Featured Blog Posts – March 2009 Archive (34)

Springtime = Time to Lose Those Extra Lbs.

Free the Fat: Now’s the time to lose the weight that dogs you

Story & Photos by Fire Captains Jeff & Martha Ellis

Springtime is here! All the New Year’s resolutions for weight loss are long forgotten, and… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on March 10, 2009 at 2:00pm — 3 Comments

What is happening to the moral character of the fire service?

Is it just me or does it seem like the people around us, that work at our station or at the neighboring mutual aid station, have lost a little bit of moral character? Does it seem odd to you that many people are caught up in the flashy side of the fire service and not focused on what we are here to do?

In my time in the fire service I have noticed that alot of people are getting caught up in the fact that they are paid full time firefighters and that they are better than the… Continue

Added by Jacob Fouts on March 10, 2009 at 1:31am — 9 Comments

Cement Trucks for Water Transport?

Firefighter Nation users now have access to special Web-only articles and extras through FireRescue magazine's blog. Check back periodically for more great tips and tactics!

Haulin’ Water: Cement trucks are another option for transporting water

Story & Photos by Jeff Riechmann

Many fire departments use a variety of unique vehicles to haul water to support tanker shuttle operations. For volunteer fire departments, these vehicles often… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on March 9, 2009 at 2:00pm — 11 Comments

Give & Take - Now more than ever, we must work together toward the acceptance of an automatic aid system

As a young, aspiring firefighter, I admittedly avoided the political aspects of the fire service. Call me naïve, but I assumed politics had nothing to do with the more beloved aspects of the job—deploying hose lines, throwing ladders and ventilating roofs—so therefore it wasn’t important.

Today, as a more “seasoned” student of the profession, I understand that nothing could be further from the truth. Our tactics, our safety and the resources we employ in every aspect of our jobs are… Continue

Added by Timothy Sendelbach on March 6, 2009 at 5:00am — 7 Comments

The Continuing Chronicles of the FNG(irl): OSHA.....does NOT have to be boring....No....Seriously!!!

It's that time of year.....

We had our multi-company OSHA eight-hour refresher training on Saturday. I can think of roughly ten millionnnnnnnn things I would rather be doing ( and cleaning out my sock drawer ranks right up there) instead of sitting through another eight hour session of “gotta do it, so shut up and suck it up” OSHA info. This has only been my second OSHA refresher, so I can't speak to how boring they normally are, but if last year's day-long exercise in water-board… Continue

Added by Mary Ellen Shea on March 5, 2009 at 11:57pm — 9 Comments

Interpretation - Of Standards and Symphonies

From my blog at The Kitchen Table

http://thekitchentable.firerescue1.com/

A symphony orchestra spends a lot of practice time on their musical pieces before they perform in concert.

There is a lesson in that for fire-rescue departments. The time that we - the “orchestra” - spends with our “instruments” and in practicing with each other, the better the "concert" will sound to our audience. Most of us realize how important training on both individual and team skills,… Continue

Added by Ben Waller on March 5, 2009 at 9:00pm — No Comments

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter...March 5, 2009

Today I took the train to NYC to meet a recruiter about an advertising job. I was on the Midtown Direct from Morris Plains, and while I was waiting in the station room I looked at all the unhappy 7:00 a.m. faces. I thought to myself if I get a job (besides working for RE/MAX of course), I swear I am going to be happy waiting for that train. I am thankful for the interviews I have coming up, and I thought that I will finally find the job… Continue

Added by Denise Imperiale on March 5, 2009 at 8:22pm — 1 Comment

Brittle Towers

Last April the Institute of Medicine released Retooling for an Aging America: Building the Health Care Workforce. This report points out that there are not enough specialists in geriatric medicine.

There is insufficient training, the specialists that do exist are underpaid and Medicare fails to reimburse for the team care that many elderly patients need. This will affect the 78 million… Continue

Added by Mike Ward on March 5, 2009 at 4:30pm — No Comments

NYC & Portland Make Public Safety Education Work

The idea of having a central location for learning isn’t new. We call them schools. But what about a school that teaches… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on March 5, 2009 at 12:00pm — No Comments

The Continuing Chronicles of the FNG (irl): Search and Resc…Get OFF Me!!!

Finally, a new drill in a sea of same-old, same-old. When our training officer isn’t feeling “inspired”, our drills tend to run to…take the trucks out, tap a couple of hydrants, do the inspections, run the equipment, wash the rigs and call it a night.

There’s nothing wrong with that, per se, it’s just that when you’ve done that three or four drills in a row, you’d almost rather have a cleaning drill (and I always end up doing the bathrooms on those… Continue

Added by Mary Ellen Shea on March 4, 2009 at 11:09pm — 16 Comments

Faced with Cuts? Layoffs? Let Firefighter Close Calls Know

The following is posted on behalf of FirefighterCloseCalls.com, an advocacy site for firefighter safety.

FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGETS CUTS?

STAFFING CUTS?

BROWN OUTS?

LAYOFFS?

Please tell us about it....

FirefighterCloseCalls.com is compiling information on fire department cuts during these tough economic times.

Your information and who you are remains anonymous. We don't care who you are or what your e-mail address is, if you see any… Continue

Added by Firefighter Nation WebChief on March 2, 2009 at 11:00pm — No Comments

Productivity......We TRY!

Well. lets hope some of you can relate to this. Others can ignore this and the rest of you can roll your eyes or twittle your thumbs if you wish.

I guess I might have learned something over a couple of years?( maybe.) When you go to practice or are at the station killing alittle time, BE PRODUCTIVE.

Anything that falls within the relms of your duties as a ff at the station. Wash the engines, pic up the floor, tidy(yes i said tidy) the club room( for us dingers)… Continue

Added by METALHEAD on March 2, 2009 at 5:30pm — 4 Comments

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter...March 1, 2009

Today is my daughter's birthday. When you turn 18 you should be thinking of boys, of driving, the senior prom, etc. I planted the seed yesterday and today telling her you will do those things but maybe just a little later, keep the faith. Teenagers just roll their eyes when you talk about faith.

Tonight I taught my 9th grade CCD class at Assumption Parish. I told them the story of what was happening with my daughter, and how… Continue

Added by Denise Imperiale on March 1, 2009 at 9:56pm — 1 Comment

Risk a lot to Save alot??

You are on a first-in engine and see that flames are showing on the second floor of a frame structure. Everyone is out except one member of the family. As you lead out and lead a line inside you find the missing occupant passed out at the top of the stairs.

What do you do?? Do you and your partner ditch the line and drag the patient out at least to the front lawn or do you notify command and have them send the first truck company in to get the occupant??

Added by Chris on March 1, 2009 at 4:16pm — 6 Comments