This aint no place for the weary kind!
Jeff Bridges made a great movie before he did the re-make of True Grit. If you get a chance, watch Crazy Heart. Have you ever hurt someone you loved?? If you haven’t, you aint a fireman yet. On...
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Home Again!
Back safe, sound and somewhat relaxed. I know I had a few of ya wondering with my last post … ok it was more of a “rant” than a post. Don’t panic … I’ve just been a little stressed here lately. That...
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A firefighter’s boots
Our boots are one of the seemingly simplest tools we have as firefighters yet they each have a story to tell. Maybe you have to be a firefighter to understand but for most of us on the job, we can look...
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Barefooted … for now
I’ve been attempting another (this) post for several days now. I’ve written several and sent em to the recycle bin instead of posting. I didn’t want to seem (or come across) as angry and I felt like...
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Melt Down
It’s been one month since my brother (Jack) choose to take his own life on December 30th. I wrote about some of the effects it had on me over the past few weeks in two posts… read “Searching for a new...
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I dont know ….
I’d like to make this a “regular” Ironfiremen.com post. I’d like to bring ya some controversy, some training thoughts or at least a picture of some half nudity ( I was called the “titty blog” earlier...
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I need a “do over”…
I need several “do overs” actually. Unfortunately, I know that I can’t have a second chance at many of the events in my life over the past few months. I’d give anything to be able to go back and save...
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Climbing out ….
. The good news is that I’m back in my “boots”. I’m back in bunker gear and pulling regular tours. The bad news is that I’m still not 100% and I know I never will be again. I’m still working through...
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Opening up
For those of us “on the job”, it’s a fairly common term. We use it when talking about forcing entry into a structure or cutting a ventilation hole in the roof. Sometimes it’s even used for vehicle...
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Zero visibility
. If you’ve been on the job any time at all, you know what I’m talking about. Well … MAYBE you do because there are several different directions (definitions) I could take here. I’ve been in those...
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When firefighters need rescue!
. It’s what we should all be good at. Actually, it should be what we do best … SAVING OUR OWN! I haven’t been around for a while and I think most of you have some sort of an idea why, but; I’m not sure...
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A variation of “OJT”
. Photo by Nate Camiford (RoanokeFire.com) For most folks, “OJT” means On Job Training. For me however, at least here lately; it means On Job Therapy. In my last post “When Firefighters Need Rescue”...
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A Ticking Time Bomb..
. If you've followed Ironfiremen.com for anytime at all, you have probably noticed a significant change in the style / subject matter of my writing over the past year. More recently, I've tried to get...
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Emotional Parapets / Facades for the Holidays and beyond
. On the fire scene, a parapet wall often hides (masks) unforeseen dangers and can pose MANY threats to firefighters. At the very least, they present several challenges and can / do affect how we go...
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All Hands Working …. situation …" Doubtful "..errr …"Will Hold"… maybe??
. To say I've been using "All Hands" this year is a HUGE understatement. For my non-firefighting followers, "using All Hands" is a term we use to let dispatch and everyone else know that the job we...
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2013.. Facing Suicide head on without committing it.
It’s New Year’s Eve 2013 and I’ve never looked more forward to putting a year behind me than I am right now. Those of you who have followed this site know the struggles I’ve faced since December 30,...
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Doing The Right Thing!
DTRT or “Do The Right Thing” is an acronym used by the F.O.O.L.S (Fraternal Order Of Leatherheads Society) link . I’ve been thinking a lot about the FOOLS and what they stand for over the past few...
View ArticleA firefighter's boots
I've been in a dark place following my brother's death two weeks ago and my boots continue to consume my thoughts. You can tell by just the few examples I gave above that we have many options (or...
View ArticleBarefooted … for now
Despite the overwhelming support I received following my last post ("A Firefighter's Boots"), I was NOT able to return to duty and put mine back on. It wasn't because I didn't want to ... I did and you...
View ArticleMelt Down
Don't get me wrong when I say it's not the cure because IT IS HELPING. Opening up, talking and sharing my grief is what has been the most therapeutic. It's also the part I feared the most.
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