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May 2013 Blog Posts (22)

NFFF FDIC Stair Climb 2013 (Photos)

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

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)…

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

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Added by Bill Carey on May 30, 2013 at 7:35pm — No Comments

Indianapolis Working: Helmet Cam Video, First-Due at Apartment Fire

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".…

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Added by Bill Carey on May 30, 2013 at 7:10pm — No Comments

Go/No Go

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.

Added by Dave Werner on May 29, 2013 at 10:18pm — No Comments

I"ll Make You Train!

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…

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Added by Jason Hoevelmann on May 29, 2013 at 2:50pm — No Comments

Quint Options: Do You Reverse Lay?

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…

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Added by Jason Hoevelmann on May 28, 2013 at 11:24am — No Comments

What is it that we actually do?

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…

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Added by Justin Graney on May 26, 2013 at 2:14pm — No Comments

"FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION"

 

 

A MOTIVATIONAL PHRASE IS…

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Added by Chief Anthony Kelleher on May 24, 2013 at 9:29pm — No Comments

Quint Options: Do You Reverse Lay?

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 late 1980's and… Continue

Added by Jason Hoevelmann on May 24, 2013 at 9:26pm — No Comments

THE "ALL STARS"

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…

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Added by Chief Anthony Kelleher on May 24, 2013 at 6:22pm — No Comments

Are You Smarter Then A 5th Grader?

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…

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Added by Lawrence Schultz on May 21, 2013 at 8:01pm — 1 Comment

"SPRINKLERED BUILDING, MIDDLE OF THE WORK DAY"

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…

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Added by Chief Anthony Kelleher on May 21, 2013 at 5:30pm — No Comments

WHERE ARE THEY?

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…

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Added by Richard Riley on May 20, 2013 at 12:30pm — No Comments

Are Pistol grips really that bad?

 

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…

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Added by Chris Willis on May 20, 2013 at 11:43am — No Comments

Quick Drill: Apparatus Familiarity

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…

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Added by Jason Hoevelmann on May 17, 2013 at 10:44am — No Comments

YOU ARE NOT INVINCIBLE!



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…

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Added by Paul Combs on May 17, 2013 at 10:19am — 1 Comment

Are we letting popular opinion control everything we do?

Heads Up Firefighting: One Size Fits All

Added by Dave Werner on May 17, 2013 at 9:00am — No Comments

EXCITING LIKE TOAST



Does PowerPoint make the instructor, or does the instructor make the learning experience? Don't get me wrong, PowerPoint is a wonderful tool and a great visual aid, but when you lean on technology and slides too much, the only thing being taught is that you don't know your material well enough to expand beyond the slides.



PowerPoint is a tool, and just a tool -…

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Added by Paul Combs on May 8, 2013 at 8:05am — 2 Comments

The First Due Rural Engine: Laying the Line

I recently have had a lot of suggestions and requests to post on some volunteer, rural, combination issues that the fire service faces. I started and am still a member of a mostly rural volunteer, now combination, department. My earliest exposure to the fire service was at this mostly rural department.



 We had a large majority of our fires outside of our public water area and our staffing was limited, just like it is today. Most of our trucks were single cab…

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Added by Jason Hoevelmann on May 7, 2013 at 11:17am — No Comments

Do as I say not as I do.

  

That title is so true to the fire service.

I mean let’s think about it. Probie school, we are told wear all your turnouts, how to wear them etc. Yet the same guys telling the probies this are wearing SCBA's without the waist straps on. I don’t know about you, but to me that is a double…

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Added by Chris Willis on May 6, 2013 at 12:22pm — 1 Comment

Normalization of Deviance: Fire Engineering

Check out the presentation by NASA Astronaut Mike Mullane which lead to Lance Peeple's article on the Normalization of Deviance...http://headsupfirefighting.blogspot.com/2013/05/normalization-of-deviance.html

Added by Dave Werner on May 3, 2013 at 8:47pm — No Comments

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