Start, Stop, Continue is a well-known method for feedback that many organizations and teams use to gauge effectiveness. You simply ask:

• What can we start doing that will make us more effective?
• What can we stop doing that makes us less effective?
• What can we continue to do that’s providing value to…

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Officers: YOU are what you make your company to be, good AND bad

One thing about the fire service, the implications of us not being prepared are much more significant than the average worker.  Nothing against landscapers, or painters, but if they are not 100 percent on a given day; well usually only their work suffers.

Firefighters are different however.  Almost everything we do has implications for the…

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by: Lou Angeli

Veteran responders: Remember back in the day -- before the internet -- when contact with one another was through print magazines or via "pen pals?" Back then we learned of LODDs, huge incidents, apparatus deliveries and job notifications through magazines like Firehouse, Fire Engineering, Fire Chief, JEMS and monthly…

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From my blog at FireGroundWorks.

Recently, I listened, with great concern, to two different questions about the same subject, a failure to communicate. On one occasion, I was part of a management meeting where the attendees were asking, “Why don’t they understand what we are doing?” Another time, while talking to people I supervise, they asked, “What is going on?” This roadblock, or maybe wall, in communication is a…

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You never know what to expect downtown on Side Charlie.



Near the intersection of South Dakota Avenue and Buchanan Street Northeast, between Engines 17 and 14, lies a duplex. What makes it different from the duplex next door is the addition on Side Charlie. Local news station WJLA recently reported that the owner of 4605 South… Continue

Dave LeBlanc on how the smart firefighter keeps his head while everyone else is running around losing theirs.





Maintaining your calm on the fireground maybe be one of the most important skills you can acquire. There is enough excitement and confusion already, if we arrive and start screaming and yelling nothing will get done.



In December, Baltimore had a fire that claimed the lives of six people. In… Continue

How and why to feed the media beast

By Janelle Foskett, managing editor, FireRescue magazine



Have you ever watched video of a serious fire emergency, like the San Bruno (Calif.) gas explosion, or read a scandalous story online about a fire chief’s alleged inappropriate behavior, and found yourself wondering, “If this happened here, at my… Continue

Tunnel vision, prejudices, attitude, excessive talking - all can turn a fireground sour.





The battalion chief pulled over just before the entrance of the cull de sac. He had heard the first due engine officer report that the bulk of the fire had been knocked and that they were checking for extension. Heading down the street he notices the driver of Ladder 7 running past him in the opposite direction. The familiar smell of a house fire… Continue

Along with a few other changes and updates, we're bringing back the monthly training prompt series. Keeping with the original purpose the idea is to prompt you to respond to the subject and questions provided. What you do next can range from something grand such as a company level drill, to something as simple as looking up the answer in your rookie…

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This is the next couple of pages in the New members House book. I have also included the cover of the book. Enjoy

Welcome to your new…

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Please excuse my delay in continuing the “communications” blog. The Chief was out of town for 2 weeks. Why is it when he goes outta town and leaves me the keys to the caddie, things get busy. I’m not complaining though…Anywho, back on topic.…

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Lessons learned from an incident during which no one could get a handle on command & communication



Story by Bob Kolva

Photo iStock



Have you ever been on a call where communications started off on the wrong foot, and you never stopped stepping into snares of confusion until you were safe at home with your feet propped up? In order to save you from making the same mistakes we did, as you read this article, make note of the command and communication… Continue

I’ve said it from the beginning- this blogging project is a work in progress for me, but I'm enjoying it and it's apparently pretty contagious. As far as my writing skills, however, I’m quickly learning about how to catch your interest in sound bites rather than in paragraph form, which is a big transition from technical writing. Of course, I know that to put “Buy Cialis” as a title to a firehouse blog will get people to look, even though it has… Continue

Well, I'm glad that there's been a lot of discussion about the terminology issue, but my point wasn't just about terminology and communications standardization being a problem for the fire service. Without digressing, despite some of the very considerate and well expressed views pointed out by readers in the Terminology blog I wrote, it is a problem- go back and look at the reports of any disaster… Continue