The Fill Line

March 2014

A column for firehouse reading by Thomas J. Parsons

While out Scoot-a-Pootin near and far. Congratulations to Ennis TX Fire with their achievement of their
Class 2 ISO rating. Ferris TX just took delivery of their first Spartan ERV pumper from Metro Fire Apparatus
Specialist Inc. This unit features Spartan ERV's Aluminum Body, Cummins ISC 380hp engine, Hale 1500GPM
pump, 1000-gallon UPF water tank, Akron Scene Star brow and sidelights, and Whelan 600 series emergency
lighting. Called engine 101, the unit cab is solid red with silver roll up rear compartment doors on a Spartan
Metro Star X MFD chassis. This engine will replace a solid red 1987 Sutphen 1500 GPM with Detroit diesel
pumper, and it is available for sale as I start this. Asking price is $5,000, and would make a good fire engine,
either second out or front line for a smaller department. It looks solid (no rust), and sounded great. Further
information phone Chief Birdwell at: 972-842-2898. or e-mail tim.birdwell@ci.ferristx.us (Ferris visit below).
American LaFrance LLC (Fire Apparatus Builders) based in Moncks Corner, Pimlico, and Ephrata Pa has
closed their doors in January, telling employees they are closed and not to return. Estimates are over 150 people
are out of a job today due to these actions.
Kenny Ray Isom (Ennis Volunteer Fire Department) reports on the Ellis County Fire Repeater Project started
two years ago. Item 1. The new Tower is installed at the old County Farm site just east of Waxahachie. Item 2.
The new repeater is installed and working fine. We are getting some intermittent interference from the powerful
strobe lights. It sounds like the repeater hangs in transmit mode sometimes and you will hear some buzzing
sounds for few seconds. Item 3. At this time the Voting Receivers are not enabled so these last few months ya'll
have been working directly off the Repeater mentioned above but most users have told me they had better
coverage with the increased power, higher antenna, and improved radio than before. It has been very rewarding
to see our improvements in communications equipment and also interoperability and protocol over the last
year. Please send any questions, feedback, or comments about the radio system over the next couple of months
to me and I will make sure it gets to the right people and, with your help, we will complete this project very
soon. (If you need Kens e-mail, let me know).
Dub Nowell was appointed president for the ESD#4 board, which includes Red Oak and Ovilla TX. Joey
Dawson of Waxahachie TX Fire is a new MPO. He is assigned station #2. Plano TX implemented SUV vehicles
to minor EMS emergencies to reduce cost. Chief Brian Crawford is quoted as saying, We have always done it
that way, doesnt mean its the right way, and It is easier for a Chevy Suburban to navigate streets and corners
than a 50,000 pound fire truck. What do you think Rick, Charlotte or Fayetteville?
The Mile High hook and Ladder (Littleton CO) tells of their 2014 mini-muster, which will be held at SWAC,
from 9-3, on Saturday, March 8th. If you would like to bring anything to show, set up will be from 7-9 am.
Kevin will be showing vintage NYFD training videos at 11:00. Muffins and coffee will be served in the
morning, and for lunch we'll take orders and make a run to Subway. Noted: My personal thanks to the club for
printing a story of mine in the February issue of the Roto Ray.
I regret to tell John Sees that I have heard notta input from anyone on his concern for anyone requiring a
bunkroom for their fire station.
* Ferris TX stop. I was going to see their new engine when I find it was out having some final adjustments
made. The visit did allow me to see good friend Tim Birdwell, who has accepted their post as Fire Chief. Tim
has 24 years with Desoto TX plus some time in Red Oak TX. He started his fire service here in Ferris, sort of a
coming full circle thing. I also got to see Tims son Jason (who was interim chief). I found that the Navistar
pumper tanker (bought in 1993) is going to the Bristol VFD. The ESD #5 unit was called White Lightning,
the name selected after a local school name the fire truck contest. The new engine joins a 1995 FerraraSpartan pumper. A realignment of equipment will have brush units at the sub station while the front line engines
will be at the main station. (PS, I also found that secret passage between the offices and the big engine bay). We
cut the brief visit short as he hustled off to a meeting, but like Arnold, I vill return.
The answer for: February. American LaFrance commemorated 150 years with a collectable. 1/64 th scale
tractor-trailer rigs to be produced by a company named Winross. The initial trailer design was termed too busy
and only five other scale trucks were produced. The powers soon decided no other units to be produced.
Question of the month: March April 10, 1922, and on signal, Pete, Jim, and Tom take their places with E-37,
and dash out the door. Meanwhile, 50,000 people are standing along Woodward Ave. in Detroit watching the
event. What is going on?

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The Firehouse kitchen. As Patty starts to record the accumulated information, she remembers Lt. Hart had
told her the laptop was acting kind of funny and needed to be sent to tech support. He suggests making notes
on some old notebook paper he gives her while the laptop is gone. As the crew devours their makeshift lunch,
Patty makes note of the activity so far.
With a delayed lunch behind them, the crew of firehouse 13 begins committee work as a car horn blows in
front of the firehouse. Figuring it to be Chief Burns, Books slowly moves to tell the chief he cant park with the
squad inside, but instead finds a man telling that his rider is having a heart attack. Books hits the house bells and
Patty and Dink move toward the overhead door. Books points to a yellow car and mumbles its a medical
problem. The two pull the man from the car starting CPR as Mel stops at the squad to bring the rescue kit.
Within minutes the man is revived and packaged for transport. The squad and the yellow car drive away as the
reporter taps on the window requesting information. Patty gives an overview, but cites the public information
act and directs his inquire to HQ. Books stuffs the pizza boxes in the trash as the bells toll out box 2-4, followed
by a phone call. Patty is told its is an all hands and engine 13 is out the door within seconds.
Upon arrival they find a fully involved building with several exposures. Books again grapples with the hard
suction and makes the connection as Patty uses tank water, and with strategic positioning with pin point
accuracy directs the master stream over the large body of fire which is immediately knocked down.
Chief Burns arrives and places the additional apparatus and the blaze is quickly contained. The reporter has
captured the event, and follows engine 13 back to quarters after all units take up. Meanwhile, as squad 4
returned, it responded to a major crash on the expressway. Mel and Dink single handedly extricate a group of
seniors from an overturned charter bus, and triage several occupants of other vehicles found in various
situations before additional units, and Mels reporter buddy arrive. Both incidents are quickly terminated.
Both units arrive back at firehouse 13 as the news of the day begins on the TV, but the local feed is abruptly
interrupted when the media thinks the president may have something of importance to say. As the crew attempts
to find something better to watch, Mel hints of making popcorn, but Books advises against it remembering the
popcorn and firehouse 13s folklore of running calls through the night. Dink agrees and Mel heads toward the
bodega for more little cake snacks and ice cream.
Before bed, the squad and engine make several uneventful calls to include; two false box alarms, a car with an
overheated radiator, and a lockout. After a night of uninterrupted sleep, Dink is first up and starts to clean the
kitchen making his usual racket. Uh, Omigosh, I found this note in the door handing it to Mel as he steps
from the bathroom. Patty opens a snack cake and is looking around the table and floor as Books emerges from
the bunkroom. Mels note reads that the reporter has attempted to send firehouse 13s stories of bravery and
steadfastness to his editor when his computer fell and the manuscript was somehow lost. The president has
filibustered all night in an attempt to try and remember what his initial comments were to have been. The stories
of yesterdays news have been preempted and forgotten when a local funeral home director wins a national
sweepstakes and claims he will donate a large portion to a local charity. Lt. Hart has arrived for duty, but is
diverted to the office to answer the telephone. He mentions how the alarm room and admin had a short in their
systems and has apparently lost all of the past 24 hours radio recordings, and any submitted incident reports.
Dink has just returned inside after dumping the trash just beating the weekly pickup. As the noisy trash truck
roars away, Patty asks if anyone has seen the wrinkled notebook papers that were on the table.
Have your copy yet? You can place orders The Firehouse Kitchen at 1-800-834-1803, or go on line at
bookorders@rosedogbooks.com. They are also available at Rose Dogs Yahoo! Store at the following;
www.rosedogbookstore.com the book is also available at Amazon.com. Thank you for checking it out.
Prayer portion. Praise God! The New Year promises challenges for us all. How equipped are you for these
events? Invite Jesus Christ along and step back and have Him take charge in your life. No, the event wont be
easy, but the load is lifted with His nail scared hands. We offer prayer for the upcoming events, and give thanks to
God for His will and the eventual results. How much control do we really have? Ask Jesus first.
Thats all for now, meanwhile, keep the hoses dry and well see you out while scoot-a-pootin. Connect with me
Thomas J. Parsons at phone: 972-878-0562, or e-mail me at: labwdp@academicplanet.com

Remember! Dont leave the station with out your FILL LINE!
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