May 2013 Blog Posts (28)

Photos I took at FDIC while reporting and climbing. - Bill

Scott, Padgett, Wes Little, Brandon Morris, Ted Horvath (left to right) Southern Pines Fire Rescue, Southern Pines, NC

Paul Rank, Mike McMonigal (Inverness Heights, MN) Rick McLay (Eagen, MN), Doug Pearson (Falmouth, VA) (left to right)…

Old post; working through the various functions and views on the FE page. - Bill

Quick grab after arrival on the scene

On the scene in Indianapolis with the first-in engine company at a working apartment fire. Video posted to YouTube by Joel Harsin, "Apartment fire with entrapment. Indianapolis Fire Department".…

What are people's thoughts on vacant/unoccupied structures? Check out Go/No Go on HeadsUpFirefighting and chime in on what you feel works for your department.

This is going to be short and to the point: Don't make training a threat in relationship to punishment.

I have heard, and have used this phrase myself, "I'll just make him/her train all day."  This in response to a firefighter that is a problem.  Negative attitudes, lack of interest, or any other behavior can be attempted  to be changed by making them train, but in wont work.  It will only make them hate training all that much more.

As an officer we need to…

I have been told that reverse lays are a thing of the past, and in suburban America for the most part, they are. With an increase in the use of LDH with storz connections, increased tank capacities, automatic aid and codes requiring hydrants, the need for many departments to utilize the reverse lay has been diminished. However, like so many tactics that have been ignored or forgotten, this is one that needs your consideration if your running with quints.



Since the…

What does the fire department do? If you ask Joe Citizen walking down the street he will reply, “they put out fires”. Yes, our original purpose and still our number 3 job is to fight fires. Years ago, I was one of the guys that moaned and groaned about running a medical call. I have even let the words “I am a fireman, not a medic” slip from my lips from time to time.

As my career has progressed over the years, I see the bigger picture now. Fire Department stands for much more than the…

A MOTIVATIONAL PHRASE IS…

One of our biggest challenges is knowing the buildings (inside and out) that we may have to run into if they are on fire.



As you can see in this photograph, there are four (4) visible, white "stars" on the wall of this two-story, end of the group row house. This, for all intents and purposes, is a tell tail sign that there was…

The Effect of Reflected Sunlight from Low-e and other Double Paned Window Glass on Vinyl Siding:

OVERVIEW

Glass in may on occasion slightly warp or deflect due to a difference in barometric pressure between the interior of the glass panes and the outside air pressure. This can create a concavity in the glass. Such a concavity is a normal response to pressure differences, does not affect the performance of the window, and…

I will start of with a brief recap of my last blog. I began with a contemplative question that challenged the value of our thoughts and trends, as they relate to risk assessment on the fireground. I opined, that we might be defaulting to a “risk avoidance” strategy because we were falling to acknowledge the other causes that make firegrounds go bad.

I then suggested that the fire service as a whole has done a poor job of offering a subjective and systematic way of assessing…

The box alarm (structural assignment) is transmitted, reporting a fire at the Home Depot. It's mid-afternoon, the building is 100% sprinklered and companies have responded to the reporting address a number of times for false calls, odors, electrical issues, fire alarms, etc. So, what are the chances that its actually on fire? How…

I know that many fire houses use white rice as a side dish. It can be quick and easy to use. Even though white rice can be simple to make it does not have many of the nutrients that our bodies so desperately need. These days when a recipe calls for rice instead of using white rice I now use brown rice. Even though it may take a little longer to prepare I believe the benefits it provides are worth it.

White rice comes from brown rice. The difference is brown rice still has its…

There are many facets of accountability on the fireground today. One of which is the tags, rings or passports that tell incident commanders which personnel are riding each apparatus on the scene. Another major one concerns personal accountability, where the company officer has a duty and…

I have heard things from pistol grips are junk, they instill bad habits, they are the devil, pistol grips are for firearms only. But in all honesty are they really that bad?

I say no, there not bad. To be honest with you I like them on my nozzles, yet I dont even use them unless its for a…

So, sometimes we need a change of pace or we've had a busy day on shift, but we still need to drill. Or, maybe your at your volunteer department and you have some guys just hanging out waiting for the next call.

 Here is a quick drill that, in many cases, will turn into a great discussion and even progress into some flowing of water or advancing of lines.

As the company officer we are tasked with drilling our company and personnel. It doesn't matter whether your…

Let's see a show of hands (metaphorically speaking) - who has a suit of armor that will protect them from almost any accident, catastrophe, or evil genius? Anyone? ...I didn't think so! However, how many of us will take on preventable risks with the same brazen carelessness and complacency as if we're wearing a cape, or a bright red titanium suit?



This is…

Heads Up Firefighting: One Size Fits All