Back from 5 day break.

5 day break ended, so back to work for B Shift.  Tuesday morning started off with a  technical rescue drill that involved members of  the Salem, Roanoke City, and Roanoke County technical rescue teams.  These three localities form the VA Division 6 Technical Rescue Team Task Force 1.  The drill combined elements of rope rescue techniques, rigging, and water rescue.

Salem TRT member CJ Schaffer making a pick off.

                                                                                      

B Shift /C Shift Weekend

Friday, the day that most people call the start of their weekend, the last day of the work week, a day that songs were written about by pop and disco groups of the 70's and 80's...You get the picture.
Friday for the Rescue Engine crew was a day of chores around the house, and a bit of extrication work in Station 1's area.  After returning from a successful ACLS(Advanced Cardiac Life Support) re-certification I got the "Hey Lt, we did this, and this and worked on this, and you better sit down for this..."  Oh boy..  Everything worked out and Joey Avila had made dinner plans for crew.
 When one of the 802 crew was asked about dinner earlier in the day, they told Joey "as long as it is good, and a lot of it.".  Joey took their advise and came back with some HUGE steaks,  potatoes for baking, and green beans.   Awesome meal, some fun kitchen/dinner antics and conversation.
The evening brought rain and a car vs motorcycle.  Fortunately the motorcyclist ended up with minor injuries.

 Saturday I did a trade of duty with one of the guys so he could take care of some family stuff, and got to spend time at 2 House, C Shift style.  Bobby Haynes had some good training that he wanted to do, so we spent the morning running lines, re- racking hose, running lines again and again until it was like clockwork.  Good stuff.

 For the afternoon we joined the crew from Station 1, the friends, family and fans of the Roanoke Rampage Football Team.  Roanoke Rampage Fire and Police Football Team is made up of professional fire, rescue, police and public safety workers throughout the Roanoke and New River Valley. The team is a charitable football team formed to raise money for local charities while playing competitive football in the National Public Safety Football League.  Unfortunately the team took a loss to Chicago, and  had a few players get injured.
I encourage everybody that is local, and reads this blog to get out and support the Roanoke Rampage, these guys are out there playing for charity, so let's do out part and support them. Here is a link to their web site page, and face book.  Roanoke Rampage Football   Roanoke Rampage Football - Facebook Page
The rest of the shift brought us a few more medical assist, and such.  We did find out that the "man cold" does exist, it's not just a commercial for cold medicine, and it can happen at 0330hrs.
Had a good time working with 2 House C Shift crew.

Sunday, has been a day of rest so far with good meals, good people, and my first attempt at making scones
(a UK thing,  best general description is, a crumbly  biscuit made with butter instead of shortening and sweeter).  I'm pretty sure they went over well after the response from Roanoke City Captain Phil Dillon who is one of the part time personnel that is assigned to M802; "a scone?  well what is it...oh damn!  pass that jelly...can you make more of these, like now? "  Ben Flinchum once again made an awesome dinner of chicken cutlets, and steamed vegetables that was inevitably interrupted by a fire alarm.  Just part of the job.
Let's see what the night holds for the East Side...

In the fire service, there are three types of individuals: Those who go out and make it happen, those who stand aside and watch it happen, and those who say, "What the hell just happened!"
— Battalion Commander Bob Green, South San Francisco Fire Department   

St Patrick's Day Recipe # 3 - Black and White Chocolate Mousse

Guinness is a wonderful complement to chocolate. This creamy dessert is served at The Guinness Storehouse, at St. James's Gate in Dublin. The Guinness Storehouse is currently Ireland's number-one international visitor attraction. Reprinted with permission from The Irish Pub Cookbook by Margaret Johnson (Chronicle Books 2005).

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• * * * * Black Chocolate Mousse * * * *
• 8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped or grated
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted Kerrygold Irish butter
• 1/4 cup superfine sugar
• 3/4 cup Guinness stout
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
• * * * * White Chocolate Mousse * * * *
• 6 ounces white chocolate, chopped or grated
• 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream

Preparation:

Makes 8 servings. To make the black chocolate mousse: In a small bowl set over a pan of simmering water, or in a double boiler, combine the chocolate, butter, and sugar. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the Guinness and whisk in the egg yolks. Remove from the heat.
In a small bowl, whip the cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold the cream into the chocolate mixture. With clean beaters, in a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold the whites into the chocolate mixture. Fill 8 wine or parfait glasses three quarters full with the chocolate mixture. Refrigerate while preparing the white chocolate mousse.
To make the white chocolate mousse: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the white chocolate and 1/2 cup of the cream. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool, stirring once or twice, for 30 minutes, or until thickened. In a small bowl, beat the remaining 1/2 cup of cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the white chocolate mixture. Spoon the mixture over the top of the chocolate mousses and refrigerate for at least 2, and up to 24, hours.

Promotional Ceremony and Parade Weekend

 A good weekend for the SFD

A ceremony  was held Friday night honoring the accomplishments of the men and women of the SFD.I have wanted to see a promotional ceremony for quite some time. A big thank you to everyone who put it on. So that nobody is forgotten, a BIG CONGRATULATIONS to all who were honored! I do believe my personnel favorite had to be Badge 1 going to Senior Firefighter Lawrence "BOO BOO" Keffer. I am glad to see the tradition of Badge 1 continue. 

It was good to see so many people and families that we never get to see anymore in our daily tour trades. It is really hard to believe how much this department has changed and grown. Can you believe it, when I started here 11 years ago, their were 10 firefighters on a shift. 

  Wish we had more pictures, but that's all we had available to to us.
That's it! Anyway, thanks again for the atta boy. Hope you C shifters enjoyed Friday night!

Saturday was no exception when it came to good times. The weather was beautiful and warm and the beverages were cold. SFD represented well downtown in the Noke for St. Patty's day festivities thanks to Erin Barger and his awesome t -shirt designs once again. (I got several comments Erin). Seeing the sea of blue from the Roanoke City PD marching behind retired Officer Brian Lawerence as the grand marshal was amazing! It is a true testament to the power of the Almighty, and his determination that the man is alive,walking and riding a motorcycle today! The old yankee medic Chris Damon took some pics downtown, we hope to get them loaded up. I enjoyed Saturday, I hope all that were there did as well.

Sorry Ison, you really didn't miss that much:{  

Remember as Chief Doug Kline said" Don't be status quo!"

See ya next time - Smitty

St Patrick's Day Recipe # 2 - A link to a really good article

Came across an good article to share with everybody, take the time to read it, to some it's preaching to the choir and others it can be a wake up call.  It’s Not Just About You 

Now on to some more good stuff.

St Patrick's Day Recipe # 2


 Lamb Shanks in Guinness with Country Vegetables

Ireland's famous Guinness stout adds deep flavor to this hearty stew. You will need a very large Dutch oven to accommodate all the lamb and vegetables.

6 servings

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 lamb shanks (about 6 pounds total)
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 5 cups chopped onions
• 4 cups beef stock or canned broth
• 2 12-ounce bottles Guinness stout
• 4 carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 large parsnips, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 rutabagas, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup pitted prunes

Preparation

• Heat 6 tablespoons vegetable oil in heavy large Dutch oven over high heat. Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Coat lamb with flour; shake off excess. Reserve excess flour. Add lamb to Dutch oven in batches and brown well. Using tongs, transfer lamb to bowl. Reduce heat to medium. Add 5 cups chopped onions to Dutch oven and sauté until transluscent, scraping up any browned bits, about 5 minutes. Add reserved flour and stir 1 minute.
• Return lamb shanks and any accumulated juices to Dutch oven. Add beef stock and Guinness. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until meat is almost tender, about 1 hour.
• Add carrots, parsnips and rutabagas to Dutch oven and simmer uncovered until meat and vegetables are tender and stew thickens slightly, about 40 minutes. Spoon fat from surface of stew. Add prunes and simmer 20 minutes. 
  DO AHEAD Stew can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Rewarm stew over low heat before serving.
    
  Thanks to all that have sent in recipes!

Tuesday B Shift back. Wednesday C Shift - last day and the cloffice

C shift preparing to go on 5 day break once again prove that they are the tip of the spear, the cutting edge of improv when I comes to necessity.  I present to you...The Bobby Haynes cloffice.

Part closet, part office.  Now if he can put a mini fridge in there...


B Shift came back from break on Tuesday, a few EMS runs, prep of the swiftwater boats and equipment in anticipation of some foul weather,  and some forcible entry training with the crews from Engine 1 and Medic 801.  Later that afternoon, there was a visit from the Deputy Chief, Captain Graham, and guest.
A few more EMS runs and another shift completed.  Stay tuned for the next St Patrick's Day recipe.

"Train like your life depends on it!  Because it does!"

Sunday Junkday

Station 2 celebrated it's first official "Sunday Junkday".  We are hoping it
catches on as a national holiday.  We started the celebration with Bobby's
-right on- sausage gravy this morning (wonderful both times we ate it) then
had some spicy and sweet jalapenos with pepper jack cheese on Ritz. After
adding a little coffee to the mixture we had the makings of a true Grade A gut
bomb.  Lunch became leftover Chinese, chips, salsa and cheese dip and more
coffee.  The kielbasa was delicious and it complimented the jalapeno cornbread
surprisingly well (wonderful both times we ate it).  Peppers, onions, green beans
and potatoes also filled the plate.  After a little more coffee, a few more
calls and a lot more laughs, the chocolate chip cookies got put off until next
shift. 


Hopefully my body can recover and get prepared for "Bacon Blast Wednesday".  It
is going to be wonderful.

-C shift

Hellava Shift...

Hellavah shift.  
The day started early with a pre-breakfast vehicle trauma for Station 1, while Station 2 went over our new RIT bag .  We headed up to station 1 for our group pictures, but they were postponed due to another station 1 call (this turned out to be the last time we would see our station again until dinner).  
On the way back from errands at Admin, Engine 2 finds itself in the awkward position of changing out of our badge shirts and into our gear for a confirmed Yokohama fire.  5 hours of nasty tar like soot and duct cleaning later, the fire was finally out and we could begin cleaning gear, packing hose and reassembling our trucks. 

 Thanks to those who came in from overtime to help. The extra manpower was very welcomed.  

As the sun was going down and Engine 2 was finally repacking it's last of the 1000 ft it had earlier deployed, another fire alarm goes out for the Rescue Engine.  We arrived to find a fence line and yard burning while being fiercely attacked by a neighbor and his garden hose.  After 500 gallons and another emptied hosebed the fire was out.  The engine was soon squared away with a fresh tank of water, a fresh tank of fuel, newly loaded hosebeds and a not so fresh crew who earned themselves some reserve gear.  After dinner the only thing that stood in our way from a relaxing shower was a EMS call.  11 hours after the Yokohama Fire alarm sounded we can finally sit down and consider this day done.  I wonder what the night will hold.  - Barger

St Patrick's Day Recipe #1

This is the first in a series of St Patrick's Day recipes.
Who says you can't start with dessert first?

 Irish Car Bomb Chocolate Cupcakes

1 cup stout (Murphy’s or Guinness)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2/3 cup sour cream

 

Ganache Filling

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1 to 2 teaspoons Irish whiskey (Bushmills or other)

 

Baileys Frosting

3 to 4 cups confections sugar

1 stick (1/2 cup or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 shot of Baileys

 

Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F.  Wash your dirty, nasty hands.  Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. Bring 1 cup stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, rotating them once front to back if your oven bakes unevenly, about 17 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a rack completely.

Make the filling:  Chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then stir until smooth. (If this has not sufficiently melted the chocolate, you can put it for 20 seconds in the microwave, watching carefully) Add the butter and whiskey (if you’re using it) and stir until combined. 

Fill the cupcakes: Wash your dirty, nasty hands. Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped (the fridge will speed this along but you must stir it every 10 minutes).  Press your index finger into the centers of the cooled cupcakes being careful not to poke too far down  Put the ganache into a piping bag with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top. (***see my Ziploc bag suggestion below)

Make the frosting: Whip the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, for several minutes. You want to get it very light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time. If the icing begins to clump up – don’t worry once you add the Bailey’s it will smooth back out. Once the icing is thick enough it is ready to be spread onto the cupcakes. Ice and decorate the cupcakes.

*If you don’t have a pastry piping bag, use a large Ziploc baggie with a tiny snip cut out of the corner of it. – Ta freakin' da!  Works like a dream!

Getting ready for break and St Patricks Day

Wednesday was a fun day for the Brothers on B Shift at the 2 House, a bit of training on the new RIC bags that are on the Rescue Engine and Engine 3.  The new RIC bags are more streamline, and user friendly that the previous bags.  After lunch, the Rescue Engine rode out to the training center and had a forcible entry review and hands on using the door prop that was provided by the Brothers from Roanoke City.  The crew from Station 3 South Side House of Haz Mat, also came out to the training center and joined in on the door forcing and review.
  A few EMS assist and a possible flue fire with the Station 1 crew wrapped the day up for the most part, and don't for get everybody's favorite...the o dark thirty fire alarm! 

With St Patrick's Day closing in, with parades, and festivities, I'm gonna post some St Patrick's Day recipes on here.  If you have a favorite recipe send it in and we will get it posted.

Be safe, be good.

"Train like you life depends on it!  Because it does!"