Big Announcement...

When I started to photograph firefighters and training burns, I never thought it would lead to anything other than a fun hobby; something to do on the weekends. I have been writing on blogs for the better part of 8 years with some success and always dreamed it might take me somewhere.

Well this blogger, writer, photographer is taking his talents to a somewhat different level. After years of writing for me for self amusement I have landed a gig as a staff writer/photographer for a growing publication Fire Photographer Magazine. It is the perfect opportunity for me to combine two huge passions of mine; writing and fire photography.

Chris Kimball, the publisher reached out to me Wednesday morning and explained the opportunity. It is a gig that can grow into something bigger than just writing and photographing fires; it could be a career. This is not meant to be a full-time 40+ hour a week thing, at least right now; it could be. Like everything in this world, nothing great comes easy and right now we need to fill the virtual pages of Fire Photography Magazine with great content, photos, and videos. The advertisers will come if we give them something to come to. I am totally humbled that Chris and Tara, the editor, have faith in me to help them take their magazine to the next level.

This just gives me more motivation to get better at doing what I love doing. Get out there, find stories and tell them in a compelling manner. It's time to put on my big boy pants and get this thing done.

Don't worry, I will still be sharing and writing here, I could never let this go. Not everything I see or choose to write about will be right for the magazine. I need to get those ideas out of my head so they will go here. This will also be a place where I might try out a story or develop ideas for stories too.

This new opportunity feels like home to me and I am glad you are here for the journey with me.

Tri-C Live Fire Burn

When the phone rings from your mother at 8:30am; you answer it. When the phone rang Tuesday morning, I answered it like a good boy should.

"They are burning today!" my mother said rather loudly in my ear for being 8:30am.

On Lake road in Avon Lake, there was a house that was prepped for a live burn. My mother, God Bless her, has a keen eye for firemen, and when she saw apparatus heading into the house, she knew they were going to light a fire and let it burn.

She had been bugging me for week that they are burning it down and that I should call and see when. I called the ALFD, but didn't get a call back, so I was convinced they didn't want a snooping photographer on scene, and besides it is 8:30 on a Tuesday and my back was killing me.

But my curiosity got the best of me and I headed to the house. I knew exactly where it was, I knew where to park to stay out of the way. I was from Avon Lake. I walked on scene with a barely charged battery and a nearly full memory card and a pocket full of business cards. I wasn't prepared and that scared me. I walked up to the police officer on traffic duty, and he immediately asked if I was with the paper. No, just a snotty fire photographer looking for some fun. I asked if he was cool with me crossing and seeing if I was cool to come on scene. There was no way I could get photos from the street.

Thankfully the Chief let me come on scene. I told them who I was, what I do, and who I have worked with. When all else fails, drop the names of a few fire chief's that like you. Not only did they give me incredible access to their live burn for the Tri-C Fire Academy, but they gave me better access than the local paper. Where I was close enough at points I could touch the building, the local paper guy, who as it turns out is really cool, was stuck outside the command post with a short lens.

The safety officer took me around the building where he thought there might be great photo opportunities. The backside where they were doing roof ops, the front where they were coming out onto a flat roof. It was great access for a guy who just walked on scene, didn't know a single person in charge, but yet they seemed to trust me. They trusted me enough to hold the ladder for a trainee while they went up and down because they had to run and grab a tool for them and instruct them.

It was a great experience, and I hope they like the photos I sent them.

How Firefighters Honor Their Brothers

When a good man dies, the community takes notice. When a firefighter dies, whether in the line of duty or not, the immediate community takes notice, but so does every other firefighter in the community and quite frankly the world.

James Waugaman, Jr passed away on November 11, his passing was felt throughout the community of Brunswick. He wasn't just another citizen of the small Ohio town; he was the founding member of Brunswick Old Fashioned Days, the largest volunteer festival in Medina county. He was Chief Emeritus of the Brunswick Fire Department and very active in the Ohio Firefighters Association. He lived his 77 years in service to his community.

A few months later Brunswick lost another great man, Fred Hoffman. He passed away at age 94 and his resume is just as amazing as James'. He was an original volunteer member of the Brunswick Hills Fire Department and late Assistant Chief Emeritus of the Brunswick Hills FD. He was fighting fires in his community before they started to pay firefighters to do the work. He obviously loved what he did and loved his community.

Well June 24th, the community gave something back to these two great men, two firefighters who gave all they had to their community and their brothers in arms. The Old Fashioned Days parade was lining up and a special honor to anchor the parade this year.

Walking around the Brunswick Fire Department on this cool morning you can hear all the firefighters talking about Jim and Fred. "I knew Jim well, he helped me find my way into the fire service." is what I heard from many different firefighters. They came as far away as Youngstown to drive their fire trucks in what was being billed as a possible world record. There were apparatus from years as far back as 1916 and as recent as 2012.

Brunswick councilman Brian Ousley said, "we aren't going to break a world record today and that's not important. What is important is that we remember Jim and Fred." he spoke with clear emotion. The firefighter community mustered together, by my count, 36 apparatus. With each apparatus filled with firefighters, family, and friends, they rolled out onto Route 303 to anchor a parade; a parade started by Jim Waugaman, it only seemed fitting that his brothers end his parade, sirens blaring, horns honking, and crowds waving.

Fire service is often called a brotherhood, and this past Sunday they proved it with a salute only fitting for a fireman. A big truck and loud sirens.

You can see more great fire apparatus from that day here.

Father's Day Fire

I ran across a working fire in Cleveland on my way home from a Marine Week demonstration. There was heavy smoke showing not far from where we were. Traffic was heavy, but when I got to the scene the fire was out, but crews were still working. I did what I always do. I found a legal place to park, grabbed my camera and walked to the flashing lights. 

The fire was on a two lane street in a small warehouse across from the FBI field office. According to the very nice security guard working the gate, someone was charging a battery for a car, and the battery exploded catching the building on fire.

This capped off an awesome day. Saw war machines all afternoon then I saw a working fire. Father's day was complete!