Firefighting
Cause For Alarm
MSNBC recently did a two-part series on the problems with PASS alarms, the devices that I and my fellow firefighters wear in case we become unconscious and/or cannot move. These devices are supposed to emit a very high pitched wail and flash a bright light so that I can be found by a rapid intervention [...]
IRS = Scrooge
Nothing like the IRS — during the holidays no less — to further the pain of families who lost their relatives to an arson-related forest fire in California. They have said that because the United Way did not follow proper rules for donations for small groups, the families cannot receive any of the more [...]
Happy Birthday Ben!
No…I’m not talking about “Big” Ben Roethlisberger! I’m talking about one of the founding fathers of our country — Benjamin Franklin — who would have turned 300 if he were still alive today!
As a volunteer firefighter, I have a special respect for him since he is the founder of the first volunteer fire department [...]
More Than Colorado
Did you know that there are more firefighters in Allegheny County, PA than in the entire state of Colorado? Surprised? Maybe. But any of us in the fire service in Pennsylvania know that there are way too many fire companies in our state. We’ve known this for a while, but the [...]
Another Successful Burn Camp
I spent the day today at the Western Pennsylvania Hospital Burn Camp at Camp Kon-o-Kwee. I go with my brother and sister Pittsburgh FOOLS to this camp each year to help run the camp for the day. Last year, we helped the kids fish, go swimming, provided radio -controlled cars and had a [...]