The "This Might Be A Stupid Question, But...." Thread

[DaisyG]

What do firefighters do? I mean, obviously they fight fires. But stuff isn't always on fire! And you can't train 24/7, can you?

In the UK, as well as fighting fires and dealing with other emergency situations, they train people to be fire wardens and first aiders; do talks for schools and other groups about fire safety and accident prevention in the home; and fit smoke alarms for homes. I only know this as I recently did emergency first aid training with a fire fighter.

[guihong]

I always thought firefighter life was like Emergency!, although Gage and DeSoto were also paramedics and responded to all kinds of calls.  They have to clean the station, maintain equipment, attend training drills, do paperwork, and visit schools and parades. 

DH works for the electric company at a computer console in the control room.  He describes his work as a lot of sitting, sometimes punching keys and talking on the phone-until there's a blackout, or a Katrina-like disaster, and all eHell breaks out.

[Snooks]

  Recently, the neighbors cat ALSO figured out the doggy door, and not only harasses my cat and ears her foods, but also 'lays claim' to anything that's around.  So in the morning my cat now has the option of being in all day or being out all day...

You might try one of the pet doors with an electromagnetic latch.  Kitty wears a small magnet on her collar and that releases the latch on the door.  Non-magnet-wearing kitty (& stray wildlife) can't get in.  Or you can totally geek out and set up a computer controlled pet flap with a digital camera...There used to be a website about a guy who did that to keep out neighbors cats, possums, raccoons, and cats bearing "gifts".  Can't find it now, though.

r

...Ren worked out that the break away collar was easy to get off,  she tajes it off anytime I put it on (okay thats rare since the week she proved I can't make her keep it on). She is microchipped.  We found one of our old cats half hung with a non break away collar, so I won't do that.  Pet shop said they could sell me another/different break away collar, but she would still take it off, most likely...

I wonder if there isn't some way to make an electronic lock work with the chip...

Yes there is

https://petsafeaustralia.com.au/products/pet-doors/microchip-petporte-smart-flap.html

It's a cat door that you "introduce" your microchipped cat/s to and after that it recognises the microchip and only unlocks for them. No collar required, but is is a bit pricey.

If only it would recognise when the cat has bought a present home and refuse to let it in.

[GreenHall]

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r
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https://petsafeaustralia.com.au/products/pet-doors/microchip-petporte-smart-flap.html

It's a cat door that you "introduce" your microchipped cat/s to and after that it recognises the microchip and only unlocks for them. No collar required, but is is a bit pricey.

If only it would recognise when the cat has bought a present home and refuse to let it in.

...I think adding the 'smart' cat door will have to go on the 'when i win the lottery' list, or at least when disposable income is you know, in existance.

Snooks, mine just brings in toys, not presents.  I think she's figured out that I am an ungracious present receiver 
I think she likes having the corral effect of the house...She got her name (Renfield) from the bugs, lizards, snakes, etc she would eat.  I was dealing, then she moved on to warm blooded. Color change since could be squicky  At least she ate the bird.  The voles she plays with, then leaves once they are no longer moving.  Then I hunt for the putrification source...

[RingTailedLemur]

  Recently, the neighbors cat ALSO figured out the doggy door, and not only harasses my cat and ears her foods, but also 'lays claim' to anything that's around.  So in the morning my cat now has the option of being in all day or being out all day...

You might try one of the pet doors with an electromagnetic latch.  Kitty wears a small magnet on her collar and that releases the latch on the door.  Non-magnet-wearing kitty (& stray wildlife) can't get in.  Or you can totally geek out and set up a computer controlled pet flap with a digital camera...There used to be a website about a guy who did that to keep out neighbors cats, possums, raccoons, and cats bearing "gifts".  Can't find it now, though.

r

...Ren worked out that the break away collar was easy to get off,  she tajes it off anytime I put it on (okay thats rare since the week she proved I can't make her keep it on). She is microchipped.  We found one of our old cats half hung with a non break away collar, so I won't do that.  Pet shop said they could sell me another/different break away collar, but she would still take it off, most likely...

I wonder if there isn't some way to make an electronic lock work with the chip...

Yes there is

https://petsafeaustralia.com.au/products/pet-doors/microchip-petporte-smart-flap.html

It's a cat door that you "introduce" your microchipped cat/s to and after that it recognises the microchip and only unlocks for them. No collar required, but is is a bit pricey.

If only it would recognise when the cat has bought a present home and refuse to let it in.

The "Flo Control" system does, but I don't know if it is commercially available.  It uses image-recognition software and keeps the flap locked if the cat is carrying something in its mouth.

[Thipu1]

What do firefighters do? I mean, obviously they fight fires. But stuff isn't always on fire! And you can't train 24/7, can you?

In the UK, as well as fighting fires and dealing with other emergency situations, they train people to be fire wardens and first aiders; do talks for schools and other groups about fire safety and accident prevention in the home; and fit smoke alarms for homes. I only know this as I recently did emergency first aid training with a fire fighter.

It's similar in NYC.  Firefighters do everything mentioned above.  They also make periodic inspections of apartment buildings.

Fire houses also receive donations for things like food pantries, winter coat drives and toy drives. 

To make sure everything works well, the trucks are also taken out for a brief run every day.  Usually, the trucks are making a food run.  Firehouse recipes are famous in NYC.  That's probably the fun part of being a Firefighter.

  Most important, when a 911 call comes in that requires an ambulance, the ambulance will come
from the Fire department. 

All in all, there's plenty for a Firefighter to do in 'down time'. 

[twiggy]

What do firefighters do? I mean, obviously they fight fires. But stuff isn't always on fire! And you can't train 24/7, can you?


We had an in-flight emergency the other day, and firefighters are required to respond. While we were waiting for the all clear, all of us in the end of runway group realized that we don't know what firefighters do when not responding to ground emergencies/fires.

Where I live, they also do tours of the firehouse. The only requirement is that you have to have a minimum of 6 kids, but it doesn't have to be an organization. A couple friends and I set up a firehouse tour as a playdate. The firefights gave the kids a basic lecture on fire safety, they got to check out the truck, and got a tour of the station. We had to clear out in a hurry though bc they got a call. We weren't even to the parking lot when the firetruck was pulling onto the street.

When I was 14ish, I wiped out on my bike and blacked out for a minute. A police officer happened to be driving by, so he checked on me, and the firefighters came because they're EMTs/first responders. Since I was a minor, once the official types took charge of me, they had to release me to either the hospital or my parent. So I got to hang out at the fire station for an hour, waiting for Mom. The firefighters gave me ice cream, and we watched Jerry Springer. They even fixed my bike (I had crashed because the handlebars were loose)

[ladyknight1]

Our firefighters also act as a "Safe Place" where parents in crisis can surrender infants under 30 days old. They also take in medical waste from diabetics and other people who use syringes.

In my county, firefighters transport people to the hospital.

[Kimblee]

afbluebelle wrote:

"What do firefighters do? I mean, obviously they fight fires. But stuff isn't always on fire! And you can't train 24/7, can you?"

Most "firefighters" are really emergency response people, and they handle stuff that requires heavy equipment in most towns.  So, they not only respond to fires, they respond to other stuff like car or boating accidents, natural disasters like mudslides or flooding, non-fire emergencies like someone trapped in a drain/stuck on a roof/caught in a structure collapse and lots of other stuff of that nature.  That said, training does take up a reasonably large amount of their time because they're not just training to put out fires.  Learning how to cut a car open with the Jaws of Life takes time, for example.  Maintaining their equipment also takes up a lot of time.  They don't "wash the fire truck" every week just because they like it shiny, it's also to test all of the pumps and safety systems and make sure the truck runs and the hoses work and the gear is sorted and the oxygen tanks are filled and prepped and so on.  When they're not doing the job or training (or dealing with the upkeep of the job like paperwork or keeping the station), they do whatever they care to do while being ready to drop it all and respond to a call.
Virg

One of the members of our local department emboiders. He and his wife made a really beautiful quilt (He embroidered the squares, she pieced and quilted) for a charity auction this christmas. He's a huge gruff looking man, but you sometimes see him sitting in front of the fire house with his hoop and a military surplus shoulder bag he uses to carry his projects.

[Polly]

Unless the fabric is sequinned silk velvet

Pause the thread! I'm trying to picture sequinned silk velvet slacks on most men.

Thank  you. I'm Ok now. Continue if you will.

THANK YOU so much for making me laugh. I am having a HORRIBLE week and unable to sleep. Am working through this thread a year behind posts...but THANK YOU. When I go to work in the morning I will be picturing EVERYONE IN  sequinned silk velvet slacks.

[Elfmama]

Unless the fabric is sequinned silk velvet

Pause the thread! I'm trying to picture sequinned silk velvet slacks on most men.

Thank  you. I'm Ok now. Continue if you will.

THANK YOU so much for making me laugh. I am having a HORRIBLE week and unable to sleep. Am working through this thread a year behind posts...but THANK YOU. When I go to work in the morning I will be picturing EVERYONE IN  sequinned silk velvet slacks.

You're welcome!

[2littlemonkeys]

So here's a dumb question...

My cell phone is dying a slow death and I'd like to get one with wi-fi capabilities so I can browse the internet (mostly to stream music) while I'm at home or at work.  Dh suggested getting a phone that has wi-fi and I've seen some deals on unlocked phones at various retailers but if I get one of those and use my SIM card, will AT&T recognize it as being a smart phone and decide I need the data package?  I really don't want a package, I can't justify the monthly expense. 

I thought I should just break down and get an mp3 player with wi-fi but it would be nice to have it all on once device.  And they are pricey!

[Twik]

Unless the fabric is sequinned silk velvet

Pause the thread! I'm trying to picture sequinned silk velvet slacks on most men.

Thank  you. I'm Ok now. Continue if you will.

It's particularly intriguing if you think of them as work pants. Your average construction crew would be fabulous!

[blue2000]

So here's a dumb question...

My cell phone is dying a slow death and I'd like to get one with wi-fi capabilities so I can browse the internet (mostly to stream music) while I'm at home or at work.  Dh suggested getting a phone that has wi-fi and I've seen some deals on unlocked phones at various retailers but if I get one of those and use my SIM card, will AT&T recognize it as being a smart phone and decide I need the data package?  I really don't want a package, I can't justify the monthly expense. 

I thought I should just break down and get an mp3 player with wi-fi but it would be nice to have it all on once device.  And they are pricey!

Doesn't matter what AT&T thinks it is, it is still your decision where you spend your money. If you don't want a data package, you don't have to have one.

[Virg]

2littlemonkeys wrote:

"My cell phone is dying a slow death and I'd like to get one with wi-fi capabilities so I can browse the internet (mostly to stream music) while I'm at home or at work.  Dh suggested getting a phone that has wi-fi and I've seen some deals on unlocked phones at various retailers but if I get one of those and use my SIM card, will AT&T recognize it as being a smart phone and decide I need the data package?  I really don't want a package, I can't justify the monthly expense."

This isn't a dumb question at all, but unfortunately it's also one without a single answer.  How your provider handles smart phones depends on who they are and where you live, so your best bet is to get in contact with AT&T service and discuss it with them.

blue2000 wrote:

"Doesn't matter what AT&T thinks it is, it is still your decision where you spend your money. If you don't want a data package, you don't have to have one."

That may not be accurate.  AT&T may not support the phone without a data plan (for an example, Verizon won't service a smart phone at all in my area unless it's got a data plan) so she may not have any choice with that provider.  That's why it's best to ask directly.

Virg