Firefighter Nation - Firefighter Rescue and EMS Social Network

The Professional & Social Network for Firefighters, EMS & Rescue

FIGHTIN FIRE AT THE VOLCANO!!!!!

Joel C Kelley 40, Male
Kurtistown Hawaii, United States

Joel C Kelley's Friends

Joel C Kelley's Groups

Joel C Kelley's discussions

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ALL THE REAL FIREFIGHTERS

Replied Sep 4

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ALL THE REAL FIREFIGHTERS

Replied Sep 3

Stealing Shipboard Firefighting Tactics (Eductors) for an Alternative Water Supply *UPDATED*

Replied Sep 3

 

Latest Nation Member Activity

Joel C Kelley started a discussion called Fueling Our Cells in Nutrition and fitness Sep 4
Joel C Kelley created a group called Nutrition and fitness Sep 4
Joel C Kelley replied to the discussion WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ALL THE REAL FIREFIGHTERS Sep 4
Joel C Kelley replied to the discussion WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ALL THE REAL FIREFIGHTERS Sep 3

Profile

Hometown:
Cortez, Colorado
I Live: (City, State)
Kurtistown, Hawaii
Years in Fire/EMS:
sixteen
Why I Joined the Fire/EMS:
To help get right with the universe and to give myself a challenge.
Relationship Status:
Married
Primary Fire/EMS Department:
Hawaiian Acres Fire Department, Kurtistown, Hawaii
Department Type:
Fire/Rescue Department - Volunteer
Rank/Role There:
Firefighter
Years With This Department/Agency
1
Other Past or Current Departments:
Wheat Ridge F.D., Colorado.
Hondo V.F.D., Santa Fe County, New Mexico.
My Training:
FF 1 & 2, New Mexico and Colo.
Fire Officer 1, New Mexico
S-130, S-190 USDA forestry.
USFS I.C.S.
Holmatro rescue tools Cert.
EMT-B, New Mexico & Colo.,
EMT-I, New mexico.
PHTLS
ACLS
Hazmat Responder 1 & 2 Colorado and New Mexico.
About Me:
Too many years ago to count, about 17, My friend borrowed my folk's car to go on a date. While DUI, he totalled the car and killed his date. The State took no action, so I did. I set about to make things cosmically right by joining the volunteer department that responded to the call. They were the best! I could not have gotten better training if I had gotten into a paid academy. I made Lieutenant in three years and after two years in that position, thought I might try to go paid, so I moved to Denver. Four years trying to compete in that climate of "do anything to get the job", left me tired and burnt out, realizing I just wanted to Volunteer. When I moved to Hawaii this year, that option came again open, and here I am, on Engine Company 5-B in Hawaii County, and proud of it!
Day Job:
Small business Owner
Side Jobs or Other Organizations:
Outdoor Outfitter and gear head
Personal Site/Profile:
http://www.ohanaoutfitters.com
Top Issues Facing Responders:
The disparity between union and non union departments, Guaranteeing good recruits in volunteer departments, funding in small departments with small tax bases, good training.
I Love Being in Fire/EMS Because:
Being able to make a difference in my community
>

Joel C Kelley's Photos

Loading…

Add to Facebook

Joel C Kelley's Blog

Advice to Rookies

This is very likely to piss of the old timers, but I want to start talking about it, in hopes that our industry can find what it really needs and dispense with what is either outdated or does not work. I found this advice on a fire website today, and while some of the items are great advice, others really smack of hazing and a lack of teamwork. I am going to publish the original in black and my thoughts on it are underlined. I would like to see what kind of discussion this prompts to find out wh… Continue

Posted on August 18th, 2008 at 6:00pm — 8 Comments (Add)

Climate change

From the title, you might get the idea that this post will be about global warming.... well its not. I looked at the draft report from NIOSH on the Charleston LODD's from last year, and got to thinking about the climate in which we do our jobs. Incidentally, the report is available at: http://static.wciv.com/niosh.pdf. Maybe I am just venting and maybe this will conclude with some ideas for positive change, I don't know. But I do know that generally speaking, the public, the municipalities we s… Continue

Posted on May 9th, 2008 at 4:37pm — No Comments (Add)

Progress

They county is putting us through FF1. This will be my fourth trip through the Essentials, but hey free CE's, right? I found out last week that the county has contracted with Total Fire Group/ Morning pride for new gear, so it looks like I got here at a great time. A lot of change is happening right now, and it is all good!

Posted on March 21st, 2008 at 10:29pm — No Comments (Add)

Progress report

Well I finally got a set of gear from the County, 13 year old gear from globe, (it will be a backup set,) boots, pants, coat, hood and gloves, no helmet. That's okay though because I have my leather and don't want to put a metro wheelchock on my head anyhow....

It sounds like the County is trying to find us a new truck, and I sent my chief some ideas for interface pumper designs just in case the county decides to find us a new new truck. That is really the pumper we need, with so many…

Continue

Posted on November 1st, 2007 at 11:00pm — No Comments (Add)

Monthly update.

Just a quick report on last nights monthly training.

Life is improving. I got the chance to talk with Chief and ask a few questions that have been weighing on my mind, and the response was mostly favorable. I will be helping him repair the foam system on our current engine, as well as getting with him on designs for catchment based FDC's. Our County training officer is working hard to do right by us as well, and I think we may be able to lobby for a new engine soon. I will send som…

Continue

Posted on October 3rd, 2007 at 2:31pm — No Comments (Add)

Comment Wall (28 comments)

You need to be a member of Firefighter Nation - Firefighter Rescue and EMS Social Network to add comments!

Join this network

At 11:14pm on August 22nd, 2008, surfeveryday said…
Hey howsit! Ya this site is pretty good i just discovered it. I'm with Honolulu FD. stay safe on the big isle.
At 4:55am on August 21st, 2008, bogdana muha said…
hello, dear brother! thank you very much for your words. well, let's talk about the tattoo. well... what i love the most? i love my job. i love it more than everything. than, i love my friends, with all my heart. i would die for them. i wanna tattoo my neck, back of the head, scruff of the neck and it should be something not too big, because we are not allowed to wear tattoo to be viewed. please, give me an advice, an ideea.
thank you!
God bless and stay safe!
At 2:42pm on July 31st, 2008, Michael Schlags said…
Had the chance to spend time on your beautiful island bro, in fact 14 times... I taught fire code stuff and really enjoyed being the first howlee (spelling?) to teach fire code to the four counties in Hawaii. Sounds like you are on a mission to be better outfitted and prepared. My department does a ton of wildland and my station is on the pacific coast, a couple of miles down the coast from Hollister Ranch (assuming that you surf, this is a pretty well known place). Anyway, dealing with most of the stuff you have in your 1st in has been researched and refined since we started doing wildland in 1926. So tell me what you need, and how can help a brother. Stay safe. Mike
At 8:09am on May 22nd, 2008, Leo Cartwright said…
Hi Joel; Question Please; do you know a Patricia Dukes MICTa friend of mine? If so please say hello. Thanks

Leo
At 8:20am on May 18th, 2008, Tony P said…
Well Joel - your service certainly doesn't look after you does it! There are people with the same attitude over here as well. Luckily for us our own fire service and the State govt know that we are so much less expensive than a wholly career service, the State couldn't afford the same level of fire cover without us. We're not trying to take any career jobs, but some of them would like to be taking our Stations, at least those like mine in the outer suburbs of the state capital. They see that as providing more jobs for them and therefore more chance for promotion - I can understand their view but don't agree with it. (I stress that it's only some people)

My service has around 60,000 volunteers with about 600 career helping us with the busier stations (combined vol and career). Mine is one of the not-so-busy outer suburban stations with around 300 calls a year - all fire/rescue, no EMS. (For us a call is when we are paged out, not related to how many trucks we roll). And I wouldn't want there to be too many more calls than we get now!

Keep working on it mate, get the public on your side. You should be properly equipped!
At 8:25pm on May 17th, 2008, rob elliott said…
hey there hows it going there all safe well i am just dropping you a message to say hello ande wondering if you would be able to send me some patches for my collection and i will return you some and here is my postal address 8 scobie cres bellambi nsw 2518 australia
At 8:42am on May 15th, 2008, Tony P said…
G'day Joel. Another day passes and I learn something new - love it! About six months ago I saw a map detailing the percentage split for each state of the USA - career/volunteer firefighters. Hawaii was shown as ZERO for volunteers; today I see a comment of yours on a forum which fixed that misconception.
So, are there many volunteer departments in Hawaii? Do they all get that 5 minute later call to jobs in their own area?
At 5:33am on May 6th, 2008, aiwohi said…
Aloha braddah, greeting from da valley isle!
At 9:40am on April 20th, 2008, Rik Helldatshot said…
ALOHA You ol'Son of a gun you! You haven't fell of into one of those Volcanos over there have ya? The Presidents house has been taken care off now so go to the MS DIV SCV an check it out! Hope your Well,Take care!
At 8:08am on February 12th, 2008, Mike W. said…
The costume from "Gangs of New York" is purported to be fairly authentic. I have a parade belt for the Americus Fire Company that I purchased from Dell Leather. It is a Civil War Zouave parade belt for the same fire company that was depicted the movie.

View All Comments

 
 

Sign in

E-mail

Password

Find Members Fast



Or Search by Name, Department, Keyword
  
Ex: "Los Angeles", Hyattsville, Andrew, "Haz Mat", Paramedic

Featured Groups

Support FFN Now

Buy Cool Firefighter Nation & Rank Gear: Mousepads, window stickers, rank license plates, mugs, tees and more.

FFN Birthdays Today

E-Mail Alerts

Email Newsletter icon, E-mail Newsletter icon, Email List icon, E-mail List icon Enter your E-Mail for Firefighter Nation Alerts

Get Your Badge

Spread the word! Get a FFN badge that you can display on your website, Facebook. MySpace & more. (Get Code)

Get More Badges

 

© 2008   Created by Web Chief Dave Iannone, a Go Forward Media, LLC Property
• Contact Us: Report an Issue, Inquire About Advertising & Partnerships
This site is intended for use by current and former fire, rescue & EMS professionals. Non emergency service personnel may be subject to review and removal. Using this site inappropriately to spam/advertise or solicit members in any way will result in account termination.

Contact Firefighter Nation  |  Feedback  |  Privacy  |  Terms of Service