I ran across this article the other day and wanted to share it with all of you. I think this speaks to how important it is to have people in your organization that possess positive attitudes.  One of the main ingredients to creating and maintaining a successful organization is having that positive culture reside within your members and organization.  I have been in the Fire Service for 25 years and have worked with a lot of people which I am happy to say most of them have had a positive attitude. I believe that 99.9 % of people that demonstrate a positive attitude are the ones that will be the most successful at work and in life.  If you think about it who wants to promote someone into a leadership role that has a negative attitude. The answer is No One! Negativity is the number one killer of any organization and by placing these negative employee’s into officer positions is like giving the organization its death sentence. The good news is if you are one of those negative people it is not too late to change. Negativity is a choice. It is all in how you look at or perceive things. Please read this article and at the end look in the mirror and ask yourself am I a cup half full or half empty type of person, how do others look at you and your attitude?

Are your new recruits at risk for exertional rhabdomyolysis (ER)? Central Pierce Fire and Rescue had two recruits develop ER during recent fire training academies. These individuals were physically fit, one a distance runner and the other a cross-fit enthusiast.  What is ER?  Why did these indivuaduals develop it?  What could we have done to prevent it?  

Acute exertional rhabdomyolysis is a problem encountered by firefighters as a result of extreme or novel physical demands placed on the musculoskeletal system.  When skeletal muscle fibers breakdown, their intracellular contents enter the bloodstream and can clog the kidneys.  This can cause potentially serious side effects and even death...