All Blog Posts Tagged 'firefighter' (202)

It’s 4AM and your company is dispatched to an MVC with entrapment. You arrive and find one vehicle against a large tree with the passenger heavily trapped by the dash. Due to the damage, the vehicle cannot be moved from the tree and passenger side access is limited. In turn, we need a full side-to-side dash…

Firefighter Functional Training - Promoting Health and Wellness in Your Department

In North Carolina the Office of the State Fire Marshal is the certifying body for the fire service.  As in most locales I am sure, it has been quite some time since our firefighter certification program received a major makeover.  Our latest makeover took effect January 1, 2015 and included the addition of three modules to the certification…

Do you want to be Fire Fit?

Sadly most of us are not fire fit!  We have all heard by now how cardiac events are killing more of us than anything else.  Obesity & lack of fitness is stopping us from helping those who need our help.  My goal is to share my story and hopefully encourage you to get fire fit.

That was me nearly 3 years ago. I was eating…

Don’t be an inbred? Are you kidding me? Well now that I have your attention, allow me explain. When…

See how setting goals, staying motivated, and making small foundational changes can have huge results in Lieutenant Robby Owens, Sr.'s personal wellness story.

My Fitness Story

Some fitness articles and web sites offer suggestions on nutrition to workout programming and everything in between. Often times, the ones offering these…

First off, look at this method as just another tool in your extrication tool box. I have found that this method comes in handy in limited access situations. Think of the steering wheel displacements you have been shown in the past…come-a-long to the front bumper, spreaders on the hood, high lift jack on the hood, etc. What do…

Once again while searching for a journal topic, this one fell in my lap. Rob Beattie is a long time friend and firefighter (North Plainfield, N.J.) and has taken a fresh perspective on who we are and what we do. I truly enjoyed reading this one. I think you will to. Nice job Cap!

Be safe,

Ronnie K

By Guest Blogger Rob Beattie, June 2015

Everyone loves the underdog,…

International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week, sponsored by the IAFC and NVFC, starts June 14 and runs through June 20, 2015. This year's theme, Creating a Culture of Safety, offers many opportunities for improvement from the community, department, and personal perspectives. Whether you take on a fitness challenge …

What are you accomplishing during your extrication walk-around?

Many times a walk-around is incorrectly used as an officers mental check note like BSI/Scene safety…However,…

I have had a of of requests for quick workouts that can be done with minimal equipment.  Here is a re-post of one of my more popular cardio interval workouts I created for a firefighter/medic that has no equipment and only some stairs and a parking lot. This can be used as a cardio interval training workout day (for those following the FRF Rapid Fat Loss or FRF…

If you have attended my Tactical Extrication Course, you know that I strive for thinking operators. Not all entrapments will be the same. They will range from a quick job to downright…

                                                                                                      Courtesy: glengoschfitness.com

A short while back, I posted a blog called The Undeniable Truth that…

Before you go Hog wild (sorry, had to say it) on bacon please read the following disclaimer.  Let me state up front that saying bacon is “healthy” does not mean it’s healthy to eat it in huge quantities nor does it mean it’s healthy to eat large amounts seven days a week. Try to stick to small servings, blot extra bacon grease off to lower fat intake, and avoid adding extra salt or other high sodium seasonings.  I suggest to consume only 2 or 3 slices and only once a week.  Also,…

The "Quick Tip" this week is part 2 of a 3 part series. We will be covering one of the most important and often unappreciated extrication scene positions-SQD Driver. More often than not, this position will make or break the scenes efficiency. From insuring the safe travel, to anticipating the needs, this position will be working until the situation is under…

Note: This article is written from a suburban perspective for suburban firefighting.

Suppression culture. The most interesting and dynamic part of the fire service in recent years, that is becoming the most debated topic within the fire service. From the concept of "hit it hard from the…

A short while back, I posted a blog called The Undeniable Truth that challenged fire departments to be courageous in…

The fire service is filled with many great traditions, some good and some not.  One of the fun things that happens in a lot of firehouses is the "pop-flip" for a round of sodas.   Unfortunately, sodas are a huge reason we are staying unhealthy- they have a ton of chemicals and sugars that pack on extra bodyfat.  Don't believe me?  Keep reading.

Drink Diet Soda?…

For someone like me, it’s hard to fathom that anyone in the fire service could produce an argument against improving the health and fitness of firefighters. The statistics alone tell anyone that will listen it is the most significant barrier to reducing LODDs. Nevertheless, I understand that the issue, sadly, is more complicated than that. As I've said before – it’s…

This topic is near and dear to mine and your hearts and careers–Workouts for Firefighters and Fire Rescue Athletes. Over the last couple of months I’ve been researching, talking, tweaking and writing about some of the more popular workouts seen in firehouses across the world. 

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…