All Blog Posts (3,146)

THE SUNDAY PREACH

"FEEL"

On this last installation of the look, listen, and feel approach to our search technique, we discuss how,…

Does your size-up typically look beyond the moment you arrive? With a good working fire, this may be an obvious part of a response. But what about for those responses where we arrive and believe there to be no fire? If nothing is burning, is there really anything to size-up?

While a good size-up should give us a clear picture of what we have and what we need to do to mitigate the situation, we must also consider the events that we may or may not actually see happening, as well as…

When I entered the fire service as a young man at the age of 15, I had no idea what the profession stood for...nor did I know where I would ever end up. As times have progressed, I have found myself needing to change with the times in order to adapt for the needs of training, education, and being a coach/mentor. We look at ourselves as professionals, and speak about being part of the best profession there is...which it most certainly is!

In 1995, being part of the fire service meant…

A recent Jimmy Kimmel episode poking fun at EMS response times in New York City where Uber response time averages beat out EMS may not be so funny.  In an era where consumers can locate the nearest taxi, private car or rideshare from their mobile phone, it would seem that 9-1-1 is a bit behind.  Nationally, very few of us can see the locations of our apparatus and virtually nowhere can 9-1-1 callers learn the ETA of their assigned…

Note: This article is written from a suburban perspective for suburban firefighting.

Suppression culture. The most interesting and dynamic part of the fire service in recent years, that is becoming the most debated topic within the fire service. From the concept of "hit it hard from the…

A short while back, I posted a blog called The Undeniable Truth that challenged fire departments to be courageous in…

Have We Tipped The Scales? Risk Management vs Risk Avoidance

Edited version of a fb post by my friend Chris Wessels:

Firefighter safety and how to prioritize it continues to be debated…

We have the distinct honor and pleasure to offer our Firefighter Bailout class at FDIC 2015 this year as one of the HOT classes.  We feel, like most, that we should train and drill constantly on the basics like engine company operations, search, ventilation, fire behavior, ladder work, forcible and the list goes on, to prevent the need for a firefighter to have to exit an…

During extrication courses, I commonly see students struggle with posts/pillars that are slightly larger than what can be severed with a single cut. This can be due to post thickness, width, or various trim pieces in the way. One often-overlooked method that works very well is a style of compression cut. As shown below, the post in the picture is just outside…

Does your department require you to live within the boundaries of your city, municipality or community in order for you to keep your job or to be eligible to be hired?

These rules are called RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS affecting public safety officers and certain critical staff to live in or close to the community where they work.

Generally, residency requirements have…

There is absolutely no substitute for continued training, study, and self-improvement - especially in these days of fewer and fewer fires. Experience alone is not enough - open a book, read a trade journal, or better yet, get to the drill grounds and train.

Just because you think you know, doesn't mean you know... you know?

Click link below to…

There is absolutely no substitute for continued training, study, and self-improvement - especially in these days of fewer and fewer fires. Experience alone is not enough - open a book, read a trade journal, or better yet, get to the drill grounds and train.

Just because you think you know, doesn't mean you know... you…

A fire in ventilation ductwork last week resulted in the evacuation of an automotive manufacturing plant in Michigan. Crews spent nearly two hours isolating the fire within some very large ducts used in the manufacturing process.

Ventilation ducts are used in many facilities, whether for dust extraction, material handling, or air quality management. In every case, fires within ductwork present several concerns for firefighters. Here are just a few…

• Ductwork circulates…

The fire service is filled with many great traditions, some good and some not.  One of the fun things that happens in a lot of firehouses is the "pop-flip" for a round of sodas.   Unfortunately, sodas are a huge reason we are staying unhealthy- they have a ton of chemicals and sugars that pack on extra bodyfat.  Don't believe me?  Keep reading.

Drink Diet Soda?…

A photograph is a technological wonder, a moment in time captured, frozen and recorded so that it can be viewed again and again. A viewable memory.

To me this is one of society’s most amazing accomplishments. The advent of this capability has lead to countless advances in everything known to man.

For example, movies and video. The rapid capture of many photographs then played back in series to imply movement and action.

It’s incredible to think…

Fictitious San Francisco Police Inspector Harry Callahan coined a profound statement in the 1973 movie Magnum Force. His famous quote, growled from the throat, “A man’s GOT to know his limitations” has stuck with me since the first time I heard it.

In today’s fire service we should heed the Inspectors words while engaged in our daily effort to survive and defeat the Red Devil. All members of a company…

I talk a great deal about the role of the company officers and how they influence the members of your department.  When teaching officer development we hit hard on setting and establishing expectations and ensuring that there is follow-through with those expectations.  I was recently asked about expectations for my company officers.  They aren't too different from what I expected from my crew members when I was a company officer.

This is one of those Hump Day SOS's that I still get an occasional email about. I've even seen it show up in a few folks presentations. This will make the 3rd time sending it out but sometimes things just need to be repeated for new members following the blog that might of missed it and for those who didn't quite understand it the…

Simple St. Paddy's Day message... BUCKLE UP!

Click link below to see more of Paul's work or to buy prints:

http://www.artstudioseven.com/page-LE_Prints.htm…