After the last week of social unrest and violence, I thought I would lighten the mood a little with a short story of life around the fire station. I am definitely not calling all firefighters knuckleheads but… well sometimes we can be a bit immature. It comes from working hard and often under stressful conditions. … Continue reading #43- Hilarious Hijinks at Fire Station Knucklehead →

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#43- Hilarious Hijinks at Fire Station Knucklehead

Many fire departments and wildland fire agencies are currently preparing for the upcoming wildfire season. In parts of our country the season has been underway for some time but in much of the west, firefighters are spending time in “refresher classes” and taking their introductory wildland fire courses. Often times when we are sitting in … Continue reading #42 – When The Sh-t Hits the Fan… Will You Be Ready? →

#42 – When The Sh-t Hits the Fan… Will You Be Ready?

Have you ever wondered why firefighters love their jobs so much? Why do people voluntarily take jobs that put their personal safety at risk? Everyone wants a job that suits them. We want a career that we find enjoyable, gives us job satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment from our labors. With that in mind, … Continue reading The Perfect Job for People Who Love Chaos (or who have ADD) →

The Perfect Job for People Who Love Chaos (or who have ADD)

Among older and retired firefighters, I often hear about the “Good ‘Ol Days”. “Why by god… back when we could… bla bla bla.” There are lots of things that were pretty cool about the Good ‘Ol Days. Back then we could ride on the tailboard of a fire engine. That was fun. Of course firefighters … Continue reading #40 – Burning by the Seat of my Pants – My First Controlled Burn →

#40 – Burning by the Seat of my Pants – My First Controlled Burn

Years ago while assigned to a wildland fire, the Operations Section Chief asked me to conduct a burn out operation along a 9 mile stretch of a two land road in California in order to put out the fire and protect numerous homes. I was successful in the operation but like most things in life, … Continue reading #39 Fire Whirl Jumps The 9 Mile Burnout →

#39 Fire Whirl Jumps The 9 Mile Burnout

In the early 2000s, the Incident Management Team I was a member of was dispatched to a hurricane on the gulf coast. These assignments were always challenging and fascinating to be a part of. I always learned a lot when I responded to a major emergency but this particular one was especially so. There are … Continue reading #38 – Are You Ready For The Hurricane After The Hurricane? →

#38 – Are You Ready For The Hurricane After The Hurricane?

This weeks story is about how we might use humor on the job. Often times we have a distorted perception of our own sense of humor. I know for me personally if I was half as funny as I think I am I’d be on late night TV getting the laughs and making big money. … Continue reading #37-I’m a Hilarious Firefighter, Right? →

#37-I’m a Hilarious Firefighter, Right?

This week’s story is meant to entertain a little, distract you from our current events a little and also to make you think a little. It takes place in 2001 when I was an Operations Section Chief trainee. My Incident Training Officer had expectations that I wasn’t ready for. Her expectations were correct. Up until … Continue reading #36 – Tough Teacher, Tough Love For A Slow Student →

#36 – Tough Teacher, Tough Love For A Slow Student

In life we don’t always get second a second chance. It’s great when we do get that second chance but it doesn’t always happen. Hopefully we learned from an earlier experience and improve the next time. Life is just a series of experiences and opportunities for learning. Sometimes I’m not sure I’ve learned the lesson … Continue reading #35-Ok Guys, I Know I Screwed Up. →

#35-Ok Guys, I Know I Screwed Up.

As I write the introduction to today’s story, the United States and really the whole world is captive to the Corona Virus Pandemic Anxiety Syndrome or CVPAS. (I had to make up an acronym since I’ve spent over 40 years working in government.) I’m not suggesting we don’t have anything to be concerned about. On … Continue reading #34- Smoky Pig →

#34- Smoky Pig

In my career I’ve had some unique experiences. One of them is the number of times I’ve been nearby when a fire has broken out. In a previous story you might have listened to the time I was near a fire start in the city of Sacramento. Well, I’ve had many similar experiences when I … Continue reading #33- I Swear, I&#039;m Not an Arsonist! →

#33- I Swear, I'm Not an Arsonist!

Around 2000 I was assigned to a large fire in the northern Sierras as a Division Supervisor. On this particular fire I had multiple 20 person fire crews as well as many fire engines working for me. This story is about one of those fire crews who were from Hawaii. They were a great crew … Continue reading #32- Hawaiian Luau on the Fireline →

#32- Hawaiian Luau on the Fireline

No really… they really hate me. Or maybe they just love the way I taste. But regardless, I’ve had some bad experiences with ants. Especially in my first 6 or 7 years of firefighting when at least once a summer I’d have an episode of being bitten or stung or just attacked by big red … Continue reading #31- Ants Hate Me →

#31- Ants Hate Me

How we react to tough and challenging situations at work can determine our successes and failures. It’s not always easy to know how to respond to bullies and negative people who can have a direct impact upon our lives and careers. Sometimes we’re dealing with a boss who is the bully and sometimes we have … Continue reading #30- Hey Baby, Ya Got a Nice Bumper →

#30- Hey Baby, Ya Got a Nice Bumper

When first responders work long hours, are under pressure to protect lives and property, they can often become exhausted from the pressures of the job. This week I illustrate some examples of what that might look like. The examples I site are just a few and are not at all complete in any way. The … Continue reading #29 It&#039;s All About You – Coping with Job Fatigue →

#29 It's All About You – Coping with Job Fatigue

Get the inside scoop on what really happens at the Fire Station or at the scene of emergencies and forest fires. These are sometimes funny and sometimes serious but always entertaining. Many leadership lessons are shared as well.

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BobbieOnFire

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