Junior Firefighter Academy

This past week has been the 4th annual Junior Firefighter Academy, hosted by the Franklin County Fire Chief's Association. The young firefighters learned what the fire service is all about, both volunteer and career. They worked on team building and working together with firefighters from other departments. Other departments that they will have to work with in an emergency. Wednesday evening was parents night, we enjoyed eating supper with them and catching up on what they were doing so far. That was followed by the team challenge. One firefighter would gear up. Two would run to the ladder, one would climb. Next was pulling up a section of hose, then one would shoulder carry some hose down to ground level. The last two would stretch a handline and knock down a cone. It was all in fun. Win or lose there was a lot of backslapping and encouraging words. I think they were having fun. Today is graduation.

12 Hundred

I didn't forget, I just had too much other stuff going on, but yesterday afternoon's post was post number 1200.

Non-Cumberland County Fire & EMS Stations

OK, you all can thank Bradley for your hint of the week. I almost didn't post that picture of Mike's BP because I thought it would give things away. Anyway, here we go for week 11...

First Station... West End Fire and Rescue Company No. 3, 49 Lurgan Avenue, Shippensburg , Pa. Franklin County Company 15, Cumberland County Company 54. Organized in 1955, this station was built in 1970.

Second Station... Shermans Dale Community Fire Company, 5450 Spring Road, Shermans Dale, Pa. Perry County Company 12, Cumberland County Company 34. Organized in 1952.

Third Station... Fairview Township Fire Department, Station 1, 340 Lewisberry Road, New Cumberland, Pa. York County Company 68. (Someone help me out were they once Cumberland County Company 32?) Organized in 1954, this building is only a few years old.

Fourth Station... Shermans Dale Ambulance Association, 260 Richwine Road, Shermans Dale, Pa. Perry County Ambulance Company 12 (I assume Cumberland 34? Someone help me out here).

Well? Did anyone or everyone figure out the connection here? All of these (I think) have first due response area in Cumberland County, although none of their stations are located in Cumberland County.

Name That Station 11

Something a little different this week. None of these stations are in Cumberland County. The fourth station is a minor bonus. The major bonus is to tell me what these stations all have in common. Good luck and I'll be back at 1 PM with the answers. And if you haven't yet noticed there is now an icon on the right sidebar for this game. And I've added a link at the bottom of each Friday morning post so you can get the answers. Or play along with friends from the beginning.

Click here for answers

The Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer

It's a sunset, right. Just what can you do to make it stand out above the others? Do a little tilt crop, like the third shot there? Remember the rule of thirds, like the middle picture? Or just find a sunset and make it awesome?

Remember to visit all the other diligent SkyWatchers out there. Most, who take better pictures than me. I'm not worthy.

Mike's BP

Again this week, no Painted Gentleman. I'm glad vacation is soon because my files are getting picked over pretty good. Seems like firehouse pictures has been all I've gotten lately. I haven't been on a birdwalk in what seems like a month. That will be remedied soon. So this week, like last week and the week before, it's just advertisements. I wonder if Mike here is affected by the big oil spill?

Fair Time

Just one picture today. And it's my yearly blurry fair picture. The Shippensburg Fair is this week and last night may have been the only night I make it in. We went to watch the yearly Fair Queen contest. Afterwards we grabbed a Big Boy Hoagie and headed out. I hope to make it in one more night, we'll see.

Training Day: The Future

OK, last of the fire training pictures for the week. Today is just some of the young firefighters who participated in training last Thursday. Start at the bottom and work your way to the top. Learn the basics. Safety. Accountability. Everyone goes home.

Training Day: Evolutions

The scenario: room and contents west side second floor. First engine in, get a supply line in from the hydrant. Connect your end of the 5" supply to the pump panel while the second engine supplies the you from the hydrant. First engine crew advance the attack line and set ladders. So much going on, it's more than just, "Put the wet stuff on the red stuff". It's like one of those Bugs Bunny operas. Da da da da dum, dunt-dunt, dunt-dunt.

Training Day: Master Streams

Training day was Thursday night. The topic... scenarios. You know, you're dispatched to the local motel and there is fire from the west side, second floor. What would you do? After each scenario it was gather around time. This is what went wrong and how to avoid that mistake next time. This was done right and your decision to do this was a good one. It also gave a driver trainee some time in front of the pump panel. We ended the evening with a "working fire... set up a defensive attack". Master stream time. I took almost 260 pictures Thursday night, some were apparatus pictures earlier in the evening, but a solid 150 of them were of these different scenarios. You will see more.

Cumberland County Fire and EMS Stations

And the answers are...

First station... North Middleton Township Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, Station 2. Company 39. 2061 Spring Road (Rt. 34), Carlisle. Chartered in 1959, this station was built in 2004 or 2005. This station houses the Truck, Engine 239 and a Utility.

Second station... New Cumberland Volunteer Fire Department. Company 10. 319 4th Street, New Cumberland. NCFD formed in 1973 when Citizens Fire Company and Elkwood Fire Company merged. This building was built in 1980.

Third station... Shippensburg Area EMS. Ambulance Company 73. Originally started as CV Hose Ambulance in 1931, they became their own separate organization in 1999 and moved out of the CV house in 2005 to 235 East King Street, Shippensburg, an old store front and one time gym. Apparatus is stored to the rear of the building, some under roof, some not. They, along with the Vigilant Hose, have plans in the works to build a new building next year.

Fourth station... This, again, is North Middleton Township Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, Station 2. Only this station is the old station they moved out of in 2004 or 2005. Located on Fern Avenue it is not far from the current Station 2.

Name that Station 10

OK and welcome back to another exciting episode of "Name that Station". This week we travel back to Cumberland County after a brief two weeks in their southwestern neighbor, Franklin County. You know the rules. The answers will be here at one this afternoon.

Click Here for Answers

Eastman Kodak No. 2 Folding Cartridge Premo

For as long as I've enjoyed taking pictures and for as long as I've considered myself a bit of an historian, old camera never piqued my interest. Don't get me wrong, I love digital. I don't miss shooting a roll of film and realizing the light setting was off. 15 years ago when cleaning up at my grandfather's house I dug three things out of the trash pile. This old camera, patented in 1910 and 1913, was one of those things. There was another old camera and an old View-Master, with slides. A couple weeks ago I ran into this again and started to study it. There are preset focuses and ISO adjustment there under the lens. And the shutter speed adjustment is above the lens. The lever you see at 10 o'clock is the shutter release. It takes '120' film, but I don't think I'm gonna load it any time soon. I did find out that the "Kodak Ball Bearing Shutter" style was made between 1916 and 1922. I have to wonder, which of the old family snapshots that I have were shot with this camera?