Guide

Top 6 Things To Keep In Mind As You Aspire To Be A Fire Fighter

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If you aspire to be a firefighter it is really important that you keep in mind the fact that it is going to be really difficult. Being a firefighter is not about the fire fighting gear or wearing the best wildland firefighting boots. There are tons of things that you should keep in mind as you start with the process of becoming a firefighter. In this article, we are going to take a look at the most important things that you need to keep in mind as you begin your journey.

  • In order to prepare yourself as a firefighter, it is really important that you pass the EMT exam. As most of the firefighting departments are looking for candidates that have some medical experience with them so that it would save them some time with the training process.  Moreover, as a firefighter, this knowledge is really vital and essential for any firefighter to work efficiently.  This is why if you are interested in becoming a firefighter you should learn more about EMT as soon as possible.

  • It is also important that you volunteer to community services as firefighting departments are interested in choosing candidates that are motivated and are interesting in working for their community. If possible, you can also volunteer for programs that will improve your skills and knowledge as a future firefighter. This is where you will find the American Red Cross a really credible source.
  • This organization is always looking for volunteers and CPR instructors. This way not only you do community service but you also learn and gain more experience in this field.
  • If you are serious about becoming a firefighter it is recommended that you take fire technology classes so that you can learn more about the firefighting duties, injury factors, and factors that are responsible for a line of duty deaths.
  • This is not essential, but these classes are going to improve your knowledge and experience with firefighting significantly. Moreover, this will show your commitment and dedication to this field.
  • As you apply as a candidate, it is really important that you maintain a clean track record. Along with your resume, the firefighting departments are going to take a look at the previous records, for instance, your accidents, anger management issues, arrests, traffic tickets, etc.

  • All these will significantly affect your position during the interview.
  • Now that you are ready with the basics, you should begin by learning more about the firefighting hiring process and the different stages it has. For that, you can get in touch with your local fire authorities as the selection process changes with regions.
  • It is important that you get yourself familiarize with this process so that you can prepare yourself accordingly.
  • Thereafter, you can start with the firefighting tests that are available online. This way you will be able to hone your skills and gain more experience quickly. There are various online websites that are offering you free online tests as well. Besides that, you can also participate in the firefighting tests that are organized by different departments as well.

These are the most important things that you need to keep in mind as you aspire on becoming a firefighter.

Tips

Caring for an Elderly Parent

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Taking care of an elderly parent has it joys as well as challenges, especially if they have Alzheimer’s or some other physically or mentally debilitating condition. If your mother or father is still in their right state of mind and can get around independently then everything should be okay. However, if they have something like Alzheimer’s then things can be very demanding but with the help of bath aids for disabled, it gets a little easy for you to manage you to take care of your elderly parent.

The pain of their memory of you coming and going is very hard to live with as well as the constant asking some of the same questions over and over again after you had just answered that same question just a few seconds earlier.

If you are single and trying to take care of your parent alone then the challenges are twice as hard for you if they have Alzheimer’s that is. If they are in a good state of mind then you have, someone there with you to talk to and to keep your company. One the other hand, a couple with children has each other to lean on, and that in itself can cause a problem. The stress of taking care of an aging parent can add stress to the marriage if said parent again has Alzheimer’s. Having said that, a parent that is in a good mental state can teach the children about their heritage, who their great-grandparents and so on, and so forth.

Having your mom or dad live with you can also cause problems between you and your spouse in the fact that, say for example you are disciplining your child and your parent does not like what you are doing, they may interject their feelings, and that will cause problems between you and them as well as you and your spouse.

You really need to think long and hard before taking on the challenge of caring for your loved one. Also, you need to think long and hard before placing them in a nursing home. In a nursing home, they can be abused physically, mentally, and or sexually. That is not to say all nursing homes are like this nevertheless a good many of them are. If you do make the decision to place your parent in a nursing home, in order for them not to be mistreated someone needs to visit them quite regularly. Visit every day if possible, if not at the very least every few days and at different times of the day. That way if there are any employees at the nursing home who is mistreating patients your loved one will not be one of their victims. Because they will not know when someone may pop in it see your loved one.

If you do suspect abuse, report it. Report it to all who will listen, the nursing staff, the police as well as other family members. The more people visit the safer your loved one will be. In return, you may be helping someone else’s family member in the process of being mistreated by some cold-hearted person, who likes to prey on the weak and helpless.

Health

Staying Healthy Overseas

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Safety overseas is a major preoccupation with American travelers. Being sick in a strange land can cause anxiety. I can offer some advice for what used to be the most worrisome part of travel back in the “good old days”-diarrhea.

Some, perhaps most, U.S. travelers would be surprised to learn that foreigners who come to the U.S. often experience stomach disorders.

Water is often blamed as the likely culprit. Obviosuly, water is the easiest conduit for the introduction of unfamiliar microbes into our systems. But my travels have lead me to conclude that other factors contribute to the incidence of dietary tract disorders.

Before a trip to Egypt, I sought the advice of three doctors, the health unit at a university, the county disease control hot line, and Banana Republic. I read several travel books that had various recommendations and cautions. I glanced at the Internet and decided I’d still be reading long past my return from my vacation. Sometimes we can have too much information.

Here’s what I did on my trip. I offer it because it worked. First, I took two chewable� anti-diarrhea tablets morning, noon, and evening before each meal. I reduced this to four tablets a day after a week. As one doctor told me, “That’s enough to constipate a horse.”

I avoided all tap water, ice, salads, and uncooked fruit and vegetables. I didn’t drink the tap water primarily because a local told me that it was heavily chlorinated and didn’t taste too good. I even brushed my teeth with bottled water.

I drank a pint of water each hour, rested as much as possible, avoided excessive alcohol and exposure to the sun, and I didn’t overeat. These last precautions are crucial to staying healthy in an unfamiliar hot climate; perhaps more important than avoiding the water.

The average tourist will become tired and susceptible to fatigue-induced minor stomach problems. It is easy to dehydrate in a hot climate, especially when you drink alcohol. People on vacation tend to push themselves and overdo everything including drinking and eating large quantities of unfamiliar foods.

So, on the average trip, you have got someone who is dehydrated, tired, drunk, stuffed on spicy food, and on a timetable nine hours ahead or behind the body’s biological clock. No wonder the stomach is unset! I’m getting queasy just thinking about it.

Here’s my formula for reducing the likelihood of serious stomach disorders.

1. Drink only bottled water.
2. Try to drink one pint of water per hour.
3. Have only one alcoholic drink per day.
4. Rest when you are tired, no matter the schedule.
5. Wear a hat in the sun.
6. Avoid salads, fresh vegetables, and fruit you can’t peel.
7. Avoid ice.
8. Eat in moderation.
9. Take two chewable anti-diarrhea tablets three times a day before each meal. Reduce this after a week or earlier if you’re feeling fine.
10. Don’t worry.

The last bit of advice may be the most important. You get sick at home and there’s no way you can totally avoid the possibility of illness while traveling. If you do get sick, accept it. Don’t panic. In a couple of days, it’ll pass. But if you follow my advice, chances are you’ll have a safe and healthy vacation. If not, you may end up with an adventure like I had in a small Italian hill town trying to explain my infected toe to a pharmacist who spoke no English and I had a Rick Steve’s Italian phrase book in my hands while balancing one foot on the counter. But that’s another story.

Guide

Stay in Shape This Summer and Save Money

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When I was growing up my sisters and I used to swim competitively. Every summer we would swim for the Elks Club against other local swim teams and little did I know that I would later enjoy it just as much as I did when I was a kid. As I got older and settled into a desk job, the weight started creeping on. I knew I had to start exercising, so I joined a gym. A few years ago, I moved to be closer to my job and found an apartment with some great amenities. It has a workout room with a treadmill, a weight lifting machine, stationary bike and a stair stepper.

The apartment complex also has two pools which I thought was great. So, I started going down to the pool before work to get in a good swim workout and sometimes in the evening. I thought, well, why I am paying for a gym membership, when during the summer I can just swim and save myself some money.

So last year, I was thinking of some ways to save money and that’s when it hit me. I could stop my gym membership that was around $45 a month for about 4 months and just utilize the fitness room and the pool at my apartment. I saved about $180.00, not bad huh? We all know that with the economy the way it is, I think we are all looking for a few ways to save a little money here and there and this is a great way. Now if you don’t live in an apartment complex or have a pool in your backyard, it might be a little tough. Maybe you have a friend or know someone that has a pool or lives in an apartment and you could go workout with them. Let them know they could save a little money too and you might just move right on up on their friend’s list.

We all know swimming is a great exercise and it burns tons of calories. What more could you want, when you are either trying to lose weight or stay in shape? One important fact that Bucknell University states is the resistance water offers you versus working out on land. The water offers 12%-14% more resistance than when you exercise on land. Even if you don’t like to swimming laps, you can walk laps in the water or tread water, both burn a lot of calories. With that being said, swimming is great for everyone, from the elderly, to the obese, to the athlete and everyone in between. I love it so much that sometimes I forget I am actually exercising and let me tell you from experience, you will never be consistent if you hate what you are doing. So this summer, maybe try to cut your expenses and go for a swim. You can whittle your waist while you save some money!

Guide

Starting a Website with a Turnkey Script, Is it the Best Solution?

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One thing I’m always contemplating when beginning a new website project is whether a turnkey script is the best solution in starting out. I mean, the fact that there are so many other website’s out there operating off of the same exact script kind of deters me a bit. But starting a turnkey site can have its benefits though.

Let’s face it, we all don’t have thousands of dollars to shed out for a custom website script. We all know this and face this each and every day, especially the small business owners. So what do we have to rely on until enough income is generated to have such a custom script made? Turnkey scripts is the answer.  

What exactly is a turnkey script? Its nothing more then a website script designed to operate on auto-pilot for the most part. Or at least this is what I was taught the definition of it was. No matter how you look at it, its just software that you can setup and be on your way.

Let me give you an example. Have you ever wanted to start up an auction site so you can make a little bit of additional income? Surely you couldn’t compete with eBay and I don’t say this to discourage you. But no matter the cause, in my opinion, there is one script out there that is the elite amongst other auction software. Its called PHP Pro Bid and although it runs around $215.00USD for a license (as of the writing of this article) – it is feature packed.

Now I won’t go into details about it because I don’t want to turn this into a promotional article. But none-the-less, with the many features it has, it is an absolute “set it and forget it” software.

But if its one piece of input I can apply to this article before going any further, I wouldn’t suggest using a turnkey script should you start gaining credibility. That is why I’m going to make the suggestion here that when you start profiting and your serious about taking your “turnkey site” big, use some of those funds to pay for a custom script.

It’ll cost a bit but in the end, you’ll have a much more stable system to rely on in the form of a custom script.

But back to the original topic. The main question is why start off with a turnkey script? Simply because it allows you the ability to see whether you can be successful or not without investing thousands into a custom script that won’t be used. Some people use turnkey scripts to simply setup a website and make a small monthly profit from it.

That’s good and all but no matter what the case need be, some work is required. Don’t let others fool you with saying that a turnkey script is a FULLY set it and forget it script. Every website should have some kind of work needed to be done to it or some kind of operations management.

So the bottom line comes down to whether I believe a turnkey script is really worth it? The answer to that is whatever you respond. I cannot give you a definite answer as in the end, its totally what you believe. If you are working on a budget to begin a new project that you feel will be huge in the future, then maybe a turnkey script for you.

But alternatively, if you have a few thousand dollars to spend on a custom script, then this is your best course of action. No matter what you do, your business is your business. Your opinion is the only one that counts and therefore you should ask yourself the question with the above facts in mind.