The Firehouse Logbook Podcast

February 20, 2003 - A fire breaks out on the stage of a nightclub where the band Great White was playing resulting in the death of 100 people and injuring 230 more. Retired ATF Agent John Pijaca joins me to talk about the ATF and his involvement as part of the National Response Team that investigated this fire. You can watch the video of this fire at https://youtu.be/V0nQipbseTw Support this podca...

This is going to be a short one - just a quick update on the Logbook and a big thank you to everyone who has listened, commented, and shared these episodes over the past year. To become a Patron, go to https://www.patreon.com/FirehouseLogbookPodcast Email - FirehouseLogbook@gmail.com Twitter - @FDLogbook Instagram - @FDLogbookPodcast Facebook - www.facebook.com/FDLogbookPodcast Website - www.fireh...

In the early 1980's, Boston became known as the Arson Capital of the World thanks to a group of serial arsonists who set more than 260 fires and were responsible for 200 firefighter injuries. The story of this group of "twisted Robin Hoods" is told in the book, "Burn Boston Burn" written by a member of the Arson Task Force that investigated these crimes and ultimately brought the arson ring to jus...

Fred Crosby started his public safety career as a Junior member of Lakeside Volunteer Rescue Squad following in his brother's footsteps. But ultimately, he blazed his own trail as one of the original EMS Med-Flight I Flight Paramedics, the First EMS Directors for Hanover County, and ultimately as a fire chief in two different states. There are a lot more stories along the path that we couldn't get...

Henry, Weet, John and I get together again for what we are calling the First Anniversary Episode. It is dedicated to our first guest and one of the inspirations carrying us forward - R.C. "Tiny" Dawson. We also dive into some history - January 7, 1950 in Davenport, Iowa, a hospital fire claimed the lives of 40 patients and one staff member. We discuss some of the conditions and after effects of th...

Generally, the first person the public interacts with during an emergency is the other person on the end of the 911 call. Responders rely on these professionals to get accurate information and pass critical information to the responding police officers, firefighters, and EMT's. Lee Gilbert started in the fire service as a Cadet and moved into a communications officer position where he served nearl...

Frank Chinn has been a fixture in Virginia EMS for almost 50 years, and is still providing care and training the next generation. He's trained EMT's who have gone on to become doctors and fire chiefs and held them all to a high standard to ensure they can do the job. Comments or suggestions? Contact us at: Email - FirehouseLogbook@gmail.com Twitter - @FDLogbook Instagram - @FDLogbookPodcast Facebo...

Karl Thompson got his start as a 16 year old volunteer firefighter in Maryland. Today he is a 50 year veteran of the fire service with experience in 4 states and multiple departments. His daily history emails are distributed far and wide to educate those in the fire service of historic fires that have shaped the service. Everyone can view those historic notes at: www.firefighterclosecalls.com/cate...

Bobby Luckett got his fire service career started as a young boy watching the firehouse when the crews were out on calls. Near the end of his career he put the handcuffs on one of the most notorious arsonist the DC area has known. I got to catch up with Bob - a Fellow VA Fire Marshal and a fire marshal academy classmate to discuss his career and his book that outlines how the DC Serial Arson Task...

Welcome back to the second of two parts where Chief Burch finishes up his stories in Hanover and how being the Fire Chief is different than any other job he has held. Make sure you listen to part 1, episode 27 first. This episode picks up where we left off, and if you've missed that, you will miss the entire story. Comments or suggestions? Contact us at: Email - FirehouseLogbook@gmail.com Twitter...

This legend's career and family history is so long it's going to take two episodes to get it all in! His Grandfather started the Family Tradition in the Richmond (VA) Fire Bureau when horses pulled the engines, his father started the Richmond Flying Squad, and he was instrumental in the evolution of two Virginia fire departments into the 21st Century. Meet Fire Chief Richard E. Burch Jr., a third...

Rehab is an important safety function on the fire ground. At the same time, it can provide a conduit for members of the community - including retired fire service members - to remain involved and give back to the service. Meet Chief Steve Korb and Lt. Steve Meyenberg of the Richmond Metro Flying Squad. Learn about their personal histories, some history about the Richmond, VA Fire and Emergency Ser...

This is it! Proof that JP Jones WAS involved in some of the pranks and practical jokes that happened in CFD. JP and I were Recruit School classmates, I worked for him as a firefighter, he worked for me in the Fire Marshals Office, and he was one of the most responsible and dedicated officers I know (no practical jokes on PPE - among other things). We relive some of the classics we were involved in...

This episode is with someone who wanted to be Marine Biologist, but ended up as a fiction writer after working as a councilor in a correctional institution, then went on to a career as a Firefighter, Paramedic, and Senior Capitan in Chesterfield Fire and EMS. Mike and I got to travel around Mount Rainier in Washington and paddle canoes in the rugged back country of Canada - and you get a couple of...

There are a lot of legendary stories in the fire station that have outlasted the careers of the members involved. In this episode you get the real story of getting left by the fire chief on the side of the road (or not), E-102 airborne across Hull Street Road (or not), Playboy Magazines on the tailboard (or not), and how pre-planning used to be done (off duty). The "I'm sorry Chesterfield, my lips...

Bubby Bish was destined to be a member of the Southside VA Emergency Crew, his mother told him so when he was 4 years old! With more than 50 years of service at SVEC, Bubby has been a member of the Governor's State EMS Advisory Board, responded to the Pentagon on 9/11, and is an inductee into Virginia's Rescue Hall of Fame. A quiet and humble leader in Virginia EMS, Bubby has influenced thousands...

When I think about some of the best people in this job, Brett is one of those on the top of my list. He has worked as a volunteer and career firefighter/officer in four different fire service organizations, and each of them would be eager to have him back on their roster today (and he's back on one of those for a third tour). Brett has more fire service experiences and stories than we could captur...

A lot of fire and EMS professionals got their start as volunteers, some at a very young age. My three guests on this episode started at age 15 as Junior members of the Lakeside Volunteer Rescue Squad in Henrico, VA and went on to great public safety careers in Fire/EMS and Law Enforcement, but not before they made some history as junior members. These are some the stories they can tell publicly. ....

The third and final (for now) "Young Guns" episode features Liz Fuentes, firefighter/paramedic with Chesterfield Fire and EMS. How does an event that happens thousands of miles away motivate a dedicated school teacher to dive into the Fire and EMS Field? You will find that answer here, and how she literally packed everything she owned in a small car and moved from South Florida to Central VA to fu...

Continuing with the "Young Guns" of today's fire service, meet Kyle Walden - a guy who never gives up and overcomes whatever challenge comes his way. Comments or suggestions? Contact us at: Email - FirehouseLogbook@gmail.com Twitter - @FDLogbook Instagram - @FDLogbookPodcast Facebook - www.facebook.com/FDLogbookPodcast Website - www.firehouselogbook.captivate.fm Music: "Tired traveler on the way t...

What motivates the next generation of Firefighter/Paramedics? In the next few episodes, we will hear from some of the "Young Guns" from Chesterfield and learn how they got interested in the greatest job in the world. In Episode 17, meet Laura Siegle, firefighter, paramedic student, photographer, and competitive power lifter. Hear how she made the transition from Dairy, Animal, and Poultry Sciences...

In this episode, I got to talk with Chief Ronald Mason, Chief of Tampa Fire/Rescue from 1976-1979 and his brother District Chief Steve Mason. The Mason family has been part of Tampa Fire/Rescue since the 1930's and they share some of the history of EMS not only in that department, but how Tampa was on the leading edge of EMS care nationwide. Thanks as always for listening, and drop me a note via t...

Prior to 1966, there were 13 different and independent volunteer fire companies in Chesterfield, and with the hiring of Robert L. Eanes as Fire Marshal in 1966, and the adoption of the fire fire prevention code in the county, the Chesterfield Fire Department was born. Chief Eanes shares some of those early stories and history with me in this episode, and there will be more with him in the future....

Chris Eudailey's fire service career started as a young man in Chesterfield, VA, but let him to the City of Petersburg, James City, County, and ultimately to the Fire Chief for Spotsylvania County. While still supporting the fire service as the Executive Director for the Virginia Fire Chiefs Association, his story of being the dispatcher for a call in Petersburg is just the beginning of the Mike G...

A common story is that fire regulations are built upon the tragedy of a significant loss. The origins of the VA State Fire Marshals Office fits that mold. In this episode, I get to talk with two legends of the SFMO and hear how the office was established by the first State Fire Marshal C. Sutton Mullins, and how that office has changed over the past 70 years. Let us know what you think and what yo...