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A Deadly Dive: Leadership, Safety and Training
Seven Minutes and 150 Feet Nearly one year ago, February 26, 2013, two young Navy divers died during a reckless and unnecessary certification dive in frigid 150 feet deep water at Aberdeen Proving...
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When the Goose Flew the Coop
Where's "Roland"? The Old Grey Goose “Roland” commented on my recent post when I was banished from the IAFF Blog Roll apparently for wandering outside the acceptable "thought boundaries." In...
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The Venerable Bill Hand Weighs In
Senior IAFF Member and Haz Mat Instructor Bill Hand, of IAFF Local 341, is one of the most seasoned and distinguished hazardous materials and firefighting experts in the US. I suppose his career...
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Roland/Flatratz: Mystery Solved
Email Belongs to IAFF Manager Roland, a nom de guerre for an email account operated by an IAFF manager, commented on my post regarding being dismissed from the IAFF Blog Roll. They made some...
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At The National Portrait Gallery: Rittenhouse
The Self-Made Man Rittenhouse by Peale David Rittenhouse (1732-1796) was a world renowned astronomer, scientist, mathematician, surveyor and inventor. He was also entirely self-taught. Rittenhouse...
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DCFD/DCFEMS: Adrift
Fortresses of Fire Washington, DC press reports that last Saturday a 77-year-old man collapsed across the street from 26 Engine/15 Truck. His timing was most unfortunate since persons seeking...
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Politics: A Bully Gets Busted
When Loyalty is But Skin Deep New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s super bowl weekend took a bit of a dive after David Wildstein, the ousted Port Authority Executive, dropped a stinker late in the...
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IAFF: Board or Bored?
Crewless Ship? Recently I wrote that an IAFF manager controlled the email address used for particularly unsavory comments directed at an IAFF member, a.k.a., me. I absolved that manager believing...
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Politics: Eric Holder, A Felon’s Best Friend?
AG Eric Holder Wants to Lift Ban on Felons Voting Holder, US Attorney General (AG), is out speechifying to allow convicted felons the right to vote, casting it as a civil rights issue. Things must be...
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IAFFWine.com: Flip It
Win/Win/Win I saw on Facebook that “For every bottle sold, 18% benefits the IAFF Charitable Foundation.” Since you cannot apparently buy a single bottle, at least online, this is confusing. It...
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DCFD: Quander’s Squander
The Mills’ Death as Anti-Union Agitprop Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock you have no doubt heard of the January 25th incident in Washington, DC, where an in-quarters truck company crew ignored...
View ArticleA.O.K. with the Odd Faggot
St. Paddy’s in Beantown Boston’s newish Mayor Martin Walsh has committed the equivalent of farting in a Catholic church by stating that he will boycott the City’s famed St. Patrick Day’s Parade...
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Taking the Hard (or Soft) Pass
Does It Happen More Often Than You Think? On the weekend, the Washington Post had yet another story regarding the recent death of Medric Mills after DCFD’s 15 Truck took a “pass” on turning out to...
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IAFF: Our Soul For Sale
The Death of Advocacy Is it time to ask ourselves why we even have a union? A primary reason to unionize is for firefighters and paramedics to have safe working conditions. Safety advocacy is a...
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IAFF’s Teefy Talks Union Ethics
Your Table is Ready, Sir I recently wrote how the IAFF under Harold Schaitberger’s leadership has been diminished yet again, this time by placing firefighter safety related advertising in our...
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Politics: For the Love of God
Preacher, Fox News Talking Head and putative presidential candidate Mike Huckabee took aim at government employees the other day at a New Hampshire political event. He attacked TSA employees for...
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Dystopia: U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
Going for the Uber Experience Some readers will know that I have previously reflected on the always bizarre and often cruel manner displayed by many United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM)...
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Health & Safety: MERS on the Move
Deadly Respiratory Virus Now in Asia Middle East Respiratory Virus (MERS) has now spread to both Malaysia and the Philippines according to news sources. MERS kills about 50% of those infected through...
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Emmett, Ireland and Easter
Make Way for the Elephant Robert Emmett, Irish patriot, was hanged, drawn and quartered in Dublin, Ireland, convicted of leading a failed rebellion for Irish freedom in 1803. He was 25 years old....
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Mt. Everest: Dying To Be There
Last Friday 16 Nepalese Sherpas were killed in an avalanche on the “shores” of Mt. Everest, a stormy sea known for its exacting toll of victims. Sherpas are a cultural group native to Nepal; the word...
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