Kentucky Firefighter Dies of Wounds - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty

Kentucky Firefighter Dies of Wounds - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty:

"Funeral services have been set for Wednesday for a Kentucky firefighter who died Feb. 24 of injuries sustained in a crash earlier this month while responding to an incident.

Stephen 'Eric' Vanderpool, 28, was seriously injured Feb. 1 when his vehicle was hit broadside after he failed to stop at a stop sign. He was ejected through the driver's door.

The volunteer at White Oak Fire Department died at the University of Kentucky Medical Center."

25 things I have learned in 50 years!

just found these... some of them are pretty good

1. The badness of a movie is directly proportional to the number of helicopters in it.

2. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight-saving time. Even that changes this year to March 11!

3. People who feel the need to tell you that they have an excellent sense of humor are telling you that they have no sense of humor.

4. The most valuable function performed by the federal government is entertainment.

5. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.

6. A penny saved is worthless.

7. They can hold all the peace talks they want, but there will never be peace in the Middle East. Billions of years from now, when Earth is hurtling toward the Sun and there is nothing left alive on the planet except a few microorganisms, the microorganisms living in the Middle East will be bitter enemies.

8. The most powerful force in the universe is gossip.

9. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status, or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we all believe that we are above-average drivers.

10. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age 11.

11. There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness." Come to think of it. Does Ray Gauthier still have that "hobby" with the Christmas tree?

12. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.

13. There apparently exists, somewhere in Los Angeles, a computer that generates concepts for television sitcoms. When TV executives need a new concept, they turn on this computer; after sorting through millions of possible plot premises, it spits out, "THREE QUIRKY BUT ATTRACTIVE YOUNG PEOPLE LIVING IN AN APARTMENT," and the executives turn this concept into a show. The next time they need an idea, the computer spits out, "SIX QUIRKY BUT ATTRACTIVE YOUNG PEOPLE LIVING IN AN APARTMENT." Then the next time, it spits out, "FOUR QUIRKY BUT ATTRACTIVE YOUNG PEOPLE LIVING IN AN APARTMENT." And so on. We need to locate this computer and destroy it with hammers. How about "TWELVE QUIRKY BUT UGLY YOUNG PEOPLE LIVING IN A FIRE HALL?"

14. Nobody is normal.

15. At least once per year, some group of scientists will become very excited and announce that:

• The universe is even bigger than they thought!
  
  
• There are even more subatomic particles than they thought!
  
  
• Whatever they announced last year about global warming is wrong.

16. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings."

17. The main accomplishment of almost all organized protests is to annoy people who are not in them.

18. The value of advertising is that it tells you the exact opposite of what the advertiser actually thinks. For example:

• If the advertisement says "This is not your father's Oldsmobile," the advertiser is desperately concerned that this Oldsmobile, like all other Oldsmobiles, appeals primarily to old farts like your father.
  
  
• If Coke and Pepsi spend billions of dollars to convince you that there are significant differences between these two products, both companies realize that Pepsi and Coke are virtually identical.
  
  
• If the advertisement strongly suggests that Nike shoes enable athletes to perform amazing feats, Nike wants you to disregard the fact that shoe brand is unrelated to athletic ability.
  
  
• If Budweiser runs an elaborate advertising campaign stressing the critical importance of a beer's "born-on" date, Budweiser knows this factor has virtually nothing to do with how good a beer tastes.

19. If there really is a God who created the entire universe with all of its glories, and He decides to deliver a message to humanity, He will not use, as His messenger, a person on cable TV with a bad hairstyle.

20. You should not confuse your career with your life.

21. A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.

22. No matter what happens, somebody will find a way to take it too seriously.

23. When trouble arises and things look bad, there is always one individual who perceives a solution and is willing to take command. Very often, that individual is crazy.

24. Your friends love you anyway.

25. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Chimpanzees 'hunt using spears'

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Chimpanzees 'hunt using spears':

The following is a true story. Click on the link above to read the article. I think what's really important here is who the hell gave Mongo the stick to begin with?


"Chimpanzees 'hunt using spears'

Chimpanzees in Senegal have been observed making and using wooden spears to hunt other primates, according to a study in the journal Current Biology.

Researchers documented 22 cases of chimps fashioning tools to jab at smaller primates sheltering in cavities of hollow branches or tree trunks.

The report's authors, Jill Pruetz and Paco Bertolani, said the finding could have implications for human evolution.

Chimps had not been previously observed hunting other animals with tools."

Ain't They Sweet

Awwww... Ain't they sweet?





Tom the "Lioness" Lyons purrs, "I'm too sexy for my face..."











Bruno "Macho Stallion" Bertucci smiles and bats his sultry eyes and hums the tune, "You Give Me Fever.... "

Thank God For Makeup

Let's all fall on our knees and thank the Revlon God, shall we? Isn't it amazing how better some folks look after an hour in front of the mirror and makeup applications.
I was wondering how a couple of our Windsor boys would look after a "make over"? Stay tuned... and hope that I don't have a photo of YOU hehe.

Diversion Safe

Hey, I don't write this stuff... I just report it... it seems anyone can make a buck today with the right entrepreneurial mind. The site below is legit... click on it and check it out.


Diversion Safe: "

The 'Underwear / Brief Safe' is an innovative diversion safe that can secure your cash, documents, and other small valuables from inquisitive eyes and thieving hands, both at home and when you're traveling. Items can be hidden right under their noses with these specially-designed briefs which contain a fly-accessed 4' x 10' secret compartment with Velcro closure and 'special markings' on the lower rear portion. Leave the 'Underwear / Brief Safe' in plain view in your laundry basket or washing machine at home, or in your suitcase in a hotel room - even the most hardened burglar or most curious snoop will 'skid' to a screeching halt as soon as they see them. (Wouldn't you?) Made in USA. One size. Color: white (and brown).
'Underwear / Brief Safe'

To add realistic smell, check out 'Doo Drops' below

3 REASONS TO PURCHASE THIS UNIQUE ITEM TODAY!!
1) Free Shipping - $5.00 value
2) Free Nationwide Criminal Record Search - $12.95 value
3) Free Mini Spy Ear - great for hearing conversations from afar - $9.95 value
Total Savings of $27.90!!!!

Cash and Money Orders are always accepted
as well as Credit Card Payments via PayPal or Google.
Please eMail info@eFindOutTheTruth.com with any questions.



"

Firehouse TrainingLIVE

Firehouse TrainingLIVE:

"Company Level Training
Presented By Larry Manasco
February 13, 2007 - 3pm(ET) Register Today
Larry Manasco

OVERVIEW: Following his monthly Firehouse.com series, Larry Manasco will walk us through a step-by-step process to establish a training calendar for your shift, based on the needs of your response area. Firefighters should train during every tour, but choosing the topics and the means to carry them out can be difficult. This webcast will cover the practical applications of training props and offer ideas for both quick and extensive training sessions for your company and department-wide.

Baltimore Cadet Collapses During Training - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty

Baltimore Cadet Collapses During Training - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty:

"A female firefighter collapsed during a routine training exercise in west Baltimore Friday and later died, city fire officials said.

The firefighter was rushed to Shock Trauma around noon, where she was pronounced dead, Baltimore Fire Department Chief Public Information Officer Kevin Cartwright said.

Two other trainees suffered minor burns, Cartwright said. They were taken to local hospitals for treatment.

Cartwright said there were no reports of structural damage or anything out of the ordinary when the firefighter collapsed.

The firefighters were participating in a six-month training program along Calverton Road and Frederick Avenue. The program is supposed to run until the end of March, Cartwright said."

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

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

"A two-alarm house fire in Washington, Washington County, early Sunday claimed a rookie city firefighter who became the department's first on-duty fatality in about 50 years.

Jeremy LaBella, 27, died after the roof of a former motorcycle shop at the rear of the house collapsed, causing a canopy over a nearby sidewalk to fall on him and firefighter George McMullen, who suffered leg injuries."

CDC fields the ‘No Go Team’ - U.S. Life - MSNBC.com

CDC fields the ‘No Go Team’ - U.S. Life - MSNBC.com:

This is the second part of the story about the man down alarms... very interesting reading

"The CDC didn't ask for the job of investigating firefighter fatalities. That job was handed to it, after a union boss got a seat next to President Clinton on Air Force One. They were talking blue windbreakers.

After a plane or train crash, the National Transportation Safety Board dispatches its experts within two hours. The investigators in their familiar jackets take charge of the scene, secure evidence, follow leads.

The NTSB calls it the 'Go Team.'"

winnipegsun.com - Winnipeg News - Heroes mourned

winnipegsun.com - Winnipeg News - Heroes mourned: "Heroes mourned
Two well-respected, experienced men gone

By TAMARA KING, CITY HALL REPORTER



Brennan: 'It takes a hero to do that job, and those firefighters were doing their job last night.' (JASON HALSTEAD, SUN MEDIA)

They're being hailed as heroes.

Two Winnipeg firefighters with more than 60 years combined experience were killed, and four others injured -- one of them critically -- battling a blaze in St. Boniface on Sunday night.

'It takes a hero to do that job, and those firefighters were doing their job last night,' said acting Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service chief Jim Brennan, visibly upset at a morning news conference.

Capt. Thomas Nichols, 57, and 55 year-old Capt. Harold Lessard died as a result of the fire."

Flaws in firefighters' last line of defense - U.S. News - MSNBC.com

Flaws in firefighters' last line of defense - U.S. News - MSNBC.com:

"FIRST OF TWO PARTS
By Bill Dedman
Investigative reporter
An MSNBC Special Report
Updated: 22 minutes ago

Worn by a million firefighters in the U.S., the PASS device is a motion sensor that makes an awful racket if a firefighter stops moving for 30 seconds while battling a blaze. It flashes its lights and lets loose a series of ear-splitting beeps — an urgent call to help a fallen comrade.

It’s a call that hasn't always been heard. Tests by federal and independent labs show that some PASS alarms can fail to perform as intended if they get too hot or wet — a serious problem for people who rush into burning buildings with water hoses. And federal investigative reports reviewed by MSNBC.com show that 15 firefighters have died since 1998 in fires where a PASS, or Personal Alert Safety System, either didn't sound or was so quiet that rescuers weren't given a chance to find the firefighter quickly.

Documents made public under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that nine of those deaths came after the federal government blocked an investigation by its own expert into possible failures of PASS alarms and other firefighting equipment. A manager for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the federal agency that is charged by Congress with investigating firefighter deaths, ordered an agency fire safety engineer on Feb. 14, 2000, to "minimize your fact gathering during investigations" and to restrict his investigations to issues relevant "for the prevention of future similar events."

Underwear Filters?

Isn't it amazing what you find while surfing the net. This sight (below) actually sells filters for your underwear to stop the pleasant aroma of flatulence! Hey, I even discovered the proper name for this condition. It's called malodorous flatus! How smart can one person get? Who says you can't learn something new every day, huh? Can you imagine how much fun we could have had working with some guys in the past that were proud of this special "talent" by forcing them to wear this protective clothing. I bet we can even find this apparel in the OH&S Act if we search hard enough. After all isn't it all about the safety of the worker? I believe that constant inhalation of bad gases in the air is certainly dangerous to the worker, especially in the Fire Service! This type of filter is especially important in hazardous areas where flammable conditions arise. Below are a few descriptions from the page and also some testimonials. Check out the sight itself for a laugh. It's a GAS! After your convinced of the necessity of this type of clothing... I strongly suggest you contact the union to fight for your rights!!!! Remember;

F.A.R.T --- Find Air Refreshing Today!

http://www.under-tec.com/index.php

Under-Ease are underwear for protection against bad human gas (malodorous flatus) and are made from a soft air-tight fabric (polyurethane-coated nylon). To maintain the air-tightness, elastic is sewn into the material around the waist and both legs. A triangular 'exit hole' for the flatus to be expelled is cut from the back of the air-tight underwear, near the bottom. This 'exit hole' is covered with a 'pocket' made of ordinary porous fabric sewn over the 'exit hole'. This unique design forces all expelled gas (flatus) out through the 'pocket'.

Inside the 'pocket' is a high-functioning, replaceable filter - the core of the technology. This multi-layered filter is made in a sandwich-style, and begins with the two outer layers of wool felt. The second two layers are made of non-woven polypropylene and spun glass materials. In the center of the filter is a single layer of activated carbon. The filter is then covered with soft ordinary material to allow for easy replacement in or out of the pocket. The underwear are washable and will last approximately a year depending on the frequency of use and laundering. Each filter will last from several weeks to several months depending on the frequency of use and laundering. (See Wear and Care)"

Testimonials

"I am a clinical psychologist in private practice and it has been tremendously embarrassing when I pass gas while working; often with little or no control. The most embarrassing moment of my working career was when a client said,"It smells like sewage in here!" My professionalism melted when I admitted to the client that my gas was the cause of the smell."

"On one Thanksgiving night, as my husband and I were lying in bed after a wonderful dinner, the foul smell became unbearable for both of us. My husband ruminated, thinking,"I can't divorce my wife over this, but I have to do something." At that moment, he began to develop the idea of a pair of air-tight underwear with a filter that would eliminate the foul smell. For the next few months he researched filter materials and made a prototype of the underwear."

"My plane ride to and from Kansas, my dinner with the Doctor and co-workers in Kansas, and the clinics went over smooth and without odor. I did have gas but was relieved that no one else knew but me."

Police Story

Thanks to Wilf LeBlanc for this one : )

George Phillips of Meridian, Mississippi was going up to bed when his wife told him that he'd left the light on in the garden shed, which she could see from the bedroom window.
George opened the back door to go turn off the light but saw that there were people in the shed stealing things.
He phoned the police, who asked "Is someone in your house?" and he said "no". Then they said that all patrols were busy, and that he should simply lock his door and an officer would be along when available.
George said, "Okay," hung up, counted to 30, and phoned the police again.
"Hello, I just called you a few seconds ago because there were people in my shed. Well, you don't have to worry about them now cause I've just shot them all." Then he hung up.
Within five minutes three police cars, an Armed Response unit, and an ambulance showed up at the Phillips residence and caught the burglars red-handed.
One of the Policemen said to George: "I thought you said that you'd
shot them!"
Geoge said, "I thought you said there was nobody available!"

(True Story) I LOVE IT

Firehall Bathroom Safety

I've recently discovered that sometimes people just don't realize how dangerous the common washroom is today. What with all the shiny appliances and slippery floors it makes you wonder why bathroom accidents aren't more frequently reported.
For example just recently one fair maiden had the unfortunate involvement with a trip to the "loo". Apparently Beth (last name disguised for privacy reasons.. but she works in Windsor... ) took a tumble in this hazardous area and broke her nose. The area has been upgraded as shown. When I did some research with the Occupational Health & Safety Act I found the following rulings:

Section 2; Paragraph 1; Mandate 3 - There shall always be an individual posted at the exterior of the door to listen to someone falling off the porcelain white seating unit. At no time should an individual go to the lavatory alone and it is strongly recommended that individuals attend in pairs. Women, appearing wiser, have always practiced this procedure. Males MUST commence going in pairs as well to maintain OH&S standards.

The following is a list of bathroom safety tips that everyone should follow. Remember only YOU can prevent BFHA (Bathroom Fire Hall Accidents). Take responsibility! Thousands are depending on you for their safety in the community.

How To Make The Bathroom a Safe Place

Install a bathtub or shower with a floor surface made of non-skid material. Any firefighter accomplish this on his or her day off and will charge a small nominal fee.

Add adhesive strips or appliqués with a slightly abrasive surface to the bathtub or the floor or the shower stall. Happy faces would be nice.

Use a non-skid mat while you are in the tub or shower, and consider using another one on the bathroom floor to prevent you from slipping as you leave the bathtub. A better choice is to wear slip resistant shoes in the shower.

Install grab bars on the walls. These are designed to help you keep your balance as you enter or leave the tub or shower. Grab bars must be attached to studs or other structural supports in the wall. Visit your local nursing home for tips. At times you will notice who some of the retired firefighters are because they are the ones hanging around the fridge. The "funny" ones are asking the nurses to grab a one and three quarter to attack from the unburned side!

You can also install a grab rail or bar as well. It attaches to the side of the bathtub. It is always inappropriate to use someone else's bar or rod.

Consider using a transfer bench for elderly or injured persons. This is designed to fit securely over the tub and help keep your balance as you step in or out of the tub or shower. This is especially important for those aging officers such as Ray Gauthier, Jim "Doorstop" Arpin and Ron Trofin.

Raised toilet seats and safety frames help the consumer use their home toilet safely and comfortably, often without caregiver or family assistance. The raised seat plus a step stool is especially useful for those individuals who are "vertically challenged" such as Darrell Ellwood when their little feet won't touch the ground.

Use a hand-held shower attachment for better control of water flow when washing your hair or shaving your legs or other pleasurable areas.

Use a shower seat or chair for elderly persons who would like more stability. Many models come with adjustable legs and slip resistant feet. These can also be adapted for those individuals who utilize the "Trofin Curl" periodically when they shower.

Hot water temperature setting should not exceed more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius). Have a qualified person check this for you. This person should not be Don Vernes

Install a ground fault circuit interrupter on bathroom outlets to stop the unsafe flow of electricity. Don't leave items like hair dryers or electric razors plugged in when not in use, they still pose a hazard. Don't worry about using items when the water is running. After all, how can you test this electrical equipment unless it is under realistic conditions.

West Virginia Firefighter, Paramedic Killed in Explosion - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty

West Virginia Firefighter, Paramedic Killed in Explosion - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty:

"GHENT, W.Va.-- Four people were confirmed dead and at least four others reportedly suffered serious or critical injuries as a result of an explosion at the Little General Store on U.S.19 in Ghent, according Celeste Hinzman, Public Relations Officer for the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for the State of West Virginia.

A supervisor with the Raleigh County Emergency Operations Center said the original 911 call came in at 10:43 a.m. and reported a propane leak at the gas station, which is across the street from the Flat Top Lake entrance.

When firefighters arrived on the scene less than 10 minutes later, she said, the tank exploded, completely leveling the store and blowing a large fire truck from the Ghent Volunteer Fire Department onto its side.

Among those killed, Hinzman said, were one firefighter and one EMS worker."