David Polikoff's Page

When it comes to rank there are those who think that respect comes with it. This thinking is so far from the truth it is almost laughable. We know that respect is earned and not given. I do agree that you need to respect the rank, but not always the person.  The question is, how does one earn respect? Respect is earned over a long period of time. The day you walk into the fire house be it career of volunteer you are being watched and evaluated by your actions. There are many thing you will…

You are the officer on the 2^nd due ladder truck on a commercial structure fire, and your assignment is to report to the rear and give a report. You cannot get your ladder truck physically to the rear, but you must get to the rear and give a report to command. What tools will you take and what jobs are you going to do? A good truck crew will deploy ladders to the roof, coordinate ventilation with the inside crews, and force doors.

When focusing on…

Most of us took this job because it was all we ever wanted to do. Some call it a calling, some are following in their parents footsteps. I remember when I was 7 all wanted to be was a firefighters. I remember my mom taking me to the fire house in Greenbelt MD, where my dad and grandfather volunteered.  At 4 years old my mom told me I use to try to walk the fire house dog (which was a Dalmatian named Pepper) but most of the time the dog ended up dragging me across the engine room floor. When…

When deploying hose lines it is important that the line is kink free as you move into the fire area. I am still hearing that the “low pressure nozzles make the line kink more and that it is difficult to ensure that the lines stay kink free as crews move in.” We are now running 4 people on almost all engines. This is more than enough people to run a line. We have been using low pressure nozzles for almost 12 years. Line management is a key skill that all crews (engine, truck, rescue squad and…

Recently I had the pleasure to see one of my favorite Metal bands in concert. I was amazed to hear how great they sounded. These guys have been together for 30 years and still sound like they did 30 years ago. One can imagine the life of a rock star and the toll it can take on one’s body, but through it all they were healthy and still rocking. This got me thinking about a couple of things. How did these guys sound so good after 30 years of playing music and being on the road? How were they…