My 30 seconds of fame

[dantama]

Did you Colorado guys see me on the news?

It was on a channel I don't watch, but Nina Sparano did a piece on facebook and asked me to be the "expert therapist" in the story. It's a sweeps story and she said it got good reviews.

It was on channel 2 Denver, and I don't know in Colorado Springs.

She mentioned my private practice in her final wrap up and put a link to my business page on their website.

I usually think people who go on the news and be interviewed are nuts (still might be true?) Why would somebody who's baby just got ran over by a car start talking just because a reporter asked? But I'm a media whore and wanted the publicity for my practice :)

[ells]

Missed it, guess I'll have to wait for the reruns, or look for it on Youtube.

I was interviewed by Paul Day on channel 4/DEN once back in the 90s, they haven't called back.

[dantama]

Ells, perhaps we only get 30 seconds of fame?

[audiogooroo]

I'm afraid I missed it Dan, but then, I've been missing alot lately...working too damn much. Can't wait for Custer!

[lw]

Originally Posted by Dan Lund

I usually think people who go on the news and be interviewed are nuts (still might be true?) Why would somebody who's baby just got ran over by a car start talking just because a reporter asked? But I'm a media whore and wanted the publicity for my practice :)

Media Ho. . . LOLOL

After the plant I work in blew up on Oct 23rd 1989 (you may have felt the shock wave) a walking sphincter (reporter) stuck a microphone in my face to get my response to his "what did it feel like when the plant exploded?" question. I told him "get that F-ing mic outta my face A-hole" and kept walking. . . I never did see that clip aired anywhere

[dantama]

Originally Posted by LW

After the plant I work in blew up on Oct 23rd 1989 (you may have felt the shock wave) a walking sphincter (reporter) stuck a microphone in my face to get my response to his "what did it feel like when the plant exploded?" question. I told him "get that F-ing mic outta my face A-hole" and kept walking. . . I never did see that clip aired anywhere

Was that the Henderson Nevada one?

[lw]

No, this was the Phillips 66 Chemical Plant in Pasadena Texas which resulted in the deaths of 23 and injuries to over 300 and damage amounting to nearly a billion dollars. Blast debris was found six miles away from the plant. I've seen video of the Henderson blast with the shock wave racing across the desert.. That was impressive as well.

Dept of labor investigation report said it exploded with the force of 2.3 tons of TNT. I do know that 300 yards from the center it created a "significant emotional event", as well as my first attempt at flying.
Note: I did not have enough velocity to escape earth's gravity, and the landing wasn't pretty; but I've heard it said that any landing you survive is a good one.

The photo below was on the cover of the DOL Investigation report, and captured the BLEVE (boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion) of a 20,000 gallon isobutane storage tank that had been exposed to fire since the initial blast (~20-25 minutes).
For scale reference,the steel reactor structure to left stood 22 stories (>230') tall.

[dantama]

Wow LW, when you watch the cheesy movies that always show explosions and a person flying through the air you know what it's really like huh?

I knew about a big explosion in Texas a couple of decades prior, but didn't know about this one. I'm going to go google it.

Did the fire fighting career come before the blast, or after?

[lw]

At the time of this incident I was working as a pipefitter for a maintenance contractor in the plant. The job that was being done that resulted inthe release was my normal assignment, but I had been farmed-out due to an outage in an adjacent unit. I had been at the site of the release a half hour before it began.
Apparently God had/has something left for me to do on this planet, because I survived that day in relatively good condition.

I grew up in a fire service family and already had 8 years of service as a volunteer when this occurred. I had the opportunity to change from volunteer to career firefighter in 1990 and decided I couldnt afford a fifty-percent reduction in pay so I didn't pursue it.
I retired from my hometown dept, in October 2004 trading in an Asst Chief helmet for a probie's helmet in Pasadena. After so many years dealing with command and administrative issues, it was great to be able to do the stuff that I enjoyed when I started working up the ranks. Being a black hat is where it's at. I don't need rank to boost my ego, and am enjoying mentoring the new kids helping them develop good habits that will help them through the rest of their careers.