November 2012 Blog Posts (16)

The Fire Training Program at the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST), in partnership with the Washington County Fire Training Association (WCFTA), recently hosted a one-day class on Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) Safety for Fire Fighters at SolarWorld in Hillsboro, Oregon.  Emergency incidents involving Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) equipment are becoming more and more common in both urban and rural areas.

Videos:…

Last night I was sent the picture below.  Let me first say that this particular light is not on a fire apparatus.  We had a little bit of discussion about the labeling on Facebook and figured the topic was worth sharing.  Here’s what the label says if you can’t read it in the picture:  #1 Push black release on bottom  #2 Pull upward on flashlight.  Check out the picture and think for a moment about training.  Then scroll down for a few more thoughts.  …

It’s that time of year again when the common cold and flu begins being passed from one person to the next. Each year the common cold affects the average person two times, and can affect the fire rescue athlete even more.  The sneezing, coughing, sore throat, and runny nose leave you wanting to curl up under the bed covers. To avoid this misery, prevention is the best…

Now that I have your attention, it is time we speak about buckling up. Before your attention wanes because you think this is yet another fire service writer imploring you to wear your seatbelt, realize that I do not wish to speak of seat belts in this post. I do wholeheartedly agree with wearing a seat belt on the apparatus, but that is a subject for another day. Take a look at the photos below, and I want you to take in the stark difference between the two.…

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family - may it be a joyous and safe time! Keep less fortunate friends and loved ones in your prayers and be thankful for everything in your life.



...just beware of the canned cranberries!!

Click link below to see more of Paul's work or to order prints:…

Bleeding the Line

Many habits are formed in the academy and on the drill ground.  Some of these habits are good and some not so good.  We try to create a realistic scenario and environment as much as possible during drill.  Due to many constraints we are faced with the need to adjust what we would or should really do because “this is only a drill.”

Firefighters are taught very early on to open the bale, bleed the air and check the…

From the time the alarm sounds, stresses begin to deteriorate our abilities to function as we do normally. The alarm itself kicks off an acute physiological response which immediately reduces cognitive and physical abilities. We pile on gear which restricts our movement, retains heat, and weighs down our body. The trip to the alarm in the rig is exciting; sirens, the smoke column, and radio traffic continue to ramp up emotion. Now we arrive to find the ball is set in motion; firefighters are…

This is not the time to realize that you should have trained more on aerial ladder operations and tactics - pre-plan your response areas and train on proper placement and quick set-ups! Train, train, train...

Click link below to see more of Paul's work or to order prints:…

Has your fire department ever found it necessary to “commandeer” equipment in order to mitigate an incident?

Does your state laws allow in specific circumstances for a representative of the fire department, at the direction and command of a fire department’s ranking officer to take public control of private equipment with legal immunity should that action cause negative reverberations?

Is your fire department willing to go beyond that threshold where it becomes more important…

This photo shows a way to make an SCBA face piece for your RIT bag/kit glove friendly. You can use a garden hose or any kind of rubber tubing or hose that would be easy to grab with a gloved hand. We used a small bungee cord and ran it through the bonnet and attached both ends to the hose. This allows for easy feeling and grabbing the back of the mask with gloved hands.…

To ALL our veterans, wounded warriors, and active service members - THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!

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This editorial seems very appropriate now that the handshakes and photo-ops are over. Every politician loves a firefighter, especially during an election year!

Click link below to see more of Paul's work or to order prints:…

Working as a fitness trainer and as a career firefighter I get a lot of requests to create workouts that can be performed on duty with equipment at the firehouse.  Today my crew and I performed this intensive 30 minute interval workout.  This workout will get your heart racing, challenge your core and work your muscles.



The workout consists of three, 10 minute intervals each with a different focus.  The first 10 minutes focuses on anaerobic recovery, the second ten minutes on full…

Working as a fitness trainer and as a career firefighter I get a lot of requests to create workouts that can be performed on duty with equipment at the firehouse.  Today my crew and I performed this intensive 30 minute interval workout.  This workout will get your heart racing, challenge your core and work your muscles.



The workout consists of three, 10 minute intervals each with a different focus.  The first 10 minutes focuses on anaerobic recovery, the second ten minutes on full…