firemoose827

Some people in Fairfield, CT recently called 911 about their cable being out. Not joking. Another guy called about an employee at a deli got his order wrong. And we all remember the classic "chicken nuggets" call.

-Male called and requested an ambulance because his hemorrhoids where bothering him
-Female called and requested an ambulance because she forgot to take her medication
-Man called 911 because his keys fell down the sewer grate
-Man called 911 because his neighbor was hitting golf balls into his yard (he made no attempt to talk to the man before calling)
-Family called 911 because there child wouldn't brush their teeth before bed

-bf/gf won't give his/her drugs back or took them (very common job)

There are a few people lately, from separate groups and backgrounds who have been feeding off one another and having knowledge of health vulnerabilities in my life, who have made it their game increasingly over the past few weeks to slander and harass me using a variety of methods and tactics. You may know who a few of these bullies are, as you've probably seen them proudly bragging about it on here, Facebook, or elsewhere. Or you've heard them or one of their friends starting or playing a game of telephone.
The main goal of these people seem to be not only to slander, discredit, and harass me, but for some reason to go after my friendships as they relate to this website.
I don't know what their end motives are exactly, aside from the pleasure they seem to gain from it, but enough is enough and it's getting so overwhelming to keep up with that I can't possibly make one on one contact with everybody to explain the situation, nor do I know exactly who these people may have reached, which is why I am making this statement on here, to begin damage control, a point I hoped it would end before I would have had to do that.
I would like to ask everyone to keep an open mind, and NOT assume that everything they hear is true. Everyone is entitled to interpret the information they receive however they wish. But ask why. Ask yourself what is the motive of the person(s) that these actions are coming from are, and what outcome do they want? And what is the other side to the story you are hearing? I'm a good person who loves to help people, and will do anything to help anybody. Which is why I started this website. And what I type on here is the same as what I would say to you one on one. I don't have to hide behind a keyboard like some of these people. Those who are truly my friends know that, and have seen me prove that and everything I say.
I cannot elaborate further on any more specifics right now, but I am posting this on here, as a locked statement, for a limited time. I'd also like to state using this site to harass and bait me is not acceptable and will not be tolerated. Posting on this forum is a privilege, not a right. Nor am I required to have to constantly "defend" myself against these people, their agenda, and their loaded questions or comments they pose to me on this forum in an attempt to continue their harassment and slander.
Please also beware of any "spoof" websites or false email addresses that are being used to pretend to be me. Examine the email header and the exact email spelling closely. If in doubt, forward it to me at seth@emtbravo.com and I will tell you if it came from me or not. I appreciate all those friends who have been helping me with the documentation of this, as well as providing the names of these people and the evidence linking them to what they are doing.
I can be contacted anytime at seth@emtbravo.com . Please do not be offended if I do not respond promptly as I am a bit overwhelmed trying fix the damage these people are causing.
Oh, and to those people who this thread is in regards to....think whatever you would like....but losers can never win in the long run. Karma is a bitch.

The first one is not a call, but related to the 9/11 experiences being shared by some. I was not able to make it to the city that day, we were mobilizing a task force of fire and ems from my county to respond on the NYS mutual aid response system but were cancelled last minute due to all the career and volunteer firefighters that just showed up without notice. SO instead of turning them around they put them to work and had us stand-by.
But a week later, a local church had a memorial service for those lost that day and invited all of the FD's, EMS and Police agencies to attend. We were car pooling to the event and there were 7 of us in uniform standing in the open truck bay or our station waiting for more members to show. Across the street from us a couple emerged from their car slowly, and the woman had been crying, she looked at us and started to cry hysterically again. Her husband held her and they walked across the street as if in a funeral procession. They got to us and they both were crying at this point. She finaly told us (through her tears) that they wanted to thank us for helping strangers and doing what we did. That was all they said. They then hugged every one of us, a long hug, saying nothing else to us. Then they turned and walked a few feet away, and turned back and told us "God bless all of you and your families, I will never forget any of you again..." and they went back to their car....None of us talked, we just sat there dumbfounded until we finaly got up and piled into two cars and went to the ceremony, a little more somber then we were already, and the chief and 2 of us were even tearing up a bit.
One is more funny then serious; I went to a structure fire in my past department with my father. We arrived on scene in the first due engine to find it fully involved on the first and second floors with smoke pumping from the basement doors. I remember stretching a 2 1/2" line and was getting ready for water when i heard barking from the basement. I yelled to my father and the Lieutenant on scene to grab a tool and ran over to the door, it was locked on the inside. My father had a halligan and told me to cover him with the line. He forced the door open and quicker then either of us could react 5 dogs of various size raced out and ALL latched on to my fathers bunker pant leg, snarling and growling. I froze and didnt know what to do first when my father started Screaming "SHOOT THEM!!! SHOOT THE LITTLE BASTARDS!!!" while he tried to kick at them with his other leg. It was hysterical to watch as the Lt quickly fell to the ground laughing and wailing. I shot them with a quick blast from the line and they all took off into the woods behind the home. Hey...they were alive. We kept an eye out for them the rest of the time there and the owners tried calling to them but I guess they were afraid of their rescuers! They finally emerged from the woods during overhaul and the owners got them in the car ok and took them to the vet. No injuries for the dogs, but my fathers leg and pride...another story!!
My second call as an EMT-CC; It was on the Interstate during a freak ice storm that came out of nowhere. A pickup going 65 lost control on the ice, spun around 360 degrees 2 or 3 times and then slammed head-on into a tractor-trailer behind him that also lost control going 70...driver of the pickup was ejected and rolled 45 yards down the road, his truck looked like an accordian. Driver of the rig was pinned, both legs busted, ribs busted, head injury. I got out of the bus and ran to the guy that was ejected with the trauma bag and he took his last gurgling breath as I knelt next to him with the county paramedic (that just taught my class) with me. We tubed him, the medic did needle chest decompressions, started 3 large bores on him and packaged him up. He ended up flying out in the bird that was called for the rig driver but he was still pinned and being extricated by 2 FD's. 37 minutes later we got the driver out and flew him out on bird #2 that both landed right on the interstate. Both are alive and well today, a little handicapped but still breathing.
Last call to talk about but many more come to mind, its been 24 years...
I went to a house fire, 3rd department called for tanker and manpower. By the time we got there the main fire was knocked, so they had us check for extension. I was walking through the living room joking around with a guy I trained with from another department and I was just taking pictures and stuff off the wall and wrapping them in a blanket from the back of the couch. I grabbed a couple of dozen picture frames from the walls, I couldnt see what they were due to the soot. I took other items off shelves and tucked them in the couch cushions and did other salvage work too. We finished our sweep and came outside (with the blanket wrapped picture frames over my shoulder like santa) and I scanned the front yard for the owners. They were across the street with the neighbors on the lawn so I approached them. I gave them the blanket and told them I grabbed some things for them and protected a bunch of other stuff, and told them where I put it all. The wife looked at some of the frames and started to cry...hysterically...I didnt know if I should hug her or run and hide...then she looked at me and said "These are my wedding pictures of my grandparents, theyr'e very old, and these are my daughters graduation pictures, and this...(holding up a frame)...is my daughters birth certificate with hand and foot prints..." She hugged me and cried. The hubby shook my hand and said thank you about 2 dozen times. THAT, was the best call ever, even though the house was a loss, but their memories were saved. Almost as good as saving a life I guess.

The first one is not a call, but related to the 9/11 experiences being shared by some. I was not able to make it to the city that day, we were mobilizing a task force of fire and ems from my county to respond on the NYS mutual aid response system but were cancelled last minute due to all the career and volunteer firefighters that just showed up without notice. SO instead of turning them around they put them to work and had us stand-by.
But a week later, a local church had a memorial service for those lost that day and invited all of the FD's, EMS and Police agencies to attend. We were car pooling to the event and there were 7 of us in uniform standing in the open truck bay or our station waiting for more members to show. Across the street from us a couple emerged from their car slowly, and the woman had been crying, she looked at us and started to cry hysterically again. Her husband held her and they walked across the street as if in a funeral procession. They got to us and they both were crying at this point. She finaly told us (through her tears) that they wanted to thank us for helping strangers and doing what we did. That was all they said. They then hugged every one of us, a long hug, saying nothing else to us. Then they turned and walked a few feet away, and turned back and told us "God bless all of you and your families, I will never forget any of you again..." and they went back to their car....None of us talked, we just sat there dumbfounded until we finaly got up and piled into two cars and went to the ceremony, a little more somber then we were already, and the chief and 2 of us were even tearing up a bit.
One is more funny then serious; I went to a structure fire in my past department with my father. We arrived on scene in the first due engine to find it fully involved on the first and second floors with smoke pumping from the basement doors. I remember stretching a 2 1/2" line and was getting ready for water when i heard barking from the basement. I yelled to my father and the Lieutenant on scene to grab a tool and ran over to the door, it was locked on the inside. My father had a halligan and told me to cover him with the line. He forced the door open and quicker then either of us could react 5 dogs of various size raced out and ALL latched on to my fathers bunker pant leg, snarling and growling. I froze and didnt know what to do first when my father started Screaming "SHOOT THEM!!! SHOOT THE LITTLE BASTARDS!!!" while he tried to kick at them with his other leg. It was hysterical to watch as the Lt quickly fell to the ground laughing and wailing. I shot them with a quick blast from the line and they all took off into the woods behind the home. Hey...they were alive. We kept an eye out for them the rest of the time there and the owners tried calling to them but I guess they were afraid of their rescuers! They finally emerged from the woods during overhaul and the owners got them in the car ok and took them to the vet. No injuries for the dogs, but my fathers leg and pride...another story!!
My second call as an EMT-CC; It was on the Interstate during a freak ice storm that came out of nowhere. A pickup going 65 lost control on the ice, spun around 360 degrees 2 or 3 times and then slammed head-on into a tractor-trailer behind him that also lost control going 70...driver of the pickup was ejected and rolled 45 yards down the road, his truck looked like an accordian. Driver of the rig was pinned, both legs busted, ribs busted, head injury. I got out of the bus and ran to the guy that was ejected with the trauma bag and he took his last gurgling breath as I knelt next to him with the county paramedic (that just taught my class) with me. We tubed him, the medic did needle chest decompressions, started 3 large bores on him and packaged him up. He ended up flying out in the bird that was called for the rig driver but he was still pinned and being extricated by 2 FD's. 37 minutes later we got the driver out and flew him out on bird #2 that both landed right on the interstate. Both are alive and well today, a little handicapped but still breathing.
Last call to talk about but many more come to mind, its been 24 years...
I went to a house fire, 3rd department called for tanker and manpower. By the time we got there the main fire was knocked, so they had us check for extension. I was walking through the living room joking around with a guy I trained with from another department and I was just taking pictures and stuff off the wall and wrapping them in a blanket from the back of the couch. I grabbed a couple of dozen picture frames from the walls, I couldnt see what they were due to the soot. I took other items off shelves and tucked them in the couch cushions and did other salvage work too. We finished our sweep and came outside (with the blanket wrapped picture frames over my shoulder like santa) and I scanned the front yard for the owners. They were across the street with the neighbors on the lawn so I approached them. I gave them the blanket and told them I grabbed some things for them and protected a bunch of other stuff, and told them where I put it all. The wife looked at some of the frames and started to cry...hysterically...I didnt know if I should hug her or run and hide...then she looked at me and said "These are my wedding pictures of my grandparents, theyr'e very old, and these are my daughters graduation pictures, and this...(holding up a frame)...is my daughters birth certificate with hand and foot prints..." She hugged me and cried. The hubby shook my hand and said thank you about 2 dozen times. THAT, was the best call ever, even though the house was a loss, but their memories were saved. Almost as good as saving a life I guess.

Wow. so many different incidents that were memorable. Lots of pain, loss and some wonderful life changing calls. I liked the upbeat one that LTNRFD posted, so no fire, no blood, no death, but I like this one and LTNRFD was there:
Around 1982 or 83. LTNRFD, another EMT & myself at our VAC recieved a request for a nonemergency assist. We drove to the location and the women who called said her 75 year old father was just coming home from the hospital and she needed help caring him into the house.
We got the stair chair and walked around the car LTNRFD & I approached him and we both instantly recognized him. But LTNRFD di not know him like I did.
Sitting in the car was my boyhood idol; one of the finest sailors I had ever heard of. Arthur Knapp Jr. had won world championships, the America's Cup and almost every award there is in sailing. As a young teen I had memorized his book & writings on tactics. At 14 he coached me and helped me win a major regatta. At 15 I got to intern (school project) with him at Ratsey & Lapthorn Sailmakers and when I was 18 he asked me to crew with him and we won a major match racing series. I could not understand how he was so good and how he could manage because his health made it so he could barely move, but we did. That was only 2 or 3 years before this call.
He saw me and said how glad he was that I was there. We placed him on the stair chair and carried him in through the garage and up the basement stairs. The garage and stairs and whole house were covered in sailing trophys, they were everywhere.
We got him settled and said are goodbyes.
About an hour later he called the VAC and asked for me. he wanted to thank me, "marvin" (thats who he thought LTNRFD was) and the "cute one" and did I think she would go out on a date with him (she was about 18 at the time).
Thanks for asking for us to share, this was a lot better than many of the exciting calls.
http://www.herreshoff.org/achof/arthur_knapp_jr.html
http://library.mysticseaport.org/manuscripts/coll/coll357.cfm
http://www.nytimes.com/1992/06/17/sports/arthur-knapp-jr-85-champion-in-international-yacht-racing.html

I don't think there is a call that we have that does not leave some level of impression, good, bad or indifferent on us. It is why we do what we do. Some calls we remember because of the positive impact we were able to make while other we spend a lifetime struggling to forget for the impact that they make on us.

On the EMS side....
While working for Abbey Richmond in White Plains on a Sunday morning back in the early 1980's. I was assigned as the paramedic on the transport ambulance and was told to return to the office. My EMT and I were told to go do a 2 man ambulette from Longview Nursing Home in W.P. to Grace Church on Main St in W.P.
We were told that there were no ambulette drivers working and the transport had to be done. When we arrived ( in an ambulette ) we found a 106 y.o. female named Clara Beech. She was allowed to leave the nursing home only once a year on her birthday, and for medical services. Clara was as alert as a 40 y.o. and could see as good as anyone thru her coke bottle thick glasses. She was packaged and wheeled out to the ambulette. As we got outside she broke out in a song of praise for the beautiful day the Lord gave her on her birthday. Now off to Grace Church we went. When we arrived you would had thought the Pope was coming to the church. The church was mobbed. We wheeled her into church all the way to the front where she was the center of attention, which she ate up.
We left her there and returned 2 hours later to take her back to the nursing home. To see the joy on this woman's face more then made up for the fact that an A.L.S. bus was taken out of service for an ambulette call.
Well if you think it ends here it only half over.
Fast forward 1 year. I was again working Abbey W.P. this time on Amb-1. When I reported for work I checked the transport booking slips for the day. Right on top was the slip for Clara to go to church for her 107th birthday. Again it would take the transport A.L.S. ambulance out of service. I told the Transport medic that I'd do the ambullete call and he cover the city. He thought I was nuts but he agreed.
When we walked into her room at the nursing home ( which was only about a 10 bed nursing home) she looked up saw me and greeted me by my first name. She then said "so you came back to take me to church on my 107th birthday". I could believe she remembered me.
Off to church we went again and there was another mob at the church for Clara's birthday.
When we picked her up for the return she asked if we could drive around a bit. We drove around W.P. for about 30 minutes as she gave us a guided tour of how W.P. use to be around the turn of the century. That's the 1800's into the 1900"s. She grew up in W.P.
I don't know what ever happened to Clara, but I think about those two birthday ambulette trips to church often.

Very early response to the World Trade Center, nothing will ever compare to that

In over 30 years there are so many.
- Drowning, pool was like milk, couldn't see anything in the water, started a grid search. On second pass swan right into victim, scared the sh_t out me. Got him to surface. DOA w/broken
neck.
- Victim cut in half by train, half the body facing one direction the other half the opposite direction.
- Working to extricate two accident victims from an overturned car with my brother as it starts burning and hoping the engine arrives quickly.
- A deliberate hit and run at a bar, the victim had visible tire tracks across his body like you see in the cartoons. He had minor injuries.
- Advancing a line and having the ceiling cave in with me on one side and the rest of the team on the other.
- An EMS call to a seemingly normal, well cared for house with a BMW in the driveway, met by a stylishly dressed woman only to find it like an episode of hoarders on the inside.
- The actual and attempted suicides by drugs, guns, stabbing and hanging.
- The EMS call for a young man with an orifice impaled by a boat oar when he fell from the step ladder he was on while 'utilizing' the oar.
- Having to wrestle down a doctor with the police who became an EDP when he missed his meds for a condition no one knew he had. He cursed and fired all his staff on the way out. When
we got to the hospital there were scores waiting to help him.
- While at work, alerting the residents of a triple decker apartment house and carrying out a child as fire raced up the back staircase, going back to try to access an apartment with a potential
victim, fire too advanced, she wasn't home.
- Responding while on the rear step.
- SCBA for only a few.
- Getting one of the first Hurst tools in the County.
- Being there as my nephews came in and up in the ranks.
- Being in the station when a distraught and lost deaf woman came in for help. We calmed her down and had one of the guys lead her back to her house.
- Lots more, you forget more than you remember, but over the years you've helped a lot of people, most you didn't know which makes it all the better.
I once told the nephews, we're a small town, but be here long enough and you'll see just about everything, and I have.
There is no better calling

Ok, I believe what Westchester is saying here (In order to prevent the age old and boring arguments) is that our career brothers and sisters are highly trained and should normally be able to operate at these type of incidents with no trouble because of their training. As volunteers, we do not get the career academy with the basic rescue training all included in one shot, we have to get all of the individual rescue trainings in order to operate at a call like this one. He states that he is proud that some of the volunteers can rise to the level of the career family in both training standards and professionalism in order to operate at a water based search operation like this one, and he is extremely proud to be a part of this group that selflessly dedicate their time with family and hours from work in order to train and respond to these incidents. I see no crack or insult at either the career or volunteer brothers so please keep it that way. For now we will leave it as is but we are watching you...
Keep it on track. Thank you.

Lets face it calhobs, the real shame in todays world where drunk driving and efforts to prevent it are prevalent is the fact that the others got on the boat with the drunk guy or didnt try and stop him. They all got on that boat, driver included, knowing they were all drinking. It was dangerous, stupid, assinine, and in todays world should never happen after all of the publicity with drunk drivers killing people, drunk teens killing each other in high speed accidents and all the grief that goes with it.
How many times will we have to lose loved ones to drunken driving accidents before we all grow up? Yes it was sad, yes it should have never happened, but I have no further pity for any ahole that gets behind the wheel drunk or any of his dumb friends that get in with them without stoping them or even thinking its dangerous to do so...
Its my life, if I see someone drunk I would rather punch them in the face and grab their keys and have them pissed off at me for a while before I let them get behind the wheel, and if I cant prevent that I will keep everyone else from getting in with them.

Lets face it calhobs, the real shame in todays world where drunk driving and efforts to prevent it are prevalent is the fact that the others got on the boat with the drunk guy or didnt try and stop him. They all got on that boat, driver included, knowing they were all drinking. It was dangerous, stupid, assinine, and in todays world should never happen after all of the publicity with drunk drivers killing people, drunk teens killing each other in high speed accidents and all the grief that goes with it.
How many times will we have to lose loved ones to drunken driving accidents before we all grow up? Yes it was sad, yes it should have never happened, but I have no further pity for any ahole that gets behind the wheel drunk or any of his dumb friends that get in with them without stoping them or even thinking its dangerous to do so...
Its my life, if I see someone drunk I would rather punch them in the face and grab their keys and have them pissed off at me for a while before I let them get behind the wheel, and if I cant prevent that I will keep everyone else from getting in with them.

Ok, I believe what Westchester is saying here (In order to prevent the age old and boring arguments) is that our career brothers and sisters are highly trained and should normally be able to operate at these type of incidents with no trouble because of their training. As volunteers, we do not get the career academy with the basic rescue training all included in one shot, we have to get all of the individual rescue trainings in order to operate at a call like this one. He states that he is proud that some of the volunteers can rise to the level of the career family in both training standards and professionalism in order to operate at a water based search operation like this one, and he is extremely proud to be a part of this group that selflessly dedicate their time with family and hours from work in order to train and respond to these incidents. I see no crack or insult at either the career or volunteer brothers so please keep it that way. For now we will leave it as is but we are watching you...
Keep it on track. Thank you.

I'll put it this way. We need a 2.5 hose worth of training dollars to flow so instructors can get paid to teach MORE classes, but we are getting a booster line's worth. The state runs the pump panel......

This is a fascinating thread and it is great to see such a discussion returning to EMTBravo.
One thing that piqued my interest is the issue of training availability and provision by local entities and/or fire districts. This link will take you to the OFPC report on training: http://www.dhses.ny.gov/ofpc/training/documents/2012-legislative-report.pdf
Of particular interest was (page 3):

It would appear that agencies can work with their county to provide additional training at the county's expense. If the county is unable or unwilling to provide funding for that training, the district could probably arrange with the county to provide officially sanctioned supplemental training that would meet everyone's needs.

1- NYS Fire Instructors cannot teach any courses any where with out approval of OFPC. So the problem isn't with the Instructors its with OFPC.
2- NYC along with OFPC set the standard for Departments coming into the City.
3-Westchester has been assigned the Bronx--this is from FDNY and OFPC.
4-Each responding member is entered into the computer system to check credentials. Westchester meets at the Yonkers raceway to check in then gets a assignment. No one goes into the city with out being checked in first -or they will be subject to arrest by NYPD.
5-Limited apparatus allowed into the City---5 man eng--5 man trucks as per FDNY and OFPC.
6-LI covers Queens and Brooklyn same deal as Westchester and I believe NJ covers Staten Island if needed same as everyone else.
As for who trains with who -- why cant the Departments request departments with similar training... Example if your department is at a "job" and is tied up for a while and you need coverage---and you do EMS runs. You need a department with fire and EMTS and a EMS system to cover you. Why should you bring in any department that isn't up to your standards. If you have high rise buildings why bring in a department that has a 4 story height limit in their town or has never trained on high rise fires. Thers a lot to consider here.

Firemoose,

No, is not a joke. Our county says they have very limited hours/money for training. Yes, we have the outreach programs, but there is not nearly enought of them to keep up with the demand (bodies needing training) in the county. This has been brought up in countywide fire district meetings, Battalion meetings, ect. Same story no matter where you go on whatever level.
I have gotten in 12 new members in the past few months in my district due to a great recruting program done both inhouse and by FASNY that want to be/physically can be "interior SCBA wearing, hose weilding, a** kicking FF's" ... I am able to send 2 of them to FFI class due to county rules, which is 2 members per dept per "high demand" class. The other 10 get told, "well, you just have to wait for the next class" That could be several months off, and even then, it may not be non where near local (within a 45 drive one way). So they start to loose interest (and I dont blame them), .. They say to themselves, "You wanted me here, but you cant officially(read as having state certification saying I know what Im doing) train me, so whats the point".. I'd probably walk away also......

Ok, fine. As a district, I will pay (out of my budget for something that the state/county does provide, but its not nearly enough as the demand is for for free) for a state instructor, have them teach the OFPC class to the OFPC standards/doctrine, and would ASSUME that you'd get a state certificate. However, this is not the case. You dont get a state certificiate, you get a "in house" one, which is meaningless outside the confines of the district. If I have my inhouse cert, and I want to take a OFPC taught FF2 class, since I dont have a state issued cert, I cant take FF2.

So as a district, do I pay good money for good training that is meaningless as the state is concerned? What happens when someone gets hurt/killed that had a "inhouse cert" but not a state one? Im sure the lawyers would love that one. It could be a LONG time before I can get my other 10 people thru an outreach class.

Bottom line as a district, I'd pay for the training but the state makes it so I can not do so AND get a state certificate for the training....... So whats a guy to

There are never enough courses given in any of the outreach programs to meet the demand. And if you are a career dept. you have to pay for the acadamy.
38ff's point was he would be willing to pick up the cost of extra classes to get his guys trained

Why wouldn't it carry any weight outside the district if the training was documented that it followed the proper curriculum?

There could be another reason for that response Automatic mutual aid where the incident is receiving its response from the closest stations. That would make sense.

Two ways to look at it:
1) A FIRE dept should be able handle a "simple" working fire.
2) the above being said, I give a lot of credit to any dept. that acknowledges (to itself) that it needs help and if this is what it takes, then at least they are making sure that the public and responders have enough responders.
Long term, if this is the way they need to operate, then they should become 1 department. Mutual aid like this is not a long term solution.

Unfortunately you may be on to something Chief. Unless somebody dies in your department (I mean that generally, not talking about you specifically Moose,) nothing will change, because those in leadership positions will continue to justify their inaction by saying "this couldn't happen to us, we're too (insert random BS descriptor here)"
Alternatively, my generation could start demand more, I think the rising popularity of the "Combat Ready" style of firefighting among my peers, things MAY start to move in the right direction. I really like the energy and dedication that concept is bringing to the fire service, focusing on being proficient in the basics and motivating members to become lifelong students of the fire service instead of getting complacent when we think we've trained enough or taken enough classes (nothing kills my trust in a member or officer quite like those statements.) Maybe if those of us riding the back seats and the younger officers start raising the bar in terms of expectations and standards, we can drag rest of the service with us. But maybe I'm just feeling optimistic since I had my coffee an hour earlier this morning...

This is kind of a lousy way to look at this response. It may just be my experience in the fire service, but too many of us look at automatic fire alarms as bogus runs, or nothing to worry about. This department may not have enough manpower to handle structure fires and as a result they make sure they have it for fire alarms, because, why would a fire alarm activate usually?? Because of smoke or fire right? Its not always going to be a false alarm. This department would rather be prepared in case it is a fire. Whats wrong with that?
I used to agree with this but it doesnt teach people anything lasting. Look at 9/11 and the outpooring of support firefighters received for months after it, because of the major loss of life. What about now? Years later? Everyone forgets over time.
And lets look at how many firefighters die because of cancer, yet we still refuse to wear our air masks for every fire, including car fires and overhaul at structure fires? Loosing firefighters doesnt send any message other then grief.