All Blog Posts (3,176)

In the fire service there are a number of companies and individual firefighters/officers that are always "going for the gold", trying to find better ways to accomplish our job and strive to assure the "basics" are always fresh in the minds of others.



This certainly plays true for Captain Daniel…

When I teach, I usually bring up the point that “there is always more than one right way to fight a fire and conversely, more than one wrong way to fight a fire”.  What works (or worked) in Toledo may not work in New York and vice versa.  

In my third book, “Searching Smarter” (published by Fire Engineering/Pennwell, 2011), in Chapter 2,  I discuss the four types of search I am aware of; those being “Standard Search”, “Team Search”, “Vent Enter Search (VES)” and the “Oriented…

When your department is short staffed and your Training Division is short staffed it makes it difficult to conduct quality training in the basics. That is why it is imperative that at the company officer level training in the basics continues. Although plentiful overtime is good in the short term in the long term it can lead to fatigue and lack of consistent training sessions. One of the things that the Training Division must balance is the amount of work hours firefighters are putting in…

By Mark vonAppen



This letter came to me from a firefighter in a major metroplolitan department here in the USA.  If this rookie had a voice, this is what he would say.

A DEPARTMENT IN NEED

As a firefighter for the City of Charleston, SC for almost eight years (2005-2013), I saw many things both good and bad.  But for the most part the Charleston Fire Department has been continuously plagued by numerous problems.  It is these problems that are the root cause for the departure of dozens of firefighters new and old, who have left to pursue careers with other departments as well as non fire…

For the next few weeks I am going to post blogs that ask questions concerning searching.  Of everything we do on the fireground, I believe Search is the poorest evolution we conduct.  I have my ideas why but that’s another  blog for another time.

I will embed video in the blog that shows a fire problem.  In each of these, assume you are operating in your jurisdiction with your resources.  If your staffing is 5 plus an officer or two, whatever - it’s what you have to work with.  Bring…

Uniformed corrections officer douses brownstone interior with gasoline

A corrections officer is charged with second-degree arson in a Brooklyn two-alarm fire that injured 12 people, five critically. Engine 233 transmitted the 10-75 for Box 861 at 375 Chauncey Street. Battalion 37 gave the All-Hands and ’doubtful will hold’ with a report of fire on two floors and…

Interesting fire a few days back in a manufactured home. Moderate case of "Colliers Mansion" throughout made the stretch tough. Heavy smoke conditions enveloped the structure upon arrival with no visible fire showing. Definitely in a "ventilation-limited" state. As I got a quick C side view prior to making entry for back up fire attack, I…

We had a great auto extrication drill the other night and we did it all by ourselves. Nobody asked permission, we simply called a tow company and had a few cars delivered. As we passed the hat around the table to help defer some of the $200 out-of-pocket cost to the firefighter who set up the drill I…

Hey Folks, today’s blog is a result of my frustration with the continued inept (and down right dangerous) management of basement fires. Generally speaking, basement fires are often (unnecessarily) chaotic events. In the spirit of transparency, I am inspired to address this issue by my growing frustration and disappointment in my own working environment.  As a disclaimer, I will keep the specific Department anonymous, however in order to be fair, I am not speaking of either the Washington DC…

Homeless people find their spot next door to a church on fire

Portland firefighters responded to a structure fire on North Maryland Avenue on 25 August. The structure was once a YWCA building and women’s shelter and had reportedly been abandoned for five years.

According to KOIN a homeless couple and their friend were…

I am honored to be drawing on another USO tour in the next few weeks, so I will not be posting again until mid-September. Please keep my cartoonists brothers, and all our active, wounded, and retired warriors in your thoughts and prayers.



For my close…

Making The Push

     For many of you, when you hear “Nozzle Forward” in the fire service, you know exactly what that name encompasses. For those of you who…

Old post on the anniversary of a bad fire. Remember the fallen by checking the conditions of dollar stores in your area. - Bill

Remember Lieutenant Carpluk and Firefighter Reilly by looking at dollar stores in your first due and asking "what if?"

On 24 August 2006 a FDNY lieutenant and probationary firefighter were trapped…

A sobering yet poignant video Dan Shaw and I put together as launch our book! It is in the Fire Engineering Bookstore ready to ship today!

Please pass this video along, go give our FB "25 to Survive: Reducing Residential Injury and LODD" page, give us a "like" and buy a copy of the book today... make you and your firefighting team the best team they can be!

Click on the link to view:…

By Mark vonAppen



All of my life I have been known as a bit of a trouble maker.  I have pushed limits and challenged authority.  In the process, I have trampled a path that few have chosen to follow.  Sometimes it's a lonely…

Posting a question we got from a Fire Engineering reader:

How does your department operate with a 2 Man crew at structure fire with a 5 to 10 min delay for more resources to arrive? Do you have a SOG breaking down individual tasks. Can post a link to the SOP or describe it?

The past two segments of "The Duty To Lead" have covered a variety of topics, including task competence, daily attitude, and perceptions being tied to one's personal affairs. This blog entry will round out the discussion, looking into topics such as the relationship between being an officer and being an instructor, some ways to encourage constant learning on your shift, and a few closing thoughts.…

Things get messed up on occasion at almost every level of almost every occupation.  As an example I posted a Round Table question in Fire Engineering Magazine a month or two ago.  Due to extensive and I must add quite insightful and interesting coverage of Hurricane Sandy in the June and July issues,  it kind of got lost. I think it was a great opportunity for those that “do”, to help those that “don’t” (but should).  And in an occupation that prides itself on brother and sisterhood, isn’t…

If you're not thinking forward, you are already behind! Difference makers prepare and shape their future by always thinking of innovative ways to accomplish a goal. So, are you a progressive thinker, or a complacent wallflower?



Always make a…