Posts Categorized: Dcfems
Excessive habits.
*Note: Patient is stated to be 350LB*
Ugh. The text glowed white on a black background, eliciting inward consternation and outward groans for my partner and myself.
As Medic 19 lumbered up Georgia Avenue, I clicked "enroute" on the computer a…
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“The Lost Art of Firemanship” – an excerpt.
I was recently digging through the supply closet at the firehouse when I came across this withered citation in a battered frame. I had seen similar items littering the walls of other firehouses, but I had never paid much attention to them—nearby,…
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A consulting gig on 15th and East Capitol, NE.
4:06 a.m. - Engine 8 is dispatched on a single-engine local alarm for smoke in the area.
4:15 a.m. - Everyone else is dispatched to deal with what they found.
A great video clip can be found at this link; credit to Vernard Green on Medic 8 at the time.…
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Spring cleaning… in more ways than one.
Good thing we now have lots of extra cleaning rags.
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The Best Camera.
You know what they say... the best camera is the one that's with you.
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Resolutions.
It's a yearly thing that I notice in my gym; right around this time of year, the stations seem to be busier, the cardio room is more crowded, and the wife can never seem to find an open elliptical machine. "What gives?" I always ponder, as I turn away from yet another several-deep line in front of a station. Then it hits me, just like it always does.
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Some old history for the new year.
Inspired by an image on the cover of the most recent Capital City Firefighter magazine, I re-read the brief history posted online about the DC Fire Department.
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one city block
"Victim, if you can hear me, keep tapping on something!"
It started slowly, almost imperceptibly. I pressed the headphones tighter to my head with one hand and turned the volume up.
tap... tap... tap...
It was definitely there, and it was …
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The long-awaited Dublin Fire Brigade update!
A voice rang out from down the hallway, with it's owner appearing around a corner seconds later.
"Hey! We've got a call near the Liffey!
Glenn turned his head from us and cursed quietly.
"Are we goin' swimming?" he asked, tentatively.
"Na…
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I used to like snow. Really, I did.
I used to like playing in the snow, stomping through it... snowball fights, snow angels, the whole nine wintery yards. But after working in all this?
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DCFD’s own in Haiti, plus picture compilations.
First and foremost, I'm proud to see one of DCFD's own searching for survivors after the terrible earthquake in Haiti.
From www.tampabay.com's All Eyes feature: Christopher Holmes from the Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue searches for surviv…
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Recruit Class 360: congratulations, and good luck! (w/pictures)
Happy New Year! Yes, I haven't put up a new post since last year, but there were several factors that led to this:
I wanted to leave the Nikon Festival instructions up for a while, so visitors could make sure to see them (be sure to vote if you haven…
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The Gauntlet.
"You should stop..."I froze in place, realizing for the first time how sweaty I had grown in only a few minutes in gear."...drop..."I crumpled to the ground, covering my face and bashing my knuckles in the process. Come on... stage tr…
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National Fallen Firefighter’s Memorial – Live Streaming Feed!
For anyone who is unable to physically attend the memorial ceremonies in Emmitsburg, MD this weekend, Firehouse.com is offering live streaming coverage of both the candlelit vigil Saturday night and the ceremony on Sunday. More information is avail…
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Random thoughts from last tour.
Don't stick your head too far out the window to look at stuff when driving around—while wagon drivers are quite adept at avoiding obstacles, tree branches don't really count.—————Chicken gravy is a rather unprofessional thing to find …
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Expectations.
"Holy shit—she's having a baby!"I couldn't help but laugh; what is this, a bad movie? Get me some towels and hot water! And ring Doctor Swanson, immediately! The way-too-excited MPD officer went sprinting past me; admittedly, I …
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We’re everywhere…
News sites, blogs, beer, wine, art, barbeque sauce, cookbooks, workout programs...The list goes on and on. Every time I look online, there's a new product/service/business offered from, inspired by, or aimed at firefighters. It's always interest…
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The Farm: a brief introduction.
"Weren't you guys trying to grow something out here a while back?"The wagon driver turned from the engine's pump panel and rubbed a thoughtful hand on his chin."Yeah, we had tried growing corn out back of the firehouse... don't…
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Raising Ladders Photography, open for business!
Phew. Between work and a recent house guest, it's been a little crazy around here. From a writing perspective, the past two shifts have been kind of unremarkable, so I don't have any crazy stories off the top of my head. However, enough int…
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Many thanks to WeLoveDC!
My interview with WeLoveDC was posted to their website on Wednesday morning. (I'd have gotten around to this earlier, but I was working that day and spent the entirety of Thursday sleeping... it was a long night.)Lots of credit is due to Katie, the i…
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Projects.
On the way back from a call, I often think that there were certain situations/moments that would have lent themselves very nicely to a photographer's presence. It's the potential action shots, mostly; but there are of course some interesting, com…
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Details.
A page from The Writer's Block, a cube-shaped book (get it?) full of random ideas to jump-start the creative half of your brain. I was flipping through it the other day and found this page."Paramedic Engine 15 and Ambulance 15…
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WeLoveDC.com; publicity for RL!
Tom Bridge, co-founder and author of WeLoveDC.com came across Raising Ladders the other day, and he liked it so much that he posted a brief write-up in the WLDC daily feed.WeLoveDC.com is a collective blog written by a diverse population of authors who …
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A different view of D.C.
The John H. Glenn Jr., Washington, D.C.'s 70'-long flagship fireboat. It was built in 1962 for the FDNY, and was purchased by DCFD in 1977 for one dollar.All the air inside my drysuit escaped with an audible whoosh as I stretched the rubbe…
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The next hoop.
Some good news is being passed around today. I've received word that a handful of us paramedics are being pushed along into the next stage of the DCFD pipeline, starting Monday. There's some meetings, some more paperwork (I'm sure), but it at…
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