The Nest — #success

by Lisa Wilson I have had the experience of being married before to a “regular” hubby and we went about our daily business as two individuals who did their own thing, loved each other and co-habited. Until we didn’t. I am grateful every day that we didn’t make it because I adore being married to my boy in blue. Being married to a police officer is totally different than being married to a regular Joe. It is a responsibility, a burden and an honor/blessing for those of you who are religious. It is often thankless. It throws up challenges and has...

  By Anne Gagliano The divorce rate for firefighters is three times that of the general population, which is the highest rate in the nation, second only to that of the military. A functioning, long-term marriage in this profession is uncommon; a happy, thriving, intimate one is rare. My husband Mike and I are fortunate to have the latter. Over the years I’ve tried to fill the gaps that surface as he works to fulfill his calling as a firefighter. Some things I’ve learned by accident and some I’ve learned the hard way. Some aspects of the job are hard...

Murphy's Law for travelers: If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong while you're on vacation -- which is arguably the worst time a household calamity can strike. Coming home from your honeymoon, African safari or Mediterranean cruise can be gloomy. But returning from a memorable journey and learning something has gone seriously wrong at home can be downright devastating. To make matters worse, a house or apartment left empty while its owners are traveling is a tempting target for criminals. We don't want to scare you -- or leave you fearing for your treasured belongings while basking on...

Can you teach an old dog new tricks? According to Paul Hasenmeier, the answer is yes. In his FDIC session “Train As If Your Life Depends on It,” Hasenmeier, a lieutenant with the Huron (Ohio) Fire Department, offered some useful tips for how to ensure that every member of your department—from the most seasoned “old dog” to the greenest rookie—gets the most out of training. In fact, he explained that what may initially seem like a training problem—having members with such varied levels of experience—is actually a quite beneficial, because all groups bring something unique to the table. Consider this:...

  Over a decade of law enforcement work has given me great opportunities.  Great disappointments and great friendships.  I would like to share some of my experience with you so that you can learn from my mistakes and benefit from my successes.  You may not agree with everything that you read, but given a long enough time, you will see that only truth is listed here. 1. Be nice, until there’s a time not to be nice.  When that time comes, be mean, but appear to be nice.2. When you pull over a person and are going to write a...