Jonathan Brumley's Blog (11)

The excitement that comes with a new apparatus delivery is probably second only to making a nearly impossible stop or rescuing a victim at a structure fire. After months of anticipation, you can't help but drool over flawless red paint, more flashing lights than an Academy Awards' red carpet, and diamond plating so shiny you could shave in its reflection. Add in the fresh…

It's the beginning of your shift on the engine, and you have just finished a thorough check off of your SCBA; after all, that's the most important piece of equipment you will use today. Your gear is set up for flawless donning because you "have that feeling that you're going to make one." A quick glance at the crosslays has the appearance that everything is in order, but you…

A quick search of "ground ladders" on YouTube will pull up dozens of videos showing how to deploy a ladder using any number of methods. Some videos look like they came right out of the academy textbook, some are a bit more non-conventional, and others still show a single firefighter throwing a ladder with so little effort, the ladder might as well have been a paper…

On the recommendation of a friend, I read Lawrence Gonzales' book Deep Survival: Who lives, who dies, and why*. The book…

On the Hawaiian island of Oahu, thousands of people are gathering to watch what is considered to be the most prestigious surfing event in the world. The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational matches some of the top surfers on the planet with swells towering higher than many of our houses. In fact, the event does not even take place if the waves do not exceed heights of twenty feet. It is for this reason that the event has only been held nine times in last 31 years. Organizers refuse to sacrifice…

One of the top reasons I love being a firefighter is the possibility of encountering something I have never seen before. My day can go any one of one hundred different ways each time I am on shift. The potential to encounter the unknown is there every single time the tones go off for a run. I have worked in retail…

For too long now, I have relied on other peoples' opinions to dictate how I operate. Like little devils on my shoulder, there has always been a barrage of voices telling me what is and is not possible. "You have to shut down the nozzle to make any kind of advance with a 2 1/2" line." "You have to have at least two people to carry a 35' ladder." "You don't gear up for an automatic alarm; the dispatcher would have told us if it was on…

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…

"It is amazing what you can accomplish when you don't care who gets the credit." - Harry Truman

I recently listened to a podcast interview with man who I consider to be a fire service hero. I refer to him as such because he has been at the forefront of leadership, travels both nationally and internationally championing the cause of the firefighting, and serves as the head of multiple organizations that disseminate fire service information to the masses. Upon concluding the…

Regardless of which side you fall on in the debate of truckie vs. engine firefighter, it should be noted that both may have a fire ground responsibility to throw ladders. This does not seem to be widely put into practice, however. Especially for those arriving on an engine, the tunnel vision of only stretching hose lines must be overcome. Ground ladder usage cannot die on the chalkboard.

Aggressive…

At some point, all of us walked into the fire station for the first time as a firefighter.  For most, this was a nerve-filled, highly anticipated moment when they finally saw some pretty big dreams come true. From that first moment we stepped through the door, we all had to gauge what it was going to take to impress the others, and find out what our role was going to be. The vast majority of firefighters would tell you that they did whatever it took to break through to the other side; the…