PoqFFEMT

Seth, Sorry you had to let your cert lapse. I was in the same boat in the early 90's when my NYS EMT came up for recert. I was a young Airman stationed in Virginia and I had no real way of getting my recert done or transferred to Virginia in time. I had to completely take my EMT-B all over again, this time in Virginia. Fast forward to now and I'm a EMT-Intermediate in Virginia and I'm in my last semester for my Paramedic. It's been a long road and I hope to never have to go through all the garbage NY makes one do to keep their certification. I hope one day you get to obtain your certification and can keep it until you really want to be done with it! ~John

Here is worse yet... Facebook!!!! This screenshot (names anonymized), came right on the heels of a call I ran the other day. Folks in the town I live love to consider it a "small town" and want to know EVERYTHING going on. Many have scanners and love to gossip. This one is particularly bad because a lot posted the persons involved name(s) Wilma MumduyaDecember 7 at 7:03pmAmbulance and fire trucks just raced down Messick. I hope everyone is ok!! Like ·Terry Torial and 9 others like this. Bart Ender I heard them..I hope everyone's ok!!December 7 at 7:05pm · Like · Reply · 1 Holland Oats I can't believe how many sirens I heard.... did they call in York Co too?December 7 at 7:06pm · Like · Reply Clara Fication I didn't see ...By the time I looked out the window they were already passing.December 7 at 7:07pm · Like · Reply · 1 Clara Fication Bart Ender , you are closer than I am...can you see anything?December 7 at 7:09pm · Like · Reply Mary Nara I seen 4 cops, the fire chief, and a fire truck go by. Hope all is well.December 7 at 7:10pm · Like · Reply · 1 Minnie Strone Somebody ran off the road next to our house. He is banged up but okayDecember 7 at 7:10pm · Like · Reply · 10 Clara Fication Thanks for the update ! Glad he is ok!December 7 at 7:10pm · Like · Reply · 4 Bart Ender Im on Lodge Road..I just heard them screaming by..December 7 at 7:10pm · Like · Reply Mary Nara Glad he was not hurt.December 7 at 7:11pm · Like · Reply Minnie Strone They took him to the hospital to be checked out.December 7 at 7:12pm · Like · Reply · 1 Bart Ender Definitely glad he is okay..any idea who it was? Everytime I hear sirens down the road my heart skips a beat because alot of my family lives down that way!December 7 at 7:13pm · Like · Reply · 4 Minnie Strone ScottDecember 7 at 7:13pm · Like · Reply Marion Gaze I am glad your house is okay Minnie December 7 at 7:15pm · Like · Reply · 2 Bart Ender Scott Bloxom???December 7 at 7:15pm · Like · Reply Aaron Ottix .December 7 at 7:15pm · Like · Reply Gene Poole .December 7 at 7:16pm · Like · Reply Deb Utant Scott ?December 7 at 7:16pm · Like · Reply Minnie Strone No he lives by BIBDecember 7 at 7:16pm · Like · Reply Mary Nara Thanks Minnie. My heart also skipped a beat.December 7 at 7:16pm · Like · Reply · 1 Barney Cull .December 7 at 7:17pm · Like · Reply Bart Ender Oh ok..thanks for the update. Hopefully he will be alright...December 7 at 7:18pm · Like · Reply Minnie Strone Hope so too!December 7 at 7:19pm · Like · Reply Mary Nara Are you sure he was just banged up? Seen them going up the road code 3. Meaning getting to the hospital is crucial.December 7 at 7:31pm · Like · Reply · 1 Mary Nara Followed by a cop car code 1. Hope you does not get arrested.December 7 at 7:34pm · Like · Reply Minnie Strone He was walking around Sal. They put a neck brace on him just in case. He fell out of his truck plowed over our mailbox on pilings and the truck ended up next door hitting Richard's riding mower.December 7 at 7:34pm · Like · Reply Will Power Went down Messick... Cops were also called.December 7 at 7:35pm · Like · Reply Mary Nara Wow. He must have been flying. Thanks Lori. Praying!December 7 at 7:37pm · Like · Reply · 1 Paul Molive I agree Sal, he musta been moving something fierce. There's no curve in the road there, so what was the causative factor, as they say??December 7 at 8:08pm · Like · Reply Mary Nara There is a small curve. Nothing someone sober or not speeding could not handle though. I feel bad about the property damage he caused. Just sad all around.December 7 at 8:13pm · Like · Reply · 1 Paul Molive Guess I didn't notice the curve. I was down there just as the units were leaving trying to get some pics of the moon. No way to start Christmas for anyone involved!!December 7 at 8:17pm · Like · Reply Sal Monella Just hoping everyone is okay. .everything else can be fixed!December 7 at 8:18pm · Like · Reply · 5 Ray Volver So true Sal. Things can be replaced. That is the main thing. Sorry. Was just thinking if he hit my mustang I would be upset. That was selfish of me.

Is it just me or does anyone else get this when they try to go to the FB links: This content is currently unavailableThe page you requested cannot be displayed right now. It may be temporarily unavailable, the link you clicked on may have expired, or you may not have permission to view this page.Return home

I'm finding similar issues like this here in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. I recently retired from Active Duty Military and am now 42. I've been a volunteer with over 25 years experience. I've applied and am in the middle of several hiring processes right now but being called up to the job is something I'm finding elusive. Talking to those that have interviewed me, I'm always at the top of their lists to be hired. So what gives? I straight up think it's my age, nothing else. I've scored upper 90's on the civil service exams I've taken. Every physical ability challenge I've taken I have passed with time to spare. Even in the interviews, I'm called back to meet with the Chief and I'm still waiting on the bench. I guess I can keep applying and performing well on all these "tests", but if no one wants to give an "experienced" person a chance, is it worth the time? I really feel the pressure right now with applying to the department I volunteer for. If I'm not asked to be on the job here, should I stay an volunteer with them? My wife keeps telling me that if I can bust my ass for this department now for the last 12 years as a volunteer, why should I stay if they won't even consider me?

My '12 Toyota Highlander come with synthetic and calls for an oil change every 10,000 miles.

I'd love to get a hold of one of those too, I'll even pay the shipping to Virginia if needed!

This is straight out of our company bylaws: ARTICLE TEN DUTY REQUIREMENTS Chief - Everything required for Asst. Chief Assistant Chief - Everything required for Capt Officer 2 Incident Safety Officer (ISO) Captain - Everything required for LT Officer 1 LT - Firefighter I/II Instructor 1 NIMS 100, 200, 700, and 800 Strategy and Tactics for Initial Company Operations (STICO) 3 Year minimum membership with FF 2 Certification

Since I live here in an area affected by this company, I might as well chime in. First Med is a private ambulance transport company. They do not respond to any emergency calls here in the Hampton Roads area. They are not "contracted" by any municipality for EMS services. What they do (did) have, is a contract with one of the regional hospitals to provide routine transportation to/from a residence and provider then back home. Most of the transportation calls have been picked up by second area provider. This other provider has also offered to "fast track" all former First Med applicants through their hiring system as to provide the additional resources needed for the additional transport calls. I'll also say that I have several friends and coworkers that left First Med recently due to mismanagement and poor management. Some of them were full time, others were part time and supplementing their full time Fire/EMS jobs. The story was the same for all of them. One of the worst was from a good friend telling me that as an ALS provider but riding on an BLS unit (even though its set up as an ALS unit), he was not allowed to perform any ALS procedure even though he was precepted and rode as an ALS provider with this company. The only reason they would give him is that "it's company policy to not perform ALS procedures on a BLS call" Seriously!?!?

Seth, Here in Virginia we break it down a little further. In FF 1/2 the trainee receives Mayday awareness. Once you complete you FF 1/2 you can go on to the Mayday operations level and then RIT (Rescue Intervention Techniques) courses. These two are much more hands on and scenario based training that is better left to the person that has been around a little bit and can understand some more advanced theory. I'm not saying either way is right or wrong. I've done training in NY and Virginia now and I will say they are just different. I will also say that since I've been doing (and teaching) a while I feel the additional courses after the basic FF 1/2 classes seems to help out with the better understanding of search and rescue.

I'm in!

I've run our salt treated 28ft above ground pool for 3 years now and cannot say how much we truly love it!. Once your initial set up at the beginning of the year is done, it really requires almost no maintenance. I take water samples to our pool store and they run it, tell me what I need (all for free) and then I add what's needed. About once a month I'll take another sample and at most I need some more salt (due to rain/spash-out) and some stabilizer and we are good to go! Check out this site: http://www.troublefreepool.com/ Or better yet: http://www.troublefr...or-etc-f21.html Also, FWIW, I've never had burning eyes after swimming in my pool.... Added bonus!

RIP Officer

Awesome shots Chief! Glad to see you post on here again!

Yeah, we pointed it out to him too, then made him go through it again.

The Mayday Pit is next on the build list. We just had to get a consensus of how we wanted it to be. Hope to have it done shortly now!