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Welcome to today's edition of the LEGO Fire Community Blog! We are thrilled and honored to have one of my good friends Gunnar N! I do have to apologize to him for not posting this sooner.. I honestly thought this was posted a long time, and totally forgot about this #seniormoment Anyway, big thanks to him for the reminder and the awesome pics below! LFC Blog: Welcome to the Blog Gunnar! Tell us about yourself. When and why did you start building Lego fire trucks? GN: I got into LEGO when I was really young, I’d say 6 or 7. I found the LFC around 2012-2013 and built trucks in the shadows. Probably around Late 2013, I started a YouTube channel showcasing my builds and progressively joined more sites like MOC and EmergencyBricks. I grew up in a firehouse and I think that’s what really sparked my interest in building emergency vehicles. LFC Blog: I remember that YT channel! I think I first saw your MOCs there! Who/what inspires you to build? GN: I love keeping up on the latest and greatest in the fire apparatus world. I frequent FDIC yearly and visit local departments for inspiration for a lot of my builds. Zak O. has been a big mentor to me in my growth in the LFC and is one of my best friendships that has come in my time here. He had a large array of rural apparatus and comes from a similar rural firefighting background, so I think that is what drew me to taking notes from his builds. We frequently swap ideas and get together when he visits home.  Willowbrook Tower 10: Pierce Arrow XT Ascendent LFC Blog: Zak O certainly is a legend, and it's great that you draw inspiration from each other! That certainly is an underrated aspect of building with other people! What's in the name Willowbrook and why did you settle on the current color scheme? GN: My largest and main department is the City of Willowbrook Fire Department. I’ve always loved the way that the dark gray fits with the red and I think it’s my favorite scheme thus far. LFC Blog: That color scheme is very sharp! If only LEGO came out with more dark gray bricks haha! What is the most challenging rig you've ever built? GN: My most challenging was probably my Rosenbauer Avenger engine. I like funky and outlandish looking trucks, and decided to try my hand at it when it was first released. I am currently on version two of this cab design and I am currently looking to add a second Avenger to Willowbrook’s Fleet.  Brickside FPD’s OG Rosenbauer Avenger LFC Blog: The Rosenbauer Avenger certainly is a funky rig to build irl. I must say, I was most definitely inspired by your rendition! What is your most favorite rig and why? GN: That’s a tough one. I’d have to say it’s a tie between my Avenger and my Rosenbauer Raptor. My Avenger was the first and currently only attempt that I know of in the LFC, and I’m very proud of the techniques and look captured in the build. The Raptor is very uncommon rig as it utilizes a European-like aerial platform with a folding bucket while the aerial is cradled. This is another build that I have revamped multiple times to try and perfectly capture the look. LFC Blog: Rosenbauer sure comes up with unconventional apparatus! When I first saw the ad for the original Commander, my initial thought was how futuristic the cab looked! And they were right! I think that the Pierce Quantum and E-ONE Quest all were inspired by that cab. What is one Lego piece you wish were manufactured and why? GN: You of all people know that I wish they made a 5-wide windshield for my 5/6 wide commercial cab apparatus. I may catch some flak for modifying parts, but the realism is what I strive for in the end.  Willowbrook’s tanker, based off of the second due tanker on Gunnar's real life department, also OG 5 wide cab. LFC Blog: Haha I am in total agreement with you there! A variety of windshields would be really nice! I'd also love to see varying angles. That will make a huge difference to help differentiate the various cabs in use today. What are your future plans for your department? GN: I’d like to finish Brickside and Bluelake Twp. In the future, but I am focused on getting Willowbrook farther along. I plan to order two engines, a snorkel squad, and possibly another ladder in the very near future. LFC Blog: That sounds awesome! Looking forward to seeing what you have in store I the future! What is the best part of the Lego Fire Community? GN: My favorite part of the LFC is the friendships you gain. I’ve met a ton of great people over the years and I can’t thank everyone for the tips, tricks, and constructive criticism over the years that have made me the builder I am today.  Gunnar's latest build: 2010 Pierce Impel PUC LFC Blog: Agreed! Knowing how I started to where I am today makes me so appreciative to all the kind folks who helped me along the way! How would you like to see the LFC grow better? GN: I would like to see people stick around and keep with the hobby. Over the years, I’ve seen some fantastic builders go to the way side and disappear, which is a little disappointing. LFC Blog: Definitely.. but I am glad to be able to catch up with a few of em through social media, even though they're totally not into LEGO anymore, though some are just lurking (*non-covid cough* You know exactly who I'm talking about). Any tips or advice for new builders? GN: Don’t be afraid to try new techniques and don’t be afraid to try something new. Sometimes getting out of your comfort zone really makes for an outstanding build. LFC Blog: For sure! Many of us who have been around for a while experiment with new bricks or techniques until we get the desired product. We may not post all the results, but the experience gained ultimately will get us what our minds can imagine! Well, I hope you enjoyed the interview! Stay tuned for more blog content in the future! Until then, keep on bricking!
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Welcome back to the latest edition of the LEGO Fire Community Blog where we interview outstanding builders and their MOCs! We appreciate your support throughout the years and are constantly amazed by your reception and desire to see the blog grow! Yes, we have been on a sort of hiatus for a while now, but I assure you that we are all still around in some capacity, though not as active as we'd like (for all you teens and younger, that really means we're tied up with work/family/paying bills XD). Anyway, I'm thrilled to have one of my good friends Evan here on the blog today, and I hope you will enjoy the conversation we had, and obviously, the pictures he shared lol.  Lego Springs VFD Tower 3011, Engine 3012, Rescue 3011 LFC Blog: Welcome to the LFC Blog Evan! Tell us about yourself. When and why did you start building Lego fire trucks? EA: My name is Evan, I’m 22 years old and live in Indiana. I started building with LEGOs before I can even remember. I started with duplo, and moved to normal LEGO around 4 years old. By 5, I had built my first fire station and my first couple fire trucks. They were extremely basic and really looked nothing like fire trucks but I loved doing it! By age 7 I had created my first fire department and was starting to build multi-colored rigs that resembled real rigs more. Every Christmas from ages 7 to my early teen years, I typically got multiple Lego City sets, usually a fire set or two every year! Then after finding the LFC, my obsession really took off! LFC Blog: Pretty sure all of us had with a multi-colored rig at one point or another prior to us discovering the black hole known as Bricklink haha! Who/what inspires you to build? EA: The first two builders I can specifically remember seeing and being super inspired by were Tom D. (St. Lego Fire) and Bob K. (Lego Twp. Fire). Their rigs and stations absolutely blew me away and I wanted so badly to build like them! Then after joining Brickshelf, MocPages, and EmergencyBricks over time, I was inspired by more and more people. Nowadays I’m inspired by the fine folks I interact with nearly daily on Facebook, Instagram, and in various group messages. Lots of “old guys” from the LFC. But more than anyone, my good buddy Gunnar (East Overson Co. Fire) inspires me to build and helps me out a ton with ideas and motivation. If it weren’t for him I would’ve lost this hobby years ago.  Frankton VFD Fleet LFC Blog: Gunnar is a solid homie! I've had the pleasure of knowing him for a while now too and he's great! What's in the name Lego Springs VFD and why did you settle on the current color scheme? EA: I currently have 3 brick built departments. The first and original dept. is Lego Springs VFD, which I came up with in 2007. At the time, the movie Cars was my absolute favorite, and Radiator Springs was a neat name to me. So I figured Lego Springs sounded cool too! And the color scheme has evolved from solid red to red with a white stripe, and I’ve settled on white over red with a white stripe. The scheme is super basic and vanilla but I love the classic look and I think it lends itself well to most of my builds! The only exceptions from the scheme in the department are the airport rigs, which are solid yellow with a white stripe. The second department is Brick Tudor VFD, which I came up with probably 7 or so years ago. Not really sure where the name came from but I think it sounds kinda cool. The color scheme is extremely basic, just solid white rigs with a low red stripe. Only other real “different” thing about the BTVFD rigs is that I try to stick with strictly older rigs like a super rural dept., and I run green lights on the officer’s side of the rigs similar to Chicago/some Illinois departments because I thought it was neat! The third and final current department is Frankton VFD. Based on my real life hometown department that I grew up around. The majority of the rigs are orange, which is true to life. Our rigs were Omaha Orange until 2000, when the first red rig was purchased since 1950. After that, all our newer rigs were red. The department disbanded in 2015, and I stopped being involved after that point. LFC Blog: Your orange fleet certainly is unique one in the community and certainly drew our attention! What is the most challenging rig you've ever built? EA: In bricks, the most challenging rig to build was my tower. Just a lot more pieces and SNOT than I was used to, and the size in general presented some rigidity challenges I had to figure out! Digitally the most challenging rig I’ve built was my IRL hometown department’s Engine 32, a 1989 E-One Hurricane. It was a real learning curve building it from total scratch with only a couple reference pics of other Lego built E-One cabs. The body was a real pain, because I’m still fairly new to SNOT techniques so figuring out how to make everything work and look good was really tough. But I absolutely loved the outcome, and plan on building it in bricks eventually!  Brick Tudor VFD Engine 51 LFC Blog: SNOT is one of those things that takes a lot of time, but is definitely worth the efforts! Can't wait to see the E-ONE in bricks! What is your most favorite rig and why? EA: My favorite rig I’ve built is hands down my 4x4 regular cab top mount International 4900 pumper for my Brick Tudor department! It looks so badass and I just love the thing. I have a soft spot for 4900’s, 4x4 fire trucks, and top mount pumpers, so it checks all my boxes! LFC Blog: 4900s are great workhorses, and they are, as our dear friend Jessie W always says, "Dummy lit!" What is one Lego piece you wish were manufactured and why? EA: Off the top of my head, TRANS RED AND CLEAR INGOTS. We need cooler lightbars dammit! That and 3-wide roll up doors, but that’s why we’ve got Mr. Chi-City Lego Creations ;)  Lego Springs Engine 3011 in station LFC Blog: Haha Jeff certainly knows his colors and how to cut pieces :) What are your future plans for your department? EA: At the moment, nothing crazy. Got some rigs planned and built digitally but life is expensive as hell and I’ve been super busy with life and my other hobbies. Eventually I’ll get some more rigs built but I’m pretty happy with the ones I’ve got now!  Brick Tudor VFD fleet LFC Blog: No kidding! Especially with gas prices and the rumored inflation of bricks, it's definitely harder to pick which rig to buy. But I do hope we will get to see more creations from you! What is the best part of the Lego Fire Community?
EA: Hands down, the people. The friends I’ve made over the years. If it wasn’t for the LFC I wouldn’t have many of the friends I have now, who have helped me out so much and I’m forever thankful for them all! LFC Blog: Indeed! How would you like to see the LFC grow better? EA: Kick the kiddies out. Okay just kidding, they’re inevitable. But in reality, folks just need to respect other’s builds, constructive criticism goes a long way but I see a lot of misdirected or poorly worded “criticism” that are just insults, or not helpful at all. If someone has a build or a method you don’t like, remember, you don’t have to say anything at all! Let people do what they please, and what makes them happy. LFC Blog: HA! Yes, I agree with your sentiments! There's a lot of disrespect happening today, and sadly has caused some great builders to leave building altogether. While the past is the past, I do believe that we can learn from other's mistakes and make a better community. Any tips or advice for new builders? EA: KEEP BUILDING. DO NOT GIVE UP. It can be super frustrating and disheartening to see other’s builds, especially if you’re looking at them in the context that they’re “better” than yours. Just remind yourself that everyone starts somewhere. We all did. The only good ways to improve your builds are to learn from others and just keep trying. That being said, be respectful of older/accomplished builders, especially if you want any help from them. Be polite, be cordial, don’t be demanding. They don’t owe you anything. A little politeness goes a long way! LFC Blog: Well, thank you for your time Evan! I know you have a super busy schedule, so I'm really grateful for taking the time to be here today! For the rest of you reading this blog, again, we want to express our deepest gratitude for sticking with us all these years, and we hope to get more posts up in the future! If you have questions, concerns, or even recommendations for future posts, message one of the admins (Mike, MM, Jeff, or use the contact tab), and we will do our best to reply as soon as possible! Welcome to today's edition of the Lego Fire Community Blog! I'm Michael, and today, we have the privilege and honor to interview one of my good friends Jamie! He operates Seymour Fire Department and is also part of Studington Fire Rescue as the captain of Station 5. So with that, please welcome Jamie!
LFC Blog: Welcome Jamie! Tell us about yourself. When and why did you start building Lego fire trucks? JS: Hi! I'm Jamie, an AFOL and a real life Firefighter/Advanced EMT. I started seriously building trucks in 2015/2016ish. Prior to that I did a lot of modifications to sets. I don't know why I started, but I continue to build as an outlet from life. There's nothing better than turning up some music and breaking out the Lego bins. LFC Blog: I also find building is great way to unwind and forget about life for a moment lol! Who/what inspires you to build? JS: James K, Jeff Braun, CC, Michael and a whole lot of others inspire me. I like to challenge myself; I will take a picture of a rig from online, figure out proportions and build from there. LFC Blog: Honored to be in that list lol! What I really like is seeing different takes on the same rig! Goes to show that there is more than one way to make a rig! What's in the name Seymour Fire and why did you settle on the current color scheme? JS: Seymour is my last name, so that was my inspiration there, haha. As for the color scheme, I wanted to stick with a modern, simple scheme with unpainted roll ups. Fun fact, I hate rollups in real life, but love them on Lego rigs. LFC Blog: I figured that's where the name came from! I didn't know you hated roll-ups! Maybe I can convince you otherwise haha! What is your most favorite rig and why? JS: Currently Engine 3 or Tac 1 would be my favorite rig built currently. Engine 3 is the first truck I've recently built with external ladders and I love the looks of it. Tac 1 was just a cool, limited piece build that still looks good. LFC Blog: I absolutely love Tac 1! It's the perfect size for an SOC company! What is one Lego piece you wish were manufactured and why? JS: A 2x1 with horizontal clip for Mars lights and probably a multitude of other applications. LFC Blog: I actually never thought of that! That would indeed be a game changer for other SNOT applications lol! What are your future plans for your department? JS: At this point, I don't have any for Seymour Fire other than "scheduled" replacements, starting with Engine 2. I do have some preliminary plans to start a side department or two... LFC Blog: That's where I'm at too! Scheduled replacements is a lot harder and more expensive than I could've imagined! One of us just needs to win the lottery and share the wealth lol! What is the best part of the Lego Fire Community? JS: Much like the fire service, the brother/sisterhood. I've gotten to know a lot of great and smart people who I truly consider friends. LFC Blog: I just find it awesome that a bunch of us have similar interests which later led to us becoming good friends! How would you like to see the LFC grow better? JS: I think this blog and Q&As are amazing first steps to bettering the community. I honestly don't know what the next steps would be to bettering it, but I want to see even more unity and more cooperation between departments/builders. LFC Blog: Appreciate the support man! Honestly, I never thought that this blog would become what is today! 100% sure that none of this is possible if it weren't for the awesome folks like yourself to help me generate content for the blog! Any tips or advice for new builders? JS: Learn to take criticism, give credit where credit is due (its okay to borrow ideas), prove yourself with builds and not with arguments on Instagram or Facebook, and just build and build until YOU'RE happy. In the end, as long as you're happy with your builds and progress, the rest doesn't really matter. Continue to improve until you're happy. LFC Blog: Amen! What you think about your own MOC is sooo much more important than anyone else's because the fact is: you can't please everyone! There will always be someone who will criticize your work (both good and bad). It's up to you to pick and choose which will help you become a better builder. Well, thank you Jamie for your time! It certainly was a pleasure to speak with you, and it was long overdue too haha! To those reading this blog, thanks for your continued support! A couple things to look forward to: I am hoping to release a new special soon (Details to follow) as well as a brand new segment! I know a few of the tabs needs updating, but time is not on my side haha! Welcome to this month's edition of the LEGO Fire Community Blog! I hope you all are doing well this new year! Today, we are honored to have one of the founding members of the LMFD, Paul G with us today!
LFC Blog: Welcome to the Blog Paul! Tell us about yourself. When and why did you start building Lego fire trucks? PG: I am currently 56 years old and probably one of the oldest builders in the LFD world. I officially started my first LFD on June 5 of 2004. I was one of the founding members of the LMFD (Lego Metro Fire District) that was formed July 31 of 2005. I compiled a lot of info on the Lego fire groups and members and I guess I’m kind of a historian on that stuff. My current website is www.paulandgoogstownfire.weebly.com It is fairly current but not completely up to date. I’ve always been a fire buff since I was a kid. My uncle was a volunteer firefighter/EMT and my Grandfather helped start up Springfield Township Fire Department in New Springfield, Ohio. I became a volunteer FF myself about 10-11 years ago. My cousin’s son became a fire fighter. That’s 4 generations on my Mom’s side of the family that were/are firefighters. I happened across St. Lego and Lego Township web sites and became hooked on LFD. I got to be very close to those guys and the rest of the LMFD crew. LFC Blog: I definitely remember seeing your page back in the day! It's really awesome to see generations of firefighters that run through your family! Who/what inspires you to build? PG: I go pretty far back, so mostly the guys in LMFD such as Tom D, Mike L, Paul B and Mr. Pierce as I call Bob K. I’ve been inspired by a lot of people but those were the biggest influencers. LFC Blog: For sure, those builders left an immeasurable impact on the community, and I am personally glad to have had the opportunity to have a conversation with each of them! That has easily been one of the best experiences so far in my time here on the web. What's in the name Pauland/Googstown and why did you settle on the current color scheme? PG: I mainly have Pauland and Googstown but have and have had many others departments through the years. Pauland is named after my home town and my name and Googstown is based on my nickname and last name. My first LFD was named Hubrick after the town I lived in at the time. I chose all red to match Youngstown and Columbus Ohio rigs. I have experimented with many different color schemes through the years. I also currently have some white over red and black over red in my current fleet. You can always tell it’s one of my builds by the mudguards. I’ve always used them since the beginning and continue to this day even after a switch to Speed Champion wheels and tires a few years ago. LFC Blog: I love seeing your past rigs on your site! In an era where past creations are deleted, it is refreshing to see creations from way back when! What is the most challenging rig you've ever built? PG: Most challenging was probably my tower ladder (Tower 91) because I was trying to match the real rig as best as I could. The most challenging things I’ve done include cutting down height and width of roll up doors on my heavy rescue (R92). The heartbeat striping on my one ambulances (Medic98) was also pretty challenging. LFC Blog: Midmount tower ladders are difficult to capture in LEGO scaling. Having done several myself, I totally understand the challenge of getting the size just right! What is your most favorite rig and why? PG: My elliptical tanker (T93) because I haven’t seen too many of those done in Lego. The original design was built 7/11/10 making it my oldest rig. Its been rebuilt several times. I am also proud of my smaller pick up style rigs because you don’t see too many of those and I like my designs. My Squad 92 was built 12/4/10 and is my oldest non modified rig. LFC Blog: Certainly, elliptical tankers are pretty rare! Especially those having a chrome color sets it apart! What is one Lego piece you wish were manufactured and why? PG: Roll Up doors in various heights and widths for use on rigs LFC Blog: I most definitely agree! It would be nice if LEGO would manufacture different colors too! What are your future plans for your department? PG: I’ll keep on building as long as I enjoy it. Immediate future plans are building another tanker. LFC Blog: For sure, you should keep doing what makes you happy! I would love to see another tanker (Elliptical??) in your fleet! In the words of my good friend Jessie W, "You can never have enough tankers." What is the best part of the Lego Fire Community? PG: The friendships and idea sharing. LFC Blog: The friendships I've made over the years has molded me to be a better person for sure! We are definitely blessed to live in a day and age where ideas can be readily shared via personal messaging, or even live building through Stud.io! Any tips or advice for new builders? PG: Build quality over quantity. Its too easy to slap together rigs just for numbers. LFC Blog: I absolutely agree with you! There are way too many people nowadays who build for the sake of numbers and end up having a really basic fleet that is indistinguishable from other people's creations. Guys such as Tom D, Mike L, James K, Paulo R, Steven A, and Ralph S certainly are notable exceptions, but that's because each of their creations are distinct and stand out among the rest of the crowd. While it is undoubtedly getting more and more challenging to create a unique MOC nowadays due to the many different kinds of MOCs that people do, I firmly believe that there are boatloads of unused techniques that will enhance our builds! At this point, I'd like to once again thank Paul for having this brief conversation with us today! I also want to thank you, the reader, for your wonderful support! Here at the blog, our hope is that you would be inspired to become a better builder. So with that, keep on bricking!  Welcome to this month's edition of the LEGO Fire Community Blog, where we interview outstanding builders! We hope you had a blessed Christmas holiday! Today, we are honored to have Diego K whose creations has impacted many people, including me! You may have seen his YouTube videos/instructions back in the day and applied them to your own creations!
LFC Blog: Welcome to the Blog Diego! Tell us about yourself. When and why did you start building Lego fire trucks? DC: I am from Zurich in Switzerland, I got involved with Lego at the age of 6, there I received my first real Lego set, the 4512 Cargo Train. At the age of 13-14 I saw some videos of FDNY Rescue 1 and other Emergency vehicles and fell in love immediately. This got me involved into the fire scene and the lego fire community. My first trucks were an engine and a ladder truck based on the FDNY rigs, which at the time were really bad LOL. LFC Blog: It's great to see people all over the world who share similar hobbies and interests! Haha! I think all of us started out with janky looking rigs XD Who/what inspires you to build? DC: The American Fire Trucks are one of a kind with their shapes and sizes, so that’s what inspires me to build replicas. Of course there are some great builders who really inspire me with their epic models such as Sven J. and Christian Collins (CC). LFC Blog: Sven and CC are really awesome builders who continue to inspire many builders with their fantastic MOCs! What's in the name South Brickfalls Fire Department and why did you settle on the current color scheme? DC: I have to say that I changed my departments name multiple times in the early stages but I settled with the SBFD (South Brickfalls Fire Department) quite a few years ago now. I usually have two main colour schemes. These two schemes consist of Classic Red with white Stripe and white Cab Top and Yellow, blue Stripe and White Cab top. The last one is based of the Ventura County Fire Department which runs one of my favorite brands, the ALFs. I also do older trucks with different schemes. LFC Blog: It's a shame that ALF went out of business, but I'm glad their rigs are still being recreated in LEGO haha! What is the most challenging rig you've ever built? DC: The most challenging rig I have built is the Rescue 1 from the FDNY. As this is the first Rig I have seen and it is my favorite still to this date! I want it to look perfect, so I always work on it to make it the best it can ever be. LFC Blog: Your Rescue 1 model is a great MOC! I can definitely relate to your sentiment of working on a particular model! There always seems to be a new technique or piece that would make the MOC way better! What is your most favorite rig and why? DC: My favorite rigs are of course the Rescue 1 and my ALF Eagle with the Ventura County scheme. For me personally these are two iconic trucks which I just love. LFC Blog: It's cool to see Ventura County rigs being replicated more and more nowadays. Before, there only used to be one or two people who had departments based on VCFD! What is one Lego piece you wish were manufactured and why? DC: I would love to see 5 and 7 wide windscreens, these would definitely make a big change to the way we build the trucks. LFC Blog: For sure! I too would like to see more variety with windshields, but having said that, I do appreciate what others like Sven, David H, or Craig P have innovated using unconventional pieces for 5-wide/7-wide windshields! What are your future plans for your department? DC: Currently I’m working on putting every truck I have built on big wheels because I changed the basic cars to their current wheels and to keep the size realistic I have to change the trucks too, so I have to make some changes here and there to fit them correctly onto their new wheels. LFC Blog: Oh my! That will take some time lol! I thought changing tire sizes would be a piece of cake too, but it turns out that I need to redo the entire frame to make it work haha! What is the best part of the Lego Fire Community? DC: The Community consists of a bunch of cool guys who have very different and unique ways to design their trucks. The exchange is really big and everyone is very helpful and really cool to talk to. I really like that. LFC Blog: Amen! It is really interesting to see how people have different approaches to build a rig! Not only that, but the friendships made is even better! We are blessed to live in a day and age where we can rapidly share ideas even though we may thousands of miles away! How would you like to see the LFC grow better? DC: I really do like as it is right now as I’m part of the group chat on Instagram and I can see what everyone is up to and sometimes when I find time I can contribute in there as well 😊 LFC Blog: Agreed! It is great to chat with guys on the web, especially with those who I first met years ago on MOCpages lol! Any tips or advice for new builders? DC: I would say that it is better to have a small department with trucks that are really high detailed and awesome to look at then a huge fleet where there has to be made lots of compromises due to the lack of bricks. I myself downscaled a lot during the years and I’m happier then ever! LFC Blog: Quality over quantity any day! I mean, you can have quantity, but each build should display details that separate them from other builds as well. Thank you Diego for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us! To those reading this blog, thanks for stopping by! From all of us here at the LFC Blog, we would like to wish you a Happy New Year! May 2021 bring about new MOCs and innovations! Keep on bricking! With MOCs becoming more and more complex through the integration of techniques such as SNOT, I thought it would be interesting to see what people could come up with using a limited number of pieces. It certainly was great to see different approaches for this competition. I loved seeing the imagination used to create these miniature emergency vehicles! Before announcing the winner, here we have the entries along with their respective builders and a brief comment from the judge :)  A small "Tanklöschfahrzeug" (a tanker unit) built by Fritz G. Great usage of the curved tile to give the definitive Euro look! Also love how the wheel wells were fashioned!  This metermaid was built by Olivier O! Love the use of the 1x3 plate with 2 studs. Bonus points for not being a fire truck haha  Olivier's second entry is this jet ski. Excellent use of the hose as well as literally building this upside down!  Joshua B built this ATV. Congrats on getting this apparatus less than 50 parts! I know it was a challenge to meet the requirements, so good job!  Here, we have a horse-drawn fire engine built by cactus_man_studios. Great use of parts all over, plus the fact that you were able to get the horse too without exceeding the parts restriction is really awesome!  Luke J made this mini walk-in rescue for the competition! This MOC really reminded me of my old Matchbox Mack MR rescue!  Brickfordcityofficial also built an ATV fo the competition. Solid build! Decals are a nice touch! At this point, I would like to acknowledge all the people who submitted creations! Thank you for making this fun! You all deserve to be recognized for thinking outside the box! And now, for the moment everyone has been waiting for: The winner of the CBFD 2020 Challenge is Cactus Man Studios with his horse-drawn entry! So go and congratulate him for a job well done! Also, don't forget to congratulate the other entrants as well! LFC Blog: So Jack, please tell us a bit about yourself. How did you get into LEGO, more specifically, LEGO emergency vehicles? Jack: Hi, I’m Jack, a middle schooler from California. Ever since I was little, I was into fire trucks so of course my first LEGO set was a fire truck. It was a ladder truck, set 7239. I continued getting more LEGO fire sets as gifts but found it was more fun to modify the sets to my liking. LFC Blog:That's great! Set 7239 was one of my most favorite LEGO City sets. Who inspired you to build replica fire apparatus? Jack: I came across South Brick Falls Fire on YouTube and their builds inspired me to create my own MOCs. I have always liked Pierce fire trucks (I even had a chance to visit their plant) and it was their designs that I first tried to replicate. My first custom fire trucks were a bit rough but I have improved over the years. Not long after, I discovered City of Brick Angeles’ tutorial on a Pierce Arrow XT, which helped me get the scale and style I use today. LFC Blog: Diego K had an awesome channel back in the day! Why did you pick a horse drawn apparatus for your entry? Jack: I chose a horse drawn steam pumper because I wanted to build something unique. I had never built anything like this before so it has really inspired me to build more historical style fire trucks. LFC Blog: I was really surprised to see the horse-drawn steamer because I did not think that it was possible to make one under 50 pieces, yet here we are! What was the most challenging part about your entry? Jack: When I was researching pictures of steam pumpers, I thought it would be something I could build without a lot of pieces. Once I started I quickly realized it was a lot more complicated and part intensive. It was definitely a challenge to keep it under 50 parts and create a MOC that had a working element. LFC Blog: Absolutely! I'm glad you proved as all wrong by making a creation under 50 pieces! Thanks for participating and again, congrats on the win! To those reading this blog, thanks for your continued support and be on the lookout for more exciting content! Lastly, we want to thank Joshua B for giving us a good laugh with this miniature firetruck which only required 7 pieces!   As of November 2020, Anthony has these following rigs: (from left to right) 2.5-ton military surplus tanker, 1989 Ford C/E-One, Kenworth/Pierce pumper-tanker, Studington Squad 1, Studington Engine 1, Studington Ambulance 1, Studington Ambulance 201. We're back (sorta)! I hope everyone is doing well! It definitely has been a while since we posted any content. You can blame that on the lack of time on my end lol! Anyway, we have the privilege of having Anthony Vessella Jr. on the blog today! Some of you may recall his YouTube channel from way back when! He is currently a member of Studington Fire & Rescue as the captain of Station 1. LFC Blog: Welcome to the blog Anthony! Tell us about yourself. When and why did you start building Lego fire trucks? AV: I started building in 2009 or 2010, but I wasn’t aware of the LFC online until about 2012 when I began my YouTube channel, which was westbrickwichfire. I always had an interest in fire apparatus and I thought it would be cool to create my own department. I originally started with Matchbox trucks, but found that Legos could work just as well, and the color possibilities were practically endless. Legos gave me the most freedom to customize each rig and re-create real-life ones and modify them as I saw fit. LFC Blog: That's awesome! I remember watching some of your YouTube vids back in the day. That's pretty much why I switched from Matchbox cars to Legos! The variety available to builders is basically what attracted me to LEGO in the first place. Who/what inspires you to build? AV: I would say that my biggest form of inspiration came from Zak O. When I first started to look into custom-built fire trucks online, his seemed to be the only ones around using the fender flare pieces, which I really liked. I also really liked his trucks, the first of which was a 1990s E-One Hurricane pumper for West Brickmont. I was also drawn to his rigs because I had never seen black-over-yellow trucks before, which I thought was unique. LFC Blog: Zak definitely had an impact on most, if not all of us, in some fashion. Not only did his rigs have unique color schemes, but he also used quite a bit of novel techniques that a lot of us would utilize nowadays. What's in the name West Brickwich and why did you settle on the current color scheme? AV: Although it has been defunct for years now, the name “West Brickwich” originated from West Greenwich, Rhode Island, where I live. Since then, I’ve shifted names over to “Big River Fire Protection District”, “Twin Brook Fire Department”, and “Fish Hill Fire Company”. All of the above listed departments have local origins. Big River is actually Big River Watershed, a section of conserved land local to me, and Twin Brook and Fish Hill are both based off of local street names. The original yellow and white color scheme of West Brickwich (circa 2009-2010, prior to publishing online) was inspired by a local department, Hianloland Fire Company, which are the only yellow rigs in real life I had seen in-person at the time. The scheme then shifted to black-over-red with a black stripe, which was inspired by Fort Myers Beach Fire Department, a vacation spot that I would often visit. The schemes are currently up in the air for my planned departments, but I’d like to resurrect the two mentioned above. LFC Blog: It's really cool to see how many people base their city names based on their local cities/departments. I, for one, can't wait to see you resurrect your old departments! What is the most challenging rig you've ever built? AV: The most challenging rig I’ve ever built is an E-One 100’ rear-mount tower, which I have planned for Studington. It is currently not built in bricks. The most challenging rig I have built would be Studington Squad 1, which is a 2020 E-One Cyclone II rescue-style pumper, which utilized a decent amount of SNOT techniques on the body in order to assure that there were no gaps and all bricks were flush with one another.  Planned Studington Fire & Rescue Tower 1 – 2021 E-One Cyclone II 100’ RMA LFC Blog: The render for SFR Tower 1 looks awesome! The community definitely needs more E-ONES haha! Personally, I think it pairs well with SFR Squad 1 :) What is your most favorite rig and why? AV: My favorite rig built to-date would have to be my crew cab Kenworth/Pierce pumper-tanker. The brilliant cab is inspired by Zak O. LFC Blog: I feel there is a resurgence of commercial pumper/tankers. I blame Jessie W for that haha! What is one Lego piece you wish were manufactured and why? AV: I wouldn’t say that there is a particular Lego piece that I wish was manufactured, but I do wish that more pieces were available in the lime color, as I’ve always wanted to make a lime-colored department. LFC Blog: Amen! Lime is a fantastic color to use! I do wish lime window frames were available too! What are your future plans for your department? AV: The future plans would be to actually build in real bricks, or at least get rigs constructed in Stud.io to be ordered. It has been tough to find time to build with college and work. I have a few rigs built in real bricks, and I’d like to stripe and decal them before being published. LFC Blog: Time does seem to be our greatest enemy! If only we had a time machine.... But yea, focus first on college and work before hobbies! After all, without the first two, there is no way to fund our favorite (or second-favorite) activity haha! What is the best part of the Lego Fire Community? AV: The best part of the LFC is without a doubt the people that you meet. People from all over interact with one another and bounce ideas off of each other, and it’s great to see the wide variety of talent and growth of each builder. It is also cool to see who is local to you, with the possibility to plan meet-ups. I’ve met up with Paulo R. and I plan to meet up with James K. or Tim, as they are located in the New England area. LFC Blog: For sure! It would be cool to do some sort of meet up in the future, but I think it's best to do this after the pandemic is over. How would you like to see the LFC grow better? AV: I would like to see more young talent coming through. LFC Blog: That's for sure! There are quite a bit of young up-and-comers, and I would love to see them develop their own identity and not have rigs that look the same as other builders. Any tips or advice for new builders? AV: My biggest tip would be to remember this: quality over quantity. Another piece of advice that I can give is to reach out to the veteran builders, and ask for help. Talking to and learning from someone who inspires you can really boost your confidence and aid in the development of your building skills. LFC Blog: Quality over quantity is indeed one of the most important concepts people should focus on! Instead of literally having 100 rigs with a cookie cutter setup, it would be better to make one rig packed with many details! From adding details like grab bars, valves and controls on the pump panel, compartment frames, to even applying decals, your attention to detail will certainly not be missed! And yes, asking for help is a great way to learn! Just don't ask "hey, give me instructions for your rigs." It would be much better to ask like this, "I've been trying to build with this technique lately. Can you give me suggestions on how to improve?" The reason why I say this is that at least for most of us who have been around for a while, we discovered a lot of techniques via reverse engineering. And even the that process can take time, so for people to ask how to utilize a technique without showing any initiative on their part makes it less likely to receive quality help. Sure, we may point you in the right direction, but like we mentioned earlier, time to build is limited especially for some of us who are working, or are in school, or have family, or all of the above. That is not to say that we don't help. On the contrary, many of us toss ideas back and forth. Some projects even last more than a year before being completed! In any case, don't be afraid to ask us for help! Well, thank you Anthony for taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down with us! We wish you well in your future endeavors! For those reading this blog, thanks for your continued support! I will try my best to continue posting here on a somewhat regular basis lol! Also, for those in the US, Happy Thanksgiving! Stay tuned for more content! ~Michael  As you may have heard, we are in the midst of a pandemic. Life has been turned upside down for many of us. For some, working from home has become the norm, while others are selflessly risking their lives to help other people. Having said that, all of us from the LFC Blog would like to extend our sincerest gratitudes to our firefighters, paramedics, EMTs, nurses, physicians, veterans, and other healthcare workers who are in the midst of probably their greatest fight yet. We also would like to thank our grocery workers, restaurant owners/employees, mail/delivery people, and other personnel for doing their best to keep us moving amidst this crisis.
Like many of you, I long to have some sort of normalcy return, so I figured now would be a good time to have a brand new interview! With that, I would like to introduce Ray S, the owner of Buena Vista Fire Department. , and member of the LMFD since 2007. LFC Blog: Welcome to the blog Ray! Please tell us about yourself. When and why did you start building Lego fire trucks? R.S.: I’m from California. I got involved with Lego with my nephew. The first set I bought for him to play with was a firehouse in the late 1970’s. Fast forward to 2002, and I find myself building Lego Fire Trucks and placing them on Town and Train Layouts. Until that time, my fleet was 4-wide. I’ve upsized my fleet to be basically 6-wide (with an occasional 7- or 8-wide for special situations). LFC Blog: Ahhh another Californian haha! I remember seeing your rigs around 2005ish for the first time! It's crazy to see how things have changed over the years. Who/what inspires you to build? R.S.: My dad worked for the City of San Jose Fire Dept. I remember going to visit him often at the firehouse, so some of my builds are with him in mind. Also, there are a number of builders here on the internet that I get inspiration from for adding to my fleet. LFC Blog: I bet seeing those rigs created some awesome memories! What's in the name Buena Vista Fire Department? R.S.: Buena Vista Fire Dept is a play on words. First, it’s “Good View” in Spanish. There’s also a connection to Disneyland in that name as their studios that made a lot of the cartoons that I watched as a kid came from the Buena Vista Studios. LFC Blog: As I hail from California too, I was pretty sure Disneyland was involved somehow haha! What is the most challenging rig you've ever built? R.S.: My Tiller. I wanted the cab to match an existing Engine, so that was easy. But getting the ladder and tiller cab to blend in was a bit tricky. It may not be perfectly built to “scale,” but it looks good on the streets of Buena Vista. The challenge I eventually accepted was that it’s a bit too tall to fit in my firehouse. LFC Blog: Tillers definitely have design challenges like you mentioned. It has taken me a couple of versions to discover/create a template for my current tillers too! What is your most favorite rig and why? R.S.: My Rescue rig. It’s my interpretation so the rig from "Emergency", which I have seen in person. LFC Blog: "Emergency" was one of my favorite shows growing up! Even though I didn't understand the words sometimes, I enjoyed seeing and hearing the apparatus. What is one Lego piece you wish were manufactured and why? R.S.: A better looking ladder for aerial trucks would be great. LFC Blog: That is true! Some variety with ladder sizes and colors would be really great! What are your future plans for your department? R.S.: If I had the time, I’d expand my Rescue rig and build the Crown and Ward La France rigs that also appeared on the TV Show “Emergency” LFC Blog: Those are such iconic rigs to replicate, in my opinion! I would definitely love to see your take on a Crown as not too many people have built one. What is the best part of the Lego Fire Community? R.S.: Good group of guys, I’ve met some, displayed with some and chatted online with others that are not close by. LFC Blog: That is very true! I never thought I'd gain some awesome friends through this medium, yet here we are! How would you like to see the LFC grow better? R.S.: I enjoy seeing what everyone builds. Maybe some pics could be placed side by side, the MOC, and the real truck LFC Blog: That is a great idea! Seeing inspirations for builds can certainly aid others looking for opinions on how to improve their builds! What is your favorite scene? R.S.: My buddy and I did a wildland fire scene. We broke it up in to two parts. He did the fire area, I did the staging area. Tried to cover all aspects, including having other depts providing Mutual Aid. Some spectators that stopped by said we did a good job representing what goes on at a scene like this. LFC Blog: That is great to hear how you've done displays! Awesome way to showcase the LFC! What is the best complement you've ever received? R.S.: I used an old firehouse as inspiration for my “fire museum.” It was on display at a Lego Convention and some said they knew exactly where that fire house without even asking me what I had based my build on. LFC Blog: The fact that people knew exactly what you built shows how well you built that fire museum. I think that's what makes a great builder. Any tips or advice for new builders? R.S.: Spend what you can afford. There will always be someone with more than you have so don’t get caught up in that. Think of your dept as running a marathon and not a sprint race. My Dept is coming up on 20-years old. I’m happy with what I have built. LFC Blog: Thank you for sharing your insights Ray! For sure, quality over quantity is a great mantra to follow! To those who constantly check out the site and send me private messages, thanks for your support throughout the years! I never thought the blog would garner this much attention, so from the bottom of our hearts here at the LFC Blog, we thank you so very much! Stay healthy my friends, and we will see you in the next installment of the LFC Blog! ~Michael Welcome to this edition of the LFC Blog! I know it has been a while since the last post, but life has been super busy the past couple weeks haha! Anyway, today, we are pleased to have Xander G who has made some fascinating light up rigs! Unfortunately, I am unable to post a video on this blog, but you can most certainly view some of his rigs here! Enjoy this segment from Xan!
~Michael LFC Blog: Welcome to the Blog Xander! Tell us about yourself. When and why did you start building Lego fire trucks? XG: Hello, I am Alexander Gerakis, otherwise known by Xander. I am 19 and from Ohio. I run Fairfield Heights and Med-Tac ambulance. Currently I am enlisted in the United States Army as a 74D, a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear specialist. I started building back before I can even remember. At a very young age my dad introduced me to Lego and ever since I have been hooked and it's my favorite hobby! LFC Blog: First off, TYFYS :) Glad to hear Lego is your favorite hobby! Who/what inspires you to build? XG: So its really generic but everyone in the community inspires me. I strive to create unique rigs and keep up with everyone on designs and builds. But if I have to narrow it down I will have to say your rigs inspire me to add more and more unique charms. Tim Joseph, Cristian Collins, and a lot of the fools at Studington have inspired me. LFC Blog: Aww thanks bud! I couldn't agree more! The folks from SFR have really pushed me to become better too! What's in the name Fairfield Heights and why did you settle on the current color scheme? XG: So FHFD or Fairfield Heights originally was called Brixton back when I first started posting. But after a while I wanted something more fitting and more me. After pondering for a long while I combined a name of a town, I was an explorer at and my own flare, then BOOM! I had it. I also have Med-Tac, Myrtle Ridge, and Olivewood. Most of my color's schemes come from experimenting and finding cool colors that are unique. But FHFD is inspired off my own towns color scheme. LFC Blog: I remember the first rig I saw from you (the tiller, duh), and your techniques really impressed me! I must say that Med-Tac's color scheme is probably my favorite from you! What is the most challenging rig you've ever built? XG: So far my most challenging rig has been all three of my Med-Tac ambulances. With all the jumper plates, Led’s, and decals each requires countless man hours. But each one has its own fitting look for the company and I love each one! LFC Blog: I personally haven't done any rigs with LEDs, but I can tell how much time and effort you put into your rigs, so kudos to you, mate! What is your most favorite rig and why? XG: Now that’s a hard question. Any rig surviving now holds a special place. If I am not happy I tear it apart and brainstorm. But by far my favorite is Med-Tac 4212. My engine 311 and Med-Tac 4213 are tied for second. But 4212 is my favorite because to me it is visually perfect. It just looks so amazing along with being my first Med-Tac rig to light up. Pretty soon it will be getting an overhaul. LFC Blog: Your light-up rigs are very well done! It's very understandable why that will be your favorite! We can't wait to see the overhaul you're planning! What is one Lego piece you wish were manufactured and why? XG: I really wish for a better SCBA or a new cot. LFC Blog: There are third-party SCBAs available, but I agree with your sentiment: LEGO does need more variety with firefighting equipment. What are your future plans for your department? XG: My plans are to build another medic, another engine(maybe), and a couple more Med-Tac ambulances LFC Blog: No SFR plans :p Just kidding... I'm excited to see new innovations from you my friend! What is the best part of the Lego Fire Community? XG: All the people I have met from all over the country and world! LFC Blog: That is very true! I never thought I'd get to know people around the world who share the same passions that I have! How would you like to see the LFC grow better? XG: Experiment more with unique things. Try and figure out problems and things you want to do by putting some time with bricks and in my case led’s lately. LFC Blog: Tinkering with real bricks is actually one of the best ways to improve building skills and techniques! Even though there's only so many ways to put two bricks together, there are plenty of nuances and technical aspects that can make two similar looking builds to be vastly different in terms of how they were put together. Any tips or advice for new builders? XG: Add credit where due and enjoy the time building with people. Try something new once in a while! LFC Blog: Amen to that brother. Sadly, it seems that the whole credit issue comes up more and more over the years despite all the negative feedback from veteran builders. I think that it's up to us to be good examples for the next generation of builders. On that note, thank you Xander for taking the time to spend some time with us today! For those reading this blog, thanks for your continued support! Be on the lookout for more updates in the very near future! Welcome to today's edition of the LFC Blog! Today, we are especially privileged to have one of the founding members of the Lego Metro Fire District, the one and only Mike L aka "The Enforcer"! Enjoy the interview below!
LFC Blog: Welcome to the blog, and thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to reminisce! Tell us about yourself. When and why did you start building Lego fire trucks? ML: Hello to all the new aspiring builders out there! Some of the old timers who still lurk may remember, others, not so much. My name is Mike, and I once went by the nickname “Enforcer” as was the case. I am a 29 year old recovering Lego addict, and continue to work in the field of EMS/Rescue. Well let’s see here. I’ve been a Lego fan for as long as I can remember. I began to get serious about the prospect of building more realistic in the early 2000s. By this point in time the internet was starting to become a thing in my life and would ultimately lead to a collision course that there was no preventing. I stumbled upon the first Lego fire sites in 2001/2 and quickly began exploring my options. At this time, Bricksburg was selling 4 wide kits, and I convinced my parents to invest for me. I loved these models, but subsequently stumbled upon early six wide pioneers. There were many incredible, talented builders on the scene very early on. I remember practically worshipping the skills and designs of some of these builders. It wouldn’t be long before I began manufacturing my own six wide trucks, and the race was on. LFC Blog: Very interesting story! I never knew that Bricksburg sold 4 wide kits! Who/what inspires you to build? ML: This is a perfect segway into the next answer. Those early pioneers were my biggest inspiration. It’s funny to think how many of them I befriended from that point on. Lord knows many of them can attest to how much I bugged them looking for advice. Almost all of them are or were in the LMFD. You can basically piece together who I’m talking about. In 2002 when I came onto the scene, I was just 13 years old. Some suspected my age but I did my best to play it off or hide it. Looking back, I am happy I entered the arena when I did though. This hobby was a great gateway into my adult life profession and helped me make some lifelong friends. My inspiration has always been in the unique and functionality. I love looking at interesting apparatus and attempt to put them into bricks. One of my first truly interesting builds that helped put me on the map was a tractor drawn heavy rescue, followed up by an Amertek MACI military firetruck. To those who knew my fleet, they could see how every truck I strived for something different. Even today, once in awhile I’ll see something very different and immediate start speculating how I’d make it in bricks. LFC Blog: I most definitely remember that tractor drawn heavy rescue. Easily one of my favorites from you! What's in the name North Lereado County Fire Protection District and why did you settle on the current color scheme? ML: The department I am most famous for, is the once well regarded North Lereado County Fire Protection District (LMFD ST.14). The name is pretty hard to explain. I have no connections to the real Laredo county. It was mostly a play on words stemming from Lego. It was unique though, so it stuck. It was better than the original department name that used my last name. That had to go. As for the color scheme. Other departments use it now. Back then though, it was defining. In 2004 I was looking for other ways to differentiate my trucks from the other departments. I experimented with a lot of variations. Ultimately though, I chose a blue stripe and instantly fell in love. The blue stripe was a defining characteristic and stood out in a sea of white stripes. I further accentuated this by adding in a tiny obscure decal from the Town space sets of the early/mid 90s. This little logo has hung around ever since. LFC Blog: The blue stripe color scheme is one of the more unique patterns that I had seen at the time. I certainly miss the individuality builders had before as it was pretty easy to tell whose rig belonged to who. Today, it's very difficult to distinguish who built what. Part of me longs to see that level of creativity from of old. What is the most challenging rig you've ever built? ML: Hmmm, that’s a good question. I have to say there were several difficult builds. Some were surprisingly simple. I struggled for years with a decent SNOT design for compartments. Mastering them took time and patience. I would honestly say some of my most challenging builds have been in the digital realm. I remember a Seagrave Low-Pro cab being a challenge to design in a way that was structurally sound. I would also say, designing a Quantum cab that did not require use of cut or “custom” bricks was also extremely challenging. This was around 2008, when LDD was brand new and limited in its functionality. Nonetheless, I figured out a design that would stick around for a time. Over the years, I have continued to use LDD to push my personal envelope of design. I have generated quite literally hundreds of designs and variations, on a much larger scale and variety than just fire apparatus. I have come to greatly enjoy military designs and the challenges associated with them. I would love to build them, but unfortunately many of the parts required do not exist in the colors I would need. The cost to build them would be insane as well. Someday I may showcase them. LFC Blog: I can most definitely relate to spending a decent amount of time to improve my SNOT techniques! Military designs are challenging due to the strange shapes and colors. Kudos to you for attempting them! We hope to see those creations one day! What is your most favorite rig and why? ML: This is another difficult one to answer; I generally love all the trucks I built. Many of them are deeply special to me. Squad 1 for example, was a perennial favorite because it was one of the first true six wides I built, and continued to tweak and improve over the years. It was in general based on an older Lego Twp. design. That truck continued to be a crowd pleaser for years. More recently (my definition of recent here is quite different from what you’d expect) I’d have to say NLCFD Squad 4 is a personal favorite. It was my first Velocity, and also my first PUC. When it was built, it was a trend setter and many of today’s Velo’s and PUCs can trace their design lineage to that very truck. I can’t stress enough though, I love all my apparatus. Ones I disliked were generally scrapped until I settled on a design I could be proud of. LFC Blog: I think it's interesting that Squad 4 is one of your most favorite rigs! One of my most favorite parts about that particular apparatus is the black rims! What is one Lego piece you wish were manufactured and why? ML: Admittedly, all the parts I wished were manufactured now exist. I could have really used a number of available parts today ten years ago. If I ever return to building I’ll spend a small fortune retrofitting dozens of trucks! LFC Blog: That would be awesome! Here's to hoping that you'd come back :) What are your future plans for your department? ML: Unfortunately, this question was answered long ago. There are no plans sadly. Numerous old proposals were drafted, and parts were purchased to further boost the fleet. Sadly those plans never came to fruition, and likely never will. My time has come and gone. I continue to sit on a strategic reserve of parts in a well-guarded subterranean facility. LFC Blog: Like I said previously, we wish you'd come back, however, we are very grateful for the time you spent building rigs. And speaking of which, what is the best part of the Lego Fire Community? ML: Quite simply; friendship. I cannot begin to express the joy I have gotten out of the friendships that all started in this community. Several of whom I can comfortably call close friends, and even a best friend. Some of my longest friendships were born of this community. Many of which date back to 2002/3. AOL instant messenger was the main means of chat back then. A far cry from what is available today. I relish those times very much. The Lego Metro Fire District, once considered the platinum standard of lego fire groups; while initially created out of necessity, was created from friendship and understanding just as much. We became an incredibly tight knit group, and shared ideas, inspiration, assistance with designs, and just ‘shooting the shit’ (pardon my language). To this very day, we still keep in contact through more modern means. The activity has quieted down a great deal, but our shared interest and community continue to endure. We continue in many cases to chat on a more professional level. Many of us were very much just kids with a hobby when the LMFD was formed. Today, we speak amongst each other with years of learned knowledge and experience. I will always be grateful for what I have been able to take away from this community. LFC Blog: Most definitely! Through the unique hobby of collecting/ building Lego fire trucks, I have had the privilege of getting to know some really amazing people too! And I hope others can say the same too. How would you like to see the LFC grow better? ML: I have not kept up with the community in the least in many years. It was by pure chance that I even have gotten this far as to be participating in this unique opportunity. Once in a while through LMFD channels, things will get passed along to me; but I lack the time or true interest to participate. I also don’t want to re-enter the stage after living in the community limelight for so long like I did. There are much better builders than I setting trends and standards now. I just can’t see myself jumping back in and expecting anything less than a number of confused builders asking who the heck this guy is. I’m happy with what I did, when I did it. Sometimes it’s best to just move on. Key word is sometimes. LFC Blog: That is very understandable. Any tips or advice for new builders? ML: Never stop innovating. Keep trying to make that dream design no matter how many times you fail. Sometimes you have to walk away from a project and sit on it for a while. Eventually inspiration will come to you. I am not lying when some solutions to stalled designs came in dreams. Crazy as that may sound, they have worked. There is so much fun and opportunity associated with being a builder and designer. There is also great satisfaction in helping other builders figure things out. I always disliked simply duplicating designs or just outright asking someone else to do the work for you. Along those lines, don’t be afraid to reach out to experienced builders. Just learn that there’s a time and place, and that people have a right to their privacy. Don’t nag and don’t push them or you may very much wind up back at brick one. Lastly, I always tried to practice what I preached, and that is quality over quantity. Never forget that. Side note: thanks for letting me participate! What a trip down memory lane. LFC Blog: Well, thank you again, Mike, for sitting down with us today! We wish you all the best in your future endeavors! To those reading this blog, thanks for your continued support! Your constant words of encouragement are what really motivate me to run this blog! If you haven't yet, be sure to subscribe to our mailing list so you know when the next blog post comes out! Till next time! |
~Committed to presenting outstanding LEGO firefighting MOCs from around the world!~
Blog Updated: 06/08/22
PurposeWelcome to the Lego Fire Community Blog! Presented here are outstanding builders who captivate their audience with their MOCs (My Own Creation). The purpose of this blog is to educate others of exemplary builders both past and present. DedicationThis blog is dedicated to Eric S. McDonald, the Fire Chief of the original Lego City Fire Department who died unexpectedly on Aug. 21, 2002. His vision is what started the whole LFC, and for that we are eternally grateful. About the moderating teamChief editor - Michael P. - Founder of Castle Beach Fire Department and Los Angelego County Fire Department Archives
June 2022
DisclaimerThis website is not affiliated with The Lego Company, or any real life fire department for that matter. All builds presented here are original works by the respective builders who gave strict permission to utilize the photos on this website. None of the photos were/are kept for personal use. |
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