911 Squirrel
A fun, informative podcast about life, training, and other insights, within the careers of all first responders (Law, Fire, EMS, etc). Telling stories, sharing insights on training, diving into serious subjects, and laughing at ourselves.
911 Squirrel
July 4th Spectacular!
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
It's the 250th Birthday of the Great United States of America! On this episode, we celebrate America with some fun conversations.
We also have a special guest to discuss civilian perceptions of First Responders.
Got a thought? E-mail 911squirrelpodcast@gmail.com
Welcome to 911 Squirrel, a podcast for all the fine men and women who serve as first responders. Stories will be told, training is taught, um, and everyday responder life is explored, all while having a great time doing it. So grab your coffee and brush those tails. This squirrel shift is about to begin.
SPEAKER_00And now, his hair is like a calico, a face of a catcher's myth, and a body in multi-dimensions.
SPEAKER_06Please welcome your host, Brad, back. Well, hello everyone, and welcome to 911 Squirrel, the podcast for first responders, and this is episode number nine. That's right, number nine. Before too long, you will need more than two hands to count how many episodes are on 911 Squirrel. And as the cool tech boy said, I am your host, Brad Mack, and I gotta turn something down here real quick. And this episode, episode number nine, as I said, is called the Fourth of July Spectacular. And we're gonna celebrate the 250th anniversary of the good old USA. But first, may the White Cloud Forum follow and bless you with all the fun and rewarding shifts. Yes, don't let the guy or the girl that has the black cloud reputation show up at your station or in your car or on your ambulance or whatever. You tell them, hey, get pink eye and go home. But yes, this is the Fourth of July spectacular. And that that means we get to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the good old USA, because in 1776, the 13 colonies declared independence from the British Empire, which led to the Revolutionary War that, hey, we won, of course. We have had quite a history, both good and bad, you know. Uh kind of like a dysfunctional family. There's good and bad in everything. Uh the U.S. has been a beacon of freedom with complicated challenges, but also the spirit of adventure and the can-do attitude. One thing for sure, it's never been boring. Now, 911 Squirrel has always been about you, the first responder. The life, the job, all the things that make us laugh and make us stressed. On this episode, though, we brought in a civilian to give us a take on first responders and to answer any of his questions and actually ask questions of him. Uh, please welcome my friend John Rodhr.
SPEAKER_02Oh, what a lovely reception. Hey! Thank you for having me, Brian.
SPEAKER_06Absolutely. We like big introductions.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_06And the the bigger the better. I should. You know what? I think what I'm gonna do, and I I got it in my head, but I know what I'm gonna do in post-production.
SPEAKER_02Should I be worried? No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
unknownNo, no.
SPEAKER_02So you're doing good? I'm doing great, man. Actually, nine is my lucky number. Is it really? So this is kind of meant to be because also on my way here, I went over the first responder's overpass. Ooh. So weird stuff in the white cloud, you know what I mean? Yeah.
SPEAKER_06No, that's great. Yeah. You you just never know what's gonna happen. I mean, at most most of the time, the episodes of Nine One Squirrel are pretty much the same.
SPEAKER_02But you just never know. No, come on. They're all special in their own unique way.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, yeah. Okay, sure. I'll go with that.
SPEAKER_02Never know what you're gonna get.
SPEAKER_06No, you're not.
SPEAKER_02Trademark that.
SPEAKER_06Okay.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Never know what you're gonna get. It's never been said before by anybody in any movie or ever.
SPEAKER_06That's true.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_06I'll I'll I'll I'll I'll I'll look into it. Well, how's your beautiful bride?
SPEAKER_02She is great. Uh you know, but she's been working a lot with the Shakespeare Festival this summer. That's her full-time job. She's the education director for the Nashville Shakespeare Festival. So they've been doing a lot of camps and are about to start their summer shakes, which they're going to be having their grand uh opening. That's weird to say when it comes to theater, but their grand well, it it it they're going back to the band shell in Centennial Park this year.
SPEAKER_06In Nashville. Sorry, this is uh Nashville.
SPEAKER_02Yes, yes, this is this is all Nashville. Uh so they they moved spaces, they were at one city here in town, and they were at the band shell forever, but they've just renovated it, and now they're going back doing Midsummer Night's Dreams. So if you're in the Nashville area, go on home to Centennial Park, it's gonna be wonderful. But yeah, she's crushing it.
SPEAKER_06And she's she's the what executive director.
SPEAKER_02She is the education director.
SPEAKER_06Oh, well, Katie To be or not to be. That's my audition. She be. Okay. Now Katie's wonderful. Now, what is Katie's claim to fame? Well, if you're allowed to say.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yeah. Okay, I'm just making sure. I don't I didn't want to it's all it's all out there at this point. Oh, yeah. So what you may know her from is on the second episode of season five of Stranger Things, she is the nurse that wheels in Mrs. Wheeler after she was attacked by the Demogorgon and tells the kids that they have to let the doctors do their jobs, that they cannot go into the operating room. And there is another scene in that same episode where she's in talking to the doctor. But yeah. So it it we're still kind of like that really happened, you know. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06It's it's it's kind of, you know, when you get that first that first one, yeah, you know. And like when with us people being musicians, and you get that first real big gig. It's like wow, did that just happen? So cool, you know.
SPEAKER_02And it premiered on Thanksgiving last year. We were home at my parents' house.
SPEAKER_06Nice.
SPEAKER_02You know, or the day before Thanksgiving, and we watched it in you know, the living room. It's just it it it's it's a the weirdest out-of-body experience. And I'm the I'm the husband, you know what I mean? Like it's just like that's my millions of people are seeing my wife right now. That's insane.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_02I don't know if I'll ever be over that. It's the coolest thing. I I'm wearing a Stranger Things hat right now.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_02It's my proud husband hat.
SPEAKER_06Oh, he's been wearing that ever since ever since she she appeared.
SPEAKER_02Three of them now.
SPEAKER_06Like it's like, okay, we get it. She was in Stranger Things. All right.
SPEAKER_01You know, it's like, no, I don't think you do get it. I'm gonna keep wearing the hats.
SPEAKER_06Now, John, John's been a friend of mine for what'd we say, about four years. Yeah. Four or five years. Right? It's been a it's been a while. Yep. And um we used to play together with Twitty and Lynn, which reminds me, if you're in Sheridan, Wyoming, which I know some listeners and uh listen out of Sheridan, Wyoming, please go see them. Uh they are going to be there. Uh John's looking up the date real quick. Uh please go see them. You'll see John, you'll see Twitty and Lynn, which are the grandchildren of Conway, Twitty, and Loretta Lynn. No, they are not related. Um, but it's Taylor and Trey. And go see them and say hi to John. Say, yeah, I listened to you on 911 Squirrel. You got a cool voice, man. You know. Yeah. So please are there people who think Taylor and Trey are related? You would not believe it. Really? Oh, gosh, yeah. When when I was with y'all and I was doing the tour managing thing, people would always, so they're they're the they're brothers and sister, or no. Conway and Loretta never, you know, kind of a thing.
SPEAKER_02I get where you would like think that with how they interact.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, but like they're not.
SPEAKER_06She's married to a to a cool guy named John who's who's from Seattle. Yes, John is very cool. Yeah, John's awesome. He he's a former male model, believe it or not.
SPEAKER_02He is. Yeah. Uh Coor's commercial, right? I think so, yeah. Yeah. He he's he's done some stuff.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and they got two boys, two young boys, and and so both very cool, both my drum techs.
SPEAKER_02Yep. Yep.
SPEAKER_06And Trey, Trey will never get married. So he is he is the terminal bachelor. He will he will never get married. Shoot, he probably won't even have a ever have a girlfriend. So and I probably said too much.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Well, they're they're so fun to talk about. That's the thing.
SPEAKER_02Like, you can't avoid it. Okay.
SPEAKER_06And sorry for that, folks. I still and if everybody knows, and and I'm just kind of going off subject here, I put on Facebook that last week was just absolutely horrible. I think I said it was pure H. E. double pike poles. Um, the the illness that I had. And it came from a stupid tick that decided, hey, Brad looks good. I'm I'm gonna hang on to him and see what he tastes like. Well, he I I honestly believe he gave me this virus. Next thing you know, I was down for the count. I had I had a really cool low voice. I mean, I was I was like, oh yeah, baby. I I felt like Barry White. But then I was coughing every two seconds, which was just totally ridiculous. So I couldn't get this this episode out like I wanted to, and couldn't do all the things that I wanted to, so I had to wait and lay in bed and all the, you know, fun um exiting of things in several different ways. I'm not gonna get too graphic.
SPEAKER_02I mean it's a paramedic show, go for it. Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_06I I I was crapping like there's an animal. But uh anyway, so that's why this this has been so long. But we brought John in because John is is uh is isn't he's not a first responder, but I wanted to do something to where uh I brought in a quote unquote civilian and he gets to ask questions and he and we get to ask questions and and answer his questions and see if uh um basically to kind of get rid of the misconceptions is really what it what it's all about about the first responder. So that's why we brought John in. Now the only other thing about this is is John doesn't understand I mean he's heard the podcast, obviously. I mean, obviously. Is that what this is? Yeah, this is a podcast. Hello. Yeah, you know. But first, we must dance.
SPEAKER_07Let me tell you. So I'll give a hook what you do say because I'm gonna do it.
SPEAKER_00Shimmy, shimmy, shimmy. Tell them you follow something for shame on the bottom. Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_06Boy, John's got some moves, man.
SPEAKER_02So I do, I just vibe.
SPEAKER_06Now, for weeks I have been trying to get people to to play that song, make some videos of people of first responders dancing, getting out of the truck, getting out of the ambience, getting out of your cruiser, get your other crewmates. Has anybody done it but me? Oh. So here's what's gonna happen. I have already made inquiries at departments, um, basically wherever I can get to. And guess what? I'm coming. And I'm gonna drag you out of your stations or your cars or your trucks, and I'm gonna start making videos of everyone dancing. I'm gonna get everybody dancing to make videos, and we're gonna put them on Facebook and Instagram and TikTok. That's right. I'm coming for y'all.
SPEAKER_02With the permission of your superior.
SPEAKER_06Well, yeah, I I've made inquiries. I've called the top brass. I don't want to just show up and go, are you, you outside? No. You know, that's a good way to get shot, especially when you show up at like police department. Actually, any department.
SPEAKER_02So I know they're not first responders, but how would the FBI feel about that?
SPEAKER_06Well, they're considered first responders.
SPEAKER_02Oh, they are?
SPEAKER_06I'd probably be on a north nor no fly list after that. Or uh, you know, uh being put into a concrete room with with metal chairs and and uh oh, I got this. Because I really don't want to hear something like that's what it would be though. Oh, I'm still on here. I'm still on here. No, I'm back. Am I back?
SPEAKER_02Was Inspector Gadget after your time?
SPEAKER_06Uh that was kinda that was kind of during.
SPEAKER_02That was kinda during.
SPEAKER_06I I can't I was born kind of like at the end of that run.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Dr. Claw?
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_02I'll get you next time. Oh yeah, give it the yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04Are you ready?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah. I'll get you next time, gadget. Next time so fun. Wait. Was that just me? That was just you, dude. Whoa. I'll get you next time, gadget. Next time you want to do that. Also, kind of a shredder thing. Uh we can do this.
SPEAKER_04Like or like this.
SPEAKER_02Oh no, turn that off, man. Come on. Stop. Come on. No.
SPEAKER_01It's so much fun.
SPEAKER_02No, it's not. Yes, it is. It's fun for you. It is fun for me. Oh. Okay, we'll get out of here.
SPEAKER_06You never know what's gonna happen. Body creeps just now.
SPEAKER_02Oh man.
SPEAKER_06Next thing you know, I'm in a white van with no windows handing out candy. Oh, I know. It's taken a turn, hasn't it?
SPEAKER_02It has. You know, or a white van just being taken away.
SPEAKER_06911 Squirrel, the podcast where anything can happen. And certainly this is this is why I wanted to start bringing in guests, guest co-hosts, because you know, the first uh eight episodes, it's it's it's been the same format, which is great. Don't get me wrong. I mean, I mean uh uh working this, I love doing this podcast. But it was always the same thing. So I wanted to do something different. So we're doing something different, which is really cool.
SPEAKER_02I think we're already there.
SPEAKER_06Oh, yeah. And I get to use all the the cool effects, which is also kind of cool. But that actually brings us to our first sponsor. We're gonna be back right after this. Anybody can sell an ambulance. The real test is what happens after delivery. At 108, we provide full life cycle support for brawn, demers, and crestline ambulances from specification and delivery to service parts, warranty support, and fleet replacement planning. Because when your crews need help, you shouldn't have to wonder who to call. Learn more at 108fire.com or call 877-989-7660. 108 Fire and Safety, built on integrity, driven to serve. Okay, we're back. In case if any of Seinfeld if you're if you're a Seinfeld fan. All right, we're back. Why don't we take a short break? What about a guest host? I'll pretend I never heard that.
SPEAKER_01Are you currently married right now? Newman.
SPEAKER_06Big Seinfeld fans, as you all know. Oh, yeah. But uh 108 Fire, of course, they're a great dealer of ambulances. They also uh deal in fire apparatuses or whatever. So if you're in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, or Florida, and your department is in need of ambulances, please give them a call. They are absolutely wonderful people. And don't forget, the federal government is allocating $420 million between two grant programs. So please take advantage of that. Please, please, please get that ball rolling. That brings us to today's top 10. Today's top 10 are the reasons July 4th is both both. If I could learn to speak, that stupid public education always gets me every time. The both, both, boo, both, the best and worst for first responders. So, John, chime in whenever whenever you hear something that just kicks you. Alright. All right. Number 10, it's the worst for the fleet mechanic that has several vehicles to fix the next day because you have to ride the brakes during the parade. Oh. Especially those big fire trucks. Oh yeah.
unknownShh.
SPEAKER_06You know, those are those are not fun to change.
SPEAKER_02As a guy stuck behind those vehicles, I just want to say I don't blame you. And I am with you. I hate it as well. So, yeah, we're all in this together.
SPEAKER_06Oh, yeah. Number nine, July 4th is the best for the winner of the bet to see which station zone gets the firework-induced house fire. Oh, that's right. There's usually a pool. Really? Yeah. Believe it or not, we we put pools together. Like on holidays, like Christmas or Thanksgiving, there's always that in EMS, there's that one death.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_06And we all we all take bets. Okay, which station's getting the death today? Wow. Yeah, it's amazing. Number eight. July 4th is the worst for the firefighters that create the bubbles for the kids. It's the worst? Oh yeah. Bubbles. Yeah, the bubbles, I mean, they last forever. Yeah. And you get it all over you, which is fine.
SPEAKER_02So it's like bubbles from the truck?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, they create bubbles for the kids to go run around in the city celebrations or whatever.
SPEAKER_02So cool during bad after. Oh yeah. Yeah. Alright, I get that.
SPEAKER_06Now, July 4th is the best for firefighters that man the portable pond for kids. The portable pond? Yeah, there's a big, you take this big, it's called a portable pond, and you put it out and you and you stretch it out. It's like a big rubber, like tarp. Yeah. And you fill it. Sometimes it's 500 gallons, sometimes it's a thousand gallons, and kids get in there and they roll around. And for the firefighter that has to man it, you're in your swim trunks or shorts, and on a hot day like July 4th, it's cool.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. I feel like I got gypped out of something, man. Well. I didn't get I didn't get bubbles. I didn't get none of that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Yeah. What gives? I don't know. I guess you didn't get the home of fire department. Tell you that much. Number C Oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_06No, not number seven. Number six. July 4th is the worst for animal control having to pick up more dogs at night. That's true. Yeah, because dogs don't like dogs do not like firework. Alright, number five. July 4th is the best for all the free hot dogs and hamburgers responders at City Celebrations. I mean, chips and potato salad and beans. Yeah, they it's the best. I know. So we're gonna go to dinner after. Alright, number four. It's the worst because responders have to smile and be friendly around politicians who voted against your pay raise or budget proposals. It is terrible. How do you do that? You just smile.
SPEAKER_02You act. How do you do you why do you have to engage? Because they come out.
SPEAKER_06You're at the city celebrations, and of course the politicians have to be seen. So they come out there to, you know, to to you know make an appearance, and you have to sit there. Yeah, you're great. Under your breath, you're like, really? You're the son of a anyway. Oh, that's terrible. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_06Number three. It's the best for police helicopter pilots because they have the best view of the fireworks show in them. Oh, you know they do.
SPEAKER_02Hopefully they're not.
SPEAKER_06Well, they're not. Yeah, it's not like it's not like there's the police helicopter, you know, and and they're targeted or whatever. Nah.
SPEAKER_02But what a way to go. If you think about it, you're in a helicopter surrounded by fireworks, and it's like, well, you know.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, that's that's that's a police morbid, I know. Yeah, that's morbid. Yeah, but police helicopters. His name is John Roderick.
SPEAKER_02I'm not saying I want this to happen. Okay, let's say I'm in a civilian helicopter and it's like it's going down and I'm surrounded. It's like, okay, well, that's the last thing I see on planet Earth is nothing to fireworks.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, that's a blaze of glory. It's But if you're a police helic if you're a police helicopter pilot and you get that close to fireworks, yeah. Where it brings you down, okay, that's your fault.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So just say.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. No, let's let's just let's see. Yeah. Number two. I'm just thinking it's like an IMAX experience. If you're close and you land safely. If you land safely, that's that's the optimal thing. Okay, okay.
SPEAKER_06Alright, I'm with you then.
SPEAKER_02But you don't want to be too close.
SPEAKER_06Alright, number two. Let's get back to the top 10. Number two, July 4th is the worst for dispatchers due to the Karen's that call at 9 p.m. that night complaining about neighbors shooting fireworks. Oh yeah, and they do. I was in dispatch for a few years and they will then call. And the same and it's the same two, three, four, five that'll call every five minutes.
SPEAKER_02Is that not something you could just take care of yourself? Just go to the door and be like, hey. It's July 4th.
SPEAKER_06What do you expect?
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_06And the number one reason July 4th is the best for EMS, because let's face it, EMS loves good trauma calls. You know exactly what I mean.
SPEAKER_01Okay. Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, missing fingers and all that.
SPEAKER_06We're gonna get into this one a little later on another segment, but yeah.
SPEAKER_02The old Jason Peter Paul. That's true.
SPEAKER_06And that is our Top 10.
SPEAKER_02Top 10, Top Ten. Maybe you have music. Who knows? The music's going.
SPEAKER_06You just can't hear it at the moment. There's only so much you can do when you're trying to get stuff going. We're gonna take a short break. Here's another word from one of our sponsors. The sun shines its glory through the window. You stretch and feel refreshed. All you need now is the perfect coffee or drink to get the day started. At Sagebrush Sunrise Coffee, get one of our signature coffees, energy infusions, or cold refreshers. Come to 109 Fairfield Road in Bethpage, Tennessee to get your day started or keep it going with an afternoon drink. And nothing says love quite like an e-gift card. Sagebrush Sunrise Coffee, the perfect beverage for that perfect day. Uh yes, Sagebrush Coffee. If you are in the Bethpage, Tennessee area, please go see them. They have wonderful coffee, wonderful refresher drinks. Um yeah, please go see them. They are just great. And you know, get a little pick-me-up uh in the morning or get something in the afternoon. You know, you need some good tasting something, please go see them. All right. Now it is time for another segment.
SPEAKER_05And now everyone's favorite component of the job, the in service, where we have a discussion on certain procedures to improve our performance and deliver better outcomes. Let this in service begin.
SPEAKER_06Since we're we're into this, and this is going to be part of our in-service, is the civilian take on first responder. Yeah. And we're more than willing to answer any questions. So what's what's some of the what's some of your ideas on first responders that may not be true or maybe they aren't true?
SPEAKER_02Well, actually, this kind of brings me back to the beginning of the episode when I asked our FBI first responders. So if you are a cop, if you're a fireman, if you're a paramedic, does that automatically make you a first responder? Um, and are there other branches or departments maybe we don't know about? Like like who who is considered a first responder?
SPEAKER_06Well, just and like cops, uh law enforcement, uh, paramedics, EMTs, firefighters, uh, military um are considered first responders. FBI would be considered a first responder. That's interesting. Yeah. ATF, uh, FEMA, uh, which yeah, FEMA controls like FEMA controls a lot of um like there's a lot of national standards that come from FEMA, the fire departments or EMS or law enforcement. Yeah. So they're considered um they're considered first responders. Um I'm trying to think of I think I said ATF. Red Cross. Uh depending on I would I would consider technically I would consider Red Cross first responder. Um I would consider uh people in dispatch uh for different departments. I consider them first responders because when you call 911, you may some especially this this is one scenario where I really consider them first responders is when somebody calls and says, Oh, my husband uh is passed out on and I don't feel a pulse he's not breathing. Dispatchers give intro in introductions. Hi, I'm from dispatch. Welcome to 911. Uh please come in. What brings you? Yeah. Did you bring a wine? You know, no, dispatchers have to give instructions to the caller on how to start 911. Yeah. So they have to know what to do there. Uh they also ask the questions on well, what's going on? Uh are they bleeding anywhere? Well, you need to they need to give instructions on well, give them direct pressure here, or you know, any kind of instructions that would help the situation. So I consider dispatchers 911 or or first responders. Uh animal control. I consider them first responders. Okay. Because they're, you know, animals they they pose a danger. And most people, you know, you see a rabid dog, well, what do you do? Yeah, you just stay right there. I'm gonna walk away. Well, I mean, they're the ones that go in and and they face that rabid dog or or whatever animal it is, and and try to try to corral them and take them away so they're not a danger to to um to the public.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. So yeah, that's or helping out an animal in trouble.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, helping out an animal in trouble. So where they can get, you know, they take them to if if there's that ability, uh take them to vets or whatever. Like I remember um where I lived in Sumner County here in Tennessee, our animal control, they would handle um animal control really handles any animals. Uh but like horses. If um there's of course there's definitely definitely a lot of organizations that take care of animals, rescue animals and stuff. Yeah. But animal control would sometimes have to take the animals and they took a couple horses that were neglected uh to try to try to save them and all that kind of stuff. So I consider them first responders.
SPEAKER_02Right on. You know. So I guess I yeah, that is a wad. It's a huge net. It's a wide swath of people, you know, who who could be considered first responders. Yeah. Absolutely. Can civilians be considered first responders?
SPEAKER_06Civilians can, if I mean, if they're um I mean, obviously a temporary status as a first responder, if they're just going in to, you know, help save somebody or whatever, they can be considered first responders. One thing I always say is civilians need one, it's always good to get your CPR card. Yeah. Get CPR trained. Because not only do you get CPR trained, but you get um you know, you get learn you learn on the Heimlich maneuver in the proper way. And so you become a first responder really in that sense. Yeah. Uh so anyway, I mean, if you're a civilian and you see somebody you know get into a wreck and and it's a bad wreck, or the car is about to catch on fire, or somebody falls, or somebody's choking, or whatever. Yeah, you can become a first responder in that in that time, in that situation. Very cool.
SPEAKER_08Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. So just like um I was reading up because I'm trying to get some celebrities on here to interview. Oh.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and one of them Well, happy to assist.
SPEAKER_06Hey, you know, uh John is quite kind of a celebrity, you know.
SPEAKER_02Life was on Stranger Things. That's right. I was an extra on Nashville. See? Yeah, yeah, yeah. There you go. Many times. I passed Uncle Pete's truck stop on the way here, and that was one of the filming days. Oh, really? Oh, yeah. Uncle Pete. Oh, God. Fun, fun. Yeah, the the things we do. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Well, I mean, uh, yeah. Um I think one thing that uh we talked about was you were a lifeguard. Well, that's the first responder. Yeah. Because you guys you had to get CPR, and you know, somebody starts drowning in a pool. Guess what you're doing? You're going after them.
SPEAKER_02Man, thank God. I never had to.
SPEAKER_06Never had to.
SPEAKER_02Never had to. But I mean, you know, they do a really good job of making sure you're ready and you know, really imparting on you how serious this is.
SPEAKER_07Yeah.
SPEAKER_02For sure.
SPEAKER_07Yeah.
SPEAKER_02You know, I I always say it it it's good to see what you know people on the other side of the glass have to deal with, you know, be it anything. Anybody, especially anybody in a service industry, which I think first responders, that really is totally. So, you know, to see what people in service industries have to go through, it's training and you know, the work that goes on and all the stuff behind the scenes. I mean, that's just invaluable, you know. So the next time you feel like yelling at a waiter, you know, just remember that guys having to you know work to the bone. You know, it's the same, same with first responders, like you know, the hours and you know stuff you guys go through, just and gals. Oh yeah. And you know, yeah.
SPEAKER_01But uh yeah, what were we talking about?
SPEAKER_06Well, we were talking talking about civilian misconceptions. Misconceptions. Or not even misconceptions, but just uh ideas of what civilians have of first responders.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Normally that's what we think. You know, I've like for years, whenever I see in the news first responders, it's like, okay, who was there first?
SPEAKER_07Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And a lot of the times that's you know, that's police and firemen.
SPEAKER_07Right.
SPEAKER_02But also it could pertain to just anybody who's there assisting. And that's you know, like FBI, like I I wouldn't have never thought of like FBI or somebody CIA. You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_06Well, CIA, I don't consider CIA as they're spies. Yeah. They're spooks. You know, I mean they're they're you know, they're there to I don't I don't consider them first responders. I mean, for me personally, um I don't consider them first responders because they're they're trying to figure out in in secret as to who's doing what, who's a bad guy, who's you know, who's trying to bring down the government kind of thing, you know, all that kind of stuff. Yeah um I I I mean I could be wrong, and maybe maybe there's something that's that's and I could be wrong about a lot of things. I'm just going off my experience and so forth and so on. And a lot of this is for the most part, I mean, we all know what a first responder is. You're you're in law enforcement, you're a firefighter, you're an EMS, you're that kind of thing. But um yes, CIA, I don't consider them first responders, you know. I gotcha. Yeah. So I consider um I kind of consider in in a technical term, like ER staff, doctors and nurses and orderlies and that kind of thing to be kind of first responders. Because somebody comes in, you know, they're having a heart attack or whatever. Well, guess what? Let's go, you know.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. You know what I just thought of we played a lot of shows together and you know, we're playing for big groups of people, and a lot of the time there wasn't anyone like on site like you would see at maybe a bigger venues and stuff. I don't need like who's hang uh are there paramedics just hanging out at arenas a lot of the time or sometimes, yeah.
SPEAKER_06It depends on depends on the arena, what their policies are. Like sporting events, obviously, there's there's a paramedic, uh an ambulance there and all that kind of stuff. Yeah. Wow. And security, which is usually off-duty cops, or if it's in a big city, obviously Nashville takes care of security for like the Titans or predators or whatever.
SPEAKER_02Okay. So is there I guess that led me to like how many people have to be there for there to be first responders on site.
SPEAKER_06It it just depends.
SPEAKER_02It just depends.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, it depends on the city, the town, the policies, that kind of thing. And if and if the venue is willing to pay for it too. Yeah. Because the venue has to pay to have the security or if the ambulance is there.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that just hit me where the wow came from was just like how many things there are where there's so many people in a concentrated area, and like if anything goes wrong, they're gonna have to call somebody to go there. There's not just someone there. Yeah, it's just that's a lot of trust in the social contract when you think about it. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Talk amongst yourselves.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, because you think about like the thing, actually, that Who show, right, in the uh what was it, 8200? In Cincinnati. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06And there a lot of people got crushed. Or the uh Great White show. Yeah. Where the the fire started in the club. But now whether now, obviously, something like that, usually they only pay for the security part of it. Yeah. They don't they don't think, oh, they don't need an ambulance or whatever. So yeah, they'll only pay for the security part of it. And most well, I can't even say most. Well, no, I can't say most. Most uh law enforcement officers are CPR trained. I mean, you have to have it. Yeah, you know, for obvious reasons. So um so at least you have that. But for something like that, a stampede of people or a fire in a club? I mean, nobody thinks Oh, that's you know, that's what's gonna happen. But it it has happened.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. I just watched uh well not just watch, but there's a documentary about uh the Travis Scott show in Houston, uh the Astro World tragedy, and that that was just a people getting crushed everywhere, and it's like what can be done in a situation like that where you're dealing with thousands of people and like having to get through. Like I remember there was footage of an ambulance having to drive through the crowd. Like, uh what's what's the protocol for something like that?
SPEAKER_06You just put your lights in siren and you're getting on the PA going, get out of the way, get out of the way.
SPEAKER_04Oh man.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. And you try, you I mean, I I've had to do that.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_06Drive through a crowd, and you're just most people, a good ninety-nine percent of the people are like, oh crap, especially if you got your lights on, they will move. Yeah. You know, it'll be like Andre the Giant and in Princess Bright, everybody move, and then you know, and they'll get out of the way. Um some then there's the idiots, usually drunks, they're coming to ambulance. Uh, that you know, they they have no sense in them whatsoever. Right. But you think about remember it was I think it was in Indiana uh several years ago. It was either Sugarland or Little Big Town where the whole stage collapsed in that big windstorm. Yeah. That was something. And and that was a festival, I think. So there's probably uh uh some paramedics on site already for that. Yeah. Kind of like Bonaroo. Yeah. Which is for for a lot of people, that's a big, huge music festival here in Middle Tennessee every June. Yeah. And or CMA Fest here in Nashville. There's paramedics on scene at a lot of places. And Bonnaroo, I knew some paramedics that worked it um every day. Or not well, at first when it f first came, every day there was at least one overdose death.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_06But now it's like, okay, which day is the are we gonna find the you know the person the next day kind of a thing? Yeah. But there's there's a huge tent of paramedics and fire people are on scene and of course lots of security.
SPEAKER_04So yeah.
SPEAKER_02That's uh yeah, I I can't help but think that's like, do you wait for like what what's the waiting period of something like that? Okay, people are getting crushed in a in a you know, thousands of people crowd. There's something going on. Like what's your do you just get in there and oh man, wow. You just go. You gotta gotta be gotta get in the melee.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, you're you're not you're not paid to sit back going, okay, well it's I mean, there are times where and you do have there's there's a there's a hierarchy on safety when it comes to your own personal safety as a first responder. Um your safety is considered first. That's top priority. So if I'm an EMT, my safety is first, my partner's is second, the patient's is third. And then and then it goes down from there. So if you see a situation that's like as a paramedic or a firefighter, it's like yeah, that's a bit unsafe. Let's get let's get the police out here or the sheriff's department or whatever, to at least calm the situation, then we can go in. Because if you can't get there or somebody takes you out, well, you can't help the person that's actually hurt, yeah, or whatever. So you have to wait. Yeah. Now that does happen, but for the most part, you're going, you're yeah, you're heading over there. Yeah. As as fast as you can.
SPEAKER_02Is it kind of uh common sense feel it out sort of a thing? Yeah, you have to. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06You have to one of the things that, especially with paramedics or an EMS, I should say, it's called BSI scene safe, which is basic substance isolation. And is the scene safe? So you make sure you got your gloves on. Uh depending on dispatch information, do you is there anything that might be an exposure? You need to have a mask or eye protection, whatever. Make sure all that's good. And then you look at the scene as you show up, you do a windshield assessment and go, uh that's safe. Let's go in. Or yeah, I don't trust that guy with the gun. You know, so you wait until the police show up and make sure that the scene's safe, and then you go in.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. So one of the part-time jobs that I have had is uh uh it's called a standardized patient at a Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and basically going back to Seinfeld, um, you know, you go in. Junior Mint? Uh no, not that one. Uh that is a great one. But there is an episode where Kramer and Mickey go in and act out symptoms for medical students. Well, I got gonorrhea. So that yeah. Folks, that's a real job that you can have. Uh, and it was so fun, but a lot of our training being that it's in a hospital, you know, you do have to think about okay, what if there's a chemical spill or uh, you know, active shooter. We've we've had we've had to know about all that. And uh, you know, I it there's the you're working in a hospital.
SPEAKER_08Yeah.
SPEAKER_02So you have to basically know all the basic safety that anybody who works there does. Yeah. I I think they they all go through the same thing, but it is it's it's it very interesting job. Yeah. Sorry, people.
SPEAKER_06Stupid Timmy the tick. Tickety. Uh ticket? Yeah. Tickety. Why why didn't you come out with that earlier?
SPEAKER_02You didn't ask.
SPEAKER_06No, I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_02You didn't ask just now, but you know. When you said you named him Timmy, I was like, huh.
SPEAKER_06Well, I couldn't Timmy the tick. Timmy the tick. All I need is Patrick Warburton to do you know, to do the voiceover for it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Good bite. What's your name?
SPEAKER_02Tickethy. Hey, Timmy. People call me Timmy the Tick, or sometimes Tickethy. Yeah. High five.
SPEAKER_06What are you drinking?
SPEAKER_02Blood. You missed it. What'd I miss?
SPEAKER_06Pinot.
SPEAKER_02Oh, Pinot. Pinot Grigio. Yeah. I was thinking like he's a tick. He's a tick. Ticks drink blood. Do they not? I don't know either.
SPEAKER_06Well, yeah, I mean, it's a it's a good source of protein.
SPEAKER_02When you felt that bite, were you like, that's a tick immediately?
SPEAKER_06No, I just I see I also had uh uh poison oak for a while. So I figured it was just poison oak just rearing its ugly head because it had gotten in my system and the next thing you know, you know, it was kinda all over. So I figured it was just another poison oak thing. Yeah. And I looked down, I went to go take a shower, and I I was like What is that? Because I felt that the bump was huge. And I what the hell and looking at it going, Well, that stupid tick you know, about the size of a pinhole. And so I just squeezed it off and you know, th it's a small tick, but the welt was about had to have been a half inch tick. And and it wasn't yellow fe you know, Rocky Mountain spotted fever or whatever, because usually that creates this huge halo of whatever around it. Yeah. Stupid ticks, man.
SPEAKER_02Oh, so we're talking about uh stadium injuries. Yeah. Uh football. You see him bring out the air cast.
SPEAKER_07Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_02Right? Explain that. How does that work? Well, I mean the air and why is it called an aircast?
SPEAKER_06Because you pump it with air.
SPEAKER_02Nice.
SPEAKER_06Okay, you you wrap it around and then you pump it of air and then it it's that way it's it's easily removable.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_06Because you can't just put like a huge cast on it. Right. Now in EMS we have now, we uh some still do this where it's called mass trousers, which is the same thing, but it's actually a set of trousers that you put on.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_06And then you pump it full of air, and then you can use it for many different things, uh whether, you know, uh broken legs or all that kind of stuff. Um if you are um in in need of uh uh blood flowing back up to your torso or whatever, you put these on and it pushes the blood back. But they're not used like they're not used as much because they're you know, it it's according to medical research or whatever, it just they're just not you know, they're just not needed as much. Now we have um like there's um oh my gosh, I can't believe I have forgotten the the tool. Um splints.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_06So much rolling around in here, I can't get to the right.
SPEAKER_02I never really see those on like fingers in toes.
SPEAKER_06Well there's there's several leg splints, especially for femurs. Like if you broke a femur, as long as it's not next to the ball, whether top or bottom, distal or proximal, yeah, and it's like right in the middle of that clean break, then you get a traction splint, and then you pull that leg, which takes the pain away most of the time, and you put the traction splint on to keep it from although the bones put it back together.
SPEAKER_08Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_06Ah okay, Peter Griffin.
SPEAKER_02So it's so it's just a quick cast, basically.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, it's just a quick cast that you can take.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, okay. Cool. I apologize to every EMT who's listening to this. No, this is why this is what we wanted to do.
SPEAKER_06No, no, there's nothing to apologize for. This is what we wanted to do to bring kind of like close that gap between first responders and civilians, because there's civilians for the most part, you watch 911 Nashville or 911 or Chicago Fire. If you could see my gesture, you'd be like, oh yeah. I mean, those are the absolute worst. Like I remember the first episode I ever saw of Chicago Fire, and I and a car is dangling over a bridge over the river, and the fire department shows up, and four people get off the truck, and three of them go to the car, and they're holding it by their hands. I'm like, oh, BS on that. That would never happen in a million years.
SPEAKER_02What's the real thing that would happen?
SPEAKER_06They would secure it by um they would try everything they could to secure it by a winch. Yeah. Or um, there's other ways to secure it with straps or whatever chains against the bridge so it wouldn't fall over. You want to stabilize that car.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. So they're not they're not stable.
SPEAKER_06They're not holding on to it. And then somebody getting in the car to get the victim out.
SPEAKER_02No way. Not calling up Mark Henry to come stay those guys. I remember my brother had a I forget the guy's name, but he had met, he was like one of the world's strongest men, and there it was a picture of him lifting up the back of a car.
SPEAKER_07Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And yeah. Nah. That that's like burned into my brain so far. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, you don't you don't do stuff like that. I remember there was a there was a show called I think it was trauma. It uh lasted maybe a season. Because it was absolutely horrible. And the first show. It was traumatic. Oh, it was traumatic, all right. I w I wanted to go to talk to the producers and wring their neck for for showing this. The first show, it was based out of San Francisco, or at least the the the story was based in San Francisco. Huge wreck on the Golden Gate Bridge. Golden Gate Bridge. You've been to the Golden Gate Bridge. Oh, yeah. Huge wreck. So Dispatch gets the and they, you know, hey, we got this wreck. And they were showing the main characters. There's a couple a couple uh uh lady paramedics on an ambulance and so forth. And then there's this guy, one paramedic or flight nurse on a helicopter.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Now the first thing is the helicopter, they self-dispatch, which yeah, should never happen. They don't just get in, hey, there's a big wreck, let's go! You know, no, no, no, no, no, no. That's not how that works. Yeah. They will hear it and they might get in the air, but they're not going to land or do anything until they talk to people on the ground. Yeah. Or if they're even needed. Yeah. Well, so this big wreck happens on the Golden Gate Bridge, and everybody's going to it, and there's another paramedic guy, and he goes to this victim that's uh laying on the ground on the road. Here comes the helicopter. One guy, one flight nurse on a helicopter. They land on the bridge. Yeah, okay. Okay, a helicopter.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Land on the bridge, in the middle of the bridge. This guy gets out, he's got his little jump bag, he gets to the guy, the paramedic that's already with this guy on the road, and the paramedic's like, oh, this, that, and the other. This flight nurse takes one look, grabs a syringe out of his bag, pokes it into the guy's arm, and says, All right, you'll be good, and walks away to go to the next victim. I'm like, oh, hell no. No, no, no. You touch that patient, you're you are now in charge of that patient. Oh, man. I was livid. And then later in that same episode, this guy is having even a fake heart attack trying to get out of a bill or whatever it was at some restaurant.
unknownUh-huh.
SPEAKER_06And the parrot, these lady paramedics show up, and of course, they put, you know, the guy is acting like he's passed out or whatever, and they put the monitor heart monitor on him, and he grabs one of the leads and he's he's shaking, which causes what looks like like an AFib or a V fib or whatever on the monitor. And this one lady looks at it and then she sees him, you know, twitching this one lead and goes, Oh, come on. And they and they know the guy now. Suddenly they know his name and they've you've dealt with him before. And they say, get up, get out of here, and send him on his way. I'm like, oh shoot, no, that would never happen either. That would never happen.
SPEAKER_02What would happen there?
SPEAKER_06You'd have to do paperwork. That's where the refusal comes into play.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_06You had to get a refusal, or you you have to document everything in EMS, because you get sued in a heartbeat. People call you just to look for ways to sue you. It's like, no. So I have been out on there's only three shows, actually, two shows I've ever thought were closest was emergency. You remember emergency? No, I don't think. Emergency 51. This was way back in the early 70s.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_06Where uh paramedic 51, you know, all that kind of stuff.
SPEAKER_02Sounds like something I'd need to go back to.
SPEAKER_06Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_06There was emergency or mash. MASH was close.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_06That was the closest.
SPEAKER_02Awesome. Glad to know that. I love MASH.
SPEAKER_06But if you watch Backdraft, oh hell no.
SPEAKER_02That was the movie, right? Yeah, with Kurt Russell. Yeah, the Ron Howard. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_06Going into fires with their turnout coat unbuttoned, no SCBA. It's like, are you kidding me? And you're going into an industrial structure fire? I don't think so. You know? The closest fire fire department movie is Ladder 49.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that was a great movie. That's a great movie. Joaquin. Yeah. And uh Robbie Robertson. Robbie Robertson. John Travolta. Yeah. And uh I got into the band later on, like years after that movie. Uh and Robbie didn't do much like original stuff. He was mainly like like the music supervisor on like a lot of the Scorsese movies.
SPEAKER_07Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_02I was like, wait, wait, he did an original song for that? So that yeah. That was a great movie though. Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06But that's the closest for Firefighter to for firefighter.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Oh, that that scene, speaking of things burned into my brain, no pun intended, but the scene when they're on the roof and the the floor goes out from under that dude and it's just all fla Oh man. Yep. Brutal.
SPEAKER_06Now here's another thing.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_06If something like that happened uh for for a fire department, uh they have what they call writ teams. Now writ teams are like the Navy SEALs of the fire department. If something like that happens, the Rip team No holds barred, but going in. Whoa. They're going in to find that guy. They're going in to find that firefighter. Wow. And sometimes they get to him, sometimes they don't.
SPEAKER_02Did not know that. Yep.
SPEAKER_06Rip teams are they're like they are. They're like the Navy SEALs of fire departments.
SPEAKER_02I didn't even know that was a thing.
SPEAKER_06They're nuts.
SPEAKER_02Covering all kinds of ground here. That also makes me realize that in the outsiders uh Oh, the movie? Yeah. And the and the house burns down. So that means Pony Boy and Johnny, first responders. Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06They were they were first responders.
SPEAKER_02And Dally, yeah. Dally, yep. Yeah. Well, that's good to know. That makes you feel really good. Well, stay in gold.
SPEAKER_06Stay stayed. Stay golden. Well, like I was talking about celebrities trying to get celebrities on here. And the with the one like Steve Busemi.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_06He used to be a New York City fire department, uh firefighter. And came after 9-11, he came back and helped out, you know, and the cleanup and stuff like that. I'd love to get him on just to talk about fire department when he was a firefighter. Uh but a couple others that I want to get on are Danny Treo.
SPEAKER_02Interesting. Danny Trejo and Yeah, because he worked on the uh on the is as like they take prisoners and they they're not going to be able to do it.
SPEAKER_06Well that yeah, that also, but he No, there there's a story with Danny Trejo where a car flipped. He just happened to be around and a car flipped in a in a in an accident.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_06And him and another guy went to the car and got a baby out.
unknownOh wow.
SPEAKER_06There's another story with Jamie Foxx. Same thing happened, a car flipped. And Jamie Foxx went and got this guy out before the car caught fire.
SPEAKER_02Wow. That's awesome.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_06So I'd love to have them on just to talk about stuff like that.
SPEAKER_02But Trejo also did what do they call the program, Firestoppers or something like that.
SPEAKER_06Oh yeah, he did the um the CAL Fire um where he was a wildland firefighter as a prisoner. Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, I'd love to talk to talk to Danny Trejo. I would talk to Danny Trejo all day long.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I mean who wouldn't? Yeah. That'd be the best.
SPEAKER_06Well, he'd be he's he's great at trying to help prisoners get off drugs. Um I mean he gives his number out and said, Call me if you have uh have an issue and people call him and he goes and pick him up off the street and do all kinds of stuff. He's he is he is he's had quite a life.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, he walks the walk.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, for sure. He sure does. Because he's been there. He knows he's been in that in that situation. So he knows how to get out of it.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_06He's he's he's amazing. He looks scary as all get out. And yeah, he's a former prisoner.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, you I mean you let me borrow his book. Yeah. Which is where I learned that he was a fire stopper. I'm gonna what are they called? I'm looking this up. But yeah, I'd love that.
SPEAKER_06That was another show that Oh, uh the the fire country?
SPEAKER_02Yes. Yeah. Yeah. I didn't know that was a thing until that.
SPEAKER_06Uh the cow cow fire and uh oh yeah, all those all those wild wildland firefighting is one tough job. 'Cause that's all you do is you dig ditches, you you clear land, you even start fires to to knock it out.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_06And you're always hiking.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, they always have those buildings at fire stations, right? They they can just light on fire and yeah. You practice.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. You remember the hot shots that died uh a few years ago? They were sur they were called the hot shots. Oh no, I didn't hear about that. They were on this wildland fire and they got surrounded by the fire, and they all got into their safety tent. Yeah. And fire was so hot killed them all. I know. Firefighting's firefighting is very dangerous.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. I'm I'm not doing it. Uh I'm just seeing like incarcerated firefighters.
SPEAKER_06So they're they're they're not called like they're just they're just wildland firefighters.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, okay.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Huh? Yeah. Maybe I'll maybe I'll have to check that one out. Have you watched The Pit yet?
SPEAKER_06No.
SPEAKER_02I haven't either. Yeah. No, I haven't watched it. So many medical and Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_06Like Saint I remember St. Elsewhere. Oh, House is one that I just can't stand.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_06I just can't. I mean, first of all, what city does do these people live in to where all these weird illnesses come into play? Or were they built on an Indian burial ground or a former toxic wasteland?
SPEAKER_02They definitely had a formula locked in on that one. Yeah. Yeah. It seemed like it was like Connecticut or something like that.
SPEAKER_06Something like that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. But yeah. I had watched it, and after a few episodes, it's like, okay, I think I I get the point here.
SPEAKER_06I mean, come on. I'd rather watch Scrubs.
SPEAKER_02Oh, no. Ooh, that's that's a bridge too far.
SPEAKER_06Is that too far?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, for me it is. I know a lot of people love it, man. You know, God bless, but no, not for me. Oh, if Zach Braff's listening, sorry, you know.
SPEAKER_06Well. Sorry, everybody. Well, we're gonna do something else here. Because we still haven't done this segment, and I love this segment. And I have when I recorded this, I about I loved every bit of it. I love doing this. So we're gonna go on to this. Yes.
SPEAKER_02What is it?
SPEAKER_00Greetings and welcome to another edition of the Grand Square Theater, where true stories are told, but in a theatrical style. In this episode's recital, our director was inspired by taking Ambient by Mistake instead of his Flintstone multivitamin. Sit back and enjoy this wonderful saga entitled The July 4th Stupidity.
SPEAKER_06Every year on July 4th, citizens across the country celebrate the freedom we have from the creation of the United States of America. We celebrate by having parades, barbecues with friends and family, and at night, gigantic sounds of booms accompany the multicolored explosions in the dark sky. With all those wonderful traditions, comes another born of ignorance. We call this the July 4th Stupidity, where lunacy overtakes the weak-minded, sometimes inspired by the repeal of Prohibition, as revelers go to great lengths to prove their patriotic idiocy. Take, for instance, Peter, a teenager from Nevada, who thought, or should I say didn't think, of igniting a firework shell in his bedroom. As it bounced off every wall, Peter ran up before it exploded, causing the contents of the room to ignite. Firefighters were able to save the rest of the house while poor Peter was required by his parents to show his patriotism in enlisting in the army soon after. His parents then used Peter's college fund for a new RV, exploring the states in all of their splendor. Then there is Jackson from Maryland, a six-foot-tall, 200-pound man who had a four-foot-deep above-ground pool installed just in time for his July 4th get together with friends. In the late afternoon, and several beers later, Jackson climbed onto the roof of his house and proceeded to show his patriotism by diving into his new pool. Obviously, he was no student to math or physics, but learned a valuable lesson in traumatic medicine, or so someone else has to show since he is paralyzed from the neck down. It might sound morbid, but some of our favorite idiots have to use their genitals as launching pads. One that comes to mind is Randy from Michigan. For quite a few July force, bottle rockets and Roman candles were his weapons of choice. His luck ran out when he decided to increase the manliness by firing a two-inch shell from his package. The shell never left the tube exploding within. Needless to say, Randy got the shaft and will never have kids. Probably a good thing. And finally, nothing shows patriotism like dressing up as Captain America with a homemade shield. For Isaiah from Oregon, he wanted to post videos on Instagram of his prowess of fending off bottle rockets. With the help of unnamed friends, he went to prove his worth. Unfortunately, one unpredictable rocket bounced off his cardboard shield and exploded on his face. These days, Isaiah has to ask for the Braille Menus at Cracker Barrel. Every July 4th, the celebration of the birth of our nation is a wonderful mix of traditions and patriotism as long as you use just a little common sense. Remember, with great freedom comes great responsibility. Happy birthday, America.
SPEAKER_02My parents used to take us to the fireworks stand before every 4th of July and every New Year's Day, and they give you that paper bag and they're like, fill it up. Whatever you want. That was crazy. And then he had to play with that huge oven mitt, and he was still killing it, too. Yeah. Oh man, he got signed to the Bucks and they had to play the Saints twice a year. I was like, oh no. Yeah. Golly, man. What was the worst one you ever saw?
SPEAKER_06Um had to have been um probably the kid um kid uh sixteen, seventeen years old, um had a firework load in his hand. Uh he I mean he was holding it with basically a closed fist and was going out to an open area to throw it. And before he could even open his hand, it just went off and just basically shattered his hand. Well I mean missing fingers, um like the g the the guy that you know had it explode in his face, uh eye injuries, yeah, you name it, burns. Usually alcohol is involved. Yeah. July fourth just like Jake had said, July fourth, Halloween, here's New Year's are are usually a busy time. And you always you do, you wait for that okay, am I am I looking for fingers at some point in a in a backyard or whatever because somebody blew 'em off? Um there's always the one you always hear somewhere in the nation about the one kid uh usually men, usually boys, bottle rockets out of their butt um stupid things, cand Roman candle wars, which we used to do as kids. Sure. You know? Now the fun thing about July 4th you get into a fire hall for that month, you know, before July 4th, and even maybe a week after July 4th. Fire halls are no well, they're a blast to be in if you're the one doing the joke.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_06But usually it's it's like an all-out kind of war. You know, the little snappers?
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_06You know, you you you throw them down, you know. Well, usually they're put i under toilet seats or under the legs of your bunk or in um car doors, anything to get to try to get each other. Nice. Yeah. Or thrown at you know, you just throw them at each other. Yeah. You know, at the ground or whatever. You don't throw them at their face because it's still gunpowder. Yeah. But that's that's always that always happens in firehawk.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. That's like the safest thing for kids. Isn't that crazy? Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Here you go, honey. Take a handful of these and throw them at the ground. Uh-huh. Armless fun. Sparklers. Sparklers. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06I hate I always hated the snakes.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_06They're they're just they're just messy and ooh, they're growing. Ooh. I mean No.
SPEAKER_02I always thought they were stupid. Never understood the appeal.
SPEAKER_06No.
SPEAKER_02No. I I didn't even. There's no spectacle there.
SPEAKER_07Nah, not really.
SPEAKER_02Did you ever work the Nashville New Year's Eve?
SPEAKER_06No.
SPEAKER_02No. What about Fourth of July?
SPEAKER_06Not for Nashville. I've you I've worked uh like Fourth of July events at in um in Sumner County at different for different cities or or um never a new no nobody ever really had a New Year's Eve type of thing. Or a or a fireworks or whatever for New Year's Eve. It was always July 4th.
SPEAKER_02New Year's Eve's overrated.
SPEAKER_06It is. I always thought it was weird. Like it when growing up in Ohio, we never had fireworks for New Year's Eve.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. There was never even a fireworks stand. No one should. No. It's just like, who cares?
SPEAKER_06Yeah. Just just okay, it's the new year. Woo woo! Blah blah blah blah. And let's move on.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. I mean, Dick Clark's dead. You know, that was the only thing for me. It was like, all right, Dick's still, you know, doing his thing. Now he's dead, and it's like, yeah, let's just stop.
SPEAKER_06Now what's the enough holidays?
SPEAKER_02Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_06There's just we don't need any more fireworks for anything.
SPEAKER_02It's in January. It's January. It's cold. Like, everyone's burned out, you know?
SPEAKER_06If anything, give me more alcohol and and a ride home, you know?
SPEAKER_02Cook a roast. That's it. I can get down with that. Yeah. We can we take a day. Day off is fine. Love the day off, but all the it's the you know, it's it's the forced good time aspect of it. Yeah, yeah. Where it's like we have to celebrate this. It's like, do we?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, do you do we really? We don't need to. You know, but some people uh just is what it is.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. But I would love to go to Chinese New Year at some point. Oh yeah, that'd be fun. See those dragons. Yeah. Yeah. That would that would be fun. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06But anyway, this is the end of this episode. Has it been fun?
SPEAKER_02It's been a blast. Thank you so much for having me. I learned a ton.
SPEAKER_05Well we'll have to have you again.
SPEAKER_02Oh, and to go back to what we talked about earlier. We will be in Sheridan, Wyoming on July 17th. Uh this is Twity and Lynn's, the grandchildren of Conway Twity and Loretta Lynn. It is a super fun show if you're a fan of old school country or just good music in general. We will be at the Whitney Center for the Arts at Sheridan College. And the night before, if you are in Wyoming, uh we'll be in Gillette at the Camplex Heritage Center Theater. But for all tour dates, go to twityandlen.com. We have a good week and a half, and then after that, I'll be joining up with Matt Axton for three weeks. You can find his dates at mattaxton.com. I know I just did my own plug.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, what what show is this?
SPEAKER_02Hey man.
SPEAKER_06I'm just kidding. I'm not of these.
SPEAKER_02I want to know how to take the lead.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_08That's right.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_06You done? No. You should hear you should hear me and my beautiful bride Hyland just for the last couple of days. Ah!
SPEAKER_01They make beautiful music together.
SPEAKER_02Oh, and also follow me on Instagram at John of Rodrigue. That's Rodriguez with no Z. Or if you're younger, that's Rodrigo with a UE instead of an O.
SPEAKER_06Okay, Olivia.
SPEAKER_02What a time to be alive.
SPEAKER_06It is. It's wonderful.
SPEAKER_02Thanks to the EMTs and the first responders.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, we can if you don't do anything so stupid that we can't save you. Did I say that? Hello. We come to the end of episode number nine of 911 Squirrel. Hopefully you had some fun and also may have learned something. If you have stories, if you know someone you want to spotlight, have questions, comments, please email us at 911 Squirrel Podcast at Gmail.com or go to our socials on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok under 911 Squirrel Podcast. If you have a small business, please give us all the information and we will give you a shout-out on one of our episodes and even make a commercial that you will get in an MP3 form and you'll be able to use it in whichever way you want. Also, do some freaking dancing videos crying up uh before I start coming around and dragging y'all out to do stuff. Please.
SPEAKER_02Uh likes to watch you dance.
SPEAKER_06I'm glad you had more to that we did. I have a strong reputation that I'd like to keep. Oh boy. Uh also please go visit our sponsors, 108fire.com if you need ambulances in the southeast. Um take take full advantage take full advantage. Sounded L of those two. Take a full advantage of the what's this word? Oh yes. Grant that federal government's having go get yourself some new ammo since we can always use new equipment. And other than that, oh my goodness. Just remember y'all are part of a team. Help each other stay safe and God bless you. Thank you, everybody. And and thank John Roderick for showing up today and and and being part of some good, good question and answers. So, yes, thank you all and stay safe. God bless you all. We'll see you on the next episode.