Ron Maddox's Blog (3)

Well today marks the true start (for this season) of the silly crap that people do. Today in Dry Ridge we had our first round of bad roads. For some reason everyone forgets how to drive in the snow. It started to stick to the roads about 0600 and by 0900 we were on the first of many runs for the day. This happens every year, for what ever reason no one drives with caution. And tose tat do drive, especially those going to shop could care less why you are out running red lights and do not care as… Continue

Is it me or do departments today rely more on electronic tools than before? TIC is one. GPS Computers on our trucks. Power point presentations. Cell phone and Nextel. Are we as the fire service getting to the point where we can not fight fire anymore without a Thermal Imaging Camera as the first thing off our trucks? Do you feel that we depend on these things more now and if so - should we? When I started (a thousand years ago) we wore day boots and long coats and fireball gloves. The gear w… Continue

This is a question I ask my recruits when I start a new class...

Why do you want to be a firefighter? When I started it was different than today. We joined to help people and to aid the department. Today it seems that most of the new (younger) members feel that we shoud give them everything for joining the department. I know that I will get RIPPED for this but its true. When I started you kept your mouth shut, gave respect to the leaders of the department, and did what you were told (u

… Continue