All Blog Posts (3,147)

It is fourth and goal with the game clock tick, tick, ticking away. The success or failure of your next play will bring your team victorious glory or public disgrace (and these days, social media shaming). You take your positions, the ball is snapped, you run your route awaiting a precise throw from the quarterback, the ball is released and it's coming your way, you…

One of the top reasons I love being a firefighter is the possibility of encountering something I have never seen before. My day can go any one of one hundred different ways each time I am on shift. The potential to encounter the unknown is there every single time the tones go off for a run. I have worked in retail…

IN EXTRICATION, NEVER SAY NEVER

This morning while working on the 50th installment of the "Quick Tip" series, I must say that I am impressed by the changes vehicle extrication has encountered over the years. On the street, new methods are being tested and put through the paces by firefighters daily. The vehicles,…

Before I worked as a firefighter, I was a trainer in both large and small health clubs.  During that time I would see a lot of people exercising consistently and with intensity but only make a limited amount of fitness progress.  Why? Because we are all creatures of habit in the gym and out.  These “snail paced progress” gym goers were all doing the same thing… exercising, not training.  And yes, their is a difference.

What is…

The First Twenty is being put to the test. 

The program is being studied in two federally funded research projects.  The first is funded by FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighter Grant’s Research and Development mechanism and is…

A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE

A friend of mine enjoyed every opportunity that he found to rag me about my profession.

Whenever he had an audience, his speech would detail how all that we did was play checkers, cards and dominos. That, he continued, was when we were awake and we were only awake for the games and when it was time to eat.…

The research and purchase of a new thermal imager is not a simple task and is definitely one that should not be taxed upon a single person within your fire department.  Whether you are purchasing a camera through an acquired fire grant, hard earned fundraiser money or your taxpayer's budget from a capital improvement program, the costs associated with this purchase justifies creating a small, dynamic TIC committee.

The committee should steer the…

I am taking a break from my typical anarchist message and, pleading with you to read this very personal story as a personal assessment tool. I am a fire service traditionalist to the core and my style of writing is always intended to offer an opposing (or alternative) view of what I term the “overzealous safety culture”. My issue(s) are not, nor have they ever been about safety itself, but our approach to assessing and managing risk, without using emotional coercion.

I am going to…

Are you looking for a training idea? Have you ever used a Tactical Decision Game (TDG) as a delivery method? You have used them, even if you did not call them TDGs. The key is to understand how to maximize their impact and structure them so that the student learns as much as possible from each scenario. Below I describe an 8 step process on how to implement Dr. Klein’s decision making process and situational awareness into your…

 My mistake of getting “sidetracked” upon arrival could’ve led to a serious problem on one of my fire ground commands, don’t let yourself be sidetracked at your next serious event.

While not a veteran, I have tons of respect for and consider myself an avid reader and student of military leadership and command, and in one particular book from a former Marine who fought in World War II describes the term “lost in the fog of war”. According to this author, this expression…

                The modern day fire service is a world different than the fire service of 20 years ago.  Hell, it’s a world different than 10 years, 5 years, or even 1 year ago.  We live and work in an ever-changing, ever-evolving industry.…

I have been seeing a lot of photos lately of people teaching about shutting the door and control the flow path and they are teaching it to civilians as a way to try and save themselves and their belongings.  So what does that do for the small town firefighter?

Quite a bit.

Take a look at this photo…

http://www.enginehousetraining.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/01a1e06f153349b6ab15374c58eeb707dc2dfd49cd-768x576.jpg 768w, http://www.enginehousetraining.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/01a1e06f153349b6ab15374c58eeb707dc2dfd49cd-1024x768.jpg 1024w,…

So, now that the fire service has a synchronized approach to controlling structure fires (SLICE-RS), based on scientific research (e.g., UL, NIST, NYU), supported and promoted by respected fire service organizations (e.g., NFPA, IAFC, IAFF, ISFSI), and with the promise of improved efficiency and decreased risk (easier, faster, safer), are there now risks (e.g., charges of liability, malfeasance, or incompetence) associated with not adopting this strategy?  Probably not...yet. …

Podcast Here:

This episode discusses the importance of setting very specific goals and objectives.  Being specific allows us to create a realistic and attainable plan to achieve our…

Recently while observing a rural fire department's annual SCBA certification process I noticed a distressing trend with the younger members. While operating in a dark and simulated smoke filled environment members were asked to identify the location of their 'bypass'.  As a whole most of them struggled, it was not instinctive at all. When asked to display how to use the…

How many times have you been told there are electrical storage capacitors that can fire air bags upwards to 15-30 minutes post battery disconnect? I would bet many have heard the same.  Well here is one for you from 2009 during a training evolution that fortunately no one was injured. This Volvo had NO BATTERY in the vehicle for well over a year. 

Here is the firefighter safety alert I created for our FB Training Page…

Disabling vehicle power (battery) is common practice when arriving at almost any auto accident. Cutting the vehicles battery is the first thing shouted with authority, when asked about procedures of first arriving units. However, what if it’s…

The end of the calendar year brings with it a natural tendency to look back on what has been accomplished, and ahead to what still needs to be done.  I’ve been commenting for the past half year on the significant shift in fire dynamics understanding and resulting tactical modifications that the North American fire service is undergoing, and I would like to share a few reflections and predictions on that broad and controversial topic. 

Despite my demonstrated interest in the…