Douglas Mitchell, Jr.'s Blog (77)

The Sunday Preach:



Tragedy Can Strike Anywhere, Anytime...



Today... like many days on our fire service calendar, we once again pause and take note of those who have made the supreme sacrifice. With the anniversary of multiple line of duty deaths this past week in New York... Sadly, we are hearing tragic news about the deaths of 2 members, in the city of Toledo Ohio.



While the names have yet to be made public, pending…

"Often its not WHAT you say but HOW you say it"



Are we setting our new recruits for failure from the start? Think of the tone of voice used when instructing new firefighters? 



Obviously, the need for recruit discipline, attention, and movement with purpose on the training ground is strong and completely understood. However, a 'rush, rush, rush' & 'push, push, push'... during tactical parts may not be best…

Brrr....cold enough for you?

A great majority of the heating plants in multi-story residential homes are found in the basement. Think about this from 25 to Survive: Reducing Residential Injury and LODD...



~pg 113 "Picture yourself crawling into a giant barbecue, only we are the meat…

A tale of 'two-stories'



O' to the door, pesky thing... creaking, slamming, perhaps pinching a finger or two at times. It's just a hunk of wood over an opening, or is it? 



Now more than ever, we need to pay attention to the presence, absence and have control of the doors we come across. …

The Sunday Preach:

Got Residential Buildings? 

While not always known as 'stat' guys.... when we are, we review them to make ourselves and our team aware of 'the why' behind our need to be proficient in our operations at residential building fires... It is for US and for THEM!

These stats are from the USFA

~1326 civilian fire fatalities reported by U.S. news media between January 1, 2013 and December 12, 2013, for criteria = All Causes, 1…

"The 10 Year Itch"

We have been told that our firefighting equipment can no longer be in service after 10 years....

For some fire companies, 10 years would leave it barely broken in... others it would be long since useless and nearly shredded.

So, what's the point?

While we are not all the "same" in terms of volume... the point is, we are all the "same"... we are Firefighters and Fire Officers.

Your next fire could be the "one" you talk about for the next…

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:…

FDIC: HOT Workshop:

25 to Survive:…

It's on...

We have been leading up to our dance with this "beauty of fire" in both Part 1 and Part 2 of "Check your Dance Card."  Feel free to go back and take notes as we journeyed closer and closer to this 'beauty.'  We have…

Getting Closer...



In part one of “Check your Dance Card” we discussed a few items to take a look at before we enter the fire building and start our dance with the “beauty of fire.” In part 2, we…

Got Stickers?

http://doug-mitchell.blogspot.com/2012/01/check-your-dance-card.html

I admit it, it's happened to me... and I am sure that it's happened to you too. Honestly, it’s just easy to let it happen.  You can try to justify it, in your own mind by saying that; it's just that we love what we do, and we want to do it all the time!  When fire presents itself, we want to get right in there and go to work. …

Firemen... and "Never Forget"

Lt. Douglas J Mitchell, Jr. FDNY.

September the 11th is later this week and I have found myself writing. I have been writing snippet's down as they pop in and out of my head, emotions from the events from that day, and its aftermath hereafter.

I just can't watch TV these last two weeks. I can't take it, it's just too much. Caught myself getting upset watching a special such as, (I will make something up here...but…

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

My colleagues and I at Traditions Training, LLC are very happy to be a part of this "blogger network" with Fire Engineering. I am hoping that this new blog will come out ok, as I am still adjusting to the format on the new FE site.

Ok, here we go... Elder Statesman Henry Clay once said "statistics are no substitute for judgement" and I wholeheartedly agree. In fact I really hate statistics…