June 2013 Blog Posts (25)

I could say many things about this cartoon and my personal experiences, but I am going to give this space up for a friend who is following the noble calling of helping firefighters save ourselves, so we may continue to save others. Sarah Gura and I found each other online, and I must say from my perspective, it was like fate stepping in to say "Hey, it's time to…

I am fortunate enough to have been enjoying a week at the beach. The weather has been great and the fishing has been wonderful. It has been a needed time to recharge the system. I even had my best friend say she would marry me on this trip. It has been a great week. It is always at the time you least expect it that an event will occur, creating an inspiration for a new post.

Today, I was relaxing in the beach house when my fiancé called to say that something was on fire a…

Are you 100% in the game, or do you rabble on the sidelines? Spectators-Heads Up Firefighting

Risk Management as we use it today refers to programs that help us evaluate what we do and how we do it. We put in to place certain control measures in order for us to operate within particular safety parameters. These parameters help to insure that we injure and kill less people while working. We use controls, the first of which is  “administrative” controls, which consists of standard operating guidelines or procedures, training requirements, safe practices, rules regulations, fire code…

Geometry, Physics and Chemistry

I really asked me when I was in high school, why the heck I would serve these materials in my life of adult. Who knew that today not only use these materials but many more, such as: math, calculus, and others to help firefighters battle the monster that the fire is.

There are some methods today to fight the fire, one of them is indirectly, That means applying in hot…

Fire Rescue Athletes (firefighters, EMTs and paramedics) must be physically ready to act. The job entails lifting heavy objects (or people), climbing up stairs, dragging hoseline, hoisting ladders, along with other physically taxing movements. It is evident that in order to effectively do our jobs we must have a strong, balanced body. Workouts and especially exercises must then match the demands of the job and prepare the body for such stress.…

"One team, one fight"

Read norms do not make us firefighters, studying the SOP does not make us better firefighters, fulfill our shift does not make us better firefighters, today to be a firefighter goes beyond all that, it is to read every day, it is to study every day, it is to return to basics and share that with our brothers from the firehouse.

I spent just over two months at Latin America and I've noticed that they have forgotten to read, they have forgotten…

Mobile Wall Breach Prop-Heads Up Firefighting...An easy to make prop for practicing wall breaching wherever you have an open door

The fire service can move at lightning fast speed one minute and other times the clock can move at a turtle’s pace. …

Making Yourself Hard to Kill, Second annual conference put on by Leadership Under Fire. October 25-26, 2013 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philly, PA. You don't want to miss this conference!

Give it rest will you? You’re not perfect.

My coworker, so to speak, Ray McCormack and I were having one of our regular discussions on all things fire and most things disturbing in the fire service and we were on the subject of internet and Facebook experts. Ray’s sharp with writing and came up with the Safety ADHPD (Attention Deficit Hyper Photography…

It’s not just drunks and drug addicts in these joints

An 8-year old Columbus boy is in critical condition after having been rescued from a vacant house fire. Columbus firefighters responded to the Hamilton Road home and saw one young boy running from the structure. Inside they found the injured boy under a sheet. He was transported to Nationwide Children’s…

We have all worked with those that just don't care, we discussed it in an earlier post.  

We exhaust ourselves to make the fire service, our fellow firefighters and us better and safer by training and mastering our craft.  

We are asked "why" continually and it is easy to think about giving up.  It would just be so easy to ensure that I know what I'm doing and leave you to your own mediocrity.

I know you just want to push me and those like me…

By: Brian Brush

In most settings window bars are more deterrent than actual fortification.  There are places where window bars and coverings can be substantially built and designed as an obstacle, for example commercial occupancies or vacant property systems.  For the…

Again...and again...and again..., if you don't repeat it, you won't be ready!

A University of Cincinnati Cancer study showed Firefighters compared to the (GP) general population are 102% more likely to develop Testicular Cancer, 53% more likely with Multiple Myeloma, 39% more likely with Skin Cancer, 32% more likely with Brain Cancer and 22% more likely to develop Stomach Cancer....

Join Tap the Box with FETC as we dedicate this show to Firefighter Cancer Awareness.... and learning how to reduce the odds of getting this dreadful disease.…

Visited a mentor of mine today after running a box alarm in Suitland, Maryland. Alva M. "Butch" Wilson III, passed away over 10 years ago. He ultimately retired as a Lieutenant with the District of Columbia Fire Department. But, will always be remembered as a legendary "Truck Driver" and fireman assigned to Truck Company No. 3 at 1018 13th Street, NW. He was hired by the D.C.F.D. after serving in the Vietnam War and was featured in the Channel 7 "Part Of Your…

A valuable report, with valuable lessons for all of us...http://headsupfirefighting.blogspot.com/2013/06/pgcfd-wind-driven-fire-report.html

Do you really know how hard your body is working on the fireground? http://headsupfirefighting.blogspot.com/2013/06/firefighter-physiological-monitoring.html