Dave Diehl

Profile Information:

Lives in:
Kouts, Indiana
Department:
East Chicago Fire Department
Title/rank:
Captain
Years of public service:
8 years as a volunteer, 14 years career
Agency structure:
Paid fire department
Top issues in your department:
Training
Manpower
Equipment
Professional Qualifications:
Captain: East Chicago Fire Department
OSHA Instructor
Fire Safety Consultant
Fire Instructor
Topics you provide training for:
Firefighter Survival
40 Hazardous Material
Confine Space Rescue
Industrial Rescue
Spatial Orientation as it relates to disorientation in structure fires.
Strategy and Tactics for the recovery of lost caught or trapped firefighters.
Areas of expertise:
Emergency Response
Firefighter Fatality and Survival Research
OSHA Compliance
Bio:
Started in the fire service as a reserve firefighter in Oxnard California in 1985. Started teaching OSHA Compliance to the Fire Service and General Industry in 1992, currently a part time instructor for Safety Training Services in Hammond Indiana. Hired by the East Chicago Fire Department in 1995 and currently serve as an Engine Company Captain. Six years experience as a Fire Safety Consultant. Developed the Advanced Training Simulartor for Firefighter Survival Awareness and have extensively researched firefighter fatalities.

Comment Wall:

  • Stacy White

    I appreciate your thoughts and comments to my blog post. Here is what I replied back to ya!

    You make an excellent point. It is easy to assume that the only things related to response safety are those things that we do routinely when stepping into an Engine [fastening seat belts, driving responsibly, etc]. As you said, many things can change the dynamics of the run based on other things that are or are not happening, all of which can either decrease or increase the stress while enroute. It is also important to note that often we sometimes forget that the run starts not when the bell sounds, but also well before hand [incident pre-plans, training, etc], which can also lower the tension and stress. It is easy to get "caught-up" in the moment and let adrenaline take control, when this happens decisions are sometimes made without proper "think-thru." I think that this just emphasizes why it is so important to include training on incident response as a part of our yearly training.

    Mar 12, 2008