An Annual Tradition

EACH YEAR, THE FAIRFAX COUNTY FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE fully participates in the Labor Day Muscular Dystrophy events, primarily through the Fill-the-Boot campaign that runs for four days over the holiday weekend.  This is done with the full support and encouragement of the County Board of Supervisors, and the Fire Chief's office sees that every accommodation is made to make for a successful weekend.  This is a large part of why the FRD is always in the top five departments for amount of money raised each year.

One of the encouragements delivered by the Fire and Rescue administration is a reward for the station shift that raises the most donations per capita in the department.  One day is selected and the winning shift gets to sleep in at home and be with their families while a full crew of white shirts and multi-bugles show up to staff all the apparatus.  It's not very often you get to see a deputy chief pull the handline and take it in.

Joel Kobersteen, Information Officer of Firefighters and Paramedics Local 2068 tells us about this years winners:

The "Fill in" Crew:

Front row: Deputy Chief Michael Reilly, Technician Michael Macario, Firefighter Jason Pryor
Back row: Captain II Reggie Johnson, Captain II Steve McFarland, Assistant Chief Garret Dyer,
Captain Cindy Brown, Deputy Chief J.J. Walsh, Deputy Chief Keith Morrison,
Lieutenant Craig Schellhammer, Captain Tim Fowler  (IAFF Local 2068 photo)

On May 14, 2012 uniformed members of the administrative staff and communications section of Fairfax County Fire & Rescue gave the crew from Fire Station 5, C-shift 12 hours off and staffed the apparatus themselves. This was done to recognize 5/C for their tremendous job being the highest raising station and shift per capita during the 2011 Labor Day Weekend Fill the Boot campaign to benefit the Greater Washington Muscular Dystrophy Association. Station Captain Fred Brandell, who is also the Shift Captain at 5/C, inherited the "MDA Fevered shift" from the previous Station/Shift Captain Tyrone Harrington and has since run with it.

Captain Brandell's shift makes an annual pilgrimage down to the MDA Summer Camp in Leonardtown, Maryland where they show the campers around fire apparatus, swim, eat and play with the campers and staff a dunk tank along with now Battalion Chief Harrington. Fire Station 5/C has been the per capita leader for last five years, last year collecting $14,911, which works out to $1,656 per person for the 9 person crew.

Congrats to 5-C, and to the great folks in the "ivory tower" who enthusiastically show up every year to spell the crew.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue WEBSITE.
Local 2068 WEBSITE.

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Kicking Off Tuesday Morning's Activities

LORENZO ABUNDIZ, PRESIDENT OF CODE 3 FOR A CURE, rang the opening bell for the NASDAQ financial trading session on Tuesday December 27.

The bell sounds and the light comes on as Lorenzo Abundiz (center)
throws the switch to begin the day's trading activity.  (NASDAQ photo)

Firegeezer readers may recall our coverage last year of the annual mission as Lorenzo drove the Sutphen fire engine across the country visiting firehouses and bringing firefighter cancer issues to the front line.

The Code 3 for a Cure Foundation conducts an Annual Mission of Hope and Honor in which a team of firefighter/cancer survivors drive a fire engine across America to share their personal cancer experiences and to encourage early cancer screenings among firefighters and the general public. The fire engine carries a memorial fire bell on an empty seat that signifies the loss of a firefighter to cancer. The names of fallen firefighters are collected from various fire departments throughout the journey, and at the completion of the Mission a memorial fire bell service is conducted at the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Code 3 for a Cure also grants the requests of terminally ill firefighters who want to ride on the fire engine one more time to encourage fellow firefighters to stay alert of the warning signs of cancer. A main goal of the Foundation is to provide financial relief to firefighters diagnosed with cancer who are facing a financial hardship. You can read about cancer's effect effect on firefighters on the Foundation's website, www.code3foracure.org/stats.html.

Firegeezer is planning to provide coverage again for the 2012 mission.  The Geezerguys were able to meet Lorenzo and see his presentation on this year's tour and we can tell you that it is a marvelous job he is doing.

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Do You Feel Fit?

I came across this video that was taken in May 2009 over in London, England.  It's one of those charity events, in this case a firefighters' charity program, and shows a gaggle of off-duty lads pulling a pumper for four miles through city streets.  I never have understood how these sorts of events raise money for the cause, but I guess they do.  I also noticed that this must be a regular event in more than one place because they are using a large number of expensive-looking shoulder straps to harness themselves to the fire engine.  But pull they did!

But if there is only one puller, the course is shorter:

Bad back?  Bad knees?  Me, too.  But here's a fundraiser that we've ALL had plenty of practice for:

The National Car Wash Day is apparently an event that firehouses all over the UK participate in on a designated day each year to raise funds for the Firefighters Charity program.

If there is a way to raise funds by checking equipment, then we had better practice up for that event and try it out now.  I'm going to enter the coffee dash and get another pot started.  See you back in the digital day room.

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No Better Place Than This To Send It

HAVE YOU BEEN SAVING THAT LAST fire department patch for just the right moment to give it away?  Even if you have more than one left, we have found the perfect place to donate it to.  We have just heard from one of our friends up in Montreal, Quebec, about a 5-yr.-old boy who is also an avid fire buff.  Unfortunately he also has an advanced cancer that is requiring chemotherapy treatment that he is receiving.  Oh, he also had to have a kidney removed.  All this at just five years of age!

A group of helpful people who are watching over him have asked all firefighters everywhere to think about sending young Michael one of your department's patches to help cheer him up and make for a nice display on his wall.

Personally, I can't think of a better place to send one myself.  (If you're out of extra patches, cut one off the sleeve of the shirt left in the station by that guy who is on his 4-day break.)

Come on, Geezerguys….. let's pitch in and put a smile on this little fellow's face!

Mail your patches to:

Michael
c/o MaisonBrison Communications
2160 de la Montagne Street
Suite 400
Montreal, Quebec H3G 2T3
Canada

He will be happy, you will be happy, and I will be happy.  Thanks a lot!

Bill Schumm, Firegeezer

Pushing to the Big Finish

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It's official but carries some drama

TUCSON, Ariz., Aug. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/–

The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) announces that today Jerry Lewis has completed his run as its national chairman. In May, Lewis and MDA announced his retirement as host of the MDA Labor Day Telethon.

MDA Chairman of the Board of Directors, R. Rodney Howell, M.D., said, “Jerry Lewis is a world-class humanitarian and we’re forever grateful to him for his more than half century of generous service to MDA.

We will not be replacing him as MDA national chairman, and he will not be appearing on the Telethon.”

more HERE

Lewis, MDA mum on reasons for comedian's exit

Today's Associated Press article indicates that the decision may have not been mutual.

In May, Lewis said in a statement issued through the association that he would make his final appearance on the telethon this year and sing "You'll Never Walk Alone" during a six-hour primetime broadcast scheduled for Sept. 4.

But during a session with reporters last week at a Television Critics Association press tour to promote an upcoming TV documentary, "Method to the Madness of Jerry Lewis," Lewis hinted that his involvement in raising money for muscular dystrophy research wasn't finished.

more HERE

Wonder if this fall's documentary from Starz/Encore was an issue?

From the press release:

For the first time in history, Jerry has granted us exclusive rights to document the behind the scenes operations of this massive television/multimedia event.

We captured everything from pre-production to the final tote board tally.

This amazing footage reveals that his tireless efforts are a year round job, and not simply showing up to host this enormous variety show.

We also see Jerry's meticulous production meetings, his outrageously funny performance rehearsals, and countless hysterical candid moments unlike anything that has ever been seen of Jerry before.

In addition, we were also privileged to capture many heartfelt moments revealing how much "Jerry's kid's" really mean to him.

Read more HERE

Mary Elizabeth Williams, writing in Salon.com yesterday, makes another point:

Times have changed. There are other ways to use charity to fight disease now.

There are even more efficient ones, one that couldn't have been remotely imagined when Lewis donned a tux and picked up the microphone all those years ago.

But there will never be another combination of schmaltz and sincerity of its kind again. And the word "telethon" without the words "Jerry Lewis" in front — it's like "New Year's" without "Dick Clark."

Inevitable? Yes. Hard to get used to? Absolutely.

What's Labor Day without Jerry Lewis?

We will never walk alone.

Edited to add:

from Steven Zeitchik and Deborah Vankin in today's Los Angeles Times: Jerry Lewis ousted as MDA telethon host

"It's probably time for him to retire," Tom Arnold said. "But he should get to say goodbye.

"If they'd promoted this as Jerry Lewis' final telethon they could've gotten guys like George Clooney, which would've opened the door to God knows who. It would've been a big deal, and showbiz loves big deals."

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Detroit:  Selected of God Choir

Brian McCollum (2011 August 02) Chrysler, Eminem hit rev up city again with latest 'Imported From Detroit' effort. Detroit Free Press

A stirring gospel version of Eminem's "Lose Yourself," performed by Selected of God choir, will be released Tuesday on iTunes and Amazon.

Sale proceeds, including song royalties, will be funneled by Chrysler and Eminem's song publisher to three Detroit nonprofit groups.

Organizations that stand to benefit are the Abayomi Community Development Corporation, the Yunion mentoring service and Robert Shumake Foundation.

They join four other groups, including the Marshall Mathers Foundation, that already receive proceeds from sales of "Imported From Detroit" merchandise such as T-shirts and hats.

Cameo of Detroit Engine 9 Firefighter at 3:38 in video.

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Friday Morning – Let's Ride

In the Upcoming Events posting yesterday, we added the upcoming Wisconsin State Firefighters Memorial Ride for Remembrance.  This is the third year we've promoted their annual fundraiser and I always point out the wonderful job that all the firefighters and fire departments in the state have done in building and maintaining their very impressive memorial in Wisconsin Falls.  In 1996 legislation was enacted creating the official state memorial for fallen firefighters and an appropriate site was selected in the Ben Hansen Park in the centrally-located city. 

Ever since then, the state's firefighters have been contiually organizing fundraising activities and using them to build a terrific memorial site including a bell tower that houses a fire bell dating back to 1892 that came from the city of Superior.

Just over two years ago they completed the visitor center and interpretive display that is built to resemble a fire station.

The Ride of Remembrance is held in a different area of the state each year and normally has 500+ motorcycles with over 700 participants from several different states who travel the 100-mile selected route.  One firefighter from Dallas has been in every ride so far.  This year's ride begins in Oconomowoc, continues to Whitewater, Edgerton, Albany and ends at New Glarus where a short memorial service dedicated to FF's who have passed away during the year will be held.  And this year for good measure, they are having a wedding!

The cost for the July 24 event remains the same, $30 per person or $50 for a two-up, and that includes lunch and the evening meal.  CLICK HERE for detailed info and the registration form.

And even if you're unable to make the ride, I urge you to go to their WEBSITE HERE and click around looking at the fantastic park that they have created.  It's worth the few minutes of your time.

Before we mount up and ride, we've got to get this equipment checked out.  I'll start some holiday-weekend coffee.

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Cruising the I-10 Westbound … Part Two

Leaving Houston, Lorenzo continued on I-10 to El Paso where he met up with Code 3 supporter and crew member Pete Trapani for the trip back to California.

Welcome, Pete!

Along the way they stopped at the Las Cruces Fire Department for a short visit and then headed west again.

Just west of there they came upon a large multi vehicle accident in the opposing lane of the roadway.

A little farther along they hit the open desert and dust storm warnings.

And the sign was right!

Eventually they arrived in Tuscon, Arizona, where they were met by TFD representatives.  After Tucson, it's on to Hollywood and the closing ceremony!

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Cruising the I-10 Westbound …. Part One

After leaving Alabama, Lorenzo headed across Louisiana. 

It was hot and humid as he drove by some Louisiana swamps, and then on to Baton Rouge District 6 for a stop and visit.

There we met with Chief Kevin Sanchez, and FF’s Josiah Jones and Anthony Collins. They were a great group of guys and fun to be around.

The next stop for Lorenzo was Houston, Texas.

There he re-united with the crews of station 33 where he had been able to stay while undergoing treatment at the M.D.Anderson Medical Center for his battle with prostrate cancer.

The guys there gave him a great big welcome and then set about taking care of the apparatus. With a good once over and wash and detail it was looking great.

While in TX Lorenzo stopped by the Medical center for a blood draw by local phlebotomist Gifford Okapah boi.

After giving blood, he attended a fund raising BBQ at the site of old Station 27 that the Houston Dept. is trying to re-model into a cancer care house that FF’s can stay at while undergoing treatment at MD Anderson.

He was greeted there by Chief Lorenzo Diaz, and Harold Reese, plus lots of community support.

Remember that the end of the mission is on Monday April 18 at the City of LA Memorial.

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