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All Blog Posts (3,147)

My Decision....

So as you know from my last posting that I have taken a break from firefighting. Well after I have my surgery on December 1st and recover from rehab and such I have decided to return to the department. At the age of 21 I have seen a lot of things people twice my age will never imagine of seeing, but even with that, my heart is in being a firefighter. So around the summer season of 2010 I will be returning and be back where I belong and this time it's for good. It feels so good to know I will be… Continue

Added by Christian Cossey on November 6, 2009 at 6:38pm — 1 Comment

Never say Never

I usually question veteran firefighters that tell a recruit or new-be “Son! Never hit smoke with a hose stream – Only the “red-stuff”!” or “Never take your gloves off”. (For those of you who are scratching your head saying “Tommie told me to never hit smoke”! If your intent is to cool unprotected steel, like the underside of a metal deck roof you are crawling under and all you see is smoke up there – it’s OK to hit smoke! I’ll discuss the glove thing in a minute.)

You see, when we tell… Continue

Added by Skip Coleman on November 5, 2009 at 5:00pm — 7 Comments

What are a list of minimum standards do your departments have to met every year for training.

Added by David Baxter on November 2, 2009 at 6:01pm — 1 Comment

Wrong Dragon

Added by Paul Combs on November 1, 2009 at 7:30pm — 1 Comment

Going Green

Added by Paul Combs on November 1, 2009 at 7:00pm — No Comments

Recipe For Disaster

I love Halloween! It's my favorite holiday and my favorite time of year, so it only seemed appropriate to combine the "witching hour" into my latest commentary.

She really is brewing quite a disaster, and sadly, it doesn't take a witch to cook-up this poison - we do a fine job, ourselves.

Added by Paul Combs on October 31, 2009 at 6:30pm — No Comments

Suicide Awareness

Due to numerous comments, I'd like to take a moment and highlight one of my recent Fire Engineering mag illustrations.

The illustration in question tackles the topic of firefighter suicide and the fact that we can't always see the underlying problems that lead to this shattering conclusion. This topic had been eating away at me for over a year before settling on a visual commentary. In 2008, my Department went through such an ordeal… Continue

Added by Paul Combs on October 30, 2009 at 8:30pm — No Comments

Crystal Ball

Added by Paul Combs on October 22, 2009 at 6:00pm — No Comments

Taking a Shot at Public Health

As a firefighter/paramedic, I'm embarrassed over the scene being created by health care workers (including nurses, medics, and firefighters) refusing flu vaccination. The consequences are serious: they cast public doubt over the best tactic we have to prevent spread of influenza in our communities. Vaccines have slashed death rates from twenty five diseases. Get a flu shot in the fall and you are half as likely to die during winter as people who don’t. When physicians, nurses, medics,… Continue

Added by Mike McEvoy on October 22, 2009 at 10:01am — 7 Comments

It's like riding a bike

As I mentioned in my last blog about buddy breathing, 75% of what you learn (hands-on wise) is lost - forgotten, if you don't reinforce (practice) it within two weeks. There is psychological theory that states "when people are put in a stressful situation, they revert to what is "usual and customary" for them. These to "theory's" work hand in hand and ignoring them has cost a lot of us our lives.

Rick Lasky took self-rescue and firefighter rescue to new levels several years ago. With the… Continue

Added by Skip Coleman on October 20, 2009 at 4:43pm — 3 Comments

BRÁITHEREACHAS THAR GACH NÍ - Brotherhood Above All Else

BRÁITHEREACHAS THAR GACH NÍ

Key Note for October 10th 2009 – Interior Firefighters, Alaska State Firefighter's Association "Fireman’s Ball"

When people ask me about the “Brotherhood”, I often find myself at a loss for words to define it for them. Because for me, the “Brotherhood” we are speaking of is something felt very deeply, something that has taken years to mature and show itself, but which once exposed ran to full throttle, without reservation. I find that it is something… Continue

Added by Ben Fleagle on October 16, 2009 at 12:00pm — 9 Comments

Remembering September 11th. President Obama's way.

This Blog was originally posted September 14 but was deleted in the set up on the new web site. I am posting it again.

I generally let politics roll off my back. I believe I'm too ignorant about the true facts and history in general to comment. But something caught my eye (or more rightfully so - my ear) a few days back. I was listening to talk radio and the host mentioned that if you visit the White House web site… Continue

Added by Skip Coleman on October 12, 2009 at 3:34pm — 2 Comments

Buddy Breathing

I have two problems with the buddy-breathing device on SCBA’s.

1) Unless you drill on using it “often”, like once a month, in blacked out facepiece conditions, you probably won’t be able to actually do it in a real, stress-filled emergency. 75% of what you learn is forgotten within two weeks if it is not reinforced! (That’s a fact Jack!)

2) It’s (for lack of a better word) illegal to use. Not to buy (to the joy of the manufactures) but to actually use.

When I… Continue

Added by Skip Coleman on October 12, 2009 at 11:00am — 5 Comments

Firefighter website translation

Hi everyone

If you are like me and search the web for firefighting stuff. With google translater the language barier is no longer a problem. You can use google translater to translate almost any website into your language. I've used it with some pages so far, it's not perfect but it's not bad.

To try it go to http://translate.google.com/

You can use it to translate text but also to translate an entire webpage to do so just write the site's URL then select the… Continue

Added by Pascal Marchand on October 1, 2009 at 12:30pm — No Comments

Looks Like Trouble

Added by Paul Combs on September 22, 2009 at 6:30pm — No Comments

rainy day in st louis

Well, I am working out of town in St louis, mo and it is raining today. I thought I would share a little of what is going on as I watch some training minute vid's. This weekend I met a couple of Female Firefighters from Scotland. They are doing a cross country bicycle ride and happened to stop in St Louis where i am staying. I am sure they will make it to the end and on schedule as well. They were in Terre Haute this past Tuesday ,but I had no idea until I met them here. If anyone is interested… Continue

Added by mike diener on September 20, 2009 at 11:00am — 1 Comment

Where are we going?

Have folks been watching the headline lately? "Union not recognized by municipality" Union members work 5 hours of a week for free and pay 15 to 20 % more for health insurance to keep jobs" Firefighters hammered in the Press for sticking to their guns on Negotiated Contract terms, Union members agree to wage freezes with no return or re-negotiation dates set.-

What happened to the public that loved us, that grieved when we died or where injured, that came to our defence when they felt we… Continue

Added by Tim Kelahan on September 17, 2009 at 5:16pm — 2 Comments

stove hood vents

we had a serious fire and it likely started in the vent hose leading away from the vent hood above the stove. The hose was made of plastic. Is this code? Is it illegal? Has anyone heard of plastic being used? I would think the exposing temperatures would prohibit its use, especially during a stove fire. Am looking for any info or similar experience with plastic vent hose in stove hoods. If anyone has a video or burn test results of burn tests or actual fires, that would be… Continue

Added by Anthony Avillo on September 15, 2009 at 4:51pm — 5 Comments

9/11 "The American Fire Department"

This morning I was preparing to head off to the 9/11 Ceremony the FOOLS were holding at the downtown house. I was heading out with mixed emotions, wondering if what I had written out for opening remarks would be appropriate, would it be taken well? Should I re-write it? My stomach hurt. There are so many things to consider when speaking to a large group and then again, ...sometimes you need to just shoot fromt the hip.

When I was preparing my remarks I was thinking, "What more can be… Continue

Added by Ben Fleagle on September 11, 2009 at 8:19pm — 6 Comments

Post 9/11 Illnesses

My first fireengineering.com illustration has been posted as the featured commentary. This is the first of many, many illustration to come. I will be producing two illustrations per month and sincerely hope to have your feedback and comments. Whether you like the commentary, or not, it's meant to spur introspective thought and healthy conversation and debate. Let's go...

With my first post coming so close to another sobering 9/11… Continue

Added by Paul Combs on September 8, 2009 at 10:30am — No Comments

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