Cleveland calls firefighter candidates from 1998 to join force

Robert Heard planned to become a Cleveland firefighter in 1998. The maintenance worker passed the entrance exam and the city told him he would be called to the Fire Training Academy as a cadet.

The training finally started — 11 years later.

Read More here

If you are just joining in today, be sure to read the posts below.

I detailed a decent rant for you all, several issues discussed; click for more.

I also documented Scooters return home and a fire in Northwest the other day; click for more.

Scroll to the bottom of the post if you are a recruit.

This video below (those of you at work will not be able to watch on City computers) is a decent view of a Retirement party for a coworker that even the Chief decided to attend. The retiree is a cop, but that is not important. I found the video on TheHouseWatch.com.

You have to watch the video in its entirety, trust me it is worth it. The banter between the retiree and the Chief and Captain is priceless. Even the Chief’s wife catches feelings.

I have been asked several times over the years why one guy gets a big retirement party and another gets a small one. Well the answer is that it has been accustom for the guys who work with the retiree, or other peers of the retiree put the event on. I will be honest with you. It seems as though you can base how much people like someone by the amount of people at their retirement party. Sure, it can be skewed by certain details which disallow others to be at the event, but it is a good measure.

Think about that if you are one of those boot-lickers. It is much better to be respected and get promoted based on merit, than to be despised and suck your way to wherever you are going.

As for the rookies just getting out of the Academy, I will steer you to this post that I put up a couple of recruit schools ago. I think it is a worthwhile read. Click here for the link, the post is simply titled “Recruit”.

I posted pictures from the final burn today. Click the image to see more.

Roanoke Recruit School Vent Class pictures thanks to Firefighter Dan Goodwin.


I originally published this in November for Recruit Class #8 and I felt it was fitting to reprint it for the newest recruits in Roanoke. I will have pictures up and as story about #9 by tomorrow hopefully.

Recruit

This is an open letter to the Recruit Class which have joined their Brother and Sister Firefighters of Roanoke Fire-EMS this week. First of all, I would like to welcome you to one of the best Departments in the United States. I hope that you enjoy a safe and healthy career.

You are about to embark on one of the most honorable professions in the World. While you may not experience a Hollywood “Firefighter” career, I can assure you that the script is empty. None of us know what will be asked of us at any given moment.

You need to be quite sure by this point that you are willing to reach as far into the grey area of risking it all to save life. You may never be put into this situation, but if you are, you will not likely have the opportunity to ponder the situation long.

Running into burning buildings is only a small part of the job these days. Gone are the days in the 70’s and 80’s when America was burning. The decrease in fires has been replaced with a different kind of structure fire. Now we have fires that burn hotter, buildings that crumble faster, and older buildings which have been cut-up for uses they weren’t designed for. However, technology has been our advantage the past quarter Century. We have been equipped with better turnout gear, SCBA, Thermal Imaging Cameras, and directives on saving our own.

This day in age we are more often tasked with making crucial decisions at the scene of EMS calls. The legal responsibilities of being an EMT, EMT-Intermediate, or EMT-Paramedic are not to be taken lightly. You will have to find the ability to perform at your best all hours of the day even after running the “nonsense” calls in the wee hours of the morning. You will have to be able to perform at your best, while the people you are caring for are experiencing their worst. You have to be unbiased to everyone, including criminals, as much as we would love to be the jury. We have to walk away from our worst calls intact, both mentally and physically, so that we can answer the next.

Do not expect a thank you, a job well done, or an at-a-boy. They are few and far between. Rest easy in knowing you did the job to the best of your ability and always learn from your mistakes, experiences, and triumphs.

Always strive to learn more, and be willing to listen when someone is teaching you. Some of the best knowledge I have learned has come from someone telling me of their experiences. You haven’t done everything, you don’t know everything, and you never will. Once you realize this, you will understand firefighting.

Honor your brother/sister firefighters as family. Do not take someone else’s opinion as your own, take the time to form your own opinions. Develop your own style, and learn the better things from your acquaintances. You will meet others you don’t get along with, or don’t agree with. There is still something to learn, everyone has a story.

Remember that when you come across a firefighter at the end of their career and they are not as gung ho as you, they were your age once. They did their time. They have been there and done that, hell they might even have the t-shirt still. They have a lot to teach you. You have a lot to learn.

I wish you well in your career and I look forward to working with you all.

Welcome to THE ROANOKE FIRE-EMS DEPARTMENT and God Bless.
- Rhett Fleitz

This is an open letter to the Recruit Class which have joined their Brother and Sister Firefighters of Roanoke Fire-EMS this week. First of all, I would like to welcome you to one of the best Departments in the United States. I hope that you enjoy a safe and healthy career.

You are about to embark on one of the most honorable professions in the World. While you may not experience a Hollywood “Firefighter” career, I can assure you that the script is empty. None of us know what will be asked of us at any given moment.

You need to be quite sure by this point that you are willing to reach as far into the grey area of risking it all to save life. You may never be put into this situation, but if you are, you will not likely have the opportunity to ponder the situation long.

Running into burning buildings is only a small part of the job these days. Gone are the days in the 70’s and 80’s when America was burning. The decrease in fires has been replaced with a different kind of structure fire. Now we have fires that burn hotter, buildings that crumble faster, and older buildings which have been cut-up for uses they weren’t designed for. However, technology has been our advantage the past quarter Century. We have been equipped with better turnout gear, SCBA, Thermal Imaging Cameras, and directives on saving our own.

This day in age we are more often tasked with making crucial decisions at the scene of EMS calls. The legal responsibilities of being an EMT, EMT-Intermediate, or EMT-Paramedic are not to be taken lightly. You will have to find the ability to perform at your best all hours of the day even after running the “nonsense” calls in the wee hours of the morning. You will have to be able to perform at your best, while the people you are caring for are experiencing their worst. You have to be unbiased to everyone, including criminals, as much as we would love to be the jury. We have to walk away from our worst calls intact, both mentally and physically, so that we can answer the next.

Do not expect a thank you, a job well done, or an at-a-boy. They are few and far between. Rest easy in knowing you did the job to the best of your ability and always learn from your mistakes, experiences, and triumphs.

Always strive to learn more, and be willing to listen when someone is teaching you. Some of the best knowledge I have learned has come from someone telling me of their experiences. You haven’t done everything, you don’t know everything, and you never will. Once you realize this, you will understand firefighting.

Honor your brother/sister firefighters as family. Do not take someone else’s opinion as your own, take the time to form your own opinions. Develop your own style, and learn the better things from your acquaintances. You will meet others you don’t get along with, or don’t agree with. There is still something to learn, everyone has a story.

Remember that when you come across a firefighter at the end of their career and they are not as gung ho as you, they were your age once. They did their time. They have been there and done that, hell they might even have the t-shirt still. They have a lot to teach you. You have a lot to learn.

I wish you well in your career and I look forward to working with you all.

Welcome to THE ROANOKE FIRE-EMS DEPARTMENT and God Bless.

- Rhett Fleitz

Roanoke Valley Regional Recruit Academy 8

Please join Roanoke Fire-EMS in congratulating the graduates of the Roanoke Valley Regional Fire-EMS Recruit Academy #8.
29 Recruits graduated from the academy today at the Roanoke Performing Arts Theatre. These recruits had attended the academy which started on July 31st at the Roanoke Valley Regional Fire-EMS Training Center on Kessler Mill Rd. in Salem, VA.

19 candidates from Roanoke Fire-EMS, 5 candidates from Lynchburg Fire-EMS, 1 candidate from Salem Fire-EMS and 5 candidates from Roanoke County Fire & Rescue went through the 16 week long academy.
During their training, these candidates learned firefighting skills such as Firefighter 1, Ropes, Vehicle Extrication and Heavy Technical Rescue. Candidates also earned their Emergency Medical Technician Basic Certification (EMT-B).

The following is a list of all of the graduates:
Roanoke Fire-EMS: Joseph Boswell, Aaron Brooks, Bobby Caughey, Josh Compton, Jeffery East, Lynwood English, Bradley Glidden, Collin Humphries, Todd Inserra, Aaron Murray, Jacob Palmer, Roland Reynolds, Jr., Benjamin Sweeney, Brad Sweeney, Michael Upham, Brandon Vaughan, Brad Wheeler, James Williamson

Roanoke County Fire & Rescue: Jared Butts, Brandon Carroll, Ryan Crush, Russell Hurt, Ronald Kovar

Salem Fire-EMS: Ernest Haynes, IV

Lynchburg Fire-EMS: Alan Briceland, Joy Byrnes, Jason Frederick, Joshua Morton, Christopher Spencer