September 2016 Blog Posts (42)

TITLES

What is in a title? A title defined by the dictionary is; a descriptive or distinctive appellation, especially one belonging to a person by right of rank, office, attainment. It’s something that can give a person power and authority or it can mean you have achieved the most elite status in a sport profession. In all instances the word title holds a lot of power!

In the fire…

When we enter the fire service we attend a lesson on fire behavior. This lesson may be taught many different ways, but the concepts are generally the same. Traditionally, this lesson is scheduled as a mere four block of the Firefighter I curriculum.

The lesson invariably covers the fire tetrahedron and basic fire behavior terminology (flashover, backdraft, rollover etc.), along with some…

Michael J.…

Sean…

Ryan…

Eric C.…

THE QUICK RACE TO THE GRAVE

Heroin....What's that mean to you or, what do you think about when hearing that word. Another overdose, more narcan, another code, another meaningless death, or another set of parents without a child again. This drug...Heroin…= Epidemic. There’s no other word to describe it. This drug has become the drug of choice in recent years to wreak the most havoc in the families of the loved ones that abuse it and are addicted…

Lowell…

I submitted this as part of my Fire Science degree program.

Building construction has had an impact on the outcomes of the firefighter’s ability to survive in a hostile fire environment. The types of construction have evolved over the years, with residential construction be built using lighter and lighter materials. Additionally, the contents of residential occupancies have changed, both in quantity, but also in the what those materials are made of. The increase in contents made of…

Top FIVE Ways to Resolve Your Own Tactical Communications Problem

(Requires NO equipment outside of what you already have)

1. Move to a window

2. Stand up (if conditions permit)

3. Orient portable radio VERTICALLY

4. Raise your portable up high (again, if conditions permit)

5. Switch to SOP/common practice-driven Simplex/Talkaround/Direct Channel

In this next installment of Our Own Worst Enemies, I tackle pride and perception.

But first, I want to make a confession. I am guilty of almost all of the behaviors I have railed against. I openly and freely admit it, and to all that I have subjected my anger to, I'm sorry. Not an excuse, but it's hard to separate the anger directed towards one's self and not have it spill over to others. When the atmosphere you're in is toxic, and there's no known PPE against it, it takes maturity…

In 1999 Andy Fredericks asked “is the fire service straying away from its core mission”? Do we place more emphasis on peripheral issues/training as opposed to bread and butter skills?  RIT training is important and needs to be a part of our training, but shouldn’t we put more effort into not getting into those situations in the first place. I know there are unforeseen circumstances that happen on the fire ground. Knowing how to fill out triage tags is a skill we should know, but do we need…

     Many fire departments throughout the nation operate with fire companies that are considerably  understaffed.  Officers assigned in these companies have the added responsibility of performing firefighting at the task level during nearly every incident.  Whether pulling ceiling, stretching a line, or chasing kinks,  the company officer needs to remember his/her primary responsibility is to ensure the safety of the members and location in which they are operating. 

     Being a…

There are all kinds of schools for management and leadership, some good, some bad and some just silly.  I made myself a promise many years ago that if I ever found myself in a leadership position in a fire department that I would be the officer that I always hoped for and was fortunate enough to get in my career.  The following is a list of attributes that I have always deemed important.



1)  A passion for the job that goes from day one until retirement.  You can’t…

I wrote this story in 2003 and first released it on September 25^th of that year; two years after the tragic death of then 19 year-old Firefighter Bradley Golden, who died in a live burn training exercise in Lairdsville, New York. I have posted it every year since then to keep a promise; to honor and to remember Brad. I do not do it to keep the emotional wounds fresh. I do it because there are so many important lessons to be gained by…

This is a paper I wrote for a college class. I hope you enjoy.

Sometimes the best way is to just keep it simple and direct!

STAY FIRED UP!