This is one of the most difficult subjects that I have written about, but I believe that I need to try to tackle this. I dealt with suicide as a firefighter, and I deal with it as a pastor too. Suicide is a major issue in America. Statistics from the National Institutes of Health state the following from 2016: •Suicide was the tenth leading cause of death overall in the U.S., claiming the lives of nearly 45,000 people. •Suicide was the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 34. •Suicide is the fourth leading…

As I sit watching the news footage of the tornado that hit Old Towne Petersburg, Pocahontas Island, and then the Wal- Mart in Colonial Heights, I thought I would share my remembrance of that day: Aug. 6, 1993. There are some firefighters who will read this story and not be one bit surprised that I was working that day. I was working traded time at Station 14, where I started the day riding Engine 14, then Unit 143. There were four of us on the engine that day: John, George, Greg, and me. As the storm hit, we were first…

Last week, a fire in a mansion claimed the life of a 13-year veteran firefighter in Maryland. The fire was caused by a lightning strike in the early hours of the morning. From what I understand, the family got out of the home safely before the arrival of fire units. Firefighters made an interior attack. I am not sure about the timeline, but a “may day” was declared once a firefighter had fallen through the floor. It sounds like this house had a basement. I will make an educated guess and say that the basement was well involved and had…

How many of us board a boat with the expectation that the boat will sink before we get home safely? I would say no one, including some captains. A storm in Branson, Mo., caught an amphibious craft loaded with tourists, seemingly unawares. The tragic result of this boating accident was that 17 people lost their lives. I have owned boats, worked on Coast Guard boats and ridden on many different types of boats. I have been on boats that broke down, while under way. I have also gone aboard many boats that were taking on water, and were in danger…

Two fires in two different localities recently caused 14 people to be displaced. The causes of these fires are common and warrant further discussion. As I sift through the information that has been reported, there are plenty of lessons to be learned. The first fire occurred in Vinton. A juvenile and some dogs were at the home when a fire started in the front room of the house. Fire officials have determined that the fire was caused by improper disposal of smoking materials. The juvenile and dogs got out safely before firefighters arrived. The house was heavily damaged by fire…

Hot and humid days are the norm for this area. If proper measures are not taken to properly hydrate, then dehydration-related problems could lead to heat-related illnesses, including heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, with the latter potentially fatal. It is important to prevent dehydration, but to also be aware of the symptoms of dehydration and progressing heat-related illness. Our bodies are 70 percent water. As long as the body is able to compensate for activity or illness, it maintains a state of homeostasis. It is when the body cannot keep up that significant problems begin to occur. Sweating…

Fighting a fire is hot under any condition, but it is a bit tougher when the temperature and the humidity are high. There have been many single-family dwelling fires in the region over the last few weeks. Of all the fires that have occurred, I only know the cause of one. I think that there are enough commonalities with every fire that I will talk about these fires, even though I have limited information. One fire that I read about was caused by a problem with a dryer. Dryer fires occur when the dryer is overloaded, the dryer vent gets…

In South Africa, traffic lights are called robots. In Chester, they seem to be suggestions, rather than absolutes. In two days, I have watched more people run red lights than seemingly normal. This morning, I watched a school bus for the handicapped run a red light. There were two vehicle accidents, one with an entrapment and one resulting in a fatality, at major controlled intersections, in the county. One incident did not result in an accident because the person with the green light checked before proceeding. An elderly woman ran the light as if it did not exist with no…

We have been in a stormy weather pattern lately. We have had so much rain that my garden does not have a chance. In fact, we woke up to Richmond International Airport being closed due to flooding. Storms have multiple parts that may cause damage: wind, rain, lightning, hail and tornadoes, just to name a few. A nice rain shower that drops the temperature and lowers the humidity is just that, nice. It is when the storms reach extremes that they wreak havoc. We have seen more flash flooding lately than in times past, or at least it seems. There…

I have not written about fire extinguishers in quite a while. It is my hope that you will never need to use one, but that does not excuse you from knowing how to use one, if necessary. Using a fire extinguisher needs to be as easy as possible. You should not have to think about how to properly use the extinguisher when the time comes; it should just be second nature. Choosing the right extinguisher is one piece of the proper-use puzzle. The proper extinguisher is determined, based upon the class that it is designed for. There are four primary…