Saying goodbye to 2014

We are in the final hours of 2014. Looking back on this year it has been a good one overall.

In 2014 RescueHumor as a web page got relaunched. We are now part of the First Arriving Network, a groups of amazing fire and EMS blogs. Other blogs in the network include Fire Critic, Model City Firefighter, Iron Firemen, Statter 911, Ambulance Driver Files and a bunch more.

This past year I went to FDIC for the first time. If you are in the fire service and have never been to FDIC you need to make plans to go, it is amazing. Learned a lot, made some new friends and yes had some beers in the name of brotherhood.

Professionally I had some highs and lows. I interviewed for a promotion that I truly wanted but did not get it. Then soon after that promotional process the boss did some shuffling of responsibilities so I ended up being assigned to a special assignment. Half the reason I wanted that promotion was to be involved in the this special assignment. Meaning I still get to be involved, yet have less stress from my involvement.

On a personal level this year saw me get a muscle torn (off duty) that needed surgery. That process was crazy. One Hospital in town treated me like crap, the other put a rush on all the tests and got me scheduled for surgery ASAP. The doctor was good at his work and I was back to 100% in no time flat.

FireCop Cover

FireCop Cover

For years I had talked about writing a novel. Even had a full plot outline made up. So when I was off work with my injury I sat down and wrote a mystery novel. It is called Fire Cop and a publisher has picked up the rights to it. We are doing the final editing now and it will be published sometime in early 2015.

Yes being that my full time gig is policeing the last few months of anti-police feelings has been hard. Yet at the same time where I am in Wisconsin the people seem to still mostly support us. My neighbors seem positive about policing, the folks I workout with at the local Crossfit box are very pro police (it helps that more than one cop is a member I bet). Maybe in 2015 people will be tired of Al Sharpton and listen to some other voices… voices that support first responders.

What 2015 has for us… I don’t know but I am hopeful it will be good…