Featured Blog Posts – June 2009 Archive (30)

Show Your Fallen Brothers and Sisters - and Their Families - That You Care

Firefighters across the U.S. are urged to show the families of fallen brothers & sisters that you care by signing a Web-based Memorial Book to honor those lost in the line of duty.

By signing the Memorial Book at www.sperianfire.com, firefighters will help make a $60,000 donation by Sperian Fire possible to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. The donation will be made by Sperian Fire in the names of the firefighters who have signed the Book.

"We're asking… Continue

Added by NFFF on June 9, 2009 at 10:21am — No Comments

FFN Biggest Loser Challenge: Time to post some results!!!

Okay kids, I've given you all awhile now to start your weight loss adventures. Its time to see you have done so far. Use this page to post your results so far. If you are just starting, feel free to post your starting and goal weights here or at the original blog. I'll start... If you remember, my starting weight was 178. I'm down to 176. Yeah its only two pounds but I was really wanting to lower my BP; which started at 158/102... Just took it... down to 146/88. So I've still got some work to… Continue

Added by Dustin J. Millis on June 9, 2009 at 1:02am — No Comments

A Truckie's Guide to Knowing House Layouts

TRUCK COMPANY OPERATIONS

Where Are the Bedrooms? Get familiar with common house layouts so you can find people faster

By Peter F. Kertzie

When driving down a residential street, I often find myself glancing back and forth at the houses on either side. Why? I’m trying to guess their layout. Most of the fires I respond to are in single-family, wood-frame buildings, so I use this mental pre-planning exercise to help me figure… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on June 8, 2009 at 2:30pm — 1 Comment

The Monkey Parable and Resistance to Change

Once upon a time, some researchers conducted an experiment. They obtained five monkeys and placed them into a single cage. In the center of the cage was a stairway that terminated in thin air. After a hungry night in the cage, the monkeys saw a researcher lowering a bunch of bananas through the bars above the stairs. The monkeys immediately charged up the stairs toward the food. Other researchers immediately blasted the monkeys with ice cold… Continue

Added by Ben Waller on June 7, 2009 at 10:12pm — 4 Comments

Time Will Tell: FireRescue article sparks discussion about oldest firehouse

Who says getting old is bad? Getting old means growing wiser and perhaps more dignified and even commanding more respect, right? I’d like to think this is just as true for fire stations as people. The members train hard to learn everything they can about their craft and then pass along this knowledge to the new recruits. And as a station grows older, our respect for the station—and what it symbolizes to the community—grows exponentially.

In the April issue of FireRescue, we published… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on June 5, 2009 at 2:30pm — 1 Comment

Dear Mayor and City Manager ...

CHIEF BILLY GOLDFEDER

FireFighterNation.com Commentary

Dear Mayor & City Manager,

Odds are at this point, as hard as we have tried, you still don't seem to understand the need for our department, YOUR fire department, to be well prepared and fully able to respond quickly when our citizens call 9-1-1 for a fire. Mr. Mayor, this has nothing to do with how many fires we have -- it has everything to do with every fire we have.

Actually, at this… Continue

Added by Firefighter Nation WebChief on June 5, 2009 at 2:00pm — 5 Comments

Our Responsibility to Those with Special Needs

Running a patient who has special needs is not a matter of “if” but “when.” Ignoring the problem creates anxiety for the responder, tension for the patient, and frustration for others on scene including family members and care givers. Ultimately, this could result in poor patient care or undesirable citizen service. A responder who is in this situation may have the best intentions but may not be aware that his or her actions are having an adverse impact on the community.

As… Continue

Added by IAFC on June 4, 2009 at 12:38pm — 3 Comments

Fire/EMS Safety Week: Survival Requires Situational Awareness and Structural Size-Up

The IAFC and the International Association of Fire Fighters are asking you to Protect Yourself: Your Safety, Health and Survival Are Your Responsibility. We’re calling on all fire/EMS departments and all IAFF affiliates to participate in the 2009 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week, scheduled for June 14-20.

Fire chiefs should develop situational awareness of their own organizations and ensure firefighters and company officers are… Continue

Added by IAFC on June 1, 2009 at 5:11pm — No Comments

Getting the Right People on the Engine

Joe Sommers, Director of HR Services for ZERORISK, has some great interviewing tips to help you in finding new candidates that fit with your team.

Q. Joe, what interviewing tips do you have to help departments find appropriate candidates that will “fit” in their department?

A. The success when interviewing for ‘fit’ is “knowing where you’re going.” By that I’m referring to – what does ‘fit’ mean to you and your department? Is it the ability to understand others,… Continue

Added by IAFC on June 1, 2009 at 2:18pm — No Comments

Killing the Messenger and Missing an Opportunity

STUDY FAILS TO ESTABLISH LINK BETWEEN CANCER AND FIRE FIGHTING was the attention grabbing April 16 press release from the National League of Cities. The angry response from both the IAFF and IAFC was fueled by this statement:

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“While we depend on firefighters for… Continue

Added by Mike Ward on June 1, 2009 at 1:00pm — 2 Comments