Featured Blog Posts (259)

For those who don't know yet, Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment is now part of the Fire Engineering family. I am pleased to introduce myself as Associate Editor Chris Mc Loone.

It has been an…

You would have to be living in a very deep h*** not to have noticed the vicious pro vs anti-union rhetoric being slung by everyone from politicians to the old lady walking her dog down the block.This is a nasty and dirty line being drawn in the sand, and one that my state of Ohio will face shortly (if not already with SB-5).

I am not a union member,…

Recently, Traditions Training was invited to teach a program for a fire department in a “not so urban” area of the country.  Being that most of our instructors come from busy urban or suburban fire companies, 250 calls a month or more for a particular station or individual unit is not uncommon.  With that amount of activity comes more chances to refine and polish our craft.  It also allows for more chances to utilize the “tricks of the trade” that were passed on by our senior men and our…

Recently, after a long afternoon of dull fire department paperwork, a trip to 7-11 was needed to boost the energy for the rest of the workday.  As I walked into the store I stopped and took a look at the lock on the front entry door. This quick, passing glance made me realize how I had gotten out of the habit of conducting an on-going size-up of my surroundings before they were on fire. My size-ups had grown to a different level and the tasks that I do not perform everyday had fallen off my…

From turnto23.com:

A firefighter was hurt after a refrigerator fell on top of him in a burning house in Oildale (CA) Saturday morning, but he was quickly saved by his crew...

 

It all started just before 8 a.m. the crew at Station 63 was called out to a vacant house going up in flames on Washington Avenue. [Firefighter Devin] Lawrence ran into the burning building with…

Nothing like a little freelancing to muck-up the best intended plans and strategies. It's bad enough when these individuals circumvent the chain of command to "help" where they please, but their blatant disregard for accountability and the safety of others is simply inexcusable!

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My good friend, Shawn Longerich, Executive Director for the Cyanide Poisoning Treatment Coalition (CPTC) at www.FireSmoke.org sent me the video “Out of Air”; currently in Beta testing.

The video is just under an hour long and it is, as Captain Mike Gagliano of the Seattle Fire Department and a board member at CPTC pronounces; an homage to those firefighters who have succumbed to the effects of smoke inhalation.

“Out of Air” opens with a…

I will be attending many fire service events in the coming year and I thought it would be a good idea to keep these special events separate from my monthly commentary blog. On this site you'll see my photos, comments, video, and yes, sketches from my experiences (like FDIC). I will include a post and link on my commentary blog (as well as Facebook) to let folks know when I've posted new content. As always, I sincerely thank you for your continued support and look forward to sharing my…

Yes, these are all real life head-lines inspired from this past year! As if public relations wasn't hard enough, we invite this mayhem into our lives and firehouses with our own actions. Trust me, after years in the news industry I can tell you that a head-line speaks volumes towards public perception (after all, who reads or listens to the story, right?).…

Apparently, it has become our mission as grandparents to provide our grandson with the Christmas season’s hottest toy.

Many of you will remember the great Zhu-Zhu shortage of…

Did you feel that this morning?

Don’t by coy.

The tones dropped and you didn’t make the call. Before the first truck could announce “in service”, you were already fabricating your excuse.

But, we know what’s going on, don’t we?

That adrenaline rush that once propelled us to “firefighter of the year” is only a gooey mess of poor descriptions of what is now poor performance.

There was a time not so long ago that you felt like your little village needed…

Leaders: Why should we expect to retain the quality people we have if we don't give them a reason to stay? Your people are your most valued asset - train them, motivate them, and give them the gift of fulfillment that only the fire service can give! If not, then don't be surprised when…

Note: Chief Mark Wessel of Keokuk, IA Fire Department is to the left. I am to the right.

December, 1999 delivered a major blow to our brotherhood of firefighters.…