All Blog Posts (3,145)

The increase of violence against American law enforcement and firefighters has presented a new and not so innovative way to prevent damage from violent events from turning into a fatal event. The current panacea is the plethora of bullet or knife resistant vests now being issued by the various fire departments across the country. No vest is bulletproof so I will refer to them as ballistic vests for the remainder of this article.…

Way back in 2009, during a church service, my Pastor got me to thinking. He was preaching about baptism. He was explaining to us his belief that some faiths baptize at too early of an age. Now before you spout off how wrong he is, or whatever opinion you may have about baptism, or other faiths, hear me out first. I will try to relate and tie in what he had to say in terms of being a firefighter. I mean this not to be a lesson in religion as the pastor did, simply an analogy, nothing…

Many people consider mentoring as a formal program that occurs in someone else’s department. Or, maybe there is one or two people in your life that gave you advice from time to time. However, I would argue that mentoring can be formal but the most powerful transformations are developed from informal mentoring. I have been fortunate to have surrounded myself, on purpose and by luck, with tremendous mentors in my life. It should not be good enough for any of us to just go home after every…

           Today I was having some conversation with a good friend of mine and a fellow company officer. We were exchanging ideas and issues about dealing with people and how to motivate ones that don’t seem to have any motivation. We discussed different techniques, approaches and even the behavior we have to demonstrate as officers to have a positive impact on the individuals that just lack motivation. We further discussed how to make hardheaded individuals see…

"Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear."  - Thomas Jefferson



I love this quote by our third U.S. President. A man of vision, exploration, and curiosity who never stopped wondering "what if..."  Some of the most groundbreaking moments…

What are we doing to each other? We are driven to serve, use the terms brother and sister religiously, put our lives on the line for people we've never met. Yet we are terrible to one another.

The adage "That's the way it's always been." is a common reply. "We bust chops. It's a firehouse thing." "Look how we turned out." All common responses to questions about…

As we pulled out of the firehouse at 0300 hours, the dispatcher informed responding units that they were receiving numerous calls for a serious motor vehicle crash with multiple patients trapped. I relayed the information to the backseat to notify them that we would be going to work. From that point, each member begins to dig into…

It can be demoralizing to learn that something to which you had dedicated a lot of time and effort studying, practicing, and promoting has been rendered irrelevant, or at least less relevant, and I speak from personal experience.  The tactical modifications inspired by fire dynamics research that have incited the most rancor are those regarding initial water application targets and ventilation timing, with the proponents of still bypassing showing fire in favor of immediate entry, and of…

"One cannot look back without also looking forward. Look back at the sacrifices we have made with gratitude, remembrance and honor... Look forward with new strength, new growth and a never wavering commitment to the future."

Sometimes I wish I could recall more of the details of that fateful day 15 years ago, and the week and months that followed... other times I am glad that I cannot. But since those days, I have looked to make myself a better man.

One thing I cannot…

Fifteen years have gone by like a flash. About 3,000 kids were left without a parent after September 11, 2001. The babies that were born that day or shortly thereafter are now sophomores in High School. The revitalization of the city's downtown, powered by $30 billion in government and private investment, includes not just the reconstruction of the World Trade Center site, but also two new malls filled with upscale retailers, thousands of new hotel rooms and dozens of eateries. There are 29…

Would You Want You Rescuing You?

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The mother of a 13-year-old girl gave me a wake-up call several weeks ago.  After her daughter overdosed on heroin, her husband rushed home from work following a panic-stricken call.  On the way, he passed an ambulance idling on a roadway several blocks from their home.  That same ambulance later arrived to provide care but only after law enforcement appeared on scene.  I knew exactly what the ambulance was doing--staging until the scene was safe.  Trying to explain this protocol to the…

Yes, I've drawn another "wear your seat belt" cartoon! SPOILER ALERT: I will continue to draw them until we have 100% participation and everybody clicks that buckle (and that means your POV, too). So, scoff and ridicule if you wish, but I will draw my conscience and share my passion on this subject as long as there is ink in my pens.

Buckle-up, brothers…

"Happy employees’ equal happy customers. Similarly, an unhappy employee can ruin the brand experience for not just one, but numerous customers." Sir Richard Branson

How does the above quote apply to the Fire Service that we love so dearly? If you have never thought of it this way, but our bosses (the tax payers) are also our most valuable customer. If we do not treat…

WHAT’S YOUR JOB

Firefighting is a team, action oriented job. It requires well trained people who expect action and prepare accordingly. The exceptional ones who stand out and constantly improve their team, regardless of position or rank, stretch out their imaginations and they do the team things that indicate that they care, they give a hoot, they hustle, they…

The great thing about drawing cartoons is I have the ability to make people speak the truth within the frame of my work. And with the resent news about skyrocketing drug costs, this cartoon seemed appropriate... and true. I'm all for a free market, but the outrageous drug industry gorging on the sick and elderly has become an epidemic in its own right. I now deal…