All Blog Posts (3,147)

            It’s an age old question that is still debated by firefighters to this day, and often quite vigorously. When responding to an occupied residential structure fire, do you immediately go for the rescue to remove the victims or do you attack the fire? Many firefighters would say that you should do both at the same time, and if you have the available resources showing up quick enough to do so, that is probably the most correct answer. However, many times our reality is that we are…

 ISIS, Hamas, Lone Wolf's, Mexican Drug Lords, Etc all have one thing in common, their dislike of the United States, it's government but more importantly, you and your families. A few years ago, while watching my son play with other kids on the playground, I struck up a conversation with an older gentleman watching his grandson interact with mine. We discussed how cute the kids were and how well they got along. Within a few moments, his facial expression changed and I could see he was…

From my post at https://www.facebook.com/the1stbattalion

With the advent of reduced pressure, breakaway nozzles the fire service was presented with the option of extending charged hose lines when coming up short. While ideally this operation is completed in a protected, non-IDLH position, such as a stairwell, the reality is that this operation is sometimes conducted in an IDLH , leaving the…

More on the Mission Statement or Mis-Statement

Earlier on the Hump Day SOS we looked into the mission mis-statements and how far away we have drifted from our original mission “To Save Lives & Property”.  Many of you responded with your own stories of mission creep,…

I frequently get phone calls or emails with questions about the nozzle study conducted at my department. Recently a firefighter looking for some assistance took me down a line of issues and his attempted solutions which sounded very familiar.

• Integrated Tips
• Stream Shapers
• Break- away nozzles…

This is the beginning of a series on fire service leadership traits.  I'll be borrowing heavily from the Marine Corps Leadership Traits and Principles, because they have direct application to our mission and purpose.  I have never been in the military, but I was enrolled in Marine Corps Junior ROTC in high school.  On my transcripts, the official name of the class was listed as Leadership Education.  It was in MCJROTC that I first encountered the 14 Leadership Traits and 11 Leadership…

I try never to make promises I cannot keep. That being understood, I'd like to share with you why you should invest your valuable time and hard-earned money to attend the annual Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC).…

The fire service has a very unique organizational…

Times, they are a changin'... whether it be tactics, strategy, equipment, technology, and/or knowledge. However, we must remember to respect and learn from the lessons of those who came before us and implement those lessons in our way forward. The future is built on the wisdom of our…

This weeks "Quick Tip" is covering a quick method to mitigate fuel line issues. Some methods such as tunneling and  "through the…

If you have noticed the need for a chaplain program (and if you are in a fire department that has no chaplain then you have a need . . .), then it’s time to do something about it. We all know that many of the greatest feats, inventions, successes, and accomplishments have come from one person with a simple idea, a single-minded focus and determination, and a willingness to take one step and continue following the path laid out before him or her until the goal was met. A chaplain program is…

"Never Forget" also means never forgetting all those we've lost since 9/11/01. It's 343 and counting...

  This very question was posed to me by a member who was complaining about training.  I looked and thought about the question and then asked a question of my own: "Are we good enough?  Are you standing here telling me that we, as a department, are good enough to quit practicing?"

  The response was one of exasperation and a roll of the eyes.  But, I never got the answer from him. I think I know what he was thinking, but he never gave me a real answer to satisfy my curiosity.…

Never Forget....

Who could have ever imagined what that beautiful September morning would turn into... the thousands upon thousands of lives impacted. Many, never ever to be the same.

The inscription found below the photos of the members of the firehouse where I was assigned as a fireman that died September 11th, 2001 reads: "There was a time when the…

To Be or to Do? Your Fork In the Road

Here you are in the middle (or later) of your career in the ole’ fire department. You grew up with an understanding from your parents and grandparents that the harder you work and more you accomplish the more successful you will be. Then…

Two tragic apparatus crashes; one provides a sorrowful reminder to us all

The following information is a breakdown of the details of those members in the fire service who died while operating "on-duty" as defined by the United States Fire Administration. For more information on this definition and that of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s definition of “line of duty death” read…

Stress Inoculation

Stress inoculation is primarily a psychology term.  Much like being inoculated with a vaccine against a disease, stress inoculation seeks to relieve current and prevent future acute stress-related problems.  The most common use of stress inoculation in psychology is dealing with PTSD and its long-term effects.  Through stress inoculation, the patient becomes more able to manage stress in healthy ways.  As it pertains to psychology, stress inoculation…

One of the time-honored traditions of the fire service is the local fire department chaplain. Often it is the local priest, and FDNY is a great example of this type of chaplaincy. However, what I’ve come to realize is that there are many types of chaplain programs out there in our fire service. There are full-time paid chaplains who care for the spiritual and emotional needs of the fire department personnel 24/7. There are volunteer clergy (pastors, rabbis, priests, etc), who give their time…

I could say many things about these cartoons and my personal experiences, but I am going to give this space up for a friend who is following the noble calling of helping firefighters save ourselves, so we may continue…

No educational value when one of the "sides" of fire service debates screws up

"You're doing it all wrong. Let me tell you how to do it."

Debate and the fire service are no strangers. As we grow and evolve in our…