This weeks Monday Morning Shoutout goes to a newer blog on the block - Backwards and stupid. The blog may be new, but the person behind it has definitely been in the business a while. Hallway Sledge (the username of the anonymous author) has a unique writing skill... they write as they talk...with profanity and all when necessary. Backwards and stupid came up on my radar recently afer a series of great posts. The blog began in October 2010. In one of the more recent posts, Hallway Sledge writes an article titled "The Pussification of the American Fire Service".

Driver/Engineer Karl Larsen sent in these pictures of the table that they built for the station. Some of the specifications are: 5' x10' built on 1.5"x1.5" steel frame. The top is 3x4" solid oak hard wood with 1/2" mdf underlayment. The legs are 5" LDH. The center of the table has 12 outlets, the CHFD lights up red with L.E.D's when we recieve a call.

Check out this video of Columbus Firefighters getting a fellow firefighter with the old American Fire Water Torture on the day of his promotion. I guess they are pretty much saying "Don't forget where you came from!"

Chicago, Illinois Lieutenant Patrick Hannon was found unresponsive at his firehouse and later died in the hospital. Hannon, 51, was working at Truck 8 at 2528 S. Throop Street at the time (4th District, 15th Battalion) Hannon was a 22 year veteran of the department and was hired in December 1988. He leaves behind a wife and two children. His wife is also a firefighter/paramedic for the Chicago Fire Department.

Fire Captain Jim Niles,59, of the Downs Fire Department in Osborne County Kansas has died after a cardiac condition while working at a garage fire. The incident occurred on Thursday. Niles had been with the department for 18 years. He leaves behind a wife, two children, and four grandchildren. The Kansas State Firefighters Association is considering this a Line of Duty Death. There is no word on this being a USFA LODD.

A woman fell into a fountain while texting at the Berkshire Mall. She was so enthralled with getting her nomination in for this years Black Diamond Fire & EMS Blog of the Year 2010-2011 contest that she was not paying attention to where she was walking... Ok, maybe I made part of that up...but you should definitely watch the video. It is hilarious! She tries to walk it off like it didn't happen. Everyone else walks on like it didn't happen!

South St. Louis House fire and Slatington, PA House Fire

Watch the video. Let me know if you think this guy was a little over dramatic....which is kinda risky while on a perch on the 36th floor. Lucky for him, a firefighter was their to make the rescue and get him in a window.

The question is if the PPV worked? If vertical ventilation might have helped? One thing is for sure, another hose line would have helped. In the beginning, the firefighters make an attempt at the fire. In the middle, the same firefighters are making an attempt at the fire. And in the end, the same firefighters are making an attempt on the fire.

Tuesday night, bystanders were watching and one of them recording a fire at Quail Ridge Apartments in Oklahoma City. Their joking and commenting quickly turned into a call to action when they heard someone yell that there was someone in the building. All at once, they sprang into action. As they got close to the apartments, they yelled to see if anyone was in the building. They continued this and luckily did not go into the building. In the end, everyone made it outside ok.