Hello, My name is:

Started by shaverstick, September 03, 2012, 07:45:35 PM

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shaverstick

Hey folks, I'm Sam. I am a firefighter and former news photorapher in Louisville KY. I have an interest in radio, and a desire to get a ticket, but time is real factor. I'm a prepper, naturally that's how I found this site, and I enjoy lots of things, but mostly I enjoy being outside and away from other people save my family and a few friends. That however doesn't mean I hate people. In fact I really enjoy being around folks (as long as it's no to many at once)!

I grew up spending my summers in nothern Ontario and still get there nearly every year. As a kid, the cabin we lived in in ONT was so far north, the radio was the only means of electronic comms. I got used to it and I miss it.

I am a Firefighter/EMT for a large suburban fire department in Kentucky and have a wealth of info I'd love to exchange for some more radio/electronics information.  I look forward to getting to know some of you all in these forums in the near future.

Here's a tip for firefighting in the SHTF, when 911 is no longer an option: One of the most frequently used items on a fire truck is the 'water can.' It's a stainless 2.5 gallon extinguisher that is charged by pressurized air. It's refillable by the user and at no cost, can be used time and again, and can actually put out a larger fire than you might think. They're relatively inexpensive as well.

ConfederateColonel

Quote from: Trail Tree Island on September 03, 2012, 07:45:35 PM
Here's a tip for firefighting in the SHTF, when 911 is no longer an option: One of the most frequently used items on a fire truck is the 'water can.' It's a stainless 2.5 gallon extinguisher that is charged by pressurized air. It's refillable by the user and at no cost, can be used time and again, and can actually put out a larger fire than you might think. They're relatively inexpensive as well.
I've got one of those pressurized water extinguishers right here in the office - and I got it for exactly that reason. Being able to refill it with nothing more than water and an air pump makes it a great option. Thanks for posting that - I'd forgotten about it, and I have never seen it mentioned in any kind of prep discussion.

Another extinguisher that I have is a dry chem that uses a CO2 cylinder for pressure. To use it, you pull a lever that punctures the cap. Unlike modern dry chem extinguishers, this one will never leak pressure - it isn't pressurized until it's time to use it. My brother is a retired FF/Paramedic with Daytona Beach FD, and he managed to scrounge it up for me as a Christmas present some years ago. I spent a few years as a FF/EMT, but that was in the late 1970's.

Lest I forget my manners - welcome, sir!

Jonas Parker

Hey Sam, I was born in Louisville, and still have a ton of family there.

Time (or lack thereof) is a problem for all of us. That being said, turn off the TV and start hitting the practice exams for the technician class license on qrz.com an hour or two every night. You should be ready to pass the test in a week or two. Then join your local ham club, pick up a radio (someone in the club will have a used one he'll sell cheap), and get on the air.

Good luck!