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Re-Enlist.

EDITOR’S NOTE: I’m posting this blog literally minutes after completing my first NetCast on the topic of volunteer recruitment and retention, compliments of FireCritic and FireDaily at www.firefighternetcast.com. What a tremendous opportunity that was to connect with so many people via the live chat and simultaneous telephone call-ins.

My helmet is off to those two gentlemen for harnessing that technology to accomplish something that they may not even realize they’re doing: Telling Stories.

Storytelling is important to the survival and success of the fire service. Very important. As I wrote in my article: “Saving Stories,” in this month’s edition of Fire-Rescue Magazine, storytelling “passes on our traditions, conveys our values and protects the rich heritage of the fire service.” Thanks to Rhett and John for doing just that through the tales shared on FirefighterNetcast.com.

At the end of the Netcast, I let the cat out of the bag about a new partnership I created between our volunteer fire service and the National Guard. Look for more info on that coming soon. In the meantime, the following is a story that is a little bit about my love for my father, my passion for the fire service and my appreciation for the military men and women who protect our freedom every day. (more…)

Posted by tiger on March 11, 2010 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, Public Relations, R&R Toolkits • Tagged: Brotherhood, fire department, fire service, firefighter, Generation Y, leadership, marketing, motivation, public information officer, Public Relations, recruitment, retention, run to the curb, Tiger Schmittendorf, Training, volunteer, volunteering

LIVE: Casting a Net over Recruitment and Retention Challenges

I was in Texas for Advanced Unified Incident Command training last week (which I’ll tell you about soon), so I’m late getting this out.

I’ve been asked by FireCritic and FireDaily to join them as their special guest on this week’s edition of Firefighter NetCast.

Naturally, we’ll be discussing volunteer recruitment and retention along with an overview of my presentation “From the X-Box to the Box Alarm” at FDIC (Thursday-April 22nd at 10:30am) and my cover story in the March edition of Fire-Rescue Magazine featuring my storytelling project: Run-to-the-Curb.com.

I hope you can join us at 9pm ET this Wednesday-March 10, 2010 at Firefighter Netcast for a lively discussion of challenges and solutions to the volunteer fire service’s survival and success.

Stay safe. Train often.

Posted by tiger on March 8, 2010 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Command & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, News, Public Relations, R&R Toolkits, Training & Development • Tagged: Brotherhood, campaign, Clearinghouse, fire department, fire service, firefighter, Generation Y, leadership, marketing, motivation, public information officer, Public Relations, recruitment, retention, run to the curb, Tiger Schmittendorf, Training, volunteer, volunteering

@RuntotheCurb: I remember my first time…

I opened up Internet Explorer where my home page is literally my home page: www.tigerschmittendorf.com and I clicked on the FireEMS Blogs icon in the upper left hand corner to see what my fellow bloggers were up to tonight.

I was drawn to a blog from the “Raising Ladders” site that caught my eye, titled: “Finally, a first due job… and a pretty good one, at that.” I didn’t think much of the title when I first read it until I got into the rest of the story. It was the author’s first real working fire in his career.

His story, along with my story telling experiences earlier in the evening, got me to thinking: “I remember my first time…”

Posted by tiger on January 27, 2010 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, Fires • Tagged: adventure, Brotherhood, fire department, fire service, firefighter, motivation, Tiger Schmittendorf, Training, volunteer, volunteering

Fire Chief Blogs His Way Through Fire Academy Experience

St. Paul MN Fire Chief Tim Butler is blogging about his fire academy experiences

St. Paul MN Fire Chief Tim Butler is blogging about his fire academy experiences

I don’t remember how and when I stumbled across this particular blog, but it’s a good one.

St. Paul, Minnesota Fire Chief Tim Butler has written a blog about his experiences with the fire department since being appointed to the position two years ago. What’s so unique about this chief’s blog is that it details his adventures in participating in the latest recruit academy executed by the fire department.

The chief indicated early on after his appointment that he fully intended to experience everything his firefighters have experienced. In that vain, he prepared himself for and is actively engaged in the academy.

I was very impressed with his attitude as he wrote “We (sic) must share a common bond – a common culture – and a shared base of experience and perspective. We all must be confident in each member’s ability to operate safely and effectively on an incident scene or when representing our department to the public.” (more…)

Posted by tiger on January 2, 2010 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Command & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, News, Training & Development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: adventure, blog, blogging, Brotherhood, fire academy, fire chief, fire department, fire service, firefighter, leadership, marketing, motivation, recruit, recruitment, St. Paul Minnesota, Training, training academy

Flight 3407 Responders Recognized for Recovery Efforts

Buffalo radio station WBEN-930AM listeners have overwhelming chosen the first responders to the crash of Continental Flight 3407 in Clarence Center, NY on February 12, 2009 as their “Persons-of-the-Year.”

READ THE FULL STORY:

http://www.wben.com/The-2009-WBEN-Persons-Of-The-Year—/5984262

Personal Note:

It’s been almost a year since the crash and I haven’t shared this personal story yet, but this is probably a good time to do so:

The night of the crash I was watching a movie with my 16-year old son Alex when my alpha-pager went off, as it does pretty frequently in our business. Thinking it was possibly another administrative message or perhaps a more routine event, I almost couldn’t believe what I was reading when I looked at my pager that told me: “Alert 3: Plane crash into a house.” (more…)

Posted by tiger on December 30, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Command & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, Fires, HazMat, Major Incidents, Mass Casualty Incident, News, Public Relations • Tagged: Brotherhood, clean the litterbox, Continental Flight 3407, fire department, fire service, firefighter, leadership, Plane Crash, public information officer, Public Relations

If you’re worried about getting cancer — you probably shouldn’t be a firefighter!

That’s what I overheard a certain young fire officer tell a probie recently.

“If you’re worried about getting cancer — you probably shouldn’t be a firefighter!”

I didn’t miss-hear or mis-understand him, nor did I take his comment out of context. That’s exactly what he said.

I nearly blew my cork. What an immature, ignorant, reckless thing to say.

Here’s all I have to say to him: “This one’s for you.”

THE FOLLOWING IS A MUST READ ARTICLE – DON’T SKIP IT.
IF YOU’VE EVER THOUGHT ABOUT TAKING YOUR MASK OFF, EVEN JUST FOR A SECOND, WHILE THERE IS STILL SMOKE OR FUMES PRESENT — THINK AGAIN! READ, PRINT, POST AND DISTRIBUTE THIS ARTICLE
TO EVERY FIREFIGHTER YOU KNOW.

“We Danced With The Devil: One Firefighter’s Cancer Chronicles”

Editor’s Note: If you can stomach reading this gut-wrenching story, you might like to read:

Stay safe. Train often.

Posted by tiger on December 14, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Command & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Funding & Staffing, In the Line of Duty, Line of Duty, News, Safety, Training & Development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: 16 life safety initiatives, Brotherhood, carbon monoxide, clean the litterbox, courage to be safe, fire department, fire service, firefighter, funeral, Generation Y, leadership, line of duty death, lodd, motivation, Safety, Tiger Schmittendorf, Training

This Week’s Run-to-the-Curb Kids

What kid doesn't want to be a firefighter?

What kid doesn't want to be a firefighter?

I was a Run-to-the-Curb type kid. What’s your story?

I’ve created a page at RuntotheCurb.com that will feature future firefighters — what I call ”Run to the Curb” Kids.

This week’s RttC Kids include 2-1/2 year old Collin Manning, son of Williamsville Firefighter Chris Manning as well as a photo of my daughter Kathleen and her friend taken about 15 years ago (don’t tell her I posted this.)

Visit RuntotheCurb.com to meet this week’s future firefighters and tell us your story.

Posted by tiger on December 14, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, Public Relations • Tagged: adventure, Brotherhood, fire department, fire service, firefighter, future firefighter, Generation Y, kids, motivation, Public Relations, retention, RttC, run to the curb, Tiger Schmittendorf, volunteer, volunteering

Fountain of Youth or Flood of Problems?

The FFN WebTeam recently posted a news article about some Pennsylvania fire departments going into the high schools to recruit future firefighters. (http://www.firefighternation.com/forum/topics/pennsylvania-volunteer?xg_source=activity&id=889755%3ATopic%3A4414468&)

A day later, one participant on the FirefighterNation.com noted that there has been an inordinate number of blogs and discussions related to Junior Firefighters and Fire Explorers. (http://www.firefighternation.com/forum/topics/what-is-up-with-all-these-jr)

In my opinion, both discussions have pretty much turned into Junior/Explorer bashing.

I have very strong feelings on the subject but before I share my thoughts, I’d like you to go to FireRecruiter.com and weigh in on the subject: http://firerecruiter.wordpress.com/2009/12/10/survey-says-fd-youth-programs/

Posted by tiger on December 10, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Command & Leadership, Funding & Staffing, R&R Toolkits, Training & Development • Tagged: Brotherhood, explorers, fire department, fire explorers, fire service, firefighter, Generation Y, junior firefighters, leadership, marketing, motivation, Public Relations, recruitment, Tiger Schmittendorf, volunteer, volunteering, youth programs

Fifteen years ago; in a land far, far away…

I stumbled across this post from FireCritic (Fire-EMS Blog Network) and was dumbstruck. I haven’t thought of John Jordan in a long, long time.

In May of 1994, as Managing Editor of The Fire Fighter Newspaper and as a guest of VFIS, I and three other local firefighters (Dave Sherman, Jim Guy and Ric Dimpfl) traveled to Washington DC to attend the National Fire & Emergency Services Congressional Caucus Dinner coordinated by the Congressional Fire Services Institute.

Several hours before the dinner started and before I ever met him, John Jordan taught me a very valuable lesson: Don’t judge a book by its cover. (more…)

Posted by tiger on December 6, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, Funding & Staffing, In the Line of Duty, News, Training & Development, Videos • Tagged: adventure, bosnia, Brotherhood, clean the litterbox, erie county, fire department, fire service, firefighter, john jordan, leadership, line of duty death, motivation, Public Relations, Safety, sarajevo, Tiger Schmittendorf, Training

A December to Remember

North Division Explosion Victims Remembered I’m not big on forwarding for the sake of forwarding; or just regurgitating information in an effort to build traffic to a web site.

However, my good friend Billy Goldfeder sent out a broadcast yesterday that deserves sharing. His efforts were followed up by a newsletter distribution from the USFA Coffee Break that highlighted similar events.

These stories and Billy’s comments remind us of our obligation to be better story tellers, for prosperity’s sake — and for safety’s sake. It also reminds us that we have an obligation to those we love, those who are making the real sacrifices every time we leave home to go do what we love. Those we are obligated to do everything in our mind and power to go home to after every call.

May we never forget all those lost in these Decembers to Remember. (more…)

Posted by tiger on December 3, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Command & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, In the Line of Duty, Line of Duty, Major Incidents, Mass Casualty Incident, News • Tagged: 16 life safety initiatives, Billy Goldfeder, Brotherhood, clean the litterbox, courage to be safe, everyone goes home, FDNY, fire department, fire service, firefighter, funeral, leadership, line of duty death, lodd, Safety, Tiger Schmittendorf, Training

“Run to the Curb” Kids

Getzville Firefighter Ryan Russell with two appreciative fans

Getzville Firefighter Ryan Russell with two very appreciative fans

You’ve read my previous references to “Run to the Curb” type kids in “Fortune Tellers” and in my other writings. Now I’ve created a whole new web site just for telling my stories and to give you a place to share your stories too.

Run to the Curb.com is a work-in-progress blog I just created and a possible online book project too. There I’ll share my experiences, my stories and my thoughts on our need to be better story tellers.

And, I want to hear your stories too. You can share your childhood experiences and your connections to the fire service and in doing so, share the brotherhood, history and traditions of the fire service with fellow firefighters — and those who wish they were.

Check back often as more stories are added and we build this legacy document together.

Run to the curb. Tell your story. Tell your fortune. We can’t wait to hear it.

Posted by tiger on November 30, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, News, Public Relations, R&R Toolkits • Tagged: adventure, Brotherhood, fire department, fire service, firefighter, Generation Y, leadership, marketing, motivation, practices, Public Relations, recruitment, retention, Tiger Schmittendorf, volunteer, volunteering

Cross-Continental Divide or Deja Vu?

Now I’m not the biggest EMS geek but two fellow Fire-EMS Bloggers have embarked on their own home-grown exchange student program that has proven to be pretty darn entertaining so far.

Justin “The Happy Medic” Schorr is hosting Mark “Medic 999“ Glencorse for eight days in San Francisco — the San Francisco Fire Department being Justin’s place of employment.

Following those eight days, Mark will swim home and Justin will head to England a couple of days later to have tea and crumpets and a ride along with Mark. The North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust being the place of Mark’s employment.

Their real-time information exchange is being chronicled across a variety of social media platforms so quickly that I think these two “world-apart paramedics” are feeling a little jet-lag.

Follow their adventures as they discover together that the more things are different – the more they are the same – at least when it comes to comparing cross-continental EMS delivery systems.

Check out the full summary including links at: http://firecritic.com/2009/11/your-unofficial-guide-to-the-project/

And of course, visit the blogs of this “pair-a-medics” at http://www.happymedic.com and http://www.999medic.com for the latest posts, videos, photos and more.

PS – Their work is also being filmed for a pilot episode of a web series called Chronicles of EMS….stay tuned for more on that!

Posted by tiger on November 12, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Brotherhood, EMS Health & Safety, EMS Topics, Firefighting Operations, Fires, News, Patient Management, Public Relations • Tagged: Brotherhood, cross-continent, emergency medical services, ems, England, fire, information exchange, justin schorr, mark glencorse, medic 999, San Francisco Fire Department, the happy medic

A Veteran of Many Things

It’s Veterans Day and I have a day off from my county job. (I thank Veterans for both of those freedoms: to work in a job I love and to have time off to spend with my family). The kids are still sleeping and I have some free time to sit at the computer.

I’ve been thinking of my Dad a lot lately. Maybe because a friend recently lost hers; maybe because I spent the last week with a few thousand National Guardsmen; or maybe because recent events in our lives have reinforced the importance of family.

Regardless, I’ve been thinking about my Dad a lot lately. I’m reminded of him whenever I look at a flag and I think of him every time I pick up a tool.

I’m blessed to be the keeper of a three-ring binder that details my father’s entire military service history from his enlistment in World War II through his survival from the Korean War. Military campaigns, the boats he traveled overseas on, the camps he received his training at, the medals he received, and more — it’s all detailed in this book researched and compiled by my first cousin Jim Schmittendorf, my father’s godson and a retired Lt. Colonel in the US Army. I thank Jim for devoting the countless hours it took to chronicle my father’s service to our country and especially for interviewing him and relating his memories in writing to the rest of us. (more…)

Posted by tiger on November 11, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood

Listen Up: Recruitment Radio

I recently had the opportunity to tape a radio show titled: “Sound Magazine” with Carl Russo of 97Rock.

The segment focused on the recruitment of volunteer firefighters and will air on several Citadel Broadcasting affiliates in the Buffalo area.

Carl is a long-standing afternoon jock on 97Rock and is also a volunteer firefighter with the East Seneca Volunteer Fire Company in West Seneca NY. Carl isn’t just a firefighter, he’s also president of the fire company and a commissioner in the fire district.

It offered me the opportunity to talk about being a kid who “ran to the curb” whenever I heard a fire siren and all of the great things that come with being a volunteer firefighter.

This was the second installment of “Sound Magazine” that focused on volunteer recruitment and more are planned for the future.

Click here to listen to “Sound Magazine” VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER RECRUITMENTSept 09

Let me know what you think.

Posted by tiger on September 15, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Clearinghouse, Command & Leadership, Featured, Funding & Staffing, News, Public Relations, R&R Toolkits, Training & Development, Videos

Dig In.

Dig in.

“Early on in my fire service career, we responded to a report of a tractor-trailer rolled over on a nearby state highway. We arrived on scene and found a truck lying on its passenger side. The wheels were facing the roadway and the top of the cab was on the shoulder of the road. The truck driver was being treated as walking wounded. It seemed like a relatively benign accident.

As we approached the curb side we realized that this was no ordinary call. It turned out that the truck driver had a young female traveling with him. When the tractor trailer tumbled on its passenger side, the girl apparently fell half way out the window. Only her right arm was now visible outside the overturned cab, turned up at a ninety-degree angle towards us, her hand motionless. (more…)

Posted by tiger on September 1, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Command & Leadership, Featured, Funding & Staffing, R&R Toolkits, Safety, Training & Development • Tagged: Generation Y, made to stick, recruitment, retention, story telling

Fortune Tellers

Fortune Tellers:

In my last blog titled “Dig In.” I talked about the importance of story telling in the fire service and how it serves as a means of sharing experiences, traditions and values from generation to generation. In this article I try to tell a story, and in that story, I hope you can find a lesson to share for generations to come.

Almost every firefighter I meet speaks of how they always knew, from the time they were a very young boy or girl – that they wanted to be a firefighter.

I was one of those kids. I call them the “run to the curb” kind of kids. (more…)

Posted by tiger on September 1, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Command & Leadership, Featured, Firefighting Operations, Funding & Staffing, Public Relations, R&R Toolkits, Training & Development

There’s at least Four Cs in NBFC

Earlier today I had the pleasure of joining lots of other folks who participating in the dedication of a new fire station for the North Boston Volunteer Fire Company in the Town of Boston, NY.

As I was sitting here remembering the ground breaking ceremony they held last fall, I was reminded of how proud I am to be associated with their fire company.

Many times when we discuss incident management, training and collaboration in emergency services — we refer to the Three Cs of: Coordination, Communications and Cooperation. For a small rural fire department, the North Boston Volunteer Fire Company (the NBFC) is far ahead of the curve when it comes to the Three Cs.

Those three Cs have become the hallmark for their operations for 105 years. Internally with their members and externally with their citizens, North Boston has always taken the lead in effectively communicating with their constituents. They’ve succeeded in coordinating their efforts with those they serve with and have made a career out of cooperating with others towards a common goal. (more…)

Posted by tiger on June 14, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Fire Prevention & Education, Funding & Staffing, News

Clean the Litterbox

My family is motivation for much of what I do in the fire service. Alex, Laurie and Kathleen (l-r)

This blog is a companion piece to my article titled “Make it Personal” featured in the June edition of Fire-Rescue Magazine.

I was reading a not so tongue-in-cheek blog on FirefighterNation.com written by my good friend Art Goodrich titled: “Ordering From the Risk Menu” and it reminded me of a Saturday I spent recently, full of fire service activities.

I started the day by attending a heavy dose of an 8-hour seminar focusing on preparation for a Line of Duty Death. If you’ve ever read one of my blogs, you know I’m very passionate about fire service funerals and making sure that they’re planned and executed appropriately, always considering the family’s needs first.

In contrast to Art’s blog, it’s important to plan that stuff too, but if we really think about it, doesn’t the need for proper funeral planning only further acknowledge our acceptance of failure in protecting our own from the risks we face? (more…)

Posted by tiger on June 11, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Command & Leadership, Featured, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, Funding & Staffing, Major Incidents, Mass Casualty Incident, News, Safety, Special Operations • Tagged: family, Safety

What the World Needs

While accompanying my son Alex on a recent band trip to New York City, we had the opportunity to meet a retired FDNY fire chief who gave a very heartfelt and moving motivational talk to our group of 175 young adults. His talk was very fitting, just prior to our compelling visit to Ground Zero on a rainy, overcast morning.

Our group was so moved by his conversation that the Lake Shore Central High School Band Boosters decided to bring him to Western New York to share his message.

Chief Dan Daly responded to Ground Zero on September 11, 2001. He now spends his time sharing the true legacy of 9/11 – a story of courage, compassion and the power of the indomitable human spirit. (more…)

Posted by tiger on May 14, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, News • Tagged: Brotherhood, FDNY, military

Now It’s Your Turn.

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Last fall I wrote about doing the right thing by getting involved in an organization of firefighters known as Hancock Hope, formed for the sole purpose of helping other firefighters and fire departments in need.

I talked about the struggles of a very rural volunteer fire department in Oneida, Kentucky and of the goodwill of the Newstead NY Volunteer Fire Company who donated a used fire engine to them. It was a team effort with a lot of help of some more good folks from the First Baptist Church in Vandalia, Ohio.

That donated 1986 fire engine has served them well for the past six months. One of the church members, Michael Whitby – a young, energetic EMT himself; took it upon himself to do the right thing again and nominated Oneida FD in a contest to win a brand new fire engine from E-One Fire Apparatus. Michael made a compelling argument as to why this small, impoverished fire company - so much that E-One has chosen Oneida as one of seven finalists.

Here’s where you come in. To move Oneida from the “Final Seven” to the winners circle requires that you – and everyone you know – act now and go to E-One’s web site to vote for Oneida’s story as the best story. (more…)

Posted by tiger on April 8, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Firefighter Safety & Health, Funding & Staffing, News, Safety, Training & Development • Tagged: Brotherhood, oneida

Night at the Museum

Christina, Kyle, Tiger and Dennis

Christina, Kyle, Tiger and Dennis at the Buffalo Fire Historical Museum. PHOTO BY: Margaret Coghlan

OK. I admit it.

It was a day at the museum but hey, nobody ever made a movie with the catchy title: “Day at the Museum.”

Regardless, we had a great day recently when we visited the Buffalo Fire Historical Museum on William St. near Ogden St. on the city’s eastern border with the Town of Cheektowaga.

I was there once before, a very long time ago, but had forgotten just how rich the museum is with placeholders of our heritage. And the best part was, I went with friends.

I dragged along my best friend Chief Denny Allen, my 21-year old niece Christina who is a new firefighter with neighboring Lake Erie Beach; and Kyle, the 9-year old son of another best friend – Chief John Latimore. I’ll tell you about Kyle another day but for now, Kyle is a real kid with a great imagination who represents everything good about the neighborhood we grew up in. He’s a real stitch and fun to have around. That’s why I was glad he accepted our invitation to join us on this most excellent adventure. (more…)

Posted by tiger on January 26, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Public Relations, Training & Development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: brothehood, fire service, heritage, history, museum, proud

That’s Why.

Friendship NY Firefighter Tom Torpey is flanked by his mom Sissy and wife Jessica at the Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo NY

Friendship NY Firefighter Tom Torpey is flanked by his mom Sissy and wife Jessica at the Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo NY

I recently responded to a post on FirefighterNation.com from my friend Adam Box, who shared the dilemma he was experiencing with his significant other:

Tomorrow, I will be attending the funeral of Elizabeth Fire Department Acting Captain Gary Stephens. This will be my second (unfortunately I doubt it will be my last) time attending a LODD funeral.

I was in a bit of a bad mood (about something unrelated) and was talking to my girlfriend and mentioned I would be attending the funeral. She asked me why, since funerals put me in a bad mood, I would go to another funeral that I didn’t have to go. I know I need to go. (more…)

Posted by tiger on January 6, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Command & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, Funding & Staffing, In the Line of Duty, Line of Duty, Mass Casualty Incident, News, Rescues, Safety, Training & Development • Tagged: Adam Box, Brotherhood, fundraising, funeral, Gary Stephens, injury, lodd

Some things bear repeating

I’m not one to regurgitate information. I don’t do a lot of pass through e-mails. And I certainly don’t perpetuate “Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Some inane subject matter” e-mails like so many copy-and-paste-challenged people do.

But some things bear repeating. Some things strike you so profoundly, so succintly, that you simply feel obligated to pass it along, even if so many others have done so already.

This is one of those occasions. I’m re-publishing (with permission) this excerpt of an e-mail from my good friend and mentor Billy Goldfeder. It’s from his not-so-secret Secret List at FirefighterCloseCalls.com. If you don’t subscribe to it, you’re either out of touch or you don’t care about our brother firefighters getting hurt and dead.

This one hurts to the bone. Read it. Re-read it. Make adjustments to your life and fire service operations as appropriate.

Stay safe. Train often. Happy New Year! (more…)

Posted by tiger on January 2, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Command & Leadership, Fire Prevention & Education, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Funding & Staffing, In the Line of Duty, Line of Duty, Major Incidents, Safety, Training & Development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: Billy Goldfeder, firefighter, lodd, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, Safety

Starting Out the New Year Right!

I originally wrote this piece back in 2002 but I feel it’s appropriate to re-visit it every year as we evaluate and re-align our outlook on life in the fire service.

My purpose for posting is not totally unselfish. I use this as an evaluation tool to examine my relationship with my fire department and the fire service at large, and make adjustments as necessary.

As I go through the various challenges that these relationships present from year to year, I find that these words are not as easy to live up to, at least in their entirety. Nonetheless, I use these reflections each year to perservere and re-dedicate myself to being a leader in the emergency services community. Hopefully these words will have the same impact on you. (more…)

Posted by tiger on January 1, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Command & Leadership, Funding & Staffing • Tagged: Brotherhood, fire department, motivation, resolution

Do the Right Thing

I’m sure we’ve all heard, and maybe even experienced, how the world is “getting smaller every day.” There’s probably no other place that this phrase is truer than in the fire service.

The more we dare to explore outside of our engine room doors, the more we find that there’s a brave new world out there full of firefighters who, despite their differences, are very similar to every one of us. A friend once told me that, in the end, it’s only the name of the fire department that changes.

While our shapes and sizes, apparatus color and even, dare I say, terminology may be different – we’re all still very much alike. Our challenges and concerns are comparable. Our dedication to serve our communities runs parallel lines despite the distance between us. (more…)

Posted by tiger on November 12, 2008 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, All Blogs, Brotherhood, Firefighter Safety & Health, Funding & Staffing • Tagged: Brotherhood, hancock hope, oneida

BSA Venturing as an alternative path for youth to the volunteer fire service? What do you think? http://tinyurl.com/ykyk4cp 10 mins ago
Had a great time talking my way through my first netcast at http://ning.it/cmy2wU last night. 14 mins ago
@Ckemtp Thanks for the cheap tweet. It was great to connect with you on the show. Stay safe. Train often. in reply to Ckemtp 7 hrs ago
@ssgjbroyles Would like your feedback on my latest blog: http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2010/03/11/re-enlist/ in reply to ssgjbroyles 7 hrs ago
@ssgjbroyles Thanks for the cheap plug. Sorry we didn't get to chat but I appreciate you listening in. Hopefully you benefited from it. in reply to ssgjbroyles 7 hrs ago
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