I will take another break from my engine to the truck series, to ensure that we talk about Saturday, Oct. 31, otherwise known as Halloween. I am amazed that some consider Halloween their favorite day of the year. It is important that I write about this, with the intent of getting people to think about the scores of children that may be out on the roadway. A few safety tips for those that will be out that night are: Make sure that you go out with your children Make sure that you have a good flashlight Reflective material, either sewn…

When I left you, I had been assigned to Engine 8, then U-83, in Matoaca. I spent three years there initially. With it being a slow house, I was able to get my self-study work done pretty quickly. Matoaca was also the house where I had set a goal to become an Advanced Life Support (ALS) provider on an engine. In 1987, I went to cardiac technician school, which is now called EMT-Intermediate. I left Matoaca in 1989, headed back home, Fire Station 1 in Chester. I did not stay in Chester long because Engine 1 was not a designated…

I am going to take a break from my series “From the Engine to the Truck” and address an issue that will hurt or kill some hunters this season. I do not know the statistics in Virginia or across the country, but I know my personal experience with a tree stand during a black powder season, as well as some incidents involving others and tree stands. Many hunters have taken to the woods with the start of bow season. November will mark the beginning of black powder season, leading to the regular gun season. Some hunters will choose to keep…

My time as a firefighter was truly a journey from start to finish. I became a volunteer firefighter in 1976, as a member of Fire Station No.1 in Chester. Many things would happen over the next nine years, as I began to learn about a calling on my life. My volunteer days in Chester were an introduction to working on an engine company. While in the Coast Guard, I served as a firefighter, on an engine, at Coast Guard Station Cape May. I then joined two volunteer stations in North Carolina – Hatteras and Buxton. This period simply strengthened my…

Multi-family dwellings are just as the words say, dwellings or buildings where multiple families live. The most common are apartment buildings. Most of us have lived in this setting, at one point in our lives, with only a wall or floor separating us from our neighbors. It is the close proximity of apartment living, where the actions and habits of our neighbor affect our lives, either directly or indirectly. My purpose here is to address fires or incidents that could cause you to be displaced. I have always said that when you live in a multi-family setting, you are not…

Three fires, two local and one in Atlanta, caused seven people to have to be rescued and the fatality of another. All three of these fires appear to have had the same cause, unattended cooking, though the fire in Atlanta is still under investigation, but it was stated to have started in the kitchen. Unattended cooking continues to be the leading cause of residential fires in America. This is a subject that I have written about many times, but the fires from this cause continue to occur. What are some of the things that lead to fires caused by unattended…

As I write this, I am beginning the final week of a 28-day journey in South Africa. When you read this, I will have been home for about nine days. The Lord has allowed me to see so many things. There is no way that I can tell you everything that I have experienced on this journey, but I will hit the highlights. This journey has taught me many things about the people group that we are working with, known as the BaPedi. They are predominantly located in the Sekhukhuneland District of the Limpopo Province of South Africa. A people…

As Tropical Storm Erika makes its way up the east coast, are you ready? I am presently on the side of the world where these storms form. Though hurricane season runs from June 1- November 1, we seem to see some of the worst storms during this time of the year. Tropical systems in Virginia usually result in rain, wind or both. Tropical systems are usually packed with rain. The problem comes when systems stall, dumping large amounts of rain. Flash flooding becomes the problem in this scenario. Low lying areas are prone to flooding. Some homes and businesses will…

This year’s fire prevention week theme is “Hear the beep where you sleep.” Fire incident reporting shows that the large majority of civilian fire injuries and deaths occur between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., while most people are sleeping. You have read where I have stated that your house must have an adequate number of smoke alarms, but another vital aspect of that protection is for them to be properly placed in your home. The minimum was to have a smoke alarm on every level of the home, including the basement. However, due to further studies, it has become part…

For those students holding onto the Dairy Queen storyline that summer is not over, enjoy the rest of your summer vacation to the fullest. There are many, though, that are excited to know that school starts three weeks from today. Wherever you fall, one extreme or the other or somewhere in between, the new school year resumes on Sept. 8, 2015. For students, it will be the opportunity to learn more than they know now. For parents, it may range from constant going and coming, packing lunches, helping with homework and whatever else that helps your child to succeed. School…