the Happy Medic's Page

Last thing I remember was waking up this morning 10 minutes late for my 1 hour commute. It is 5 in the afternoon here at Engine 99. We've had 2 calls so far (unusual) but today is FLYING BY. I've updated both blogs, facebook, twitter and now back on Firefighter NAtion catching up.

Einstein once defined relativity using the example of a young boy looking at a pretty girl. Ask the boy to look at the pretty girl for a minute and it will seen like 10 seconds since he wants it to last. But ask the b… Continue

I met Donald Noss Jr, author of Fire Faceoff, right here in the pages of FFN.

It is the story of a fire that swept through his apartment building late at night.

You can find out more by searching his name here to see his page or read the review at Happy Medic Head Quarters.

I have no association and make no profit from recommending this book, I just think responders should read it to understand what people tr… Continue

On the theme of "A lesson learned," I recalled a rough call that taught me more than I could have thought.
Here's a snippet:

My mentor there, I'll call him Bill, was a relaxed Paramedic who always talked about everything but the job. You know the type. Sports, family, anything, but when the bells rang he was all business and I soaked it up like a sponge.

Bill was the one who taught me that driving an ambulance isn't a race, but instead a challenge to see how little you can make the box move fr… Continue

Here is this week's You Make the Call from my home blog the Happy MedicFeel free to comment here, or there, or both. The results of what happened will be posted, as always, Monday morning.

I started this segment of my blog as a way to get ideas flowing and see how folks around the country and the world handle the same event. There is no "right" answer, only what you would do, compared later with what I did. Sometimes the best way to learn is by c… Continue

OK everyone, you read right, Happy needs a tiller. Somewhere out there is my perfect rig, let me describe it to you:

circa 1976-1980 open cab or white top american lafrance 100' tiller drawn aerial ladder truck.
It needs to be in good running order and in decent body shape.

Here's the great part, the ladder DOES NOT need to be operable, tested, heck if it's missing, I'm still game.
If I have to drive it across this great land, or have it shipped, I will do it.

Have you seen my truck FFN?

Let… Continue