Featured Blog Posts – February 2011 Archive (4)

For those who don't know yet, Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment is now part of the Fire Engineering family. I am pleased to introduce myself as Associate Editor Chris Mc Loone.

It has been an…

You would have to be living in a very deep h*** not to have noticed the vicious pro vs anti-union rhetoric being slung by everyone from politicians to the old lady walking her dog down the block.This is a nasty and dirty line being drawn in the sand, and one that my state of Ohio will face shortly (if not already with SB-5).

I am not a union member,…

Recently, after a long afternoon of dull fire department paperwork, a trip to 7-11 was needed to boost the energy for the rest of the workday.  As I walked into the store I stopped and took a look at the lock on the front entry door. This quick, passing glance made me realize how I had gotten out of the habit of conducting an on-going size-up of my surroundings before they were on fire. My size-ups had grown to a different level and the tasks that I do not perform everyday had fallen off my…

Recently, Traditions Training was invited to teach a program for a fire department in a “not so urban” area of the country.  Being that most of our instructors come from busy urban or suburban fire companies, 250 calls a month or more for a particular station or individual unit is not uncommon.  With that amount of activity comes more chances to refine and polish our craft.  It also allows for more chances to utilize the “tricks of the trade” that were passed on by our senior men and our…