New Podcast and More to Come...

Welcome back to our blog. As I'm writing this, my other two arms are designing our new website. Once it's set, we'll be moving our main blog over there. Additionally, we now also have a page at "My Firefighter Nation," under our name, "Dalmatian Productions, Inc." We also hope to be able to host our podcasts on the new website as well. We'll keep you posted!

Today (8/14/2017) we launch our second season with a new podcast, "The PIO: The Who, When, Where & How." You can find it either at iTunes or at 5-Alarm Task Force - The PIO.

Most of us have numerous PIO's on scene or on a newscast. And more than one of us has probably thought, "That isn't so tough. I could do that job and better!" However, to make that assumption without all the facts might lead you down a disastrous path. 

Long-time Public Information Office, Life Member and Recording Secretary, Tom Mitten of the Elsmere Volunteer Fire Company in Delaware, also happens to be a dear friend and one of the four partners in Dalmatian Productions, Inc. Tom also has a very strong media and media production background and was instrumental in directing and producing the first pilots of our original reality show, "America's Heroes: The Men & Women of Fire Rescue."

In our discussion, Tom explains just what the job of the PIO demands. And those demands are a great deal more than being able to respond at the "drop of the hat," or "helmet," if you will. To be honest with you, Tom's explanation of the requirements were even more than I knew! Tom also addresses how the job has evolved from the days when you'd make a few notes and be the only one addressing the news outlets, to today's plethora of conduits via social media.

I hope you'll find this episode as fascinating to listen to as it was for me to hear, even though Tom and I have been close friends for nearly twenty years.

Until next time...Stay Safe and Let's Make Sure Every One Goes Home! 

Reaching Out to Another First Responder

One thing is for sure - whether it's the excitement of the job or the stress of that job, firefighters know how to kick back and have a good time! If there's a call for a celebration, say a birthday, marriage, anniversary, even a promotion, if there's a party to be held, we often hold the best! So, what's the matter with that?

In general terms, nothing; it's fine. There are times though, when the stress of the job plays a heavy-handed role in how much we celebrate at the "racket." And sadly, there are those who continue to celebrate after the party is over. 

If you've been on the job for more than a few months, you may have already seen a colleague who may not have been fit for duty. Whether there are problems at home, on the job, whatever...some of us look for a way to ease the pain or let go of the stress. Some turn to alcohol, some to drugs and others find their own way. No matter what they choose, if they are under the influence, they do not belong on duty.

However, there is help available. On our next podcast on "5-Alarm Task Force", (available this weekend) you will hear Mark Lamplugh, Jr. discuss this sensitive topic. We discuss many of the issues that one first responder may face when noticing that a colleague is troubled. "Are you budding in where you don't belong?" is an important question we address, as is "How do I reach out to a friend without it looking like I'm sticking my nose in his/her business?"

Mark is not a therapist or clinician. However, he is well-experienced, recognized in  Crisis Stress Intervention through the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. Mark also hosts his own radio talk show called, "Firefighter Wellness Radio," through Fire Engineering.

Here are some links that Mark wanted to make available to our readers and listeners:

1. To reach Mark directly, email him at mark@360wellness.radio. He will respond to you as quickly as possible and after speaking with you, help you find assistance within your own community.

2.Advanced Health & Education - www.advhealth.com

3. Frontline Responder Services - www.frontlinerehab.com  

On Social Media:

1. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FrontlineTraumaTrack

2. Twiiter: @ResponderTX

3. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklamplugh 

4. YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCgSyP7U0lVwEwCNYhKj_ow  (I hope we have that right!)

5. Fire Engineering Blog - http://community.fireengineering.com/profile/MarkWLamplughjr

If you have any problems with these links, feel free to reach out to Mark at his email, noted above, or drop us a line at DalmatProd@Outlook.com.

As always, we welcome your comments on our podcasts.

And we thank our "partners" who help promote our podcast, "5-Alarm Task Force:"

http://www.thefirehousetribune.com

http://www.ffcancer.org

http://www.cooltowelonline.com

Fire-Tec, Inc.

On-Scene DeCon Products & Services

http://www.firetecinc.com

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah..."When Life Gives You Lemons,,,,"

We've all heard it dozens of times, right? From our parents and other family members, former bosses, spouses (or is that spices?) and of course, our closest of friends, who've probably never tasted a lemon in the last ten years because they're too busy drinking their frappa-lappa-miko-apo! And as tired as we are of hearing the phrase, it does have a ring of truth and the Wikis and other online files can deliver plenty of true tales. Sometimes though, you can't jump directly from the lemons to the lemonade; you just have grab the lemon and bag of sugar and move towards the new action. And that is exactly what we (Dalmatian Productions, Inc.) are doing. 

First though, a word of thanks to those of you who read this blog, follow us on Twitter (@Dalmatprod & @CAUSE_ORIGIN) and/or listen to the podcasts. Without your understanding and support, we probably would have thrown in the towel a long time ago. So please, keep it up!

Here's the story - As many of you know, we have working for over 20 years to bring a quality program about our great fire-rescue services to television. First we tried early reality TV; the days of "Rescue-911,"  "On Scene: Emergency Report," and several others. That didn't work.We tried again when "reality" grew up a little bit like, "COPS." That worked - only a little bit and only outside of the U.S. or Canada. 

"What else can we do?" we would repeatedly ask ourselves. Here you had four first responders who only knew about the "real" in reality. We didn't know anything else. That brought us to around ten years ago or so, when I was just browsing the Internet, just to browse, not looking for anything in particular. I found a fire story that I liked, read that and it led to a few more. I was just reading some reports of working fires, rescues, etc. Then, after almost two hours, I came across an article about the Philadelphia Fire Department. This I liked. Why? Because my wife's sister and her family have lived in that area for over 40 years and we had visited often. And during almost every visit, I would visit firehouses all over Montgomery County and the City of Philadelphia. However, in reading this article, I learned something new - the structure of their Fire Investigation Office and how unique it was.

Besides the Fire Marshal, there were some unique investigators in with he mix; a firefighter who had also been trained in investigative and forensic work, a full-time detective with the Philadelphia Police Department, who was assigned to the Fire Investigations Office, an agent from the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms) and his dog, who were assigned to the city and others. 

"WOW!" I thought. "This could be a great show!" Then I reconsidered. They'd never let us do a "ride-along" with them for a reality show. But....what if it wasn't a reality show? What if it was a drama? Initially, I didn't share my idea with my partners. I just tossed it around for a while, writing a page here, a page there.That was the birth of "CAUSE & ORIGIN." (and yes, we understand that today, the more common phrase used is reversed to "origin and cause," but that just does sound as good as our, older version!) Yet, with no leads, we didn't know what to do next.

The rest of the story until now, is history, as they say. We have tried for the last 2-1/2 - 3 years to get this TV show picked up for the production of a pilot episode. But that hasn't happened either.

Thus, about three weeks ago during one of our conference calls, our L.A.-based partner told us interesting news about some of his immediate past work on a movie, some people he had met and some others who had re-entered his life. And he pitched the idea that with no progress on the television front, let's try to produce a feature film-length movie. Whether it played in a theater or through a streaming service, wasn't important. We would do it. 

That is what we announced yesterday. We are going to produce a film about the fire service, by firefighters, hopefully, supported by firefighters, for firefighters and all other interested parties.

Interested? Good! Stay tuned!

Be safe and let's make sure every one goes home!

 

We're At It Again - A New Episode of "5-Alarm Task Force" on Firefighter Fitness!

We're  happy to let you know that we've completed and posted our third episode of "5-Alarm Task Force." On this podcast our guest are Dan Kerrigan and Jim Moss, authors of "Firefighter Functional Fitness." You've seen them on Twitter at @firefighterffit. 

These two firefighters were hurt by and tired of reading so many LODD notices and seeing that 40%-60% of those deaths were caused by preventable health issues! How could any firefighter who realizes he/she has a health problem, ignore it, just so they do not lose their firefighting privileges? However,  none of us are ever alone when we're on the job. If something was to happen to any one of us, we become the first, in a long line of dominoes, that begin to fall.

If you get sick on the fireground, it will effect your colleagues, as they will have to pick up your tasks that you cannot complete. They graduates up to your line officers and your chief officers. You are an important part of their plan to control and conquer this fire or rescue. Worse of all, the next domino to fall is your own family! Who will tell them what happened to you? Maybe you told your spouse or significant other about your health problem, but again, failed to do anything about it as you didn't want to appear as though you were "wussing" out on your duty!

Well Dan & Jim have written this book, not just to provide you with a few regular exercises, as if you were watching a Richard Simmons or Jane Fonda video! They provide you with a complete lifestyle change and include all the information you need, from working and eating at home to working and eating on the job.

Medical conditions such as hypertension (HTN - High Blood Pressure), cardiac arrhythmia, or diabetes, can be either overcome and/or controlled. I know of what I speak. For although I've been off the job for thirty years due to my injury, I went through over five years with HTN. Yet, with specific meds and exercise, I kicked its ass and have been off all blood pressure medication for over 7 years! Add this - a retired line officer from a department here in the South Florida area, has read Dan's & Jim's book and has lost over EIGHTY POUNDS!

You have no excuse other than continued denial . Give them a listen on our podcast at 5-Alarm Task Force , and see for yourself. If you're interested, their book is available through their website or on Amazon, both as a paperback and as a Kindle book.

Our podcast is brought to you by The Firehouse Tribune. Find them on twitter at @FHTribune or their webisite The Firehouse Tribune!

Coming up...we are proud to announce that our next guest will be Chief Dennis Rubin. Make you you tune in for that one!

One last note: We know that many of you check out our blog when you receive the posting alert via Twitter. It is very important for us to be able to show the numbers and that you like what you see. To that end, please, please, please, leave a brief message or comment after reading a post. Thank you very much for your understanding and participation.

Stay Safe and Let's Make Sure That Everyone Goes Home!

 

Your Great Opportunity

You have a wonderful opportunity to save lives over the rest of this week! Do you know how? Do you know why?

Overnight this weekend, the country (most of it, that is) will again change its clocks from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time. Clocks, watches, computers and more will be handled, dialed, push-buttoned, to provide an extra hour of sleep to most of the American public. It is a practice that the vast majority of us are use to, so what's the big deal?

As current and/or former firefighters/rescuers, we can use the semi-annual of time change to alert those in our communities that if they can be so concerned with their clocks, let  them also take an important interest in the simple device that may not help them sleep later, but can save their lives - their smoke detectors!

While it is true that newer smoke detectors are often equipped with newer, lithium-ion batteries that can last up to ten years, hundreds of thousands of "standard" smoke detectors are still being used all around the country. Most of those use the standard 9-volt "transistor" or rectangular battery. Those batteries are available at almost every neighborhood market, supermarket, pharmacies and "big-box" stores. Replacing them in these older models is as simple as replacing batteries in a flashlight. So what's the big deal?

The problem is that most people need to be reminded to check and/or change those batteries twice a year. in the old days, testing the battery was done by simply pushing the "TEST" button on the outside of detector. Recently though, it was determined that that test may not suffice. While a powered battery is necessary, it is more important to know that the detection chamber works flawlessly. Use a simple match (not a butane lighter!), blow it out and let the smoke drift towards the chamber. If the alarm sounds, you will know your battery and chamber are working properly.

It has been proven over and over again:
Change Your Clocks - Change Your Batteries saves lives. You still have time to organize an group effort in your department to get the word out. Notify your local radio and television stations, as well as your local newspaper. Get out on to the main intersections in your community to promote the test or to actually give smoke detectors away. 
Simply put, a working smoke detector saves lives.
And thanks to our friends at 

for all their support

  

The Heavy Toll of Who We Are and What We Do

September 27, 2016

Who could have known that the past seven days would exact such a toll on the Fire Service? The answer? None of us. Another answer? All of us.

As of today, we have lost six of our comrades in the last seven days, including FDNY Battalion Chief Michael Fahy, who died this morning as the result of an explosion at an apartment in the Bronx that was very likely a grow-house. The others include two firefighters from the Wilmington DE Fire Department, Lt. Christopher Leach and Senior Firefighter Jerry Fickes who died fighting an apartment fire early Saturday morning; West County MO EMS & Fire, Firefighter Sean McMullin who was found unresponsive in his station on Saturday; Ventura County CA Fire Engineer Ryan Osler, who lost his life in a tanker rollover; and North Belle Vernon PA Safety Officer Charles E. Horan, who died as a result of a fall at his home while responding to a call. 

As we know all too well, unlike many occupations, the loss of a firefighter is like throwing a large rock into a quiet and smooth pond. Upon impact unnatural waves are pushed up and out; their ripples continuing in every direction until finally ending on the nearest shore. Each of the losses noted above exert a terrible price on the families of those who have been lost. However, the effect moves on, spreading wider as it hits the departments these brave firefighters were members of; continuing ever outward, they hit the friends of the victims, who did not look at them as just firefighters, but simply as "buddies." Finally, the ripples spread across their largest journey, as they arrive at us, the members of the fire service across this country, both current and/or retired. Thus, in our own way, in our own place, we find our own time to mourn; we mourn comrades that we very likely did not know on a personal basis. Yet we mourn, nevertheless.

If there is anyone who still doubts that firefighters really are a family, all they have to do is drop by their local firehouse. There, they will find some representation of our connection to these six firefighters; as simple as a flag flown at half-mast, to banded badges or even black or purple bunting. They will see us raising funds or collecting items to send out to help the families or their departments, to assist in any manner necessary, to several of us in a small group, talking about Line of Duty Deaths and what we can learn from each and every one.

Our "love" exacts a terrible price from us. Yet, after each tragedy, we steel ourselves and vow to do a better job, take better care of ourselves, learn more and of course, be more careful. The sad truth is sometimes, no matter how careful we are, we can still be knocked down. Let us realize that "Everyone Goes Home," is not just a colloquialism, it is our prayer every time we respond to a call!

Let us remember these six brothers and honor their bravery and dedication. Let their souls be bound up in the Bond of Life and may they rest in peace. Amen.

What Happens This Sunday - September 11, 2016?

As I am sure all of you are aware, this Sunday marks the fifteenth anniversary of the 9|11 attacks on the United States. A great deal has happened in those fifteen years. Parents grieve for their children; children grow up without one parent. Couples were split apart, never to be together again. 

This nation suffered greatly that day. I'm not exactly sure, but I believe I heard that one out of every 6 people in this country have/had some sort of connection to the losses of 9|11. I know it was true for me in a couple of ways. We knew a family from our former synagogue whose son worked at Cantor/Fitzgerald. A very close friend of mine, also a firefighter in South Florida, knew well several of our brothers lost that day. Another person very close to me was invited to fly with a business acquaintance on the flight to L.A., to play golf together. His schedule didn't allow him the leeway and he regretfully, declined the offer. He is alive today. 

Also in these fifteen years, a new breed of Americans arose; they are the disbelievers. They claim that 9|11 was sanctioned, orchestrated and carried out by the U.S. government. They have videos that "prove" there were explosions that brought down the buildings.They heard "this," or "that," or someone told them that "this happened," or "that happened." They use the absences of certain people with government connections, as proof the government knew about this advance and also sorts of other drivel. Nevertheless, nearly 3,000 men, women and children, of all faiths, heritages, skin colors, personal beliefs, died that day, when it was supposed to be a beautiful early Fall day for all of them.

Already, there have been several television programs about that day. And there is not doubt that there will be a good number more over this weekend. It is the way that many in this country grieve; by watching these television programs, which broadcast the same videos we have all seen, many, many times. 

With all of this, how have we changed? Did we change? No, I'm not talking about the Department of Homeland Security, the TSA, etc. I am speaking about us, as a people. How have we evolved.

If there is one group that stands head-and-shoulders above the masses, it is the men and women who are the first responders in this country. We are a group that lost 343 brothers that day; a group who lost members of Law Enforcement and Emergency Medical Services. These were the people you see running to the buildings, running to help the injured and the trapped. Not to forget the dozens of firefighters and other who spent hour-after-hour on the mound of rubble, inhaling all manner of poisons into their lungs; the poisons which led for many to various cancers and sadly, early deaths. These are the people that you want to show up at your home or place of business within five-to-six minutes of you dialing 9-1-1 or another emergency number.  These are the men and women who do not work just for their paycheck, they work to help others; to help people like you, when you call. The people who very, very, rarely hear two words when they finish their jobs at a scene. They rarely hear the words, "Thank you."

Immediately after the tragedy, firefighters were the heroes; adulation was adorned on them all around the country. Yet, just several months later, the adulation was gone; the appreciation was gone. As departments around the country began working on their budgets, often the first target is the fire service. "Why do we have to pay them so much? They sit in the firehouse most of the day and once in a while go out on a call," is commonly heard at budget meetings. Yet, no matter what we do at the firehouse if we're not on a call, we are always prepared to answer the call - your call!

This weekend as you go to shop, as you visit family, as you visit your houses of worship, try to remember the men and women who protect you day in and day out and are willing, without a second though, to give their lives for yours.

Can you do that? Would you? 

The Premier Podcast of "5-Alarm Task Force - News & Issues for Today's Firest Responders"

Finally----

We're happy to bring you the premier podcast from Dalmatian Productions, Inc. It has taken us a great deal of time and effort to be able to create a show that we hope brings the type of information, dialogue, news, etc., that you are interested in.

And to that end, we invite you to do one or both of the following:
1. Write to us with a suggestion of a topic you'd like to hear discussed.
2. Let us know that you would like to be a guest on our show and present a topic you feel is important for first responders today.

Through the relationships we have been able to develop on Twitter, we have made strong connections with some of the best leaders and instructors in fire/rescue/EMS. Several of them have already agreed to be guests on our podcasts and we look forward to bringing you their topics.

Today's guest has become a good friend of Dalmatian Productions, even though we have not had the opportunity to meet yet! That's Captain/Paramedic Joe DeVito of the Ft. Myers Beach Fire Control District. here in Southwest Florida. Joe is in his 10th year with this department. Not only is Joe a great teacher, he is an avid learner. He is always trying to learn more so that he may always do a better job/

It's our pleasure to bring you the premier podcast here: http://bit.ly/2c87pds

This podcast is brought you by "Fish Out of Water: 2 Jewish Guys in a Deep South Firehouse," Steve Greene's autobiographical story of how he came to be a firefighter.  you can find Steve's book on Amazon at tinyurl.com/NCFIREFIGHTING and soon to becoming to all e-book retailers!

New Endeavors - New Changes - Whe

BULLETIN...BULLETIN....

READ IT ALL ABOUT IT!!

New autobiographical firefighting book is released on Amazon-Kindle!!

 

If you've been wondering where we've been, this little picture above will tell you the first part of the story. I am very happy to announce the publishing of my first book, "Fish Out of Water - 2 Jewish Guys in a Deep South Firehouse." It is available on Amazon's Kindle format at http://preview.tinyurl.com/NCFirefighting.

 

A lot of people will not realize that there truly is a juxtaposition of the words, "Jewish," and "firefighting." Why? Because not too many of us enter this amazing profession as a career or even as a volunteer. And why is that? Back in my day it was because most Jewish parents want to see their children grow up to be doctors, lawyers, dentists, surgeons, CPA's etc. In all my years of synagogue work, not once did I ever hear a parent tell me that their son or daughter was joining a volunteer fire department or the local rescue squad.

 

However, I was different. I set my own path when the opportunity presented itself and joined a combination fire department just outside Greensboro NC and a couple of years later, accepted a paid position with Guilford County EMS.

 

I won't bother you with the why's and how's here. It's all spelled out in the book. More importantly, this decision afforded me to meet another Jewish young man who is still my best friend, these nearly forty years later.

 

There are plenty of great stories, exciting calls and more. From basic training to high-level rescue, from firehouse pranks to extremely serious calls, I've included it all. So please, pick up a copy and feel free to le me know what you thought of it.

And now back to our show...

 

I'm glad to let you know that we are once again making forward progress on our show, "Cause & Origin." Our Los Angeles-based partner has secured a new agent for us and her job will be to provide us with the entrée needed to submit the treatment and script to various studios and production companies. Thankfully, our partner has numerous contacts that he can direct her to and we're hoping their combined networking will result in some positive interest.

 

Along that line of thought, it was just announced that the City of Philadelphia has named a new Fire Commissioner, who will assume office in the near future. All of us at Dalmatian Productions, Inc. and Cause & Origin, LLC want to thank outgoing Commissioner Sawyer for his leadership of this great department and his eager interest in working with us on the show. We just hope he'll pass his recommendation on to his replacement.

 

Finally, some of you may have heard about the weird weather up in the Greater Boston area last week. I did. That's because I was frickin' in the middle of it!! Here it was, April 3rd and snow was pummeling us, along with winds reaching 40-50 mph! The next day, April 4th was to be opening day at Fenway Park for the Red Sox! No frickin' way! We were hit with a second snow storm that dropped another 3-4 inches and the game had to be postponed!

 

Boston - Strong!!! You got to love it!

Now - Stay Safe and Let's Make Sure Everyone Goes Home!

 



 

 



Do You Get It Now?

If you subscribe to any of the fire service news services, e.g. Firehouse.com, Fire Engineering, etc., the news hit us across the face this morning. The State of Wisconsin lost another firefighter to cancer. But not just any firefighter. Firefighter/Paramedic Marcia Rosecky was the first female firefighter in the State of Wisconsin. And her death has been judged as Line of Duty, due to the fact that her cancer was a direct result of her work and exposure during her firefighting service.

I might venture now, almost fifteen years after 9|11, many of us either know a firefighter who has contracted a line-of-duty cancer or know of someone who has. "Back in the day," in the relative short period of eight years I was active, we had virtually never heard the words, "firefighter" and "cancer" in the same sentence. And those of us who also were in EMS work had not yet heard the word, "AIDS," either. But we sure as shit know it now!

If you've had some significant time in the fire service, think back to some of the crap you've dealt with. Think of all the stuff on your PPE. Think of all the times you took your rehab break and went back inside to help with overhaul, no mask, no turnout coat. You're pulling those walls and ceilings and all the toxins and other shit that have been carbonized, start falling on top of you or is inhaled by you. What is it doing inside you right now? Ever bother to wonder?

Some of the best voices in the fire service today have called on all departments, career, volunteer, combo and on-call, to begin a prophylactic program to help shield firefighters from this type of exposure. Additionally, each of us has a responsibility to make sure all of our PPE is properly and thoroughly cleaned at regular intervals.

Today, March 3, 2016, we begin the third month of the first quarter of 2016. Many people are in the habit of making resolutions for the new year. Here we are, over two months in and what have you done to take better care of yourself?

Started an exercise regimen? ("Naw, I get enough exercise on the job!)

Started a weight loss program? (What? And give up the great food that we cook in the barn?)

Made an appointment with your personal physician or the fire surgeon for a physical or an evaluation of vitals and blood? ("I don't have time to go see a doctor. I got 2 jobs beside the 'Job, three kids and a wife!")

There are probably another half dozen or more questions we could and should ask ourselves. And most of us will have the same excuses to answer those questions, as well.

We're all slow to adapt to change. It's in our human make-up. But that doesn't mean we can't change. Take a look around you. See your buddies in the firehouse, see your family and other loved ones. What will you tell them if you're diagnosed with some form of job-related cancer? "I coulda, woulda, shouda?"

Think about it. Make the FFHI2016 (The Firefighters' Health Initiative 2016) a vital part of your life.

 

"Are You Kidding Me!? You Want Me to Do What?"

Firefighter Health Initiative 2016

Do You Have the "Guts" To Do It?

As firefighters, a lot of folks look at us with a special eye; they often see us a heroes. Most of the time, like the gentle folks that we are, we brush it off saying, "Thanks, but I was just doing my job." However, some of us, actually see our selves as heroes. Big, strong, brawny men; tall, strong and fit women, who climb any ladder, hold onto a powerful and wild firehose and other feats of great prowess. There's almost nothing we won't do. Except one.

We hesitate and often refuse, to take care of ourselves.

Thanks to so many of our great fire service leaders and many of our fire-related organizations, some of us are beginning to not only hear, but listen to their message. Just as we are not impervious to injuries and even death from flames, from smoke and from falls, we are not impervious to the most insidious disease that wreaks it terror on man and animal alike: CANCER. And it doesn't discriminate whether you're career, volunteer or on-call, neither does it matter if you're still on the job or retired.

As of late, there has been a good push for those of us still active on the job, to be more aware of what our PPE looks like. We all remember the each time in our careers that we received brand new PPE, clean beige, clean black, clean mustard-yellow, clean white. Not anymore. It's dirty, grimy, smoky, covered in all types of burnt residual material that very likely contains numerous carcinogens. 

All too often, we've used our dirty, grimy, filthy PPE as a badge of courage. We can no longer afford to do that. We must make a real effort to create a set schedule for making sure that our PPE is cleaned to the standards set by both fire and health officials. Good, but that's just one step. 

Here's another. Although the American Cancer Society recommends that both men and women have their first colonoscopy at age 50, it might do us well to realize that our chances of developing cancer are greater as firefighters as are those of "Joe," the barber or "Nancy" the owner of five pack & ship centers. No one can deny that even with our PPE, we still average a higher exposure rate to carcinogenic material that our "friends" mentioned above. And with that in mind, we never know what type of cancer we may be diagnosed with. Just one quick review of our dearly departed brothers and sisters who worked on the 9|11 pile and the vast array of cancers that they suffered, should be enough of an incentive for us to be proactive.

I'm not a doctor. But I will tell you to speak with either your fire surgeon or your personal physician and ask him/her what their opinion is regarding when to have your first baseline colonoscopy. And let's not forget that the dangers are not just from our jobs, but from all the crap in our food, water and environment. Sure, everybody is exposed to that, but we have that extra exposure from our work. Put them together and you'll start playing, "Go to the head of the class!"

I've been off the "active" job since 1985. That was pre-AIDS, pre-BioHazards, pre-gloving & masking, etc. However, since my late father worked for major supermarket chain up north and was a former meat cutter, we ate steak every Monday night, meatloaf every Wednesday. On the weekends, we had plenty of eggs, white bread and real butter; not to mention real ice cream (frozen yogurt?) So, I was concerned when I had to go for my test.

I was concerned for what might be found, I was concerned about the "horrible, painful" ordeal I was about to go through. But you know what, it was all hype! That's right, there was no pain, no discomfort. The cleansing plan was relatively easy to follow and no, I wasn't running to the head every 10 minutes!! 

And when I went in for the test, your put under with what is called, "MAC" anesthesia, which stands for Monitored Anesthesia Care, otherwise knows as "twilight sleep." It's a very light sedation. You have no idea of what's being done. Best of all, you wake up clear-headed and bright, if if you have a great nurse like we did, she'll yell, "You wanna go home" Fart for me! As soon as I hear you pass gas, you're out of here. So start farting!"

Listen, what we do is dangerous enough. We've know that from day one. And it didn't stop us. We joined up anyway. But you can't shirk your responsibility to your family and loved ones, as well as your comrades and your job. Just do it!

BTW - one small favor: If you haven't made it over to Amazon Studios to help support our effort to get a really great show about the fire service on TV, please do. We really need your support. It doesn't cost a penny. It takes just a few minutes of your time. 

Just head back to the list of posts on this blog and find the one with the instructions on how to give us your support. 

Till next time...

Stay Safe and Every One Goes Home!

 

 

Seperation Anxiety??

A strange title for a blog about firefighting, eh? Read on and let's see if some of you will know what I'm talking about.

First though, we do need to give you a reminder to please visit our Amazon Studios Profile Page. There, you can read all about us and the show and most importantly, leave your comments and a 1-to-5 star rating. Your comments can make the difference if Amazon will pick up the show! Thanks!

"Now, back to our program..." 

I've been out of active firefighting since 1985, after starting in 1977. That means that I've been out for a long, long time. I left for two reasons:

1. My injured knee (after three surgeries since 1978 at that time) prevented me from being on the front line. I was "reduced" to handling video for the department on drills and calls, a town Fire Marshall and a member of our Fire-Police unit. I truly enjoyed all three!

2. We were relocating to South Florida in the City of Hollywood, which has a career department. There were still a few volunteer departments, but none of them close enough for me to be an active member of any type. 

At the start, it wasn't too bad. We had never lived in Florida before and I was in a new job. The first few months kept me busy and focused, though maybe not one hundred percent.  You see, I was still keeping a BLS jump kit in my car, just as I had for the previous eight years. And for some reason, I wound up showing up at a bad scene right on time and was able to render emergency care until first responders arrived. And after a few months, when life had settled down, I started missing the "Red Devil."

I've often used (or overused) the old saying, "You can take the boy out of the firehouse, but you can't take the firehouse out of the boy!" And I use it because it's true for a lot of us. I miss being a firefighter, being an EMT, being a first responder. I miss the camaraderie, the joking around, the practice, the learning and the excitement of the response. 

If you're still young and active, skip this next paragraph! If not...read on!

Now, you....yes YOU! Get up and walk over to the nearest mirror. Look at the person in the mirror. Watch carefully as he/she looks back at you. Now ask the image, "Do I miss the old days or have I put it all behind me?" So, what was the answer? I know what it was and what it will continue to be. The answer is, "Yes!" 

What to do about it, is the next question. I can't answer that for you, but I can tell you what I've done. And when you finish reading this post, go back through this blog and read the earlier posts. I, along with my best friend (whom I had met at the first fire department where we volunteered in NC) decided the fire service deserved to be on television. We started our company, Dalmatian Productions, Inc., with but one aim, to create a reality show about America's Heroes: The Men & Women of Fire/Rescue. Catchy phrase, huh? Good. That was actually the name of our first show. Along with our two additional partners, Tom and Jesse, we've all kept this goal in mind ever since then. And though we've had to let go of the "reality" aspect, we're still working hard to bring a fire show, a damned good fire show to TV.

But that's not all I've done to "feed the beast." For example, in every city I visit I attempt to visit at least one firehouse. I stop in, say hello and chew the fat for a short while. It brings back the good feelings. I feel like "one of the gang" again. 

And to really drive the stake in deep, I did something much worse, I wrote a book about my first four years in fire-rescue. I'm basically finished with the writing and now in the process of editing. I've included a lot of the experiences I had there, the good calls, the ones that sucked, the dangerous calls and the fun times in the firehouse. 

The funny thing about editing what you've written is that your forced to re-read it over and over again, correcting errors, adding missing words.....and reliving all the stories all over again. And again. And again.

And it's through this exercise that I've come to the conclusion that there's absolutely nothing wrong with how I feel....with how you feel, if you're in the same position I've been in. You know, we're very lucky to have done what we did and what we loved. 

Stay Safe and Remember, Every One Goes Home!

 

 

The Steps to Help Get "CAUSE & ORIGIN" On Amazon!

This is the procedure to get to Amazon Studios to help promote "CAUSE & ORIGIN" as a TV show through Amazon:
(p.s. If you don't have an Amazon ID, you can register for one absolutely free on the Studios' home page! Thanks)

Here’s how to get to the site:

1. Click on this address: http://studios.amazon.com
2. Log in using your normal Amazon account credentials.
3. Click on the “magnifying glass” icon on the top right corner of the page.
4. When the search box opens, type in, “Cause & Origin”
5. It will appear in the search box as, “Cause & Origin” Steven’s Project – SELECT THAT!
6. It will bring you to our (my) page. Scroll down and you’ll find the “Creative Notes” and the “Logline,” which is a brief description.
7. To read the script, click on the initials, “PDF” next to a blue & white button that says, “ADD COVER IMAGE.”
8. When you’re done, it will bring you back to the main page and you can vote the number of stars and leave comments. You can also choose to follow our developments by clicking on the “Follow” icon.
9. Thank You Very Much!

 

What About Now?

All too often as we glide through life, we hear about this unfortunate circumstance or that one and quite quickly, it disappears from our thoughts. Why? Usually it is due to the fact that whatever it was, had no bearing on the observer. So why bother, right? Wrong!

For our regular readers and followers on Twitter know, we take the concept of firefighter health very, very seriously. It's a subject that were are very passionate about. Why? That's a valid question and it's also a tough one to answer. 

Your author has been disabled since 1992 when I work up one morning with, what I thought was a run-of-the-mill backache. After seeing several doctors, I finally had an MRI and found out that I had a herniated disc at L4-L5. The question of how was more difficult to answer. I had been out of active service with a fire department since 1985. I was in a relatively sedentary job and was not required to move or life heavy objects. Today, 23 years later and after five back surgeries, too many injections to count and having a medication pump surgically implanted, the consensus of my doctors is that the underlying injury occurred in June 1978 when one leg fell through the floor of a house being used for fire training. At the time of that fall, I blew out my left knee, but I had no idea about my back. However, that was an on-the-fireground accident that could happen to anyone. So, no - my passion does not come from that occurrence. 

Even though I have been out of the fire service since 1985, it has and always will, have a role in my life. And I read Firehouse Magazine every month.And each month, the first column I read is the list of LODD's. A recent report regarding the LODD's in 2014 indicates that nearly fifty-percent (50%) of firefighter LODD's are caused my preventable health conditions. PREVENTABLE!!! No, I did not know any of these firefighters in any way, nor did I know any active firefighter with serious health risks...until this past week.

One of my neighbors is a career firefighter for a department about an hour north of where we live. He's a real nice guy, loves what he does and was working to put his "20" in, with just a couple of more years to go. However, my friend, whom we'll refer to as "Tom," is a big man, both height-wise and weight-wise. So each time I'd see him outside and wave or stop in to chat for a few, I never said a word to him, but inside, my guts were churning. Before me stands a guy who loves what he does, is good at it, but not taking care of himself with the same passion he uses to fight fire.

Two weeks ago I got a cal from his wife to come over to help them with a computer problem. I saw Tom's car in the driveway and assumed he was on an off-day. When I got inside, he's walking all bent over and I asked what happened. He said he threw his back out on a call a few days before, but he wasn't that concerned as the next Monday, he was going to have knee replacement surgery. I fixed the computer, wished them both good luck and told him I'd check in on Monday night or Tuesday morning to see how the surgery went. 

Early Tuesday morning, I get a call from his wife and I asked her how the surgery went. She said, "It didn't!" She then explained to me that when he went for his pre-op clearance, the doctor observing his EKG saw traces he was not happy with and scheduled him to undergo a supervised stress test that Monday (the day before her phone call) with a pair of cardiologists. Tom was upset, but more about missing the knee surgery than anything else.

He underwent the stress test and suddenly, the doctors told him to stop. They sat him down and helped him through the recovery phase. The doctor came over to him and asked, "Tom you're a firefighter, aren't you?"
"Yes, sir," he answered with the pride he had in his work.
"Not anymore, you're not!" the doctor said. "You're firefighting days are over."

Stunned by the news, Tom asked for an explanation. The doctor told him that his cardiac output was in the mid-30% range, where normal for someone his age should be in the 60's. There was evidence of ischemic damage, most likely caused by a silent MI. Finally, they were concerned about the condition of part of the septum.

That was that. Of course, as I said to his wife, the good thing is that these conditions were caught in advance of a non-survivable incident. He had an angiogram on Tuesday and came through it well. Moreover, he is beginning a course of medication and lifestyle change to get him healthy again. No doubt, it's going to be a long, slow road. None of us gain a great deal of weight overnight and we are not going to lose it that way either.

So, when's a good time for YOU to take stock of your personal medication condition?
WHAT ABOUT NOW?
  

Are We Taking Two Steps Forward and One Step Back?

Have you ever thought about the meaning of the words in the title of today's post? No? Well, try it. Pick two points in your home, in the firehouse, anywhere you choose. Now, walk with your regular gait and time how long it takes to travel from point A to point B. Easy, right? Now, do it again, but for every two steps forward, take one step backward, and time your journey again. Not so easy, eh? What was the difference in your times? Now, imagine living through your entire day, all your tasks, all your errands doing the same thing. For every two steps forward, you must take one step back!

The August 2015 edition of Firehouse^® Magazine notes that seven firefighters died with the classification of LODD. Each and every one of these deaths was classified as an LODD. Not one was a fireground or apparatus/vehicular occurrence. The magazine also has an article about the NFPA’s latest report of LODD’s from 2014. All together, we lost sixty-four brothers in 2014. This made 2014 the third year in the last four where LODD’s were below sixty-five and it was a significant reductions from 2013 where we lost ninety-seven firefighters.

As good as that news is the problem lies in the fact that over half of the deaths in 2014 were caused by sudden cardiac/health events. This was the highest number of health-related LODD’s since 2008.

We have been on our Twitter account (@DalmatProd) for approximately six months now. And we have made firefighter health one of our top priority topics that we look for and write about. As a matter of fact, we are so concerned about this that the subject will play an important role in the television program that we are currently working to sell in Hollywood. Moreover, if you have read this blog before, you know how important it is to us and how often we write about it.

The question remains if we are doing enough to prevent these types of LODD’s. I have no doubt that each and every industry magazine addresses this issue from time to time. Many departments have taken the issue to heart (pardon the pun) and developed excellent fitness programs for their firefighters, both current and future. However, many of those departments are larger, urban and suburban companies that may have a fitness line item in their budget or perhaps, they applied for and received a SAFER grant specifically for this purpose.

Yet two key issues remain. The first is the difficulty in promoting this health initiative in smaller, more rural departments, most of them being volunteer departments. As it is, they are having a difficult enough time just recruiting and retaining volunteers. Now, we push this health initiative on them and they back off because they simply do not have the resources to do so.

The second issue is how do we “encourage” the firefighters, mostly on-call and volunteers, who have been members of their departments for several years or longer and over the course of time have gained significant weight or developed other health issues that could lead to a morbidity level? And what about officers and command staff, who sometimes feel that since they are not performing any physical exertion at calls, their health is not of concern and they should not have to abide by a department’s health standards.

The issue of firefighter health is well publicized; there is no doubt about that. And we have some of the best leaders in this country working their tails off to bring this message to the masses. So, the question remains how we raise the level of attention of our target audience?

As I thought about this very question, the proverbial light bulb went off. How bright it is, well, that’s for you to decide. Every fire department in this country is well aware of the NFPA, its purpose, its mandates, etc. While we all realize that some departments are financially unable to employ each NFPA mandate, they do try to do their best. Why? Because they know in their hearts and minds that the NFPA is working to keep firefighters as safe as possible. Whether it is the semaphores on apparatus, PPE, standards for SCBA, etc. they are looking out for the safety of every one of us and the citizens we protect.

What if we can find a way to create a union of the NFPA and either an existing organization or a new one, even a new sub-department of NFPA to carry this health message to the boots on the ground, so that they see it as the same way the majority see the other safety mandates from the NFPA. Perhaps if we can create a Committee of Firefighter Health & Wellness as an offshoot of the NFPA, our messages will stop falling on deaf ears. Or, at the least, find a larger audience.

However, I sincerely believe that this must come from us, the firefighters, current and former, the departments and our own organizations. I do not want to see governmental bureaucracy involved in this endeavor. We have the experience, we have the knowledge and we have the influence that we can put to work to save our lives.

The goal is simple: let’s give the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation the least amount of work to do. Let’s do our best to live by our motto: #EveryOneGoesHome.