North Carolina Firefighter Dies of Injuries Sustained in Crash - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty

North Carolina Firefighter Dies of Injuries Sustained in Crash - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty:

"A memorial service is set for Thursday in North Carolina to honor a volunteer firefighter who died of injuries sustained in a collision last month while responding to a call.

Joseph Bilka, a member of Antioch-Fishing Creek Vol. Fire Department in Oxford, N.C., died last week at Duke Medical Center.

Bilka, who joined the fire department when he retired to the Oxford area two years ago, was en route to his station for a smoke investigation call when his Plymouth Bonneville crashed into the side of a tractor-trailer that was backing into another road, said Assistant Chief Benbury Ellington."

Where Is This - Final

As promised.... The final photo in the contest* "Where Is This?" appears above... To win the contest for the "All Expense Paid Trip To Hawaii" the winning contestent must correctly describe the location and also name all the people present in the photo. Please note that if you look close there is a person peering out the large window above the individuals. This individual must also be identified in order to win the Grand Prize... Good luck.. and to the winner... Bon Voyage!!!!!

*Contest closes at 10:00 PM Thursday, May 25, 2006 EDT

Final "Where Is This?" Entry

Soon the final photo of the series "Where Is This?" will be published... get ready... YOU could still win the "All expense paid trip to Hawaii"! That's right... Stay at the luxurious "Wilton Inn" (pictured right).

Lay in the lap of luxury in your own personal suite (pictured left)



Stay tuned for the final "Where Is This?" photo coming soon. Enter the contest as many times as you wish... Gary Percy is in the lead so far in the contest and could be the winner* unless YOU decide otherwise... Don't let Gary win this contest without a challenge... Good Luck on the contest and your chance to win the trip of a lifetime...

*All "winners " will have to answer a skill testing question by the publisher of this Blog... Correct answer will be at the discretion of said Blog publisher!

Schmaltz Time

Happy Friends week!!!!!!

Many people will walk in and out of your life. But only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.

To handle yourself, use your head; To handle others, use your heart.

Anger is only one letter short of danger.

If someone betrays you once, it is his fault; If he betrays you twice, it is your fault.

Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.

He, who loses money, loses much; He, who loses a friend, loses much more; He, who loses faith, loses all.

Beautiful young people are accidents of nature.

Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.

Our circle of friends...

There is no beginning or end .. ..
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift.

It's National Friendship Week. Show your friends how much you care! Take them to lunch.. take them to the show... Take a bullet for them... That sort of thing!

New York Firefighter Collapses, Dies At Accident Scene - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty

New York Firefighter Collapses, Dies At Accident Scene - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty: "Cambria, New York-- A small community is mourning the tragic loss of beloved firefighter. The volunteer died while helping victims at an accident scene in Niagara County. News 4's Melissa Holmes has more from the Town of Cambria.

Members of the Cambria Volunteer Fire Company have heavy hearts Monday morning, having lost one of their own in the line of duty."

Where Is This - Part 4

Ok.... this is the Roaring 20's... where is this photo taken?

Oh look, the man crossing the street! Isn't that Bob Tapak carrying a hockey stick.. and YES... Gary Percy is following him hoping Bob's going to quit a job so he can have it : )

Spamming!!!

When you make comments from the blog you'll notice that you'll have to fill in a verification name in order for your comment to be posted. I'm sorry to do this but this site is beginning to get "spammed". This should only take about 2 or 3 seconds to complete so just bear with me until we get rid of these parasites... ok.. make some comments!!!!

How about those Leafs?

How about those Leafs, huh? Another season where the losers go home early to be the first in line at Costco! If my memory serves me right the last time the “Laffs” won the cup was way back in 1967… Let’s see what was happening in 1967 when the Leafs hoisted the Cup, shall we?

• Rolling Stone and New York Magazine debut.


• Hit movies are: The Graduate, Bonnie and Clyde, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?, In the Heat of the Night, Cool Hand Luke.


• Top record album..(CD’s weren’t around… just vinyl) The Beatles, Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.


• Microwave ovens weren’t invented yet.


• Computers were only used by the military.


• Bob Tapak was 47.


• Coffee makers such as Mr. Coffee weren’t invented either… most folks drank instant or perked coffee.


• Pat Burke was flipping teachers the bird at Assumption H.S.


• Everyone knew what “counter clockwise” was… digital watches were not even thought of.


• Gary Percy was tall & thin.


• And last but not least: I was only 21/2 years old at the time… how time fly’s, huh?

Where Is This - Part 3

Alrighty... this is summer 1937! If you look real close you can see Gary Percy stealing the license plate from a light colored car in the back row...

Toronto Maple Leafs Parade Schedule

I found this recently while visiting T.O. Maple Leafs offices. Talk about being optimistic!

Radio@Firehouse.com » Looking Back … and Forward with Chief Alan Brunacini - Part II

Radio@Firehouse.com » Looking Back … and Forward with Chief Alan Brunacini - Part II:

(Note: This is PART 2 of 2…due to the time Chief Bruno spent with us, we have broken this episode of THROUGH THE SMOKE into two parts)

In our last episode of THROUGH THE SMOKE, Chief Bruno shared with us some “wit and wisdom”, in his decades as a firefighter, and Chief, of the Phoenix Fire Department."

Who Dat?

Another old timer.. guess who?

Where Is This - Part 2

Ok, any of you "Old Timers" should know where this corner is located. This was taken around 1937 or 1939... Mmmmm... I think Tapak & Percy were about 30 when this was taken.

Where Is This?

As promised... here is the first photo of the series.. where abouts is this..? The time is August 3, 1909.

Latest Retirees

These guys are set to retire this month...

John Burns - May 18/06
Gary Beecroft - May 31/06
Duane Mousseau - May 31/06

Coming Soon To A Computer Near You

I found a pretty neat book... lots of old photos of Windsor. I'm going to scan a few and drop them into the Blog.. Hey, this may even turn out to be a pretty neat contest. Be the first in your neighbourhood to guess all the pics correctly and you could win an all expense paid trip to Vancouver for the next winter olympics :)))) ... Ask Deputy Chief Berthiaume all about it.. he knows all the rules and such and how much to cut you a cheque for... stay tuned for the contest soon...

D.C's & Captains

I received this from Dispatch and it shows the status of the officers in the department... I thought some of you older folks would enjoy seeing how older you got when you recognized some of the "Red Asses" on the list.. Wow, I can see the wrinkles getting deeper by the minute : )

Note: * denotes that this person can act at next rank

District Chiefs

T. Serbu(**)
J. Burns
G. Reitzel
F. Caverzan
B. Webb
E. Mueck
W. Ferguson
W. Loma
M. Piva

Captains

R. Desjardins
R. Meyer
W. Loma*
M. Piva *
R. Gauthier *
P. Hryniuk *
R. Trofin*
D. Vernes*
G. Beecroft
K. Kelsh
Dave Janisse
T. Lyons
C. Wilson
T. Lebert*
J. Arpan
D. Stroud*
W. Hopkins *
R. Beneteau*(**)
D. Dancey
A. Martin
D. Shuttleworth*
J. Quennell*(**)
G. Meloche *
A. Soulliere
D. Goodger*
J. Wheeler
M. Gay*
D. Emery *
P. Lippold *
R. Maure *
A. Wood *
J. Jeannette *
D. Simonitto
M. Beasley
D. Boyer *
L. Thompson
M. Woods
D. George*
D. Bennett
D. Dwyer
M. McArthur
B. Bertucci
T. Gifford *
E. Dupuis
A. Hopes
T. Proulx
P. Boots
P. Beggs*
R. Bremner
G. Carriere
J. Maxim

These folks can act as Captains

R. Hagman*
E. Dickson*(**)
T. Campigotto*
M. Uttley*
R. Miller*(**)
D. Easby*
J. Creamer*
K. McAgy*
T. Dennis*
D. Harding*
A. Broderick*
K. Gault*
G. Pfaff*
G. Garant*
J. Durocher*
G. Renaud*
D. Santarossa*
W. Craig*
J. Day*
K. Hunt*
A. Meloche*
D. Gillis*
R. Dennis*
D. Diet*
D. Hart*
M. Taylor*
W. Kacso*
W. Marchant*
G. Cowan*
C. Atkinson*
B. Mijovcic*
S. Appleyard*
G. Hays*
S. Laforet*
K. Ghanam*
J. Dow*
R. Stark*
L. DeLorenzo*
J. Ventimiglia*
M. McLeod*
D. Steen*
G. Campigotto*
M. Emery*
D. Ellwood*
W. Currie*
G. Copeland*
S. Wilson*
G. Hawkins*
K. Fuerth*
R. Lynch*

Missouri Firefighter Dies On-Duty From Sudden Illness - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty

Missouri Firefighter Dies On-Duty From Sudden Illness - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty:

"A 23-year veteran of the Fulton Fire Department and statewide response team in Missouri died in the line of duty on Sunday April 30th, 2006.

Captain Alan Leake, 51, incurred a sudden illness followed by cardiac arrest while attending to back-to-back automobile accidents. Nearby crew could only manage to temporarily revive him.

According to Brian Zinanni with the Missouri Firefighters Funeral Assistance Team, Leake had no known history of heart problems and had recently passed a physical within the last month."