VISITING FIREMAN

Its Here! Electronic Access to the VISITING FIREMAN.
You now have the ability to update your listing, organization or museum information on line using our online system. As we prepare for the 2022 book this will give you the opportunity to keep your information up to date on your schedule and upload photos for printing in the book.
For those who do not have Internet access we will still provide a paper listing form to send in.
Thank you all for your patience.

Here Comes the VISITING FIREMAN
on Monday December 30th 2024

The VISITING FIREMAN is an annual publication of Fire Service Enthusiasts from across the world who all share a common interest in the Fire Service.

Many different interests make up the world of fire buffing. Fire Fighters, Fire Buffing, Fire Scene Photography, Historical Preservation, Fire Apparatus Photography, Apparatus Restoration, Preservation of Fire Memorabilia, Rehab/Canteen Operations, Communications, Scanner Monitoring, Fire Alarm Telegraphic Alarm Systems, Model Apparatus Building, Toy Collectibles, and Fire Museums are but a small sampling of the diverse area of interest to Enthusiasts and Fire Buffs alike.

The VISITING FIREMAN is a book that ties the many diverse interests of Enthusiasts and Buffs together in a common forum - The sharing of information, and photos. Every year the book not only provides current information but preserves many important historical aspects of the fire service for future generations.

The VISITING FIREMAN is also an invaluable travel guide for business and pleasure. The book has been characterized as the "Bible of Fire Buffing" and one of those books "You Do Not Leave Home Without"!!

VF Online Access FAQ's


Your individual listing information, museum listing, or organizational listing can now be updated on line in real time. It is our hope that these areas will be frequently updated and therefore keeping all the information fresh. This will also help us in producing the printed edition of the VISITING FIREMAN by reducing so much of the manual input in updating listings on the computer. Please remember we have a staff of two, and our summer help (the kids) have all grown up and have moved out of the house. Our oldest is serving in the US Army, our youngest is in the US Navy, and our middle one is away at school.

Perhaps the biggest thing we have changed about your Listing Information is we have expanded the text area from six lines of 56 characters (336 total characters) to ten lines of 60 characters (600 characters) total. This should give you more room to include your interests. This expansion will also require us to reformat the directory itself however that should be minor.

On-line access is simple. You need to enter your user name which is the same as your login id. You cannot change this. You also need to enter the password we originally assigned to your information however once you have successfully logged in you can change the password to something that is more easy for you to remember.

Once you are successfully logged in you will have a menu of things you can do. Update your VF Listing, enter Classified and Swappers Ads, Enter upcoming Musters, Swap Meets and Meetings, Add new Fire Radio Frequencies, and Upload Photographs for inclusion in the VISITING FIREMAN. In addition you can recommend new members, recommend new fire buff or fire service organizations, and recommend new fire musuems. In the future we will bring back the Restaurant Section and you will be able to do that on line as well.

When you update your listing information a record of your old listing information is kept in the event you make a mistake. Only we can roll back the listing information to the old information for now. In the future we will give you that ability but for now its best if only we can do it.

Be mindful and watch for possible entry errors when you update your listing or input other records. Error notes will appear at the top of the page in dark blue and will tell you what the problem is. Certain fields on the forms are mandatory and are marked as such.

The RESET button will erase the form and you can start over or exit if you wish.

There is a Session Timer on all pages. If the page remains inactive for more than 15 minutes, nothing happening or being done, you will be automatically logged out. A security feature.

The cost of the VISITING FIREMAN will be similar to the cost in the past. For USA and Canada books the cost is $20. Overseas cost is $23 (US Currency). All books are shipped 1st Class or Priority Mail. If you chose not to get the printed book and only wish online access to the Adobe PDF file with the book the cost is $10 every 2 years. We still need to pay for the Internet Server, the DSL connection, and the electricity to run the equipment.

We do NOT accept on line payment for the book. You will still need to mail in your checks, money orders or MC/VISA charge card information. We do not want to take any unnecessary risks with your charge card information. All charge card information is shredded after the book is published and delivered

As a participant in the VF the online Adobe PDF file of the book will be updated on a monthly basis as changes are made to all the information. You will have full access to all the information as opposed to very limited access to the generally available information. By design we have restricted access to addresses, telephone numbers, and other information that is available through our general access link.

If you encounter an error or problem with the on-line access please retry your login and password first. If you encounter any other type of error please email us the date, time and error you encountered including any information that shows up on your screen. This will help us trouble shoot any problems.

Our email address is vf@execpc.com.

How did the VISITING FIREMAN start? The book was started in 1953-54 by Joseph Hallett of Norwell, Massachusetts. Joe had many friends interested in fire buffing but no way to keep in touch. Joe was also interested in sharing his ideas about fire buffing with others. Out of his dream The VISITING FIREMAN was born.

From the first edition here is the forward: "Here Comes the VISITING FIREMAN. The VISIT is admittedly an experiment, although enough of you fire fighters and buffs have indicated a desire for it to make The VISITING FIREMAN a reasonably safe gamble. If you like it (and please let me know) The VISITING FIREMAN will be an annual publication with the next issue ready early in 1955... all new features and revised lists".

"This book is designed by you, and you, and you to make your firematic contacts, hobbies, and travels more pleasant. If your special fire-hobby-interest is not covered let me know and it will be in the 1955 book if at all possible".

"There are at least 2 million of us... full time, and volunteer firemen, buffs, and associates. This first edition of the VISITING FIREMAN will reach only a few of you but in the years to come, it is my hope that it will be a link of friendship between men with fire interests; that the VISITING FIREMAN will develop our fraternity and will be of value to you personally, in your firematic pursuits".

From this humble beginning the book has grown over the last 53 years and goes to more than 20 different countries, worldwide. LuAnn and I would like you to be part of the VISITING FIREMAN and to share in the fellowship of our fire buffing fraternity. Thanks for stopping by and we hope to see you in the 53rd Edition of the VISITING FIREMAN in 2007.

Who participates in the VISITING FIREMAN? As mentioned earlier, the VISITING FIREMAN consists of a great diversity of individuals who all share a common bond with the fire service. Among those in the book are Fire Chiefs, Chief Officers, Fire Fighters, Fire Service Support folks, Public Safety Officers, Fire Investigators, Emergency Medical Services folks, and more. Of course a number of individuals in the VISITING FIREMAN are those who have a love of the fire service and support fire fighters through their civilian status and involvement. These are individuals who preserve fire fighting history though photography, video photography, firematic collections, preservation of apparatus, and of course fire museums. Many of this world's fire museums are supported and cared for by folks who are not fire fighters, but have a strong desire to watch over the history of fire fighting.

What does it all boil down to? As in the beginning our Philosophy today is simple: Connect Fire Fighters, Fire Service Enthusiasts, and individuals who share the love of the fire service from around the world.

Promote Fire Service Camaraderie, Fire Apparatus Preservation, Fire Museums, Fire Service Photography, and Fellowship among all who share an interest in the Fire Service.

Publish articles and photographs about fires, fire apparatus, and fire service activities.

Provide a book that promotes and preserves the colorful history of the Fire Service, Fire Buffs, Enthusiasts, and Apparatus alike.
Contact Us | MS01RAC - © 2024
The VISITING FIREMAN - Burlington, Wisconsin USA