New film touches crew before it is finished

When amateur filmmaker Ted Fillhart was asked to shoot a video on the effects of responder stress, he had no idea it would change his life.

“This film should change the way all of us look at our responders”, explained Fillhart.  It is not until you find yourself in their world that you realize how much they really sacrifice for each of us!”

“I always had an admiration of first responders. While filming "Return to the Station" my eyes were opened to a whole new world and now have a better understanding of what the men and women who are first responders go through”, said Fillhart. “ I spent some time at the Transformations Treatment Center too and it is an incredible place where these people can get help, support and take back their lives.”

The film Fillhart was to film was a unique 10 minute music video that portrays the life of one firefighter who collapses under the weight and horrors of his job.  The film, written by C4L & Associates founder Eddy Weiss shows one year in the life of a firefighter as he struggles with the pressures of his job, reaches rock bottom and then is picked up by those closest to him.  After undergoing treatment, the firefighter returns to the station.

The main character of the film is played by Weiss who shared, “Over and over we see these scenarios amongst responders but rarely do we get to see the whole progression and a solution all in 10 minutes. The purpose of this film was to create awareness amongst responders and those in their lives; to bring them hope.”

The “hope” Weiss refers to is the ending of the film when the main characters wife (played by Brittani Clarkson) calls the 1^st Responder Treatment Center in Southeastern Florida.  1^st Responder Treatment Founder Mark Lamplugh (who plays himself in the film) hopes that the film shows that the job of a firefighter is demanding and tough

.

“The nature of the job makes it very easy for a firefighter to turn to drugs an alcohol,” Lamplugh explained.  “the film shows how hard it can be on the marriage as well. The whole worlds of a responder is incredibly demanding and not everyone copes with it the same.”

Lamplugh hopes that everyone walks away from viewing the film will understand there is a way out and that “…home life and work life can be normal again”.

Return To The Station is just the first of a series of short films Lamplugh plans to release in the next year.  Plans are underway to film again in early 2014.

According to Weiss, the trailer for Return To The Station has received amazing reviews and already the responder community has rallied behind the project.

“People are used to a three minute music video or a two hour movie,” said Weiss. “Return To The Station is a full two years crammed in 10 minutes. It was a difficult task to pull that off but people are responding to it very well.”

Fillhart summed up the film with this statement: “Unless you are actually inside a blazing fire, risking your life, or taking part of a dangerous situation you really don't know what it is like to be under that type of pressure.  However, I got a close glimpse of what goes on mentally and physically as I worked on this project by filming the scenes and watching hours of real life unedited helmet cam video footage.  Seeing first hand through the eyes of a firefighter really changed my perspective on what goes on in their lives and how it can affect their personal lives and health.”

“I hope people see the reality of what first responders go through.  Many times those first responders struggle with the sense they can't control their own personal issues because what they do for a job is so dependent in helping others.” 

Watch RETURN TO THE STATION by CLICKING HERE

You can find out more about the film at www.Reach4TheLight.com 

Music from the film was made possible by artists such as Kole Kruger, EverLife and Brian Houston. Soundtracks from the film can be downloaded on the Reach4TheLight website. 

Can you spare some change?

Benjamin Franklin once said that without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.  We are hoping he was right.

You will notice that many things have changed on our websites, FaceBook pages, Twitter and even here on the blogsites. New colors, new wording, new artwork, new projects and even a new identity.  The reason for these changes stems from the incredible growth we have experienced over the years and the need to create a new experience for not only new clientele, friends and C4L family, but to create a new platform from which we can launch new projects.

In early July of 2013, C4L Founder Eddy Weiss handed over the reins of the Chasing4Life Disaster Response Team to two men who had been waiting in the wings with more than enough leadership skill to lead the team to a new level. Robin Priestley and Wayne Mueller stepped up to the task and immediately the team was refreshed and invigorated.  Eddy will maintain a role in overseeing the team from a distance, but has long been looking forward to the day when the day when the team would continue on in new directions and allow for new leadership to arise.

During the Spring of 2013 our office was inundated with requests for storm chasing programs despite the removal of these programs from our events lists almost 4 years ago. With the death of Tornado Tim, his son and colleague in Oklahoma, another change was in the works.  The name Chasing4Life has been that recognizable identity since a few months after Hurricane Katrina (previously the organization had been called The Restoration Project), but we knew that there was a need to update the identity of the organization.  While the history of this company is amazing, it was time to start redirecting...

After several months and literally hundreds of hours, it was decided C4L & Associates paid better tribute to the history of this company while pointing to its future.

We are excited about the changes here and hope that you are too. At midnight on September 17^th our website of almost 7 years finally disappeared and made room for a new web portal page that will now grow as the organization evolves.

Eddy has undertaken new tasks as a consultant with several firms around the country and will continue to appear at conferences and expos working closely with our partners as he pursues his career as a presenter.  Eddy has also been able to devote more time to his work in training response agencies in critical stress management while working closely with 1^st Responder Treatment.   

With the release of the short film “Return To The Station” just a few days away, Eddy is already meeting with 1^st Responder Treatment, TedHead Productions and several municipalities regarding the upcoming filming of his next project “Officer Down”.

New instructors have emerged from the dust of this remodeling including Maria Wile, Robin Whitted, Brittani Clarkson and let’s not forget our 7 foot tall readiness squirrel, Saxby (www.sabythesquirrel.com).

As we grow and change, we hope that you hang in there with us, enjoying the ride as we have been.

Great men lost...

For several years we have watched the number of storm chasers grow around the country and to be honest, there have been too many. The experienced chaser will tell you that the roads are clogged during every storm with those who have ventured out with little equipment, experience or connection to any agency or association.

Storm chasing has become the sport of the thrill seeker to be sure, but let's give some credit where it is due as well:
There are men like Tim Samaras, Paul Samaras and Carl Young who dedicated themselves to not only responsibly chasing, but to mentoring those willing to learn from them. These men dedicated their lives to discovery, not of their own limits, but of science in order to save lives. Thrill-seekers? absolutely not. These were passionate men on a mission to learn all they could to save as many as possible.

There are also the characters we watch each day at The Weather Channel; individuals like Mike Bettes, who, for the last several years we have watched mature as a broadcasting personality, but also as a person as we watched him breakdown emotionally in Joplin and as he faced his own mortality this past week in Oklahoma.  A man who is passionate and not afraid to be real in the face of a camera.

For those of you watching the news this past week, here is the truth... severe weather is deadly and even for the very best like Tim Samaras, it is something to respect. If Tim lost his life for ANYTHING this week, let it be to deter hundreds from venturing out where they do not belong. Folks, there is a definite purpose for the experienced chaser to be out there and it is to keep you alive... these brave adventurer/researchers cannot do this if you are right behind them in your Honda Civic.

As for Mr. Bettes, just look in his eyes and listen to his voice as he retells his experience... you really do not want this for yourself. Learn from his ordeal.
This week I want to give honor to these men and women that have dedicated themselves at risk to themselves to save a public that heeds warnings so little...

To the Young and Samaras families: our prayers and thoughts are with all of you. To Mike Bettes and the TWC Team, you are always on our minds and we thank God you are still with us.

To the thousands of meteorologists who tirelessly report for hours on end...we thank you.

To Tim, may you rest in peace knowing you are remembered. Thank you for your input all those years ago as you were so willing to teach me...for your time and your wisdom, I am forever grateful.

To our readers...heed warnings, listen, learn and when severe weather threatens, take cover.

CNN STORY: http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/02/us/midwest-weather/index.html

Moore help needed

Despite my busy schedule, I can sometimes steal a moment or two to just stop and observe my children. These brief moments are filled with amazement, joy and yes, fear. I love to watch my little ones as they discover new things, try new foods, experience new sights or surroundings.  The wonderment in their eyes and the concentration they apply to the learning process is amazing to me.

The fear stems from what I know of the world in which we live. While my daughter seems enthralled with the amusement of an iPad and the magic of a touch screen, she is also drawn to the street and its traffic, to the top of our stairs and to climbing a ladder left unattended by her brothers. The fear that grips me at times is because I know that the human mind is made for discovery and while my little daughter will discover many wonderful things in her life, she will also discover the ugliness of the world. She will meet hateful people, she will fall and get hurt, she will learn that trust is not always the best option. Hopefully she will not fall from that ladder, fall down the stairs or walk into traffic…

Watching the heroics of the last 24 hours in Oklahoma is beyond heartwarming as once again the American Spirit has risen above the debris piles and real-life heroes are standing in Moore, Oklahoma.  Tears filled my eyes as I listened to the interviews of these outstanding individuals, watched firefighters crawl through piles to rescue small children and as neighbors grasped the hands of neighbors in support.

Watching these heroics has also brought out the father in me… the fear.  As I watch these responders crawl through Moore, Oklahoma, I cannot help but consider what will become of them as they get older… what is it that they are actually discovering right now in this devastated place that they once called home.

Will they walk away from Moore new men and women with a revived call to respond in their community for a  lifetime? Will this experience cause one or two to write inspirational music or a book? Surely a few will become motivational speakers and tell their stories…

How many more will wake up in the middle of the night one year from now sweating from head to toe believing they hear the screams of school children from under year-old rubble?  How many will shiver or become ill when the next tornado siren sounds? How many will find a hiding place from their memories of May 20, 2013 in a bottle of Jack Daniels or a bottle of pain killers?

Each and every year we discover a little more about the effects of trauma on the human mind and especially on the minds of those called to serve their community. Unfortunately, it was only a few days ago that a firefighter told me that Responder PTSD was only a sign of weakness in a responder… an ignorance that has killed before.

What will we offer yesterday’s heroes next year? Will it be a program of support and open communication or will we brush off the need for psychological first aid training nationwide in our fire halls and police departments?  It has been our goal for many years to bring new programs to the responders of this country that encourage openness and sharing.  Programs for the spouses of responders training them to help through memories and stray thoughts.  Classes that enlighten entire agencies as to how to recognize signs and symptoms of a brother or sister in need of counsel.

As a father, I see much more than the news coverage on television… I fear I am watching the birth of new children… the children of disaster and pain. While I pray that a majority of these brave men and women walk away from Moore healthy and encouraged, I know in my heart that there will be some that return to their everyday work world not even realizing what their minds discovered.  Will their families and fellow responders be ready for them?

If you know a hero, whether one from Moore or another place and time, take the time to listen, to support and to encourage.  Learn the signs of trauma-induced fatigue, stress or PTSD. Offer help and counsel. Create a means for assistance for those that become overwhelmed.

If you are a department or agency, have you adjusted and grown to accommodate regular trainings in psychological first aid? Have you created an open forum for those struggling with traumas they have experienced? Have you built a system that supports those who have so much more to give but feel they have expired due to pressure, memories or experiences?

In a conversation the other day with a friend, the concept of scars being attractive was brought up. Many times I have been asked about some of my scars. Like in the movie Lethal Weapon, scars are great discussion starters, can be considered sexy and event exciting… they are usually accompanied by a hair-raising story which is only enhanced by the visual of the scar itself… a badge of courage if you will…

But we discussed the other scars as well… the scars that will be there a year from now and  years from now that nobody will ever see but represent the deepest cuts… it is these scars that will ruin a home and marriage,  cause early retirement, unexplained illness, addictions and even suicide.

Are we watching? Will we watch? Will we remember the works of yesterday’s heroes or will we remember to care for them in the future.

The homes of Moore will be rebuilt, but as they are, we need to build a system that is set to catch the heroes should they stumble.

Chasing4Life is presently working on creating a national psychological first aid for responder program tour and has been in discussion with several entities that have pledged to support this new endeavor. The purpose of this new campaign is to intercept the course of trauma before intervention, treatment or drastic actions are needed by encouraging responders themselves to become each other’s support system in the field of psychological first aid. Keep visiting this blog, our FaceBook and website for more in the near future.   

CHECK THE STAND

Not feeling well last night, I sat in my chair and simply let the world pass by as I watched the New England Patriots game on television and a Christmas movie (I tend to flip back and forth between channels).
Next to me in the living room was our Christmas tree. If I do say so myself, it is a pretty majestic looking tree with its burgundy ribbon and ornaments, the lights and full pine boughs sprawling out into the room. For safety reasons, we choose to have a fake tree, and as I looked at it last night, I was thinking about how amazing it is that this tremendous tree was just a few weeks ago jammed into a little box. There was not much to look at when that box was first opened… a short pamphlet of instructions, branches and a thin metal pole. You’d never guess that was all there was since it dominates the house now.

Back to my story.
About halftime, my little daughter came running into the room with toys in hand obviously the victim of way too much fudge that her irresponsible father had given her earlier. High on sugar, she was gleaming with a smile that went ear to ear. Running much too fast for the wood floor conditions, she was not capable of stopping herself as she came too near the tree and the crash that followed was pretty funny. Down she went. Down went the toys she had been carrying. Ornaments bounced and ribbon went flying.
But the tree stood.
It was not until this morning that I thought about the incident again. I was looking at the forecasts for snow, for wind, for ice and general winter conditions over the next several weeks and I thought about that tree… it was still standing despite that collision…
Our country is a lot like that tree. At its beginning it was really not much to look at and not all that large. Jammed into a little box on the east coast, this country was just a little over a dozen pieces and we had nothing but a short little piece of paper someone wrote as to how to put it all together.
Over the years, we got those pieces out, figured out how they fit, and after a lot of effort, figured out how to “fluff” them all so the tree grew. It no longer looked like thirteen pieces but a full tree that sprawled way out into the room.
Then came the decorating. At first it was just a few strands of popcorn and things we grew, but soon, the tree was laden with lights and ornaments of every color and size, so much so that the branches droop under the weight! It was beautiful! We invited the world to come and see it, and everyone wanted one just like ours.
To this day there are millions that are attracted to the fullness, the size, the lights, the ornaments and the colors… they’d never even believe it was once just pieces in a box…
But the most important part of the tree? You can’t see it. It was in the box too, but nobody ever pays attention to it. When we first put the tree together, we took great care in making sure we had it and that we set it up correctly, but now that one piece is forgotten…hidden under the lights and ornaments and branches…

It’s the stand.

Last night, had our tree not been firmly clamped in that stand, it would have been in my lap. The branches would all have been flattened, the ornaments all broken, the ribbon a tangled mess. But the tree stood… because of the stand.

Our country had one of these stands when we first set it up as well. There were four legs on it just like ours has...
There was an attitude of preparedness, a spirit of readiness, resolve for resilience and constant awareness. Each leg was crucial to holding the whole tree up.

For years the tree lit the room because it STOOD in the room.
Now, as winter approaches and will be followed by yet another year of tornadoes, hurricanes, wind storms and perhaps worse, we might want to check the stand.

Are we still clamped in there firmly? Is the stand stable? Are the legs still where they should be? Could we take the hit from an event careening across the hardwood floors at lightning speed?

Before sitting down to write this, I walked out to the living room and pushed the gift boxes aside for a moment. It really only took a second or two, but I wanted to check to make sure last night’s near-catastrophic collision hadn’t damaged the stand. Sure enough, one leg was a little loose.
I tightened it up, pushed the gifts back, and I am confident that she will stand throughout the holiday once again.

Check the stand, America… then enjoy the holidays.

Eat your vegetables!

10-28-2012 9:04 AM EST

In less than 24 hours the upper portion of the eastern United States will begin to feel the wrath of Sandy.  Not in over 20 years have we seen readings like this in a tropical storm threatening the eastern seaboard and never before have we seen the hybrid conversion about to happen as Sandy makes landfall near New York.  For days the airwaves have been filed with scientific explanation, detailed forecasting, specialist interviews and warnings.

It doesn’t matter. As usual.

All across the New England area, there are thousands watching the development of the storm convinced that the forecasters are wrong, the storm will weaken, and that “because it has never happened” it will not happen now.

Ignorance runs rampant.

The anger began to stir up inside me three days ago as I monitored FaceBook and saw the comments made by so many. The attitude seems to be one of excitement and adventure as the common man once again looks forward to the severe assuming it will be just like they see on television.  Reality TV strikes again as I see comments made on Reed Timmer’s FaceBook by his fans: “I hope it gets worse…would love to see some tornadoes out of this!” followed by “Bring it on! Cannot wait to ride it out!”

As usual, the American public has based its knowledge of the severe and understanding of the threat on their perception which is solely based on 30 minute excerpts of television crap.  While Reed Timmer has perpetuated the transition of severe weather from a science to a sport in the eyes of his fans, he cannot be faulted, for it is the fans that have the responsibility to educate themselves beyond Reed’s aired adventures.  In over a dozen conversations I had with severe weather fans just yesterday, not one of those people understood the meaning of a 950mb low.  While every one of them could name famous tornadoes, not one had ever experienced 72 hours of 75 mile per hour winds nor had any understanding of the impact this would have.

I doubt that storm chasing fans are aware of the extensive schooling and education held by Timmer or how many hours he studies impending weather threats before strapping himself into his Dominator.  Ask a fan… there’s nothing to storm chasing…you just need guts, right?

Wrong.

For years I felt that there was a lack of education in this country when it came to severe weather threats but I no longer believe that is true. The education is there… the students are not and this is not Reed’s fault or that of anyone else on television.

What I believe is that America has become like small children, choosing to eat Twinkies before dinner and tossing broccoli under the table because they don’t like it.  The nutrition is there, but the choice to not ingest it is made by the immature and the ignorant.  Like that small child who screams and chooses to not eat their peas, it takes a parent to make them sit in the high chair until every last vegetable is eaten…why? Because they are not smart enough to know what is good for them.

So where are the parents now in this storm of the century? There are none. We have no recourse, no control and no authority to make people put disaster kits together.  We have no authority to make sure that people are stocking upon supplies or buying a generator, and for that, we will pay dearly…hopefully not in lives.

You see, in less than 48 hours, organizations from the Red Cross to Chasing4Life will be called upon to feed, clothe, house and rescue those that were too immature and too ignorant to see what was good for them.  Responders will be forced to go out in the one of the worst storms this country has ever seen to rescue those that have never missed an episode of storm chasers, but have never bothered to understand the science.

Ignorance is not bliss.

There is saying used by my NRA friends; “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people”.  It’s true. What is even more true is that unfortunately there is no test of maturity in order to own one. In like manner, there is no test to determine who should have children, who should own a house or who should drive a car or who should be allowed to watch reality television.  In other words, I see no end to this madness. We can only pray for the safety of the responders as they attempt to assist those that chose their plight.

There is no lack of education in this country, there is a lack of people wanting to be educated.  If it were not for the work of serious professional chasers like Reed Timmer there would be much we did not know, but because exciting adventure-packed reality television tastes better than science, what millions need to know lies on the floor near the dog.

Wake up America.  It is a perverse mind that looks forward to a horrific storm with anxious anticipation and joy. These storms are getting worse and more frequent and one of these days we will be standing in piles of debris and rubble across this country realizing much too late it was all for real and not scripted entertainment.

Updates, communication and reporting is going to play a key role in saving lives over the next few days and so with that said, we will pray for the safety of those that are dedicating their time, finances and lives to heading out into Sandy’s path.  For those that have been preparing and making attempts to mitigate the storm’s effects, we applaud you all. For those of you that still think this will amount to nothing or that think this could be your opportunity to live out a fantasy…may God help you.  

Take a minute to see these severe weather heroes the way they should be seen...Reed is a scientist and researcher and despite the exciting antics, there is a foundation of education that fuels storm chasing if it is to be done right. There is a reason that man is still alive.  He'll be out there this week with many others and that education will keep them alive. Will your education save yours?

MOVING AND GROWING

Mid-November will bring more changes to the Chasing4Life team. We will be moving our offices and acquiring new (and much-needed) warehousing in Mid-November. We are relocating several staff members as well and are excited about the potential of having a new "corporate headquarters" with a complete office staff and leadership team all in one location! Details to follow...

Change-Raking leaves and looking toward Spring

Andy Warhol once said “They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”  That has been going on a lot at Chasing4Life. At the beginning of the year we delegated a lot of responsibility to team members in hopes of creating more time at the office to go after sponsors and partners, to build marketing machines and to follow up on the opportunities that had been presenting themselves at the end of 2011. It was a time of change.
Those changes, unfortunately, were not all good. The delegation of responsibility worked well in some cases, but in many, the middle of the year found us here at the office attempting to correct so many errors that we felt we were losing ground. With 6 months left in the year and several huge conferences coming up, we could no longer afford to miss out on opportunities and so we made changes again.
Adding office staff was a big struggle that happened during all of this as well- with money short and time even shorter, who do you find that can take on the full-time position for so little?
I felt as though we were re-arranging furniture in a living room every day when what I really wanted was a bigger living room.
In late 2011 we lost my assistant of several years and our Operations Coordinator took on another part-time job leaving us extremely short-handed. After 6 months, we were lucky to find that assistant that was willing to take on the responsibility.
Things, once again, began to change and I found office hours that had been lost for what seemed like a year. We began to make progress, add people, find new partners and GROW.  While it would have seemed like a time to rejoice, the profitability of the change was greatly diminished again when some team members decided they did not like the changes or those that had grabbed the employment opportunities.
Once again...change.
For the last 3 months I have handled all of the office communication, correspondence, recruitiment processing, uniforms and marketing by myself in order to appease those that did not want to communicate with the new staff.
As I had suspected, this made no difference but rather simply revealed much about many.
Time for change again.
With almost 200 members again, the Chasing4Life Disaster Response Team is stronger than it has ever been. It is something to be proud of, and its members should wear the team colors proudly as more mutual aid agreements and more contracts and more networking has occurred in the last 3 months than ever before in the history of the organization.  Our largest Summit is scheduled for February and for the first time in years, we are very close to running out of room at one of our Summits.
With new partners from around the world (Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, etc), we have more gear, more capability and more opportunity to serve than ever before.
All of this has happened during CHANGE, and those that screamed for these changes have played no role, communicated little, and have participated NONE.
Change often times can be painful. As our family prepares to move to a new farm, I am reminded of when I was young and our family relocated from my childhood neighborhood to a new town. I hated it. New people, new streets, new kids, new school. I selfishly displayed my anger and childish opinion to my parents and made their lives a living hell for quite some time. Two years later I saw that the change had been the hardest on my parents and realized that their sacrifice had made a better life for our family.
It has been the same with Chasing4Life.
The changes have been difficult. I miss the days when I had hours to just talk on the phone with everyone, sit around and dream with them, interact and visit. Those days have been gone for some time as I have been forced to take on all of these responsibilities and have been prevented from utilizing the new staff for fear of angering a few.
Today is the first of October and also the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. For those of you that know your biblical history, it is a season of change...AGAIN.
With so many members, with so many opportunities, with so many demands and so much growth, it is time to shake the dead leaves off the trees and start looking ahead to the Spring.
Our new office staff, along with the old office staff is ready to attack 2013 and we plan on seeing our membership double in the next 6 months. The days of "no-shows" at events are over. The Summit will be full and by March of 2013, we will be ready to deploy like never before.
For our team members, there is new opportunities for paid and unpaid deployments alike for those that attend the Summit and the trainings it holds. There are new relationships within the new membership that are yours for the taking. There is a new opportunity to serve this country with new gear, new trucks, new trailers, new equipment and new agreements.
For our supporters, you are about to see the Chasing4Life team thrive beyond anything you saw in 2005 and 2006. You are about to see more national recognition than you saw in 2008 or 2009. You are about to see an army that consists of truly passionate soldiers of humantiy.
For those of you that simply visit this blog from time to time, these changes mean we are looking for you. Get involved. Contact us about joining. Grab hold of the chance to serve, to train and to fellowship.
For those of you that have been unhappy with the changes? The results do not lie. Dead leaves fall to the ground and that is all. The changes were needed.
The changes have been hard, but a new season was on its way and I am glad we made them. As in my yard, not every tree handles the chill and transition, but Spring looms ahead with the promise of a great yield in the future.
Until next time, I have to go rake some leaves...