All Blog Posts (3,147)

It was only a drill, but I found myself hung-up, trapped by one of the tools that were supposed to keep me safe. We were performing a low profile exercise as part of a SCBA confidence course when either the glove strap and/or the radio antenna caught on something. I could not go forward or backward, my mask was pulled off and if it were REAL... I was dead; I had trapped myself!…

As the shift commander becoming self-aware of the culture that you have allowed to geminate is the hardest pill to swallow in the fire service. I was taught to be constantly aware of my surroundings at all times. As the command officer of the shift have you started to see a lack of comradery, a constant exodus to the other shifts or crew leaving the department, or only seeing your crew when the tones drop?   When was…

With the recent snowstorm that has blanketed much of the country, the fire service needs to take a look up before we commit to an interior or exterior fire operation. The type of structural materials, design and condition all play a big part on whether that snow loaded roof is going to be a problem. I recently took a few minutes to travel around the area to assess any potential snow hazards I could find. I was surprised to see that more than three quarters of the dwellings in the area had…

Pockets of Pliers: A Preferred Practice

When I first got on the job, I had the privilege of working for a Lieutenant who was the epitome of a fireman’s fireman. After catching a fire during a 24-hour tour, we were swapping out our turnout gear in an effort to curb our exposure to cancer causing…

Ground Ladders are part of the basic fundamentals that make up the initial Firefighter Training

Curriculum as identified in NFPA 1001 (Standard for Firefighter Professional Qualifications)

and have an abundance of uses and purposes in the fire service.…

The tones drop and the pagers activate, firefighters drop what they were doing and rush to get the trucks out. Unfortunately, that changes a little more year by year, fire departments across the US face multiple challenges, some are from within the structure of the fire department to include its municipal leaders or board of directors.

One of the most significant challenges faced in the fire service is recruitment and retention, it is a proven fact that the interest in…

If you have read my fire prevention missives in the past, you have learned that, in my opinion, preaching the good word supporting public fire and life safety education is part of our mission of saving lives and protecting property. Consider how much property can be saved with the effective use of a sprinkler system, or a fire extinguisher. In the restaurant and commercial occupancy world, an Ansul system, or a FM 200 system and the like, can also prevent some damage loss and protect…

“Some say knowledge is power,…the wisest among us know that the real power lies in shared knowledge”

- Mark VonAppen / Fully Involved…

Navigating the "Awkward Years"

Let me start by laying out a disclaimer. There is absolutely no substitute for experience. Period. None. Taking calls, going to jobs, and getting dirty is the only true way to ever really master this craft. We must see, do, and sometimes stumble to get better. Now here is my caveat to the above statement: if we wish to grow and develop in this career, we cannot sit by and just wait for fires. We must seek additional knowledge and information to…

How many times have you heard, "Man, it's like we've got four different fire departments working here!" Many have and we all know the meaning behind that statement. Fire Departments that have 3 or 4 different operational shifts, can often do things each a little differently. You know what I am talking about like differences in daily chores, vehicle maintenance, riding assignments or even operational responses. The amount of "different" can be dependant upon the amount of leadership…

First responders are a unique group to say the least. Most of us fit into a box when described

(Type “A” personality, Committed to safety of others, self sacrificing, brave, strong moral compass ect..) But how do others that work with us, or live with us describe us? Have you ever heard of someone and the way they are described is “they are salty, they are angry, they seem like they hate every run that comes in, they are burnt out”. Almost all of us get into this profession to help…

Tactical Mastery

by William Greenwood

What does it take to become the go to person in the firehouse? Time and tenure doesn’t mean that a person has real experience. We have all seen people with 20 years on the job with 2 years’ experience. So what does it really take to become the elite firefighter? Elite firefighters have invested a tremendous amount of time and effort mastering their…

Like a magician storing a rabbit in their hats or stuffing flowers up their sleeves, firefighters for years have held small tools and equipment on reserve within the pockets of their turnout gear. You can rummage through the gear grid of any firefighter and find plyers, wedges, and window punches in their pockets in the event their unique use and purpose in the fire service is needed.

In all sets of my gear, I keep a self-tensioning webbing slash that consists of two…

  I guess now is as good a time as any to tell you one of the truths about “the job”. Please understand that these ramblings are my opinion and that of firemen I respect. It is not intended to imply condescension rather; it is intended to pass along some truths I have learned along the way.

  With the endless hours of training a question that many new firefighters ask is, “So when does it get to be fun?” The short answer is... never. The demand of your courage and you honor is…

Life can get overwhelming with taskers, due-outs, deadlines, professional obligations, and family commitments.  Many of us take on more than we can handle in fear that we may lose out on an opportunity or expose that we are not reliable.  Over the past year I have found it extremely difficult to stay on track and organized with my day to day.  I thought with my new schedule I would be home more and be able to finally tackle a lot of the projects around the house and dedicate more time to…

The Halyard Quick Tie

(See Youtube link at bottom)

To tie or not to tie? That’s one of the biggest debates on the internet. Couple that with fly in vs fly out and you’ll break the internet with the discussion. 

The halyard is not tested as part of annual ladder testing. We’ve all seen the old Manila rope break. That’s one of our biggest excuses for not relying on it to tie off the fly section when…

“I just don’t understand the kids being hired these days.” How many times have we all heard this? I am sure too many times to count. Chances are that it is usually being said by an officer who is trying to lead these newly hired firefighters. There is a fairly good chance that the same thing was said when that person entered the fire service as well. In this article, I will discuss a few areas that officers seem to struggle to connect with their newer…

“While we are postponing, life speeds by” - Seneca, Roman Stoic Philosopher

We each have 168 hours in a week with which to accomplish things. We have to budget time for work, sleep, food, relationships, and leisure. There are plenty of time management books, podcasts, and apps that claim to have the ability to help us get more things done.  But the issue isn’t always a time management problem. It’s a person problem. After all, if everyone starts with the same amount…

Vehicle Variables: 4 Key Factors to Aid in Size-Up

An initial size-up for any emergency response has the ability to set the tone for the duration of the incident. For EMS runs it is the initial general impression of a patient. With hazardous materials incidents, the initial identification of placards or shipping containers can determine the initial actions taken on part of responding units. One of the most…

We aren’t trained as educators in the fire service, we are trained as presenters.

Educators make sure they are hitting on different learning styles, reach different cognition levels, and have a mastery of their subject. They have the ability to read the room to see if students are truly understanding and then clarify as needed. Educators spend hours preparing for a class in order to deliver the most relevant content.

Presenters, however, often just read from a premade slide…