Firefighter Clay Thornburg Critically Injured

Clay Thornbridge, 17, Senior at Cherryville High School

Hugh's Pond Fire Department - Gaston County NC

Wednesday, December 29, 2010
There has been another crash incident involving a Firefighter responding on a run.
Firefighter Clay Thornburg, 17, of the Hugh's Pond VFD in Gaston County, NC was responding to a dwelling fire last night at around 22:45 when he went off the road to the right and hit a driveway culvert and flipped his truck 5 times.
He was wearing a seat belt.
Members of his own FD (Hugh's Pond) found him and had to extricate him from his pickup truck. He was treated and transported by EMS to Cleveland Regional Medical Center and was then flown to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. As of this morning, he is still in a coma with a severe skull fracture, brain swelling, and nerve damage to his shoulder and is listed in critical condition.
You can find updates on his condition and send your best wishes to him at: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/claythornburg

We are all Praying for you little buddy!!!

Psalm 91 has been claimed for you as a Firefighter

Check this out - Operation Safety 91

Operation Safety 91 Cards

Psalm 91 Powerful Scripture

Click the Photo to Enlarge

Lets all use this Bible Verse for Clay Thornburg

The Rowan and Cabarrus County area lose a Dedicated Firefighter

The lineup at the Memorial Service

Ladder 43

Engine 31

Locke Rescue Engine 633

The procession in front - our engine is first in line after Kannapolis

Mount Pleasant Ladder

Lineup

Battalion Chief Tracy Winecoff goes over last minute instructions

Finishing touches on the Engine Co.

Lineup

On Wednesday, December 23, 2010 Rowan and Cabarrus County lost a very dedicated Firefighter to a heart attack as he worked out at the South Rowan YMCA.

David Carpenter, 58, was an Engineer for the Kannapolis Fire Department and the Assistant Chief of the China Grove Fire Department. We held his Memorial service yesterday. The Salisbury Post Newspaper article about this event is HERE.

"Carp" and I have run many, many, calls together and he will be sorely missed.
Rest In Peace Brother!

Ahoalton!

Chief Barlow

A visit from Mooresville Fire Department's Fire Marshal and Manly the ATF Accelerant Detection Canine

Fire Marshal Styers and Manly
Group Picture

Manly finds the micro speck of gasoline under Chris McHone's foot

Manly and Beth make friends

Manly alerts - again

Its Right Here - Don't you smell it?

Manly is comfortable anywhere

On Wednesday December 22, 2010 the CHSFA was visited by Mr. Gary Styers, the Fire Marshal for the Mooresville Fire Department and his K-9 partner Manly.

Manly is an Accelerant Detection Canine that was used for about 9 years as an ATF Agent to detect accelerants that he was able to find on Fire Scenes and was able to help prosecute Arsonists in the southeastern US. Manly has been retired now for about 3 years, but is still very much on top of his game as demonstrated for the students at the Fire Academy.

The ATF Explosives and Accelerant Detection Canine Program

The ATF Canine Training Program through Interfire

Visit from Concord Fire and Life Safety Fire and Life Safety Educators

Mr. Norman Franklin
Mr. Norman Franklin has seen both the Suppression
and the Fire Education Side of the Fire Service
Mr. Franklin and Noe Nava became friends

Mrs. Amanda Henry was an Elementary School Teacher
before she became a Fire and Life Safety Educator

On December 15th the CHSFA was visited by two of Concord's Fire and Life Safety Educators - Mr. Norman Franklin and Amanda Henry. These folks shared with the third Battalion the many different aspects of their careers with Concord Fire and Life Safety.

This Bureau or division within the Department of Fire and Life Safety encompasses many things such as operating the Fire Safety House, Fire Prevention Programs to many different age groups, Car Safety Seats, Bicycle Rodeos, Senior Citizen Fire Safety, Beginning Bike Safety, Evacuation Planning, Home Fire Hazards, Severe Weather, First Aid, Water Safety, and Pedestrian Safety, Smoke Alarm programs, and more...

There really is a lot more to it than just being a Fire Department.

Division of Life Safety Education

Kannapolis Christmas Parade of Lights 2010

Kannapolis Ladder 14

Kannapolis Christmas Parade of Lights 2010
on YouTube.com
Start watching at the 47 minute mark
Getting Ready to Get Ready

Battalion Captain Claus " Ed Shaver" explains about the Restoration of the Seagrave Engine

The restored 1963 Seagrave Engine

Something must be pretty funny

Lined up ready to shine - Group Picture

Kannapolis Christmas Parade of Lights 2010
on YouTube.com
Start watching at the 47 minute mark

Thanks to Captain Brad Hunt and his son for driving "The Black Widow"

in the parade for the CHS Fire Academy.

Concord HS Fire Academy Guidon has arrived and is carried in both Concord Christmas Parade and the Kannapolis Parade of Lights 2010

Battalion Chief Ruggles shows off the Fire Academy Guidon

Click image for full size image

CHSFA begins our Puppet Education Program

The CHSFA Puppet Team
A Sleepy Puppet wakes up

Jake and Beth in action

Childrens Fire Safety Books and Signs for the Fire Academy Classroom

As part of the Fire Prevention, Fire Education, and Fire Cause Determination class, an effort has been made this year to incorporate Puppets into the CHS Fire Academy program. Chief Barlow already has "Jake" his Firefighter ventriloquist puppet and the "Blue Monster". Several students got to be pretty good with him and another student brought in his Police Officer puppet and his red Boy puppet.

First, we looked at several Children's Books and tried to see if these would provide us with messages that we could share with younger students. After that, we worked on scripts for our home made puppets with limited success. Next we looked at Peepers Puppet Videos, The Legoland Firefighter Show, and Fire Prevention Puppet Shows. Smokebusters Fire Safety videos, and Fire Marshal Bill Videos. Finally we worked on a couple of videos to place on You Tube and one of our recruits built a Puppet Stage of PVC.

Captain Ruggles and Battalion Chief Link finally completed their You Tube Videos titled

"The Call To Serve" practice video and "The Call To Serve 1" finished video.

Good Effort gentlemen.

Some Links for You on Puppetry
Peepers Puppet.com

Hobey Ford Videos

Peeper Puppets

Peepers Puppet Idea Book

How To Do Ventriloquism

Mather Studios Vent Blog

Puppetville Puppets

Puppetville Links

The Puppet Store.com Occupation Puppets

Our Fire Academy Patches Arrive

The CHS Fire Academy Patches have finally arrived.

Click the photo to se them life sized.

Concord Christmas Parade Nov. 20, 2010

CLICK HERE
for all the Photos

The Entire Concord Christmas Parade is on YouTube.

CLICK HERE FOR THE PARADE

Start watching at the 1:00 hour :40 second mark

for Concord Fire and the CHSFA

Thanks Chief Ray Allen for driving the Black Widow for us in the parade.

Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

Getting ready to present the colors
The combined Fire Academy and Police Explorers Honor Guards

Amber likes the Pike Pole. It weighs less than the Fire Axe

The CHSFA Honor Guard and the Police Explorer's Honor Guard under the direction of the Concord Fire and Life Safety Honor Guard performed the presentation of the colors at the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday night November 19th, 2010 to kick off the HolidaySeason.

The Annual Christmas Parade will be held on Saturday Nov. 20.

Celebrating Chief Barlow's Birthday

Friday November 12th, 2010

Chief Barlow still does not know what he wants to do when he grows up!!

The recruits of the 3rd Battalion surprised Chief Barlow with two cakes, soda, and a visit from Concord Fire and Life Safety Engine 1 on his Birthday. They also presented him with an autographed (by all of 3rd Battalion) portable Fire Extinguisher as well. Chief Barlow still thinks that it was their way of delaying the OSFM test on Portable Fire Extinguishers. :) :)

A good time was had by all.

Portable Fire Extinguishers Nov. 2010

Checking the Rating, Pressure, and Weight
Ike Barnhardt kills another blaze

JC with Good Form

Mrs. Dunagan gears up

Once again Mr. Steve Shipp of Shipps Fire Equipment provided the Extinguishers and the Concord Department of Fire and Life Safety provided the Burn Pan for our Fire Extinguisher Training. Thanks to both for their assistance with this equipment.
Click Here for Shipp's Fire Equipment

Click here for all the Photos