May 24 has not been a good day.  Started okay, as I had the party for the 2nd. grade students for the fire prevention program.  While there I learned that the 2nd. grade teacher was being let go.  I found it hard to believe that she was being let go.  I did a little research, and found that numbers where down at the school, so some positions were being eliminated.  She fit the profile of one teacher that could be cut.  In all three teachers are losing there jobs.  Tonight at the board meeting it was discussed as to  the whys and hows.  Long story, low student numbers, but the real story is that we as a school handled this in about the worst way possible.  At no time in the five years she taught there was she ever told that she needed to improve in the areas that we now say she is deficence in which is the reason she is being let go and not some other teacher. Our handleing of this and our lack of a firm,clear policy, and having that know by the teachers before hand, is in  my opinion something we should be ashamed of and should never allow to happen again.  If this had been private industry, someones head would roll over this.  The department runs as usually, lost one member this month, but their contribution was little, and so will not be missed. Had a busy week so far with 9 calls, including two structure fires and a large wildland fire.  Still need more members, and still need to finish a number of administration items that no one seems to care if they get done, and so the help to do them is not forth coming.  But if all hell breaks loose, you can bet that I will catch it for not having it done.  Such is the joys of being chief.  Retirement is looking better every day, and right now so is eastern Montana.    This thing with the teacher is really bumming me out so think I will close and fire off an email to a couple of people to make sure that they know my displeasure.

Been a long time

It has been a long time since I posted anything, not because I didn't have anything to say, but rather not sure it needed to be said.  Department is running as in the past, have 19 members, of which I can count on about 15.  One member's work schedule changed and she is making almost all of the calls, but lost another to a job promotion, and now she can't make as many as before so we are stuck on 7-8 members making the calls.Welcomed grandchild number 15 in late January and sent my wife to stay with her family for 5 weeks.  Must say I did okay, not great but okay.  Didn't get the two grants I tried for, but did make some changes in that we moved up the replacement of our air packs by about 4 years.  It will cost the district about $107,000 for the new Scott Air Packs, but will save us over $15,000 by buying now with another department instead of going it on our own.   Have a lot of work to do on getting the department compliant with Haz-Mat stuff, up dating our SOP/SOG's and some other stuff.  Have pushed the ISO survey to the rear for a while.  Deputy Chief did get the building done, new lights and wall covering. It make the station look 1000% better.  Now if I could get him to work on the stuff he needs to due and my training officer to get his stuff in order, I would be a happy man.  But, in the real world, that's not likely to happen any time soon.  Had a birthday party for my wife, and all the childern and grandchildren execpt for one daughter and grand daughter there,  If I had know the one child was coming instead of him semi-suprising us, I would have flown the missing child and grandchild home for the weekend.   So, it is now almost 8 years since we have all been together.  Had a great time, and NO fights.    Thursday this week I head for Indianapolis for FDIC and then hopefully the time commitments will lessen a little.   Finished the fire academy earlier this month, and had just one student who didn't pass his practicals.  Should know about the written portion any time now.   Well that is about it for now,  mostly just same old same old.

Boy did I forget!

In the review of the last 3 months forgot to mention, the financee of a missionary friend from Africa was finally able to get to the US.  Soon we will attend their wedding.  An answer to prayer.  Also an answer to Pray was the safe arrival of grandchild number 14.  Next to youngest daughter had a baby boy around Thanksgiving.  He did get one of his names from by in my family. So that part will go on.  Have one more baby due this year and that should be it for who knows how long.

Long time coming

Realized it had been a while since I posted anything, but doubt anybody missed it.  So, what has happened in the nearly 3 months.  Well, my bride and I took a long trip through Canada, entered in the Soo, went to Sudbury than down to Parry Sound and around to Owen Sound than down to Port Huron and home.  Get trip!  No problems.  Right after we finished the Fire Prevention open house, we left for GR and a short visit with a daughter and open house for some friends 50th wedding anniversary.  The next day we headed to West Branch, and I remember little of the next two days as I was sick as a dog.  Wife drove most of the way and would wake me up as to when to turn. It still is a blur.  November brought nothing new, the department continued on a steady course, my deputy chief go into the remodel mode full force and with a little creative budget moving by me, we will get the south wall done out of this years budget and not next years.  This week he headed up a work bee to remove all of the wall board, and move all of the blown in insulation that we thought was going into the dumpster and blow it back into the attic.  Should help greatly with the heat bill.  Must say that  on this job he stepped up to the plate and hit it out of the park.   Exploring some options as to some improvements to our fleet.  Nothing major, just a fix of some design deficiencies that we have noticed.  Really mistakes and misses on our part in the specing of the trucks. My wayward firefighter is back on the department. He completed the suspension without a problem, now we will see how he does back with the group.  Had one member quit, actually quit before we let him go.  Been with us for about a year and a half.  He enrolled in the fire academy, as needed to but for reasons I still am not completely clear on choose to drop out.  However, since he never told me that he was quiting the class, we paid the $400 dollar tuition for him.  It was only after the deadline that we found out he had dropped out.  In fact he never told us until I questioned him about missing some of the classes.   I came in the station the next day and found his gear and pager in the meeting room along with the books.  No note, no nothing.  Got to just love 21 year old kids.
Had family Christmas early in December, missed one couple who had tickets to Championship football game, and one son who didn't bother to even acknowledge that we were even having it or send a note that he couldn't be there.  The weather has been unseasonably warm and no snow.  Helps with the driving on the day job, but know we need the moisture and the snowmoblile business is hurting big time.   Got some snow yesterday and last night along with some high winds.  Hurt my leg about two weeks ago, and it is not getting better.  Swelled up real bad, painful and infected.  Doctor put me on antibiotic and did and Ultrasound but there has been any improvement in the last week.  If any thing it is actually worse, and I took a week off from work so it would heal  Go figure. Went to bad last night around 10PM and woke up this morning about 1AM and couldn't go back to sleep.  So figured I get a few things done and this is one of them.  Not sure how 2012 will go, but looking back on 2011, it wasn't a bad year,  no great disasters and not too many crisis to handle.    On ward into the new year.