AB Turenne's Blog (39)

The Irons: Forcible Entry & Door Control

Besides the standard ensemble of turnout gear, box light, SCBA, and a radio, it is expected for firefighters to dismount their apparatus upon arrival with the essential tools of the trade (TIC, Can, etc.) with an objective and goal in mind. Typically, this includes a set of irons which tend to be placed off to the side once a fortified door has been forced.

With the door…

 Health Assessment: Are You a Help or a Hindrance

Far too often people find it to be much easier to Monday Morning Quarterback those around them while standing idle from the outside than it is to take a long hard look at what their reflection shows in the mirror. The easy route shouldn't always be the path less traveled, but unfortunately seeing your own flaws is a…

Keeping it Functional and Keeping it Fun

With fireground training or firehouse fitness, it is critical to develop lesson plans or workouts with the goal of making them functional to the service your department provides, while more importantly keeping it…

The Firehouse Kitchen Table: The Perfect Podium to Promote Health and Wellness

Some of the best memories and learning moments in the fire service don’t take place on the fireground or in a classroom setting; rather they take place around the table while we eat as a shift or take the time to talk over a cup of joe.

Downtime in the firehouse can often lead to complacency or at times the…

Pre-Rigged Systems for Hauling/Lowering a Downed Firefighter

When dispersing equipment and tools amongst your apparatus and response units, a lot of time and thought is used to determine what the best fit for the best…

Take a look around the fire service and you will find that many of our operational guidelines, practices, and equipment all have roots in other areas outside of firefighting. Things like our command Structure, breathing apparatus, and vent saws were all around prior to being repurposed to fit our operational needs. The same opportunities exist today.  Don’t reinvent the wheel—make the tools fit your specific department, response area, and resources.

Over the last few months, I…

There is one thing we can all agree on: There are a million ways to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (I prefer smooth PB, strawberry jam, wheat bread, cut into 4 squares), and at the end of the day it still tastes great. In terms of fire service tactics, we have a lot of tools and options at our disposal as well.  Yes, we must save viable victims. Yes, we must locate and extinguish the fire. Yes, we must protect the exposures and limit further damage to the structure/property. More…

With the plethora of tools and equipment available in the fire service, it’s safe to say that there is a tool for every need. Unfortunately, with most fire departments, (both career and volunteer), tight budgets can hinder the purchase of the latest…

In a modern day fire service where the norm of preaching and…

            One of the greatest life lessons that many of us have been taught is to “practice what you preach”.  It is valuable guidance that encourages all of us to…

For quite a few years now, “doing more with less” has been normal operating procedure for most fire departments across the United States, regardless of the location or make-up of the department. Budget restraints have hindered staffing of career departments, and the increased commitment and requirements on volunteers has taken a drastic toll on retention rates. Firefighters everywhere must now take steps to do the same job with the same level of pride and effort, but do it with fewer…

Being in the fire service, it is inevitable that you will be subjected to grief, loss, and a world of other assorted emotions. It is also likely that in addition to the suffering you will see in the field, you will also experience the same range of emotions from your co-workers.

In the firehouse I worked out of for nine (9) years, we operated with a small roster of 26 officers and firefighters that shared the workload of three (3) separate shifts. Regardless of your time in…