Happy New Year Everyone

[ktb9780]

To all my professional and personal friends that I have met in here during the last several years, I wish you a Safe, Prosperous and Happy New Year.

Your is a dangerous and often tragic filled profession that often times goes unrecognized and unrewarded. It is frequently performed without so much as the courtesy of a thank you. I was graphically reminded of that just last night when I was travelling to the store for New Years Day football watching grazing material and the vehicle in front of me hit and killed a bicyclist who was drunk, dressed in dark clothing and without lights or refective devices on his bike.

The body was tossed over his car and in front of me, thankfully I swerved and missed him. I ran to his aid but his injuries were critical and my efforts were futile and he died. I suddenly realized that I was in the middle of a 3 lane, heavily travelled road without benefit of light, or a traffic safety vest and had 3 very near misses from other motorists while trying to direct traffic around the body and assist the driver, who was sober and totally distraught. The victims family lived two houses away from the accident scene and they were all at the scene within 3 minutes hysterical and trying to reach the body. Not a pretty picture without safety equipment and literally hysterical women and children dodging 45 mph traffic and no emergency vehicles yet on the scene.

It has been about 4-5 years sice I have found myself in that situation and I could not help but have images flashing through my mind of how many of you find yourselves in that situation weekly. I have a great sense of appreciation for what you do and it daily motivates me to keep doing this job of helping everyone so that you have the proper gear to be of assistance, yet keep you safe, visible and returning home to your families and to serve another shift.

I implore you to not ignore the rules of safety especially when working highway details at night. Wear your saftey traffic vest, carry flashlights and remain ever vigilant of your surrondiings. The rest of the public is too busy rubber necking and there are too few of you out there doing this already, only to have you end up as a victim also. Be Safe, Keep it up!

Thanks to all of you for what you do every day. It does not matter that you are paid or volunteer; it only matters that you care!

[islandfire03]

Thank you Kurt !
It's been a pleasure to know you and to learn from you and all the others here.

I'm sorry for your incident last evening. It is a shocking reminder of what we all willingly do to serve and protect the public. It brings to the forefront of the need to always be safe , so that we can always go home to our families.

May everyone have a safe and happy new year and may 2010 be fruitful for all.

Come on AFG , how about some 10 Q's.

Ed

[daniels627]

To all my profesisonal and personal friends that I have met in here during the last several years I wish you a Safe, Prosperous and Happy New Year.

Your is a dangerous and often tragic filled profession that often times goes unrecognized and unrewarded. It is frequently performed without so much as the courtesy of a thank you. I was graphically reminded of that just last night when I was travelling to the store for New Years Day football watching grazing material and the vehicle in front of me hit and killed a bicyclist who was drunk, dressed in dark clothing and without lights or refective devices on his bike.

The body was tossed over his car and in front of me, thankfully I swerved and missed him. I ran to his aid but his injuries were critical and my efforts were futile and he died. I suddenly realized that I was in the middle of a 3 lane, heavily travelled road without benefit of light, or a traffic safety vest and had 3 very near misses from other rmotorists while trying to direct traffic around the body and assit the driver, who was sober and totally distraught. The victims family lived two houses away from the accident scene and they were all at the scene within 3 minutes hysterical and trying to reach the body. Not a pretty picture without safety equipment and literally hysterical women and children dodging 45 mph traffic and no emrgency vehicle sonthe scene yet.

It has been about 4-5 years sicne I have found myself in that situation and I could not help but have images flashing thorugh my mind of how many of you find yourselves in that situation weekly. I have a great sense of appreciation for what you do and it daily motivates me to keep oing this job of helping everyone so that you have the proper gear to be of assistance, yet keep you safe, visible and returnig home to your families and to serve another shift.

I implore you to not ignore the rules of safety especially when working highway details at night. Where oyur sfatey trafgfic vets, carry flashlights and remain ever vigilant of your surrondiings. The rest of the public is too busy rubbernecking and there are too few of you out there oding this already Be Safe, Keep it up!

Thanks to all of you for what you do every day. It does not matter that you are paid or volunteer; it only matters that you care!

Happy New Year to you Kurt and everyone else on the forum. Kurt well said and remember you to are a critical part of what we do now and with out your help there would be a lot of service that would still be out on the front line with equipment that could be put our personnel and the public safety at risk. Without the equipment that you have helped us to receive we would not be able to complete the tasks that handed to us. It's good to have you you on board with us to help with the stuff that go on behind the scene and the public is not even aware of. I know you have been a great asset to my departments and I am not sure that you get all the thanks that you deserve and I know we all take to much for granted and I just want to tell you thanks and look forward to working with you as we move forward in the grant world in 2010.

Thanks Kurt
Sean

[onebugle]

Kurt,

Over the years you have shown that you are the epitome of selflessness. You have always gone that extra mile to help departments attain an AFG award; whether answering questions on the forums or having them call you for advice. It shows in your passion that you want departments to succeed in getting the equipment they need to safely function.

Did it surprise me that you stopped to render aid; not at all, because that is who you are. Thank you for reminding everyone that it is our duty and responsibility to work safely and to protect ourselves so that at the end of the day, the end of a call or the end of a shift that everyone goes home to their loved ones.

Thank you

Have a Safe and Happy New Year

[ktb9780]

Kurt,

Over the years you have shown that you are the epitome of selflessness. You have always gone that extra mile to help departments attain an AFG award; whether answering questions on the forums or having them call you for advice. It shows in your passion that you want departments to succeed in getting the equipment they need to safely function.

Did it surprise me that you stopped to render aid; not at all, because that is who you are. Thank you for reminding everyone that it is our duty and responsibility to work safely and to protect ourselves so that at the end of the day, the end of a call or the end of a shift that everyone goes home to their loved ones.

Thank you

Have a Safe and Happy New Year

As always onebugle and all in here; its an honor and pleasure. Now if I could just stop chasing sirens.. guess its a hereditary trait... nope check that.. its an addiction! LOL! Now go watch some Bowl Games... go Bobby Bowden and my Noles. I hope the Gators/Tebow get stomped by Cinncinati!

[rjcont]

It has been about 4-5 years sice I have found myself in that situation and I could not help but have images flashing through my mind of how many of you find yourselves in that situation weekly. I have a great sense of appreciation for what you do and it daily motivates me to keep doing this job of helping everyone so that you have the proper gear to be of assistance, yet keep you safe, visible and returning home to your families and to serve another shift.

I implore you to not ignore the rules of safety especially when working highway details at night. Wear your saftey traffic vest, carry flashlights and remain ever vigilant of your surrondiings. The rest of the public is too busy rubber necking and there are too few of you out there doing this already, only to have you end up as a victim also. Be Safe, Keep it up!

Thanks to all of you for what you do every day. It does not matter that you are paid or volunteer; it only matters that you care!

Kurt,
The recount of your experience sent shivers down my spine!
In the short year I have known you I have found that, Grants aside; you push us all to our best! Without that support many of us hear would be still standing, scratching our heads wondering where to turn next.
You and the people like you are as much a part of the brotherhood/sisterhood as the ones of us that respond with lights and sirens.
Thank you and keep pushing.
Happy New Year to all and PLEASE STAY SAFE!!

[ENG5TRK]

Same to everyone here, thanks for all your help.

[Andy2802]

As always onebugle and all in here; its an honor and pleasure. Now if I could just stop chasing sirens.. guess its a hereditary trait... nope check that.. its an addiction! LOL! Now go watch some Bowl Games... go Bobby Bowden and my Noles. I hope the Gators/Tebow get stomped by Cinncinati!

Kurt,
Have you ever thought about how many lives your grant writing and instruction has saved by putting essential equipment and training in the right place at the right time?

We are the lucky ones, because we get to directly see the difference that having the right training, equipment and PPE makes on an almost daily basis.
You are stuck out of sight, but while we are reflecting, know that you are not out of mind.
Thanks!

[medic190]

Kurt- Well said. Sorry the incident happened and that efforts were futile. Your assistance likely kept the scene from growing exponentially and kept numbers of others from suffering the same or similar fates.

Complacency hits all of us in the emergency services from time to time, which we need to try to overcome. Not having the safe and proper gear to do our jobs effectively is the part that all here are trying to overcome. Many fellow Firefighters help to answer questions and provide assistance to get the grants 'won' but you do it as a profession. You also go above and beyond by helping all of us here on a regular basis (even though it may have an impact on your bottom line) Thank you for your unselfishness...

Happy 2010 all - may it bless us all with awards to improve our departments, but regardless, may it find us safe and healthy to continue our mission.

Stay Safe.

[ktb9780]

Complacency hits all of us in the emergency services from time to time, which we need to try to overcome.

Funny,as that is what struck me dead in the face. As much as I had taught traffic investigation, felony vehicle stops etc. as a cop and, as an adminsitrator, I had insisted upon absolute complaince with wearing traffic safety vests, proper vehicle placment and then here I found myself right in the thick of it, violating my own policies. I would have had to suspend myself for 3 days on the porch if I was still on active status. It was a knee jerk reaction I had succumbed to without proper thought to my own personal safety!
P.S. Today I at least dug out an old traffic safety vest and a Stiinger flashlight and traffic wand cone I had in a duffel bag and put them in the box of my truck; prepared for next time.

[imafireman]

I also would like to wish all of you in this forum a safe and Happy New Year!! My wife gets so sick of me sitting here at the computer reading these threads every evening before settling in for the night. You all have become a part of me that has helped me become a better person. You are all like an extended family and I thank you for all of your help and advice over the last three and a half years.

I owe Kurt a very special thank you from myself and the department I belong. The people in my community congratulate me for our success with the AFG grants. I make sure to tell everyone that I have a very special friend living in Florida who has been a major contributor to this success on each one of these awards. It is hard to believe that it has only been three years since the first time you came to our area to have a seminar. You have become a close friend and a true mentor with the grant program as well as the administrative role that i hold in our department. So once again, thank you so much for everything you have done.

I pray that each of you find success and happiness this upcoming year. Wouldn't it be a wonderful to see the first round of awards show up here in the next couple of weeks?

Kelly

[ktb9780]

Thanks Kelly. You know, I do not know if anyone has noticed or not but, this particular forum, the "Federal Grants and Funding" has become the 4th most popular forum on fh.com . I would be willing to bet that there are more people in here that have actually spoken to or actually met face to face with each other than any other forum and the sheer number of firman and EMS personnnel that have been directly impatced by this forum is I am quite sure staggering.That is a true testament to how much ALL of us on here help each other.

I actually beleive that if someone was to measure the "impact" of this forum in terms of which one on FH.com has had the most impact of safety and increasing the level of communication and "interagency cooperation" amongst FDs, that this forum would more than likely be the hands down winner.

[jam24u]

Thanks Kelly. You know, I do not know if anyone has noticed or not but, this particular forum, the "Federal Grants and Funding" has become the 4th most popular forum on fh.com . I would be willing to bet that there are more people in here that have actually spoken to or actually met face to face with each other than any other forum and the sheer number of firman and EMS personnnel that have been directly impatced by this forum is I am quite sure staggering.That is a true testament to how much ALL of us on here help each other.

I actually beleive that if someone was to measure the "impact" of this forum in terms of which one on FH.com has had the most impact of safety and increasing the level of communication and "interagency cooperation" amongst FDs, that this forum would more than likely be the hands down winner.

The actual impact of benefit from this forum is incredible. Vital is a good description. There is a aura of goodness here. Sorry you witnessed this Kurt, but it's better that you or any of the rest on this forum be there to help mitigate this type of situation than having no experience there to help at the beginning.

Happy New Year to you all. Let's make 2010 a great year for all in this forum.

[Greenacres2]

Kurt,
The recount of your experience sent shivers down my spine!
In the short year I have known you I have found that, Grants aside; you push us all to our best! Without that support many of us hear would be still standing, scratching our heads wondering where to turn next.
You and the people like you are as much a part of the brotherhood/sisterhood as the ones of us that respond with lights and sirens.
Thank you and keep pushing.
Happy New Year to all and PLEASE STAY SAFE!!

Some of us would have been scratching more than our heads!!

Happy New Year to all, and thanks for all of your input to the success of our department. Kurt's right, we've had the opportunity to meet several folks from this board--and we have 50 or 60 places to stop around the country if we have need. Best wishes to all!!

earl

[Limeforever]

Come on down any time Earl, I will put a pot of COFFEE on and we will sit and talk about old grants, and grants to come... Sorry everyone that was not at Earl's place, its an inside joke... You know only a couple of places I have traveled to in the whole world that did not make you feel welcome at their fire house. You all are welcome anytime at any of my houses.

[ktb9780]

Come on down any time Earl, I will put a pot of COFFEE on and we will sit and talk about old grants, and grants to come... Sorry everyone that was not at Earl's place, its an inside joke... You know only a couple of places I have traveled to in the whole world that did not make you feel welcome at their fire house. You all are welcome anytime at any of my houses.

Ya gotta love the coffee at Earl's Place! LOL!

[Greenacres2]

Times have changed--got a Keurig single cup brewer for Christmas (my wife rocks!!), and we no longer use salt water. Even John ("what do you mean there's no Starbuck's within 30 miles??") Lyman might appreciate a coffee here these days!!

Derrick--we'll make a stop on the next family trip to Maggie Valley. Sue's dad is working on Red Sox tickets, so this summer's visit may be a meeting in Bahstan instead of NC though!!

earl

[ktb9780]

Times have changed--got a Keurig single cup brewer for Christmas (my wife rocks!!), and we no longer use salt water. Even John ("what do you mean there's no Starbuck's within 30 miles??") Lyman might appreciate a coffee here these days!!

Derrick--we'll make a stop on the next family trip to Maggie Valley. Sue's dad is working on Red Sox tickets, so this summer's visit may be a meeting in Bahstan instead of NC though!!

earl

About time for me to be coming back and filling up my mug again Earl. Never know when I might just walk through the door, expecially if these winter storms get wicked again this year. Still have my photo of me in the white out conditions standing in front of your station! LOL

[Catch22]

Times have changed--got a Keurig single cup brewer for Christmas (my wife rocks!!), and we no longer use salt water. Even John ("what do you mean there's no Starbuck's within 30 miles??") Lyman might appreciate a coffee here these days!!

earl

I got my wife one of those for Christmas, and I'll admit they're handy as hell. We like totally different coffee, so I don't usually drink it at home. Now I've been drinking it almost daily.

[Greenacres2]

Was thinking about you earlier today Kurt--hasn't stopped snowing since Friday afternoon. Nothing heavy, but probably around 18" +/- off the Big Lake in the past 4 days. More to come...you're not in the neighborhood are you???

Yep Catch, i'm through the first assortment box and have 3 different Columbian blends due in tomorrow, plus a box of Mandarin orange tea for Sue. So far Newman's extra bold has been my favorite but i'm going to experiment with a light and medium roast to see if they take a little edge off. The Kona was okay, Emiril's Big Easy Bold is pretty good. Really just looking for a good solid coffee so i think whatever i settle on will likely be Columbian.

earl