July 2019 Blog Posts (12)

Because bad things still happen. Train hard on tactics, techniques, building construction, the science of fire behavior... but be prepared as you can for when it all goes south. As Chief Jim Crawford says, "No one is coming to save us, but us!"



Look at it this way, we have health insurance even though we try to eat healthy and stay fit, we…

Ronal Regan once said, “surround yourself with great people, delegate authority and get out of the way” is easy to say but may be difficult to accomplish especially if you don’t have capable followers.

Followership is a unique skill set in all of industry and for many of the current fire service leaders, there was a point in time, quite possibly through your whole career you were an amazing follower learning,…

By Blaize, FD Hacks

Passing on history is important because “those who do not know the past are condemned to repeat it.” This is of particular relevance to us firefighters as most of…

Keeping it Functional and Keeping it Fun

With fireground training or firehouse fitness, it is critical to develop lesson plans or workouts with the goal of making them functional to the service your department provides, while more importantly keeping it…

     Social media is full of debates, discussions, and general arguments resulting in name-calling on where water should be applied from. One camp is firm in its belief that fast water from whatever location or position is the best. The other camp belittles anyone who does not immediately initiate an aggressive interior attack. This debate has been going on for decades, really, it is now just being rehashed in a different format, that being the internet.

     What often gets…

In the world of firehouse life there are a select few who have elevated the art of complaining to Mount Everest proportions. In fact, they are so skilled at whining and grumbling that they most certainly could win Gold if there was ever a Gripe Olympics! What's worse, it's remarkably easy to be pulled down into their pit of despair and backstabbing -…

No one gets where they are alone! However, you would never know this by the actions and words of some. Humility goes a long, long, way!

STAY FIRED UP, and stay humble!

______________

            There are some common fire service debates that just seem to be staples of our craft. In recent light a new one has arisen, traditional helmets versus European. While that one seems to be gaining attention, that won’t be what we discuss today. There are statements out there that say, “What goes around comes around.” and “Everything comes full circle.” This is true. If you talk to anyone that has been in their line of work for any amount of time, they’ll tell you common practices…

The Firehouse Kitchen Table: The Perfect Podium to Promote Health and Wellness

Some of the best memories and learning moments in the fire service don’t take place on the fireground or in a classroom setting; rather they take place around the table while we eat as a shift or take the time to talk over a cup of joe.

Downtime in the firehouse can often lead to complacency or at times the…

This article is dedicated to the memory and legacy of Atlantic Beach Fire Department Chief Adam Snyder. Chief Snyder was an incredible husband, father, friend, mentor, leader, and advocate for mental health. Prior to his death, he led the Eastern Division of the North Carolina Peer Support Team. He never hesitated to be there for a fellow first responder in need, and on the second Tuesday of every month, he led first responder support group meetings open to anybody in need. He was the…

For in-depth media demonstrations and explanations, please visit our social media pages and our YouTube channel. Links are found at the end of the article. 

As a modern fire service, we are constantly seeking methods and tactics to increase our service delivery model and to have better trained, better equipped firefighters and to strengthen our relationship with our citizens and business owners while effecting efficient & effective entries on calls. This…

As an officer, I put a ton of pressure on myself to be wiser, smarter, and more experienced than I was yesterday - to lead by example. Unfortunately, all this studying, training, and preparing can take up much of your free time during the course of the day and it's all too easy to say "I'll workout tomorrow." When tomorrow comes, well, you do it again.…