All Blog Posts Tagged 'firefighter' (202)

This week’s “Quick Tip” is simple…GET TO AN EXTRICATION CHALLENGE!…

Compressed Natural Gas, with a name like that, it has to be bad. Right? I was recently asked to provide some information on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) transport vehicles. Now remember, LNG differs from CNG in that it is super-cooled and compressed so that its storage is in a liquid form, which…

IN EXTRICATION, NEVER SAY NEVER

This morning while working on the 50th installment of the "Quick Tip" series, I must say that I am impressed by the changes vehicle extrication has encountered over the years. On the street, new methods are being tested and put through the paces by firefighters daily. The vehicles,…

Before I worked as a firefighter, I was a trainer in both large and small health clubs.  During that time I would see a lot of people exercising consistently and with intensity but only make a limited amount of fitness progress.  Why? Because we are all creatures of habit in the gym and out.  These “snail paced progress” gym goers were all doing the same thing… exercising, not training.  And yes, their is a difference.

What is…

The First Twenty is being put to the test. 

The program is being studied in two federally funded research projects.  The first is funded by FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighter Grant’s Research and Development mechanism and is…

Disabling vehicle power (battery) is common practice when arriving at almost any auto accident. Cutting the vehicles battery is the first thing shouted with authority, when asked about procedures of first arriving units. However, what if it’s…

Podcast: Play in new window | …

You Deserve a Health and Wellness Program

Who is the most valuable asset to the fire service?  You are!  You, the firefighter, are the most valuable, most critical, and most important asset to your fire department!  This is why you follow the Phoenix Model, why scene safety is the first step at any of your EMS scenes, and why you change your strategy and/or tactics when an incident begins to move in an…

As 2015 draws to a close, it is a good time to ask yourself where you stand in terms of your personal attitude, accountability and the action you take on your own health and fitness.  As a member of the fire service, it is probably the one thing that you can improve upon on a personal level that has the most influence on every other part of your life and all of the people that are a part of it.

Your impact is more powerful than you may think.  Every day,…

Updated November 17, 2016

I hope what you’re about to read upsets you.

• Annually, on average, there are between 80-100 line-of-duty-deaths (LODD).
• Annually, on average, approximately 50% of LODDs are due to sudden cardiac events (SCE).
• Annually, there are also between 800 and 900 non-fatal yet high-impact SCEs reported. This figure is believed to be drastically underreported (Smith, 2015).…

Evolution of Health and Wellness in North Carolina’s Fire Service

North Carolina has always strived to deliver the highest quality of fire training to its emergency service family. Year after year, we remain among the top states for offering IFSAC accredited fire and rescue certification programs. The folks at the North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal (NCOSFM) have worked diligently to provide…

A “Flexible” Effort Results in Organizational Health and Fitness Success

 

In the world of firefighter functional fitness, flexibility is a primary yet often overlooked component.  Increased flexibility translates to improved performance on the fire ground and reduces the chance of injury.  There are many ways to improve flexibility; most of them have traditionally consisted of various…

How the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge Changed My Life

We all have that defining moment, the event that changed us. The moment that changed our lives, changed our paths, changed the way we view the world.  Some people have more than one.  And for some of us, we find something that continues to change and shape our lives.  For me, that discovery was the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge.

I…

Cooking in the firehouse is pretty difficult.  One of the biggest fears of every firehouse chef is not preparing enough food for the crew.  This fear usually leads to an excess of available food and larger portions around the table.  So, today I wanted to give you a quick and easy “trick” you can use to get your crew to take smaller servings.

Answer this question:  Which is the larger black circle – the left or the right?…

When it comes to vehicle rescue, you will…

If your firehouse (or house) is anything like the one I work in its full of leftover candy and sweets. Now I must admit, I like a good treat now and then but often I have a very difficult time stopping with just one.  Why?  Sugar.  Its everywhere in almost everything and too much of it can cause some serious health issues. Some foods, such as fruits and carrots, naturally contain sugar, but watch out for foods with added sugars, such as baked goods, cereals, crackers, even sauces and many…

The Definition of Insanity

Albert Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.  In the fire service we often use this definition to conveniently fit certain situations or our own agendas, especially when it comes to health and fitness.  We see it every day in many of our firehouses.  We make comments to one another; and maybe, just maybe, we express our…

In relation to EXTRICATION, are you practicing/drilling for a "A" Plan door pop on an undamaged vehicle...or are we truly preparing our crew for the "real" extrication scene? Most of the time a extrication drill consists of a vehicle and 25 responders, each holding a tool while anticipating…GO!!! While that technique works “ok” for general…

Firefighter Nutrition:

3 Quick & Easy Tips when there’s no Time to Cook

Let’s face it; as firefighters, you don’t have loads of time to spend on meal prep. Yet, there aren’t many jobs that have higher energy demands than firefighting,…

10 Ways to Achieve Better Work-Life Balance

            It seems the only way to get ahead in our profession these days is to get behind at home. I find that I am guilty of living my life in the hamster wheel of “business as usual.” Many articles and books have and are being written about finding a healthy work/life balance. It is a widespread problem that continues to elude people, especially those of us…