P I C T U R E S !

posted by Pat Wills
(pics fr John Melia)

State 4, Day 6

posted by Pat Wills

New Mexico, here we come!
White team is running 6pm to 12 midnight today leaving from Gallup , NM.

update:
Rob is okay but he had to be hospitalized last night for dehydration.  They pumped him with 2 liters of fluids.   He will be out of the rotation today and will be back on rotation tomorrow.
Thanks Greg Koehler and John Melia for taking good care of Rob.

message to John:  PLEASE call me next time.

End of Day 5

posted by Pat Wills

Rob just called.  He loves the blog comments.  He is able to read them on his blackberry but is not able to respond.  He wants to let all of you know how much it means to him that you are taking the time to post your comments.
The white team is done for tonight.  They are on Hwy 260 in a town called Heber, somewhere in the mountains of AZ.  He said it's beautiful there.  They are gassing up, showering, having dinner on their own.
Good night, Rob and white-95 motorhome.   Go to bed early please.

Phoenix Fire Department Dispatch Radio Call

posted by Pat Wills

originally posted on Tour Of Duty blog


Tour Of Duty: Phoenix Fire Department Dispatch Radio Call: "Listen to the Phoenix FD Dispatch radio message sent out this morning.CLICK HERE FOR AUDIO"

WOW!

posted by Pat Wills

This is a FB post from an hour ago.  This is Rob's group heading uphill into bad weather.


Tour of Duty - Run across America Calm before the storm combined with the desert climb .. the boys are ready to step up whatever comes their way...

Noon to 6pm shift about to begin

posted by Pat Wills

Hello everyone. 
I just heard from Rob.  White team starts their leg at noon today.  He said it will be the toughest day yet.
He hasn't been able to log on and post on his blog but will do it as soon as he can.

Another way to keep track!

posted by Pat Wills

http://2010tourofduty.blogspot.com/

This stretch to Oklahoma will be brutal.  Please post your comments.  He reads them when they rest and get service at the firehouses.
Thanks.

State 3, Day 4, ready to go

posted by Pat Wills


vegash2opolodad@gmail.com to me


show details 3:32 PM (4 hours ago)


We're gassing up in Kingman and then enroute to Wikiup to start our shift. RV cleaned inside and out, laundry done, vitamins taken, tuna packet, apple, banana, eaten as well as 1 Gatorade and bottle of water down. I'm feeling good and ready to run.


I love you Dear.


Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Rob called at 8pm ready to get on the road.  They were experiencing thundershowers.  It was not drizzling when it was his turn but very humid.

Updates from AZ

posted by Pat Wills

Rob barely had time to send some quick email updates. It's good to hear from him.

vegash2opolodad@gmail.com to me
show details 11:56PM (5 hours ago)

Heading out for my 6 hour shift at route 163 just east of the 95. Love you Dear.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Blackberry

-----------------------------------------------------------

vegash2opolodad@gmail.com to me
show details 4:00 AM (1 hour ago)

2 states down (California and Nevada), 12 to go! Heading into Kingman now. Some tough hills into Laughlin, and through Bullhead city. I'm feeling good, thanks for the Blog entry Dear, I love you.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Blackberry

------------------------------------------------------------

vegash2opolodad@gmail.com to me
show details 5:19 AM (19 minutes ago)

Finished....taking shower at Kingman fire station then going to sleep. Love you dear.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Blackberry

The white team is parked at the Kingman fire house doing laundry and resting. The next shift is tonight @ 6 pm.

Back on the road

posted by Pat Wills
(Thanks for the pictures, Val)


Metro preparing to escort our runners as they leave Las Vegas


Rob reads 9/11 victim's names for today's run


Blue team is off!

Rob and the rest of the white team arrived to their destination around 9:30 pm. They are resting for a couple of hours before their shift begins @ midnight into AZ.

KTNV Channel 13 interview

posted by Pat Wills

Hi everyone.
If you didn't get a chance to see the 11:00 news coverage of the TOD run on the Las Vegas strip, please go to the link.
Thanks for supporting Rob.

http://www.ktnv.com/global/story.asp?s=12979205

White Team Chant

posted by Pat Wills

This is a video from 8-13-10 of Rob and John's team coming to a change over in Route 66. You see Rob on the right since he was at the end of the pack wearing his white running hat.

LAS VEGAS!

pics posted by Pat Wills
(thank you for the pics, Val & Deedee)


Clark County fire station 11 welcomes runners.


TOD patron, Jerry Lewis, visits with Aussies.


TOD runners at Las Vegas sign before the strip run.

'What a sight!  The Bellagio fountain show playing
"Proud to be an American"

Rob's image on the Fremont Street Experience canopy. How cool is that!


TOD images on Fremont Street Experience canopy.

Robert & Jake Melia committed to run the entire 9 miles with the TOD team!


family and friends

TOD team pic @ Fremont Street

You did good, Rob.

Rob was given the responsibility to coordinate the team's entrance to Las Vegas from the permits, police escorts, shutting down of the strip. Thank you Councilman Anthony, Bellagio staff, Fremont Street Experience staff, Aria staff, CC fire station 11 for the very warm welcome.


The first day of the run was a pretty tough one logistically. We didn't get to our RV staging area in Baker until 0100 Friday morning. I got about 3 hours sleep before waking up to prepare for running at about 5:00am that same morning.

We arrived in Nevada with LVMPD Patrol escort ready to lead us into town. We traveled down old LVB from Jean all the way to the CCFD fire station across from the "Welcome To Las Vegas" sign on LVB/Russell where we were treated to dinner. The patron of the event and American icon, Jerry Lewis, arrived at the station to speak to the crowd. At about 11:00pm we walked over to the "Welcome To Las Vegas" sign to take a team photograph with Jerry Lewis.

The LVMPD Traffic escort team, headed by Lt. John Faulis, lead our run down the Las Vegas Strip at 11:40pm. They did a phenomenal job the entire route and really showcased the LVMPD for all to see. I was very proud on the professional way that they managed the escort - down Las Vegas Blvd to downtown Las Vegas, at midnight on a Friday night, without a single hitch! It was an unbelievable sight and the entire team was extremely impressed.

As we began the 9 mile stretch of LVB, one of the FDNY team members lead the run up front of the pack playing the bagpipes! My son Robert, and John Melia's son Jake, joined the team and ran the entire route with us! We arrived at the Bellagio at midnight where we paused the convoy in the lefthand turn lane and the runners walked over to the front of the water show. Thanks to my good friend and fellow water polo teammate, Chris Magee (who is in Bellagio management), we were treated to a special water show specifically to honor our event and the victims of 9-11. The song "Proud to be an American" began as we all stood and watched the special water show with pride. A seasoned Chicago fire fighter and fellow TOD runner, Pat Maloney, who's department just buried a young fire fighter killed in the line of duty that morning, was moved to tears. It will be something all the team members will never forget. The whole team can't thank you enough Chris!

After the fountain show, everyone was re-energized for the rest of the run down LVB. LVMPD officers shut down all three lanes of the NB lanes for us - it was incredible and something in Las Vegas that I have never seen done before. All along the way people were excited to see us, cheering as we approached and then as we passed by. We arrived at the Fremont Street Experience at about 1245am. The canopy was darkened as we arrived as a group - then, within 30 seconds, the canopy lit up bright with "Tour Of Duty" images scrolling down one side and back the other! The images were from our start in Santa Monica, some group photo's, and large individual cameo images of all the runners! We ran two abreast under the canopy to Main Street and then back - running between the crowds of pedestrians cheering for us and slapping high fives, all while our images were above us and "Eye Of The Tiger" was playing as the music for the show! I can't tell you how amazing that was and how proud I was of Las Vegas that night.

With all the unbelievable events I described above, I was most honored by the support of my family and friends who were out there in the middle of the night sharing this with me. I don't want to mention you by name only because I don't want to miss anyone by mistake, but you all know who you are and know it means so much to me - I'll never forget it.

We head out from Las Vegas today at about noon. We'll be going east on Cheyenne from NLVFD station 53 (Gowan/Simmons) and then south on Nellis to Boulder Hwy to US95 where we will head out of town to Laughlin by midnight. I'll try to keep this Blog updated as often as I can.

This one is for Grandma Julie

posted by Pat Wills Rob in the lead car after he finished his first leg of day 1 dedicated to Juliette Aceti who passed away this morning.

The journey begins...

posted by Pat Wills


Santa Monica lifeguards welcome TOD runners!


NLV Fire Chief Kevin Brame presents the TOD runners

 
TOD dedicates each day to (16) 9/11 victims.
Rachel Cowling & Daniel Steffens read the 16 names for day 1.

TOD bagpipe escort from Santa Monica pier

 
Hi, Rob!


TOD runners leaving Santa Monica pier

Hello everyone.
I wanted to share these pictures with you.
Rob and the rest of the white team wrapped up their leg of the run around 6pm. They proceeded to a fire house where they were treated to their first meal of the day and a much needed shower. Their portion of the caravan headed to Hesperia, CA (I guess this is close to Victorville). There they will get their rest in the motorhomes and begin Day 2 @ 6am, Friday, August 13.
Thanks for keeping them in your prayers.
Pat

To my husband

Dear Rob-
As much as I worry about you and these days ahead, I want to tell how proud I was to watch you begin your journey this morning. You are with a group of good people and I trust that you will look out for each other. Stay safe.
I love you.
Pat

The Start day is here!

Wat a sight!

I can't believe how fast today came. It seems like just a couple weeks ago I was asked to participate in this once in a life time event. So far the events leading up to our run today have been amazing.

We had a team gathering at the Australian Consulate's home on Tuesday night. It is a beautiful home in the LA hills with a large backyard for such gatherings. The highlight of the evening was when one of the Australian firefighters spoke about a special helmet he received from a firefighters wife back in Australia. Back in 1998 the woman's husband trained with FDNY station 1 for about a week. On his departure from the training, the FDNY captain gave him a helmet with signatures from all the firefighters from station 1 as a gift. When this woman heard about the Australian firefighter being a part of the Tour Of Duty in a recent newspaper article, she felt compelled to donate it to the Australian runner. As the Australian firefighter read each of the names on the helmet, he soon realized that every one of FDNY firefighters who had signed the helmet back in 1998 perished in the attack on 9-11. But the story didn't end there. The Australian firefighter/runner discovered that one of the names on that helmet was the father of one of the FDNY firefighters who is also running in this event to honor of his fallen firefighter father.

As this story was being told at the Australian Consulate's home in front of the mayor and other local dignatary's (and media), the Australian firefighter unveiled the helmet and presented it to the widow of the fallen officer and her son who heard the story for the first time and were overwhelmed with emotions.

Last night we were invited to Beverly Hills fire station for dinner where we were treated to another amazing story. A very distinguished man began to speak about his brother who was an Eagle Scout as a young man, military pilot and a commercial pilot. From all accounts the brother was an outstanding man. As the story went on, this man went on to tell us that his brother, Charles Burlingame, was the pilot of American Airlines flight 77. This is the plane that crashed into the Pentagon on 9-11. He spoke of how it was later learned that Charles, with his military training, fought off the attackers in the cockpit for over 4 minutes before he was overtaken and murdered - the first victim of the 9-11 attacks. This distinguished man, Burlingame, then explained to all the team members that when he heard of our mission to honor those who gave their lives on 9-11, he was compelled to meet us that night. He then presented us all with a special coin. It was a coin designed and given to all family members who lost loved ones on 9-11. Even though the Pentagon discontinued making these coins, he made a special request, which was granted, to have coins minted for each of the Tour Of Duty runners and he presented those to us individually last night. It was yet another amazing night with I'm sure many more to come.

Paul Ritchie with autographed helmet

 

Helmet presentation

 

TOD team @ Australian consulate function

Rob with Greg Koehler

Aye Aye Captain

It's 4:52am now and I have to get dressed and downstairs soon to head out to the Santa Monica Pier where we start this run at the precise time the first plane struck the Twin Towers - 8:46 am.

Pat, Robert, Joey and Jessica made the trip down yesterday to be here to observe the start of the run. Missy couldn't make it (work obligations). I can't tell you how much that means to me! - I love you guys and couldn't do this without your support.

Hope to see everyone in Vegas if you can make it.

First Day in Santa Monica

A very long day, and they're only going to get longer. Started out by getting up at 0430am this morning. Pat drove me to the meeting place where I and 4 other runners met to start the trip to Santa Monica to pick up the RV's used for this event. We arrived at the RV location in Sun City California at about 10:30. It took about 1 hour to get all the paperwork completed before we took possession of 7 brand new RV's. It took all four of us, along with 4 additional RV employee's to get all the vehicles to the hotel. These things are very nice with all the bells and whistles! I can't believe how fortunate we are to have these RV's to sleep in between runs. The owner of "Jayco", a very large RV manufacturer, donated these motorhomes specifically for our use during the event! After we arrived at the hotel with all the RV's and the two (11) passenger vans, a couple of us drove over to LAX to pick up the entire Aussie group and bring them back to the hotel. Their luggage filled the motorhome I was driving and the rest of the Aussie's barely fit in the two 11 passenger vans. We had our first full team get together/meet and greet at the hotel and I finally ate dinner with the Melia family around 10:00pm. Time for bed!

Rob with his goodies

Assie runners in town

                                                                First TOD team meet & greet

GETTING CLOSE!

Less than a week left before we start this cross country adventure. I am very excited about the event, but still a little nervous at the same time. Those of you who know me well know that I shy away from public speaking engagements - but I couldn't avoid a few this week.

LVMPD's Video Production Unit came by my office on Tuesday to interview me regarding my participation in the Tour Of Duty Event. They also followed me during my training run that day. They are hoping to film the team running down the Strip when we come to town on Friday night, 8-13-10, arriving in front of the Bellagio for a special fountain show in our honor at midnight, and on to the Fremont Street Experience at about 1235am (35 minutes later). The Video Production folks tell me that they are planning on airing the interview/footage on LVMPD's "Briefing Room" in September.

On Wednesday (the very next day) during a Las Vegas City Council meeting, the City of Las Vegas honored our team with a Proclamation, dedicating Saturday, August 14, 2010, "Tour Of Duty" day! The sponsor for the Proclamation is retired LVMPD Captain, Councilman Anthony. Since there were 11 of the runners in the audience, Councilman Anthony did not call everyone up to the podium, but did read each runner's name and had them stand in recognition. Councilman Anthony did call two members up to speak on the event - you guessed it - one of the two he called up was me! Although not my favorite thing to do, I survived, and was honored to be asked to speak of the event as a representative of the team.

Las Vegas City Council meeting

Good morning, everyone.
Watch us this morning live on Las Vegas channel 2 for the City Council meeting broadcast where they will proclaim August 14, 2010 Tour of Duty Day when we run down the Las Vegas strip and Fremont Street Experience!

update:
this is the Aug 4 video of the city council meeting. TOD is the 4th presentation.

http:\www5.lasvegasnevada.gov/sirepub/pubmtgframe.aspx?meetid=740&doctype=Agenda