Millstadt Fire Department: Volunteers, Because We Care

After hearing about the final project for this course, I immediately knew what I wanted to focus on. Firefighting has been a part of my family for multiple generations, so I felt that this was an appropriate choice, seeing that it has impacted our lives in so many ways. To help share the story of firefighting and how important it is to my family and I, I spent some time at Millstadt Fire Department, which is located in my hometown of Millstadt, IL. Millstadt Fire Department is the oldest existing volunteer fire department in Illinois, and this honorable title would not be possible without the dedication and bravery of all of the Millstadt firemen who serve the community.

I wanted to start off this blog post with a powerful, clear-cut image, and I think this photo fits that description. This picture features a lot of the gear that the firemen wear out on their calls, whether it be a structure fire, a car accident, or a CO (carbon monoxide) call. These men exhibit the definition of bravery by putting their lives on the line with only this gear to protect them from harm. Some of the gear includes the turnout coat and pants, boots, helmet, and SCBA (self contain breathing air) masks. The SCBA masks allow the firefighters to breathe in smoke-filled buildings.

Pictured to the right is a map of the town/township of Millstadt, which is located inside of the front office at the fire department. This is very helpful for the firemen because it allows them to find the exact location of where they are going so they can arrive as quickly as possible.

The next two pictures are some up close pictures of my dad's gear. I really love the picture of his coat because it proudly displays his last name at the bottom. Displaying the names in reflective writing is very beneficial because it allows the firefighters to identify one another during their calls. If the firemen are ever working at night when it's dark or inside of a smoke-filled building, they can still identify and see each other because of the reflectors and last name. You can also see a small portion of my dad's old coat hanging up next to his newer one. His old coat is tattered and torn from the years of service that he put into it. I admire him and the rest of the men for their bravery and dedication.






This photo shows a pair of my dad's older boots, which are stained and worn from several incidences, including house fires and car accidents. I really love this up close image because you can see almost every detail.

Hydraulic rescue tools are very important when it comes to rescue missions. Several of the car accidents that the firemen respond to involve the use of this tool, which is commonly referred to as the Jaws of Life. I think this term is completely appropriate because it makes the impossible possible. It was really awesome to be able to see this rescue tool up close and in person.

Continuing with the theme of my previous picture, this photo is another common rescue tool that firemen use. You can see that it has been put to good use because of all of the marks and scrapes that appear on it. This tool can be used in a variety of situations, especially within structure fires to help cut through debris and travel throughout the building.

The photo to the left shows Millstadt Fire Department's newest fire truck, which is four years old now. This is my favorite truck that the fire department owns because of the American flag that is featured on the very front. They are showing off their pride for the community along with their pride for the country. You can also see that everything is at a much larger scale on the fire truck, including the windshield, headlights, and windshield wipers.

I thought this was a unique photo because of all of the different colors. The color coding of the hoses makes it easier for the engineer to know which hose to charge and fill with water. Color coding is a great idea because it saves time and effort in intense situations.

As I mentioned in the beginning of this post, firefighting has been around in my family for decades. My grandpa (dad's father), my dad, and now my brother have all participated or are currently involved in this amazing organization. My brother just recently joined and is still completing his schooling and training. The newer members are identified by the yellow plates on their helmets, which can be seen in this photo.

I chose this picture as one of my last photos of this post because it brings together the entire idea of Millstadt Fire Department. Every fireman, including the board members and officers, volunteers their time in order to protect the community of Millstadt and make this organization successful. There is no monetary reward for all that they do. Their reward is the feeling of providing service to the community and giving back to those who need their help in times of emergency and crisis. Their reward is the feeling of saving someone's home, vehicle, or most importantly, life. They are volunteers, because they care.

I didn't take this picture myself, but it is hanging up in my basement next to other firefighter memorabilia and decorations. This photo includes several Millstadt firemen, including my dad in the top right, at the site of an apartment building that the department burned for use of training ten years ago. Even though it was for training, I think this image really captures the entire idea of firefighting. These guys step into dangerous situations with bravery and courage to lead them to a solution. Their main goal is to protect their community and provide service to those in need. I can think of several words to describe them, but selfless, brave, and courageous are at the top of my list. I admire my grandpa, my father, my brother, and every firefighter for their commitment and bravery that they exhibit every day on every call. I don't know where we'd be without the impact that firefighting has made on my family and community. I am so thankful for the Millstadt Fire Department and the opportunities, friendships, and life lessons that it has created for my family and I.

"When I am called to duty, God

Wherever Flames may rage,

Give me the strength to save some life

Whatever be its age."

Homeless Shelter Visit

I have to admit...the experience that I had at our class visit to the homeless shelter did not match up with what I expected the homeless shelter to be like. The shelter was much more like an actual home than it was a shelter. It felt comforting, welcoming, and safe. I really love this photo because it includes hands of all different colors, designs, and sizes. To me, this quilt represents unity and friendship, and those qualities can be so important during a hardship like homelessness. Inspirational messages like this quilt are displayed all throughout the shelter, which I really enjoyed.

I'm not sure who this note was written by, but I would assume that it is from one of the children who had stayed at the shelter in the past. This note is really heartwarming because of the appreciation that they show to the shelter. This shelter truly saves lives and wants to help people get back on their feet, and their clients are so thankful for that, even the children.

The shelter offers a place for their clients to sleep along with food to eat, but one of the shelter's main goals is to get their clients back out on their own. They offer so many resources to help make this possible, including Internet access to search for jobs, cars to drive to work and/or school, and help with applying for housing. I really love this photo because it captures one of the goals of this shelter. This particular flier is advertising a scholarship to the Culinary Arts Program at Forest Park Community College, which is a great opportunity, especially for someone who has a passion for cooking. I think it's awesome that there are so many opportunities available for the people staying at the shelter.

The shelter includes several different areas, including a living area, kitchen, computer room, play room for the children, and nursery. One of the workers at the shelter explained how useful the nursery is because it provides a place for mothers to care for their babies. It's very comforting for mothers, knowing that they have the resources to give their child a comfortable and healthy life.

We were able to look inside the supply room at the shelter, which included clothing items, shoes, body care items, school supplies, and much more. Some of the clients come to the shelter with only the clothes on their backs, so the shelter is able to provide them with another set of clothes and shoes, courtesy of donations. This also comes in very useful when clients have job interviews because the shelter is able to supply them with an appropriate and professional outfit. I included the picture of school supplies because the shelter provides services to a lot of children, all of which attend school. I think it's awesome that these materials are made available to the students. Every child deserves an education, and every child deserves the materials and resources that are necessary to make their educational experience a successful and enjoyable one.

Missouri Botanical Garden (Take Two)

I was able to go to Missouri Botanical Garden for the second time this spring season, and it was even more beautiful the second time around. I loved seeing so many flowers, especially tulips, of all different colors in full bloom. The picture to the left features some of the hidden details of a tulip. I love how the entire focus is on the flower, and everything else is kind of blurred out.

I was drawn to this particular flower because of its bright, vibrant colors. It reminded me of some sort of tropical flower, which then reminded me of a beach, which then reminded me of vacation, which of course reminded me of summer. So basically this picture means that we have less than two weeks of school left.

This picture doesn't feature as much detail as some of the others, but it is one of my favorites because it looks like a sea of pink. The flowers look like they could go on forever. I also love how the sunlight is reflecting off each of the flowers.

Pictured to the right is another group of flowers that really caught my eye. I think it's because the white petals contrast so well with the green stems and leaves. I did a little research and found out that this flower is called a narcissus, which I've never actually heard of before. It kind of reminds me of a white daisy or sunflower, which again reminds me of summer.

I think this is my favorite photo from our class trip to the Botanical Garden. There are so many different things going on in this picture. You can see blades of grass up close with some of the fallen petals from the trees, along with a group of yellow flowers in full bloom with the blue sky serving as a great backdrop. You can tell that it was a beautiful day just by looking at this photo.

The Hill

After living close to the St. Louis area my entire life, this was surprisingly my first visit to The Hill. I'll definitely be coming back in the future to taste some of the Italian cuisine and explore more of the area. I thought this was an interesting shot because it captures the writing on the street along with one of the Italian, family-owned businesses in the background. Montagna is the Italian word for mountain or mount, which fits perfectly with our nickname for this area: The Hill.

The Hill is filled with several small, family-owned businesses, like the one pictured to the right. I think my favorite part about this picture is the fact that this business has been up and running since 1902. It just goes to show how committed and passionate this community is about their work and heritage.

Pictured to the left is a close up of the main entrance doors of St. Ambrose Catholic Church on the Hill. You can't see it in this picture, but the church was proudly displaying both the American flag along with the Italian flag. Although this Italian community is situated close to the heart of St. Louis, they still stay close to their heritage and culture. The phrase pictured above the door translates to "To God Optimum." This just goes to show how important the Catholic faith is to this community.

I really like this photo because it brings in so many different elements. I'm a huge Cardinals fan (aren't we all?), so I was immediately drawn to capture the decorated Arch with the Budweiser sign displayed behind it. You can also see one of the St. Louis 250th Anniversary cakes towards the right in the photo.

One of my favorite parts about the Hill was seeing the Italian color scheme everywhere and anywhere. The awnings on the businesses, yard decorations, and even the fire hydrants proudly represent the colors of Italy. This is just another way for the community to show off their culture and how much it means to them.

Citygarden-Downtown St. Louis

Nestled in the heart of Downtown St. Louis, Citygarden was the perfect place to capture some of the artwork that St. Louis has to offer. The tall office buildings and first hints of spring make for the perfect backdrops to these photos. The photo that I have included to the left is a great representation of Downtown STL, in my opinion. This statue reminds me of a businessman, and St. Louis is full of businesses. It also looks like this person is watching over the city and Citygarden, like it is protecting it.

I was actually taking a picture of a different statue when I looked to my left and saw the perfect image for this blog post. I love the way Pinocchio's arms are stretched out, almost like he is taking in the entire city of St. Louis. You can tell that he loves this city and is enjoying every bit of it. I thought it was kind of ironic that Citygarden is positioned right next to the Civil Courts building (pictured in my photo below), and Pinocchio was the type of boy that could have ended up going to court because of the lies that he told.

The best part of this excursion was going up to the 12th floor pavilion in SLU's new Law School building. I could not have asked for a better day to go up there and take pictures. The weather was amazing that day, but the view was even better. You can see Citygarden below, including the triangular sculpture "Twain" that has caused a lot of debate ever since it was established. I'm not sure that I understand the meaning of this sculpture or why it was named Twain. Whatever the case is, it was still an awesome experience to see the city from this point of view and photograph from a different angle.

This piece of art caught my eye as we were walking through the streets of Downtown St. Louis. I love that the owners of this business/restaurant chose this painting as a way of advertising. The bright colors and pictures of some of America's favorite foods are a great way to catch people's attention and bring in business. You can also see the city reflecting off of the window next door, which I think is a really great addition to the photo.

This statue was especially interesting to me because it looks as if this horse creature is watching over or guarding the Civil Courts Building that is sitting behind the statue. There were several different angles to view this statue from, but this angle was my favorite because of how close it is to the Civil Courts Building. I'm curious as to what type of object is sitting on this animal's back and if it has any correlation to the Civil Courts Building or legal system in general.

Laumeier Sculpture Park

It was hard to miss this sculpture, as it was sitting right in the middle of the sculpture park. I have to admit, I've never seen an eyeball sculpture this big before, so it was pretty cool to see it up close and personal. I like how the artist included so many details, including the veins and variety of colors within the iris. I think it would look even better if there were eyeballs of every color sitting right next to each other.

This was one of the biggest sculptures in the entire park, so I was definitely drawn to it. It reminded me of a bunch of building blocks, like Jenga pieces or legos, that all came crashing down. I also like how blue the sky is in this picture because it matches well with the red sculpture to give a red, white, and blue theme.

This picture was especially interesting to me because it offered a sense of irony. The tree in front is either fake or spray painted silver, but there are real, live trees standing not too far behind the tree sculpture. I like how the tree almost blends into the background and scenery.

Towards the back of the park, there was a large sculpture that kind of reminded me of a gazebo or pavilion. It was made of large, orange leaves. I loved the view from directly under the pavilion, which is pictured to the right. The different shapes and designs give the sculpture a really unique feel and look. This sculpture was one of my favorite parts in the entire park, and I hope to come back and visit it soon.

This sculpture was sort of hidden, which made it all the more interesting. It almost looks like remainders from a war, like cannonballs, due to the rust and scratches. You can see that the weather has definitely taken a toll on this sculpture. My second impression was that it looked a huge, never-ending caterpillar.

Gateway Arch and Graffiti Wall

I've lived close to St. Louis my entire life, so this was not my first trip to the Gateway Arch. It never seems to get old though. I feel very fortunate to live in an area with so much history, culture, and beauty, like the Arch. The light blue sky with soft, scattered clouds made for a perfect picture. My favorite part about this picture is how you can see buildings peeking up behind the Arch. It makes it seem as if the Arch is overseeing and protecting the city of St. Louis.

Looking up at the Arch and taking this picture made me feel so small. It really put into perspective the fact that there is always something bigger and better out there, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Just something to think about. It almost looked like the Arch was swaying back and forth in the wind from this angle also, which was pretty scary but awesome at the same time.

After spending some time by the Arch, we headed over to the graffiti walls. This message was not on the actual graffiti wall, but it definitely caught my attention. It proclaims one of my favorite Bible verses: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

We the People. One of the most important messages that we all can and should learn. The artist who completed this painting did a great job of portraying the most important message of this whole piece. It's not about pointing fingers. It's not about always trying to do it yourself. It's not about separating and excluding people. It's about coming together and being unified. This message is so important in today's society, especially with the recent events that have happened in the St. Louis area. I admire this artist for speaking up and promoting what we really need in our society: unity. "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." (Helen Keller)

This was such an interesting message to me. The artist has the word "low" crossed out, leaving only the phrase, "No class." Are they trying to say that our society should not be separated by class? Or are they simply stating that St. Louis isn't home to anyone of lower class? I'm still trying to interpret this, and I kind of like how they left it up to the viewer's own assumption and interpretation.

Walking back to our cars, we passed by a fence lined with barbed wire. I'm not sure why this picture was so appealing to me, but it definitely stood out. I feel like a lot of us grow up thinking that nothing bad can happen, and we live in a world that is completely safe. But that's not always the case, and we can't be so naive. To me, the barbed wire pictured here is a symbol of protection. Because even in a city as beautiful as St. Louis, we still have to watch our backs.

Missouri Botanical Garden

For my independent excursion, I decided to visit the Missouri Botanical Garden and explore a place that I had never been to before. Needless to say, I absolutely loved it and will definitely be going back soon. This picture is from one of the indoor gardens where the flowers were in full bloom. I chose this picture for my blog because of how much detail there is in each flower. I loved seeing all of the colorful flowers after a long, cold winter.

This photo was taken inside of the same garden as the first photo. I really love the different colors that come together in this picture and the way the sunlight is shining on the flowers.

The outdoor portions of the garden were beautiful as well, and I can't wait to see what they will look like further into spring and summer. I included this photo in my post because it's not everyday that I can walk past a waterfall, especially as close as I was. It was nice to see so many different parts of nature up close and personal.

Walking through the garden was very relaxing and calming, especially on a day with 60 degree weather. I think this photo goes along with the relaxed feeling because everything is calm, and nothing is stirring in the water. As a college student, it was nice to get away from schoolwork for a while and enjoy the weather and free time.

Towards the end of my visit, I passed a few ducks that were swimming in one of the ponds. Luckily enough, one of them swam over to me for a few seconds, but then left quickly. It was almost like he was posing for me. Or maybe he left when he realized I wasn't going to feed him. Whatever the case was, I enjoyed seeing everyone, including animals, outside and enjoying the beautiful weather.

Castlewood State Park

This week's excursion to Castlewood State Park was the first time that I had ever visited the park, and I could not have asked for a better experience. It was a beautiful day and the perfect opportunity to take some pictures. I spotted this fallen tree as we were walking along the trail and decided that it was a perfect example of nature and all of its possibilities. The tree could have fallen from a storm, from the wind, or maybe even from old age.

Close to the end of the trail, we passed a tree that looked a little different than the rest of them. It was completely hollowed out, and you could see all the way through the top. I love the way the sunlight is shining down through the whole tree and how much detail is visible. If I wanted to, I probably could have stepped inside of the tree. This picture is especially interesting to me because I had never seen a tree like this before.

Out of all of my pictures from this excursion, this has to be my favorite. Hiking through the trail and seeing all of the breathtaking sights opened my eyes to how beautiful the world really is. One quote in particular came to mind as I was standing on top of this ledge, overlooking the river. "Take a good look at God's wonders--they will take your breath away."

This photo is interesting to me because it almost reminds me of a desert scene. The large rock and smaller stones scattered throughout the orange dirt contribute to this desert-like feel. This shot is unique because it leaves a little to the imagination. You can tell that there is a drop at the end of the ledge, but you can't see what is at the bottom.

I really enjoy this shot because it has a little bit of everything in it. Instead of focusing on just the river or trees or plants, it brings it all together in one photograph. The tree in this picture looks like it is reaching the end of its life, but it adds a lot of character to the photo. I also like how the plant brings some green color into this shot. Winter is just starting to wrap up, so a lot of plants have not started to bloom or transition into their spring-like states yet. I was surprised and excited to see a little bit of green starting to show up throughout the forest, so I had to snap a picture.