She sat across the room, 10, maybe 15, feet away. I don’t think she was aware that I was aware of her and her condition. Last week she told me that her due date was two days away, which made her five days overdue. She was uncomfortable, and so was I. I couldn’t relax. The […]

Moments to Remember 05/16/2017 I remember thinking, this decision could cost me my job. Then I remember thinking, this job might cost me far more… By Michael Morse It’s late, the hour, and the amount of time left for the man whose dying breaths fill the room. The dreadful sound of a person’s final moments […]

A friend asked me to repost this, I took it down from my Facebook page because of the profound sadness that overwhelmed me yesterday made it seem inappropriate. As the pain diminishes memories of our time together returns, and his very innapropriateness made me love him even more. Scott passed away earlier this week. He […]

5 stresses firefighters deal with that others don’t know about. There is always the chance that something will happen that we have no control over; it’s those fears that keep us up at night. We love this job and thank the good fortune that was bestowed upon us that we are firefighters. And what‘s not […]

They come to the emergency rooms looking for help, or are brought there by EMS or the police because they need help but don’t know it. When they arrive they are treated with kindness, respect and professionalism. They are fed, given a bed and a blanket, a kind word, competent medical care and a safe […]

“What do they know, they don’t live here!” says every supporter ever of residency requirements for police officers and firefighters. I didn’t live within city limits when I was employed as a firefighter, but within a year I knew more about the place than most of the people who do. I knew more about the […]

She answered the call, in the background a baby, screaming. She sent an engine company, an ALS rig and the police, the outcome was not so good. She found out an hour later, and couldn’t  get the sounds out of her head. It got me thinking how of how many people are affected by every […]

From my column at Fire Engineering’s Fire Life When is a Firefighter No Longer? 05/03/2017 By Michael Morse Is it the day he puts in his papers? The last night in the station? Driving away from the station after the final shift? When he says, “I’m home,” and stays there? Or is it when the […]

You would think that I would be over the public’s disregard for firefighters and their disabilities by now. You would think that I would laugh off the innuendos that I endure at the holiday parties, the little jabs at the cookouts, the sarcasm at the gym. I don’t laugh it off. I don’t say anything. […]