All Blog Posts (3,173)

Career vs. Job

Joseph Kitchen, Bath Twp. Fire Department (Lima, Ohio)

            Many firefighters often use the phrase “career in the fire service” when referring to their employment or their volunteer work. Regularly I attend career fairs where high school and college students express…

I am really a stickler for showering after a fire, whether real world or for training.  I have long believed the faster I can get all the by-products off from my skin the healthier it is for me, and my family.  The problem has always been that lingering smell of smoke even after I showered.  I tried showering first in cool water to remove the contaminants without opening the skin pores more than they already were.  I would follow that with a warm or hot shower.  So I was washing my…

Here are two photos of a highrise building that is being constructed using pre-fab construction methods. As you can see, the A & C sides are placed, then the floor slab of the upper floor, which is held up by struts until the side walls are added. In the second picture you can see the side walls arriving with the windows installed and everything. Mid-rise and high-rise buildings are being constructed like this…

A letter to seasoned firefighters.

You have years behind you. As each passes, it seems like life at the station moves further and further from the way it was when you first came in. Regardless of whether the changes are positive or negative, it is not difficult to recognize their impact. Changes in what is acceptable, how…

When organizations don’t know what their culture is or don't realize the importance of it, they have to borrow one, buy one or try and imitate someone else’s. So as you are busy pouring hours and hours and resource after resource into that Accreditation, ISO rating and Strategic Plan….. don’t forget about your own culture and what works for you in…

Today marks a time when we as Americans get to shout our collective voice and exercise our right to decide which direction our country, our states, and our region will interpret and execute the laws and issues of the land. No matter your political bent, it is your right, and dare I say duty, to get to your local polling facility and have your say. Many important…

"The Greatest Show on Earth"

Time is quickly approaching for FDIC​ which provides one of the greatest honors for any instructor but also provides a platform and opportunity to share your message.We are humbled and honored to be able to share the 25 to Survive: Reducing Residential Injury and LODD​ message again this year.

According to the USFA, in 2013 & 2014 there were 25 line of duty deaths that occurred in the residential structure when…

The title to you older members can be hummed to the tune of the great Todd Rundgren hit song “Hello it’s me” but in all seriousness this article will focus on an often forgotten tactic the blitz attack, transitional attack, whatever you wish to call it using the apparatus mounted deck pipe or gun.

Like most students of the fire service I study hundreds and hundreds of fire videos every year and then choose from those the best ones to help with a…

http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/2015/10/romanian-nightclub-fire-kills-27.htmlWhat are you up to?

Again another Night Club Fire this time in Romania, has claimed the lives of those seeking a night of fun. Pyrotechnics are believed to be a contributing factor, but the fire is still under investigation. It will be interesting to read the investigation findings to see if there…

If your firehouse (or house) is anything like the one I work in its full of leftover candy and sweets. Now I must admit, I like a good treat now and then but often I have a very difficult time stopping with just one.  Why?  Sugar.  Its everywhere in almost everything and too much of it can cause some serious health issues. Some foods, such as fruits and carrots, naturally contain sugar, but watch out for foods with added sugars, such as baked goods, cereals, crackers, even sauces and many…

What is scarier, a headless horseman terrorizing a small New York farming village, or knowing that your proud department is ran by a headless leader? In this Halloween season of ghouls, goblins, ghosts, and Lady Gagas, perhaps we should look inward to our own demons and excise those who torment and haunt our hallowed bays. Leadership should be clear, concise, and…

I recently had the honor of speaking to the NFPA Forum in Indianapolis.  The NFPA Forum is made up of three representatives from all of the major fire service organizations for the purpose of solving complex issues and moving the fire service forward.  It really is an powerful group with an awesome purpose! I sat in the morning session to listen in while I waited for my turn at the podium.  

The morning session focused on cancer presumption in the fire service.  I expect my knowledge…

When speaking of public servants like firefighters, police officers and our military, courage is a word that many use to describe our actions.  After all we are running in when others are running out.  If you were to ask a firefighter about the courage it takes to run into a burning building, odds are that they will tell you that they don't feel courageous at…

A Jake and Vinnie Halloween Special

In 1906, at the top of the bluff overlooking the scenic river valley, bank president Cyrus Edelstein built a beautiful, three-story, brick mansion for his young bride, Samantha.…

The Definition of Insanity

Albert Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.  In the fire service we often use this definition to conveniently fit certain situations or our own agendas, especially when it comes to health and fitness.  We see it every day in many of our firehouses.  We make comments to one another; and maybe, just maybe, we express our…

I have PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome).  There, I said it; I admitted it to the world. 

How I came to have it? I’m not sure.  It’s not something I want; it’s not easy to deal with.  After all, I was a suburban firefighter for my entire career.  Not that the suburbs are immune from bad calls.  But I’ve heard stories from friends who work for busier urban departments.  Unbelievable stories of human carnage.  Yet I…

In relation to EXTRICATION, are you practicing/drilling for a "A" Plan door pop on an undamaged vehicle...or are we truly preparing our crew for the "real" extrication scene? Most of the time a extrication drill consists of a vehicle and 25 responders, each holding a tool while anticipating…GO!!! While that technique works “ok” for general…

We recently conducted drills in an old dormitory/clinic building built around the turn of the century and in use through the 1990's. The challenge presented was victim removal, both civilian and firefighter, through the basement windows. The question is, what challenges do anticipate having when removing a victim or firefighter in a confined area? There is only one interior stairwell into the basement, making a…