Last day of the cycle...A-Shift

Well it was a decent Saturday here in North West. The table for the new station has been going well. Our buddy Erin Barger in Salem has been working on our table design and will work on the new Station 5 T-Shirts next for us. We'll post those goodies when they come in and give you his contact information if you want to get some things done. After a big breakfast....

......we cleaned up the truck and got Jerry some ink.


He is out of control with those temporary tattoos!!! Next he will probably get a Honda Motorcycle and join a gang or something.
We had a few runs but nothing to brag or blog about. It's been pretty quiet but the club across the street is starting to fill up. Other than the usual stuff, Z-man took a EMS test that he was really concerned about. Even as he slept he prayed to the EMS Gods to give him the knowledge to pass, and they did!

One day he will be out there saving lives....just like his cousin Christmas (FF Noell). They are paired up tonight on the box and ready for anything. Be kind NW.

That's all we gots! Check out the next post....another musical tribute to another ex-9 member. Enjoy!
Be safe out there and we'll see you Thursday.

Best of luck to FF/EMT-I Ben Obaugh..........

Slideshow made with Smilebox

A-Shift gives a shout out to our favorite dispatcher

One of our dispatchers advised us that she is our biggest fan. So, we decided to say hi to our favorite dispatcher...Easterly. Thanks for reading. A longer post is coming later....stay tuned.

A-Shift Returns and says goodbye to Ben(C-Shift)

Well the other shifts have been fighting fire every day it seems. Today is our day back. We've been busy with some EMS, a MVC and knocking out some training. On top of this the brass is all shined up and the table is getting closer to being completed. Me personally, I don't give a crap about the stupid table.(According to Jerry "I am so hungry I can eat my own hand" Franks)
The Captain is sealing it now, and I have sent out the designs for the top today. We are hoping to have it ready for the move, but we'll see.
Christmas is off today....kinda. He has been in clinicals today and has "Short Timer" FF Ben Obaugh working for him. Ben is in the middle of 3 straight shifts. Don't feel bad for him though. He is leaving at the end of the third to pursue his career of choice. Ben seems to be more concerned with helping the citizens stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. He is gonna be the Maytag man of the HVAC world. Good luck Ben, we hope you enjoy this last shift...we'll miss you.
Now don't think we just let him slide out of here easy. Ben has a reputation of being a little hyper. He can be found in two places at once sometimes. Mostly he is perched in elevated positions through out the station......

This being said, perhaps we here at #9 had a lapse in judgement. Yes, we thought we would see what would happen if we pumped Ben full of
Red Bull and Energy Bars!!!!!

Oh yeah, and then COFFEE!!!!!!

After a trip to the store he topped all of that off with baking a cake. The last thing he needed was sugar, but I really wanted to know if he would explode or what? The next hour was very amusing. We had a report of a structure fire with Police on scene forcing entry. It turned out to be burned food left unattended, but I started thinking we could probably cancel any other units tonight if we get a job. Ben will probably have Primary and Secondary searches done, fire under control and start salvage and overhaul before I pull the brake on the engine! He's like a crackhead getting electrocuted!!! At one point he told us he can not stop pacing back and forth.

Well he is doing good now. We enjoyed our last meal with Ben. For desert we enjoyed the cake and Jerry had a special treat for Ben. He likes to cross the names off of the seniority list with red ink when someone quits or retires. This was a first for Jerry....he got to do it right in front of the guy leaving. Ben was a good sport and even showed him where his name was.

Afterwards Jerry took Ben to the new station 5 to show him around the house he'll never get to run in. It was an emotional moment for Jerry. I haven't seen him this upset since we watched Titanic together.

That's all we have folks. We wish Ben and his family the best. C-shift is losing a good guy.

If we get anything tonight I'll post some pics later. Good night everyone, be safe out there.

P.S. To my buddy Broadway....now at 5. On that structure fire call...It was like when you were at 3, except you beat us in. You need to thank that school bus driver. If I didn't have to stop and kill my lights......we had you! XOX Good O

A Shift 2/3

It is late and I am ready for bed but thought I would try to get a post up anyway before the ding dings go off again so this one will be short. Started the day off with make up fit testing down at Station 1 with the guys from old Station 5. Appears after the test we are OK to be in some bad Mojo since we passed and were sent away with our very own personal mask.

With the Lt on vacation in Alabama visiting all his close relatives we had Rusty(Slim) driving the Engine today and wouldnt you know it they catch an apartment fire. Our Hippie Hotel Buddies from Station 3 arrived and were able to get a handle on it quickly with minor damage including chasing down a crazy cat that pretty much man handled Duane. Great job guys on the fire. Slim seems to be doing just fine here at 9 and seem to be fitting right in. I think without a doubt everyone here is in agreement that he is coming out of his shell due to the need for earplugs sometimes when he gets all wired up. Sorry about the pic of Slim but the guy just can not sit still long enough for me to get a clear shot of him.


We went down and picked up the base for the new table this morning and were able to get another step closer to finishing it. Thanks to Lt Brown and all that helped with the base, according to Captain it fit perfect and looks great. I believe the table is ahead of schedule with all the long hours being put in on it and I have to say it is going to be pretty nice except for the need of a crane to lift it.

Looks like we might be doing another fairwell slide show to a member here at Station 9 so look for it coming soon after all the details are ironed out. Well its after 3am and I have not seen the bed yet so until next day stay safe and in house.

A shift 3/3

I know it is not an A shift day but I thought it would be nice to post even it is a little late. Lt was gone most of the day helping with the new recruits working on a house for them to tear up later. We had a busy last day with the new Station 5 table coming right along and starting to actually look like a table minus the legs. We also had a call in our first due for fire that was out of control and getting close to a structure but we were able to get on it fast and take care of it with the Engine and Medic.


New Station 5 is scheduled to open in April so the table is getting some serious work so hopefully it will be ready to go by ribbon cutting. All the guys are helping out including our soon to be roommates at old Station 5. Their have been some changes to the table but I believe after all is said and done it will one hell of a table. When I say everyone has been helping out I would be lying since their is one at the station who just really does not care about the table and I do not want to mention any names(Good-O). Every time we are out building you can usually find him in the office doing something else more constructive with his time in his eyes.

I know what you are saying, how could he do that, well he does venture out to the table occasionally but it is just to rag on the table and make negative comments about it. The closest he gets is the exercise equipment which he doesn't use except to feel taller and look down on everyone else as he speaks.

Good-O is on vacation next cycle so we want have to worry about his negativity and we should be able to accomplish a lot without him in the way. Till next cycle stay safe and in house.

A-Shift 2/3

It's Sunday here in NW. It was a warm day and a busy one. Typically we get a day of rest on the weekend, however with the fast approaching move.....we need to get ready. Captain Weeks (9-A) and Lt. Brown (5-B) are heading up the new station table project. The word is the metal base is getting started soon. Here at 9 the top is coming along very well.

Bevo is doing the shift as a fill in at #2 today. But Franks seems to be doing enough work to make up for the personnel shortage. Just look at him multitask. He sure knows his way around a vacuum.

He and Z-man didn't just come to wood-shop class today. They got their learn on pulling some study time for the I and P classes.

RS1 1Lt Riddle dropped by with a special guest today. RN Becky Corley from L&D at RMH was doing a ride along.

She just so happens to be one of Jerry's preceptors. Being an old friend of mine she did a special favor for us and gave our Paramedic to be a little OB lecture. You can tell he was eager to learn as usual.........

Well that's all we have for today. Christmas should return next day to tell us all about his new interest in coin collecting. Until then, have a good night and be safe.