July 2015 Blog Posts (58)

Simplistic as these statements are, most of the recommended tactical changes that have resulted from the fire dynamics research are ultimately related to those two general findings.  They summarize the reality of the effects of our primary fire control tactics.  Certainly, the implementation of these “rules” will be situation-specific and in no way as cut and dried as such a short list suggests, but they do represent the themes, so to speak, of how the approach to structure fire control is…

Over the last few weeks I have seen on social media and many other outlets a growing frustration for the lack of making training a priority. I share in the frustration of others when it comes to the mindset that may be out there when it comes to this. I have a very experienced Captain who I am grateful to be working alongside. He has close to, if not over 30 years of service. He has…

How many of you have had a line painted down the middle of the floor between the engine and truck?  I bet a few of you did....

Assessing Fire Department Organizational Behavior comes in many different forms. There are many professional standards, response models and certified accreditation. On a recent training trip I had the opportunity to provide an unofficial organizational assessment of a department. Assessing organizational behavior is important for instructors. You see you can learn a lot…

Who has the juice?

One of the great blessings in life is the time that we all have to quietly ponder and think. Our quiet place and time may differ but the results are the same. If you don’t have that place and time in your life, and in your work, I think it is vitally important that you find it. I hope that you will.…

Vince Lombardi once said “when you get into the end zone, act like you’ve been there before”. This applies to firefighting, meaning when you arrive on the scene of a working fire do the job you have been trained to do. Don’t act like a fool, be professional

As firefighters, most of us follow SOP’s, algorithms or protocols depending on what type of call we go on. The goal of these procedures is to provide a systematic guide to our decision making process. What if we just showed up on a fire and said “well, I feel like doing this today”. That would be unacceptable because inevitably we would miss an important component of our fire attack. We need to think about this concept every time that we step inside a gym or a weight room for a…

        Whether it’s halligans, hooks or hoses, the unfortunate truth is that too many firefighters are using inferior tools and equipment on the fireground…and this needs to stop. To most of the brothers and sisters that will take the time to read (and watch) this, this is old news; but to many of our brethren, this is the first they’re hearing of this.…

White Shirt Fitness

There are numerous “hot topics” that face leaders in the fire service right now, and it does not take much to stir up a heated debate among “brothers” around a station or on the Internet.  Firefighters are very passionate in their beliefs, and if you want to know what they think, generally all you have to do is ask them.  Bring up simple topics like vertical ventilation and smooth bore…

To Be or to Do? Your Fork In the Road

by David Rhodes

This Hump Day SOS was…

I like to pose this question to any firefighter that will take the time to listen to me. I don’t want you to answer just yet. In my previous career, prior to joining the fire service I worked as a Performance Specialist with Athletes Performance (now EXOS). I was fortunate to train some of the top professional athletes in the world and work alongside some of the best Strength and Conditioning coaches in the industry. Most of the coaches that I worked with are currently working in a…

After nearly 10 years of working with firefighters around the country, I have decided to start this forum for my fellow firefighters. My passion for reducing on and off the job injuries WHILE increasing performance in the culture of firefighting has allowed myself and a few others to develop a world class program at EXOS (Formerly Athletes' Performance). We have had the privilege of helping fire departments across the country in educating their brothers and sisters on…

This will be my first attempt to use this source to solve a problem. Please don't let it fail me.



I'm evaluating 2.5" handlines and smooth bore nozzles. A problem I have here that is unique to us is our high hydrant pressure, 150 psi plus. All of our lines are as stiff as boards due to the pressure. Gating it down works great as long as the nozzle is open but once it is closed the pressure quickly builds to 150 psi. This has always made our 1.75" tough to move and as you can imagine…

Firefighters and Divorce

Joseph Kitchen, Bath Twp. Fire Department (Lima, Ohio)

            Something I am very careful about when I teach, speak to groups, or submit articles to Fire Engineering, is that I only talk about subjects and topics which I feel that I…

At times, it can be overwhelming.  That desire to do great things, crushed hopelessly underfoot, trodden into the mud beneath an army of detractors marching against you.  Seemingly insurmountable odds and an enemy that looms over you and hurls taunts and discouragements. 

Bear with me, heathens, for we are about to delve into an Old Testament tale of victory in the face of overwhelming opposition from all sides.  It is a tale thousands of years old, but it has direct parallels…

The Sunday Preach

Is The Grass Always Greener?

After spending the last two days out of state on manicured green grass soccer fields, another parents and I began to start to compare and contrast the places we have traveled too. Some nearby, some afar... in the end, there was no place like home.

Having just weeded through a very large queue of FDIC 2016 speaker proposals, I thought I might share some tips and pearls for prospective conference speakers and presenters.  Three times or more each year, I cull through speaker proposals, grading and selecting those I believe would best serve the needs of FDIC, EMS Today (our sister magazine "JEMS" annual conference) and Pulse Check (a small New York State EMS Conference).  Some conferences limit the number of submissions, others don't. …

Every adversity you and the team you are leading will ever encounter is either a problem or an opportunity. Although one might think there are many different variables that would distinguish one from the other, there is really only one difference between the two – YOUR ATTITUDE. That’s right. Often times the difference between a problem and an opportunity has everything to do with how you look at the challenge at hand.

Opportunities exist…

Seeing a lot of students where I go to school I see a lot of my peers who have either been in the fire service for a few years or new fresh firefighters. When we all started in the fire service why did we want to be a firefighter? Was it because they have great hours? Was it because they drive the cool trucks and can spray water? Or was it because they truly care about their community and want to make a difference.  At my home department…

As America’s fire service witnesses the retirements of the baby boomers, it is critical that leadership continue to build solid winning teams.  It is important that we drill into the heart of what it takes to create a winning team in an evolving fire service.  The foundation of the future modern fire service will be based on the creation and communication of a vision and setting goals that focus on the many new talents of the younger members of this great profession and utilizing their…