Atlanta Firefighter Stricken During Exercise, Dies - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty

Atlanta Firefighter Stricken During Exercise, Dies - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty: "Funeral services are set for Friday for an Atlanta firefighter who died Tuesday, 10 days after he collapsed after running.

Fire Apparatus Operator Russell B. Schwantes, 39, was assigned to Station 24 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport."

A Simple Irish Joke

Two men were sitting next to each other at a bar.
After a while, one guy looks at the other and says,"I can't help but think, from listening to you, that you're from Ireland "
The other guy responds proudly, "Yes, that I am!"
The first guy says, "So am I! And where about from Ireland might you be?"
The other guy answers, "I'm from Dublin , I am."
The first guy responds, "Sure and begora, and so am I! And what street did you live on in Dublin?"
The other guy says, "A lovely little area it was, I lived on McCleary Street in the old central part of town"
The first guy says, "Faith & it's a small world, so did I! So did I! And may I ask, to what school would you have been going?"
The other guy answers, "Well now, I went to St.Mary's of course."
The first guy gets really excited and says, "And so did I. I thought you looked familiar.Tell me, what year did you graduate?"
The other guy answers, "Well, now, let's see, Igraduated in 1964."
The first guy exclaims, "The Good Lord must be smiling down upon us! I can hardly believe our good luck at winding up in the same bar tonight. Can you believe it, I graduated from St. Mary's in 1964 me ownself."
About this time, Vicky walks into the bar, sits down,and orders a beer. Brian, the bartender, walks over to Vicky, shaking his head & mutters, "It's going to be a long night tonight!!!!"
Vicky asks, "Why do you say that, Brian?"
"The Murphy twins are drunk again."

Red Fridays

Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every Friday. The reason? Canadians who support our troops used to be called the "silent majority". We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or over-bearing. We get no liberal media coverage on TV, to reflect our message or our opinions.

Many Canadians, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of Canadians supporting our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday -and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that.. Every red-blooded Canadian who supports our men and women afar will wear something red

By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make Canada on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, co-workers, friends, and family. It will not be long before Canada is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once "silent" majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on.

The first thing a soldier says when asked "What can we do to make things better for you?" is... We need your support and your prayers. Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example; and wear some thing red every Friday.

Tennesse Firefighter Dies In Tanker Crash - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty

Tennesse Firefighter Dies In Tanker Crash - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty:

"In the tiny town of Pleasantville, Garry Tanner was a one-man chamber of commerce. He ran a restaurant, started the volunteer fire service and was vying for a seat on the county commission. Thursday, his family and community were left wondering what to do without him."

New York Fire Police Officer Collapses, Dies - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty

New York Fire Police Officer Collapses, Dies - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty: "Whether it was a fire department activitiy, a church function or other community event in Howells, N.Y., David Smith was there.

On Tuesday night, the long-time volunteer firefighter died an apparent heart attack as he prepared to perform Fire Police duties at the scene of a HAZMAT, said Howells Fire Chief Ken Eck"

Check Your Driver's License Online

Check your driver's license information on line. Now you can see anyone's drivers’ license on the Internet, including your own. It asks for U.S. info but unfortunately it works for Canadian licenses as well. (Just ignore the part about selecting a state....just enter your city name)

I just searched for mine and there it was, picture and all.

This is pretty scary. Whatever happened to asking for permission from the owner of the license to publish the license?

Go to the website and check it out.
It's unbelievable!

Just enter your name and city, leave the State as is and write Canada in for the city, to check if yours is on file.

I would strongly suggest that after your license appears on the screen, click the box marked "Please Remove." to protect your privacy.


To check out the site... click below:

http://www.license.shorturl.com/

North Carolina Volunteer Dies at Event - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty

North Carolina Volunteer Dies at Event - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty: "A volunteer firefighter in North Carolina collapsed and died at a standby Sunday in his hometown.

Willie Price, 58, a member of the Jamesville Community Fire Department, suffered an apparent heart attack while standing beside the pumper he had driven to the annual fireworks event, said Chief Randy Gardner."

Cheap Gas... Well... cheaper maybe

How do you save .02 cents a liter on every gas purchase? It's pretty simple actually. Go to your nearest Petro Canada gas station and fill out the app for their credit card. Immediately you'll receive a card that you can swipe at the pump that will decrease your gas purchase by 2 cents per liter. I recently tried this when I went to pay in the store and the attendant removed the card from the app, swiped it and gave me 40 cents back when I paid him the $20.00 for the gas. I think your allotted something like 230 liters on the card. Try it... it works.

Down Time

Ok.. I wont be on here for some time.... We're in the process of moving! I'm hoping to be back online on Tuesday April 18th. Until then.. be careful out there. See you most likely on the 18th.
Jack

South Dakota Firefighter Dies of Injuries - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty

South Dakota Firefighter Dies of Injuries - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty:

Funeral services are set for Thursday for a volunteer firefighter from South Dakota who died Tuesday of head injuries sustained at the scene of a brush fire last week.

Thomas "Emmett" Kuehl, 38, a member of the Elkton Volunteer Fire Co., was behind the wheel of a fire truck when it got stuck. A tractor was being used to pull it out when the tow cable snapped, crashed through the windshield and struck him in the head.

New Jersey Firefighter Dies in House Fire - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty

New Jersey Firefighter Dies in House Fire - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty:

Updated: 04-11-2006 05:33:22 PM

PAUL PELUSO
Firehouse.com News

Franklin Township, N.J., firefighter Kevin Apuzzio died in a house fire the morning of April 11, according to the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office.

Apuzzio, 21, was a volunteer with the East Franklin Fire Department and a paid-part time EMT with Rutgers University"

The Telemarketer

I got this from Bob Thornton... what a great way to catch a telemarketer off balance.

The phone rang as I was sitting down to my evening meal, and as I answered it I was greeted with "Is this Karl Brummer?". Not sounding anything like my name, I asked who is calling.

The telemarketer said he was with The Rubber Band Powered Freezer Company or something like that. Then I asked him if he knew Karl personally and why was he calling this number?
I then said off to the side, "get some pictures of the body at various angles and the blood smears", I then turned back to the phone and advised the caller that he had entered a murder scene and must stay on the line because we had already traced this call and he would be receiving a summons to testify in this murder case.
I questioned the caller at great length as to his name, address, phone number at home, at work, who he worked for, how he knew the dead guy and could he prove where he had been about one hour before he made this call!
The telemarketer was getting very concerned and his answers were given in a shaky voice. I then told him we had located his position and the police were entering the building to take him into custody, at that point I heard the phone fall and the scurrying of his running away.
My wife asked me as I returned to our table why I had tears streaming down my face and so help me, I couldn't tell her for about fifteen minutes. My meal was cold, but it was the best meal in a long, long time.

Medical Myths - Answer

6: You can catch a sexually transmitted disease (STD) from a toilet seat.

___ True ___ False ___ Who told you that?

ANSWER: False. Mary J. O'Sullivan, MD, vice chair for ob-gyn at the University of Miami, tells WebMD that the idea that you could get an STD from a toilet seat "sounds believable," but is highly unlikely. Hard surfaces such as toilet seats are not conducive to STDs. Incidentally, there is rumor that the toilet seat myth got started by men who wanted their wives to think a public restroom, not their mates' adulterous ways, had given them an STD

Texas Firefighter Succumbs to Injuries - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty

Texas Firefighter Succumbs to Injuries

As wildfires drew closer to his Texas community earlier this year, James McMorries joined the volunteer fire department.

On Sunday, he died of injuries sustained last month after he was ejected from the 6x6 fire vehicle he was driving after it overturned and careened into a steep ravine."

Texas Firefighter Succumbs to Injuries

Texas Firefighter Ejected From Fire Truck, Dies One Month Later

James McMorries was one of those people who couldn't sit still. If there was something that needed fixing or someone needed help, he stepped right up.

As wildfires drew closer to his Texas community earlier this year, he joined the volunteer fire department.

On Sunday, he died of injuries sustained last month after he was ejected from the fire truck he was driving after it overturned and careened into a steep ravine.

Medical Myths

6: You can catch a sexually transmitted disease (STD) from a toilet seat.

___ True ___ False ___ Who told you that?

Answer tomorrow

Medical Myths - Answer

5: Staying out in the cold and wind will give you a cold.

___ True ___ False

ANSWER: False. Colds are caused by viruses, with enough variations to give you a choice of 200 versions of a cold (which is why you get them over and over again). Because viruses get into healthy cells, it's difficult to kill them without knocking off the good cells. This is the job of your immune system, which usually clears out cold viruses in a week or two. You can get the virus through inhaling infected air droplets sneezed or coughed by an infected person, or by touching something that an infected person has touched and then transferring the germs to your mouth or nose. You don't get it from cold air, slush, wind, or other wintry conditions. Cold viruses are more active in the winter, and that's why people get more colds in the winter. Stern says she used to come home from swim class, her wet hair frozen crispy, but never got sick until her mother saw it and said, "You will get such a cold!" So what's the best way to ward off this miserable virus? Wash your hands often.

Dead Issue

I received this in an email and thought it was priceless... enjoy the laugh

Be sure and cancel your credit cards before you die. This is so priceless, and so easy to see happening, customer service being what it is today. A lady died this past January, and Citibank billed her for February and March for their annual service charges on her credit card, and then added late fees and interest on the monthly charge. The balance had been $0.00, now is somewhere around $60.00. A family member placed a call to Citibank:

* Family Member: "I am calling to tell you that she died in January."
* Bank: "The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply."
* Family Member: "Maybe, you should turn it over to collections."
* Bank: "Since it is two months past due, it already has been."
* Family Member: So, what will they do when they find out she is dead?"
* Bank: "Either report her account to the frauds division or report her to the credit bureau, maybe both!"
* Family Member: "Do you think God will be mad at her?"
* Bank: "Excuse me?"
* Family Member: "Did you just get what I was telling you - the part about her being dead?"
* Bank: "Sir, you'll have to speak to my supervisor."

Supervisor gets on the phone:

* Family Member: "I'm calling to tell you, she died in January."
* Bank: "The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply."
* Family Member: "You mean you want to collect from her estate?"
* Bank: (Stammer) "Are you her lawyer?"
* Family Member: "No, I'm her great nephew." (Lawyer info given)
* Bank: "Could you fax us a certificate of death?"
* Family Member: "Sure." (fax number is given)

After they get the fax:

* Bank: "Our system just isn't set-up for death. I don't know what more I can do to help."
* Family Member: "Well, if you figure it out, great! If not, you could just keep billing her. I don't think she will care."
* Bank: "Well, the late fees and charges do still apply."
* Family Member: "Would you like her new billing address?"
* Bank: "That might help."
* Family Member: "Odessa Memorial Cemetery, Highway 129, Plot Number 69."
* Bank: "Sir, that's a cemetery!"
* Family Member: "What do you do with dead people on your planet?"

Medical Myths

5: Staying out in the cold and wind will give you a cold.

___ True ___ False

Answer tomorrow

Medical Myths - Answer

4: Staring at an eclipse can blind you.

____ True ____ False ____ Only if you're not wearing specially made sunglasses

ANSWER: True. Never view the sun directly with the naked eye or with any unfiltered optical device, such as binoculars or a telescope!.

As sunlight enters the eye, it can damage the light-sensitive nerve endings in the back of the eye -- known as the retina -- causing vision loss.

Total and partial eclipses can lead to serious damage if precautions are not taken to prevent blindness. This is why there are only a few safe ways to view an eclipse, such as with a referred image. Regular sunglasses, exposed film, and even a welder's helmet are not safe.

New York Fire Chief Dies After Live Fire Drill - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty

New York Fire Chief Dies After Live Fire Drill - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty:

Updated: 04-07-2006 01:27:03 PM

The New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control has reported the death of Chief Richard G. Sullivan of the Horseheads Village Fire Department.
Sullivan, 57, collapsed after returning home from a live fire drill April 5"

Medical Myths

4: Staring at an eclipse can blind you.

____ True ____ False ____ Only if you're not wearing specially made sunglasses

Answer tomorrow

Vernz' Dude Ranch

This reporter has recently discovered that Don "Tex" Vernz (spelling may vary) has opened a business that very well may rival those of fellow colleagues Bob Carroll and Mike (Michelle) Anderson.

When asked about his new endeavour Don beamed, "Hey, I'm twice as smart as those other two guys so I decided that I could open some kind of business too." Don explained further, "I always used to love Roy Rogers on Saturday mornings! Dale Evans used to give me goosebumps but Trigger would set my heart a flutter" coos Don. "I always used to fantasize about riding Trigger the way old Roy did.. Yahoo", sighs Don as his eyes glass over.

Taking the reporter on a tour of his newest adventure, a Dude Ranch aptly named, Spacey Acres, Don points out some of the attributes of the ranch. "Here is the restaurant where I've hired Willoughby to do all the cooking. He assures me that those days of burnt offerings are finally over.", Don stated. When asked further about Willoughby's culinary skills he said, "Willoughby explained about the guys in the firehalls penchant for filing up in the washroom after most of his meals were basically a practice of washing their hands after the meal. I asked him why most of the guys were washing their hands in the toilet and gagging at the same time he told me that they were into Eau de Toilet and had discovered a new type of after shave lotion."

As we toured the corral I noticed that most of the animals had an uncanny awareness of Don’s presence. “They love me”, sighed Don, “The horses are quite jealous of each other, you know. They sometimes fight over me trying to vie for my affections when it’s time to go for a ride.” Pointing to his favorite mare Don proclaimed, “This is Buttercup … isn’t she a beaut???” At that point Buttercup rolled her eyes at me as if to say, “Can you believe this guy?”

When last seen Don was headed back to the restaurant his silver spurs shining in the setting western sun

Medical Myths - The Answer

3: Cracking your knuckles will cause arthritis in later life.

__ True ___ False ____ Maybe

ANSWER: False. Depending on your point of view, knuckle-popping sounds disgusting or cool. There is no evidence that cracking your knuckles inflames the joints and leads to arthritis. The cracking causes the bones to pull apart, forming a gas bubble and breaking the adhesive seal in the joint. Crack! About a quarter of the people in the U.S. crack their knuckles and might begin to lose their grip a little. Constant cracking can weaken the fingers.

A Firefighters Love of The Job

I got this site in a recent email... I dont usually forward this sort of stuff.. .but this looked pretty interesting. Over the years we've all heard how much the job has changed and how the new kids are so much different than we are. Well, maybe that's the way it's supposed to be... after all how much are you like your parents and the way that they thought? I feel the new kids love the job just as much as we do but they look at authority a little different than we used to. And I'm sure that we can think of more than a few way back in the day that resented authority also and were a pain in the butt. Anyway, take a look and listen to the broadcast if you wish.

Radio@Firehouse.com: "Join Radio@Firehouse.Com Through The Smoke’s Host Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder along with Chief Rick Lasky for a discussion about “Pride and Ownership - A Firefighters Love of The Job,” and what defines someone who loves the job, those who claim they love the job, and those whose actions prove they couldn’t give a damn and simply “dress up” as firefighters when the tones go off."

Medical Myths

3: Cracking your knuckles will cause arthritis in later life.

__ True ___ False ____ Maybe

Answer tomorrow

Texas Firefighter Collapses in Training - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty

Texas Firefighter Collapses in Training - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty:

Updated: 04-04-2006 06:04:44 PM

SUSAN NICOL KYLE
Firehouse.Com News


The assistant chief of Valero Refinery Fire Brigade in Texas died April 3 at College Station Medical Center, the day after he collapsed following an exercise at the Brayton Fire Training Field.

David Moore, 40, was in the rehab area after participating in a live bun drill when he collapsed after complaining that he wasn't feeling well. He was rushed to the medical center, but never regained consciousness."

Medical Myths - Answer

2: Cutting salt intake can help your high blood pressure.

___ True ____ False _____ Pass the pretzels

ANSWER: True. Americans are not in love with the idea of a tossing the salty snacks and tend to ignore this advice. But in 1998, at the 13th International Interdisciplinary Conference on Hypertension in Blacks, researchers said that in blacks with high blood pressure who get higher amounts of salt in their diets, even a small decrease in salt can help regulate blood pressure. Blacks are particularly prone to hypertension, but the advice goes for everyone. Tossing the salt shaker is not the whole answer. That's because most of the salt we eat comes from processed foods -- such as deli meats and canned foods. The best advice is to change your taste for salt. Don't automatically salt before tasting. Use herbal seasonings and condiments to flavor yourfoods.
Pretty soon, things will begin to taste too salty and you'll be on the right track.

Name The D.C

Who is this? You have one minute to guess the name of this D.C

Medical Myths - The Answer

2: Cutting salt intake can help your high blood pressure.

___ True ____ False _____ Pass the pretzels

ANSWER: True. Americans are not in love with the idea of a tossing the salty snacks and tend to ignore this advice. But in 1998, at the 13th International Interdisciplinary Conference on Hypertension in Blacks, researchers said that in blacks with high blood pressure who get higher amounts of salt in their diets, even a small decrease in salt can help regulate blood pressure. Blacks are particularly prone to hypertension, but the advice goes for everyone. Tossing the salt shaker is not the whole answer. That's because most of the salt we eat comes from processed foods -- such as deli meats and canned foods. The best advice is to change your taste for salt. Don't automatically salt before tasting. Use herbal seasonings and condiments to flavor your foods. Pretty soon, things will begin to taste too salty and you'll be on the right track.

Who's In Charge???

Taped conversation of incident shown at left

"Move out of the way"!
"No ... I was here first!"
"Stop shoving!"
"I'm in charge and ordering you to get outta the way....NOW!"
"You're not in charge but you always THOUGHT you were in charge!"
"Hey, what's going on?"
"Donuts!!!"
"What? No Cops?"

South Carolina Firefighter Dies On-Duty - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty

South Carolina Firefighter Dies On-Duty - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty:

Updated: 04-03-2006 10:23:41 AM

The Associated Press
via Knight Ridder

A Georgetown County firefighter died Friday while on duty at Fire Station 4 in the Pleasant Hill community.

An autopsy revealed that Shon Rice, 34, died of natural causes, said Georgetown County Coroner Kenny Johnson. Rice had ongoing health issues, Johnson said."

Recent Old Guys

Ok, as far as I can tell these guys have vacated the fire department. In other words they finally retired.

Gary Percy worked forever in the fire service, probably from the age of 15 or so. After 156 years of service Gary has moved over to Lakeshore to follow in Bob Tapaks shoes and is now the Deputy Chief of that hamlet. Belle River is ordering more white shirts as we speak.

Gary Newton I think has retired but he may show up for work anyways because of a habit of not being able to quit : )

Joe Fauteaux left the premises while his chair was still warm. Apparently he had a novena and left without cleaning out his desk. When last seen Joe was wandering around the parking lot trying to find his way home in a vehicle that didnt have a Fire Department emblem on it.

Bill "Mother" Ferguson who withdrew his papers just to keep everyone on their toes. Bill thought about retiring and then realized he would no longer be a boss anywhere so he decided to stay put. Just kidding Bill... after all, if we cant kid each other who can we kid?

Ahhh... Dennis Axford; "Fatback" by any other name. Dennis leaves the department after 52 years of service mainly at #7 station where he was the boss without any rank. Dennis is remembered mostly for cutting coupons for anything while barking orders to the captains of the day. We should have nicknamed him "Bulldog".

All kidding aside.. Good luck to all ... youre going to love retirement except for Percy and Tapak. Someday even Mother will reconsider : )

Medical Myths

2: Cutting salt intake can help your high blood pressure.

___ True ____ False _____ Pass the pretzels

Answer tomorrow

Medical Myths - Answer

1: Chewing gum takes seven years to pass through your digestive system.

____ True ____ False _____ Only Juicy Fruit

ANSWER: False. The gum component itself is pretty indigestible, but will "pass" in a mass and will not stick your insides together, either. This one probably got going when exasperated parents tired of buying more gum after half an hour because their kids had chomped, then swallowed, their allotment. Also, swallowing gum was seen as ignorant and lower class.

"My husband's mother told him he would grow a gum tree in his stomach!" Loraine Stern, MD, clinical pediatrics professor at UCLA, tells WebMD.

Incidentally, the desire to chew for chewing's sake is quite ancient. Our ancestors used to chap away at tree resin. Did you know that Santa Anna of Alamo fame first turned gum manufacturers onto the gum resin. He thought it would be a good substitute for rubber. It's OK to swallow the occasional watermelon seed, too, unless you suffer from intestinal inflammation. Doctors are pretty sure watermelon seeds do not grow into full-fledged watermelons.

Movin On Up

Hi... OK.. were moving over the Easter weekend to the Toronto area. We'll be back in town now and again for special events e.g. banquets, stags, etc... and if Reitzel behaves himself maybe even the Public Ed Barbecue LOL... I'll still keep in touch with Admin to keep all of the retirees informed and up to date about what's happening in the department. The blog will continue as usual... isnt technology wonderful?

NOTE: Just because Im not near doesnt mean that I still dont have my spies out there watching the dept for good stories. And Im not above making some stuff up either..soooooo... take care all and keep in touch. As for you guys on the back of the rigs? Be safe out there!!! Don't let your guard down.

Love,
Jack & Jeannie

Hospital Regulations

Hospital regulations require a wheelchair for patients being discharged. However, while working as a student nurse, I found one elderly gentleman - already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his feet - who insisted he didn't need my help to leave the hospital. After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let me wheel him to the elevator. On the way down I asked him if his wife was meeting him."I don't know," he said. "She's still upstairs in the bathroom changing out of her hospital gown."

Medical Myths

Yes, those old wives knew a thing or two, but they never went to medical school or conducted a scientific study. Are you sure you know the answers to the following?


1: Chewing gum takes seven years to pass through your digestive system.
____ True ____ False _____ Only Juicy Fruit

Answer tomorrow