The Third Chief Ryman

Incredibly proud that Michael Ryman has become the third generation of Ryman's to wear the white coat and helmet of a chief officer. He is now a certified chief officer in Montgomery County, MD at Station 15-Burtonsville. Congratulations Chief 715B. Your grandfather is smiling down from heaven at you today.

John T. McNeece, RIP

One of my heroes died this week. I don’t throw the h-word around freely, but this man qualified. John T. McNeece was a truckie’s truckie, the best truck officer I ever rode with. I only had the opportunity to ride with him for a few years, but it was the education of a lifetime.

The memories of one particular fire will never fade. It was an early morning house fire in March of 1982. The second floor popped while we were searching a bedroom, trapping us. I learned how to do the head first ladder slide that morning as John “helped” me out the window. I’ll tell you a secret boys and girls—it doesn’t take much training for that evolution if you need it to stay alive. Comes real natural.

Stories about John have and will be told for years to come. Sitting around the kitchen table in the station or on the back step, they will be passed along. You can’t leave a better legacy than that.

A Great Visit to Maryland

On July 10th, the new Truck 715 was placed in service, and one minute later, ran its first call. A fantastic visit with the third generation of Ryman firefighters, and got to see some old friends.

Captain Michael Ryman and Chief Goldstein

 

One minute after the ceremony, the first call drops.

The real "baptism." A structure fire that evening.

Memories

Sorting through old pictures, we discovered a now poignant shot, long forgotten.  The two sets of bunker pants, one real, the other real enough for the owner, sitting side-by-side awaiting a call.  I remember the line advancement with pretend hose and search drills the little guy did in the living room.  The boots,  his, are bigger now and the pants real.  It was a joy watching him grow into them and taking him inside his first time.  Memories are a good thing. 

2014: Year in Review

A great video from the Station in which Generation 3 is a live-in Lieutenant. 

Joint Book Signing Event Next Weekend

I'll be signing copies of my new novel Mayday! Firefighter Down as well as  Fire Men: Stories From Three Generations of a Firefighting Family with Chief Dennis Rubin, formerly of DCFD, at The Tavern at Fire Station 1 on Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring. Hoping for a great turn out.

Generation 3 Moves Up

From a great post on Facebook....

"A well earned promotion. Lt. Ryman has responded to 602 emergency calls so far this year, logging over 3,500 hours of service and leading over 100 drills/training exercises. He does this while maintaining a full college load, in pursuit o...f his Master's Degree in Emergency Management.

He is a proven unit officer and driver of all apparatus. He has extensive fire service classes, including: Fire Officer III, Fire Service Instructor III, Hazardous Materials Technician, Rope Technical Rescuer I & II, Vehicle and Machinery Technical Rescuer I & II; Confined Space Technical Rescuer I & II; Trench Technical Rescuer I & II; Health and Safety Officer; Incident Safety Officer; Incident Safety Officer-Fire Suppression; Incident Safety Officer-Technical Rescue; Incident Safety Officer-Hazardous Materials; Incident Safety Officer- Emergency Medical Services Operations; and Structural Collapse Technical Rescuer I & II."

From the 1st Battalion page....
"Congratulations Lt. Michael Ryman.

Congratulations to Master Firefighter Michael Ryman of the Burtonsville VFD (Co 15) on his recent promotion to Lieutenant. Lieutenant Ryman has been a member of Burtonsville since 2010 and joined the department after having four years of e...xperience in Pennsylvania.

The Burtonsville VFD is the most active volunteer department in the 1st Battalion and LT Ryman has been one of their most active riding members having completed all of the requirements to drive apparatus and serve as Unit Officer. Congratulations."

 

Generation 3 At Work

A few shots of the third generation on a recent house fire.....

Dump The House: The Shoes.....

It’s a colorful expression for getting all the apparatus out the door.  It’s more and more difficult these days of limited manpower, both volunteer and career. 

Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Station 15--Burtonsville

What I like best about this picture, though, is the shoes. The empty leather shows the tenuous nature of the work.  It’s late evening, after ten.  One minute, everything is calm.  There is laughter someplace—inevitably in a fire house.  The television is on with a small audience.  Others have turned in for the night.  The bays are filled with the engine, ladder truck, and heavy rescue squad.  A minute later, all that remains is…..the shoes.

Turning Back the Clock

Before Thanksgiving, I had the opportunity to turn the clock back; seeing Michael and doing a ride-along at the station he lives in. It was a marvelous experience; not just to see him again, but the entire visit.

The battalion chief working that day had been a young firefighter at Station 24 when I was a college live-in there, and Mike had mentioned my visit to him. He stopped by the station and we told more than a few stories which seemed to enthrall our small audience, both career and volunteers. The hug we exchanged as he left caught them by surprise. I suspect they saw a little different side of the Chief.

The runs started about 5:00 PM and for the next ninety minutes were non-stop. We never made it back to the building. Another would come in just as we were clearing the previous. These rush hour calls were all medical assists. I rode in the back of the squad, a large walk-in rescue, and Mike had the seat. Recently promoted to Firefighter III on the county integrated command list and with no officers or Master firefighters available to ride as the officer; it put him in the seat.

Later that evening, we took the ladder truck, a 100 ft. rear mount straight stick, down to a local restaurant which was sponsoring a fund raiser for the station. Luckily, but unusually, we were able to finish eating before the next call came in. A box in Prince Georges County was sounded with us as the second due ladder truck. Starting up Route 29, power call yelping, Mike hammered the Q and air horn. The traffic took me back, six and eight cars deep in all lanes at intersections. The Master driving skillfully “encouraged” drivers to move. They scattered like ants, some straight through the light, some left, a few right. Shortly before arrival, command placed all units in service, the source of the smoke at the apartment complex having been located and mitigated.

Back at the station while we were shooting the breeze, the station alert sounded for an adaptive response. More than an investigation but less than a full box, two engines and a truck were dispatched for the odor of smoke. The ladder truck with Mike in the seat again, was first arriving and positioned on Side A while the engine laid out from the closest hydrant. Seconds after I had exited the truck, two ladders were up on the A side of the house and the engine company was beginning to stretch an attack line, the four inch supply line trailing back to the plug. The second due engine from PG came in and stood by the hydrant. It was wonderful to watch; poetry in motion. It wasn’t anything special, but it was fabulous to watch the basics perfectly executed with no conversation or orders. With only a burned up electrical socket to deal with, we were back in service in just a short time.

Our last run of the night was about 1:00 AM; a nice night for the truck crew. That doesn’t mean I slept. Unfamiliar with the station alerts, I woke up for every engine, ambulance, and medic run the balance of the night, of which there were several.

It was a great visit and one I hope to repeat in the spring……with a hotel room waiting for me to sleep in.