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Vol. 9 No 11 www.harlemroscoefire.com November 2004

Clockwise, Fire Prevention Officer Virgil Johnson answers questions from a Ralston School student, Firefighter Chris Scott shows his son Ty how to spray a real fire hose during Fire Prevention Week Open House, Prairie Hill School students check out Firefighter Dave Doyle’s gear, and Chief Oscar Presley explains parts of a fire pumper to a couple of Open House visitors.

Photo by Sheryl Drost

Fire Prevention Week

Fire Prevention Week kept the firefighters at Harlem-Roscoe Fire very busy with station tours, school visits complete with smoke alarms and fire drills, and an Open House to end the week. See inside for all the details…

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The Firehouse Scene – November 2004

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Basement Fire Photos by Sheryl Drost

October 9, the fire tones sounded again in the wee hours of the morning for a possible house fire. Fire trucks from all three stations responded to 4163 Valerie Road. Chief Presley arrived first, reported smoke showing, and that all residents were safely outside. The occupants also stated that the fire was in the basement. Crews headed into the house and quickly found the fire in the basement. Firefighter Chris Scott rescued one of the family cats and brought it out to very happy owners. The fire was now extinguished, but the home was still full of smoke. Positive pressure fans were set up to rid the home of smoke and the fire investigation team was called in. After their investigation, the team reported the fire was believed to have started in a chair in the basement by careless use of smoking material. The Red Cross was called in and three reps arrived very quickly to help the family with any immediate needs.

Firefighters are silhouetted as they set up a ladder in the garage to check the attic for smoke and fire.

Firefighter Chris Scott with the family cat he rescued from the smoke. The cat was handed over to very happy owners and seemed to be fine.

The Great Horse Rescue? Photo by Chief Presley

One of H-R Firefighter Joe Quast’s horses, a 2000 lb Persherion mare named Gerty, was found stuck in a muddy creek bed on his farm. Joe, his wife Jane, their daughter Beth, and her fiancé Nathan worked to free her.

Finally after Joe got kicked trying to free the mare, he let his wife call the fire station for help. A call went out and trucks responded, but the horse was rescued before they arrived. Joe’s wife Jane says, “Gerty’s temperature didn’t even register when we started warming her up. We brought a generator into the field and after using electric blankets, IV’s, and a lot of TLC Gerty is doing fine and is now back with the herd!”

Rescuing Animals Can be Dangerous!

In the case of the Valerie house fire, even though everything seemed fine, the owner was advised that if an animal has been exposed to a heavy amount of smoke or fire it is at risk and should be checked by a vet. An animal that has been in smoke can become disoriented and react in any number of ways from lethargic to neurotic – even to their owners.

• Rescuers need to protect themselves from bites by having full turnout gear on including gloves.

• The Roscoe Vet Clinic suggests using a blanket to cover a cat and that will usually calm them. They also suggest giving an animal that has been in smoke some oxygen right away.

• Be sure that the animals are not aggressive before handing them over to their owner.

• Dogs and cats can become very protective of their owners when they are sick or hurt. So a normally docile pet could charge or bite.

• When rescuing scared horses from a barn fire you may have to cover their heads before you can lead them out or get them to run out. Be sure to shut doors behind you because they may try to run back to their stall even though it’s on fire.

• Advise an owner to take their pet to see a veterinarian as soon as possible even if the animal appears fine.

• If a firefighter is bitten or scratched, the area should be cleaned with antibacterial soap and looked at by a doctor. Plus the animal should be quarantined.

Riding Lawnmower Burns Photos by Sheryl Drost

November 9, the resident at 11112 Hamborg was mowing and ran out of gas. She shut the mower off and went to get her gas can. She started to pour the gas in and she said it went pop and started on fire. She ran as the gas in the tank ignited. A passing motorist saw it happen and stopped to help. The fire was quickly spreading through the leaves on the ground, so he started raking a fire break as the resident called 9-1-1. Harlem-Roscoe Fire’s minipumper arrived and firefighters quickly had the fire under control.


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Accidents Photos by Chief Presley and Sheryl Drost

10/22/04 Hwy 251, Just South of Williams Drive.

10/26/04 Hwy 173 and Mitchell Road 10/26/04 Hononegah Road and Dorr Road

10/29/04 Hwy 251 and Swanson Road – 5 car accident.

10/30/04 Hwy 173 & Perryville Road


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Congratulations

Lt. Bob Hamilton, his wife Carrie, and daughter Haley show off the newest Hamilton, Dain Michael. Dain was born on October 6. He arrived 3 weeks early, but is doing wonderful. Dain measured in at 7lbs. 8ozs.and 20 ½” long. Congratulations Bob & Carrie, he sure is a cutie!

Certificate of Recognition Award

November 1, 8-year-old Brianna Pierce was honored in front of her Maple School classmates by Harlem-Roscoe Fire Chief Oscar Presley and Paramedics John Presley and Bill Schieder. She was presented a Certificate of Recognition Award for her quick thinking and proper response to an emergency situation. Deputy Chief/Paramedic John Presley explains, “On September 17, Paramedic Schieder and I responded to an unknown medical at the home of Brianna’s grandmother in Machesney Park. Brianna apparently believed her grandmother had fallen, she called her father, and he then called 9-1-1. Brianna met us at the door and took us to where her grandmother was. Brianna was an awesome helper. She assisted us in locating medications, giving her grandmother’s name and date of birth, and telling us exactly what happened.” After Brianna received her award in front of all of the Maple School 2nd Graders, Paramedic Schieder commented that he had never seen a child smile so big before! Brianna, you are a special little girl and we are all so very proud of you!

Halloween Scrap Book

Firefighter Jill Evans, Paul Stanphill, Deputy Chief Kirk Wilson, Paramedic John Morgan, and not shown, Jerry McCormick handed out candy to the Stepping Stones Preschoolers. The costumed preschoolers paraded through the school’s parking lot trick or treating. Several parents joined the firefighters in handing out candy.

Firefighter Costumes Trustee Jerry Ocker brought in his grandsons James and Thomas dressed as a firefighter and a Dalmatian puppy for a picture on one of the fire trucks.

Shannon Burbach’s two sons, Logan and Lucas, were both firefighters for Halloween. Logan also got to wear a fire truck that his daddy made special to go with the costume. (Very impressive Shannon!) Logan told his mom that she had to send his picture to the fire lady that takes pictures. Thank you Logan, I loved your picture and here it is for everyone to enjoy!

Logan knew just what to have his mom do when she got a cute picture…send it to Sheryl! If you get a picture you think we would all like to see, email the picture to me at [email protected] if it is digital or drop it off at Station One and we will put it in the newsletter.


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Pancake Breakfast a Success!

Left, Firehouse Bar & Grill Manager Nicole volunteered to help and is shown here working alongside Extrication Team member Aaron Miller. October 16, Harlem-Roscoe Fire’s Extrication Team hosted a pancake

breakfast. It was very well attended and team Captain Mike Huffman reports, “Around 317 meals were served and the team wishes to thank the community for their support and to all the people that helped put on the breakfast!”

Extrication Team members pose for a picture around the pancake grill. L-r Chad Radke, Ramona Baldoni, Jim Daughenbaugh, Aaron Miller, Jeff Morris, Mike Huffman, and Lt. Bob Hamilton. Donation

L-r Captain Mike Drost, Lt. Bill Sabin, Chief Oscar Presley, Firehouse Manager Nicole, and owner Bob Prosser.

The local Firehouse Pub Bar & Grill in Roscoe hosted a couple of events and donated a percentage of those proceeds to Harlem-Roscoe Fire in honor of those that lost their lives on 9-11. On October 14, Firehouse owner Bob Prosser and his manager Nicole presented Harlem-Roscoe Fire with the checks.

Construction Begins

Construction has begun on an addition to Station One. The 22ft. high addition will include two maintenance bays with 16ft. overhead doors, a small mechanics office, a storage area, as well as a mezzanine for light storage. Mechanics will now even be able to raise the cab of the ladder truck for maintenance on it.

October 23, the digging began. Ron Dobnick’s crew got right to work.

After all the digging Mike Fasula’s crew get the forms ready for the concrete footings.

The footings are poured.

A worker smoothes out the concrete on the apron area.


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Kitchen Fire Photo by Sheryl Drost

October 22, a fire truck was dispatched to Forest Ridge Dr. to check out an extinguished kitchen fire. It seems the resident had put a bag with a breakfast sandwich from McDonalds in the microwave to heat it up. The bag caught fire, and when he tried to grab the bag and put it in the sink, the bottom of the bag broke. Fire and ashes fell onto the stove and floor. As a retired North Park Firefighter though, resident Bill Hyde knew just what to do. Bill explained, “After the bag broke, I grabbed my ¾” hose line from the sink and extinguished the fire. I then did horizontal ventilation by opening the front and back doors.” I tell you Bill, once a firefighter, always a firefighter!

A burn area can be seen inside the microwave.

Digging Causes Broken Gas Lines

October 31 contractors severed a gas line while digging for a mailbox on Monarch Rd. And on November 11, Roscoe Village workers severed a line on Reimer Drive while digging for sewer lines. Both times NiCor Gas was called to the scene to stop the leak and repair the pipes. Left, Firefighter Ron Klaman checks out the leak on Monarch.

Website Update www.harlemroscoefire.com There is now a virtual tour of the new burn tower on the

department’s website. Just go to the website and there is a yellow star that you can click on to take you there or you may click on stations, then on training facility.

If you have trouble on Harlem-Roscoe’s website or the pictures aren’t clear, let Sheryl know, so she can clear it up for everyone.

Be sure to wander around the site while you’re there looking at the virtual tour and check out the other updates. The site gets updated 1-3 times a month, so check back often.

Remember if you have been on the site before, your browser may be be saving that old site and won’t show the new one until you refresh your site. You can do that by right clicking and clicking on refresh or use your browser controls to click on reload or refresh.

Ground Breaking

November 11, Chief Oscar Presley, Hawksview owner Ray, and his uncle broke ground for the new addition to the Hawksview Restaurant on Forest Hills Road in Machesney Park. The new building will include a banquet room that will seat up to 300 plus a bar area. Keep the Wreath Red!

December 1, the Harlem-Roscoe Fire Department will start the “Keep the Wreath Red” fire safety campaign. Each of the Harlem-Roscoe Fire Stations will have a large holiday wreath on the building, lit with red bulbs. If there are no holiday-related fires, the wreath remains red. If there are any fires which occur during the

holiday season, the red bulb is replaced with a white one. By looking at the wreaths, the community will be able to see how “fire safe” Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection District residents have been. This program will run from Dec. 1 through Jan. 2.

Did you know? • Offered a new pen to write with, 97% of all people will

write their own name. • It snowed in the Sahara Desert in February of 1979. • Plants watered with warm water grow larger and more

quickly than plants watered with cold water. • There is a hotel in Sweden built entirely out of ice; it is

rebuilt every year. • In most watch advertisements the time displayed on the

watch is 10:10 because then the arms frame the brand of the watch and make it look like it's smiling.

• The names of the continents all end with the same letter with which they start.


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Happy Birthday

Tracy Wilson “30th” December 12th

Gone, But not forgotten

Some people come into our lives, and quickly go. Some stay awhile and leave footprints in our hearts.

And, we are never, ever the same.

• Leona Lincoln, mother of Paramedic Keith Lincoln passed away unexpectedly on October 28.

• Maynard O’Dell, brother to Assistant Chief Ken O’Dell and Special Services Sonny O’Dell. And Uncle to Secretaries Colleen Bloyer and Kelly Green passed away October 18th in Al Monte California.

Our deepest sympathy and prayers go out to Keith, Ken, Sonny, Colleen, Kelly, and their families. Please remember and treasure the memories of your loved ones and know that we are here if you need us!

Paramedic Bill Schieder shows off his little puppy Mitsy dressed up in her Harlem-Roscoe T-shirt!

Remember…the old “Green Weeny”? The truck was used by the department in the 70’s and 80’s for grass fires and snow plowing. It came a military green and the Trustees had it painted red, but the nickname stuck. It was a 4x4 Jeep and it could literally go anywhere. The guys just loved it, especially during the 78-79 record snows. It was the only way they got anywhere. Well, if you ever want to visit it you can at the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville Tennessee. The truck is on display there and Firefighter Mike Pierson contacted them by email and they sent up the following pictures:

www.lanemotormuseum.org

Chief Presley says our old trucks do get around. He knows of one in Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee, Rockford, and Southern Illinois.

Please Note

November 18 - Harlem-Roscoe will be hosting the Lions Club sponsored Senior Turkey Dinner. The dinner will be served from 11am to 1pm at Station #1 @ 10544 Main Street in Roscoe. It is open to any Senior Citizen and is free of charge. Any firefighters available to help serve please let the Chief know right away.

December 4 - Mark your calendars – H-R Fire’s department’s Chidren’s Christmas Party. The sign-up sheets are already up.

December18 – Needy Family baskets delivered. Collection barrels will be placed shortly at all three stations. Needed are: non-perishable foods, new toys, and clothing.

Birthdays November 1st Jerry McCormick Don Shoevlin 3rd Joe Quast Bill Scheider 11th Kelly Green 16th Jim Daughenbaugh December 8th Matt Lane 10th Chaplain Ron Ferguson 12th Tracy Krause 30th 13th Nick Jackson 19th Shirley Schoonover 26th Ron Klaman

December Breakfast Crew Ron Klaman, Steve Pomahac, Mike

Pierson, Dave Doyle, Ike Schoonover, John Bergeron, & Chaplain Cole.

Total Calls

October 2004

Medicals - 93 902 Accidents - 10 156 Fires - 16 118 Misc. - 17 190 Total 136 1366

The Firehouse Scene is a monthly newsletter produced by the Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection District. The paper is written and assembled by Photographer Sheryl Drost, final edit by Chief Oscar Presley, and printed by Premier Printing in Machesney Park. The newsletter is available at Station One - 10544 Main Street in Roscoe and on the department’s website wwwharlemroscoefire.com after the second Sunday of each month.


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Fire Prevention Week Keeps Firefighters Busy Photos by Sheryl Drost

School Visits

Firefighter Dave Doyle shows students what a fully geared firefighter looks like during a visit to Prairie Hill School.

Ralston School Visits Station Two

Left, Fire Prevention Bob Schoonover and Firefighter Ryan Alms pose with some students from Ralston School as they visit Station Two. Right, Firefighter Paul Stanphill discusses equipment kept on the fire truck with some more students from Ralston School.

Station Tours

The morning and afternoon classes of the Cross & Crown Preschool visited the station.

Open House October 10, Harlem-Roscoe Fire held their annual Fire Prevention Week Open House. This year it was held at Fire Station #2 located at 825 Ralston Road. There was a huge turnout and everyone had plenty to do – Slide down the fire pole, color on the fire mural, spray a real fire hose, climb in a real fire truck, watch a extrication exhibition, or enjoy treats of apples, cake, and cider.

Left, Firefighter Kevin Bouton kept an eye on the fire pole as right two little ones enjoy coloring on the fire mural.

Left, Brad Delmore helps this little firefighter spray a fire hose. Right, Trustee Bart Munger poses with his daughters and niece after they tried on some real fire gear.

The extrication team put on two extrication demonstrations during the Open House.


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Smoke Drill Harlem-Roscoe Firefighters were secretly let in a school hallway. Not long after, smoke was filling the hallway and the fire alarms sounded. Teachers and students soon encountered a wall of smoke as they tried to exit their planned and practiced route. What would they do? That is exactly what two local school principals wanted to find out and added a twist to their Fire Prevention Week fire drill. Kinnikinnick School and Prairie Hill School Administrators had Harlem-Roscoe Firefighters use harmless theatre smoke to block one hallway exit during the fire drills. In both cases the teachers and students passed the test and did the correct thing by turning around and finding another way to safely exit the building.

A class at Kinnikinnick School turns around after meeting a wall of smoke.

Students at Prairie Hill School also met a wall of smoke at their exit and had to take another way out.

Chief Oscar Presley is given the all clear at Prairie Hill School that all students are now accounted for. It seems one went missing during the fire drill, but was located. Blood Pressure Checks

October 28, Harlem-Roscoe EMT’s went to Roscoe Middle School to take and record blood pressures. Left, Paramedic Mike Powell takes a blood pressure of one of the students. Right, Mike Pierson takes one of the gym teachers.

Don’t Be A Turkey – When Frying Your Turkey!

By Debbie Rykowski – Public Awareness Division It’s that time of year again – in the coming

weeks your family will be planning the big Thanksgiving Feast to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends. In recent years, people have made the discovery of how wonderful a deep fried turkey tastes!! MMmmm – I can almost taste it now, my mouth is watering! If you have never tried deep fried turkey – I urge you to give it a try! Deep fried turkey is wonderfully juicy and there are gadgets out which allow you to “inject” sauces and spices directly into the turkey. Unfortunately – while deep frying your turkey is a wonderful and fun experience – it has also become a holiday tragedy for some people who don’t pay attention to safety precautions. Deep frying a turkey can lead to burn injuries and property damage from fires. Anyone who plans on giving deep fried turkey a try or any time you are using the large propane deep fryers – please take the following safety precautions. • Keep the deep fryer in full view while the burner is on. • Center the pot over the burner on the cooker. • Place the fryer in an open area, away from all walls, fences or

other combustible structures. • Never use IN, ON or UNDER a garage, breezeway, carport, porch,

deck, or any structure that can catch fire. • Allow 2’ of space between the liquid propane tank and fryer burner

itself. • Raise and lower food slowly to reduce splatter and avoid burns. • Completely thaw and dry ALL meats before cooking in hot oil.

Partially frozen and/or wet turkey can produce excessive hot oil splatter when added to the oil.

• Cover bare skin when adding or removing food. • Check the oil temperature frequently. • If the oil begins to smoke, immediately turn off the gas supply. • If a fire does occur, immediately call 9-1-1. • DO NOT attempt to extinguish the fire with water. While I would highly recommend deep frying your turkey this year, please exercise the above listed safety precautions and follow your manufacturer’s directions. Our family has been enjoying a deep fried turkey for years and it has become the food of choice at family gatherings throughout the year, not just Thanksgiving! We at the Harlem-Roscoe Fire Department want to extend a warm Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and your families! As always, please exercise caution and safety during the upcoming holiday season, we don’t want to meet you – by accident! Happy Thanksgiving!


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By Deputy Chief John Presley – Training Officer

It has been just a few months but the recruit class is going to graduate to probationary firefighters. Congratulations! They will begin their six month probationary time at the end of November; during this time we will assign them to a truck for inventory duties and general maintenance, the association will assign them to a breakfast crew, and they will receive their division assignment. The most often asked question is when do the recruits get to take their turn on shift duty? The answer is: After the probation period is completed! Welcome aboard and we hope this is the beginning of the most exciting job you’ll ever do. Trench Rescue Training

Chad Radke (kneeling) shows firefighters how to put together the aluminum shoring units on October 26 training night on Trench Rescue.

Saturday, October 9, the Stateline Technical Rescue Team held a monthly training at Station #3 on trench rescue.

Fire Origin & Cause Awareness Photo by Sheryl Drost

L-r FSI Instructor Steve Chasteen, Class organizers, Debbie and Mickey Rykowski, FSI Instructor Mike Deckelmann, and Captain Mike Drost.

November 6 & 7, Harlem-Roscoe Fire hosted a 12-hour Fire Origin and Cause Awareness Class that was sponsored by the Illinois Fire Service Institute and Illinois Chapter IAAI. The instructors for the class were Fire Science Institute Instructors Steve Chasteen and Mike Deckelmann. Steve is a Firefighter at Bloomington Fire Department - Airport Station and Mike is a retired Commander of Chicago Fire Department Office of Fire Investigations and President of IAAI. There were 25 that attended the class, of which 9 were from Harlem-Roscoe including: Captain Mike Drost, Captain Don Shoevlin, and Firefighters, Debbie Rykowski, Mickey Rykowski, Jim Johnson, Mike Powell, Brad Delmore, Ramona Baldoni, & Tom Lake. The other 16 in the class were from Chicago Heights Fire, Hinckley Fire, Peotone Fire, Chicago Fire, Factual Photo, Rob Painter & Assoc., Belvidere Fire, and Harvard Fire. The course description read, “The observations of the first-in fire crew during the various stages of the incident are extremely critical. From the moment of dispatch through the overhaul phase, the first responder’s senses are exposed to countless amounts of information, many of which can help make an accurate determination of fire origin and cause.” The class went through that in depth with discussions and videos on such things as fire patterns, debris identification, evidence protection, and right-of-entry along with many other topics. Harlem-Roscoe Firefighter Brad Delmore attended the class and comments, “The class was very interesting; it introduces you to the methods for determining fire origin and cause. Some of the topics were fire patterns, debris identification, the importance of protecting evidence and overhaul operations. I think this class is applicable for all firefighters and I think even investigators would consider it a good refresher course. The teaching combination of Steve Chasteen and Mike Deckelmann kept my attention throughout the class.” Captain Mike Drost adds, “I agree with Brad, that it was a great basic course for beginners, but also a good refresher for the veteran fire investigator. I found the coverage of the flashover fire very informative, especially the effects of flashover on the entire fire scene. Plus they had some new ideas on preserving soil samples for accelerants. I'd also like to thank Debbie Rykowski for her work in organizing the class.”


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Responding to Carbon Monoxide Calls

By: Deputy Chief Kirk Wilson - Health and Safety Officer With the winter months closing in, residence are closing up their homes and

preparing for cold weather. With this comes the possibility of responding to

CO incidents. It is reported over 1,500 people in the United States are killed by

this silent, deadly gas. Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas

produced by incomplete combustion of burning fuels. Sources range from furnaces, boilers, space heaters, stovetops, hot water heaters, clothes dryers, wood stoves, fireplaces, or any other fuel-burning device. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard for exposure are 50ppm for over an 8-hour period. Carbon monoxide levels over 50ppm should be considered dangerous. Continued exposure to over 100ppm can cause permanent brain, nerve, or heart damage. Some people require years to recover and some may never recover. Exposure to levels up to 400ppm can cause death over a period of just 2-3 hours. Dispatching to CO incidents requires some questions. Dispatchers should ask if the occupants are experiencing symptoms. If this is the case, the response should be immediate and require red lights and siren. If the occupants are not experiencing symptoms, a quick no lights and no siren response is fine. Symptoms of carbon monoxide may be very similar to flu like symptoms. They include headache, dizziness, and fatigue at low levels. At moderate levels symptoms may be severe headache, vomiting, dizziness, and increased pulse and respirations. At high levels symptoms may include collapse, unconsciousness, convulsions, coma and finally death. Treatment for CO poisoning should be swift. Remove the victim from the contaminated area. Start immediate oxygen therapy at 15 liters by mask. If symptoms and CO levels are severe, the patient may require the use of a hyperbaric chamber to force the CO out of the body. Swift treatment and transport can reduce effects of the victim. Detection – When arriving on scene make sure you have the proper equipment. Our department is currently in possession of several different gas monitors. We currently have 2 multi gas detectors, which can detect explosive levels, oxygen levels, and CO. We also have several Carbon Monoxide detectors as well. Conducting a fresh air setup is required before entering a suspected CO incident. • Make sure the monitor is reading zero parts per million

before you enter the building. • Please know your equipment. If you are not familiar with

the monitors, please ask your company officer for training. • It may be a good idea to have two CO monitors on scene to

compare findings. • Ask the occupant about the use of any fuel burning items

and check them accordingly. • Any items found that are producing CO must be repaired.

Advise the occupant to call a service technician. The fire

department is not responsible for repairs to defective appliances causing carbon monoxide.

• Home carbon monoxide alarms come in many different sizes and brands. Make sure you as a responder advise the occupant that they need to read, understand, and follow the manufactures instructions for their alarm.

• If the occupant does not have a CO alarm, the fire department may provide the occupant with one for up to 5 days.

• Record your findings on your report when you return to the station.

I hope this information remains with you when responding to CO incident. Remember, safety is our number one priority. Train safe and stay safe.

*************************************** Certificates

October 10, Debbie Rykowski was presented with her Certificates for Fire Investigator and Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention Specialist from the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshall. Congratulations Debbie!

Chaplains Corner By Chaplain Jim Cole

On Friday, October 15, my wife and I left for Louisville, KY, for the Federation of Fire Chaplains Conference. On Saturday and Sunday,

I attended a 13 hour course on Individual Crisis Intervention and Peer Support. Then, from Sunday evening through Thursday noon was the annual Chaplains meeting. I enjoy going for two reasons. First it is a training event that I get good training for the chaplaincy and two; I get to see fellow Chaplains whom I see only once a year. As with firefighters, there is a sense of family. I did see one funny thing. There was a big billboard, advertising whiskey, and it said, “I am Jack Daniels, and I approve of this ad." - Shades of political ads. There is a second matter for this month. On Saturday, December 4, 1954, Betty and I were married. That is 50 years ago. Whenever I go to 50th anniversary celebrations, I always congratulate the woman on putting up with this guy for 50 years! It is an accomplishment to go that long these days. As a matter of principle, I am against divorce, but I have lived long enough to know that there are times when it is the only way out. I can think of seven women, three of them family, and a couple whose weddings I officiated, and all seven of them ended up divorcing their first husbands, for good reason, and are now married, happily, to their second husbands. I have been blessed to have the wife I do. I am reminded of a story about a couple celebrating their 50th, and a reporter asked the wife if she ever thought of divorce. She said, "Oh, never divorce. Murder sometimes, but never divorce." An invitation: There will be a open house at the Roscoe United Methodist Church on Sunday, December 5, from two to four, in Chapel Hall. You all are invited to come and get some cake. And congratulate my wife on putting up with me all these years!


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Station Gossip

Hospital Zone - Bill & Joan Sabin are both out of the hospital and recovered. Luckily they were still able to make their trip to Florida. Troy Vail is home and doing well after his surgery. Aaron Miller’s son

is home from the hospital and is doing well. Then there’s April Cooper. She is up and around after her recent surgery and we sure hope they figure things out for her soon. • Rumor has it, Chief Presley and his wife accidentally

switched luggage on a recent vacation to Arkansas where they split up while visiting their relatives. Now the problem was they were over an hour apart when they realized it! Sorry, even though the Chief says he drove an hour and a half to switch the luggage, I keep getting this vision of the Chief wearing his wife’s pj’s…☺

• I hear Kevin Bouton and Shannon Burbach showed up real early for the Association’s breakfast – that is, a whole week early! Guys, the breakfasts are always the second Sunday of the month! ☺

• Hey JP, you really have to learn how to lock your key pad on your cell phone. Even though Kirk enjoyed your singing along with the car radio the other night for 7 minutes…not!

• My mistakes are catching up with me. I apologize to everyone that was an hour late for anything on the 24th. Daylight Savings Time was the 31st not the 24th as printed in the department’s calendar.

• Ask Archie what he lost while training at the tower! • Chief Presley is building again, this time an addition to

Station One. A group of us were thinking he must have played a lot with Lincoln Logs or Leggos when he was a boy, cause he is always building something. ☺

•

Thoughts • You may be only one person in the world, but you may also

be the world to one person. • Have an awesome day, and know that someone has thought

about you today... • Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.

What I’ve learned from past hurricanes: Former Harlem-Roscoe Firefighter Chuck Poveromo lives in Florida and has personally survived the recent rash of Hurricanes. He sent the following fun email:

• No matter how many times you flick the switch, lights don't work without electricity.

• A new method of non-lethal torture - showers without hot water.

• TV is an addiction and the withdrawal symptoms are painful. One day at a time, brother.

• A 7 lb bag of ice will chill 6-12 oz Budweiser's to a drinkable temperature in 11 minutes, and still keep a 14-pound turkey frozen for 8 more hours.

• Contrary to most Florida natives' beliefs, speed limit on roads without traffic lights does not increase.

• Aluminum siding, while aesthetically pleasing, is definitely not required.

• Crickets can increase their volume to overcome the sound of 14 generators.

• People will get into a line that has already formed without having any idea what the line is for.

• When required, a Chrysler 300M will float--doesn't steer well, but floats just the same.

• Cell phones work when land lines are down, but only as long as the battery remains charged.

• 27 of your neighbors are fed from a different transformer than you, and they are quick to point that out!

• If I had a store that sold only ice, chainsaws, gas, and generators...I'd be rich.

• The price of a bag of ice rises 200% after a hurricane. • Your water front property can quickly become someone

else's fishing hole. • Tree service companies are under appreciated. • I learned what happens when you make fun of another

state's blackout. • Drywall is a compound word, take away the "dry" part and

it's worthless.

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