Paul Combs

California

Writer at Medium

Featured in: Favicon

medium.com

facebook.com Favicon

jsonline.com Favicon

allaboutjazz.com Favicon

sentinelandenterprise.com Favicon

jems.com

fireengineering.com Favicon

transcend.org Favicon

realclearhistory.com Favicon

vocal.media + 2 more

Articles

Drawn by Fire: The Big One

1 week ago | fireengineering.com | Paul Combs

Without proper guidance and preparation, promotion can feel like catching a 20-foot shark. However, mentorship, along with the required curriculum and experience, is crucial for firefighter succession and advancement, especially for promotions. Effective mentorship provides guidance, advice, and support from experienced individuals to help mentees navigate leadership pitfalls, gain tactical confidence, develop effective training skills, and make informed decisions.
The Month of May is Dedicated to Mary and So is This Rate-A-Record

1 week ago | paulcombs.medium.com | Paul Combs

I barely got it done in timeMay is celebrated as the month of Mary in the Catholic Church, so I naturally thought of doing a Rate-A-Record featuring a few of Bruce Springsteen’s songs with the name “Mary” either in the title or the lyrics.
Drawn by Fire: Heavenly Help

2 weeks ago | fireengineering.com | Paul Combs

Ex-FDNY Chief Gets Three Years in Prison for Taking Bribes to Fast-Track Safety InspectionsA former New York City Fire Department chief was sentenced to three years in prison Wednesday for accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes.
Drawn by Fire: Monday Morning QBs

3 weeks ago | fireengineering.com | Paul Combs

Just curious, how many of you can relate to my latest editorial illustration? My guess is many of you have experienced this beat-down, or have at least witnessed it firsthand. I’d love to hear your stories…To see more Drawn By Fire cartoons or to purchase prints, go to: https://paul-combs-studio-7.myshopify.com/Drawn by Fire: Domino EffectDrawn by Fire: Blockhead MentalityDrawn by Fire: Heavy ResponsibiltyDrawn by Fire: What’s in Your Trash? Drawn by Fire: Cash Cow
How My Reading Slump Was Broken By a Talking Cat

1 month ago | medium.com | Paul Combs

No, I was not drinking at the timeAt the beginning of April, I wrote about a brutal reading slump I’ve been experiencing and how reading through Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s Cemetery of Forgotten Books series again was my grand plan for ending the slump. It was a fine plan, and after a slight delay I was moving through The Shadow of the Wind at breakneck speed as I sat with my stepdad at the nursing facility.
Seven Songs from a Magical Year in Music

1 month ago | medium.com | Paul Combs

They don’t write them like this anymoreIt’s been almost a month since my last Rate-A-Record installment, something I never would have thought possible (I’ve written 115 of the damn things over the past three years, after all). I explained the reason here, but even as I wrote that piece I was sure a Rate-A-Record would follow within a day or two. I was wrong. I’ve gone back and forth for the past week trying to decide how to get back on the music-writing horse.
Show Your Local Bookseller Some Love on Independent Bookstore Day

1 month ago | paulcombs.medium.com | Paul Combs

They deserve it now more than everThis Saturday, April 26th, is Independent Bookstore Day in the United States, a day the America Booksellers Association calls a “national one-day party held the last Saturday in April that celebrates independent bookstores across the country.” Over the past several years, I have written about Independent Bookstore Day, but with a twist: I always wrote about it a week or two after the event.
Life Here in Mayberry Will Never Be the Same

1 month ago | medium.com | Paul Combs

It’s the end of an eraJust over two years ago, I began documenting my time in the wilds of East Texas in a series titled The Mayberry Chronicles. The unexpected relocation from the urban jungles of Dallas-Fort Worth to the land that time forgot was necessitated by my mom’s illness and set in stone after her passing when it became clear my octogenarian stepfather could not manage things on his own.
Drawn by Fire: Nature of the Beast

1 month ago | fireengineering.com | Paul Combs

Dealing with difficult firefighters, or “mutts,” is a challenging issue for any leader. Their bad behavior can negatively impact productivity and create a toxic environment, hindering mission fulfillment and training goals. To address this, stay calm, focus on behavior, and avoid personal attacks. Get to the root cause, which may be work-related, personal, or a combination. Actively listen without judgment, as they may need someone to understand them.
Drawn by Fire: April 2025

1 month ago | fireengineering.com | Paul Combs

Now that’s aggressive. Check out the April 2025 magazine illustration from Paul Combs.