New blog location!

My blog as moved and is brand new. Check it out at www.dustinfails.com

Moving up in the World

So it has been a while since I have posted any blogs. Well I am working on this project for my fire department. We are a little slow in embracing new technology mostly because you have older people in the fire service so are not use to computer, email, pdas, and other great technology. Our Chief did want a laptop to learn how to use email which is GREAT! One thing that I have been wanting to do is move all of our forms to the internet. Well that is finally happening. You now can go into a password protected section on our website and fill out forms for vehicle repair, SCBA repair, communications, equipment, medical, and more. We are slow at getting up to speed but we are getting there. My next big project is to put in a server and setup a domain, tie all 3 of our stations together, web reporting, and the ability to submit fire reports from each station. That will probably be a challenge and will take some money but it will be great when we get it done. So if anyone has an old server or would like to donate one let me know.

Twitter

Check out my twitter at http://twitter.com/wffd29.

What is firefighters ran the world?

Check out this Nextel commercial showing firefighters taking care of business.

Busy last 36 hours.

There are many people who think that volunteer firefighters aren't as good as career. Well let me tell you, in the last 36 hours we had 3 house fires. Most career fire departments that get calls like that have 2 different shifts that will handle it since they go 24 hours on and 48 off. Here is the time line of events.

• Sunday around 1:30am.- Call comes in for house fire. Arrived on scene in 6 minutes to find a 2 story home vacant (for sell) flames shooting through the roof. We get the fire knocked down and save the house. Oh by the way we had 4 engines, 1 platform, and 1 rescue truck all on scene.

• Cleared the scene around 3:30 am to go back to station to get trucks and personnel in service (trip to huddle house at 4:30 am.
• Got to bed around 5:30 am only to get up around 7:15 to go to church to return some equipment.
• Get back to bed around 10:30 am and slept till 2:30 pm.

• Sunday around 9:30 pm second house fire. Arrived on-scene to find single story house heavy smoke showing. Get in and get it put out and get back home after getting trucks in service about 11:30 pm and bed about midnight.
• Monday morning 6:30 am get called back to home and arrive on scene to find flames shooting out of attic. Myself and another guy pack out and go in and get it put out. Pretty awesome way to start a Monday morning. I leave to go back to station (while they are still out getting hot spots put out) to get ready for school at 8am and work afterward.
  

The majority of the same people responded to all 3 fires and proud to say that both houses are still standing. Now that is dedication. Way to go guys and girls!

Keep this in mind, volunteers do this with no pay and don't mind it, sacrifice from family, and don't get reimbursed for gas to travel to these calls.

Getting stuff down fast.

Check out this commercial that Sprint has released depicting firefighters as politicians and how they get stuff done. You may think that this is not true but it is. We like to get it done fast.

Click here for video.

Be Careful Where you drive

Last night on out way to fire training (in our fire truck) going down Darlington Street there is this gravel parking lot. Some dude decided to spin out in the gravel parking lot kicking up rocks and other debris and hitting out truck, chipping off paint all down the side and through rocks in the truck. So we decided to find this kid and confront him. Well all he could say was he was sorry. We were very luck one of the three of us didn't get hit in the eye or a window get busted. Lets just say he is in really big trouble. The truck in the picture was the one that got hit.