Have the ghosts found us?

Busy start this morning with a couple of alarms and then a extrication. School bus vs car our PIO Tiffany arrived and capture a couple pictures after the door was removed and the pt's were being extricated.

We made it back to get our house chores done, trucks washed when Capt. Brown noticed a trail heading out the middle bay across the apron to the street. Apparently when water gets into the exhaust pipe of the reserve Ladder, once started and in motion leaves a trail of soot. Not one to ask his people to do something that he would not do he attempted to clean this trail. The only way to get the broom from him was to trick it out of his hands, unfortunately it was too difficult to get with just elbow grease.

Young Compton AKA "Smiley" was getting some cram time for his protocol test so he proceed to the next round. (*He took the test after lunch and passed Congrats young Smiley)

Chief Barker stopped by to look at his shift draft. If you have questions about your new assignment give him a call and he can explain who is going where and when.

The Big Show had a tour today the youngsters from Head Start got to see the Busiest Fire Station in the city. I am not sure who was more impressed the kids looking at the trucks or C-shift watching how 3 ladies and wrangle 14 kids and not lose it. Does the phrase "herding cats" mean anything?
Chef Decker took the day off but Chef JJ our resident thrifty shopper whipped up a batch of fajitas and fries.

After lunch we headed down to Station 6 for HTR training, unfortunately the medic unit did not get to stay for the entire training and only got to get a few pictures before leaving.

After training today, an alarm came in at 704 Franklin Rd Station 1 "the Big Show" A quick response time maybe the quickest in City History to get a Ladder, Engine, Medic, Battalion and RS1 all on scene. After searching the station top to bottom neither the pull stations or the Emergency buttons had been activated. The panel was not showing any activation. So now the thoughts of the "ghosts" from the old house had finally found the Big Show. Attempts were made to find out where the alarm may have come in from by pulling a pull station but for some unknown reason that information never made it to dispatch. Talk of bringing back the night watch rumbled through the station.

Before dinner Randy's wife Jill stopped by to check in on her beloved with hopes of keeping him in line. As we all sat down for dinner the tones went out for a report of a vacant house on fire on Riverland. After running around that area of Southeast we found a lady cooking her London Broil on the charcoal grill.
The medic units kept the roads hot into the night. Now we are hoping for a good night.

Popsicle patrol

Last day of the cycle for C-shift, I don't know about being a "blog master" but I worked today and thought Becky did a fine job while I was off. Well as many of you know who live in and around the Roanoke area, we had the first significant snowfall in a few years yesterday and last night. A-shift had the pleasure of putting the chains on last night and seemed to test the snowy "waters" a couple times. Today we had to get Adam over to Station 6 to grab the service truck with the plow and he got the pleasure of cleaning the aprons for all the fire stations. So if you get a chance tell Adam Thank You.

After morning chores, Decker, one of our resident chefs made some fine homemade biscuits. Those and last day's pork chops were a great breakfast.

Young Smiley was playing musical trucks again today trying to get those ALS calls needed for his first hoop. The more calls he runs the more the number needed goes up according to the training bureau.

Medic 1 was on "Popsicle patrol" with all the people falling outside today. They were probably wondering, is sleigh riding as fun as I remember it? For lunch today we had JJ's special potato soup, and I quote "I bet ya never had potato soup like this before!" As usual JJ was right, the soup and grilled cheese hit the spot on a cold snowy day. We had a visitor stop by the firehouse today

Retired Lt. O. Smith of the the SML Smith's, the only thing changed with Oscar was the beard. He was looking for his buddy Joe who had a case of the "white fluffy flu" or something? Kidding you Joe, hope you feel better at least next Saturday the temps will be in the high 60's. After lunch JJ and the boys brought out a large carrot cake to celebrate the Captain's "??th" birthday. It was yesterday so call him up and wish him a belated one, he will tell you how old he turned.

After lunch the Ladder truck had a chimney fire with the boys from 6 in Southeast and were capable of handling with the units on scene.
As the snow melted we were able to take off the chains and cables.

Waiting is part of the game.


Things picked back up just before dinner but we were fortunate to sit down and eat tonight. Today Medic 101 started their new budget shifts working 9-7pm and they got to eat before getting off tonight. We are going to watch a movie but you know how that goes. So wish us luck.
Well it figures, towards the end of the movie the fire tones went out for a house fire in Southeast. Ladder 1, BC1, RS1 were on first dispatch with E6, M6 and E11. M6 was on their way back from the ER and gave a sizeup bu most missed it because of their quick response everyone was still on Tac 1 marking enroute. M1 and E14 were the WF units, Engine 6 arrived and made a quick knock down on a mattress fire extending to the entire room. Check out Station 6's blog for pictures and more info.

So ya wanna fight?

Day Three at the Big Show and we wanted to get all the trucks cleaned up top to bottom before washing out. It is a good thing Adam is not afraid of heights or water or he would have been in trouble. After the Ladder got back they got some help from an unlikely subject (the last time she helped in the kitchen is when there were rumors of moving her out) Just kidding Becky you know you are a big help. Medic 101 did not get to have lunch with today because they were stuck over at the Civic Center for ACC Hockey Tournament. It was so bad that they sent the first AIC home and had to call Jose in as the relief driver. Ran into the boys from Station 9today on the medic unit at the ER and told them about out blog and hope to have it ready so we can get links for 3, 6 and 9 tonight. Young Compton AKA "Smiley" was riding the Medic truck today attempting to get a few more calls in and I have figured out that he is going to be a fight magnet. The first pt we had was assaulted by some "close friends" of his causing a LAC to the top of his head. After convincing him to calm down we loaded him up and headed to the ER to save him from getting arrested. About 6 blocks later he got agitated with the questions we were asking (name, DOB, where does it hurt?) when he attempted to swing at the Young AIC. Once he was convinced hitting was not allowed in the back of the medic unit, he was taken away to the ER with our brothers in blue with a new set of bracelets. Later on in day we were on scene at the Rescue Mission when a large fight broke out into the street. It started out like a playground fight and soon 15-20 were involved but when PD arrived everyone forgot who was involved except the big boy in the yellow coat. I was surprised PD didn't want to pawn him off on us.
Tonight after dinner we had a couple of cuties stop by to show off their stuff.

It was great to have some cute visitors after dealing with some of Roanoke's "finest"
A-shift has been notified about the blog and more info from them is sure to come. I hope to get B-shift involved as well, until next time. . .

Full House

Today was one of those days when you start out on one truck and wind up on the other trucks at least once before the day was done. Today we had a full station 2 College of Health Sciences Fire students and two Radford Nursing students. We had Stoval riding with EMS Capt. Bocock attempting to get his last call so he can get checked off. We now have a new card carrying EMT-I many know him as Smiley, but congrats to J. Compton AKA "Smiley". By the time he gets done jumping through all of the hoops to get turned loose he can retire. If you get a chance, tell him congrats. Today A. Fleming's daughter came by the station to have lunch with dear old dad and asked him if she could take a picture for her photography class. As you can see above we did our best to oblige. This is everyone except our boy Hunt. He is on vacation this cycle and is being missed by all. The reserve ladder was taken to the shop yesterday and replaced with Ladder 7 and is busting at the seams with all of our equipment. Tonight at dinner we had 18 eating and our beautiful huge table was not big enough. It started slowing down this evening after the students went home and we hope for a good night.