Brad French's Blog (6)

If you ask almost any training officer, chief officer, or even line company officer what one of the biggest training shortfalls in their organization is, somewhere toward the top of the list will often be officer development.  Some of the responsibility for officer development lies with the organization itself, with formalized training and mentoring programs for new or prospective company officers.  But after initial training and orientation into their new position, the…

One of the less well-defined roles of a Company Officer (or even a senior firefighter mentoring younger members) is that of unofficial fire service historian.  Sometimes in the whirlwind of EMS protocols, WMD training, fire dynamics, probationary check-off packets, apparatus operator approvals, and myriad other training requirements that are placed upon today’s firefighters, the “where we came from” and “how we got here” sometimes get lost in the fray.  The Company…

In a winter-time cold snap, it’s inevitable that departments will be called to respond to numerous broken water pipe incidents.  Almost every firefighter in the country can find at least a handful of sprinkler-protected buildings in their response area.  While we can certainly all agree as firefighters that sprinkler systems are a tremendous benefit to life…

Training Tip:  Build a House in 30 Minutes

Lt. Brad French

Almost every jurisdiction in the United States has some form of active building construction going on at any given time.  Whether it be a new housing development on the edge of town, some urban in-fill housing spattered throughout an older residential district, or just simply a random house going up on a…

Training Tip:  The Sunday Paper

Lt. Brad French

            Sundays in the firehouse at my department are the best days of the week:  Sunday brunch, football, and some down time from the hustle and bustle of all the other “business” days.  However, remember that to truly be effective as a company, every day (even Sunday) should be a training day.  At least for a…

The Wrong Side of History

Lt. Brad French

                In an industry so deeply engrained in tradition, a shift in the way we conduct our business is inherently bound to be wrought with resistance, emotional reaction, and hesitation. …