Posted on Mon, Jul 23, 2012
Drinking from a hydrant was the best way to explain the opening of the 2012 Baltimore Firehouse Expo in Baltimore. You try to get just a sip and instead you have 500 GPM of water flowing full force. Within the first 5 minutes of the show, we had over 30 people in our booth. What was even more impressive was that most people were being told to see our booth from firefighters that bought our illuminating products over the last year.
The Fire Critic (Rhett Fleitz) and The Iron Fireman (Willie Wines) wore their signature matching kilts and leather helmets as they were mobbed by their fans asking for autographs and getting personal demonstrations of how MN8 Foxfire helps firefighters by reducing disorientation, increasing accountability and illuminating search activities.
I was absolutely humbled not only our large crowds and strong sales, but also by hearing the numerous stories about how many firefighters are currently using our products and how much Foxfire has helped them be better and safer firefighters.
We had several very special visitors that first day such as the winner of the MN8 Foxfire FDIC T-Shirt contest, Donnie Wedding and the girls from the greatest bar in the world, PBR Baltimore. They want us to illuminate their shirts and hot pants !!!!
As the first day wrapped up, I changed out of my stuffy jeans and button down shirt and got to break out my new bunker kilt. I could not let Willie and Rhett be the only one to “let it all hang out”. We walked from the convention center to the FOOLS Bash and at Baltimore’s Powerplant Live. We had several people ask to get their picture taken with us. I guess Baltimore is not used to seeing men in kilts and firefighter helmets walking down the street....
The event was awesome complete with cornhole games, a dunk booth with very hot scantly clad women, pipes and drums and a torrential rainstorm. Never the less the firefighters were not about to let it rain on our parade !
The men and women of the Baltimore Fools chapter did a great job and fun was had by all. Especially watching the PBR girls dance on the tables!
The evening would have not been complete without having one of the PBR girls ride the mechanical bull complete with a MN8-Foxfire illuminating helmet !
The next day of the show was the same as the first day with big crowds, brisk sales and an energy unmatched by any other booth. We had several VIP's stop in such as Chief Bashoor of Prince George County FD, Capt. Morris of FDNY's Rescue 1 and even the media mogel himself, Mr. Dave Statter.
I finally had the chance to walk the floor for a few minutes and I had heard that FDNY’s Rescue 2 in Brooklyn had a booth. Visiting their booth was an honor. While there I checked on how all the Foxfire gear was holding up. I was both excited and honored to see FF Rob Weidman shaking hands with everyone.
As I’m sure most of you remember, FF Weidman was critically burned several months ago while battling a very bad fire at a Brooklyn brownstone.
MN8-Foxfire along with the Iron fireman and Fire Critic not only raised money for him, we also presented the check to his captain, Liam Flaherty at their Brooklyn quarters. Meeting with FF Weidman and hearing his heartfelt appreciation was one of the most memorable moments I have had since starting MN8. Our highest calling in the fire service is to help our brothers. These men of FDNY’s Rescue 2 have shown all of us the importance of brotherhood and professionalism that all of us in the fire service should strive to emulate.
Posted on Mon, Jul 16, 2012
I can’t believe it’s been a year since our last visit to Baltimore for the Firehouse Expo. I remember last year's great show, the only thing hotter than our booth was the record setting high temperatures. We will be joined again by my dear friends and brothers Capt. Willie Wines (Ironfiremen ) and Lt. Rhett Fleitz (Firecritic). It takes a lot to put one of these shows together. There is no way we could do it without their help and a few other members of the MN8 Foxfire Boots on the Street team along some new and old members of the MN8-Foxfire team. If you are attending the show make sure to visit us at Booth 123 and also meet up with us Thursday night at the Powerplant Live for the Baltimore FOOLS Brotherhood Bash
This year’s show will be a little different for us as we will be unveiling the new MN8 Foxfire mobile showroom/trailer. We wanted to find a way to transport not only our supplies but also a way to demonstrate our products in complete darkness. Walking in the dark trailer is a great way to see first hand how our products increase visibility by illuminating search areas, reduce disorientation and increase accountability of both tools and personnel. Hopefully, you will have a chance to see the trailer soon. If we make it to your area we will do our best to stop by. As we were putting some last minute touches on our new trailer/mobile show room Saturday, I could not wait to get on the road. Even though we were supposed to leave on Monday morning, our Office Manager Kelly I decided to post on Facebook seeing if any firefighters between Cincinnati and Baltimore might like us to stop in for a quick visit. The response was overwhelming, in less then a few hours we had several requests lined up.
Our first visit was with longtime MN8 Foxfire supporter and Facebook fan Jimmy Weeks of Martins Ferry, OH fire department. We were absolutely overwhelmed when we pulled up to their station and were greeted by over two dozen members of the Martin’s Ferry Fire Department and even some of their family. It was so heartening to see that our efforts to reach all corners of the firefighting community is being touched when several helmets in the department already had our helmet bands. After a great discussion about their upcoming 125th Anniversary and a demonstration of some of our other products, a few of their senior men invited us to visit their very impressive tower truck. We were next off the the great state of Pennsylvania to visit Joe Kriel of the Baldwin (PA) fire department, located on the direct border of Pittsburgh, PA.
Once again were were absolutely humbled to see over a dozen of his brother and sisters (along with several of their kids) waiting for us on the apron as we pulled up in front of their fire station. Just like Harper’s Ferry, they could not have been more excited to see our other illuminating products. By the time we left, a small line formed as several of them purchased products right on site. Kelly and several of the other firefighters watched in amusement as I did everything possible to only drive the trailer forward because I have yet to figure out how to back it up....
After a quick night in beautiful Pittsburgh, PA, we were off bright and early to continue of trip. This next stop was off to Star City Volunteer Fire Department next to Morgantown, WV. Again we were met with open arms and were given a tour of the station and even got to meet their station Dalmatian, Pierce.
From Morgantown is was off to the east past the beautiful scenery of Maryland and West Virginia. We even had the opportunity to take a quick hike on the Appalachian Trail when it crossed over Interstate 70 in Hagerstown.
The night finished up wit a great meal at my biological brothers, Adam’s house. We were treated to an incredible meal of slowed cooked pork shoulder and homemade bread. I even got some quality time to visit with my precious neice and nephew. It always great to break bread with family, especially when you are on the road.
Posted on Fri, Jul 13, 2012
A few months ago, I received a Facebook post from a ARFF firefighter named Paul Dykema inviting me to visit New Mexico. I never miss the opportunity to meet a brother firefighter, especially one in such a scenic city. I have always wanted to visit this part of the country and I knew this would be a great opportunity to not only promote the benefits of MN8-Foxfire but also to soak up the area’s culture and views.
Paul picked me up from the Albuquerque airport and did what any self-respecting firefighter would do with a guest from out of town, show them firetrucks and eat some great food. Paul is not your normal firefighter he is a member of the US Air Force’s elite ARFF and works with not only the US Air Force Special Operations group, but he also has responsibility for keeping the main US military's nuclear weapon cache safe and sound.
They don’t see as many structure fires as Detroit and FDNY but you can bet if something does go wrong these highly trained firefighters are trained to deal with the worst of the worst. After a quick tour of his station and seeing the most impressive ARFF apparatus I have ever seen, we were off to try some of New Mexico’s famous food, especially the green chili.
I love spicy food and having the green chili sauce for breakfast, lunch and dinner was a great treat! These guys put this wonderful ingredient on everything, the New Mexico area McDonald’s even put green chili sauce on their cheeseburgers!
I’m a firm believer in mixing fun with business and this trip was no different. I have always heard about the incredible sunrises/sunsets in this beautiful state and I was able to convince Paul to pick me up at 5:00 AM so we could take a sunrise hike up one of the nearby extinct volcanos. As we hiked up the trail, Paul seemed to be quite amused at my lack of acclimation to the high altitude as I had a hard time keeping up with him, Paul being 6’5” was also not helping....
Even though the sun had not broken the horizon, the moon lit our way up the trail. As we got to the top of the summit, the moonlight started to be replaced by breathtaking purples, oranges, and reds of the sunrise. I was in absolute awe of the intensity of the colors in the sunrise and the majesty of the view of Albuquerque with the mountain ranges in the distance. As we sat in silence, absorbing the view, my thoughts drifted to how fortunate I am to visit such incredible places.
My mission is to bring the illumination of MN8-Foxfire’s man-made advanced photoluminescent products to my brothers in the fire service so we can reduce disorientation and increase accountability. I could not miss the symbolism of this moment as I was in awe of God’s illumination and how man could never make anything so splendid. I now know why they call this area the land of enchantment.
After a quick change, we were off to visit over 15 fire departments in the next 48 hours. It was very exciting meeting these new brothers and seeing their positive feedback as we “turned off the lights.” We even had the opportunity to meet a few of our Facebook friends during our visits.Our travels took us over 500 miles throughout this beautiful state. We visited all types of stations from very small volunteer departments to very large and luxurious stations from Albuquerque to Sante Fe. We saw many very cool fire trucks but one of the most interesting was the one pictured below from Bernalillo FD. If it looks familiar, it's because it was made in to a Matchbox car !
We saw ancient Pueblo villages and incredible original adobe architecture. We drove some of the exact roads that Billy the Kid traveled. Nothing beats having a cold Margarita in a vintage New Mexican bar as we took a break from the desert sun.
I’m looking forward to my next trip to this magnificent part of our country! I’m sure that on my next visit the green glow from all the tools and helmets will be matching the color of their famous chili!
Posted on Fri, Jun 08, 2012
It’s tough sometimes being on the road so much but one of the fringe benefits of travel is that every now and then you get the opportunity to visit interesting and beautiful destinations. I’m a huge fun of the outdoors and always like to take some time to soak in the beauty of Mother Nature.
We had a few hours before the show opened and before I started another day of showing firefighters how MN8-Foxfire's products help firefighters reduce disorientation, increase accountability and help illuminate search areas, I awoke very early and borrowed Troy’s car so I could drive north. I was headed to Vancounver's famous Sea to Sky highway. The highway takes you along the Pacific ocean and incredible mountain peaks and waterfalls as you pass through the Squamish region and Whistler Ski Resort.
I was absolutely in awe of the views of Vancouver bay with the lush evergreens that grow right to the edge of the ocean and the snow capped mountains in the distance. There were waterfalls all over and incredible rock formations. I even had the chance to walk the trail to the famous Shannon Falls were I forged in to the water and drank from the freshly melted glacier stream.
As I continued to head north, I saw several signs warning of bears. I’ve never seen a bear in the wild and in my wildest imagination I would never expect to see one during a leisurely morning drive. Within 5 minutes of seeing the sign, I saw a black object cross the road and before my mind could register what my eyes just witnessed, I realized it was a small black bear. Fifteen minutes later, I saw a very cute baby brown bear. A few minutes after that I saw a very good sized black bear foraging off the side of the shoulder. Putting aside logic and common sense I pulled the car of the side of the road and snuck up within 50 feet of him was able to get him to pose for the camera. 
Probably not the smartest idea but I have never been the one to let logic get in the way of a good story....
That night on the news I saw the following story: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Bear+shot+killed+after+attacking+Whistler/6732351/story.htmlabout a black bear that attacked a man in his hot tub just a few miles from where I saw this guy....
As I was heading back to the Vancouver, I took a detour to the world eagle capital of Brackendale. During the annual salmon runs the Bald Eagles swarm the town in the thousands. Even though the bald eagles aren't around at this time on the year, I couldn't resist the opportunity to try an see one of these majestic creatures.
I walked along the scenic trail that over looks the eagle area and after 20 minutes of looking I returned to my car seeing nothing other than some very scenic vistas. Driving back to the highway my thoughts drifted to home and the incredible history of our national symbol, the Bald Eagle. 
These raptors are physical manifestations of our symbols of freedom, leadership, resilience, and the strength of our United States. Just then, something large a fast appeared from high in the sky. I was absolutely awestruck when from the top of a large tree swooped down a huge bald eagle right over the top of my car. My trip was now complete and I am forever grateful for our good friends from the north that gave me the opportunity to see my first Bald Eagle in the wild.
Posted on Thu, May 31, 2012
A few weeks ago, I had the the privilege to visit two fire departments in the same week. On the outside they looked very different but the reality is they were both almost identical. I had the chance to spend a 24 hour shift with the men and women of the Detroit Fire Department.
Just a few days later, I had the opportunity to visit the incredible men and women of the Hilton Head Island Fire Department. Although their communities, budgets, apparatus, and gear could not be more different there were a few things that were identical; pride, brotherhood, respect for others, professionalism, and the firefighter tradition of always helping others.
This trip was a little different than most of my other trips, this trip's primary purpose was not to share Foxfire’s advanced photoluminescent technology that helps reduce disorientation and increases accountability but it was rather our annual family vacation to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
I always like to visit local fire departments no matter were I go and this trip was no exception. My 8 year old son Bryce and I were invited to have breakfast, though Facebook, with the great guys of Truck 6 and Firefighter Jeremy Yerkes. Jeremy, in my opinion, has one of the best jobs in the fire-service; Tillerman.
It was more than just breakfast, it was a meal that was so immense I could not eat until that evening. Southern hospitality was on full display with homemade biscuits and gravy, sausage, bacon, hash browns, eggs, etc. I not only felt like I was part of their family but my son Bryce was in heaven, having a warrior’s breakfast and being able to watch Spongebob in a recliner !
I was told by my good friends and brothers Capt. Willie Wines of Iron Firemen Blog and Lt. Rhett Fleitz of The Fire Critic Blog that I needed to visit Battalion Chief Mick Mayers of the Hilton Head Fire Department. Chief Mayer's has a great blog Firefighter Zen and I was particularly impressed with his recent series on "Leadership That Matters." His series talks about several different themes that separate mediocrity from greatness in almost all areas of the fire service.
A few days later, Chief Mayers picked me up from our hotel in his staff car and took me on a tour visiting each of the seven stations on the island. Chief Mayers has been with the Hilton Head Island FD for several decades, he has seen a department and community grow from a small town department to a model department that virtually all of us could learn from. Of all the departments I have visited throughout the US and abroad, Hilton Head Island FD should be the model for the fire service. I learned a lot from Chief Mayers on not just being a better fire leader but also on being a great father, husband and person. Hilton Head Island Fire Department has highly motivated and trained members, state of the art fire apparatus, and top of the line facilities. What is even more impressive is that each apparatus is identically set up. When you see any engine or ladder on the island you know that every compartment has the same tools/equipment in the same place.
Each station is also the same so if you are covering another station you know the flow of the building. The outstanding service of the Hilton Head Island Fire Department has not gone unnoticed, as they recently received a very special honor of becoming one of 148 global fire departments to be internationaly accredited.
http://www.hiltonheadmonthly.com/news/hilton-head/82-hilton-head/2234-hilton-head-island-fire-a-rescue-feeling-hot-hot-hot-
One of the greatest prides I have in the fire service is getting to meet such incredible brother firefighters that go so far out of their way to help a stranger. In this particular case, I got to witness a rescue, not the type of rescue we typically see but in this situation the grab was a few baby birds that could not have been more than a few days old. When Chief Moore and I went to the station to see the new visitors, the firefighters had set up a mobile “baby bird intensive care unit” equipped with syringes, catheters full of warm milk, a hot pad, several towels, and even some fresh worms cut up in bite sized pieces.
These rough and tumble firefighters could have just left them in the bucket that they found them in and let mother nature take it’s course but they went above and beyond. They saw something in need and they did what firefighters are supposed to do, they helped.
Posted on Fri, May 25, 2012
In honor of Memorial Day, Foxfire Illuminating Helmet Bands are discounted to $19.95 each through Monday, May 28th.
To purchase visit: http://store.mn8foxfire.com/default.asp no promo code required, discount will be applied at checkout.
Track firefighters and increase safety in smoky or dark environments with illuminating/glow-in-the-dark helmet bands.
-Increases visibility and positional orientation
-Can be charged by any light source (sun, artificial light, low light)
-Will illuminate for hours
-May be recharged repeatedly
-Glow/illumination serves as a “light emitter”
-Energy efficient, eco-friendly and no batteries required
-Made of industrial grade high temperature resistant silicone
-Can withstand high temperatures
Three of the biggest risks faced by firefighters are disorientation, visibility and accountability (to both individuals and tools). Foxfire® illuminating helmet bands assist firefighters in facing these risks by improving positional orientation, making personnel easy to locate and illuminating search areas.
Made of industrial grade high temperature resistant silicone, Foxfire illuminating helmet bands were designed specifically to handle the heat and rigors of firefighting. Each helmet band will illuminate for hours. The helmet bands may be charged repeatedly by any type of light condition, however the brighter the light the brighter and longer the bands will illuminate and glow.
ORDER YOURS TODAY
http://store.mn8foxfire.com/default.asp
Posted on Thu, May 10, 2012
There is no city in the US that has been hit harder over the last decade than Detroit, just don’t let the brave men and women of the Detroit Fire Department find that out. Why ? Because for them it’s just business as usual fighting fires, saving lives and serving the residents of this iconic city. The decline of the domestic auto-manufacturing industry and it’s crippling effect on their local economy was very apparent as I drove past the blocks of vacant homes and commercial structures on my way to Detroit Fire Department Station 40 on Dexter Ave.
They have not let the reduced budgets, declining economy, and politics get in the way of them providing a level of professionalism that all fire departments could learn from. They know it’s not about how hard you get hit, it’s about your ability to take the punch and how fast you can bounce back. The exceptional men and women of the Detroit Fire Department are warriors, they have a job to do and no challenge will stand between them and their mission to serve their residents.
Over the 24 hours, I had the chance to not just visit the brave warriors of DFD but they also let me break bread, fight fire, and spend the night with all of them at their station. Brotherhood, compassion, focus, and love of their job were on full display.
Like many of you, I first learned about the challenges of the Detroit FD from both the news and the soon to be released movie BURN. Please take time to watch the trailer below and donate to the www.detroitfirefilm.org.
I was hosted by Sgt. John Edwards of Squad 5 on this recent trip. I first met Sgt. Edwards at FDIC a few weeks ago. He invited me to spend a day with his crew and that was an offer I could not refuse.
At morning line up, I was introduced to the men of the station and the OIC, Lt. Ziggler (Ziggy, as his guys call him). He started the roll call off with his own unique motivating words about the importance of doing their job and having fun.
We all learned at a young age to never judge a book by its cover. Sometimes, I find myself not following this rule. I was issued my gear and got my side of the truck ready. The men of Detroit have battle-worn gear, old trucks with virtually no “bells and whistles” but they have something much more important; brotherhood, professionalism, and pride. This was on full display when we caught our first structure fire of the day. Within a few minutes of dispatch we traveled several miles in traffic, stretched lines, vented a wall and made a knock on the fire. What was even more impressive was that in less then 15 minutes all four units were back in service. I have never seen a faster, more perfect aggressive attack, overhaul, and return to service . What was even more special to me personally was seeing the excitement of the men as their Foxfire tools and helmet bands illuminated the interior of the house helping them with accountability of each other and their tools.
As we were getting back on our rig, I was introduced to a senior Captain who pulled me aside and said “Don’t let our old gear and trucks fool you, our boys know how to work!” He could not be more spot on. On our ride back to quarters, I thought of our regional departments and how we have state of the art technology, glitzy trucks, and top of the line gear. Regardless, many firefighters I know and even myself sometimes, complain when our gear is not in like-new condition or our trucks don’t function perfectly. We get too wrapped up with our gear and apparatus and forget about the most important item in the fire-service; the firefighter.
I learn something new every time I visit a fire station or other firefighters but this visit was different. This visit taught me one of the greatest lessons I have ever learned as both a firefighter a human. Greatness cannot be measured by tangibles like money, gear, or status. Greatness should be measured by doing your best with what you have.
Posted on Tue, Apr 17, 2012
It’s Fire Department Instructor’s Conference Week (FDIC)! Our team is excited about heading to Indianapolis. We’ll be demonstrating how Foxfire products help increase firefighter safety at Booth #3026 of the Indiana Convention Center.
One of the new things we’ll be talking about is the MN8-Foxfire Boots on Street program. After many months of planning, we successfully launched this new program just a couple weeks ago with a small group of firefighters. Now, we’re ready to expand the program to an even larger group.
Boots on the Street Overview
So many of you kept sharing your stories with us of how Foxfire products have kept you and your brothers safer on the job. And many of you have taken it upon yourselves to start sharing the safety advantages of our products with other firefighters. That’s why we decided to create this program.
The MN8-Foxfire Boots on the Street program is a community of firefighters interested in building a safer environment for all firefighters. Members can be as active in the program as they are able to, on his or her days off from the firehouse. Armed with Foxfire illuminating products and a demo sized axe handle with Foxfire grip wrap and epoxy, Boots on the Streets members will visit with other firefighters and fire departments. They will then demonstrate the product and safety features of Foxfire illuminating products to other firefighters, as well as share their own experiences using the products.
Each Boots on the Street member will receive monthly commissions for sales they’ve made, bonus’ for recruiting others into the program and ongoing training and support. There is an initial cost to purchase the sales kits.
Boots on the Street is all about keeping our brothers safe. If you’re part of the program, you can be an integral part of helping your brothers improve their safety. By demonstrating what Foxfire illuminating products can do, you’ll be helping firefighters reduce disorientation, improve accountability and increase visibility so that all “boots on the street” are accounted for.
If you’d like to learn more about the program, you can select the “join our team” button at the of our website at www.mn8foxfire.com
Or if you’re at FDIC this week, our Boots on the Street Coordinator, Mariah Leavitt, will be at the MN8-Foxfire booth ready to talk about the program. Mariah will also be sharing some of her own thoughts about the Boots on the Street program in the upcoming weeks on our blog.
Thanks as always for your support in helping us create products that save lives.
Posted on Mon, Apr 09, 2012
This purpose of this trip was two-fold. First, I wanted to visit our largest Canadian distributor and secondly I wanted to live out a childhood dream of seeing the Edomonton Oilers play a home hockey game. As a little kid, I dreamed of Wayne Gretzkey, Paul Coffey, Grant Fuhr, Mark Messier and one of the greatest dynasties in all of sports; the 1983-1990 Edmonton Oilers.
I was greeted at the airport by national sales manager Troy Mutch of Commercial Solutions. Troy does not only run one of the most successful firefighting products distributions organizations in Canada he is also a very active member of both his local fire department and national Canadian firefighting causes.
He was recently awarded a very prestigious Diamond Jubilee medal from the Queen of England in honor of his service to Canadian volunteer firefighting.
He drove me back to their offices for a grand tour. I could not have been more humbled to walk in the front door and be greeted front and center with a very prominent Foxfire display.
They gave me a tour of their warehouse and their two story indoor training tower. We were then met by Luke Brisson, another Commercial Solutions Sales rep and full-time firefighter with the city of Calgary. If I could come back in another life, I would want to be Luke. He’s a full-time firefighter, former semi-professional hockey player and chick magnet. He just got back from a one month trip to Thailand. Let’s just say this man had us all very jealous of his stories, except of course Commercial Solutions assistant manager Scott (the Rico Suave of Canada) who did not seem too impressed.....As we were walking around the building, Luke asked what any good self-respecting firefighter would ask someone on a tour “wanna go to the roof?”
Even though I just recently met these guys, I felt like I had known them for years. It never ceases to amaze me that a firefighter is a firefighter no matter were you run. These guys are more than just new friends, they are my brothers. I look forward to many more trips with them in the future (we are thinking about a July trip to Vancouver next)
Later that night we all met up again starting at a great bar/restaurant called CHOP. Wow, I would have thought I was in Las Vegas. Let’s just say Edmonton is at no loss for beautiful women.....
We then all met up with some more firefighters from Thorsby Fire Department and headed to a Brazilian Style restaurant called Pampa. According to Luke, we were going to eat so much steak that we would have “meat sweats.” I’m not sure what that meant but I ate so much that I could barely sleep that night...
I’m always on the lookout for creative and innovative products. After excusing myself to go to the bathroom, I found a product that had me rolling. Take a look at these pics and make sure to visit : www.theweee.com If any of you own a restaurant, bar or pub this is a MUST !
I woke up the next morning to something I have not seen in over a year. SNOW. Not just a few flakes but Canadian style snow; 30-40c centimeters 15+inches (I had to look that up)
We first had a duck sandwich (YUM....) and then headed to the Edmonton Fire Department for a few more meetings. It was then off to the hotel to get ready for the main event of the trip, Edmonton Oilers hockey.
In typical Troy fashion, we did not just attend the game, we watched the game from VIP seats just a few rows up from the goal. It was a great game that ended in overtime. It was a awesome time with a great group of guys. I'm looking forward to my next trip back to Western Canada and illuminating Canada with my new found brothers.
Posted on Thu, Mar 22, 2012
This morning, our team held a meeting to talk about next month's FDIC (Fire Department Instructor's Conference), to be held in Indianapolis. (http://www.fdic.com)
MN8-Foxfire will be at FDIC (Booth #3026 of the Indiana Convention Center). We'll have our blackout tent with us, where you can actually see the illuminating "glow" emitted from Foxfire illuminating products in a dark environment. You'll also get to talk to firefighters who use the products and can give real examples of how Foxfire products have helped them increase accountability, improve visbility and decrease disorientation in the dark and smoke.
You'll have the chance to see and touch the Foxfire illuminating products in person and they'll be available for sale.
We're also looking forward to the announcement of the winner of our illuminating T-shirt design contest at FDIC. We had a lot of firefighters submit some terrific design ideas. We'll be choosing one to print on a T-shirt using the same illuminating technology utilized
in the rest of our products. The winning design will be on sale with the rest of our products at FDIC.
If you visit our booth, you may also see a couple of "celebrities." Both the Fire Critic (Rhett Fleitz) http://www.firecritic.com and Captain Willie Wines Jr. of the Wooden Ladders and Iron Firemen blog (http://www.ironfiremen.com) will be spending time in the Foxfire booth, talking with fellow firefighters. Captain Willie helped us out in demonstrating and talking about his experiences using Foxfire products at a couple of firefighting conferences last year.
During our meeting today, we were talking about the many activities occuring during FDIC in addition to the training events. For example, the Battle of the Bands, the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, Stop, Drop, Rock & Roll, the 5-K and more.
Our team members haven't determined our exact itineraries, but we are hoping to do as much as we can and meet and talk with lots of firefighters during the event. If you're someone we've been interacting with online, we hope you will stop by and visit us at our booth so we can meet in person! And if you've been wanting to see what all the buzz has been about regarding our products, stop by and check them out for yourself in person!
Let us know if you're planning to attend FDIC and what activities you'll be attending! We're looking forward to it!
Until then, stay safe!