LOOKING TOWARDS 2010

What a year! Kind of an emotional roller coaster for the Melrose Misfits and our Department as a whole. A-shift has worked their last day of 2009 so I guess C-shift will try a "best of" or "highlight" post next day (Thursday) to kind of sum up the year. Yep, not only did the C-shift Misfits get to work Christmas Eve, we also have the honor of pulling New Year's Eve as well. Oh well, someone has to do it and we'll do our best to get a worthy post up. I mentioned an emotional roller coaster and by now, you should all know that we laid to rest one of our most respected members yesterday...Retired Battalion Chief Billy Obenchain. Rhett and Mikey Overacker have some great photo coverage of the funeral here and here. I must admit that once again I was humbled by the turn out (local news coverage here). The "Sea of Blue" behind the hearse would make any brother swell with pride. As with Brother Chris Brown's funeral, members from all around the Valley attended the service while our brothers and sisters from Roanoke County and Salem helped to fill our rigs and stations. I did not get nor compile the list of those brothers and sisters this time, but without naming each of you, please accept our sincere appreciation and THANKS! Our Honor Guard....WOW! What an awesome display of respect for a fallen brother! Just look at some of those pictures linked above. What's not so obvious was the weather and well... it sucked. Freezing cold with high wind. FREEZING COLD! Those guys never swayed at either service (Church or graveside). At the Church, somehow or another our very own Lt. Bugg and Lt. Songer (Station #10-C) had the honor of being posted by our fallen Chief's casket during the service (as they did at Capt. Brown's service). Another solid 45+ minutes on "guard" without a flinch. To each of our Honor Guard members, at both of the viewings, during the Church Service and at the Graveside Ceremony, WELL DONE LADS! You made us all proud. The stories have been told at every station today. Everything from the wooden spoon beatings to kitchen table wash downs and spiced up cigars. It was even said that he's most likely somewhere in heaven conducting a hose line drill, teaching strategy and tactics or testing a new nozzle. Fitting I'd say. Gone but never forgotten, REST IN PEACE CHIEF BILLY.
Ok, like so many other times this year, and like Billy would have expected, we got back on the trucks today. Another cold and windy day and busy on top of that. It seems as though the day has been all about vehicle accidents and car fires. On the North side, we had one rolling under a car port. A quick response and knock down by "Smoke and More, Running 4" (with our crippled War Wagon on their tail) kept it from extending into the structure. Responding companies were E4, E9, E5, L13, M4, B2 and RS1. Working fire was signaled due to the volume of fire and it's location of being under the carport, but additional companies were turned around. A good job by all members on scene. Lt. George Perdue of Lucky Ladder 13 was able to overcome the obstacle of Officers strewn in the front yard to force entry and conduct a search with negative results. Companies were up and back in service quickly with only minor injuries to an ankle and some Captain pride :-) Here are some pics

Yea, our ole War Wagon blew a radiator hose while en route but still managed to make it in, and YES....this time WE laid the line (lol).
Think I'll wrap it up here for tonight. I'll close with saying thanks for all the thoughts and prayers sent to the Obenchain family and our Department. I'd ask that you continue to keep the Obenchains and Brown families on your mind and near your heart as they continue to deal with these losses. I'd also mention a brother from the opposite side of the Country (and his Department as well) who seems to be struggling through a loss of their own. Follow Captain Schmoe's blog here ANYTHING you need Capt. we're a phone call or key stroke away.
Captain Wines

A-shift's Last Day of 2009

Photo: left to right FF Noell, FF Wheeling, Chief Billy, Capt. Weeks, & Lt. Goodwin

This is A-shift's last tour of the year, we will be back to start the much anticipated( hopefully better) new year. Please keep the Obenchain family in your prayers, we will be honoring a HERO tomorrow. K.Weeks

HO HO HO ! MERRY CHRISTMAS from the Melrose Misfits

It's Christmas eve and C-shift is pulling the tour (A-shift will report for Christmas Day). Both Battalions have pulled through the day with mixed emotions following the passing of Chief Obenchain. It's been a fairly busy day and I guess that helps the time pass. I'm riding the Battalion again and was able to grab a few pictures of some incidents. I'll add a few real quick but I don't want to take away from the most important events / topics of the day. Briefly, here's the shots....
MVA into the 1st story of a 3 story wood frame apartment building. Moderate structural damage to load bearing walls... Units responding were: E14, E5, M101, L1, HTR6, RS1 and BC2





(Guess we'll have to rename ol David "The Hammer" Lucas since he's found that new fancy SCBA powered nail GUN).
The Melrose Misfits have also been steady today. A small fire with L13, some EMS and a broken water line. Here's a few shots of the boys out with L2...



It also seems as though ol Santa came a little early for the brothers and sisters at Station #2 aka "The Deuce". A gift that would even make ol Fire Geezer himself drool. Check it out...aint she a BEAUT!

If I can figure out how to steal..errrrr "procure" that baby, just think of how much hot Kool-aid we can have up at #9. Nothing better when there's a little snow on the ground...ummmmmummmm! Yea Geezer..I said Kool-aid! Coffee just winds us up too much and anyhow, kool-aid is simply how we roll...RED too!
Ok, on to the important stuff. It's Christmas Eve and there are men and women all across this great country of ours pulling tours in a firehouse near you. I sometimes think that people often forget we serve 24/7. That means weekends, holidays, etc. Dispatchers, Police Officers, EMS providers and Public Safety Officers work the same shifts as well. Now I know "it's our job" but from the Melrose Misfits, THANKS FOR BEING ON THE JOB! (tonight and every night). You see, while we're "here", someone else is "there" protecting our loved ones. The same goes for our men and women in the Military who are serving all over the world. May we all have a quiet, peaceful and safe night. MERRY CHRISTMAS to each and every one!
I also wanted to briefly explain what I said in last days post. I mentioned that Chief Obenchain was a "past Melrose Misfit". At one time, either Rhett or myself had written an article about various patches within our Department. The article explained how it was Chief Billy (not a Chief then) who created and designed the "fire kicking ass" patch in order to show company pride

I have great pride in the fact that the concept of that fire kicking ass is alive and well today. We have several variations but the results remain the same. Here's one Bugg created using a slightly different ass (it can also be found atop our shift calender at the bottom of this page)

I have to admit that I like Chief Billy's better. Just look at the detail...he even put a Scott on the ass...BEAUTIFUL! You just gotta love it! Anyhow, that's just one of many connections Chief Obenchain has to Station #9 and the Misfits. I'm sure we'll post more in the near future.
Service arrangements are posted here on our site. Please remember to keep the Obenchain family in your thoughts and prayers.
Once again, MERRY CHRISTMAS and good night. Captain Wines

Retired Chief Obenchain

It's with a heavy heart that we report to you that Retired Chief Obenchain (and past Melrose Misfit)is returning home from the cancer center this afternoon with Hospice. Chief has fought a long and difficult battle with friends and family by his side. Keep the Obenchain family in your thoughts and prayers as they (and we) work through this difficult time. He is surrounded by family and friends who wish to express their gratitude for all the support they have received. Here is a past photo of Chief Billy.

These photos were taken by Holly Lipes and are the only documented photos that we have of an entire Battalion being photographed at once in Roanoke City. More images can be seen here.

Rhett also has a post concerning Chief Obenchain here.

**(additional note) **I didn't mention earlier that some off duty members were planning / scheduling to take Chief Obenchain to Duke in the morning. In the planning process, we were looking for somewhere for our members to eat, rest etc. Rhett worked his computer magic and found a station close by the hospital. I contacted Captain Towner from Durham Station #2 and that was all we needed. The Captain and his men are Members of the IAFF Local 668 and offered any and everything . Regretfully, we wont have the chance to accept their generous and brotherly offer. I hope we never have to but know if the tables are ever turned, the brothers and sisters of L1132 will be at the ready. Thanks again to Captain Towner and the members of Durham Station #2. Check out Durham Fire Dept. and Station #2 here or on Facebook here.

-Captain Wines