Most people think of firefighting as a purely physical job, and it’s not hard to see why. Firefighters need to have the strength and stamina to carry heavy equipment, withstand brutal conditions and endure many hours in the field. However, the mental side of the job is just as important. The men and women of your local fire department have to bring a lot of specialized knowledge with them when they arrive on the scene of a call. They must be ready to recall their training for each situation…

Not sure it ever worked in the first place

We are in a fascinating period of time for the fire service.  Never before have the resources (financial, physical and mental) been greater.  We are finally looking at fires, how they burn, how conditions change.  We are looking a fuel packages, flow paths.  We are discussing heat release rates and polar…

FDNY

“As first responders to fires, public safety and medical emergencies, disasters and terrorist acts, FDNY protects the lives and property of New York City residents and visitors. “

Los Angeles Fire Department…

From my blog at FireGroundWorks.

My big question is, “Do we focus too much on the nuts and bolts of tactics and not develop enough critical thinking and problem-solving skills through reading, writing, speaking and other hallmarks of educational courses?”

Organizations know they need flexible thinkers with innovative ideas and a broad knowledge base derived from exposure to multiple disciplines (training, education,…

I hate the term “New Year’s Resolution”. That is why I intentionally waited until now to post this. New Year’s Resolutions are those things we wishfully tell ourselves that we are going to do to make our lives better or more wholesome while we are drunkenly celebrating the turning of the calendar.

No this post isn’t about resolutions, it is about goals.

Do you have any specific goals for your professional development this year (and yes, even volunteers can have…

In the fire service we are always stressing speed. Tones go off and we run. Flying down the road the radio squawks out “Step on it, fire is progressing”. On scene we hear “hurry up and stretch that line”, “get that ladder up quickly”. Working an accident where there is entrapment the captain yells “hurry up, get that roof flapped”.…

How high is your bar set on your volunteer department? Are you well trained and professional in your actions or are you still part of the good ol’ boys club meeting every night to down a few and play some cards?

Firefighting has changed rapidly over the years. While we do not face the number of…

FROM THE FFN PIO GROUP:

At first I was a little confused about the following message because I wasn't sure where it originated from and where it was intended to go.

As I read it a second time, I realized that it had come from the US Fire Administration and it was meant specifically for us - the PIO group on FFN. Now, that's pretty cool that DHS has recognized our group as a target audience and partner for…

The Quick Response Media Corps (QRMC) is a free U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) initiative open to all members of the fire service. QRMC provides members with up-to-date information about the latest USFA public education campaign news. The goal of QRMC is to…