Staffing at my job.
Pride, morale, training, and response rate at the volly house.
Professional Qualifications:
Firefighter I
Firefighter II
Fire Officer I
EMT-B
Haz Mat Ops
Safety and Survival
Aerial Ops
Pumps
Class B EVOC
Trench Ops
Confined Space Ops
Weapons of Mass Dest.
Engine Co Ops
Numerous Expo's, Convention, and seminars, and thanks to all of them and all of the instructors!!!
Topics you provide training for:
In house Drills-
Truck Co Ops
Engine Co Ops
RIT/FAST
Areas of expertise:
No expert, but my strong points include
The Stretch
Portable Ladders
Size Up
Command Officer
Forcible Entry
Bio:
I started as a cadet when I was 13 yoa, at the Cowenton Volunteer Fire Co.(now known as the White Marsh Vol. Fire Co.) in Baltimore County MD, where I grew up began riding when I was 16 yoa. A few years later I would become an Engine Co. Lt(2 yr term). Through out the years I spent a short amount of time at the Rosedale, Owings Mills, and Reisterstown Vol. Co.'s all in Baltimore Co. I spent a few years at the Kentland Vol. Fire Dept. in Prince Georges Co MD. In 2005 I was hired by the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Dept, in MD, and currently assigned to Takoma Park, Engine Company 2, which is a half mile from the DC line and a half mile from the Prince Georges Co line. Up until about 18 months ago, I would call myself a truckie, but it seems I have had a change of heart. Beings that at work they moved the Ladder Co out of our house and in these 18 months, my volunteer Tower hasnt run over 300 runs, I have improved my skills, ability, and knowledge of the Engine Co. So now I just say I'm a 50/50 man.
As far as you nozzle project, 2 things I have found. Use a flow meter at the nozzle while you testing them. So you can see the desired flow and pressure at the nozzle. That way you have the exact FL for your engine and hose. Also nozzles like the strike force and automatic nozzles (my opinion) teach bad bail control and bad habits of not opening the bail all the way. Hope this helps...
Chris
Nick -
Sorry I missed your posting about going to smoothbores. Take a look at my artivcle in Fire Engineering this month "Improving your pre-connects" I have found that once someone has actually used a smoothbore on an interior attack they are very impressed. Like you we have gone to SS on our 2 1/2" lines. As for our 1 3/4" we are using the break apart design. In other words if you spin the combination tip off you have a 15/16" slug tip. It takes time but we have had several die hard fog guys see the light. You will never switch everyone and I think we need to respect that. Nor do I think we should get rid of combination nozzles all together. On my engine it is understood - SS for interior work, and combos for most outside work (car fires, wildland, trash fires etc.) Feel free to contact me by my work e-mail if you like.
firemaint@cdaid.org
Todd McKee
Apr 30, 2008
Christopher Colgan
Chris
Oct 28, 2008
Bob Shovald
Sorry I missed your posting about going to smoothbores. Take a look at my artivcle in Fire Engineering this month "Improving your pre-connects" I have found that once someone has actually used a smoothbore on an interior attack they are very impressed. Like you we have gone to SS on our 2 1/2" lines. As for our 1 3/4" we are using the break apart design. In other words if you spin the combination tip off you have a 15/16" slug tip. It takes time but we have had several die hard fog guys see the light. You will never switch everyone and I think we need to respect that. Nor do I think we should get rid of combination nozzles all together. On my engine it is understood - SS for interior work, and combos for most outside work (car fires, wildland, trash fires etc.) Feel free to contact me by my work e-mail if you like.
firemaint@cdaid.org
Nov 9, 2008