DISCLAIMER: The images and writing contained in this blog are the thoughts and opinions of the blogger. Obviously, all names have been left out to protect both the innocent and the guilty. Thank heavens for the 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution which allows presentation of my own feelings and opinions. There are those that feel I have violated privacy or confidences, however, with no names mentioned, attachment can only be made by inference. If by chance you don't agree with what is written here, or, feel you don't like what you have read, stop reading and don't bother coming back.
Well... being retired from being Chief has been good for me... The dust has settled and I am now sleeping regularly and getting alot of home work accomplished.
I am still responding on calls, but less often than before. Not picking and choosing but responding more on a time schedule suited to my needs. So points will still be up there.
Dan, my son in Iraq with USMC... has moved to another area... Don't know where but he'll let me know when he can. I send him Moto Mail and packages as often as I can. Buying stuff for him is my pleasure but is getting very expensive...lol
Anyway, he's out there preserving our freedoms so I guess the expense to keep him stocked on what he needs is a small price to pay.
I have cleared the entire driveway up to my shed in the back yard. Took a week of 2-3 hours work a day, but it's getting there... OK thats it for now.. will return again soon.
Monday, April 25, 2005
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Accusations...Already
DISCLAIMER: The images and writing contained in this blog are the thoughts and opinions of the blogger. Obviously, all names have been left out to protect both the innocent and the guilty. Thank heavens for the 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution which allows presentation of my own feelings and opinions. There are those that feel I have violated privacy or confidences, however, with no names mentioned, attachment can only be made by inference. If by chance you don't agree with what is written here, or, feel you don't like what you have read, stop reading and don't bother coming back.
Well... we're not even 5 full days into the "new" administration and what... accusations fly...lol
It all started with a phone call from the "new" Chief. She wants the invitations to installation dinners I received while I was Chief. I said to her... I'll get back to you... That was two days ago...I never said anything about not giving them to her.
I worked on computer programing all day yesterday and had my corps phone off. When I turned it on... whew...it was burning up with an upset, more like frantic message for me. Seems the "new" Chief did some checking... protocol has it that the outgoing Chief should render unto the incoming Chief all invitations so she can go instead. I did some checking on my own and the departments holding the dinners would have no problem with my attending, after all, I did receive the invites while Chief, but... I'll give them to her.
I had already decided to give her the invites for I certainly would not want to upset the apple cart. (and she got all upset before I could even give her an answer, it's not as if I said no...I guess she just "assumed" I would give her a problem with it...) But, I jumped the gun myself as she was very amiable and suggested a compromise, she'll go to two and I'll go to two. So that part is settled.
But the blistering message I received, accused me of (1) smoking in the Chief's Car... totally false. Not once in the entire year I was Chief did I smoke in that car. Knowing who I was dealing with in this corps, I dared not smoke in the car. It seems that the car reeks of cigarette smell however, and that could only be from my clothes. It does permiate and stick to everything. So... if the car has a "stench" as she put it... that is why. Sorry bout that...
Then (2) I was accused of boasting... I love that word... boasting that I was able to drive in the HOV lane on the expressway with no one else in the car because it's an emergency vehicle. LOL big time. Now, I know who to whom I said this and now know who has the blabber mouth. Therefore, it was helpful to hear it got to her. Of course, like any good game of telephone, what was originally and actually said and what gets to the end person is never the same. Seems while traveling on the expressway one day and I usually take the HOV lane, (with someone else in the car, during restricted hours) I realized about six exits into the trip, this was a restricted time frame and I was alone in the car...LOL...Once I realized, hey Chief... you shouldn't be here and got out of that lane. Now, in passing conversation, I mentioned (to our balbber mouth member) how I had inadverently driven in the HOV lane and was probably lucky I was not stopped becuase I was alone and was in an emergency vehicle. I did not "boast" about it, I laughed about it because it was not a blatant disregard of the law, it was an accident of timing... nothing more... but let's accuse Larry anyway.
(3) And this is a good one. I drove to Laguardia Airport in the Chiefs car. Absolutely true. Of course no one mentioned I was picking up our Training Officer, who's original ride fell through, upon his return to New York from Chicago. If a department car cannot be used to aid fellow officers and members (outside of answering emergency calls, (of which I answered 580 of 1760)then what good is it?
Hell... previous administrations have taken First Responder cars to conventions upstate... why not to a local airport to pick up a member and an officer to boot.
Liz and I are going to a Broadway show in the city, instead of an installation dinner on the 23rd... Later...
Well... we're not even 5 full days into the "new" administration and what... accusations fly...lol
It all started with a phone call from the "new" Chief. She wants the invitations to installation dinners I received while I was Chief. I said to her... I'll get back to you... That was two days ago...I never said anything about not giving them to her.
I worked on computer programing all day yesterday and had my corps phone off. When I turned it on... whew...it was burning up with an upset, more like frantic message for me. Seems the "new" Chief did some checking... protocol has it that the outgoing Chief should render unto the incoming Chief all invitations so she can go instead. I did some checking on my own and the departments holding the dinners would have no problem with my attending, after all, I did receive the invites while Chief, but... I'll give them to her.
I had already decided to give her the invites for I certainly would not want to upset the apple cart. (and she got all upset before I could even give her an answer, it's not as if I said no...I guess she just "assumed" I would give her a problem with it...) But, I jumped the gun myself as she was very amiable and suggested a compromise, she'll go to two and I'll go to two. So that part is settled.
But the blistering message I received, accused me of (1) smoking in the Chief's Car... totally false. Not once in the entire year I was Chief did I smoke in that car. Knowing who I was dealing with in this corps, I dared not smoke in the car. It seems that the car reeks of cigarette smell however, and that could only be from my clothes. It does permiate and stick to everything. So... if the car has a "stench" as she put it... that is why. Sorry bout that...
Then (2) I was accused of boasting... I love that word... boasting that I was able to drive in the HOV lane on the expressway with no one else in the car because it's an emergency vehicle. LOL big time. Now, I know who to whom I said this and now know who has the blabber mouth. Therefore, it was helpful to hear it got to her. Of course, like any good game of telephone, what was originally and actually said and what gets to the end person is never the same. Seems while traveling on the expressway one day and I usually take the HOV lane, (with someone else in the car, during restricted hours) I realized about six exits into the trip, this was a restricted time frame and I was alone in the car...LOL...Once I realized, hey Chief... you shouldn't be here and got out of that lane. Now, in passing conversation, I mentioned (to our balbber mouth member) how I had inadverently driven in the HOV lane and was probably lucky I was not stopped becuase I was alone and was in an emergency vehicle. I did not "boast" about it, I laughed about it because it was not a blatant disregard of the law, it was an accident of timing... nothing more... but let's accuse Larry anyway.
(3) And this is a good one. I drove to Laguardia Airport in the Chiefs car. Absolutely true. Of course no one mentioned I was picking up our Training Officer, who's original ride fell through, upon his return to New York from Chicago. If a department car cannot be used to aid fellow officers and members (outside of answering emergency calls, (of which I answered 580 of 1760)then what good is it?
Hell... previous administrations have taken First Responder cars to conventions upstate... why not to a local airport to pick up a member and an officer to boot.
Liz and I are going to a Broadway show in the city, instead of an installation dinner on the 23rd... Later...
Monday, April 04, 2005
Installation Dinner? or Farewell Party?
Saturday evening, April 2nd... an ambulance company from somewhere in Suffolk County held it's 2005 installation dinner somewhere in Suffolk County. With such a decidedly split organization, one found it difficult to discern, installation dinner or the outgoing chief's farewell party.
I had a blast. Giving out awards to those that earned them was a treat. Especially fullfilling were the "special" awards... We chose two probationary members of the year. One male and one female. I feel that this years recipients really deserved the title. In addition, the Chief's Award was given to a very hard working, dedicated individual who helped me throughout the year. He really helped me alot...pain in the butt sometimes...LOL but...he definitely deserved this award. Of course, no matter who gets what awards, some people will be unhappy... Oh well...
A Suffolk County Legislator presents the outgoing Chief with a proclamation.
Invited dignitaries spoke briefly, extolling the outgoing Chief's (my)accomplishments...There were some cheers, some boo's (no couth) at various times through the night but overall... it went well.
One very special award was given out that night. As previously posted here... back in October, 2004, one of our ambulances was involved in a head on collission with an alleged drunk driver. (He hit our vehicle in our lane of travel) The EMT in charge, with an infant patient and the patients family in the back of the ambulance, with total disregard for her own injuries (2 broken ribs and sprained shoulder)
Shown here are the outgoing Chief, the high calls EMT/Driver (over 700), an outstanding hero EMT holding her award, and an Asst. Chief.
evaluated and the evacuated the ambulance. She then settled everyone on the side of the road and went about rendering emergency aid to the alleged drunk driver. He was seriously injured and she remained with him until relieved by arriving EMS workers.
For this she was recognized before her peers and received a standing ovation. Everyone stood but a few...(we won't mention names here, as in this entire blog...) and that showed what ignorant people they really are. But we did not let that stop the great party from continuing on.
I got to dance with Rachel to "Butterfly Kisses" She looked great, didn't she?
I got to dance with Liz,(oops there I go mentioning names...lol) and with my daughter Rachel...(to Butterfly Kisses) My brother David and sister-in-law Marilyn were there too. All in all we enjoyed my farewell party.
I surprised Liz with a bouquet of roses (a gift to her actually from the ambulance organization)
I was going to make a long speech, about what I attempted to do during my first year as Chief... instead I simply congratulated the in-coming Chief saying, "Congratulations on being elected Chief, but remember, a year is a short period of time... I'll be back". Ooos and ahhs abounded...lol
Now I'll be able to get some personal things accomplished in my life. It'll be a great year. Later...
I had a blast. Giving out awards to those that earned them was a treat. Especially fullfilling were the "special" awards... We chose two probationary members of the year. One male and one female. I feel that this years recipients really deserved the title. In addition, the Chief's Award was given to a very hard working, dedicated individual who helped me throughout the year. He really helped me alot...pain in the butt sometimes...LOL but...he definitely deserved this award. Of course, no matter who gets what awards, some people will be unhappy... Oh well...
A Suffolk County Legislator presents the outgoing Chief with a proclamation.
Invited dignitaries spoke briefly, extolling the outgoing Chief's (my)accomplishments...There were some cheers, some boo's (no couth) at various times through the night but overall... it went well.
One very special award was given out that night. As previously posted here... back in October, 2004, one of our ambulances was involved in a head on collission with an alleged drunk driver. (He hit our vehicle in our lane of travel) The EMT in charge, with an infant patient and the patients family in the back of the ambulance, with total disregard for her own injuries (2 broken ribs and sprained shoulder)
Shown here are the outgoing Chief, the high calls EMT/Driver (over 700), an outstanding hero EMT holding her award, and an Asst. Chief.
evaluated and the evacuated the ambulance. She then settled everyone on the side of the road and went about rendering emergency aid to the alleged drunk driver. He was seriously injured and she remained with him until relieved by arriving EMS workers.
For this she was recognized before her peers and received a standing ovation. Everyone stood but a few...(we won't mention names here, as in this entire blog...) and that showed what ignorant people they really are. But we did not let that stop the great party from continuing on.
I got to dance with Rachel to "Butterfly Kisses" She looked great, didn't she?
I got to dance with Liz,(oops there I go mentioning names...lol) and with my daughter Rachel...(to Butterfly Kisses) My brother David and sister-in-law Marilyn were there too. All in all we enjoyed my farewell party.
I surprised Liz with a bouquet of roses (a gift to her actually from the ambulance organization)
I was going to make a long speech, about what I attempted to do during my first year as Chief... instead I simply congratulated the in-coming Chief saying, "Congratulations on being elected Chief, but remember, a year is a short period of time... I'll be back". Ooos and ahhs abounded...lol
Now I'll be able to get some personal things accomplished in my life. It'll be a great year. Later...
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