comfort zone, and beyond that the call for change, for "progress", usually implies that something is wrong...and who among us likes to be told they are wrong.
As with most things in life the trick is to find a balance between what works and what needs to change. Technology will always evolve and that progression will ultimately create changes in tools, tactics and our knowledge of the enemy. For some the ability to get on board with these "new" tangibles is not always easy, or practical, but it is almost universally inevitable. And this is how is should be. But with these new tangibles of tools, tactics and training comes a responsibility to not let them overtake or undermine the traditions that have made us who and what we are. Progress should never eclipse the intangilbles of courage, honor and dedication that make the American fireman what he is at his core. For each of us and our FDs progress should strive to find the balance that best suits our needs and more importantly those of our community. Neither progress or tradition should be allowed to impede the ability of us to effectively do our duty, for it is both when in balance that allows us to do it well.
Cogs

For what it's worth I will post here what I posted on another site in regards to this topic.
Re: Bridgeport Fire Department faulted in firefighter deaths
Could this tragedy have been averted? I do not know as I was not there. I have not read the report in it's entirety but what I do know is that in almost every such instance the reports that stem from LODDs invariably say that they can be and should have been avoided. I do not believe that to be a fair assessment in every instance since it is always easy to find fault after the fact. The Officers and FFs on scene did what was for them the right actions at the time. That events spun out of control and ultimately led to the deaths of two members is tragic, but to me definitely not due to negligence or incomptence. At the risk of sounding cold or unconcerned I have to say it: we must remember that firefighting is an inherently dangerous undertaking. That means that we all run the risk of serious injury or even death in perfoming our duty. No amount of safety officers, or regulations is going to lessen that risk if in fact we are to continue to enter burning buildings. In the end it is a risk vs benefit decision and sometimes given the available information that decision can turn out badly as it did in this case. My heart truly goes out to the families and the members of the BFD and I too mourn the loss of these two FFs. To me their memory will best be served by learning the lessons that can be learned to help prevent similar events in the future.
And this is where NIOSH and other LODD reports come into play. We must heed the information that is learned from the investigations. If areas are lacking they must be corrected inasmuch as resources allow that to occur. Recrimination is useless and in fact counterproductive. If "bad" decisions were made then it is far more important to find out why they were made rather than to assign blame for them. Nothing will be gained from the "blame game" other than to paralyze the fire officer's ability to make decisions lest he make the wrong one and face professional repurcussions or worse. As an aside in talking with my British colleagues here I have learned that in the UK right now there is a Chief and a number of other Fire Officers that are being prosecuted for manslaughter. The charges stem from a fire in which 4 FFs were killed in a roof collapse. These officers are being held criminally responsible for the decision to send them into the building in which there was a report of possible victims (in the end there were none). What this has done is effectively eradicated the ability of officers to make hard decisions, risky but necessary decisions, about commiting FFs for fear of going to jail. I fear that we too are fast approaching a time when a similar attitude prevails here, and to me that would be the most self defeating and destructive outcome imaginable.
For many of us that came up in years past we relied on our training and experience to get us through tough spots, and to my mind this cannot and should not change. But with that must come the realization that in some ways the job itself has changed and so too must our attitude and actions when working a fire. I do not believe we need a safety officer to tell us that. Instead our training must reflect the new realities we face, and the culture of the department itself must also reflect them. But this must be done without losing sight of the fact that in the end we will face perilous and potentially deadly circumstances in performing our duty, if in fact we are going to continue to perform it.
The Officers on scene that day, like so many in others cites and towns across the Nation that face an LODD, will carry the burden of the decisions they made forever. We need not blame, fault or cite them for those decisions as I am sure they believed them to be the right ones at the time. All we can do, in fact what we must do all of us, is learn from tragedies like this and apply what we have learned. If equipment is faulty, fix it. If the training is lacking, fix it. If members are out of shape, fix it. If communications is an issue, fix it. If the culture of your dept is stuck too far in the past, change it.
RIP Lt Velasquez and FF Baik. Let us honor their memory by continuing to save lives and put out fires.
Sorry for the rant
Cogs

Well it's been a little while since I wrote so I thought I'd give a quick update.
Overall things have settled down a bit. I've been reasigned back to the main station since my counterpart there went on R&R, and am now the Officer of Engine 3. Ths puts me back on the airfield which means lots of noise all day and all night. But this also allows for some intensive training on the various aircraft stationed here. A high point of that being the tour of an AC-130 or what we refer to as the flying death. Armed with a 25mm gatling gun capable I'm told of 6000 rounds per minute, a 40mm cannon and the big boy 105mm howitzer, this baby can really dish out the pain. And dish it out it does much to the dismay of our towel headed friends outside the wire.
Call wise it's been rather slow with only one structure fire the past couple of weeks. Unfortunately due to it's rather remote location on base and the delay in notification there wasn't much left to save upon arrival. Other than that nothing but a few dumpster fires and smells and bells.
On another front we have been recieving daily mail from the Taliban which usually consists of 6 or 7 rockets at about 5am. Some of the boys on the North side got a bit of a rude awakening the other morning as one of those rockets bounced not more than 50ft from their tent, careened over the runway and hit an unattended garbage truck without exploding. Maybe it was made in China. Seems there's a target of particular importance to our pals in the hills surounding the base on the North side and after a little research I managed to find out what it is...a fuel point with thousands of gallons of JP8 on hand. Needless to say with limited water and foam capabilities this is one of our "nightmare" scenarios. So far though their aim has been anything but true and the ordinance mostly duds..thanks again to the communist work ethic.
But for all that the seriousness of life here has come crashing home the past week with a number of our boys being sent home on their final journey. I don't wish to upset anyone or dreg up memories but the other day was an especially sad one here as 5 service members were loaded aboard the now way too familiar C-17. As I stood on the tarmac adjacent to the ramp ceremony and watched as one by one each flag draped casket was taken aboard I drifted back in time. With "Amazing Grace" on the pipes playing from the loudspeakers my mind went back to the many times I stood in that long blue line on a surburban street, in front of a church as yet another of the 343 was driven past on the way to his final resting place. Now over my years working here or in Iraq I've been to alot of ramp ceremomies and at all of them I would think of the 343, but for some reason on this particular day the emotion and anguish felt on those days so long ago swept over me like a tidal wave. I thought of the loss to the families of these young soldiers. How in a split second the lives of so many people were irrevocably changed and with those thoughts came the realization that for 343 families back home that loss, that void has never been filled, and it never will be. I thought of these young boys who have given their lives in defense of our nation and all that is good about it. And with that I thought about the sacrifice of the 343 and how they exemplified what it means to be a fireman, what it means to be a hero. Under vastly different circumstances the honor, courage and strength of the American spirit shown brightly through the acts of these brave souls on the battlefield here and in the Towers on that fateful September morning. Finally as the ceremony drew to it's conclusion I thought about the sacrifices made by so many and felt the anger well up inside. The fanatics here have brought so much anguish to so many famiies back home and for what. Blind hatred and ignorance.
Since that day last week I have often thought about the events of 10 years ago and what they have meant to me, my family and my Country. The anger persists, but it has been tempered by the realization that, be it the soldiers that I see here making their final journey home or the 343 brave heroes of 9/11, the world is a better place for all of them having been in it....even if only for a short time.
Life goes on as it must, but as we move forward let us not forget the sacrifices made by so many and let us all try to do right by those who have given all so that others may live.
Stay safe
Cogs

Well it's been a little while since I wrote so I thought I'd give a quick update.
Overall things have settled down a bit. I've been reasigned back to the main station since my counterpart there went on R&R, and am now the Officer of Engine 3. Ths puts me back on the airfield which means lots of noise all day and all night. But this also allows for some intensive training on the various aircraft stationed here. A high point of that being the tour of an AC-130 or what we refer to as the flying death. Armed with a 25mm gatling gun capable I'm told of 6000 rounds per minute, a 40mm cannon and the big boy 105mm howitzer, this baby can really dish out the pain. And dish it out it does much to the dismay of our towel headed friends outside the wire.
Call wise it's been rather slow with only one structure fire the past couple of weeks. Unfortunately due to it's rather remote location on base and the delay in notification there wasn't much left to save upon arrival. Other than that nothing but a few dumpster fires and smells and bells.
On another front we have been recieving daily mail from the Taliban which usually consists of 6 or 7 rockets at about 5am. Some of the boys on the North side got a bit of a rude awakening the other morning as one of those rockets bounced not more than 50ft from their tent, careened over the runway and hit an unattended garbage truck without exploding. Maybe it was made in China. Seems there's a target of particular importance to our pals in the hills surounding the base on the North side and after a little research I managed to find out what it is...a fuel point with thousands of gallons of JP8 on hand. Needless to say with limited water and foam capabilities this is one of our "nightmare" scenarios. So far though their aim has been anything but true and the ordinance mostly duds..thanks again to the communist work ethic.
But for all that the seriousness of life here has come crashing home the past week with a number of our boys being sent home on their final journey. I don't wish to upset anyone or dreg up memories but the other day was an especially sad one here as 5 service members were loaded aboard the now way too familiar C-17. As I stood on the tarmac adjacent to the ramp ceremony and watched as one by one each flag draped casket was taken aboard I drifted back in time. With "Amazing Grace" on the pipes playing from the loudspeakers my mind went back to the many times I stood in that long blue line on a surburban street, in front of a church as yet another of the 343 was driven past on the way to his final resting place. Now over my years working here or in Iraq I've been to alot of ramp ceremomies and at all of them I would think of the 343, but for some reason on this particular day the emotion and anguish felt on those days so long ago swept over me like a tidal wave. I thought of the loss to the families of these young soldiers. How in a split second the lives of so many people were irrevocably changed and with those thoughts came the realization that for 343 families back home that loss, that void has never been filled, and it never will be. I thought of these young boys who have given their lives in defense of our nation and all that is good about it. And with that I thought about the sacrifice of the 343 and how they exemplified what it means to be a fireman, what it means to be a hero. Under vastly different circumstances the honor, courage and strength of the American spirit shown brightly through the acts of these brave souls on the battlefield here and in the Towers on that fateful September morning. Finally as the ceremony drew to it's conclusion I thought about the sacrifices made by so many and felt the anger well up inside. The fanatics here have brought so much anguish to so many famiies back home and for what. Blind hatred and ignorance.
Since that day last week I have often thought about the events of 10 years ago and what they have meant to me, my family and my Country. The anger persists, but it has been tempered by the realization that, be it the soldiers that I see here making their final journey home or the 343 brave heroes of 9/11, the world is a better place for all of them having been in it....even if only for a short time.
Life goes on as it must, but as we move forward let us not forget the sacrifices made by so many and let us all try to do right by those who have given all so that others may live.
Stay safe
Cogs

Well it's been a little while since I wrote so I thought I'd give a quick update.
Overall things have settled down a bit. I've been reasigned back to the main station since my counterpart there went on R&R, and am now the Officer of Engine 3. Ths puts me back on the airfield which means lots of noise all day and all night. But this also allows for some intensive training on the various aircraft stationed here. A high point of that being the tour of an AC-130 or what we refer to as the flying death. Armed with a 25mm gatling gun capable I'm told of 6000 rounds per minute, a 40mm cannon and the big boy 105mm howitzer, this baby can really dish out the pain. And dish it out it does much to the dismay of our towel headed friends outside the wire.
Call wise it's been rather slow with only one structure fire the past couple of weeks. Unfortunately due to it's rather remote location on base and the delay in notification there wasn't much left to save upon arrival. Other than that nothing but a few dumpster fires and smells and bells.
On another front we have been recieving daily mail from the Taliban which usually consists of 6 or 7 rockets at about 5am. Some of the boys on the North side got a bit of a rude awakening the other morning as one of those rockets bounced not more than 50ft from their tent, careened over the runway and hit an unattended garbage truck without exploding. Maybe it was made in China. Seems there's a target of particular importance to our pals in the hills surounding the base on the North side and after a little research I managed to find out what it is...a fuel point with thousands of gallons of JP8 on hand. Needless to say with limited water and foam capabilities this is one of our "nightmare" scenarios. So far though their aim has been anything but true and the ordinance mostly duds..thanks again to the communist work ethic.
But for all that the seriousness of life here has come crashing home the past week with a number of our boys being sent home on their final journey. I don't wish to upset anyone or dreg up memories but the other day was an especially sad one here as 5 service members were loaded aboard the now way too familiar C-17. As I stood on the tarmac adjacent to the ramp ceremony and watched as one by one each flag draped casket was taken aboard I drifted back in time. With "Amazing Grace" on the pipes playing from the loudspeakers my mind went back to the many times I stood in that long blue line on a surburban street, in front of a church as yet another of the 343 was driven past on the way to his final resting place. Now over my years working here or in Iraq I've been to alot of ramp ceremomies and at all of them I would think of the 343, but for some reason on this particular day the emotion and anguish felt on those days so long ago swept over me like a tidal wave. I thought of the loss to the families of these young soldiers. How in a split second the lives of so many people were irrevocably changed and with those thoughts came the realization that for 343 families back home that loss, that void has never been filled, and it never will be. I thought of these young boys who have given their lives in defense of our nation and all that is good about it. And with that I thought about the sacrifice of the 343 and how they exemplified what it means to be a fireman, what it means to be a hero. Under vastly different circumstances the honor, courage and strength of the American spirit shown brightly through the acts of these brave souls on the battlefield here and in the Towers on that fateful September morning. Finally as the ceremony drew to it's conclusion I thought about the sacrifices made by so many and felt the anger well up inside. The fanatics here have brought so much anguish to so many famiies back home and for what. Blind hatred and ignorance.
Since that day last week I have often thought about the events of 10 years ago and what they have meant to me, my family and my Country. The anger persists, but it has been tempered by the realization that, be it the soldiers that I see here making their final journey home or the 343 brave heroes of 9/11, the world is a better place for all of them having been in it....even if only for a short time.
Life goes on as it must, but as we move forward let us not forget the sacrifices made by so many and let us all try to do right by those who have given all so that others may live.
Stay safe
Cogs

Progress is here:

Tradition is here:

Wouldnt it be something if this could actually be produced?

In this situation I would not cover the nozzle with a finger. The real reason to cover the nozzle is to keep from blowing burning material all over the place at small fires (garbage cans). If you are really trying to prevent flashover is better to direct blasts into the ceiling and let the ceiling break it in the upper thermal layers also your in a bad place.

Many people have PMed and emailed mre asking about life "over there" in Afghanistan, so I thought I'd write a quick decription of how it is for those interested.
To start I am now assigned to Kandahar Airfield which, unlike all my previous jobs, is a NATO run base. At present I believe the British are the ones technicaly in charge of the base but almost all NATO countries and a few others are represented here. This makes for some interesting interactions as cultures do clash occasionally, usually with comic results fortunately. It is hot here, I mean really hot. Average temperatures this week have been just above 130 with the nights cooling down to a balmy 100 or so. It is also dusty here to the point that everything has a permant shade of tan covering it, no matter how often you clean it.
My FD here or to use it's proper name Kandahar Fire Crash Rescue Services is comprised of 60 men manning 6 crash trucks, 2 structural Engines and a Tanker along with a Chief and as they call them a Plattoon (our Depruty Chief or Shift Commander) Chief for each of the two shifts. Work schedule is 24 on 24 off or on average an 84 hour work week, which may sound like alot but trust me most would rather be working everyday as there isn't much to do otherwise. We do have a gym at the main station as well as a number of military ones throughout the base that we are free to use. There are 6 DFACs (dining facilites), 1 British, 1 French or Continental, 1 Asian and 2 American, the other I havent found yet but it is reported to be Arabic serving only Hallal food (similar to Kosher). The food itself is edible although as any former soldier can tell you, everything is cooked well beyond well done. Kandahar also boasts a Boardwalk which is just exactly what you'd expect it to be, a wooden sidewalk on which fromts a number of commercial establishments. We have a KFC and Friday's, 2 pizza joints although the term pizza is a bit of a stretch to anyone from our area, a Nathan's open 24 hours to boot a coffe shop and a French Deli/Patisserre. Along with the gastronomic choices there are a number of small "Haji" or locals run shops carrying everything from cigarettes to jewelery and trinkets to a full tailor shop that will make a hand tailored suit for you for about $250. There is also a Bazaar every Saturday with the ubiquitous bootleg movies as well as an impressive selection of junk, haggling a must.
About the FD itself aside from the above. Well I started at the main station, Station 1 which sits on the Airfield. Housed there are 5 of the 6 crash trucks and their attendant crews. I was assigned to Engine 3 one of the two structural units on base. Station 3 houses another crash truck on the opposite side of the runway. Station 3 is a luxuriously appointed Army tent with none of the comforts of home. Station 1 is more akin to a Stateside firehouse with an alarm room, offices, a large dayroom and sleeping quarters (3 to a room). The crash side of the house is busier here since much to my suprise Kandahar Airfield is the busiest single runway airport in the world with between 850 - 1000 inbound and outbound flights a week. And there is quite a wide variety of aircraft in and out of here including C-130s and C-17s, C-5s as well, F-16s, F/A/18s, Harriers, A-10s. We also get 737s, Antonov A-12s and the other really huge Russian one whose designation I can't recall as well as a few 747s. Choppers abound with Blackhawks and Chinooks, Cobras, and Apaches and a large contingent of old Russian machines like the Mil-8 and the Mil -10 for transpot duty. And of course the UAVs which are really quite impressive.
My current assignment is as the Crew Chief (Capt) of Station 2 "Southside". I have with me 4 crewman and our rig is a European spec'ed Rosenbauer from Germany. Needles to say that it takes a bit of getting used to with the pump in the rear and it's overall lack of hose and equipment by our standards, not to mention its all metric. I have a pump that in liters!! Damn Europeans now I have to do math.
Our first due is about 8 sq. miles with roughly 25,000 miltary and civilian residents. Building range from one and two story PEBs (pre engineered buildings) of metal and wood. wooden B and C huts (think ranch houses except it's many offices or sleeping rooms off a central hallway), tents of various sizes up to 200 x 75 and a large number of two story masonary barracks (think garden apartments). Along with these living areas we on the Southside enjoy the distinction of being what back home would be called the industrail side of town. The majority of the mechanical shops, warehouses, stortage facilities fuel points and motorpools are in our first due, along with a host of HazMat goodies. All in all it's a diverse and challenging district.
Now what makes KAFs Fire Department somewhat unique is the fact that we are comprised of a multi national force. There are Indians, Philippinos, South Aficans and a sizeable contingent of Brits. Then there's a few Canucks and representing the good ole USA is Nate who hails form the metro DC area and myself. While English is the required language I have found that it's use is somewhat impeded by the variety of accents in use. In fact I've found that I'll need to invest in an English to English dictionary to communicate with my comrades form the UK...LOL
One of the most common questions I get is, is it safe? Well safe is a relative term in a war zone. We do get regular presents of the 81, 120 and 240mm variety from our Taliban friends outside the wire and they do at times cause casualities. The last was a soldier a few months ago. Our towel headed friends also like to try and crash our party here often by trying to get through the wire. They don't get too far. In fact just prior to my arrival about 100 or so of them got their wish with a one way fast track ticket to meet Allah...isn't that nice for them. Hopefully their buddies will be right behind. Our boys here are more than happy to oblige that wish and we all support them. Vigilance is a necessity here, just like home complacency kills. We do all we can to stay safe, but the reality is, if your numbers up then it's up. Until then I and all of us have a job to do and we just do it.
Some may think this a noble or courageous endeavor, for that I thank you, but please give your kudos to those that really deserve it, the brave and dedicated men and women of our Armed Forces. These folks are as courageous as they come and they are in a sense our kindred spirits....they too put themselves at risk to protect and serve others, all of us here and back home.
In closing I would ask a favor from all who read this. As you go through your day stop for just a minute and think about those service members over here and what they are sacrificing for you and yours. And if it should strike you please find an organization that send things over and send something to a soldier, sailor, or airman here. It couild be anything, a letter, a card and damn tube of toothpaste...anything so that they know that you remember and support them. They will appreciate it more than you know. Freedom is not free and these folks are paying the price for our freedom, please don't forget them.
Cogs
________________
Peter Cogliano
Crew Chief Engine 2 "Southside"
Kandahar Fire Crash Rescue Services
Kandahar Airfield Afghanistan

2nd Capt / Asst. Training Officer
Belltown Fire Dept.
Stamford, CT

Well here's another quick update from always sunny Kandahar Afghanistan.
The past week has seen us relatively busy running about 5 calls a day on the structural side of the house. Most of these are smells and bells calls which have turned out to be nothing. My conrades on the crash side have had a few calls as well a day, mostly hot brakes although they did get an engine fire on a fully armed Harrier yesterday. All turned out well.
Now for us structural boys yesterday was for us a busy one. 15 calls ,only two of which involved any actual fire though. Both of these were vehilcle fires. The first was a Humvee with the engine compartment going, which was doused immediately. The other was a large "Jingle" truck/tanker hauling fuel. A 'jingle truck" by the way is what the locals use to transport material. They are so called because the exterior of the vehicle is adorned with small bells and murals depicting any number of religious or cultural scenes. Anyway this particular Jingle had the cab rolling good and impinging on the loaded tank on arrival We hit the cab fire while cooling the tank and all ended well...for us. The driver on the other hand lost his indentity cards in the fire as was thus escorted off base by the MPs after a brief interrogation.
We have had a number of rockets come in of late. no injuries or fatalities and only minor damage. During these episodes we are routed to the sector points closest to the impact zone to stand by, under cover of a bunker of course, until the all clear is given and we then do what needs doing. Of course in the event of injuries we are expected and have in the past responded into the "hot" zone while under fire. But of late that hasn't been necessary.
I also got the opportunity the other day to go to a part of the base I had not yet seen. This is on the Northside. As we drove along checking our EMPs (emergency water points) in the 125 degree midafternoon sunshine it dawned on me that "hey, we at the wire". And sure enough we were, not more that 10ft from Talibanistan. I watched as some local shepards tended their flocks a mere 100 ft away. They waved and we waved back and everyone was all smiles....of course I was thinking something entirely different like "is this guy trying to find a hole in the wire"? Well not to worry there were guard towers aplenty and guards to man them too. But it did make for an interesting afternoon diversion.
One more note and this is a sad one. Yesterday saw two ramp ceremonies next door to the main fire station on the airfield. We happened to be there for both occassions so I attended with the permission of our Chief. For those who do not know, a ramp ceremony is held when the body of one of our soldiers is loaded aboard an aircraft, in this case C-17s, for his final trip home. While one of these ceremonies was ongoing I saw two medivacs choppers as well as a C-130 dropping off more wounded. Our Fire Station is adjacent to the hospital. It is these tragic events that bring the reality of what our boys endure here front and center. God Bless em.
Unfortunately I don't have any pictures as of yet to share, but when I do I will post them. Of course due to security we are extremely limited as to what we can and cannot share, but I'm sure you all understand.
Thanks to all for serving back home, especially my fellow " Belltown Boys"...ATW since 1928
Stay Safe
Cogs

Well here's another quick update from always sunny Kandahar Afghanistan.
The past week has seen us relatively busy running about 5 calls a day on the structural side of the house. Most of these are smells and bells calls which have turned out to be nothing. My conrades on the crash side have had a few calls as well a day, mostly hot brakes although they did get an engine fire on a fully armed Harrier yesterday. All turned out well.
Now for us structural boys yesterday was for us a busy one. 15 calls ,only two of which involved any actual fire though. Both of these were vehilcle fires. The first was a Humvee with the engine compartment going, which was doused immediately. The other was a large "Jingle" truck/tanker hauling fuel. A 'jingle truck" by the way is what the locals use to transport material. They are so called because the exterior of the vehicle is adorned with small bells and murals depicting any number of religious or cultural scenes. Anyway this particular Jingle had the cab rolling good and impinging on the loaded tank on arrival We hit the cab fire while cooling the tank and all ended well...for us. The driver on the other hand lost his indentity cards in the fire as was thus escorted off base by the MPs after a brief interrogation.
We have had a number of rockets come in of late. no injuries or fatalities and only minor damage. During these episodes we are routed to the sector points closest to the impact zone to stand by, under cover of a bunker of course, until the all clear is given and we then do what needs doing. Of course in the event of injuries we are expected and have in the past responded into the "hot" zone while under fire. But of late that hasn't been necessary.
I also got the opportunity the other day to go to a part of the base I had not yet seen. This is on the Northside. As we drove along checking our EMPs (emergency water points) in the 125 degree midafternoon sunshine it dawned on me that "hey, we at the wire". And sure enough we were, not more that 10ft from Talibanistan. I watched as some local shepards tended their flocks a mere 100 ft away. They waved and we waved back and everyone was all smiles....of course I was thinking something entirely different like "is this guy trying to find a hole in the wire"? Well not to worry there were guard towers aplenty and guards to man them too. But it did make for an interesting afternoon diversion.
One more note and this is a sad one. Yesterday saw two ramp ceremonies next door to the main fire station on the airfield. We happened to be there for both occassions so I attended with the permission of our Chief. For those who do not know, a ramp ceremony is held when the body of one of our soldiers is loaded aboard an aircraft, in this case C-17s, for his final trip home. While one of these ceremonies was ongoing I saw two medivacs choppers as well as a C-130 dropping off more wounded. Our Fire Station is adjacent to the hospital. It is these tragic events that bring the reality of what our boys endure here front and center. God Bless em.
Unfortunately I don't have any pictures as of yet to share, but when I do I will post them. Of course due to security we are extremely limited as to what we can and cannot share, but I'm sure you all understand.
Thanks to all for serving back home, especially my fellow " Belltown Boys"...ATW since 1928
Stay Safe
Cogs

Lets stick to the circumstances in Stamford. A lot has been said about the decline in volunteerism nationwide, and in Stamford. I can say firsthand that Belltown has bucked that trend. And I have seen an increase in membership in TOR, and have been told that Long Ridge is increasing it's ranks as well.
Nationwide, how have other departments dealt with a decrease in volunteerism? By instituting retention programs.
Why hasnt this been done in Stamford, why can't it be done in Stamford, why does it seem that in the current SVFD plan it is an afterthought?
With that being said, I think there is a better way than the way they are going about this now. There should be a plan that protects current SFRD employees with no demotions or layoffs, and still has measures to include volunteers and has mechanisms in place to cause the ranks to grow. If it takes some incentives, what is wrong with that?
Society and people have changed. Altruism is in short supply.

For me the Can is taken for two reasons
1) To nip any small or incipient fires in the bud while investigating smells and bells. A Can can work well in dousing smaller fires or at least controlling them until the lines in place and working in the manner in which JohnnyOV explained.
2) And of far more importance the Can is used for the protection of the search team should they become jammed up. Their job isn't to extinquish the fire when it is going, it is to search the premises for victims and locate the fire if possible for the hose team(s). The Can is there to protect the search team should an area begin to light up on them. A series of sprays with finger over the nozzle creating a msity fog will generally disrupt the thermal layer in preflashover conditions just enough to make a hasty retreat, shutting the door behind you. Simply put there is no substiture for a handline in attacking a working fire, expecting a Can to do the job of a handline is foolhardy at best but frankly it's simply dangerous.
Cogs

There, fixed it for ya.

This all depends on the city administration. The city could encourage all sides( SFRD, L786, The VFD's & LRPDA) to sit down and talk. From what I've seen to this point I don't see the City supporting talks.

Many people have PMed and emailed mre asking about life "over there" in Afghanistan, so I thought I'd write a quick decription of how it is for those interested.
To start I am now assigned to Kandahar Airfield which, unlike all my previous jobs, is a NATO run base. At present I believe the British are the ones technicaly in charge of the base but almost all NATO countries and a few others are represented here. This makes for some interesting interactions as cultures do clash occasionally, usually with comic results fortunately. It is hot here, I mean really hot. Average temperatures this week have been just above 130 with the nights cooling down to a balmy 100 or so. It is also dusty here to the point that everything has a permant shade of tan covering it, no matter how often you clean it.
My FD here or to use it's proper name Kandahar Fire Crash Rescue Services is comprised of 60 men manning 6 crash trucks, 2 structural Engines and a Tanker along with a Chief and as they call them a Plattoon (our Depruty Chief or Shift Commander) Chief for each of the two shifts. Work schedule is 24 on 24 off or on average an 84 hour work week, which may sound like alot but trust me most would rather be working everyday as there isn't much to do otherwise. We do have a gym at the main station as well as a number of military ones throughout the base that we are free to use. There are 6 DFACs (dining facilites), 1 British, 1 French or Continental, 1 Asian and 2 American, the other I havent found yet but it is reported to be Arabic serving only Hallal food (similar to Kosher). The food itself is edible although as any former soldier can tell you, everything is cooked well beyond well done. Kandahar also boasts a Boardwalk which is just exactly what you'd expect it to be, a wooden sidewalk on which fromts a number of commercial establishments. We have a KFC and Friday's, 2 pizza joints although the term pizza is a bit of a stretch to anyone from our area, a Nathan's open 24 hours to boot a coffe shop and a French Deli/Patisserre. Along with the gastronomic choices there are a number of small "Haji" or locals run shops carrying everything from cigarettes to jewelery and trinkets to a full tailor shop that will make a hand tailored suit for you for about $250. There is also a Bazaar every Saturday with the ubiquitous bootleg movies as well as an impressive selection of junk, haggling a must.
About the FD itself aside from the above. Well I started at the main station, Station 1 which sits on the Airfield. Housed there are 5 of the 6 crash trucks and their attendant crews. I was assigned to Engine 3 one of the two structural units on base. Station 3 houses another crash truck on the opposite side of the runway. Station 3 is a luxuriously appointed Army tent with none of the comforts of home. Station 1 is more akin to a Stateside firehouse with an alarm room, offices, a large dayroom and sleeping quarters (3 to a room). The crash side of the house is busier here since much to my suprise Kandahar Airfield is the busiest single runway airport in the world with between 850 - 1000 inbound and outbound flights a week. And there is quite a wide variety of aircraft in and out of here including C-130s and C-17s, C-5s as well, F-16s, F/A/18s, Harriers, A-10s. We also get 737s, Antonov A-12s and the other really huge Russian one whose designation I can't recall as well as a few 747s. Choppers abound with Blackhawks and Chinooks, Cobras, and Apaches and a large contingent of old Russian machines like the Mil-8 and the Mil -10 for transpot duty. And of course the UAVs which are really quite impressive.
My current assignment is as the Crew Chief (Capt) of Station 2 "Southside". I have with me 4 crewman and our rig is a European spec'ed Rosenbauer from Germany. Needles to say that it takes a bit of getting used to with the pump in the rear and it's overall lack of hose and equipment by our standards, not to mention its all metric. I have a pump that in liters!! Damn Europeans now I have to do math.
Our first due is about 8 sq. miles with roughly 25,000 miltary and civilian residents. Building range from one and two story PEBs (pre engineered buildings) of metal and wood. wooden B and C huts (think ranch houses except it's many offices or sleeping rooms off a central hallway), tents of various sizes up to 200 x 75 and a large number of two story masonary barracks (think garden apartments). Along with these living areas we on the Southside enjoy the distinction of being what back home would be called the industrail side of town. The majority of the mechanical shops, warehouses, stortage facilities fuel points and motorpools are in our first due, along with a host of HazMat goodies. All in all it's a diverse and challenging district.
Now what makes KAFs Fire Department somewhat unique is the fact that we are comprised of a multi national force. There are Indians, Philippinos, South Aficans and a sizeable contingent of Brits. Then there's a few Canucks and representing the good ole USA is Nate who hails form the metro DC area and myself. While English is the required language I have found that it's use is somewhat impeded by the variety of accents in use. In fact I've found that I'll need to invest in an English to English dictionary to communicate with my comrades form the UK...LOL
One of the most common questions I get is, is it safe? Well safe is a relative term in a war zone. We do get regular presents of the 81, 120 and 240mm variety from our Taliban friends outside the wire and they do at times cause casualities. The last was a soldier a few months ago. Our towel headed friends also like to try and crash our party here often by trying to get through the wire. They don't get too far. In fact just prior to my arrival about 100 or so of them got their wish with a one way fast track ticket to meet Allah...isn't that nice for them. Hopefully their buddies will be right behind. Our boys here are more than happy to oblige that wish and we all support them. Vigilance is a necessity here, just like home complacency kills. We do all we can to stay safe, but the reality is, if your numbers up then it's up. Until then I and all of us have a job to do and we just do it.
Some may think this a noble or courageous endeavor, for that I thank you, but please give your kudos to those that really deserve it, the brave and dedicated men and women of our Armed Forces. These folks are as courageous as they come and they are in a sense our kindred spirits....they too put themselves at risk to protect and serve others, all of us here and back home.
In closing I would ask a favor from all who read this. As you go through your day stop for just a minute and think about those service members over here and what they are sacrificing for you and yours. And if it should strike you please find an organization that send things over and send something to a soldier, sailor, or airman here. It couild be anything, a letter, a card and damn tube of toothpaste...anything so that they know that you remember and support them. They will appreciate it more than you know. Freedom is not free and these folks are paying the price for our freedom, please don't forget them.
Cogs
________________
Peter Cogliano
Crew Chief Engine 2 "Southside"
Kandahar Fire Crash Rescue Services
Kandahar Airfield Afghanistan

2nd Capt / Asst. Training Officer
Belltown Fire Dept.
Stamford, CT

Many people have PMed and emailed mre asking about life "over there" in Afghanistan, so I thought I'd write a quick decription of how it is for those interested.
To start I am now assigned to Kandahar Airfield which, unlike all my previous jobs, is a NATO run base. At present I believe the British are the ones technicaly in charge of the base but almost all NATO countries and a few others are represented here. This makes for some interesting interactions as cultures do clash occasionally, usually with comic results fortunately. It is hot here, I mean really hot. Average temperatures this week have been just above 130 with the nights cooling down to a balmy 100 or so. It is also dusty here to the point that everything has a permant shade of tan covering it, no matter how often you clean it.
My FD here or to use it's proper name Kandahar Fire Crash Rescue Services is comprised of 60 men manning 6 crash trucks, 2 structural Engines and a Tanker along with a Chief and as they call them a Plattoon (our Depruty Chief or Shift Commander) Chief for each of the two shifts. Work schedule is 24 on 24 off or on average an 84 hour work week, which may sound like alot but trust me most would rather be working everyday as there isn't much to do otherwise. We do have a gym at the main station as well as a number of military ones throughout the base that we are free to use. There are 6 DFACs (dining facilites), 1 British, 1 French or Continental, 1 Asian and 2 American, the other I havent found yet but it is reported to be Arabic serving only Hallal food (similar to Kosher). The food itself is edible although as any former soldier can tell you, everything is cooked well beyond well done. Kandahar also boasts a Boardwalk which is just exactly what you'd expect it to be, a wooden sidewalk on which fromts a number of commercial establishments. We have a KFC and Friday's, 2 pizza joints although the term pizza is a bit of a stretch to anyone from our area, a Nathan's open 24 hours to boot a coffe shop and a French Deli/Patisserre. Along with the gastronomic choices there are a number of small "Haji" or locals run shops carrying everything from cigarettes to jewelery and trinkets to a full tailor shop that will make a hand tailored suit for you for about $250. There is also a Bazaar every Saturday with the ubiquitous bootleg movies as well as an impressive selection of junk, haggling a must.
About the FD itself aside from the above. Well I started at the main station, Station 1 which sits on the Airfield. Housed there are 5 of the 6 crash trucks and their attendant crews. I was assigned to Engine 3 one of the two structural units on base. Station 3 houses another crash truck on the opposite side of the runway. Station 3 is a luxuriously appointed Army tent with none of the comforts of home. Station 1 is more akin to a Stateside firehouse with an alarm room, offices, a large dayroom and sleeping quarters (3 to a room). The crash side of the house is busier here since much to my suprise Kandahar Airfield is the busiest single runway airport in the world with between 850 - 1000 inbound and outbound flights a week. And there is quite a wide variety of aircraft in and out of here including C-130s and C-17s, C-5s as well, F-16s, F/A/18s, Harriers, A-10s. We also get 737s, Antonov A-12s and the other really huge Russian one whose designation I can't recall as well as a few 747s. Choppers abound with Blackhawks and Chinooks, Cobras, and Apaches and a large contingent of old Russian machines like the Mil-8 and the Mil -10 for transpot duty. And of course the UAVs which are really quite impressive.
My current assignment is as the Crew Chief (Capt) of Station 2 "Southside". I have with me 4 crewman and our rig is a European spec'ed Rosenbauer from Germany. Needles to say that it takes a bit of getting used to with the pump in the rear and it's overall lack of hose and equipment by our standards, not to mention its all metric. I have a pump that in liters!! Damn Europeans now I have to do math.
Our first due is about 8 sq. miles with roughly 25,000 miltary and civilian residents. Building range from one and two story PEBs (pre engineered buildings) of metal and wood. wooden B and C huts (think ranch houses except it's many offices or sleeping rooms off a central hallway), tents of various sizes up to 200 x 75 and a large number of two story masonary barracks (think garden apartments). Along with these living areas we on the Southside enjoy the distinction of being what back home would be called the industrail side of town. The majority of the mechanical shops, warehouses, stortage facilities fuel points and motorpools are in our first due, along with a host of HazMat goodies. All in all it's a diverse and challenging district.
Now what makes KAFs Fire Department somewhat unique is the fact that we are comprised of a multi national force. There are Indians, Philippinos, South Aficans and a sizeable contingent of Brits. Then there's a few Canucks and representing the good ole USA is Nate who hails form the metro DC area and myself. While English is the required language I have found that it's use is somewhat impeded by the variety of accents in use. In fact I've found that I'll need to invest in an English to English dictionary to communicate with my comrades form the UK...LOL
One of the most common questions I get is, is it safe? Well safe is a relative term in a war zone. We do get regular presents of the 81, 120 and 240mm variety from our Taliban friends outside the wire and they do at times cause casualities. The last was a soldier a few months ago. Our towel headed friends also like to try and crash our party here often by trying to get through the wire. They don't get too far. In fact just prior to my arrival about 100 or so of them got their wish with a one way fast track ticket to meet Allah...isn't that nice for them. Hopefully their buddies will be right behind. Our boys here are more than happy to oblige that wish and we all support them. Vigilance is a necessity here, just like home complacency kills. We do all we can to stay safe, but the reality is, if your numbers up then it's up. Until then I and all of us have a job to do and we just do it.
Some may think this a noble or courageous endeavor, for that I thank you, but please give your kudos to those that really deserve it, the brave and dedicated men and women of our Armed Forces. These folks are as courageous as they come and they are in a sense our kindred spirits....they too put themselves at risk to protect and serve others, all of us here and back home.
In closing I would ask a favor from all who read this. As you go through your day stop for just a minute and think about those service members over here and what they are sacrificing for you and yours. And if it should strike you please find an organization that send things over and send something to a soldier, sailor, or airman here. It couild be anything, a letter, a card and damn tube of toothpaste...anything so that they know that you remember and support them. They will appreciate it more than you know. Freedom is not free and these folks are paying the price for our freedom, please don't forget them.
Cogs
________________
Peter Cogliano
Crew Chief Engine 2 "Southside"
Kandahar Fire Crash Rescue Services
Kandahar Airfield Afghanistan

2nd Capt / Asst. Training Officer
Belltown Fire Dept.
Stamford, CT

Many people have PMed and emailed mre asking about life "over there" in Afghanistan, so I thought I'd write a quick decription of how it is for those interested.
To start I am now assigned to Kandahar Airfield which, unlike all my previous jobs, is a NATO run base. At present I believe the British are the ones technicaly in charge of the base but almost all NATO countries and a few others are represented here. This makes for some interesting interactions as cultures do clash occasionally, usually with comic results fortunately. It is hot here, I mean really hot. Average temperatures this week have been just above 130 with the nights cooling down to a balmy 100 or so. It is also dusty here to the point that everything has a permant shade of tan covering it, no matter how often you clean it.
My FD here or to use it's proper name Kandahar Fire Crash Rescue Services is comprised of 60 men manning 6 crash trucks, 2 structural Engines and a Tanker along with a Chief and as they call them a Plattoon (our Depruty Chief or Shift Commander) Chief for each of the two shifts. Work schedule is 24 on 24 off or on average an 84 hour work week, which may sound like alot but trust me most would rather be working everyday as there isn't much to do otherwise. We do have a gym at the main station as well as a number of military ones throughout the base that we are free to use. There are 6 DFACs (dining facilites), 1 British, 1 French or Continental, 1 Asian and 2 American, the other I havent found yet but it is reported to be Arabic serving only Hallal food (similar to Kosher). The food itself is edible although as any former soldier can tell you, everything is cooked well beyond well done. Kandahar also boasts a Boardwalk which is just exactly what you'd expect it to be, a wooden sidewalk on which fromts a number of commercial establishments. We have a KFC and Friday's, 2 pizza joints although the term pizza is a bit of a stretch to anyone from our area, a Nathan's open 24 hours to boot a coffe shop and a French Deli/Patisserre. Along with the gastronomic choices there are a number of small "Haji" or locals run shops carrying everything from cigarettes to jewelery and trinkets to a full tailor shop that will make a hand tailored suit for you for about $250. There is also a Bazaar every Saturday with the ubiquitous bootleg movies as well as an impressive selection of junk, haggling a must.
About the FD itself aside from the above. Well I started at the main station, Station 1 which sits on the Airfield. Housed there are 5 of the 6 crash trucks and their attendant crews. I was assigned to Engine 3 one of the two structural units on base. Station 3 houses another crash truck on the opposite side of the runway. Station 3 is a luxuriously appointed Army tent with none of the comforts of home. Station 1 is more akin to a Stateside firehouse with an alarm room, offices, a large dayroom and sleeping quarters (3 to a room). The crash side of the house is busier here since much to my suprise Kandahar Airfield is the busiest single runway airport in the world with between 850 - 1000 inbound and outbound flights a week. And there is quite a wide variety of aircraft in and out of here including C-130s and C-17s, C-5s as well, F-16s, F/A/18s, Harriers, A-10s. We also get 737s, Antonov A-12s and the other really huge Russian one whose designation I can't recall as well as a few 747s. Choppers abound with Blackhawks and Chinooks, Cobras, and Apaches and a large contingent of old Russian machines like the Mil-8 and the Mil -10 for transpot duty. And of course the UAVs which are really quite impressive.
My current assignment is as the Crew Chief (Capt) of Station 2 "Southside". I have with me 4 crewman and our rig is a European spec'ed Rosenbauer from Germany. Needles to say that it takes a bit of getting used to with the pump in the rear and it's overall lack of hose and equipment by our standards, not to mention its all metric. I have a pump that in liters!! Damn Europeans now I have to do math.
Our first due is about 8 sq. miles with roughly 25,000 miltary and civilian residents. Building range from one and two story PEBs (pre engineered buildings) of metal and wood. wooden B and C huts (think ranch houses except it's many offices or sleeping rooms off a central hallway), tents of various sizes up to 200 x 75 and a large number of two story masonary barracks (think garden apartments). Along with these living areas we on the Southside enjoy the distinction of being what back home would be called the industrail side of town. The majority of the mechanical shops, warehouses, stortage facilities fuel points and motorpools are in our first due, along with a host of HazMat goodies. All in all it's a diverse and challenging district.
Now what makes KAFs Fire Department somewhat unique is the fact that we are comprised of a multi national force. There are Indians, Philippinos, South Aficans and a sizeable contingent of Brits. Then there's a few Canucks and representing the good ole USA is Nate who hails form the metro DC area and myself. While English is the required language I have found that it's use is somewhat impeded by the variety of accents in use. In fact I've found that I'll need to invest in an English to English dictionary to communicate with my comrades form the UK...LOL
One of the most common questions I get is, is it safe? Well safe is a relative term in a war zone. We do get regular presents of the 81, 120 and 240mm variety from our Taliban friends outside the wire and they do at times cause casualities. The last was a soldier a few months ago. Our towel headed friends also like to try and crash our party here often by trying to get through the wire. They don't get too far. In fact just prior to my arrival about 100 or so of them got their wish with a one way fast track ticket to meet Allah...isn't that nice for them. Hopefully their buddies will be right behind. Our boys here are more than happy to oblige that wish and we all support them. Vigilance is a necessity here, just like home complacency kills. We do all we can to stay safe, but the reality is, if your numbers up then it's up. Until then I and all of us have a job to do and we just do it.
Some may think this a noble or courageous endeavor, for that I thank you, but please give your kudos to those that really deserve it, the brave and dedicated men and women of our Armed Forces. These folks are as courageous as they come and they are in a sense our kindred spirits....they too put themselves at risk to protect and serve others, all of us here and back home.
In closing I would ask a favor from all who read this. As you go through your day stop for just a minute and think about those service members over here and what they are sacrificing for you and yours. And if it should strike you please find an organization that send things over and send something to a soldier, sailor, or airman here. It couild be anything, a letter, a card and damn tube of toothpaste...anything so that they know that you remember and support them. They will appreciate it more than you know. Freedom is not free and these folks are paying the price for our freedom, please don't forget them.
Cogs
________________
Peter Cogliano
Crew Chief Engine 2 "Southside"
Kandahar Fire Crash Rescue Services
Kandahar Airfield Afghanistan

2nd Capt / Asst. Training Officer
Belltown Fire Dept.
Stamford, CT

Many people have PMed and emailed mre asking about life "over there" in Afghanistan, so I thought I'd write a quick decription of how it is for those interested.
To start I am now assigned to Kandahar Airfield which, unlike all my previous jobs, is a NATO run base. At present I believe the British are the ones technicaly in charge of the base but almost all NATO countries and a few others are represented here. This makes for some interesting interactions as cultures do clash occasionally, usually with comic results fortunately. It is hot here, I mean really hot. Average temperatures this week have been just above 130 with the nights cooling down to a balmy 100 or so. It is also dusty here to the point that everything has a permant shade of tan covering it, no matter how often you clean it.
My FD here or to use it's proper name Kandahar Fire Crash Rescue Services is comprised of 60 men manning 6 crash trucks, 2 structural Engines and a Tanker along with a Chief and as they call them a Plattoon (our Depruty Chief or Shift Commander) Chief for each of the two shifts. Work schedule is 24 on 24 off or on average an 84 hour work week, which may sound like alot but trust me most would rather be working everyday as there isn't much to do otherwise. We do have a gym at the main station as well as a number of military ones throughout the base that we are free to use. There are 6 DFACs (dining facilites), 1 British, 1 French or Continental, 1 Asian and 2 American, the other I havent found yet but it is reported to be Arabic serving only Hallal food (similar to Kosher). The food itself is edible although as any former soldier can tell you, everything is cooked well beyond well done. Kandahar also boasts a Boardwalk which is just exactly what you'd expect it to be, a wooden sidewalk on which fromts a number of commercial establishments. We have a KFC and Friday's, 2 pizza joints although the term pizza is a bit of a stretch to anyone from our area, a Nathan's open 24 hours to boot a coffe shop and a French Deli/Patisserre. Along with the gastronomic choices there are a number of small "Haji" or locals run shops carrying everything from cigarettes to jewelery and trinkets to a full tailor shop that will make a hand tailored suit for you for about $250. There is also a Bazaar every Saturday with the ubiquitous bootleg movies as well as an impressive selection of junk, haggling a must.
About the FD itself aside from the above. Well I started at the main station, Station 1 which sits on the Airfield. Housed there are 5 of the 6 crash trucks and their attendant crews. I was assigned to Engine 3 one of the two structural units on base. Station 3 houses another crash truck on the opposite side of the runway. Station 3 is a luxuriously appointed Army tent with none of the comforts of home. Station 1 is more akin to a Stateside firehouse with an alarm room, offices, a large dayroom and sleeping quarters (3 to a room). The crash side of the house is busier here since much to my suprise Kandahar Airfield is the busiest single runway airport in the world with between 850 - 1000 inbound and outbound flights a week. And there is quite a wide variety of aircraft in and out of here including C-130s and C-17s, C-5s as well, F-16s, F/A/18s, Harriers, A-10s. We also get 737s, Antonov A-12s and the other really huge Russian one whose designation I can't recall as well as a few 747s. Choppers abound with Blackhawks and Chinooks, Cobras, and Apaches and a large contingent of old Russian machines like the Mil-8 and the Mil -10 for transpot duty. And of course the UAVs which are really quite impressive.
My current assignment is as the Crew Chief (Capt) of Station 2 "Southside". I have with me 4 crewman and our rig is a European spec'ed Rosenbauer from Germany. Needles to say that it takes a bit of getting used to with the pump in the rear and it's overall lack of hose and equipment by our standards, not to mention its all metric. I have a pump that in liters!! Damn Europeans now I have to do math.
Our first due is about 8 sq. miles with roughly 25,000 miltary and civilian residents. Building range from one and two story PEBs (pre engineered buildings) of metal and wood. wooden B and C huts (think ranch houses except it's many offices or sleeping rooms off a central hallway), tents of various sizes up to 200 x 75 and a large number of two story masonary barracks (think garden apartments). Along with these living areas we on the Southside enjoy the distinction of being what back home would be called the industrail side of town. The majority of the mechanical shops, warehouses, stortage facilities fuel points and motorpools are in our first due, along with a host of HazMat goodies. All in all it's a diverse and challenging district.
Now what makes KAFs Fire Department somewhat unique is the fact that we are comprised of a multi national force. There are Indians, Philippinos, South Aficans and a sizeable contingent of Brits. Then there's a few Canucks and representing the good ole USA is Nate who hails form the metro DC area and myself. While English is the required language I have found that it's use is somewhat impeded by the variety of accents in use. In fact I've found that I'll need to invest in an English to English dictionary to communicate with my comrades form the UK...LOL
One of the most common questions I get is, is it safe? Well safe is a relative term in a war zone. We do get regular presents of the 81, 120 and 240mm variety from our Taliban friends outside the wire and they do at times cause casualities. The last was a soldier a few months ago. Our towel headed friends also like to try and crash our party here often by trying to get through the wire. They don't get too far. In fact just prior to my arrival about 100 or so of them got their wish with a one way fast track ticket to meet Allah...isn't that nice for them. Hopefully their buddies will be right behind. Our boys here are more than happy to oblige that wish and we all support them. Vigilance is a necessity here, just like home complacency kills. We do all we can to stay safe, but the reality is, if your numbers up then it's up. Until then I and all of us have a job to do and we just do it.
Some may think this a noble or courageous endeavor, for that I thank you, but please give your kudos to those that really deserve it, the brave and dedicated men and women of our Armed Forces. These folks are as courageous as they come and they are in a sense our kindred spirits....they too put themselves at risk to protect and serve others, all of us here and back home.
In closing I would ask a favor from all who read this. As you go through your day stop for just a minute and think about those service members over here and what they are sacrificing for you and yours. And if it should strike you please find an organization that send things over and send something to a soldier, sailor, or airman here. It couild be anything, a letter, a card and damn tube of toothpaste...anything so that they know that you remember and support them. They will appreciate it more than you know. Freedom is not free and these folks are paying the price for our freedom, please don't forget them.
Cogs
________________
Peter Cogliano
Crew Chief Engine 2 "Southside"
Kandahar Fire Crash Rescue Services
Kandahar Airfield Afghanistan

2nd Capt / Asst. Training Officer
Belltown Fire Dept.
Stamford, CT