Just posting a few more images from the Tri. This is Kevin Harvick's Lear Jet that was parked on the ramp the other night. Lots of General Aviation Aircraft for the Nascar race. Couple shots of Engine 3, and a shot of one of the Police Vehicles. More later.

Just wanted to post a quick update. I am off today, thru the week-end. I had kind of an odd, flash-back thought the other day. I had finished up my shifts and had a few days off, when I thought 'I gotta go back on day-shifts, when I go back to work'. Then I quickly realized that, no, I go back to nights again. What a great feeling! Working a straight shift is sooo nice. Especially when the straight shift is night-shift!


I am really loving my new job. I work with a great bunch of guys, and the job, itself, is very interesting. It is a lot different from what I left. The ARFF (Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting) part of the job is bringing new challenges, and presents a lot to learn. The Fire Apparatus that we have are amazing, in thier technology and capabilities. My Lieutenant let me drive Engine One (pictured) quite a bit the other night to get used to it. I even backed it into the bay at the end, and amazed myself...lol. It is about 13' tall and has a 685 horsepower turbo-diesel engine. It cost nearly one million dollars, making it clearly the biggest, most powerful, most expensive vehicle that I have ever driven. The tires on it are nearly as tall as I am.

I am getting more used to the layout of the runways, taxi-ways, and intersections on the airfield. We do two nightly inspections of the entire airfield. One is a lighting isnpection, and the other is an inspection for Foreign Objects & Debris (FOD). The lighting inspection is done while the Air Traffic Control Tower is still active and air traffic is still inbound. You have to radio the tower to get clearence, just as aircraft do. It's pretty cool.

I also wish to thank my loving wife for making my transition soo seamless. Without her support, love and encouragement, my change of jobs would not have been nearly so easy. Rusti, sweetie, you are my world!

Anyway, I am rambling now. Suffice it to say, the job is very, very cool. Hope all is well with everyone.

I just got off of my first 12 hour shift at the Airport. Today I worked 12:00 - Midnight, which I will be working again tommorrow. Although a strange set of hours, it was pretty interesting and not near as bad as I thought it would be. I will be going to 'my' shift, which is Shift 3, on Friday night. My call sign will be '303'. I got to meet my new lieutenant tonight, as he came on at 18:00 (6:00 P.M.). He seems like a really great guy, and I liked him instantly. The more that I got to talk to him, the more I liked him. I am excited about my new shift, and I think everything is going to work out really well.

On a sad note, however, over the past week-end, my old shift at the Carter County Sheriff Dept., had to cover a three day week-end, Friday, Saturday, & Sunday (on the day shift), with 2 Deputies on the road. Think about that for a minute. 2 Deputies to cover a County the size of Carter County. Unbelievable. That's really great planning on the part of the new 'Management Team'. I wonder if the Citizens of Carter County have any idea, whatsoever, on what is going on at that Department. Not only is it unsafe for the Citizens, it is unsafe for the TWO Deputies on duty!

Maybe one of these days the truth will emerge. More later.

Today is Saturday, March 10, 2007. I had a busy week, starting the new job, and all. I had all the usual administrative tasks to complete, (W-2, Insurance, etc.), plus I had to learn as much about the Airport as I could. They usually keep 'new guys' in training for 2 weeks, but I got cut loose after one. I worked Monday through Friday on day shift. There is definitely alot of new stuff for me to learn. Taxi-way and Runway designations for one thing. Being part of a Public Safety Dept., I have to get up to speed on all of the fire stuff. They call it ARFF (Airport Rescue & Fire Fighting). The Fire Apparatus at the Airport is truly impresive. The cockpit looks like the cockpit of the Space Shuttle to me, with all of the various controls, switches and buttons.

They are sending me to ARFF school in Salt Lake City, Utah next month. I am definitely looking forward to it, as it will be a new experience, along with the fact that I have never been to that part of the country. I also get to fly out there, which I am looking forward to. (I love to fly).

Everyone at the Department has been so nice to me this week. It really seems like a great bunch of guys. Chief Barron is a trip, and really fun to be around. Lt. Wiley and Lt. Barnsworth have been very helpful on my first week. PSO's Sells, Greenway, & Harrell (Scooby) have been great to work with. Sgt. R. Stout (who is another Carter Countian), has been most gracious. I really feel like this is gonna be a great job, and great Department to be a part of.

I love aircraft, as I have mentioned before. This week I got to board (and check out the cockpits) of an ATR, a DeHavilland Dash-8, as well as a Delta Connection Regional Jet Embracer. It was really cool. I also got to talk with some of the flight crews. I also got to check out some general aviation aircraft, including a Cirrus (which was really nice), a Rockwell Commander, several Pipers, including Barrons & King Airs, and got to watch an old Rockwell Sabreliner power up, taxi & take off.

Overall, it was a very interesting week. I am working a kinda weird shift Monday & Tuesday, 12:00 noon till 12:oo midnight. After that, I start on 'my shift', which is Shift 3, on night shift Friday night. I am sure that I have left a bunch of stuff out, but I wanted to get something posted here, about my first week. More later.

Here's a pic of my old buddy (and former sargeant) T. Lowe in his new Honda S2000. Very nice car. T. came over yesterday, and he drove me the back way to the Airport. I had been that way once before, but I couldn't remember the exact route. Anyway, I think it's a little closer than going through Johnson City. I sure am going to miss working with T. We were partners in the Carter Co. Jail, years ago, when only 2 jailors were on duty at any given time. These last couple of years, when I have been on shift 2, were the first time that we have gotten to work directly together, since we were in the jail.

Anyway, just wanted to post the pic. More later.

Hey, I guess it's time to post my 'Big News'. If you haven't already figured it out on your own, or heard it through the rumor mill, well here goes......drumroll, please....

My association with the Carter County Sheriff's Dept. is coming to an end, and I am starting a new chapter in my life as a Police Officer for the Tri-Cities Regional Airport. I had to wait until I turned in my official notice to the Sheriff's Department (which I did this morning), before posting my news here. I will certainly miss all of my friends at the Sheriff's Department, along with all by buds from the Elizabethton Police Department, and the great folks at Carter County Emergency Communications District (9-1-1). I hope to keep in touch with all you guys, but it still won't be the same as working with you every day. This announcement, is, naturally, bittersweet at this time, simply because of all the great people that I have had the privelege of working with.

I start at the Airport Dept. of Public Safety on Monday, March 5, 2007. I am looking very forward to my new job, and all the new challenges it will present. I am sure that I will get to meet a lot of great new people. I have always been an aviation buff, and I love being around planes, airports, airbases, or anything to do with aviation. Maybe, someday, I will even get my own pilot's liscense, who knows! The Chief of my new Department has been very friendly and warm. I look forward to working for him.

I am scheduled to attend an aircraft/airport firefighter's school in Salt Lake City, Utah in the middle of April. I think it will be very interesting, and I look forward to the flight out there. I have never been to that part of the country before. I will include a link to the school below.

Anyway, I will close for now, and will post more later, as developments unfold.

http://www.slcairport.com/arff/index.htm

Haven't posted anything recent. I will make a bigger post real soon, so check back, ladies and gentlemen!

Check out this picture. It was developed in August of 1966. The picture is of my Great Uncle Jack (the Brother of my beloved Granny), and his wife, my Great Aunt Margaret. They are both dead, at this point in time.

The interesting thing that I wish to point out, is the Boston Terrier. Uncle Jack always had Bostons and Bulldogs. The Boston Terrier in this picture looks alot like my little Tommie Girl. No, I don't remember this particular dog, (I had just turned 2 years old at the time), but I do remember 'Uncle' Jack having Bostons. Anyway, the picture was taken on my Grand-Dad's & Granny's Carport.

Anyway, I (hopefully), will be releasing some BIG NEWS on Monday or Tuesday. So check back.

Peace, Out!

Today is Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2007. It is the day that I would normally start my three night shifts on "Hell Week". However, I took them off, so I don't have to go back to work until next Monday on our long set of day shifts.

I just wanted to post a quick update about Blogger's new interface. It makes it a lot easier to control the blog without punching in a bunch of HTML code. Hence, I was able to post the picture of Tommie Girl on the top right of the blog, as well as edit my links. I will change the links from time to time, but I just put a sampling up to see how they worked on the new system.

I hope to be able to make this blog a little bit more interesting. I'm still trying to figure out the 'Google Widgets', and when I get that figured out, I should be able to add even more intesting content.

On an unrelated note, I would like to wish my lovely wife, Rusti, a very Happy Valentines Day! I love you, Sweetie, and you make my life complete. More later.

Hey, it's Thursday, the 8th of February. I have to start my 3 dayshifts tommorrow. Yuck! I absolutely HATE days. I would rather have a tooth pulled as to work a day shift.

Not much to say today (even tho it's been a little while since my last update). Props to my buddy JRAM on quitting smoking. Who knows, maybe one of these days, I'll decide to quit again. Or maybe not.

I think that we will have a full crew thru our day shifts. I'm planning on taking the following night shifts off. Rusti is working today, and has to work late, due to her D.U.I. class. I'll be glad when she gets home. The new season of 'Survivor' starts tonight, and we are planning on watching it.

Anyway, even tho this is a boring update, I am outta here!