Chief Anthony Kelleher's Blog (14)

The fire service is a unique place to say the least. Right or wrong, from the moment you walk in the doors of the firehouse or training academy you are being judged. Not just because it’s the fire service, but because it’s human nature. Now, don’t get me wrong, as a new person in the fire service it is fully your responsibility to be an upstanding, motivated, dedicated and…

Units from my department and other companies in Prince George's County, Maryland responded to this second alarm fire last week. It involved a strip of two-story, attached, ordinary constructed, garden style apartment buildings.

Companies on the initial alarm had a well advanced fire in an entire apartment unit with substantial extension to the attic space.…

Firefighter/Technician Steve Brookbank, (Air Unit No. 1, Wash. DC) sent these two photographs in. This standpipe configuration is located on the upper floors of a high rise building. 



The photograph on the left is of a 2 1/2" riser connection in the middle of a hallway corridor. You may notice that…

In the fire service there are a number of companies and individual firefighters/officers that are always "going for the gold", trying to find better ways to accomplish our job and strive to assure the "basics" are always fresh in the minds of others.



This certainly plays true for Captain Daniel…

Here is another example of business owners expanding their operation upward, when adjacent property isn't available. Although this is good for extra occupancy, especially in a restaurant or bars profitability, it provides for certain obstacles and dangers for firefighters.

As was brought-up (by Jake Rixner) in my previous post about "rear porches", these additions (roof top decks/patios) aren't likely built to code. In a lot of jurisdictions, a roof top deck/patio can't be visible…

Although this type of construction is routinely found in cities around the United States, it is not all that uncommon to find them in the Main Streets of small town America.

WorkingFireChief.com has posted photos of rear porches in the past, but this type of configuration continues to pose challenges for operating fire units.

Did you know that…

As the old saying goes, "you make up time getting out of the door (firehouse) on an emergency run, not on the street (driving fast)".



To compare todays "turnout" times to those of times past, a few different stories come to mind. The first is of Engine Company No. 4 in the (Washington, DC) District of Columbia Fire Department.…

Politics, attitudes and every other negative thing you can think of is in and around our firehouses at any given time. Its an unfortunate, yet true fact of our culture/life.



But, through the thick of this negativity, do you ever take a minute to step back and remember WHY WE ARE HERE? Why do or did we have the passion that a…

The internet, is a great tool. In-fact, if you're reading this, you're most likely on the internet right now. But, for every good thing the internet is used for in the fire service, their is certainly just as many negative things. One topic that comes to mind is the amount of valuable, basic, hands-on experience our newer firefighters receive. Due to the…

Visited a mentor of mine today after running a box alarm in Suitland, Maryland. Alva M. "Butch" Wilson III, passed away over 10 years ago. He ultimately retired as a Lieutenant with the District of Columbia Fire Department. But, will always be remembered as a legendary "Truck Driver" and fireman assigned to Truck Company No. 3 at 1018 13th Street, NW. He was hired by the D.C.F.D. after serving in the Vietnam War and was featured in the Channel 7 "Part Of Your…

A MOTIVATIONAL PHRASE IS…

One of our biggest challenges is knowing the buildings (inside and out) that we may have to run into if they are on fire.



As you can see in this photograph, there are four (4) visible, white "stars" on the wall of this two-story, end of the group row house. This, for all intents and purposes, is a tell tail sign that there was…

The box alarm (structural assignment) is transmitted, reporting a fire at the Home Depot. It's mid-afternoon, the building is 100% sprinklered and companies have responded to the reporting address a number of times for false calls, odors, electrical issues, fire alarms, etc. So, what are the chances that its actually on fire? How…