AB Turenne's Blog (15)

Pre-Rigged Systems for Hauling/Lowering a Downed Firefighter

When dispersing equipment and tools amongst your apparatus and response units, a lot of time and…

Take a look around the fire service and you will find that many of our operational guidelines, practices, and equipment all have roots in other areas outside of firefighting. Things like our command Structure, breathing apparatus, and vent saws were all around prior to being repurposed to fit our operational needs. The same opportunities exist today.  Don’t reinvent the wheel—make the tools fit your specific department, response area, and resources.

Over the last few months, I…

There is one thing we can all agree on: There are a million ways to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (I prefer smooth PB, strawberry jam, wheat bread, cut into 4 squares), and at the end of the day it still tastes great. In terms of fire service tactics, we have a lot of tools and options at our disposal as well.  Yes, we must save viable victims. Yes, we must locate and extinguish the fire. Yes, we must protect the exposures and limit further damage to the structure/property. More…

With the plethora of tools and equipment available in the fire service, it’s safe to say that there is a tool for every need.…

For quite a few years now, “doing more with less” has been normal operating procedure for most fire departments across the United States, regardless of the location or make-up of the department. Budget restraints have hindered staffing of career departments, and the increased commitment and requirements on volunteers has taken a drastic toll on retention rates. Firefighters everywhere must now take steps to do the same job with the same level of pride and effort, but do it with fewer…

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 work out of, we operate with a small roster of 26 officers and firefighters that share the workload of three (3) separate shifts. Regardless of your time in service or the shift you work, it…