Test for reader

I noticed that it didn't pop up in my reader either... this stinks haha! Maybe I can just go back and delete some older blogs to minimize my exposure here... that may be the best option. Let me know if this one pops up or not.

I made a boo boo

And now my blog has been set to private so that some things don't get out. I blame the liberal media. Even though it's my own dang fault.

So in the mean time, I am attempting to send invites to everyone. If you can read this and someone you know can't, please have them email me and I'll get them added. Sorry for the trouble!

Not quite sure what to say. This is the 5th title I've tried!

As mentioned in the comments, I did not get an award for memory. I wound up working a double, so I have not had a chance to update ya'll till now. Plus, I've kind of been struggling with how to write about this. I'm not really good at talking about myself. Luckily for that problem, I've been in the news a little bit, so I'll just let them tell you about it.

Here is a link to a local newspaper/blog.

The local news did a quick blurb (about 5 seconds or so) about it too, but I haven't seen it on their website yet. It probably won't be there, it really wasn't much.

I wound up with a total of 3 awards, one for the prior medical save (which I referenced in my last post), the main one mentioned in the article above, as well as the unit citation mentioned in the article.

My Chief is big on getting word out about accomplishments in the department, and as such he is asking if I am willing to do an interview or two. Not my style, but I am a team player, so I suppose I had better do it haha.

I'd like to thank the academy

It's awards time at LFD (Little Fire Department). They've done awards in the past, but with some recent changes in management, they have started up a more formal awards program. I think it's great, but I'm not really interested in it.

I guess that bears a little explaining.

There's a variety of things you can get an award for, but the way I look at it, unless they start giving awards for mopping the floors or checking off the equipment, there's really no reason to give awards for doing other parts of your job. Oh, sure, some parts are a little more glamorous, but in reality the 'glamorous' parts of the job only constitute about 10% of it. If that.

Now, having said that, I got 2 emails last week. They basically said, 'If you are getting this, you will be receiving an award, and your presence at the ceremony would be greatly apprecaited'.

So now I'm really stumped. I have received 1 award in the past, and from what I have gathered, they will be re-recognizing those awards, so that explains 1 email (and don't get me started on that award; I was brand new, I think I was out of the academy about a week, and my role on that call basically consisted of being told what to say over the radio and staying out of the way haha). The second email has me stumped though. The members of the awards committee are keeping mum on who is getting what, so no help there.

To top it all off, yesterday I was walking past the Assistant Chief's office, and he called me in. He asked if I was going to be at the ceremony (banquet? party?), and when I said that I imagined I would, his only response was 'Good'. I told him that I had been asked that question a few times lately, and that the response was always the same as his. His answer to that was, 'Good, see you later.' I was dismissed, and no follow up questions were going to be tolerated.

As I was heading up the stairs, he yelled to me from the bottom that 'The good news is that if we are giving you a pink slip tomorrow night, at least you'll have some friendly shoulders to cry on.' He was kidding. I hope.

So anyways, in the past they have been big fans of giving 'joke' awards out for humorous events that transpired over the previous year. I can't think of anything I've done either good or bad over the past year to deserve anything, so I guess I'll be just as shocked as anyone else. A few people have suggested to me some things that may be deserving of awards, but I just don't see it.

Like I said, unless they are giving out awards for mopping or emptying the dishwasher (or if I've repressed an incredibly embarrassing moment!), I'm stymied as to what is going on here. I guess I'll post an update later to let ya'll know what is going on.

Volunteer 20 is in service

Yeah, they had the guts to report that on the radio, for everyone in the city to hear. Pretty impressive in my humble little opinion.

The headline for the article reads:

Boston fire union refuses to leave closed stations

Here's part of the story:

Defiant off-duty firefighters are disobeying Fire Department orders and voluntarily staffing three Boston fire companies that were closed today as part of a new “brown out” policy aimed at reducing overtime spending.

“It’s the people’s firehouse. We are volunteering to staff these firehouses to make sure the public gets the protection it deserves,” said Boston firefighters union President Ed Kelly, who used a department radio this morning to report that “Volunteer Engine 20 is in service.”

The rest of it can be read here.

Any guesses as when the last time the City of Boston had a volunteer fire company in service? I would venture to guess the year started with an '18'.

I'd like to say that's taking pride in your job, but most likely it is a political stunt. However, I'll go with the pride option. I'd rather believe that anyway. I did hear that ATL is supposed to be getting the money to correct their current staffing situation, so hopefully Tom will chime in on that.

Still, I thought this was pretty cool and worth sharing.