AB Turenne's Blog (28)

Pockets of Pliers: A Preferred Practice

When I first got on the job, I had the privilege of working for a Lieutenant who was the epitome of a fireman’s fireman. After catching a fire during a 24-hour tour, we were swapping out our turnout gear in an effort to curb our exposure to cancer causing…

Ground Ladders are part of the basic fundamentals that make up the initial Firefighter Training

Curriculum as identified in NFPA 1001 (Standard for Firefighter Professional Qualifications)

and have an abundance of uses and purposes in the fire service.…

“Some say knowledge is power,…the wisest among us know that the real power lies in shared knowledge”

- Mark VonAppen / Fully Involved…

Like a magician storing a rabbit in their hats or stuffing flowers up their sleeves, firefighters for years have held small tools and equipment on reserve within the pockets of their turnout gear. You can rummage through the gear grid of any firefighter and find plyers, wedges, and window punches in their pockets in the event their unique use and purpose in the fire service is needed.

In all sets of my gear, I keep a self-tensioning webbing slash that consists of two…

Vehicle Variables: 4 Key Factors to Aid in Size-Up

An initial size-up for any emergency response has the ability to set the tone for the duration of the incident. For EMS runs it is the initial general impression of a patient. With hazardous materials incidents, the initial identification of placards or shipping containers can determine the initial actions taken on part of responding units. One of the most…

The “Extrication Boss”: Pre-Planning and Size Up for Company Officers

A highly promoted practice in the fire service, especially for first arriving company officers, is to conduct a size up and perform a 360 of structures upon initial arrival to incidents involving alarm activations and reports of smoke or fire. Being prepared for a successful mitigation to a working fire most often…

A career with an Industrial Based Fire Department can be a truly rewarding experience filled with the same level of camaraderie, brotherhood, and tradition of the surrounding local municipal departments.

Along with the same similarities such as training, morning rig checks, and stories shared around the firehouse dinner table, the Industrial Fire Service comes with other elements and experiences unique to the environment at hand that a firefighter wouldn’t normally encounter…

Establishing Engine Company Success by Estimating the Stretch

As the first arriving engine on scene to any working fire, you can set the tone for success or failure right from the stretch, literally. Determining the length of hose to pull from the bed first is a skill set that comes with education and experience that is earned and gained out in the…

Low Angle Rescue: A Quick, Simple and Effective Approach

In this article, I will review a simple method of accessing an injured patient with a low angle rescue element involved.  Low angle rescues are generally considered to fall between 15 and 35 degrees. Examples include motor vehicle accidents involving vehicles down embankments and injured runners or hikers…

The Irons: Forcible Entry & Door Control

Besides the standard ensemble of turnout gear, box light, SCBA, and a radio, it is expected for firefighters to dismount their apparatus upon arrival with the essential tools of the trade (TIC, Can, etc.) with an objective and goal in mind. Typically, this includes a set of irons which tend to be placed off to the side once a fortified door has been forced.

With the door…

 Health Assessment: Are You a Help or a Hindrance

Far too often people find it to be much easier to Monday Morning Quarterback those around them while standing idle from the outside than it is to take a long hard look at what their reflection shows in the mirror. The easy route shouldn't always be the path less traveled, but unfortunately seeing your own flaws is a…

Keeping it Functional and Keeping it Fun

With fireground training or firehouse fitness, it is critical to develop lesson plans or workouts with the goal of making them functional to the service your department provides, while more importantly keeping it…

The Firehouse Kitchen Table: The Perfect Podium to Promote Health and Wellness

Some of the best memories and learning moments in the fire service don’t take place on the fireground or in a classroom setting; rather they take place around the table while we eat as a shift or take the time to talk over a cup of joe.

Downtime in the firehouse can often lead to complacency or at times the…

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 thought is used to determine what the best fit for the best…

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…