Jim Mason's Page

Jim,
How have you been? My condolances to the Chicago FD on the recent firefighter death.
Tom Dunne

Hey Jim,

Welcome back, I hope you and your family are well.

Art

I've been gone a while from the site, sorry for not responding to you. I work in an industrial district that doesn't do much fire activity. We're more fire alarm experts than firefighters. All joking aside we don't do that much fire. If and when something happens in my first due it stays relatively small due to suppression systems. I am wondering if you have any thoughts or tactical issues you could expound on with large commercial buildings. Primarily large warehouse type building, some in excess of 500X500. Currently our first due attempts to find the best access to the fire area. We deploy a hose pack of 1 3/4 supplied with 2 1/2" from teh truck. The second due engine lays into us if we don't have a yard hydrant. The third engine is usually the one to supply the FDC. So we are talking about switching to all 2 1/2 for these types of buildings. We are beginning to look at different ways of doing things. Here is our thought:
The first due Engine will find the best and closest doorto the fire area. With search rope and our 2 1/2 hose packs we will attempt to find the fire. Once found we will find the closest door, man door or overhead, and have the 2nd Engine will meet us with a 2 1/2 supply line to feed our hose packs. The 2nd due will reverse lay to a hydrant and supply the line. The 3rd due will supply the FDC.
Let me know any thoughts or concerns you would have with this. This was picked up by my training Capt at FDIC and the idea was introduced to me the other day.

Look forward to the discussion thanks for your input.

Hey I heard you were going to teach a class at Duneland Fire School down here by us but it got canceled. What happened with that?

Jim, I can't get to FDIC this year, but the next one is a priority! From what I'm told they are great events.

Just read your article from last week on leadership and knowing the district. Nice work! I liked the story from your experience. I was a covering lieutenant for about a year, and although we are tiny in size compared to Chicago, I can relate to your issues!

I went to Monroe a couple of years ago and liked it. Anytime you get a chance to train with live fire conditions, it's a good thing.
I'm hoping to get to FDIC for the first time this year. Any recommendations on what classes to take? Being a new training officer, I was going to stick with training programs and officer developement classes.

Hey Jim,
The FLSTP program is newly re-developed. According to my Chief, at the Career Chief's meetings which are held I think every 2-3 months or so, Career Chief's from across the state meet to work on issues affecting the fire service in the our state. I don't know the the particulars about what occurs, but do know that my Chief has brought back and shared a lot of positive information. Recently during a conversation with my Chief he indicated that one of the bigger issues last year was the FDNY FLSTP program. Apparently the Chief in charge of training attended several of the career chief's meetings to ascertain from upstate departments what their needs were. The program was subsequently revised and updated. This is great news. Any chance I could get a copy of the new material?
Thanks,
Jim

Jim,
Thanks for the hit. I just stumbled across this community and was almost overwhelmed with the information.
As far as our first alarm, we rely on mutual aid full assignments. Our department guarantees the first in engine on duty. If were lucky, off duty response gives us another engine, truck and chief officer. With the full assignment, we get four engines, one truck, and four chief officers from neighboring communities. This usualy totals around 20 if fully staffed. We have excellent relations with these departments and they are very solid.
I am really looking at officer development as one of our next projects. Our personnel are put in leadership roles early in their career that indirectly prepare them for the officer role. State certification is required for a promotion and we have the privilege of excellent instructors from surrounding communities passing along their knowledge and experience.
Todd