In 2009, based on feedback from the communities that they serve, Clifton Springs Fire Department acknowledged the need to expand their Fire Prevention educational programs. The 50+ member volunteer fire department in Ontario County, NY responds to an average of 300 fire calls per year serving the Village of Clifton Springs along with portions of the Towns of Phelps, Manchester and Hopewell. The village, located between Syracuse and Rochester, is a mixed demographic of both urban and rural…

During the hours that most families might be relaxing together, gathering around the television screen to watch a football game or sleeping, on Sept. 13^th, the Cannavo family from Guilderland, NY allowed BullEx Digital Safety and the entire production crew from the Today Show into their home with cameras in tow to demonstrate proper home evacuation techniques in the event of a home fire.…

Caveat: I'm employed by BullEx Digital Safety. This post is not intended to promote the company's products or financial interests. I just think it's pretty cool when your own company takes its employees for a full day of firefighter training to better familiarize them with the products and services they represent.

When CEO Ryan O’Donnell unexpectedly pulled the entire Sales and Marketing team into the conference room at BullEx headquarters in the…

The Fire Prevention and Safety Grant will be opening shortly. This is one fire department's story about their successful pursuit of a FEMA grant:

Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue (CKFR), located in Silverdale, Washington, first learned about BullEx Digital Safety while observing the U.S. Navy’s Federal Fire Department’s use of a BullEx portable fire extinguisher training system at a naval base demonstration. Theresa MacLennan, Public Information and…

The Town of Colonie (TOC) Emergency Services wanted to test their fire response capabilities to a large high occupancy structure, namely Colonie High School. The challenge lay in finding smoke generators capable of producing smoke that was dense enough to create zero visibility conditions and realistic enough to simulate a structure fire. TOC Emergency Services Deputy Coordinator Gerald Paris, Jr.…

The Cardinal Joint Fire District in Canfield, Ohio had a specific goal in mind when they applied for a Fire Prevention and Safety Grant in 2009. They wanted to educate as many members of their community as possible about what to do in…

I could get all creative here and write something witty, but no time for that....Tokyo Burns, more later.

Here's Jim's final post on his Black Diamond Boot experience.

I'd say that's a two-thumbs up, but I can't count that high. ;-O

In his own words:

When last we met, my buddy Jim Brunelle was awaiting delivery of a pair of Black Diamond firefighting boots to test out, while my fingers and brain took a mini-vacation from blogging (my imaginary trip to my own private Idaho was lovely, thanks very much).

Jim sent me an email with his thoughts regarding the boots, and I opened it, fully expecting a knuckle-dragging Cro-Magnon-esque male perspective.

You know; something along the lines of "Boots good. Feet…

I had every intention of posting a new "boot review" piece today, until I received the news of the passing of a FASNY member and firematic friend, and I have opted instead to post a quiet good-bye to a gentleman with extraordinary qualities who loved the fire service with unabashed abandon.

I first met Bob and Rebecca Franklin about five years ago when I was just starting out in my career at FASNY. I was running registration at a FASNY-sponsored seminar, and Rebecca showed up…

I erroneously made an assumption that my original blog post below was yanked and sent to the Principal's office for violation of TOS (that's Terms of Service for you acronym-challenged folk)--but we all know what happens when assumptions are made.

Wikipedia it if you were born in 1809 and don't know what I'm talking about.

So here it is...in its entirety, and thanks to WebChief for the clarification/go-ahead.…