All Blog Posts (3,118)

Check out this video.  Heavy fire from the top floor.  Pre-arrival and post arrival footage.  What would you do?  What do you of their tactics?  Give us the report and your RECEO VS considerations.  Surf's up!

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Thanks and Be Safe!

You can go to the many fire service-related outlets or social media sites every day and read comments left by firefighters as to why they love being firefighters.

The first book that I read on this subject was Dennis Smith’s “Firefighters”. It was a series of interviews that described in the firefighters’ own words on why they loved what they did. It was released in 1988 in hardcover.

More recently (2008), Rick Lasky released his “Pride and Ownership: A Firefighter’s Love for…

Here is a quick look at a building that offers more than one considering in regards to construction characteristics. The building in the photos is currently a resale shop. This building has been a tack shop, lawn equipment, sold boats and trailers. If you look hard at the front, it has been added onto.

The right side of the building was the original and the left was…

What would do you do for this heavily involved attached garage fire?  Does the split-level layout change your strategies/tactics?  Give us the report and your RECEO VS considerations.  Have fun!

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There is a saying that states, " With knowledge, comes power." History is an important part of that knowledge. Recently, I attended a class on the history of the fire service. And with the exception of the instructors assembled, everyone in that class had 5 or less years of experience. I represented the dinosaurs with 30+ years. A portion of that class involved us watching a…

I had some running around to do before the FOOLS meeting last week.  I suppose because I was running from place to place, I didn’t think about what I was doing, just getting things done.  I didn't really think about it until yesterday as I was writing a condolence card to the family of Captain Walter C. Sumner of the Cranesville Volunteer Fire Department in Pennsylvania. Captain…

We have all heard and been taught to do a 360 of the structure during a working fire.

There is some debate, but this is becoming common practice and there are several things to look for.

The picture is a bulk head for a basement. We have always been taught and trained to look for and create a secondary means of egress for upper floors. Well, it’s no different for basements.

When you make entry, especially if the fire has not been isolated, make sure that either you open…

Every now and then, I have to remind myself that I have been blogging for a long time.

My first article went up at Firehouse.com during the early days of the MembersZone feature. Back then, you could sign up for free, but if you paid, you could get content that wasn’t available with the free membership. That first article was posted in the “Volunteer’s Corner”.

From there, I went to the IACOJ website, where I posted several blogs in the “ChiefReason” section.

The Board…

This is a firefighter or victim rescue company drill that intimidates some, but once you break it down and train, it can be done quickly with just a few firefighters.  The scenario simulates a heavy victim inside the window where rescuers cannot lift the victim out the window.  The high-anchor point with a modified 2:1 provides extra lifting power.

The set-up can be done quickly with one firefighter if needed.  You will need an extension ladder, a life safety rope (100′ will do), and…

Hang in there, my Brothers and Sisters in the north - Spring is just around the corner!!!

www.artstudioseven.com

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Two phrases heard frequently in the Fire Service, "We will never" and "We have always", are ignorant statements and are just not true. In a profession that constantly encounters new situations, why do we speak in absolutes?

In the previous post, I discussed Training Warning Flags. The first posed question was, Does your training staff (Training Officers, Instructors, and Senior Firefighters) feel responsible for the performance of their students?

This is such an…

We have had two pumps through our shop, in 2011, that the pump housings were totally eaten away causing a failure of the pump. It first appeared to be bad water systems or operator error, however when the second showed up, we begin noticing the the intake strainers were being replaced more often that usual. Both apparatus have polytanks.

A third apparatus from 2010 that had a pump failure, had the same damage as the two new pumps. The 2010 repair, originally had a steel tank, but it…

Does anyone know of a state that requires a state ceertification for a person or company to conduct pump certification test? There are alot of departments here that are getting taken on annual service test being done by people who have never heard of NFPA 1911. Any information will be greatly appreciated. BOB

This week we've got a rippin' 2-story single family dwelling.  Share your strategies, tactics and experience! 

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The firehouse and training grounds are very fun places to be. Lighthearted jokes and razzing are the norm - and quite honestly a very healthy behavior. Good-natured poking and prodding creates friendships, camaraderie, trust, and some of the best nicknames in the fire service. However, when good-natured fun turns to hazing, you need to step in and stop the…

Yesterday was the first 24-hour period in two weeks that we didn't have a call. I'm not sure what to do with the "free time." Last week, with the flooding and storm, we had 12 calls in 36 hours. Maybe I could take up knitting. With fire-retardant yarn, of course.

We are well aware of the fact that fire behavior is heavily influenced by many factors; ventilation, construction, wind, fuel loading. The fact is that there are just as many if not more variables and factors at work on human behavior as there are in fire behavior. The ignorance begins when we watch a video and believe that those at work on the screen are in the same frame of mind as we are at our desk. Only when we consider these influences, couple them with the presented conditions can we…

Training is an issue in any department. At some levels the firefighters cannot get enough training. Whereas some, well, we know how they act. We tend to decide if a training was successful or not by getting those “other guys” to step up and train with us. Could we be missing something though? Are we capable of detecting Warning Flags in training? Do we always have control over those warnings? Let us look at some self-diagnosis.

• Does your training staff (Training Officers,…