Douglas Mitchell, Jr.'s Blog (77)

The Sunday Preach:

'Everyday is your Superbowl'

"We have no such luxury of scheduling either our fires or where in the home these fires will occur. We may go to two in one day, one this week, or one in a year. Whenever a fire happens, we must be ready. For firefighters, every day is potentially game day, and we must be ready to play." (25 to Survive: Reducing Residential Injury and LODD Pg. 221.)

Tonight marks the culmination of the 2017 NFL season. Last years post…

The Sunday Preach:

...Clear, Concise and Consistent

We give much of our training on 'tactical' issues. Be it hose stretches, laddering, forcible entry, search... but when was the last class or training that you received on radio usage. Whether you are talking on the apparatus radio's to give on scene reports or on a portable radio giving a status report after taking a lap, the message has to come through clear, concise and be consistent with policy, procedure…

The Sunday Preach:

Trust your instincts...

The Sunday Preach:

It's bigger than you are...

"When you decide to become a member of any fire department, you are making a large commitment. As the often-quoted New York City Chief of Department Edward F. Croker (1899–1911) stated during his tenure, “When a man becomes a fireman his greatest act of bravery has been accomplished. What he does after that is all in the line of work.” 

The Sunday Preach: Evening Edition



"Shape up!"



"The onus for fitness is not nor should it be placed on the fire department. It falls directly on you. While it is beneficial for both the department and the firefighter to keep yourself in shape, it has to start with the individual. Department sponsored and encouraged fitness programs are great to help those persons who need that little extra boost or…

The Sunday Preach:

Know yourself, Know your enemy...

If you look yourself in the mirror and say: "I'm ok with being mediocre today,…

The greatest asset we deploy on the fireground is our people. Perception of passing time can be distorted by stressors and friction points on the fireground. How many times have you felt this?

Have you ever felt pressured by command to rush through tasks and give reports that are not fully investigated/completed. As though they have a checklist that they just want to have all the boxes ticked and the fire will go out and we can go home! We know that is not the case (at least we hope…

The Sunday Preach

Chapter 22: Ladders, Ladders, Everywhere

"Portable ladders want to be used at fires. They want to get out of their ladder racks and be used, see the light of day, be near the heat and smoke, and help you do your job more quickly and easily. They live to be thrown against residential building fires. It makes them happy. They love to be carried or dragged into place by one firefighter. They want to be placed at the level of the residential windowsill for…

"One cannot look back without also looking forward. Look back at the sacrifices we have made with gratitude, remembrance and honor... Look forward with new strength, new growth and a never wavering commitment to the future."

Sometimes I wish I could recall more of the details of that fateful day 15 years ago, and the week and months that followed... other times I am glad that I cannot. But since those days, I have looked to make myself a better man.

One thing I cannot…

The Sunday Preach:

Chapter 8: 'Get out there'

While everyone loves what is 'inside' the firehouse: the kitchen, rigs, tools, gym etc... we must get out into our first due and ensure that we continue to provide the level of protection that our citizens require and deserve. 

The Sunday Preach CHAPTER 5:

It's Really The Only Time You Have.

"Much of how quickly you deplete your air supply is predicated on your level of comfort in wearing the SCBA ensemble, your physical fitness level, and your mental status." (Pg 39)

In the not so distant past, SCBA cylinders had "work" and "exit" times that were universally accepted for the various cylinder types. Those static numbers are a thing of the past.

While there are certainly unofficial 'rules…

The Sunday Preach:

"The Introduction"

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned

to repeat it.” —George Santayana (1863–1952).

The Sunday Preach



'Student and Master'



The second section of "25 to Survive" and the program at is entitled "Mastering the Environment." A powerful section, with chapters discussing pertinent fire service topics such as: residential building construction, home and community design, stairway management, basement fires, the 360' and fire behavior.  



Attain 'mastery' in…

The Sunday Preach



What's in your basket?



Happy Easter to all our friends and followers. I can imagine that today many of you witnessed a similar scenario such as seen in the picture, of the 'overflowing basket of eggs.' 



As firefighters and fire officers we must avoid the tendency to become over reliant in the status quo and finding ourselves overly comfortable in operations that are routinely…

The Sunday Preach:

The preconnect... are you handcuffed?

Most engine companies have several preconnected attack lines and "the invention of this hoseload allows for quick racking and deploying and can greatly assist in limited staffing departments." 

The Sunday Preach:



Single... or am I?



"Legally or illegally, many of these homes have been converted to accommodate the addition of extended family or even an entire other family, effectively making them two-family homes." (Page XIV).



Many of the single…