Earlier this month, the National Awareness Director of the Mesothelioma Center (out of Orlando, FL) and the team at Asbestos.com contacted me, asking if I would be interested in a guest post regarding the dangers of working in an asbestos-rich environment, as we are sometimes called upon to do in cities with older construction. The […]

Heralded as “pound-for-pound, the most versatile fire tool ever,” we set up a few scenarios and took some pictures and video footage for any interested parties.

Yes, that's right. In D.C., of all places, two engine companies and a truck company extinguished about a half-acre of burning foliage in Southeast Washington earlier this year. Okay, so it wasn't actual wildland firefighting—but it's about as close as we'll get in an urban environment. There's a big grouping of trees located behind a […]

Lt. Alvarado rallies the troops before the press conference. Firefighters utilized social networking (Twitter, Facebook et. al) to garner support and increased presence from members and non-members alike.   Members proudly wore garments with the "DCFD" logo, which have been outlawed by Department order. Uniform regulations have changed five times within the last calendar year.

During my last tour of duty, I came across a most unusual new practice. I was instructed to present a comment card to all patients whom we encounter in the performance of our duty. Yes, that's right, a comment card—the likes of which I had only seen at my favorite 24-hour breakfast joint. Sure, we […]

Happy New Year to everyone—I'm glad to see that our little blue planet has made it another year without something truly awful happening, and for that I'm thankful. Like I said back in March, I'm still a firm believer in "the best camera is the one that's with you." What good is $3,000 worth of […]

Ever have "one of those days?" Where stupidity reigns supreme, inefficiency is the norm, and the only thing that can possibly quell your growing level of insanity is texting someone who you just know will laugh at your predicament? That's right, boys and girls! It's time for a segment (that I've just made up) called […]

I haven't put up any photos in a while, so I figured it's about time for one of these. However, I'm doing two of them—this first one will be a collection of stuff I've seen/done recently, just the usual funny and offbeat items. The second will be an end-of-the-year collection, in which I will select […]

The man's ribs cracked methodically, rhythmically, and with a slowly waning sense of purpose and urgency. The worst part was that I could feel his son's eyes on the back of my head. (Sorry… I'll back up.) At 21, I was barely a year out of paramedic school, freshly (read: naively) empowered with a bachelor's […]