All Blog Posts (1,615)

The fire service can move at lightning fast speed one minute and other times the clock can move at a turtle’s pace. …

Making Yourself Hard to Kill, Second annual conference put on by Leadership Under Fire. October 25-26, 2013 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philly, PA. You don't want to miss this conference!

Give it rest will you? You’re not perfect.

My coworker, so to speak, Ray McCormack and I were having one of our regular discussions on all things fire and most things disturbing in the fire service and we were on the subject of internet and Facebook experts. Ray’s sharp with writing and came up with the Safety ADHPD (Attention Deficit Hyper Photography…

It’s not just drunks and drug addicts in these joints

An 8-year old Columbus boy is in critical condition after having been rescued from a vacant house fire. Columbus firefighters responded to the Hamilton Road home and saw one young boy running from the structure. Inside they found the injured boy under a sheet. He was transported to Nationwide Children’s…

We have all worked with those that just don't care, we discussed it in an earlier post.  

We exhaust ourselves to make the fire service, our fellow firefighters and us better and safer by training and mastering our craft.  

We are asked "why" continually and it is easy to think about giving up.  It would just be so easy to ensure that I know what I'm doing and leave you to your own mediocrity.

I know you just want to push me and those like me…

By: Brian Brush

In most settings window bars are more deterrent than actual fortification.  There are places where window bars and coverings can be substantially built and designed as an obstacle, for example commercial occupancies or vacant property systems.  For the…

Again...and again...and again..., if you don't repeat it, you won't be ready!

A University of Cincinnati Cancer study showed Firefighters compared to the (GP) general population are 102% more likely to develop Testicular Cancer, 53% more likely with Multiple Myeloma, 39% more likely with Skin Cancer, 32% more likely with Brain Cancer and 22% more likely to develop Stomach Cancer....

Join Tap the Box with FETC as we dedicate this show to Firefighter Cancer Awareness.... and learning how to reduce the odds of getting this dreadful disease.…

It is in great sadness that we as a Brotherhood post the 39th Line Of Duty Death for 2013 from the United States Fire Administration. Fellow Brother Firefighter Tony Barker has made the ultimate sacrifice in love for his fellow man. Our sincerest condolences go out to his family, friends and our brothers & sisters of the Mountain View Volunteer Fire Department.

Tony Barker…

It is in great sadness that we as a Brotherhood post the 39th Line Of Duty Death for 2013 from the United States Fire Administration. Fellow Brother Firefighter Tony Barker has made the ultimate sacrifice in love for his fellow man. Our sincerest condolences go out to his family, friends and our brothers & sisters of the Mountain View Volunteer Fire Department.

Tony Barker…

Visited a mentor of mine today after running a box alarm in Suitland, Maryland. Alva M. "Butch" Wilson III, passed away over 10 years ago. He ultimately retired as a Lieutenant with the District of Columbia Fire Department. But, will always be remembered as a legendary "Truck Driver" and fireman assigned to Truck Company No. 3 at 1018 13th Street, NW. He was hired by the D.C.F.D. after serving in the Vietnam War and was featured in the Channel 7 "Part Of Your…

It is in great sadness that we as a Brotherhood post the 38th Line Of Duty Death for 2013 from the United States Fire Administration. Fellow Brother Firefighter & Smokejumper Luke Sheey has made the ultimate sacrifice in love for his fellow man. Our sincerest condolences go out to their families, friends and our brothers & sisters of the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region.

Luke…

A valuable report, with valuable lessons for all of us...http://headsupfirefighting.blogspot.com/2013/06/pgcfd-wind-driven-fire-report.html

Do you really know how hard your body is working on the fireground? http://headsupfirefighting.blogspot.com/2013/06/firefighter-physiological-monitoring.html

So, you want to sell real estate?  You want to pour concrete?  You want to be the next top seller in a multilevel marketing scheme?  You want to build houses? You want to sell insurance? Well, then go do it and get out of my fire serivce!…

Oh, there's always that one firefighter who must put the "fire" in firehouse chili!

Click link below to see more of Paul's work or to order prints:…

As the company officer we have an obligation to ensure that our crew stays safe. Wearing seatbelts, traffic vests, headsets on the apparatus and making sure that our PPE is worn appropriately are all important, no doubt.  But, imagine being given a map with no starting point and no idea where you are and being told to get to a destination. It would be almost impossible because we have no starting point, we…

As more and more folks in the emergency services are using various social media, we need to think about what we are doing with it.

I am a user of several different forms of social media but I have a rule. Just one rule, but an important one.

Never post anything that you will have difficulty justifying or explaining.

Thats it. No more rules have been necessary for me.

Unfortunately not everyone has such a good filter on…

By P.J. Norwood & Frank Ricci

 Politics & Tactics 

With the budget axe coming down across the country we must ensure not to cut the one position that can keep the City Hall at bay. The lessons of the past have taught us we cannot train incrementally and focus on one issue at a time.  We have seen this dangerous mentality with every leap forward,…