Featured Blog Posts – January 2012 Archive (5)

Every now and then, I have to remind myself that I have been blogging for a long time.

My first article went up at Firehouse.com during the early days of the MembersZone feature. Back then, you could sign up for free, but if you paid, you could get content that wasn’t available with the free membership. That first article was posted in the “Volunteer’s Corner”.

From there, I went to the IACOJ website, where I posted several blogs in the “ChiefReason” section.

The Board…

The firehouse and training grounds are very fun places to be. Lighthearted jokes and razzing are the norm - and quite honestly a very healthy behavior. Good-natured poking and prodding creates friendships, camaraderie, trust, and some of the best nicknames in the fire service. However, when good-natured fun turns to hazing, you need to step in and stop the…

We are well aware of the fact that fire behavior is heavily influenced by many factors; ventilation, construction, wind, fuel loading. The fact is that there are just as many if not more variables and factors at work on human behavior as there are in fire behavior. The ignorance begins when we watch a video and believe that those at work on the screen are in the same frame of mind as we are at our desk. Only when we consider these influences, couple them with the presented conditions can we…

I occasionally get requests for advice on problems others are having in their respective departments. The topics range from how to get away from officer elections, officers who don't train, senior firefighters who are not buying in to new ideas and how to get their departments to train more. Every situation is different and it is tough to offer much without being directly involved. So, inevitably, I offer a diplomatic thought, which I hate to do. But, we know there is always two sides…

Have you ever heard someone say on the fireground or back at the firehouse, "Man I sure was lucky on that one", I have and I thought to myself, why do they say or feel that way? Shouldn't we be saying, "Man, if it weren't for my training I wouldn't have got out of that situation". Your training is what you fall back to each and everyday. When the stuff hits the fan or you find yourself in a sticky situation, don't rely on "luck" but what you have learned throughout your career to see you…