Follow That Grandad!

Maybe I’m just too old, or maybe my search techniques are lacking, but I rarely find anything on TikTok that I can use for the blog. However, this one is right in my wheelhouse.

Follow my grandad’s YouTube Channel!!! Recognize any of these places? Leave a comment on the YouTube Video!

Awww…the young folks stepping in to support their elders’ hi-tech ventures. I love it. So I went to YouTube. Here’s grandad.

Doc the First Responder

Description:

My name is Don Howell. I started my journey with the fire service when I was 18 and have continued to do so to this day. I started as a volunteer for the Ellicot City Volunteer Fire Department at 18. Since then I have been a Fire Fighter, First-Aider, EVO, Medic Unit, Station Officer, District Officer and Chief of the Medical Division. Starting in 1974 to date, I have been an EMT Psychomotor Evaluator for the State of Maryland. Over the years I have collected 65,000+ photos, documents, etc. of Howard County and would like to share my photos along with my experiences. I hope you enjoy following along and would love any questions and/or requests at DoctheFirstResponder@gmail.com

Mr. Howell is a fun person to Google. And I suspect many of my readers may know of him already. A retired Battalion Chief of HCDFRS, Chief Howell was awarded the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) Leon W. Hayes for Lifetime Excellence in EMS in 2019. And here he is at the groundbreaking for the new Lisbon Fire Station in 2018.

Image: Howard County Fire and EMS

He started the YouTube account in January of 2024 and so far there are 36 episodes. You can start with Episode number 1 here. He describes himself as an unofficial historian of the Howard County Fire Department and EMS.

The TikTok account that started my search, @doc_the_first_responder, seems to have been created to point people to the YouTube account. It replicates a lot of the same material. I’d love to know who the delightful grandkid is who is trying to boost Grandad’s signal. There’s got to be a great story there.

You’d be surprised at how much of that sort of thing goes on out there on the internet.

Screenshot of Google search: Follow my grandad’s YouTube Channel!!!

Anyway, here’s your chance to get in the act: Episode 36.

Episode 36: How Good is Your Ability to Identify and Recognize Locations in Howard County?

I suspect I won’t recognize any of them as I have only been here for 25 years, but I’ll give it a shot. And, as all the good YouTubers say, “Don’t forget to Like and Subscribe.”

Someday your grandkid may be hyping your retirement hobby. Start paying it forward now.

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