The Strange habits of those who live by the pager

Six years of jumping up every time that horrible squeal goes off, literally at every conceivable hour and during every event in my life.  It has happened so much that the response is literally automatic; I get up, head to my truck, buckle in and hit the ignition, throw it in drive and head to the station (progressively slower I might add).  Its funny; I have times where I tell myself to hurry up now. It used to be that I was running, but hey, "firemen don't run".

When the tones drop a lot of things all happen at the same time: depending on the time of day a bunch of guys scattered out across an area either drop what they are doing or roll out of the bed.  Then they make their ways to their respective vehicles (typically pickup trucks or older SUVs).  Guys who have jobs to do and people who depend on them take their precious time off and rush to the aid of someone who they don't know.  Decisions are made in the blink of an eye ( do i have time to go?  is this something I can take care of if I'm the only one who is around or should I go ahead and call for help?and literally dozens of other things).  Trucks rumble to life, neighbors are woken up by sirens of fire trucks rolling out of the bays.  Medics are rolling from one corner of the world, firemen from every corner and cops from wherever they come from.  Within a few moments we seem to be coming up out of the ground.  

We have things that come so automatically you'd think  it came as naturally as a second basemen making the throw to first.  Like flipping the master switch most people would never find that powers up the truck.  transitioning from driving a small passenger vehicle to a forty thousand pound truck and doing so with the precision of a fighter jet pilot.  Sliding into bunker gear that when we started we could get lost in so fluidly we don't even know we did it.  We pull hose lines like they don't weigh a pound.  we move in 60 pounds of bunker gear just like we do in our jeans and tee shirts.  

When we get calls for help we have families and people who expect us to be around the next day but calculate the risk and we are people who literally cannot not help.  We have little things that we do things for luck some would say.  We get a kiss on the way out the door.  We have pictures of our loved ones in our helmets so that if we have the most unfortunate should happen we can say good bye.  We have letters in our wallets and vehicles for that same reason, letters we never want to be read but they exist because we have given our time and efforts to make our communities safer, to be there for those who can't help themselves, to be the only hand a person with no hope has to grasp.  I'll never say we don't think about it but we do things that change and save lives so we calculate the risk and reward.

First Product Reveiw CAIRNS 1044

The CAIRNS 1044 Structural Firefighting Helmet
I have had my helmet for alittle over a year it is broken in pretty well so I think i can give it a good review. 
I'm going to scale my reviews based on a 1-10 basis. 1 being I would not buy this product. 10 being beg borrow or steal what you need to get it. 

For this product I'm giving it a 7 meaning I would buy it but I'd rather have it issued to me.
Mine is yellow which has held up surprisingly well.  It's a well made and very tough piece of equipment.  my only real complaint is it is extremely tall for a structural or rescue helmet I hang it on stuff alot it sits on top of my head not around my head. The other members of my department have the same complaint. 
Mine has the retractable visor I both love and hate this feature.  I love that when I go to jump into a car or cut a tree thy're just a flip of the thumb away.  I don't like that if the helmet shifts the glasses kind of dig into my lower nose.  They are beveled so it doesn't hurt but they do have to be readjusted. 
Also I am a believer in carrying a picture of a loved one in case the worst should happen I don't like that for a honkin' big as this product is it doesnt have a place that is smooth enough on the inside to attach it.  I think that the makers of personal protective products could respect some of the traditions our field is built on.  We have always been supersitious and we use certain things to more or less build our mojo while en-route or whatever so if you make these products please try to see things from our side. 
I'm not huge on the usablity of New York style helmets this is a good looking one and it works as well as can be expected.  Ithink it is definetly my favorite of the ones that I've had issued to me. 

On a side note if you would like to see a product review or torture test let me know. I would love to get some stuff to do torture testing but I'm not gonna sugar coat it I ain't buying something this expensive to try to destory it.

Chapter 1

"You're under arrest for murder. Please come with me."  I whispered in her ear as I flashed my badge another 10 feet and she' d have been through security and well on her way to the great nation of Vermont.  She'd been running from me since killing that US Senator from our side of the line why she didnt run I'll have to ask her.I never like Micheal Besley but the guy didnt deserve the arrow she lobbed through his skull.

Ihave been on her tail for over 6 months and have been close enough to grab her several times even have a nice little conversation with her about the different beauties of a Vango and   Kinkade.  Being in the middle of Atlanta airport during a particularly busy thursday in middle of January, made a poor time to lose her back across the border.  I could just call the VT. feds but im not real big on leaving them the press and the little old thing of their broken "corrections system".  I also just couldn't let my friend here go. 
She was a pretty young thing only 22 her father and brother killed by the U.S. FBI during the war.  Besaly had been the one who decided to make it a police action. I guess she felt he deserved to die. I never disliked him that much it seems strange to me to decide someone should be be killed with no outside factors.  another thing to ask her when we get to the truck. 
I stuck out my arm like love sick puppy  took it and we began our way out of the building.  I didn't want to make a big scene I mean she is still a person and  will get enough embaressment er the next three or four weeks. We walked through the large building and she stared up at the high ceilings from day one I've wished she was on our shide shes so very good at blending in.  when we came to the door a man offered her an umbrella said he was headed for a warmer climate and a fishing boat.  I gave her a look and she took it thanking him.  We walked through the light snow not really enough to cause the panic that had engulfed Georgia only 2 days before. Amazing how the South still stops at 3 inches of snow.  The sun was covered as it often is during these wintery flurries just peaking out every now and then. 
As we walked into the parking garage I saw my truck parked in a dark corner, while I couldn't ask for a better under cover truck they're only stayb under cover if you don't show them off.  A black ford F-250 dark windows and a roll out lightbar that makes it look completely different.  Its in my name so the tag is even under cover.  I have it loaded heavy 2 ARs a12 gauge and of course all the built proofing anyone could want.
I opened the passenger side door but I wasnt gonna let her ride shotgun without cuffs and a pat down. When I pulled the door open she bolted I knew she would it was just a matter of time.  I turned on my heel with our there was absolutely no way I'd catch her.  As i drew my weapon I let a silent prayer for her cross my lips and that my round would find its mark true.  She wanted me to I shouted or more or less begged "Stop or I'll shoot!" three times.  She turned and ran away from the crowds toward a concrete wall that much had been fifteen feet tall.  When she crossed the curb she was little more than 30 feet away I had my weapon trained but as always a little shakey, this was truly the worst part of the job.  I fired one round training say to pull the trigger twice but i didnt have the heart.  The spray I'll never ever get use to that part man its so strange to watch that like panit but so much different.  Before she hit the ground some woman was running to her screaming murder.  By the time I got to her a crowd of very angry people had formed, its amazing how fast street lawyers appear and want to inform me how I have infringed on someone they never knew existed 10 seconds ago.  I held up my badge like a life preserver and waded in. A young guy maybe 18 shouted "My dad fought to end police brutality."  But having been on the front lines of the war I knew why we were there so I didn't think correcting him was worth it.  By the time i saw the scarlet so dark in places that it was almost black until the sun peaked out.  The holes it ate in the sugary earth made the scene all the more eerie. 
A man the size of a Mack truck walked in my gut turned to solid iron terrified and a little emboldened then he turned showing a 375th tattoo on his left are he spoke softly and with conviction.  "I fought in the war and this man did too.  He did what he was suppose to and if you still want to threaten him with your big talk come on we'll chat" 

Having friend you never know about its a blessing 

For Public Safety Pros

I also want to use this blog for help public safety pros so I will be posting stuff like product reviews and training ideas

Preface

In 2029 the states of North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia and West Virginia set out to create their own Union. The United States has been under marshal law for 6 years the current President Juan Cararia has been in power for well over 12 years. The seceding States while met with opposition did not faulter in their staunch effort to seceed.  it took nearly 4 years to begin to move due to the apathy that all Americians had fallen into trusting that their government had their best interested in mind.  

My name is James Guyton i am one of the men who was there to fight the 4 year Secret War.  i was there when our chairman delivered the Secssion papers to the President of the USA I died according to their records.  I am the first to be sworn in to this new republic as an officer of the law. this is my last story for the history books you must learn from the past they say so these are what ive recorded to teach further generations of Officers.