Jonah Smith's Page

Today in the fire service there are many different barriers that we all face everyday.  Technology, growing scope of responsibility, and life in general are challenges that each and every company officer, chief, and Administrator face when it comes to forming the fire department camaraderie of old.  We often hear the brotherhood is dead, the new generation is lazy, and on and on and on.  The fact is, we can complain (and firefighters will we know) or we can seek out new and innovative ways…

After we are dispatched to the call and speed to the scene to save the day, the most important part of the arrival of a fire apparatus besides pulling the first line and forcing the door is the size up by the first in officer and the initial actions that he/she orders. If everyone stays informed as they arrive and communication remains clear on the fireground, then the emergency will be mitigated much more efficiently. The first arriving officer or acting officer must paint…

All accross this country, in firehouses everywhere, there sits a firefighter who feels that as long as hose is on the apparatus that it is good enough.  At times, company pride isolates itself to a cool Tee-Shirt, or a waxed apparatus.  However, in the best firehouses throughout the country, tools are sharpened, hose is laid out with a reason on the apparatus, and firefighters are thinking of how they can better serve their citizens every day.

There is no better way to judge the…

Each day across America, firefighters key up radios and transmit numerous emergency and non emergency messages across the airways above us.  Without this form of communications, the fire service and many of us would be lost.  With the new technologies that have been introduced into the communications realm, firefighters have been challenged and protected better all at the same time. 

The one thing I want to bring everyone's attention to is how are your radios aliased?  I know, I know,…