FReeper Canteen~Tribute To Firefighters~August 3, 2006

The Canteen Pays Tribute To

The badge of a fireman is the Maltese Cross. This Maltese Cross is a symbol of protection and a badge of honor. Its story is hundreds of years old.

The Maltese Cross is your symbol of protection. It means that the fireman who wears this cross is willing to lay down his life for you. The Maltese Cross is a fireman's badge of honor, signifying that he works in courage - a ladder rung away from death.

Today, fire and rescue remains a mix of paid, call, and volunteer responders. While urban areas such as New York, NY and Boston, MA are typically served by large, well-coordinated paid responders, there is no requirement demanding either paid, call, or career firefighters and many departments are so-called "mixed" departments - full time responders handle the day-to-day needs of a department and work with either call or volunteer responders when more manpower is needed. Other departments are completely "call" or volunteer, depending on local tradition, needs, and, most importantly, financial ability.

In popular literature, firefighters are usually depicted with Dalmatian dogs. This breed originated in southern Europe to assist with herding livestock and run along with horses, and in the days of horse-drawn fire vehicles, the horses were usually released on arrival at the fire and the Dalmatians would lead the horses to a safe place to wait until the fire was out. Dalmatians also filled the role of protecting the horses' feet from other dogs as equipment was being transported to the fire scene. In reality, most fire dogs were mutts pulled from the street.

Bucket Carriage used by Continental Bucket Co.No.1, of Jamaica, Long Island NY. Iron stanchion in center of machine bears metal plate, “Jamaica 1787-1907”. Four-wheeled carriage equipped to carry 50 buckets to use in places where there were no hydrants.

Glass Fire Grenades ranging from ½ pint to 2 quarts in size, filled with water or saltwater. These provided an effective means of quelling a small fire from 1868 to 1903. In later years they were filled with carbon tetrachloride and used to the mid 1960’s.

Click Here to see some of Austin's finest at work!

Now there's a handsome firefighting family!

“If Prometheus was worthy of the wrath of heaven for kindling the first fire upon earth, how ought all the gods honor the men who make it their professional business to put it out?” -- John Godfrey Saxe, (American journalist, poet, and lecturer) circa 1850

Click here to see some of Ft. Worths Finest in action!

The Fire Bike was a motorcycle built by Orange County Choppers on the American reality television show American Chopper. It was put together by everyone at the OCC, the project holding more emotional weight with its ties to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Click here for more information

10/13/2005 - SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq -- Firefighters assigned to the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron render a final salute in memory of Sgt. Brian E. Dunlap, an active firefighter and a member of U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, who was killed in action Sept. 24 in Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Randy Mitchell)
Click for the rest of the article

The Firefighters Memorial Fountain at dusk. The memorial, at 31st Street and Broadway in Kansas City, was created to honor those killed in the line of duty.

Keeping up the fight - Phoenix firefighters battle a three-alarm fire at Bowen Poles in northwest Phoenix (Pinnacle Peak and I-17) Feb. 4. No one was injured in the fire.

Click here for recipies

RAPID RESPONSE
Years ago, when I was working on a small town ambulance, it was not uncommon for my wife and me to stop at the local grocer to buy food for dinner after a call. I had gone in to get a head of lettuce and some apples. Unknown to me the floor was wet from the newly installed produce sprayers. Down I went, hitting my head hard. When I came to, the manager of the store was sitting beside me telling me not to move, that he had called 911. At the same time my pager went off and he looked at me and asked, “What was that? I said "My pager, I am 911." He looked at me, shocked " Boy, you guys are fast!"

More jokes here...

Fireman History Quiz

A heartfelt thank you from the Canteen to all Firefighters & your families for your service & sacrifice!

To: AZamericonnie

White fingernail polish or correction fluid works just fine if you need to be reminded where those keys are....LOL!

181 posted on 08/02/2006 9:37:17 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska (~ God Bless and Protect Our Brave Protectors of Freedom~)

Okay.

How are you tonight?

((((LBH)))))

Getting ready for the next race? How are your Dillos doing so far?

182 posted on 08/02/2006 9:38:09 PM PDT by luvie ("I want our troops to understand that not only does the country support them, but--we'll win! GWB)

To: AZamericonnie

You are more than welcome! I love the Fire Bike. The episodes that they shot while they were building it get replayed every year around Sept. 11 and July 4. It's worth watching if you have any interest at all.

183 posted on 08/02/2006 9:39:34 PM PDT by StarCMC ("The word of muslims will never, ever override what our U.S. Marines say." - TheCrusader)

To: Kathy in Alaska; tomkow6; AZamericonnie

White fingernail polish or correction fluid

Reminds me of a blonde joke...

184 posted on 08/02/2006 9:41:00 PM PDT by HiJinx (Have you hugged a soldier today? Try it, you'll like it!)

My goodness Meg....you have some great free entertainment going on! I have a ficus tree outside the window behind my monitor. I get to see hummingbirds, quail & lizards. Nothing as cool as your view but I do enjoy it!

185 posted on 08/02/2006 9:41:04 PM PDT by AZamericonnie (Support the Troops...they support us!)

To: Kathy in Alaska

It was a telephone pole, not a tree, which had him stuck in the car for 45 mins. with live wires on the roof of the car. He thought he was dead after the head-on because he couldn't see himself, the rearview mirror had fallen off! And there was a weird silence after the hit. Then he thought he was going to fry from the wires, begged his guys not to let him get electrocuted, he had just recently seen a guy get burned and die in a car fire. Then after his surgery in the hospital he had a pulmonary embolism and thought he was going to die yet again. He was a wreck for a while when he was home, had a lot of anxiety attacks and post traumatic stress. With the first anxiety attack he also thought he was dying from the pain in his chest. God was definitely watching over him and a few special Guardian Angels, his dad and mine, and my grandmother!

We've never been on an airplane, so don't know the answer to that one yet!

186 posted on 08/02/2006 9:42:40 PM PDT by tina07 (In Memory of my Father - WWII Army Air Force Veteran)

To: ConorMacNessa; AZamericonnie

One from AZ to go with your Atta Boy.

187 posted on 08/02/2006 9:44:12 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska (~ God Bless and Protect Our Brave Protectors of Freedom~)

To: HiJinx; Kathy in Alaska; tomkow6

Reminds me of a blonde joke...

Hummmm....are you making comments about the white out on my monitor??? :) I remember that joke. lol

188 posted on 08/02/2006 9:45:08 PM PDT by AZamericonnie (Support the Troops...they support us!)

My husband watches the OCC all the time, loves that bike too! He was in Jersey City on the river on 9/11, 20 floors up, and saw the second plane come up over the river and slam into the second tower, a real 'seared' in his mind event.

189 posted on 08/02/2006 9:45:18 PM PDT by tina07 (In Memory of my Father - WWII Army Air Force Veteran)

To: Kathy in Alaska

April huh? Don't trees last through the year?

I'm going to have to go back and review non- consequential holidays for planning my next vacation.

Last time I was grounded by Spring Break.

I think there's an argument there for bringing back the Draft.

190 posted on 08/02/2006 9:45:22 PM PDT by BIGLOOK (Keelhauling is a sensible solution to mutiny.)

Tough row he's had to hoe. He surely did have some guardian angels watching over him.

191 posted on 08/02/2006 9:46:12 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska (~ God Bless and Protect Our Brave Protectors of Freedom~)

To: AZamericonnie

Who doesn't!?

Somebody must have a black keyboard if we're talking about using white-out to ID the keys.

Mine's white...kinda old, huh?

192 posted on 08/02/2006 9:47:12 PM PDT by HiJinx (Have you hugged a soldier today? Try it, you'll like it!)

To: HiJinx; AZamericonnie

Reminds me of a blonde joke...

Hmmmmm....d:o)

193 posted on 08/02/2006 9:48:23 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska (~ God Bless and Protect Our Brave Protectors of Freedom~)

To: LUV W; NYTexan; Kathy in Alaska; StarCMC

Hey lookit me!
!!!!!!!!!!!!
I went into the storage romm and fired up the old compaq!
Hee hee!
Ms.B

194 posted on 08/02/2006 9:48:40 PM PDT by MS.BEHAVIN (Women who behave rarely make history)

We will never forget, indeed....very nice, Meg. ((HUGS))

195 posted on 08/02/2006 9:49:14 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska (~ God Bless and Protect Our Brave Protectors of Freedom~)

Yeah....I've got the black Dell keyboard. It hides the fingerprints better!:)

196 posted on 08/02/2006 9:49:16 PM PDT by AZamericonnie (Support the Troops...they support us!)

Good evening, darkwing retired! Is your infection all gone now. Stay healthy.

197 posted on 08/02/2006 9:51:31 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska (~ God Bless and Protect Our Brave Protectors of Freedom~)

I can't imagine. It's seared in my mind and I only saw it on FoxNews. Please tell your hubby thanks from me!! Every year on Sept 11 (or close to it) my kids and I take big plates of cookies to 2 different firehouses close by (we live about halfway between 2 of them) and one police station. Last year we added the National Guard recruiter and the Air Force recruiter. It's a win-win -- the kids learn how to honor those who serve us, and in return the heroes become more real to them! :-D

198 posted on 08/02/2006 9:51:46 PM PDT by StarCMC ("The word of muslims will never, ever override what our U.S. Marines say." - TheCrusader)

To: tina07; Kathy in Alaska; StarCMC; HiJinx; MS.BEHAVIN; MEG33; BIGLOOK; LUV W; NYTexan

Oh my....it's pumpkin time for me! Good night all & God Bless our troops!

Creed~Lullaby

199 posted on 08/02/2006 9:51:53 PM PDT by AZamericonnie (Support the Troops...they support us!)

Yay!!!!

MS.BEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

(((((((Hugs))))))))...yer back!

Good for Compaq! :D

200 posted on 08/02/2006 9:51:56 PM PDT by luvie ("I want our troops to understand that not only does the country support them, but--we'll win! GWB)

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794