Dear Battalion Viewers,

I really wanted to put up photos each day from our film shoot here in San Diego California but it did not happen due to the unavailibility of internet service for me and my laptop from many of the locations and time restraints; everyday it's a new location, a new crew, and a lot for me to keep up with.

Yesterday, we had several auto accidents and the crews of Engine and Truck 12 did some amazing work to save the lives of the victums of those incidents.

July 4th was a lot of fun, I was on the Fire/Rescue Boat all day. Crazy action, they rent jet skis to anyone and most have no idea of water safety; but, the beachs were safe, they no longer allow alchohol on the beach and that stopped a lot of activity that had become very dangerous in the past years.

This department really does it right in so many ways.

From the way they track the members on-scene with their non-technology tag-system to their technology that you can go to a computer and not only find the location of the rigs, but you can find the first and last name of each member on any apparatus.

Their patient care:
The way they have integrated the private ambulance service and the department over their 320 mile, 47 station territory; is bar-none something that all departments can learn from, it is seamless.

Thier technology with using a Palm-to-Palm information system from the first responders on the Engine who are first on-scene, to the Medics when they arrive on-scen, to that information going directy to the Hospital prior to the arrival of the patient; is really great, it's all about patient care.

More on that in the future...

I hope you enjoy riding with the crew of Engine 36 in Milwaukee. Next week, Engine Company 24.

Be safe.

Sincerely,

DRF