Catch Up 02-11 through 02-19-11

I worked Sunday (13th), Wednesday (16th) and Saturday(19th).   I had two more Codes following the one in my last post.  AND one who didn't die on us (but did subsequently)... we brought him out of his stupor and the beautiful thing is he came around and told us a JOKE!
"A man was driving down the highway a little fast.  He didn't notice the Trooper in his rear mirror, but when he did, he sped up.  So did the Trooper.   He sped up more.  So did the Trooper.  At 90 mph the Trooper flipped on his lights and the fellow dutifully pulled over.
'Old timer, you had better have a real good reason why you kept speeding up or I'm going to run you in.'  'Well, sonny, I do.  You see a few years back one of you State Troopers ran off with my wife.  I looked in the mirror and saw you following me.  I thought maybe it was him trying to bring her back.' "  Carl, a farmer and a true spirit, died Thursday.

Wednesday was our Unit's last day at Station 3 in the East end.  It was strange to know that the next work day we would be serving the public from the centralized Station 1, completing the closure of BOTH out stations; Station 4 having been closed in September.
Our administration watches and twirls thumbs as the CFD becomes less and less able to fulfill its mission.  It is a TRAVESTY that our Chiefs do nothing to mitigate our situation.
We will have 3 chief officers, 1 captain and two lieutenants over 6 firefighters if the city doesn't change the situation. One to one span of control.

John and Julie Payne's son, J Sayre Payne, made it home for a few days reprieve from his duties in Afghanistan.  I hope the people in this country appreciate the efforts and sacrifice that our soldiers are enduring.  I fear that they don't.  After Lodge Thursday I went up to visit Sayre at his Dad and Mom's house.

We talked 'til 3 AM.  He is an engaging, resourceful young man. Be careful, Sayre.  Come home with all your guys and begin another phase of your life.   His in-country "take home" lesson was that they had to be most careful of the home-made, land mine-like IEDs.   For him it's the small ones.  The ones made of two boards bound together, bicycle seat springs holding them apart, and contacts that, when compressed, explode a small amount of chemicals contained in,  perhaps, a Bic® pen.  These IEDs are anti-personnel and intended to inflict harm to a single soldier.  As I understand it Pres is mostly dealing with the much larger vehicular-targeting version which have huge proportions of High Explosives... both are devastating non-the-less. Sayre felt that when the insurgents stood to fight they were basically committing suicide.  Most of the time the other side's goal was to harass the superior force of the USArmy.

More to follow...  Sdad