All Blog Posts (3,146)

Attention to detail is possibly one of the most under utilized tools in the fire service. This holds especially true when the masses begin to talk about Dragging hose, Forcing doors or Throwing ladders. The root words are pure work, not finesse. The unfortunate part is that in most cases technique, not power is the difference. In our rush to “Get’er dun” we run right past simple opportunities to make things more efficient, safer, and…

As much as it pains me to say this: I was around when the first commercial cellphone was introduced to the world in 1973-invented by Martin Cooper.

Now, the only “portability” of telephones that existed prior to that date was “car” phones. Car phones were hard-wired into your vehicle. Typically, the transceiver box was mounted in the trunk with power being connected to the ignition. The antenna was mounted at the rear of the car near the roof…

"LOOK!"

Stealing from the old CPR technique of Look, Listen, and Feel, we apply the same sequence to our search tactics starting with the why and what we are looking for:

"The dwelling’s building style lends visual clues that may assist us in our operations. Visual building landmarks (doors, stairs, window

sizes, and layouts) can assist us in identifying floor plans, living vs. storage spaces, location of stairs, and presence or absence of basements. Before we even enter…

     I have to admit that this comes as a result of not a small amount of built up frustration over many years. I’m sure many, if not all of us have sat around the fire station table and asked, or tried to answer, the question “Why does this (insert activity) even matter?”. I continue to ask myself if we have forgotten WHY we do what we do, and as a result if what we are busy doing everyday has become more important than why we set out to do it…

A little bit of buzz lately on “aggressive” interior attack. Dave Dodson, retired Battalion Chief from Colorado said “we need to be intellectually aggressive, not arbitrarily aggressive.” He recorded it on Volume 4 of the Everyone Goes Home video series. My Connecticut Compadres PJ Norwood and Frank Ricci were live last week on the “Hump Day Hangout” with Bobby Halton.…

Ah, yes, the MacGyver syndrome. Keep it light. Keep it relevant. Keep it practical. Keep It Simple... and just get the job done quickly and efficiently!

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

Instructor Driven Fires

So the status tell us that the number of fires are down 53% since the 1970’s. I don’t have any numbers on the decrease in “acquired structure” fire control classes but I can speculate that it is probably down even lower than 53%. As a…

For someone like me, it’s hard to fathom that anyone in the fire service could produce an argument against improving the health and fitness of firefighters. The statistics alone tell anyone that will listen it is the most significant barrier to reducing LODDs. Nevertheless, I understand that the issue, sadly, is more complicated than that. As I've said before – it’s…

TODAY’S COMPANY OFFICER

In today’s short-staffed and under funded fire service the demands and responsibilities of our members are many. As responsibilities go the Company Officer is the backbone of most incident operations.

The end result of any operation relies heavily on the performance of the crews operating on that incident.  Assuring proficient execution of the plays from the company playbook, or policies and procedures, is one of the Company Officers most…

 In almost every class that Traditions Training presents, we play the audio from Lancaster City, PA. of the MAYDAY by Lt. Andre Kelley of Engine 3. We use this as a training tool and to make firefighters aware of this near tragedy as it played out that fateful night. We expect all of our students to learn from the incident, study the incident and to better themselves and…

This topic is near and dear to mine and your hearts and careers–Workouts for Firefighters and Fire Rescue Athletes. Over the last couple of months I’ve been researching, talking, tweaking and writing about some of the more popular workouts seen in firehouses across the world. 

"Building Your 2,000 Year Mind"

"The United States Marine Corps have a belief in a

“5,000-year mind.” This belief is that in a trade with

over 5,000 years of documented warfare, there is no

reason why a solider should not study every day. Study

to learn about their enemy, their battleground, and…

CESSPOOL OF LEADERSHIP

I do not bring a degree in tight end, modern dance, micro management or other non fire related subjects to the leadership table.

I do most certainly encourage young people entering the Fire Service to seek out every opportunity for higher education that is job related. I also admire those, a bit senior, who sought out their fire service related college…

       When you get promoted from Firefighter to Driver/Engineer there can be a host of emotions that come over you. When you first hear the news there is a great deal of excitement. There is a rush of happiness because the results of your hard work, training, education, and hours on end of studying friction loss equations, sprinkler systems, map books, fire department…

I keep seeing articles about the downfall of volunteers, and the one recurring theme is that it's too much training and how it costs too much to train guys. Usually, they fall back on the normal excuses: “we are volunteers, so why do we need the training that metro cities need,” or “we make 100 calls a year, I don't need this training.”

If this was football I'd throw the red flag to challenge them on this.

These statements really get under my craw. You can't say in one breath…

It's only a little more than a month away and I'm starting to get excited! I'm presenting for the first time and I'm hoping to see each of you there. Mark you calenders for Thursday, April 23rd, 3:30 p.m. - Rooms 109-110, for Drawn By Fire: A Decade Of Fired Up' Toons.

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Drawn by Fire: A Decade of Fired Up 'Toons…

I recently had the privilege of interviewing for a Fire Department I greatly admire and deeply respect.  One of the main reasons that I feel so strongly about this organization, is my perception of the outstanding culture they've developed.  Perception being reality, as I have been told, got me thinking about culture, and it's importance in the Fire Service.

Culture is a subject that is…

There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. Imagine a fire service world where attorneys or judges are running your fire department.  It is an area which we call the…