An open letter to the viewers of MonYoughFire.com/HoopieWorld.com and readers of my articles.

From Nick Markowitz Jr.

Dear fellow firefighters

I believe it is Don Henley who sings the song “everybody Loves Dirty Laundry”. This may be what the regular news media is engaged in when they come to a fire scene probing around and looking for answers and a story to be exploited. This is not what myself and fellow Fire Photographers are looking for when we come to the scene of one of your fires. We are there to show you the professional or volunteer firefighter giving back and caring for the community. I love being able to take a picture of a fire fighter rescuing the family dog and seeing the pride in firefighter's faces as they slay the dragon and save the day. This is the image we wish to portray on the websites that are run by dedicated volunteers using their own money and time to maintain the sites.

I always try to take the most complimentary pictures of firefighters at work, so that we can show the community we are not a bunch of loud-mouthed drunken wife abusing individuals that some in the community perpetuate because they do not have the balls to go out and do the very dangerous and stressful job that we do. If ever you do not wish your picture taken by us please say so politely or otherwise signal with your hand and not scream and carry on, your wishes for privacy will be respected. Remember President Lincoln said” better to be considered a fool then to open your mouth and prove it” Besides honoring you the firefighter and what you do the pictures we take are often reviewed by investigators, safety officers etc which use them for training purposes etc. and to help promote a safer fire scene. You must remember that there are those unfortunate individuals and contractors who do not give a damm about human life and build with impunity and do not care if what they built could ultimately take your life. The more you know about building construction the safer you are at a fire scene and less likely to get caught in a collapse. Remember the words of Francis Brannigan “The building is the enemy know the enemy “.

Also any details we release about a scene we in fact check and are public record if we do not know what is going on descriptions are said as such as details unknown at this time. I recently showed some interior pictures from fires juveniles set in Penn Hills. The fire scenes were released by officials and permission obtained from owners to show some of the damage in hopes that it can be used as a training tool to warn young children the dangers of playing with or using of fire if they are angry and upset with a sibling or other matter in the home. One of my clients I provide safety and security services to handles juvenile fire setters. You would be surprised how remorseful these children are as they become older and wiser to what they did as a young child.

Regarding my articles yes I know some people love them some people hate them. One thing to keep in mind I am often doing articles at the behest of others who do not want to put there name to an article but want there opinions expressed. I received a phone call the other day from a Fireman who told me he considers me the Ole Professor’s Assistant referring to Francis Brannigan and the hard edge he puts on articles. I do these articles for education purposes again because there are those in society who do not give a damm about human life. If you ever disagree with one of my articles or would like more information or would ever like to do a face to face or printed discussion of one of my articles feel free to contact me. I am always willing to listen to and present the other side of an argument. We only learn by each others and our own mistakes, and like a famous Fire Marshal told me in this business “If you do not learn something new every day then its time to hang up on the fire service as a career” .

Ok I have been babbling long enough. If you have comments, questions hate mail etc always feel free to contact my self or the editor of the site with your concerns. Also if you would like individual pictures for your own scrap book website etc please feel free to contact me I always make them available to firemen for personnel or station use. And as always be safe out there everyone wants there loved one to come home at night.

Nick Markowitz Jr can be reached at nickmarkowitz@hotmail.com

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