Where firefighters come to talk training

Tricks vs. The Trade

"What you showed me isn't in the book. What are the Chiefs gonna say if I do this? Are you gonna have my back if I do this and someone says something?" This is a real quote from a firefighter at a recent training

Are we so worried about book knowledge and pieces of paper that we fail to learn the real life application of our job? As an instructor and a fire officer, one of the "hurdles" I have encountered is that people have FF1, FF2, a cape and a "S" on their chest. However, when they pull up with fire blowing, they don't know whether to stretch a line or go fetal. Safety is more than just a buzz word, a sticker on a helmet or a program. True safety is grassroots, its hands-on and its continuous.

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Comment by Dan Rice on January 19, 2011 at 10:28pm: This is my short take on the issues we are having with the newer members that are coming out of the academy. It seems that though they are being drilled on the books, they are also having so much safety and “DO NOT” situations pushed into their heads that often times they come out of school ready to take a test but absolutely terrified of actually fighting fire. I am never one to knock safety because that is what gets us all home in the end. But often times if you tell someone that they WILL DIE if they do a certain thing then they are not gonna be too keen on doing something that kinda looks like it IE fire. There are so many firefighters that can take the test better than anyone….. Including myself, but have no idea how to put the paper knowledge to the road. Our focus is skewed when it comes to what we are teaching. Just my simple minded opinion thought.

Be safe brothers

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