Tiger Schmittendorf » Brotherhood http://tigerschmittendorf.com Mutual Aid for Marketing Your Fire Department Fri, 30 Dec 2011 07:28:37 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Mutual Aid for Marketing Your Fire Department Tiger Schmittendorf no Mutual Aid for Marketing Your Fire Department Tiger Schmittendorf » Brotherhood http://tigerschmittendorf.com/wp-content/plugins/powerpress/rss_default.jpg http://tigerschmittendorf.com My Friend. My Brother. Denny Allen. http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2011/12/my-friend-my-brother-denny-allen/ http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2011/12/my-friend-my-brother-denny-allen/#comments Sat, 17 Dec 2011 18:35:57 +0000 tiger http://tigerschmittendorf.com/?p=2121

UPDATE: Eulogy for my friend Denny Allen

With both pain and peace in my heart, I was there with my friend, my brother, Chief Dennis Allen when he took his last breath earlier this morning.

Dennis fought a long and tough fight against pulmonary fibrosis, winning the battle through a double-lung transplant three years ago and, although others may see it differently, in the end — winning the war by going home to be with his God, his family and his loved ones.

There isn't much more to say about Dennis that I haven't said already but I will save those thoughts for his service later this week.

For now, I just want to give you a glimpse of the man, the firefighter, the husband, the father and the friend I knew and loved. His life and love for his wife Marlene, his sons Scott and Marcus, and everyone he touched — are an inspiration to us all.

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Following is the blog I wrote about Dennis in April of 2008, just prior to his receiving his double-lung transplant on July 2, 2008 — the date we refer to as his second birth-day! The benefit referred to in the article was a huge success, bringing some 800 members of our community together for what was truly a celebration of his life and an event that is still talked about in our town today. I won't be surprised if the turnout to support his family is very similar in the events that will unfold later this week. Thank you in advance for your kindess and caring.

BROTHERHOOD IN ACTION: A Guy Named Denny Allen

By: Tiger Schmittendorf – April 2008

Some people have character and others are a character.

My friend Denny Allen… he’s both.

There are certain people in your life who are always in need of something – while others a re always there when you need them.

My friend Dennis Allen is always there when you need him.

Certain people work behind the scenes but manage to find their way into the spotlight. Others do their work on the scene but manage to stay in the shadows.

My friend Denny Allen has been on the scene more times in his lifetime than anyone else I know, but he never stands in the limelight.

Let me tell you a little about my friend : Denny Allen.

Dennis Allen has lived in Angola all of his life. He grew up here, on Sunset Boulevard, across from what is now my back yard. He never really stood out from the crowd, just a good neighborhood kid in a good neighborhood.

He worked hard at the Engler Lumber Company during and after high school, and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in Boy Scout Troop 528, sponsored by the Evans Center Volunteer Fire Company.

That was his first introduction to the fire service, his launch into what would become a lifetime of service to his community. That was 1971.

He left the area for a short time to study forestry at Paul Smith College in the Adirondacks. While there, he became a MET-Medical Emergency Technician, the precursor to today’s EMTs -Emergency Medical Technician and paramedics.

Dennis Allen returned home and became a fixture in the fire company and the community. It wasn’t long before Denny Allen was recognized as a leader and was made an officer almost immediately. He rose through the ranks of the fire department quickly, served for several years as an assistant chief and eventually was promoted to fire chief by his peers. He served two separate terms in that capacity, as recently as 2003.

To say Dennis has a certain way about him is being polite. Never one to boast, he’s also never one to hide his feelings. A relatively quiet man, you never have to wonder where you stand with Denny Allen.

Not the most tactful, not the most polished, just the most dedicated.

His strong, silent type is compensated for by his crass sense of humor and his signature smile.

It’s not really a smile in the traditional sense of the word. His lips stay together while the corners of his mouth curl up ever so slightly. His eyes squint, his nose scrunches, he shakes his head and his eyes well up and he starts coughing if you get him laughing too hard. The end result is a contagious smile that you just can’t help laughing at. We affectionately call it a “pie face.”

His typical approach is to sit back, quietly listen to a group of people and then, when you least expect it, he drops a bomb that puts everyone on the floor laughing.

Dennis also has a serious side and is never one to shy away from tough situations or hard decisions.

He’s always in the thick of it on an EMS call and has a long -standing reputation for being a sure-shot at starting IVs – a practice that earned him the nickname “Needles” many years ago. Dennis is always calm, cool and collected under pressure. Nothing shakes him in an emergency.

Denny Allen has been omnipresent at fires, rescues and first aid calls for 37 years in the Town of Evans community – responding to every single emergency he was physically available for. Now in his 50’s, Dennis continued to make late night responses – even when the younger guys apparently needed their beauty sleep. Dennis responded to more than 350 emergencies in 2006 alone.

His fire company achieved many firsts under his direction, command or influence. Evans Center was the first fire company in our community to have a Hurst Jaws-of-Life rescue tool, the first water rescue unit, the first cardiac monitor; thermal imager and the first FAST-Firefighter Assist and Search Team.

The fire department was also the first in the county to have its own on-site training facility and the first to promote their web site on their apparatus.

Dennis was instrumental in the design, planning and construction of the fire company’s new Erie Road Firehouse#1 dedicated in July of 2001. He holds the fire department record for delivering the most babies in the field or in the back of an ambulance.

Dennis responded twice to Ground Zero following the attacks of September 11, 2001, providing EMS support to the first responders working the pile and covering calls for the FDNY while they tended to their brothers and each other. He served as the local representative to the Erie County Fire Advisory Board, as Code Enforcement Officer for Towns of Evans and Hanover; and as an EMT-I for Rural Metro Medical Services.

As an EMT for more than 30 years, Dennis was instrumental in shaping the delivery of emergency medical services in the Town of Evans and is responsible for the town upgrading their level of prehospital care to paramedic.

But don’t think for a second that his life is only devoted to the fire service.

Dennis demonstrates the unique ability to effectively balance family, work, play and fire department activities. I envy him for that.

Three of the reasons Dennis was so successful are his wife Marlene, a long standing and dedicated active member of the fire company’s ladies auxiliary; and his sons Scott and Marcus. Both of them are Eagle Scouts just like their dad.

Always putting his family first, Dennis instilled his core values of community service in each of them, involving them in everything he did and being involved in everything they participated in.

Denny Allen knows the true meaning of brotherhood. He is the kind of guy who is always there to lend a helping hand, whether it’s putting on a new roof, cooking a charity chicken barbeque, or just to have someone to listen to.

We’re not talking a hollow hand shake or a one-armed hug or a pat on the back – kind of brotherhood. Dennis has never been outwardly affectionate, except with his family, and he’s not big on formalities. I’ve never heard him talk about brotherhood; I’ve only seen him demonstrate it.

We’re talking about real brotherhood that extends well beyond the firehouse doors and into our personal lives. To Dennis, brotherhood is not just a bold-lettered phrase on a T-shirt.

Dennis demonstrates brotherhood by helping to carry friends’ furniture up flights of stairs into a new home. Helping each other strip and paint houses, chop fire wood, dig ditches or do whatever else required many hands to make light work. We work hard and we play hard too. That’s the kind of brotherhood that he embodies.

Now Dennis Allen needs our help.

Dennis was diagnosed in 2005 with pulmonary fibrosis, a fatal disease that attacks the lungs and diminishes breathing capacity. It’s the same disease that took his Brother Dave’s life just seven years ago at age 49. Dennis is now 55.

Dennis is now on a waiting list for a double lung transplant at Cleveland Clinic. We anticipate that thousands of dollars will be needed to cover non-reimbursed medical and living expenses and the loss of income for both Dennis and Marlene, as she will most likely exhaust her paid leave to care for him for months following the surgery.

A testimonial celebration honoring Denny Allen is planned for September 6, 2008 at the Evans Center Volunteer Fire Company located at 8298 Erie Road in the Town of Evans. The event will feature live music, food and refreshments, indoor and outdoor activities and plenty of opportunities to get involved in supporting this great effort.

The committee sponsoring “Brotherhood in Action: The Dennis Allen Project” will also be scheduling raffles and other fund raising events leading up to the main event. One of the feature activities of the day will be a live auction of firefighter artwork and memorabilia. Much more is still in the planning stage.

It’s estimated that Denny Allen has responded to more than 10,000 emergency incidents in his firefighting and EMS career that spans almost four decades.

One of the committee’s goals is to create a “tree of life” that will hold one dollar for every one of Denny’s 10,000 emergency responses. Contributors will receive a “life saver” card with a photo of Dennis and room to write well wishes or words of encouragement. The life saver cards will then be displayed in the firehouse and at the benefit in September and given to Dennis as a keepsake. One dollar is all we’re asking for.

Help us put brotherhood in action. Join us in honoring this fine man who has unselfishly dedicated himself to serving his fire company and his fellow man.

Many people are consumers and some are contributors. Dennis Allen is a contributor.

I hope you’ll consider contributing to saving the life of our brother Dennis Allen.

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]]> http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2011/12/my-friend-my-brother-denny-allen/feed/ 0 X-Box Live http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2011/03/x-box-live/ http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2011/03/x-box-live/#comments Mon, 07 Mar 2011 04:18:55 +0000 tiger http://tigerschmittendorf.com/?p=2014

That’s right!

“From the X-Box to the Box Alarm: Motivating and Leading Today’s Firefighters” is back by popular demand at FDIC 2011. I hope to see you in Indianapolis March 22-26, 2011.  Look me up if you plan on attending and look for my presentation titled: “Understanding & Motivating Today’s Firefighters” modeled after my feature article: “From the X-Box to the Box Alarm.”

Some 300 first responders engaged in the discussion at FDIC last April and this year’s conversation promises to be refreshed with my ongoing observational research; new samples of recruitment, retention and leadership solutions and feedback from last year’s participants.

I’ll also be including fresh insight from some X-Box firefighters from Hyattsville Volunteers and FDLiveIn.com I recently spoke with about generational differences and what we can learn from and about them. Some of the information will be pre-recorded material and some of it will be provided by members of our “live studio audience.”

In case you’ve never caught my act, let me give you a little insight on my stand-up style: I don’t do presentations – I have conversations with first responders.

I’ve always said that I never learn as much as when I’m teaching. So here’s how it works:

I ask questions. You ask questions. I make you laugh. You make me laugh. Then I ask a lot more questions. We discuss the issues facing the fire service and we come up with solutions: together. And we have fun doing it. That’s pretty much how it goes. It’s a simple system, but it’s worked pretty well so far.

I bring passion, humor and insight to the discussion. You won’t be disappointed. Give me a try. You never know — We might all learn something.

But don’t take my word for it, here’s what last year’s participants had to say:

  • “I enjoyed the conversation and exchange of information.”
  • “Excellent program. Provided great insight on what I deal with on a daily basis.”
  • “Great program. I’m a recruiter for our fire department and I learned a lot!!! Great take-home lessons.”
  • “As a young person (21), it’s nice to see this kind of training to help further unify the firehouse.”
  • “Great motivational speaker. Tiger hit every objective with current and accurate information. Very well versed in the topic.”
  • “Fantastic presentation. Thoroughly engaging and unique insight.”
  • “Bring him back!”

I’m excited and I hope you are too. I arrive in Indy on Tuesday morning and don’t leave until late Saturday night. Look me up if you’re planning on being there. I’m sure we’ll have great stories to share.

Speaking of stories, I’ll be taping episodes of my Firefighter Storytellers Internet Radio Show on the FirefighterNetcast network throughout the week and I’m sure we’ll be out and about around the town enjoying the brotherhood of the fire service.

Drop me a line at tiger@tigerschmittendorf.com or send me a direct message on Twitter @Tiger15032. I’d love to connect.

Here’s a few places I already plan to be at:

  • Wednesday – March 23, 2011 – 5pm – Indy Metro FOOLS “Brotherhood Bash @FDIC” – Corner of Jackson St. & Meridian St.
    Featuring: Bagpipes and Drums, Acoustic Stew, The Don Stuck Band
  • Thursday – March 24, 2011 3:30-5:15pm: Presenting “Understanding and Motivating Today’s Firefighters” – Room 105-106
  • Thursday – March 24, 2011 7-11pm: “Stop Drop, Rock-n-Roll” at the Indiana Roof Ball Room to benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation
  • Friday – March 25, 2011 – 2-3pm: “Meet the Authors” at the Fire-Rescue Magazine/FirefighterNation.com Booth #4244
  • Friday – March 25, 2011 – 4-6pm: Battle of the Bands at FDIC – Lucas Oil Stadium
  • Thursday – Saturday – FirefighterNetcast.com Booth – Adjacent to Booth #4244

Here’s the description and details of my classroom session from the FDIC catalog:  

Thursday, March 24, 2011
3:30 PM-5:15 PM – Room 105-106
APPROPRIATE FOR ALL LEVELS  
Understanding and Motivating Today’s Firefighters
Deputy Fire Coordinator Tiger Schmittendorf, Erie County (NY) Department of Emergency Services  

“From the X-Box to the Box Alarm” addresses the challenges of today’s fire service leaders in attracting and retaining the appropriate quantity and quality of firefighters they need to support the delivery of emergency services in their communities.

So, how do we motivate today’s recruits away from the X-Box long enough to answer the box alarm? This facilitated conversation builds consensus that the majority of the challenges we face are in the firehouse, not on the fire scene. Together we’ll learn to combat these challenges with solutions that are right in front of us.

Links to last year’s experiences:

If you like this site, I hope you’ll enjoy connecting with me at: 

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can ever be of assistance to you or your organization.

Stay safe. Train often.

See you in Indy.

]]> http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2011/03/x-box-live/feed/ 1 Not just a Daddy’s Girl http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2011/02/not-just-a-daddys-girl/ http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2011/02/not-just-a-daddys-girl/#comments Tue, 08 Feb 2011 00:15:41 +0000 tiger http://tigerschmittendorf.com/?p=2000

Her Dad was a fire lieutenant and her two youngest brothers (twins) joined as cadets, then volunteers and eventually became career firefighters.

But when Janet Wilmoth tried to join her local volunteer fire department, the fire chief told her to “Go home and have babies.”

She went on to do that too, but in the meantime, Janet Wilmoth took another approach to the fire service. She’s been with Fire Chief Magazine since 1986 and now leads the charge for improving the fire service as the publication’s editorial director.

I wonder if that chief has since been reminded of that famous quote: “Never pick a fight with people who buy ink by the barrel!”

Join Janet and Tiger Schmittendorf, host of the Firefighter Storytellers Internet radio show live at 9pm EST on Wednesday-February 9, 2011, as Janet tells her story of growing up as a firefighter’s daughter to being a fire service leader.

Read Janet’s story at Run-to-the-Curb, which will be availableat the start of the live show. Please consider downloading and sharing the Show Flyer at your fire station and with your social networks.

Here’s the direct link to the show.

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A natural extension of RuntotheCurb.com, Firefighter Storytellers is an open-format Internet radio show in which listeners are encouraged to call in with personal accounts and anecdotes from their life in the fire service, giving a literal voice to those stories that form a common bond amongst us all.

If you’ve never listened to a FirefighterNetcast, visit the site now, sign up for a new user account for BlogTalkRadio, and be prepared to join in the conversation.

Listen in via the Internet, listen and/or participate by calling in, and join in the live chat that takes place amongst listeners while the show is going on. In case you miss the live show, you can even download the podcast after the fact on FirefighterNetcast and iTunes too. It’s free, it’s fun and it’s easy.

Every firefighter has a story.
Listen in. Call in. Tell your story.

]]> http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2011/02/not-just-a-daddys-girl/feed/ 0 Not Your Typical “Truckie” http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2011/01/not-your-typical-truckie/ http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2011/01/not-your-typical-truckie/#comments Tue, 11 Jan 2011 03:35:35 +0000 tiger http://tigerschmittendorf.com/?p=1975

Glenn Usdin was a Run-to-the-Curb kid, growing up in the Long Island New York fire service and rising to the rank of fire chief in Lancaster PA. Like many in the fire service, his career path has taken him in several different directions including a tenure as associate publisher of Fire Engineering Magazine, president of American-LaFrance Used Fire Apparatus, now the owner of a large used fire apparatus company – Command Fire Apparatus and his most recent venture with FireEMS Blogs, founding the FireTruckBlog.com.

Listen in as Chief Usdin shares his story of how he’s made a career out of his fascination with fire trucks with host Tiger Schmittendorf on the Firefighter Storytellers Internet radio show live at 9pm EST on Wednesday-January 12, 2011.

If you’ve never listened to a FirefighterNetcast, visit the site now, sign up for a new user account for BlogTalkRadio, and be prepared to join in the conversation.

Listen in via the Internet, listen and/or participate by calling in, and join in the live chat that takes place amongst listeners while the show is going on. In case you miss the live show, you can even download the podcast after the fact on FirefighterNetcast and iTunes too. It’s free, it’s fun and it’s easy.

Every firefighter has a story.
Listen in. Call in. Tell your story.

Tiger Schmittendorf serves as Deputy Fire Coordinator in the County of Erie Department of Emergency Services (Buffalo NY). He is a Nationally Certified Fire Instructor and has been a firefighter since 1980. He created a recruitment effort that doubled his own fire department’s membership and helped net 525+ new volunteers countywide. Schmittendorf is active on the editorial board of FireRescue Magazine and is the author of: TigerSchmittendorf.com, RuntotheCurb.com, and FireRecruiter.com.

]]> http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2011/01/not-your-typical-truckie/feed/ 0 A December to Forget? http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2010/12/a-december-to-forget/ http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2010/12/a-december-to-forget/#comments Wed, 29 Dec 2010 01:19:04 +0000 tiger http://tigerschmittendorf.com/?p=1955

Box 191 stands as a memorial to the five Buffalo Firefighters who were killed in a propane explosion on December 27, 1983

A year ago I wrote an article titled “A December to Remember” to remind us of our obligation to be better story tellers, for prosperity’s sake — and for safety’s sake. Earlier today, Chicago and the rest of the fire service buried the first of two firefighters killed in the line of duty on the 100th anniversary of the Chicago Stockyard Fire that killed 21 firefighters.

Given recent events and all the heartache they’ve brought, I’m not sure that December is a month to remember but instead, it’s one we’d like to forget.

Last night I had the privilege of joining some 50 firefighters and civilians as they stood in the cold at the corner of Grosvenor and North Division Streets in the City of Buffalo to remember an event that claimed the lives of five of Buffalo’s bravest. Surrounded by those drawn to the small memorial erected at the site, Division Chief Don McFeeley stood in the center of the intersection and retold the story of that fateful night when a propane tank exploded inside a warehouse — shattering windows, throwing debris and burning buildings across twelve city blocks.

Two civilians were also killed in the explosion that tossed and crushed the first responding Engines 1 and 32, and Ladder 5 like they were Tonka toys. He told how fate spared the crew of Ladder 2 responding from downtown as they got hung up on snowbank as they turned a corner a few blocks from the scene. Rescue 1 and Engine 3 inadvertently turned down a wrong street a block away from the blast, saving their crews from almost certain death.

Standing next to Chief McFeeley was Chief (Ret.) Jack Supple, whose brother Harvey was the first chief on location. We were standing in the exact spot in the street where Harvey was standing when he radioed for a second alarm assignment after being impaled by a piece of debris sticking out of his neck, causing a near fatal wound.

The year was 1983 and some of the firefighters present at the brief and informal ceremony last night were not even born, let alone in the fire department when the explosion happened. I was 19 at the time but remember it like it was yesterday.

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to interview one of the firefighters who was there that fateful night. Pat Coghlan was a lieutenant on Engine 33 which responded on the fourth alarm. He recounted that experience and the deep impact it left on him on my Firefighter Storytellers radio show broadcast live from the Buffalo Fire Historical Museum. A young firefighter named Mike Lombardo was on his crew that night. Mike went on to be commissioner of the Buffalo Fire Department and just retired as a battalion chief earlier this month. Mike wrote a firsthand account of the incident titled: The Explosion for Firehouse.com in 2002.

Pat Coghlan was there at the ceremony last night as he has been every year since the explosion, along with his family and widows of the slain firefighters. It was an honor to honor those fallen brothers in front of alarm box 191 — flanked by flowers, flags and a marker reminding us that we have an obligation to remember that Buffalo Firefighters Michael Austin, Michael Catanzaro, Matthew Colpoys, James Lickfield and Anthony Waskielewicz answered their last alarm at that spot.

At exactly 8:23pm last evening, a Buffalo Fire Department dispatcher transmitted Box 191: “Twenty-seven years ago on this date, December 27th 1983, at 20:23 hours, five of our brothers responded to their last alarm. We invite all members of the department and all those monitoring this announcement to observe a moment of silence in their memory, and in the memory of all who have died in the line of duty.”

Despite these darkest days, the brotherhood of the fire service perseveres stronger than ever as we look forward with hope for the brighter days that only a new year can bring.

Links in this post:

]]> http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2010/12/a-december-to-forget/feed/ 1 It’s that time of year. http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2010/12/its-that-time-of-year/ http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2010/12/its-that-time-of-year/#comments Mon, 20 Dec 2010 22:42:29 +0000 tiger http://tigerschmittendorf.com/?p=1946

A thought provoking article in the Fire Engineering Training Community by my good friend and fellow blogger ChiefReason reminded me to re-post this piece I wrote several years ago titled: “Starting the New Year Right!”

Art’s blog titled “The Day the Passion Died” suggests that we’re all due for a fire service check-up to make sure that we’re physically, mentally, emotionally prepared for the challenges that lie ahead, and just as importantly, that our head - our attitude – is in the right place.

His writings remind us all to revisit our fire department and personal goals and direction every once in a while, and there’s no better time to do so than as we’re about to embark upon a brand new year full of new challenges and opportunities.

Art’s sharp, and sometimes biting insight challenges us to achieve balance between our “two families” — the one at home and the one at the firehouse — and to “clean the litterbox“ as ncessary. That’s no small feat if you’re the least bit passionate about either.

Whenever I think of balancing my life’s ledger, I’m reminded of Commandment #7 of my “Top Ten Commandments for Recruitment and Retention” (also a piece I wrote almost ten years ago).

#7.  Peace at Home = Peace at the Firehouse. Make sure you’re targeting the right audience with your recognition and incentives programs.

This commandment encourages us to always put our first family first — a concept that applies to us and to our fire department. Once our organizations realize that volunteers who are happy at home will be happier, more productive firefighters at the firehouse — we all win. However, to succeed at figuring out this difficult equation requires, as Art suggests in his advice to a commenter, that we include both families in the conversation.

As Christmas quickly approaches, I’m certainly thankful for my brother Art and the great folks we’ve come to know and enjoy in our close circle of friends in the FireEMS Blogs network. I’m also thankful for the many friends I have throughout our great fire service and I count my blessings every day that I get to do what I love.

But most of all, during this holiday season, I’m thankful for my first family first:

Laurie, Kathleen and Alex — Thank you for the sacrifices you make on my behalf in allowing me to serve.

Laurie — Happy 23rd Anniversary on December 26th. I love you more each day.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

And with that said, I’m leaving the fire academy and going home…

Stay safe. Train often.

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Links in this post:

]]> http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2010/12/its-that-time-of-year/feed/ 1 Paying Tribute http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2010/11/paying-tribute/ http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2010/11/paying-tribute/#comments Wed, 10 Nov 2010 20:16:57 +0000 tiger http://tigerschmittendorf.com/?p=1919

Today marks the 235th birthday of the United States Marine Corps and tomorrow is Veterans Day. What a great time to celebrate the contributions and sacrifices made by our military service men and women who protect our lives and our freedom around the world every day.

To that end, I thought it appropriate to tie a few events together in an effort to pay appropriate recognition and thanks to our Veterans.

The Story of a True Serviceman:

I’m pleased to announce that tomorrow evening will feature a special Veterans Day Tribute on my Firefighter Storytellers Radio Show on Firefighter Netcast with my good friend Dan Frontera.

Dan Frontera grew up in the suburbs of Buffalo, NY in a family where community service was simply a way of life. His Dad was a Veteran along with most of his uncles. Both his Dad and one of his uncles were volunteer firemen too. It’s no surprise that Dan then grew up to be both a soldier and a firefighter.

Tune in to Firefighter Storytellers at 9pm EST on Thursday-November 11, 2010 to hear Dan’s story as he and I celebrate the contributions of all service men and women in a special Veterans Day tribute. We’ll discuss the similarities and strong bond between the military and the fire service; and we’ll give Dan a chance to share some of his efforts in serving other Veterans. You don’t want to miss this show.

Listen in, call in, download and follow Dan on his journey from Run-to-the-Curb kid to “Citizen. Soldier. Firefighter.”

Are you a Veteran and a Firefighter?

We’d love to have you call in to the show so you can give a quick shout-out to your fire department and military unit (past or present) and it will give us the opportunity to say THANKS!    The BlogTalk Radio Live Show Call-in Number is: 347-327-9920.

Help us promote Firefighter Storytellers and the FirefighterNetcast family of shows by downloading and sharing the show flyer or posting a show link to your Twitter or Facebook page.

A Veteran of Many Things

A day doesn’t pass that I don’t think about my Dad and all the sacrifices he made for our family and his country. He’s been gone for almost six years now so I think it’s important to re-visit something I wrote about him a few years back as my way of sharing him with you and me never letting his memory die. He truly was ”A Veteran of Many Things.”

Related:

Fitting Tribute

This Veterans Day will be an especially tough one here in Buffalo and Western New York as one of our own was killed in action in Afghanistan last week. Army Specialist Blake D. Whipple, age 21, was killed by an IED. His family and our community will lay him to rest this week.

A fire department from neighboring Monroe County has a great idea for remembering the sacrifices of all soldiers and we should all follow their lead. Here’s the details of their program as shared with me by Randy Jensen, Public Information Officer for the Ridge Road Fire District:

 “Firefighters Pays Tribute to Fallen Soldier”   

The Ridge Road Fire District (Rochester, NY) pays tribute to Army Specialist Blake D. Whipple, 21, of Williamsville, N.Y., (Erie County) who died November 5th in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 7th Engineering Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.   

The Fire District pays tribute to all New York State Firefighters, Police Officers, EMS Personnel, and Members of the Military who die in the line of duty. We recognize them on our sign in front of the Fire Station and lower our flags to half staff at our Emergency Service Memorial for three days for them giving the ultimate sacrifice so others may live. 

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Specialist Whipple’s family, friends and the members of the Military who are supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Randy Jensen, Public Information Officer
Ridge Road Fire District
1299 Long Pond Road – Rochester, NY 14626-3031
Office (585) 227-2123 – Fax: (585) 227-4040
rjensen@rrfd.org - www.rrfd.org

And that Folks — is living proof that the brotherhood we enjoy and share extends far beyond the fire service and far beyond our borders. We will dedicate tomorrow night’s Firefighter Storytellers radio show in Specialist Whipple’s memory and honor.

Related:

We Will Never Forget

We’re ten months away from the tenth anniversary of the horrendous attacks that occurred on American soil September 11, 2001 but there is never a bad time to remember the thousands of firefighters, police officers, military personnel and citizens going about their daily lives who were lost that day.

Although there are many others just like them, this recent news article highlights the efforts of one fire deparment in making sure that “Never Forget” means that “We Will Never Forget.”

My helmet is off to the Mt. Kisco NY Fire Department for doing the right thing when others would just as soon forget.

Check out their efforts here: http://www.lohud.com/article/20101110/NEWS02/11100321/Mount-Kisco-breaks-ground-on-9-11-memorial

To donate, send a check payable to the Mount Kisco Volunteer Fire Department; P.O. Box 91, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. You can also call Felice at 914-241-4593 or Alexander at 914-218-8334.

Mt. Kisco FD:

Don’t Forget

Hopefully that’s enough ammo (pun intended) to remind you to thank a Veteran tomorrow and every day for their service to our country and our communities. Take every opportunity to salute their efforts and appreciate the sacrifices made by our military men and women — and our military families as well.

Hopefully my military buddies will nod in agreement when I bid you to:

Stay safe. Train often.

]]> http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2010/11/paying-tribute/feed/ 0 My Flag http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2010/09/my-flag/ http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2010/09/my-flag/#comments Mon, 13 Sep 2010 03:58:08 +0000 tiger http://tigerschmittendorf.com/?p=1862

The view of my flag --- from my hammock.

Whenever I get the chance, I take full advantage of the opportunity to lie in my hammock on the front porch of our house. The porch is covered and it’s on the east side of the house, protected from the sometimes gusty winds that come off Lake Erie not far from us.

The hammock is made out of soft woven strings stretched to a metal ring on each end. The rings have heavy chains connected to them that are attached to hooks that secure the entire hammock to its metal pedestal. The rope strings are covered by a comfortable bedding pad that even has a built-in pillow tied to it.

I don’t know about where you live, but here in Western New York, this was a great summer to own a hammock. On more occasions than in any other summer I can remember, I took time out of our busy lives just to enjoy my hammock. As our house sits perpendicular to our quiet village street, my front porch hammock gives me a good vantage point from which to observe neighborhood activities, read a book, or just to focus on the inside of my eyelids, whichever I’m in the mood for. I bet you that I’ve slept outside in the hammock no less than 15 nights this summer. It’s a great spot.

Not long after we moved into our house almost 15 years ago I made one of the most important purchases a first-time homeowner can make. I bought and mounted an American flag to the front post of our porch. Although the installation is not a difficult one, I remember it being a proud and rewarding moment to drill the holes for the mount, push the flag pole into the base and tighten the set screw to keep the flag in place. The flag is installed at about an 80 degree angle so it doesn’t stick straight out which could cause injury to anyone who might walk into it as they approached our house from the sidewalk.

Many times I just lie in my hammock and stare at that flag. It helps me think. It helps me relax.

Sometimes the flag hangs straight down, motionless. Other times, the wind blows across the roof and flips the flag from side to side and even upside down. I climbed in my hammock the other day and looked up to see that my flag was wrapped around itself so tightly that only a small triangular section was hanging down. It looked like an umbrella that had been closed but not yet buttoned up.

I watch as the wind blows my flag, slowly tearing its bottom edges as it twists and turns itself up onto the roof, above the gutter, and then flops itself back down again, waving back and forth. The gold eagle at the top of the flag pole glistens in the morning sun.

The next time I look at that flag, it could be a tangled mess – or it could be flowing freely in the breeze. It’s different every time I look at it. That’s the beauty of my flag.

As I lay here in my hammock on Saturday-September 11, 2010 — I think about that flag and what it means to me. More than just dyed cotton and a metal pole, that flag represents America. Not just because it’s our stars and stripes, but even in the way it acts and responds.

Sometimes these United States, like my flag, just rest at ease: quiet, still, but ever ready. And for sure, neither our nation or my flag are without imperfections. It’s tattered and worn but beautiful and inspiring nonetheless. The most amazing part about my flag is that no matter how tangled and torn it gets, its resilience to right itself always prevails. My flag is dependable. Even in the worst weather, it flows freely and beautifully. My country is just like that too.

I just returned from our community’s September 11th Remembrance Ceremony at the gazebo located in the center of our village. Complete with personal reflections from civic leaders, prayers and the playing of our National Anthem and “America the Beautiful;” the only thing missing from the service was an appropriate attendance from our citizens. Unfortunately, there were more firefighters, veterans, law enforcement and politicians – than there were members of the general public.

How easily we forget. How easy it is to go about our daily lives without even pausing for an hour to be a part of a community remembrance. It’s been nine years. How sad. How shameful.

However disappointing and disturbing, I don’t regret attending.

Despite all that, it made me feel good that we were surrounded by American Flags of all sizes: on poles, on uniforms, in hand, and even a huge flag that flew over the gazebo from a fully extended ladder truck. As we stood shoulder-to-shoulder with our fellow first responders, it reminded me of my definition of brotherhood that I penned five years ago:

“It doesn’t matter that we wear different patches on our left sleeve. What’s important is that we wear the same patch on our right sleeve – the red, white and blue one – the one with the stars and stripes on it. That’s what brings us together and keeps us together. No one can ever take that away from us. The fire service is what’s right about America.”
— Tiger Schmittendorf – February 25, 2005

This huge American Flag flew over the William G. Houston Gazebo during the September 11th ceremony in the Village of Angola.

I stood there listening and looking at the people around me when it dawned on me that, while I originally wrote this definition in relation to the fire service – it’s much larger than that.

Our brotherhood, our connections, extend well beyond the fire service. Those police officers, councilmen, supervisors, veterans, mayors, legislators and civic-minded civlians are more like us than we sometimes realize or care to admit.

They care about our community. They care about our values and they care about people.

Anyone who volunteers to lead a community group, who looks out for others, anyone who takes on a project to make our community a better place – they’re part of that brotherhood. They’re part of that bond that makes a group of people a community – and a country.

Some 3,000 Americans were killed on September 11, 2001 and many more since, for trying to do just that.

When you wear that flag, wear it in their honor – for it’s that flag that connects us all. Maybe I shouldn’t even call it my flag. It’s our flag.

I love my family, my friends, my fire service; I love my community and my country.

I love my hammock.

I love my freedom.

I love my flag.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Editor’s Note: I am infatuated with the American Flag and photograph them every chance I get. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that…

]]> http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2010/09/my-flag/feed/ 0 What’s your story? http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2010/09/whats-your-story/ http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2010/09/whats-your-story/#comments Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:02:47 +0000 tiger http://tigerschmittendorf.com/?p=1850

It’s been a great, long, hot summer — causing me to take some time away from blogging to spend with my family and friends. Although I haven’t been writing much, I have been doing a lot of reading and observing. And, it’s my observation that the need for effective story telling in the fire service has never been greater.

This was never more apparent than during my observation of and interaction with recruits participating in the Firefighter 1 Boot Camp at the Erie County Emergency Services Training & Operations Center where I work.

Each day, I had the opportunity to spend time  with those 50 recruits from 37 different fire departments across our county, talking not just tactics and techniques, but about life in the fire service.

I meet more and more firefighters every day who are in full agreement that we need to revert to our roots in sharing our experiences with the folks who already are, or someday soon, will be our replacements. Compensating for a decreasing level of experience requires us to increase both the quantity and quality of the training interactions we have with our less-experienced members.

Effective story-telling is a low-cost, high-impact investment that can reward us with big returns. It’s our means of passing down our values, our traditions, our experiences — and even our legacy. It’s something we owe to our replacements — and ourselves.

Thus, I’m pleased to announce that “Firefighter Storytellers“ — my online radio talk show on the FirefighterNetcast Radio Network is returning after a one-month lay-off. I’ve got a very special guest in Wally Pieczynski, a firefighter and preservationist of fire service history.

Click here to read more about my upcoming show with Chief Walt Pieczynski on Wednesday-September 8, 2010 at 9pm EDT.

Listen in. Call in. Download and share our stories.

The question is: What’s your story?

Visit www.runtothecurb.com and tell your story there.

]]> http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2010/09/whats-your-story/feed/ 0 Run-to-the-Curb Radio: Chief Tim Sendelbach http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2010/07/run-to-the-curb-radio-chief-tim-sendelbach/ http://tigerschmittendorf.com/2010/07/run-to-the-curb-radio-chief-tim-sendelbach/#comments Wed, 14 Jul 2010 20:31:37 +0000 tiger http://tigerschmittendorf.com/?p=1844

It’s like “Run-to-the-Curb Radio” — but better!

“Firefighter Storytellers” is a natural outgrowth from my popular “Run to the Curb” series — as it offers a radio show designed simply to facilitate kitchen table type discussions between firefighters.

“Storytellers” is an open-format radio show in which listeners are encouraged to call in with their own stories of what brought them to the fire service, what’s made the experience memorable for them, and to share their insight as to what keeps them going day-in and day-out, serving in our business of delivering emergency services to our communities.

Tonight’s installment (Wednesday-July 14, 2010) features Chief Tim Sendelbach, fire service leader and Editor-in-Chief of FireRescue Magazine. Like many others, Tim’s roots in the fire service started with his Dad, a firefighter in his hometown of Wilder, Kentucky.

Produced by John Mitchell and Rhett Fleitz of FirefighterNetcast, visit their site now, sign up for a new user account for BlogTalkRadio, and be prepared to join in the conversation with each new show.

Listen in. Log in. Call in.

What’s your story?

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