All Blog Posts Tagged 'Safety' (13)

Why do we do what we do? What does it take to be a good firefighter? How can we do it better? Safer?

I was of the mindset that there were two things you needed to be a good firefighter. Number one is that you need to want to help people. Hopefully this goes without saying.  Most of our time is not spent “slaying the dragon”, it is spent providing EMS care, chasing alarms, cleaning up messes, and whatever else anybody and everybody asks of us. The second…

I recently had the honor of speaking to the NFPA Forum in Indianapolis.  The NFPA Forum is made up of three representatives from all of the major fire service organizations for the purpose of solving complex issues and moving the fire service forward.  It really is an powerful group with an awesome purpose! I sat in the morning session to listen in while I waited for my turn at the podium.  

The morning session focused on cancer presumption in the fire service.  I expect my knowledge…

Here's a quick tip on avoiding problems making a cut at the top of the B-Pillar.  The seatbelt height adjuster is another reason that you should always peel off the interior trim prior to making a cut.

The seat belt height adjuster can be found on the B-pillar and even the C-pillar depending on the type of vehicle. Much like a seat track adjuster, the…

Another year has come and gone, and we firefighters have paused to remember the brave 343 who gave their lives on that spectacularly horrific morning in Manhattan.  We re-live the nightmare by peering at images from that crisp morning, reading gut-wrenching stories from survivor families, and admiring the ceremonies, plaques, and walls of remembrance.

It is right that we do this.

And, even without the t-shirts, helmet stickers and seemingly parroted rote…

“[A] FIREFIGHTER  who is uncertain whether he can SAVE someone, or [a] FIREFIGHTER who for religious or moral reasons knows he will not ENTER A BURNING…

I do not usually post on blogs but I recently saw this Scott ad that really twisted me up. I like the reason for the ad, however Scott's lack of detail/attention is somewhat ignorant... see for yourself.

The things I noticed are:

1) Not only did Scott deface the American flag by overlaying FDNY, the flag is also "flying" the wrong direction.

2) Why is…

As reported in our nations news, five DC Fire Department members were injured yesterday in an early morning house fire.  They became trapped by a ceiling collapse shortly after making entry. The speed with which the RIC deployed and made rescues, coupled with the the IC immediately requesting a 2nd Alarm resulted in not only rapid rescue of multiple trapped firefighters, but also quick knock down of a serious fire.  

Unlike urban/metro FD's, the suburban FD may not have quite…