Hump day..

Well, it’s our middle day of the cycle but after pulling that 72 hr stretch, taking off 24hr and coming right back, I feel like I’ve been here a month already. Of course I had to bust my butt all day yesterday catching up all the farm work missed from being here back to back to back so it really wasn’t a day “off”. The good news is that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have tickets for one of my favorite local bands “The Worx” who is playing in Danville, gonna spend a night in a hotel and then it’s off to OBX on the bike for four day!!! I CAN’T WAIT! Today… it’s been hustle and bustle all day. We started of with a little training. We got loaded up first thing and headed over to Station #6 for some Swift Water Rescue and Heavy and Tactical review. A very good refresher and time well spent. Lt. Bugg led the first half of class which was swift water… you shoulda seen his little “river gypsy” grin… Here’s the boys practicing deploying our rope bags…


I think the ‘trick” or “key” to deploying the bags efficiently is in the “kick”. notice how they both kicked their little feet back while throwing..LOL. We even reviewed and practiced inflating a section or sections of 2 1/2″ hose using our SCBA. We can then float the hose out into swift running water ahead of a victim so that they’ll have something to grab onto as they come floating by..

And NO… Weaver was NOT asleep. He actually talked more today than he has in the last 10 times I’ve seen him. He even told a related joke.. a bad one but hey.. he tried. Here it is for #%$* and giggles…

A rope walks into a bar and orders a drink.

Bartender says ‘we don’t serve rope here”.

Rope goes out to the parking lot, rolls around in the mud to disguise himself and walks back in.

Bartender says “I’ve told you once, we DON’T serve rope in here”.

Rope goes back out, ties himself in a knot, and rolls around in the parking lot. The asphalt / gravel scuff him up a bit yet the dirt and mud remain from earlier. He enters the bar yet again.

Bartender looks at him and says “aren’t you that rope that I’ve already run out of here twice?”

Nope… I’m afraid not… ( A FRAYED KNOT… get it LMAO). I know.. I know..

Back to training..HTR wise… after the joke, we actually reviewed some knots and basic rigging. I don’t know why but the only knot Coon was proficient at was the “hand cuff” knot…hummmmmmm

While wrapping things up I kinda got excited. You see, we’ve had a new riding mower “on order” for some time now for our station. Well, I spotted our support vehicle driving by with a mower on a trailer in tow. Has to be ours right??? NOPE. He pulled in and unloaded her for those South East Thugs…look how proud Denver is atop the newest addition to their fleet..

I guess I’m gonna have to take things into my own hands out here in “never never” land and I think I have a plan. Due to the fact that we ARE a “GREEN” station, my options are somewhat limited but have no fear.. I got it all figured out (that’s why I make the big bucks).

We’re getting a GOAT! he’ll save us on fuel cost. He will mow and fertilize at the same time with no harmful emissions (well I guess that will depend on how much grass he eats but at least it wont be harmful to the ozone layer) If the economy stays the way it is.. we have our own milk and meat if he gets out of line.LMAO
We rolled out of South East and headed back to the house for a bite of lunch. Afterwards, we had a special assignment with our Battalion. We ended up developing something band new in the Battalion. For you older local brothers, (RFD) you may remember our “puppet shows” or “This week with the Chief”… we’ll we now have Story Time with Chief Adkins…LMAO

After story time, we had a few visitors drop by with home made cookies.. gotta love the neighborhood if nothing else..

Then the trouble started. In rolls PD’s mobile command unit. I cant release the details but I DIDN’T DO IT!!


LOL just kidding. Our Brothers in Blue set up outside the house to show off some of their toys to our neighborhood but, I bet if you drove by and seen em here you’d have wondered what I did this time..LOL I want to clarify something from last days post that came up in the comment section. I said something about having to “pull the book” on the boys. The title of the book is Effective Company Command by James O. Page. It was published in 1973 by Borden Publishing Company. As a rookie on Ladder #2-A I (along with every other member of the company) was tasked with memorizing paragraph 4 from page 121. I know it by heart even today. I have always showed it to / read it to my companies (sometimes prior to having to do it from necessity). I hadn’t gotten around to reading it to Joe, Pee-Wee or Lt. Bradford yet until last day (when I had to). It reads as follows…

“A drive through most any community is likely to present an occasional view of feminine charms. It is not the intent of this book to discourage the pleasure generally associated with such a view. However, it should be recognized that one of the factors which sets professionals apart from nonprofessionals is emotional restraint. A fire company which is viewed hooting, hollering, whistling or staring transfixed at an attractive female is likely to be categorized as a band of sex-deprived barbarians. On the other hand, a reasonably quick glance (maybe even accompanied by a collective smile) will assure the viewing public that their firemen are normal, red-blooded American males.”

There you have it.. and quoted by none other than little ol me.. “by the book” Wines 🙂
Stay safe and in house…
Captain Wines

PS. WTF!!! Holly cow the City has gone NUTS!! One thunder storm and it all goes to hell in a hand basket. Working fires.. ONE.. 1 Engine left in service City wide, The Medics have been DUMPED, we got into our first fight on a call (first from #3 that is), was attacked by a skunk and I even learned a new “sexual” term on a call over on Hunt Ave… “fisting”… if you don’t know, you dont want to.. if you do know what it is.. YOUR SICK!