And Welcome to Part Two

As many of you know, I've made the difficult decision to retire from the fire department. Simply put, it is just time to move on. Amidst the change in pace, legal and financial council there has been little room for bogging or podcasting. My hope is that you'll all understand the rationale for my priorities over the last several weeks. When I announced my intent to retire to my superiors, I also requested a return to a staff position. I had been working on the line in various positions for the last two years, most recently as a battalion chief. Prior to that I had served as EMS/Health & Safety/Pandemic Planning Officer for about 9 years. In order to facilitate a meaningful hand-off to the next offer to take those rolls, it was my assessment (my boss agreed) that I should return to staff and prepare a transition.

My last uniformed day "on-the-job" was June 30, 2009 with offical retirement on September 21.

With that part of my life behind me, it is time for part two. What will follow is a mix of work, school, and of most importance...family. You see, my wife and four kids have taken the beating of my work schedule...ever changing...ever demanding...ever at the will and whim of other people. I'm fortunate enough to have a job with several other offers, that allow flexibility and for me to do what I need to do and when I need to do it. I will also start nursing school in September...a change I'm sure from teaching the introductory sciences of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and microbiology to being a student again.

Mitigation Journal will become a part-time job rather than a hobby. I have put plans in place to do more with both the blog and podcast. Reader/subscriber numbers continue to grow and just answering emails can take all day, if I let it! Stay tuned for the updates and changes! Remember to tune into Mitigation Journal!