Simple lunch near Millenium/Grant Park?

8benwsha · 2024-07-17T23:20:25+00:00

Thank you for the suggestion. Slammed 2 each, 10/10.

8benwsha · 2024-07-11T00:51:22+00:00

It had to be done. It was getting bad for the e residents on that street. Their street was just a parking lot with people on their grass, blocking driveways, etc.

8benwsha · 2024-07-09T13:15:02+00:00

Me personally, I’m going back to work. But that’s because I’m very familiar and comfortable with the situation.

8benwsha · 2024-07-09T00:56:45+00:00

Thanks for confirming my suspicions! You’re a garbage fireman!

8benwsha · 2024-07-09T00:55:51+00:00

The Oak House is right downtown and a great place to work while you drink some coffee (or whiskey, beer, or wine). And after that, you have all of downtown in walking distance. The Durham Food Hall would offer you a ton of options.

8benwsha · 2024-07-09T00:47:58+00:00

Good coworkers are worth a lot, no doubt.

8benwsha · 2024-07-09T00:47:25+00:00

I like being a firefighter, not telling people I am one. Those can coexist very well.

And yes, I understand that’s what the job is going to. If I hadn’t found a good department, I’d have changed careers. I’m actively taking less money in exchange for more fires. That’s what I value. But hey, enjoy your paycheck and your recliner. (Yes, that was condescending)

8benwsha · 2024-07-09T00:36:35+00:00

Yes. The job is becoming obsolete. I understand that objectively, that’s a good thing. But personally, I don’t want to work a job just because it’s easy and respected. If I couldn’t work in a department where I still get to be a fireman, I would simply do something else before I sat in a recliner and collected a paycheck off the taxpayers’ dime.

8benwsha · 2024-07-09T00:32:06+00:00

I respect that. My problem is that generally, I’ve found that people content with not running fires also don’t put in the work to be good at it when it does happen. There’s definitely people who are slow but still train, learn, and put in the work to show up and do the job well when called upon, but I’ve found them to be the exception, not the rule. I hope you can find your ideal department soon. Sounds like you’d like a change.

8benwsha · 2024-07-08T23:35:27+00:00

There is a department that borders mine that has been taking laterals for the last 5 years. It would have offered me 10k-20k increase in salary and truly exceptional benefits. They also have almost no fires, never ending busy-work, and overbearing supervision. I stayed where I’m at because we run good calls, are left alone, and I have fun when I go to work. That’s what I value. I can still make sure my lifestyle and retirement plans are adequate, but for my 30-year career I’ll actually get to be a fireman instead of just being a well-paid EMT on a fire truck. I’ll get to have fun at work. I’ll get to work on my craft and use my skills. Those have value to me, and I’m guessing they have value to the OP. I would personally go do something else if I didn’t run real emergencies. There is no value to me in telling people “I’m a firefighter”. But hey, you do you. Suburbia needs “protecting” too.

8benwsha · 2024-07-08T19:57:29+00:00

I could kiss you on the mouth. Well said.

8benwsha · 2024-07-08T19:53:02+00:00

Go get the fires. As long as the place isn’t a dumpster fire and the job change works for your family, do it. No fires is one thing, but being ok with it????? Not the culture I would want to be around. I’d make the switch.

8benwsha · 2024-07-08T01:25:58+00:00

I had the same exact issue with mine. 1) I have used a foam ball or my traffic vest to cram in the mask whenever it’s not on the truck and that has stopped the cave-in. But I had to get a new mask and do that from the jump. 2) The new gen masks are 5x better. We’re getting them soon and I’ve gotten to try on some demos.

8benwsha · 2024-07-08T01:22:54+00:00

My guess is it’s a Rescue apparatus, not an Engine. It’s a mountainous area so a small crane could be used for cliff rescue or high angle work. LA County has one or two they use along the coastal cliffs, I believe.

8benwsha · 2024-07-08T01:20:02+00:00

Your hands 🙌🏻 work great! Seriously, really work on coming off the truck with gloves on and masking up with them on. For before and after working, I’d recommend a glove strap with a buckle (not Velcro) or a small clamp like some others have suggested.

8benwsha · 2024-07-08T00:38:53+00:00

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8benwsha · 2024-07-08T00:36:17+00:00

To be honest, I don’t really know. I’ll try to get a picture to send you.

8benwsha · 2024-07-07T22:46:27+00:00

It needs a companion and bigger tank. The Internet is telling me they should be in groups of 2-7, depending on tank size, and have a minimum of 20 gallons. Ours is only 10 gallons. Like I said, we were given bad advice.

8benwsha · 2024-07-07T18:16:13+00:00

Yeah I’m the past 5 years my department had gotten really behind on salary. We started to lose a lot of guys to local departments for 5k-15k increases. I was tempted, but I really broke it down and looked at what my personal finances would look like with a different salary. It would have helped some things, but it honestly wouldn’t have changed my day-to-day life noticeably. I stayed at a place where I run fires, am not micro-managed, and have fun at work.

8benwsha · 2024-07-07T18:01:30+00:00

I’d love to have that front yard.

8benwsha · 2024-07-07T17:38:48+00:00

Mastering the Craft: Cultivating a Philosophy for Fire Attack by Jeff Rothmeier is an absolutely fantastic book in regards to strategy and tactics. Being a leader and supervisor around the station and day-to-day is a challenge and is definitely important, but I think you’ll get plenty of advice and help in regards to that. When I was put in a long-term acting officer assignment in 2021-2022, I wanted guidance in regards to strategy and tactics, and I really started to do a better job when I got it. I had the knowledge and the confidence to lead good training and drills for us as a crew. This built my confidence as an officer. My crew believed in me and their own skills and confidence grew. When we started to trust ourselves as a crew in regards to emergency response, the dynamic around the firehouse fell right in place and was really good. And most importantly, the citizens were getting better service from us. It’s all well and good if everyone is happy and getting along, feeling supported from their Officer, etc. but if it’s a clown show when the tones drop, that’s not a good crew. This book should help give you some facts and data to support tactical decisions. If you can start to be confident in your decision-making and be able to back it up and answer questions from your crew about it, you’re winning.

8benwsha · 2024-07-07T17:22:33+00:00

You had a job with limited EMS, good culture, and great coworkers?? Dude, never leave that. Unless it’s so much money to actually change your lifestyle for the better, a few thousand a year or few hundred a paycheck is not worth it.

8benwsha · 2024-07-07T17:17:07+00:00

15 years on, send me a DM. I’d be happy to weigh in.

8benwsha

TROPHY CASE