Featured Discussions - My Firefighter Nation2024-03-19T07:42:17Zhttps://my.firefighternation.com/forum/topic/list?feed=yes&xn_auth=no&featured=1First Responder Training Center at Geauga Laketag:my.firefighternation.com,2021-03-31:889755:Topic:67654962021-03-31T18:43:24.026ZLeigh Woodallhttps://my.firefighternation.com/profile/LeighWoodall
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<p>I founded and run the First Responder Training Center at Geauga Lake. It was established to provide local First Responders a secure and safe environment for training. What was once Wildwater Kingdom, SeaWorld and Geauga Lake is now available for SWAT, police, fire, K9, search and rescue, and drone training. A large array of buildings and…</p>
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<p>I founded and run the First Responder Training Center at Geauga Lake. It was established to provide local First Responders a secure and safe environment for training. What was once Wildwater Kingdom, SeaWorld and Geauga Lake is now available for SWAT, police, fire, K9, search and rescue, and drone training. A large array of buildings and areas have been dedicated for training. Use of the site is free of charge to all governmental entities and approved non-profit organizations.</p>
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<p>I currently have a Boy Scout working on his Eagle Scout badge creating fire department training props. He will be constructing a VES Window Prop, a Denver Drill prop and an entrapment prop. He is working with a number of the local fire departments to determine their wants and needs.</p>
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<p>I am always looking for new ideas for training props and scenarios. Please let me know if you have any suggestions or comments.</p>
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<p>Check out the Center's Facebook page at <a href="http://facebook.com/FirstResponderTrainingCenter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.facebook.com/FirstResponderTrainingCenter</a></p>
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<p>Thank you,</p>
<p>Leigh</p>
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<p></p> FireRescue Magazine: The Comforts of a Challenging Occupationtag:my.firefighternation.com,2021-01-28:889755:Topic:67534172021-01-28T14:54:12.173ZFFN WebTeamhttps://my.firefighternation.com/profile/WebTeam1
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<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>When we cook in the firehouse, we are extending and transferring our culture to each other</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>By Jarred R. Alden</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The air in the station fills with…</span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>When we cook in the firehouse, we are extending and transferring our culture to each other</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>By Jarred R. Alden</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The air in the station fills with the smell of jalapeño popper chicken casserole. The crew is salivating, waiting for the taste of the cook’s dinner dish pulled from his secret book of recipes. The first bite is an explosion of taste with just the right amount of heat, spices, cream cheese, bacon, and unidentifiable mixtures. The driver looks at the crew, awaiting the verdict. The driver looks at his lieutenant for the same. The lieutenant waits to give an answer as the drama builds around the dinner table. As the cook remains silent in anticipation of a “win,” the crew and lieutenant smile in “acceptance of a job well done.” The cook gives a sigh of relief and asks, “Why the dramatic buildup?” We all laugh and continue with the meal. This is an old firefighter tactic to get a laugh. Many of our meals and recipes were handed down through family over many generations. We share our culture, but we do not always give the specific details.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">We discuss many topics pertaining to the fire department, current affairs, the pandemic, family, and the meal. We laugh as one crew member tells a funny story about his rookie mistakes. Hopefully, we all finish our last bite before we are toned out for a fire, rescue, or medical call. Firefighting and paramedic work are very demanding. Our brothers and sisters in this profession see the worst of the worst. We signed up for this job to assist our fellow human beings. Some people love us and want our help. Others do not want our help. Either way, we respond, we assess, we mitigate, we treat, and we rescue. We succeed, and sometimes we fail. Overall, we give it our best, always and in every situation. We bring our “A” game at all times–from 0730 to 0730 the next day. Even though we are an energetic people, we do need a break during the shift. One of our core facets of respite is food. We all pitch in for lunch and dinner. The driver usually cooks the meals and is, for the most part, the best cook in the station.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The Akron (OH) Fire Department has a diverse population of brothers and sisters from all over the United States. We are African American, Caucasian, and Latino. I am a mixture of English, Scottish, and Moroccan, according to my Ancestry results. I bring various pieces of my culture to the station when I cook for my crews. Moreover, a colleague of mine who works at a different station is Italian. He adds boiled eggs to his pasta dishes because it is good luck to find an egg in the serving. Culture is everywhere in this world, and it is ingrained in everything we do. Culture is the key component of our being. This existence is impossible without the socialization process. Socialization is the process by which we learn culture from the time of birth until the time of death. It is a fluid process, ever changing. We are socialized into this life through our world, nation, institutions such as school and the media, and our families and friends.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I was a sociology lecturer for six years. I instructed the introduction to sociology for two years prior to my joining the fire department. Subsequently, I taught this same subject for four years while working for the department. This subject fascinates me because the underpinnings view, assess, and study every aspect of life. Sociology is the systematic and scientific study of human social behavior on micro, meso, and macro levels. Sociologists study every aspect of life from deviance to collective behaviors. Some of the topics in which I studied and instructed include, but are not limited to, the following: statistics, research methodology, culture, socialization, social structures and procedures, deviance/crime, race, gender, education, economics, politics, terrorism, collective behaviors, and the media. Sociology is a broad discipline that is intertwined in every part of people’s lives. Culture is by far the most important aspect of our life experience and is the foundation on which sociology is built.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Culture is ingrained in our soul; we are culture. Without culture, we would not have an identity. Culture gives us a past, present, and future. Culture is not race or color. Culture is the culmination of beliefs, values, customs, traditions, norms, and much more. Culture also includes recipes for various foods we consume. When we cook for each other in the firehouse, we are extending and transferring our culture to each other. Some cooks in the firehouse do not give up their recipes; however, the culture is still extended to all brothers and sisters. The first day on company, after graduating from the Akron Fire Academy, I was presented with a feast at dinner time consisting of a full turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green beans, and dessert. I could not believe that this was how firefighters ate. We do not eat like this all the time; however, I learned that food meant comradery and comfort.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Food gives us a way to release our stress. Seeing what we see, daily, builds a structure of stress that is unparalleled in the civilian world. Sharing meals with each other also gives us the opportunity to learn about each other. We discuss many topics while breaking bread together such as tactics, training, family, school, sports, and the list goes on. We lean on each other in many ways but, since food is a facet of culture, food brings our diverse cultures together to help build our strong bonds. We need these bonds when times get tough on the fireground and during medical calls. When culture is shared through discussion, tradition, recipes, and family, trust is built. Trust is the foundation of our brotherhood and sisterhood. Without trust and communication, meltdowns occur. This is unacceptable in our profession, especially when lives are in danger.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This structure of stress is cumulative and compounds as we gain more time on the job. These experiences build and provide us with the ability to act fast and with precision. However, these encounters also take form within the first responder’s psyche, leading to anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses and issues. Firefighter and law enforcement suicide rates are alarmingly high, and these numbers are growing.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">We have many stress relievers on and off the job. Unfortunately, alcohol abuse and, at times, drug abuse are big stress relievers for first responders. Some of us relieve stress through promiscuity as well. These behaviors are self-destructive and will not provide answers to cries for help. Food connects us, brings us together, and provides the platform for us to share our culture. Moreover, as stated prior, food is culture. As we share meals, we also share culture as we communicate with each other. This is therapeutic to the core. Sometimes the cook’s job is thankless, but this is also therapy for the cook. Cooking for others builds many skills such as time management, money management, organization, and empathy. We depend on our meals for not just sustenance and energy but comfort.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I believe it important to add why trust is so important in the fire service. I must trust my crews to secure my water supply as my nozzleman and I enter a fire structure. I must also trust my crews with their skills as medics. People’s lives could be in danger if we are timid and incompetent. I, in turn, must earn their trust by providing cutting-edge training and by making good, solid decisions while responding to the public’s emergencies. This is where tactics and training come into play. Education is the foundation, while skills are developed putting education into play. However, repetitious training ingrains the skills and knowledge. As we build our “training schema” (mental training files), we can pull from these files and apply them to similar situations we encounter. This is simply problem-solving skills developed over time. Moreover, these skills will not develop properly unless trust is established among the crews. Culture assists in the development of trust. Culture provides the “blueprints” to build trust between people. The socialization process is how the extension of culture occurs. Recipes are part of culture but cooking, sharing meals, and discussions at the table are how culture is socialized or transferred to other people.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">In 2013, I was privileged enough to take my family to San Francisco for nine days. We visited Alcatraz, John Muir Woods, Haight-Ashbury, Little Italy, and Chinatown. We also visited the fire stations in Haight-Ashbury and Chinatown. The Chinatown fire station was a special treat because, once we entered, the smell of fresh seafood being cooked caught our attention immediately. I was surprised by the fact that the district chief was cooking crab cakes, among other dishes, for his crews as they were training that summer morning. The station lieutenant answered the many questions that I had regarding water rescue since this station was located relatively close to the San Francisco Bay. The district chief was deep into his cooking but offered up some of his crab cakes, which were amazing. Per the district chief on duty that day, the seafood was bought across the street at a fresh seafood market. Fresh seafood, WOW!</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This entire experience was interesting because the shift commander does not usually cook in fire departments. It is exceptionally rare for the district chief to cook at Akron Fire even though it does happen on occasion. The chief who greeted us that day was very generous. He was surprised by the fact that my children ate the crab cakes. We laughed and shared stories regarding fire and EMS alarms. They extended not just their food but their culture. Their encounters and stories were like mine yet still different due to the needs of our diverse communities. Our cultures meshed while consuming culture. We were able to relate to each other not just because of our profession but because we shared a portion of cultural sustenance together.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">My wife is another participant in the formation of my cultural socialization. Sarah Alden is not just the love of my life; she extends her love to me through various cuisines. I am privileged to have such a great woman who is willing to provide wonderful meals for our family. Even though I cook for our family as well, she is the cornerstone of our strength and fortitude. She has been a pioneer in the search for culture through researching family recipes. She leans on her mother, Cathy Clay, and my mother, Peggy Alden. Both women have been handed down culture from their mothers, Eleanor Goertz and Willa Bean, respectively. Sarah has a Scandinavian heritage. She shares her culture with me through recipes, values, beliefs, and norms as most people extend their culture to others–the socialization process in action.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Culture comes in various structures and sizes. Culture can be seen on a small (micro) scale such as the family institution, on the (meso) level in our educational system, and on a larger (macro) scale nationally and internationally. Some of my brothers and sisters who serve have spouses and family who were born in other countries. One of my crew members is married to a woman from Singapore. She is Chinese and lived in Singapore prior to marrying my crew member. She speaks five different languages and works as a nurse. They travel to Singapore every year to visit her parents. My crew member brings back various pieces of culture to our station in the form of stories and food. This is a comfort and an enlightenment. I enjoy his stories and hearing his experiences as he meshes with his wife’s culture.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">First responders’ days can be tough, and our lives stricken with grief at times, especially now, due to the pandemic and the social unrest. However, people tend to come together to assist each other in times of need. We are a resilient species, and we bounce back quickly after adversity. Culture provides the foundation in which we rebuild our lives and fight on. As stated earlier, food is a large facet of culture. It brings us together. Food is not just the tangible aspect of culture, it is the intangible portion that provides us with comfort, values, beliefs, norms, and traditions. Food is a large part of humanity, ingrained in the very core of our being. Share your culture with others through the socialization process. Assist those in need; be kind; make good choices; and, as my father Bruce Alden says, “Always do the right thing, the right way.”</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The following is one of my wife’s recipes that I would like to share. I hope you enjoy it and please, pass it along, too.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">ANGEL CHICKEN</span><br/><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This dish feeds four people. Depending on your crew size, you will have to experiment. If you’re feeding eight people, then simply double the ingredients provided here.</span><br/><span style="font-size: 14pt;">-HALF STICK OF BUTTER – Melt in a pan on MED.</span><br/><span style="font-size: 14pt;">-ONE PACKET DRY ITALIAN DRESSING SEASONING – Add the packet into the pan with the butter and stir.</span><br/><span style="font-size: 14pt;">-CONTAINER OF ONION CHIVE CREAM CHEESE – Add to the mixture and allow to melt in pan.</span><br/><span style="font-size: 14pt;">-TWO CANS OF GOLDEN MUSHROOM SOUP – Add into the pan mixture and stir until blended well. DO NOT use regular cream of mushroom soup. It will not taste the same. (Be sure not to let the mixture burn at the bottom. After the mixture is beginning to melt and blend, reduce the heat to low but keep stirring.)</span><br/><span style="font-size: 14pt;">-FOUR POUNDED CHICKEN BREASTS</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">FINAL PREP:</span><br/><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray. Place the chicken breasts in the casserole dish. Pour the mixture from the pan over the chicken breasts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to confirm the chicken is thoroughly cooked.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">After the dish is ready, spoon the mixture over angel hair pasta. Add a piece of chicken to the plate. The chicken can also be diced or cut into strips.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This dish is great with a side of sautéed corn, green beans, or asparagus. A salad is always a favorite, too.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Jarred R. Alden</strong> is a lieutenant, paramedic, and operations officer for the Akron (OH) Fire Department. He has 17 years of experience as a firefighter and 15 years as a paramedic. He also is a rescue/recovery SCUBA diver. Alden joined the Tactical Medic team in 2010 and is a SWAT/TEMS paramedic for the Akron Police Department’s SWAT team. He is an arson investigator and has investigated multiple blast scenes where explosives were used. He has presented explosives, blast injuries, tactical triage and treatment, and behavioral science classes throughout the country. Alden has a master of arts degree in applied behavioral sciences from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and a baccalaureate degree in sociology/criminology from Urbana University in Urbana, Ohio.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read More on FirefighterNation</a></strong></span></p> 2020 On-Duty Firefighting Deaths in Detailtag:my.firefighternation.com,2021-01-22:889755:Topic:67532372021-01-22T13:01:05.566ZFFN WebTeamhttps://my.firefighternation.com/profile/WebTeam1
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>A significant year in firefighter fatality data</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8466340490?profile=original" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-full" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8466340490?profile=RESIZE_710x"></img></a></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>By <a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/?s=Bill+Carey">Bill Carey…</a></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>A significant year in firefighter fatality data</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8466340490?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8466340490?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>By <a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/?s=Bill+Carey">Bill Carey</a></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em> </em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">2020 ended with a total of 96 on-duty deaths per the United States Fire Administration. Details regarding the definitions and criteria used to determine and list our on-duty deaths are covered in an earlier article<a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/firerescue/2020-on-duty-firefighting-deaths-in-detail/#_edn1">[1]</a>. This number should increase slightly based on news of firefighter deaths contributed to COVID-19 and the death of a West Virginia Air National Guard firefighter<a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/firerescue/2020-on-duty-firefighting-deaths-in-detail/#_edn2">[2]</a> before the year ended.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The total for the year is impacted by the deaths related to the coronavirus. One third, or 35, of the 96 firefighters listed by the USFA died due to the virus.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Interior firefighting fatalities ranked low in activity types for 2020. In-Station Duties, EMS/Patient Care, and Other were the top three largely due to deaths related to the pandemic and deaths from heart attack, cardiac arrest, and stroke.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Advancing Hoselines/Fire Attack (including Wildland) was the fourth highest activity among the fallen. Search and Rescue was eighth and there were no fatalities listed under Ventilation.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Advancing Hoselines/Fire Attack</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">10 firefighters are listed as having died in this activity. Of the six involved fighting a structure fire five were killed inside a burning structure. There was one multi-fatality incident claiming two firefighters.</span></p>
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<li><span style="font-size: 14pt;">One Missouri firefighter was killed in a floor collapse at a residential structure fire</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Two California firefighters were killed possibly due to fire behavior and/or disorientation at a library fire</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-size: 14pt;">One Pennsylvania firefighter was killed in a porch roof collapse at a residential structure fire</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-size: 14pt;">One Michigan firefighter was killed in a floor collapse at a residential structure fire</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-size: 14pt;">One West Virginia firefighter was struck and killed by a beam at a barn fire</span></li>
</ul>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The deaths in California could be listed under Search, based on news reports of the incident<a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/firerescue/2020-on-duty-firefighting-deaths-in-detail/#_edn3">[3]</a> and the department press conference<a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/firerescue/2020-on-duty-firefighting-deaths-in-detail/#_edn4">[4]</a>. Initial details of the fire as well as fireground audio and the press conference indicate that the pair went inside with the intention of locating and rescuing anyone who may still be inside.</span></p>
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<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/St_GSbftcjA?wmode=opaque" allowfullscreen="" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0"></iframe>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Advancing Hoselines: 10</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Structure Fire:6</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Inside: 5</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Structure Type</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Residential: 3</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Educational/Institutional: 2</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Commercial: 1 (barn)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Cause of Death</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Collapse: 4</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Interior: 3</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Floor: 2</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> First Floor into Basement: 2</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Other: 1 (beam)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Exterior: 1</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Porch Roof: 1</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Fire Behavior: 2 (assumed)</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The other four firefighter fatalities under Advancing Hoselines are:</span></p>
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<li><span style="font-size: 14pt;">One Nebraska firefighter suffered a heart attack at home after a grass fire</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-size: 14pt;">One West Virginia firefighter suffered a stroke at home after a residential structure fire</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-size: 14pt;">One Missouri firefighter was found deceased at home three days after a residential structure fire</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-size: 14pt;">One California Hotshot Squad Boss was killed in a wildfire burnover</span></li>
</ul>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Search and Rescue</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">There were three fatalities listed under Search for 2020. None of them involved the victim being killed inside a burning structure.</span></p>
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<li><span style="font-size: 14pt;">One Minnesota fire chief suffered a heart attack the morning after responding to a car submerged in ice</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-size: 14pt;">A West Virginia firefighter fell ill and died after removing an occupant from the site of a rekindle</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-size: 14pt;">A Florida firefighter drowned after being swept by the current while performing a water rescue</span></li>
</ul>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Ventilation</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">There were no firefighter fatalities related to ventilation in 2020.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Conclusion</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">2020 ended, to date, with 96 firefighter on-duty deaths. Out of these 96 deaths, six were directly involved in structural fireground operations (attack, search, ventilation) and five were killed while inside a burning structure. Just like 2017, where there was only one firefighter death inside a burning structure, the fire service has experienced another record low in subcategories, despite the whole total being higher than the previous year.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The information presented is not meant to distract from the emotional toll felt by the families and coworkers. It is instead meant to remind us to look greater at the record of fatalities and in comparison, to previous years as well as be a measure of substance when used in discussions.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">It is always important to reiterate that the discussion of the details in the reporting of these deaths is not meant to diminish the loss. Each number is a person mourned by a family, friends, and coworkers. What is intended in this and related writing is that it is important for the fire service to be aware of the details in our on-duty death numbers. Blindly saying that 100 or so firefighters die each year, as well as saying “we’ve lost too many” each time a fatality occurs is turning a blind eye to the data. By understanding the details in the recording, we can be more aware of trends, both good and bad, in our efforts to reduce these fatalities.</span></p>
<hr class="wp-block-separator"/><p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/firerescue/2020-on-duty-firefighting-deaths-in-detail/#_ednref1">[1]</a> <a href="https://firerescuemagazine.firefighternation.com/2013/03/07/on-duty-line-of-duty-what-is-the-difference/">“On Duty & Line of Duty: What Is the Difference?”</a> Carey, FireRescue Magazine 2013</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/firerescue/2020-on-duty-firefighting-deaths-in-detail/#_ednref2">[2]</a> <a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/news/west-virginia-air-national-guard-firefighter-killed-in-fire/">“West Virginia Air National Guard Firefighter Killed in Fire”</a> FirefighterNation 28 Dec. 202</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/firerescue/2020-on-duty-firefighting-deaths-in-detail/#_ednref3">[3]</a> <a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/news/murder-charges-for-teens-in-california-library-fire/">“Murder Charges for Teens in California Library Fire”</a> FirefighterNation 24 Feb. 2020</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/firerescue/2020-on-duty-firefighting-deaths-in-detail/#_ednref4">[4]</a> <a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/news/press-conference-porterville-line-of-duty-deaths/">“Press Conference: Porterville Line of Duty Deaths”</a> FirefighterNation 20 Feb. 2020</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/?s=Bill+Carey">Bill Carey</a></strong> is the Online News Manager with <a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/about-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Clarion Fire & Rescue Group</a>, specifically <a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/">FirefighterNation.com</a> and <a href="https://firerescuemagazine.firefighternation.com/">FireRescue Magazine</a>. Bill served as a firefighter, sergeant, and lieutenant at <a href="https://www.hvfd.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hyattsville</a> in Prince George’s County, Maryland. His writing has been in <a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FirefighterNation</a>, <a href="https://firerescuemagazine.firefighternation.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FireRescue Magazine</a>, <a href="https://www.fireengineering.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fire Engineering</a>, and other publications and websites. His work on firefighter behavioral health was nominated for a 2014 Neal Award for Best Subject-Related Series. He has been a presenter at <a href="http://frederickstrainingdays.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Andy Fredericks Training Days.</a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://frederickstrainingdays.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a></span></p> Nursing Home Resident Missingtag:my.firefighternation.com,2021-01-18:889755:Topic:67532042021-01-18T16:00:02.161ZRob Younghttps://my.firefighternation.com/profile/natespapa
<p>At 05:30 you are paged to a nursing home where a dementia patient has been reported missing They were last seen two hours prior. The temperature is 30F and there is snowpack on the ground. The nursing home is in a residential area backed up to a large wooded area. What is your protocol, what is your plan?</p>
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<p>We were dispatched to this call this morning. </p>
<p>At 05:30 you are paged to a nursing home where a dementia patient has been reported missing They were last seen two hours prior. The temperature is 30F and there is snowpack on the ground. The nursing home is in a residential area backed up to a large wooded area. What is your protocol, what is your plan?</p>
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<p>We were dispatched to this call this morning. </p> Firerescue Magazine: Goal Setting for Mid-Level Chief Officerstag:my.firefighternation.com,2020-12-17:889755:Topic:67521202020-12-17T14:14:49.295ZFFN WebTeamhttps://my.firefighternation.com/profile/WebTeam1
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Outcome, Performance, and Process</strong></span></p>
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<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8298693463?profile=original" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-full" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8298693463?profile=RESIZE_710x"></img></a> <em>Where do you see yourself in five or 10 years? How will you get there?<br></br>(Prince George’s County Fire and EMS Department photo)</em></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>By Gary L.…</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Outcome, Performance, and Process</strong></span></p>
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<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8298693463?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8298693463?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a><em>Where do you see yourself in five or 10 years? How will you get there?<br/>(Prince George’s County Fire and EMS Department photo)</em></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>By Gary L. Krichbaum</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">It’s a given that you have been asked the following during a promotional interview: “Where do you see yourself in five years?” This common interview question is really not designed to evaluate your fortune telling abilities but is an indirect approach for what the interviewers and department really want to know: Do you have goals, and do those goals support the department’s? Most departments are looking for leaders who are driven and motivated and who have a focus toward their future, which all aligns with the department’s direction, values, and desires. A leader who knows how to set and successfully reach goals is invaluable in creating high performing workforces and attaining organizational successes. But to achieve goals, we must first learn how to correctly establish the goals. This article can be your guide to setting personal goals that align with your department’s goals and further influence you to study more on the subject.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Why Is This So Important?</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Goals create the energy in which all accomplishments, growth, and successes are realized. Success needs to have an identity so that we can recognize when we reach them. To put it simply, you have to know where you are going to know when you get there. Norman Vincent Peale, author of the international bestseller book The Power of Positive Thinking, famously stated, “All successful people have a goal. No one can get anywhere unless they know where he/she wants to go and what he/she wants to be or do.” This is true in personal life and is especially relevant in the success of an organization.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The chief officer (CO) needs to provide a focal point to channel personnel’s efforts and energy to generate maximum outcomes. This application should be inclusive of the person’s individual aims, what the position requires, and how both fit into the organization’s overarching goals. People are more likely to be engaged when they experience accomplishments and can relate how their achievements contribute to larger department goals. Additionally, goal setting is particularly important as a mechanism for providing ongoing and year-end appraisals or feedback. By establishing and monitoring objectives, providing real-time feedback on performance, and assisting when needed, the success cycle can be a perpetual kinesis for the department.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Types of Goals</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Depending on which leadership class you’ve attended or the book that you’ve read, goal types can range anywhere from three to seven classifications. To keep things simple, the most relevant to our profession comes from categories developed by psychologists Edwin Locke and Gary Latham in the 1960s, which link goal setting to motivation. They concluded that goals can be divided into three categories: Outcome, Performance, and Process. These groupings are widely used in the sports psychology field and are most applicable to the team environment of firefighting.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Outcomes goals are specific and detail the results you hope to achieve. Most of us do this at the beginning of a new year by declaring, “I will lose 20 pounds this year.” For the budding CO, it may be to promote to the next level (a common recommendation on many past performance appraisals/annual reviews). Although these goals are generalized, they should not be vague. There should be no question as to what you want to achieve. The more specific you make the outcome goal, the more likely you are to succeed. But outcome goals only give you a target; they don’t tell you how to reach it or the action steps required to get you there.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Process goals are the actions or the strategies that will help increase the chances of achieving your desired outcome goals. It’s the liaison of the outcome goals and the details that creates the path to success. Continuing with our weight loss comparison, the process goal for losing weight may include reducing calories, exercising, and drinking more water. For the potential CO, we might set process goals such as study department materials, take relevant classes, and practice with command simulations. They are more detailed actions that allow us to divide the larger goals into smaller and attainable actions.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Performance goals set the standards and establish the benchmarks to measure the performance of our process goals. Primarily, they are focused on results and spell out exactly how we will behave to achieve our goals. For example, performance goals for losing weight based on the process goals above may be to only eat 2,000 calories per day, run one mile three times a week, and intake three liters of water per day. CO candidate performance goals would include studying standard operating procedures three nights a week for at least one hour, completing a Fire Officer III class by a particular date, and participating in command simulations with the assistant/deputy chief every shift. Not only are these the step-by-step directions to achieving your goals, but they allow you to measure your progress along the way. Remember that meeting performance goals of the process goals will achieve outcome goals.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Goal Characteristics</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Now that we have a better idea of the types of goals we should establish, let’s delve deeper into what goals actually look like. Throughout our time as line officers, we often strive to be better at our craft, but few of us have ever been given specific directions to formally accomplish this. To gain a better understanding of the desirable characteristics of goals, we will note the two most popular goal setting models–SMART and OKRs.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson first developed the SMART goal system when branching the concept of goal theory beyond academia into the area of management and leadership (Blanchard, Zigarmi, & Zigarmi, 1985). SMART goal setting provides a framework, creates realistic aspirations, and provides the ability to track progress. SMART is an acronym that stands for the following:</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Specific: Goals should be specified using precise terms, not vague ones; goals should be quantified as much as possible.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Measurable: Developing a method to measure progress is essential in goal achievements. This is where you can create benchmarks, standards, or acceptable outcomes that must be met.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Achievable: The goal should be realistic, challenging, and attainable. It should not be such a daunting task that it will inevitably lead to failure, which erodes motivation.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Results-oriented: Defining the end result of the goal provides purpose for it. Ask yourself what this goal will look like when completed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Time-bound: Goals must specify target dates for completion to plan around.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Similar to the SMART method, objectives and key results (OKR) is another goal-setting framework that can help you define goals or objectives and track the outcome. The structure is designed to be more user friendly and help organizations reach long-range goals in a shorter time period. The OKR method was created by Andy Grove, who incorporated the approach during his tenure with Intel, and was documented in his 1983 book High Output Management. This process was advocated by former Intel employee John Doerr to a relatively new Google company in the 1990s. OKR became an important success factor for Google and other companies such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Dropbox, AirBnB, and Uber, which all followed the same goal process.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The concept behind the CO using the OKR formula is to set an objective (what we want to accomplish) and define the key results (how we are going to get it done). This method may be simpler to state what we want to accomplish (goal/objective) and how we are going to get it done (key results). Completing the key results becomes your measurement of success, leading to goal achievement. OKRs usually contain three to five objectives, with another three to five key measurable results for each objective. It is not recommended to exceed five and should be kept to three when possible.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Both goal setting structures can be effective, but COs should experiment with different methods to determine which would produce the best results for them and their personnel.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Setting the Goal</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The19th century Scottish philosopher and essayist Thomas Carlyle once said, “A man without a goal is like a ship without a rudder.” For those who are not familiar with boating, the rudder of a ship is the component that keeps the vessel traveling along the path you want it to. It’s the main steering mechanism. Without this essential piece, the boat is no longer manageable and will drift in many different directions.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This can be said for most people, especially those in the fire service, which is primarily performance based and is a common reason personnel need to have performance goals that they are expected to meet. And, COs are responsible for collaborating with the personnel to set goals, ensuring they relate to the department goals, and holding people accountable for achieving and not achieving the goals.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The following are suggestions to start the goal-setting process:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Start with a collaborative strategy when deciding which goals to pursue. Keep in mind that the role of the CO is to help drive short-term achievements (Process Goals) while ensuring long-term desired results (Outcome Goals). The goals that you and your personnel establish together should reflect this approach.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Schedule a goal-setting meeting with each person individually. This is a great opportunity to discuss what types of performance goals are necessary to fulfill the outcome goals and determine the relationship to the person’s job requirements, as well as identify goals that personnel may have in mind for themselves. This may include coaching them through the goal-setting process through a self-evaluation process similar to a SWOT Analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Ensure the goal content is specific and challenging. These types of goals lead to a greater level of performance than vague, unchallenging goals or not setting goals at all. Establish goals that are specific and challenging while remaining realistic and achievable. The research by Edwin Locke and Gary Latham (1990) found that setting specific and challenging goals led to higher performance 90 percent of the time.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Clearly define the expectations of the goals and process. This should not be done only by the COs, which is commonly the case, but include personnel input, which continues the ownership we are looking for.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Create and monitor benchmarks that are reviewed frequently and create an environment to provide real-time feedback. A recent study revealed that more frequent progress monitoring can increase the likelihood that people will achieve their goal (e.g., Harkin et al., 2016).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Finally, personnel must be committed to the goal for it to be achieved. Commitment refers to the extent to which employees are dedicated to reaching the goal and is often the toughest component for the CO to attain. Personnel must be convinced that the goal is important, relevant to the department’s success, and holds some personal value.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Whether you are a CO in an operational role, an administrative capacity, or executive command, your mission is to unite your personnel’s aspirations and the strategic direction of your department. It cannot be stressed enough that organizations typically reach a high performing level only when these two elements are in alignment. Otherwise, your forces may not complement each other or, worse, will conflict.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">It is clear that goal setting is beneficial for the department’s success and personnel engagement. A CO who can communicate a clear focus in the form of a goal is a valuable asset to any department and is a quality that is much needed in the fire service. By creating a clear framework and providing personnel with the tools for effective goal setting, the CO can expect a more productive, motivated, and high-achieving team.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Takeaways</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Start with you. Begin by setting your own goals using the ideas and suggestions here. Understanding the process intimately will help you relate and support your personnel during their process.</span></p>
<p><br/> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">Goal setting can be difficult and stressful but has proven to be incredibly successful when done correctly. Similar to any other skill, this must be practiced and exercised repeatedly to become effective at it.</span></p>
<p><br/> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">After setting outcome goals, stop focusing on them and concentrate more on the process and performance goals. For example, after you have decided that you want to lose 20 pounds this year, begin focusing on daily behaviors that will help you lose that amount of weight.</span></p>
<p><br/> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">Write down your all goals. A study conducted at the Dominican University in California (2015) found that people who write down their goals are 42% more likely to achieve them than people who don’t write them down.</span></p>
<p><br/> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">Make goal setting a collaborative effort between you and your team. Based on the needs of the individual and your team, goals should not be determined by the CO only. The more people participate in creating their goals, the more committed they are to accomplishing them.</span></p>
<p><br/> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">Make the goals clear, specific, challenging, and measurable. You want your personnel to easily understand what is expected of them and create an atmosphere of success.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>References</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY. (2015) Goals Research Summary. [Online] Available from: <a href="http://www.dominican.edu/academics/ahss/undergraduate-programs/psych/faculty/assets-gail-matthews/researchsummary2.pdf">http://www.dominican.edu/academics/ahss/undergraduate-programs/psych/faculty/assets-gail-matthews/researchsummary2.pdf</a> [Accessed: 22nd June 2020].</span><br/> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">Harkin B., Webb T. L., Chang B. P. I., Sheeran P., Prestwich A., Conner M., et al. (2016). Does prompting self-monitoring of goal progress facilitate self-regulation? A meta-analysis of the experimental evidence. Psychol. Bull. 142 198–229. 10.1037/bul0000025 [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar].</span><br/> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">Grove, A. S. High Output Management. Souvenir Press, 1983.</span><br/> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (1990). A theory of goal setting & task performance. Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice Hall.</span><br/> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">Peale, Norman Vincent. The Power of Positive Thinking.</span><br/> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">“Thomas Carlyle Quotes.” BrainyQuote.com. BrainyMedia Inc, 2020. 22 June 2020. <a href="https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/thomas_carlyle_156155">https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/thomas_carlyle_156155</a>.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Gary L. Krichbaum</strong> is a 31-year veteran of the fire service and recently retired as an Assistant Fire Chief with the Prince George’s County (MD) Fire/EMS Department. He is a Nationally Registered Paramedic, designated as a Chief Fire Officer by the Center for Public Safety Excellence and has a Master of Arts degree in Emergency and Disaster Management. Krichbaum also serves as the deputy incident commander for the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend held each year in Emmitsburg, MD.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/firerescue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>READ MORE ON FIRERESCUE MAGAZINE</strong></a></span></p> My Mission to bring awareness to PTS in the fire service through Golf.tag:my.firefighternation.com,2020-12-14:889755:Topic:67521062020-12-14T01:25:50.607ZSteve K Popehttps://my.firefighternation.com/profile/SteveKPope
<p>Please check out my YouTube channel where I share my golf and my story of PTS issues that I have myself. I am trying to bring awareness to PTS through the game of golf. I want to play golf with firefighters so we can decompress and reinvigorate on the course. Please contact me if you would like to play a round of golf.</p>
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<p>kckfire8@gmail.com</p>
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<p>YouTube:</p>
<p><a href="https://youtu.be/ovaK7iq55sU">https://youtu.be/ovaK7iq55sU</a></p>
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<p>Instagram:…</p>
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<p>Please check out my YouTube channel where I share my golf and my story of PTS issues that I have myself. I am trying to bring awareness to PTS through the game of golf. I want to play golf with firefighters so we can decompress and reinvigorate on the course. Please contact me if you would like to play a round of golf.</p>
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<p>kckfire8@gmail.com</p>
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<p>YouTube:</p>
<p><a href="https://youtu.be/ovaK7iq55sU">https://youtu.be/ovaK7iq55sU</a></p>
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<p>Instagram:</p>
<p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/firefighter_golf/">https://www.instagram.com/firefighter_golf/</a></p>
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<p>Thanks,</p>
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<p>Captain Steve Pope</p>
<p>Kansas City Kansas Fire Department</p> FireRescue Magazine: Is Your Department Business Intelligent?tag:my.firefighternation.com,2020-12-10:889755:Topic:67521692020-12-10T15:59:12.797ZFFN WebTeamhttps://my.firefighternation.com/profile/WebTeam1
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Sharing Best Practices in Business Intelligence from the Virginia Beach, VA Fire Department</strong></span></p>
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<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8270435279?profile=original" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-full" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8270435279?profile=RESIZE_710x"></img></a> <em>(pixabay)</em></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>By Dr. Evgeniy Ivanov</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">It has become universally…</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Sharing Best Practices in Business Intelligence from the Virginia Beach, VA Fire Department</strong></span></p>
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<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8270435279?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8270435279?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a><em>(pixabay)</em></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>By Dr. Evgeniy Ivanov</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">It has become universally acknowledged that data is of primary importance for making informed decisions. You can hear about data-driven culture or data-informed decision making in almost any organization or department, big or small. Nowadays, there is a new term being used to comprehensively capture all aspects of exploring data in a smart way – it is called Business Intelligence (BI).</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>The Fifth Goal </strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Whether your organization is handling data and analytics in an intelligent or archaic way will determine how successful it is in achieving its strategic goals and in keeping up with the front runners in the industry. During its strategic business plan review in 2020, the Virginia Beach (VA) Fire Department (VBFD) recognized the importance of BI and added a new strategic goal–the fifth goal—that seeks to “Enhance Business Intelligence (BI) and Information Technology (IT) capabilities.”<a href="https://firerescuemagazine.firefighternation.com/2020/12/02/is-your-department-business-intelligent/#_edn1">[1]</a> That new goal, among other things, is a reflection of the raised level of ambition for the department to become “internationally recognized as a leader in fire service excellence with the ability to predict emerging and challenging environments, develop our members, and cultivate the community sense of feeling safe any place, any time,” as stated in the new vision statement.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The portion of goal five that addresses an enhanced BI capability seeks that development through three objectives:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Objective 1: Develop BI capability that provides reporting and dashboarding of metrics required for key business needs and accreditation.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Objective 2: Develop BI capability that provides key statistical data to the public through Open Data.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Objective 3: Develop BI capability that provides self-service to BI reports, dashboards, and automated exports.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Does your department have a “fifth goal” in its strategic plan?</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>What Is Business Intelligence?</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">There are different approaches when it comes to defining business intelligence. Foley & Guillemette observed that “researchers in the field have defined BI using many different definitions, each one with a particular orientation that best suited their particular study.”<a href="https://firerescuemagazine.firefighternation.com/2020/12/02/is-your-department-business-intelligent/#_edn2">[2]</a> Some definitions approach BI as the tools, others refer to it as a system or a process. The common ground for all definitions is that BI, in general terms, is about the ability to query and collect data from multiple sources, prepare it for analysis, and present it in the form of reports and dashboards. That is why I would rather define it as <strong><em>a capability,</em> first and foremost: a capability for gathering and analyzing data aimed at delivering business information to support informed decision making</strong>.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Furthermore, BI is not only a capability but even more–<strong>it is a cross-cutting one</strong>, which makes it of critical importance to your department’s functioning and success. First, data does not exist on its own; it is always about something. For a fire department, internal data covers all the functional areas and their capabilities to serve internally and externally, such as human resources, fire operations, inspections, safety, finance, and so on. Second, a fully developed BI capability will help your department explore all these data in a structured way. Thus, it will empower all the program managers who oversee those functional areas and capabilities to make informed decisions on how to sustain success and even improve processes further. BI products, such as dashboards and reports, are easy and quick to explore by end-users through their “self-service” functionality.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>The Three Elements of a BI Capability</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">A BI capability consists of 3 core elements: <strong>the BI tools and applications; the BI training on how to use those tools; and the analyst</strong> who operationalizes the power of the former two elements into tangible BI solutions and outputs such as workflows, dashboards, and reports. As a unique capability, BI requires its own specific knowledge, tools, and even the analytical skills on how to bring it all to work together. In the case of VBFD, that capability predominantly resides within the Research & Analysis Bureau. It is currently staffed with two civilian analyst positions—a research manager and a fire RMS database administrator—with a battalion chief (BC) overseeing the bureau and bringing fire service field expertise. It is worth noting that despite the fact that the staffing of the analytical and reporting capability will differ from one department to another, there is no doubt that its existence is essential, in one form or another, to ensure a data-driven culture and evidence-based decision making.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Three Examples of BI Solutions</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Here are three examples of BI solutions that optimized business processes and justified the efforts toward achieving the objectives under Goal 5, as listed above.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Example 1: Tracking Unfinished NFIRS Reports.</strong> In our example, a BC wants to know how many unfinished National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) basic and assist reports there are in the Fire Records Management System (RMS) from all the units and stations under their supervision. Normally, the public safety analyst will process that request and will give the information to the BC. In such a case, that data will benefit only one person–the BC. With the new approach of sharing virtual works spaces and BI products, if such a request is identified as being able to benefit more people and serve a higher purpose, then it will be scaled up (a technique in project management) and would become a departmental BI project. This is how such a project delivered the VBFD Unfinished Reports Dashboard (Figure 1) and the latter was created to bridge the gap of a missing report queuing functionality in the current departmental RMS and to provide BCs and unit commanders with a tool to track, monitor, and manage the NFIRS reporting. The logic for that dashboard was built through team discussions that defined what constitutes an “Unfinished Report.” In addition, those efforts benefit not only the internal reporting processes but also the quantity and quality of the NFIRS data reported monthly to the state. The dashboard is used also by the Quality Control (QC) working group that scrutinizes the quality of data in the Fire RMS.</span></p>
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<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8270436293?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8270436293?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a><em>Figure 1. Virginia Beach Fire Department Unfinished Reports Dashboard</em></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Example 2: Fire Inspections Tracking Through a “Self-Service” Dashboard.</strong> Everybody knows that fire inspections are critical for the safety of businesses and their customers. But this program is also critical for bringing revenue to the city budget and for funding some of the fire inspector positions. No doubt that running the process of fire inspections tracking in a smart and effective way is a must. This was the requirement from the VBFD Fire Prevention Bureau (FPB). A small working group developed the Fire Inspections Dashboard that has two pages/tabs–one for all the fire inspection records and another for annual inspections only. The dashboard also operationalized a custom requirement–to show if the last annual inspection date (LAID) of a business is older than one year. That would be one way to prioritize businesses for inspection. Another way is by their importance to public safety; the FPB developed a “Use Group Priority” where businesses were identified as having High, Medium, or Low priority. Schools and colleges are examples of a high-use group priority; restaurants and nightclubs, medium; and residential homes, low. Ultimately, the Fire Inspections Dashboard (Figure 2) is an operationalization of the “self-service” paradigm where every fire inspector can create a prioritized inspection list (for the year, the month, etc.); track completed and pending annual inspections as the dashboard refreshes daily; and, above all, pull that dashboard on a tablet or smartphone from anywhere and without further need of a paper report or support staff assistance.</span></p>
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<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8270436465?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8270436465?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a><em>Figure 2. All and Annual Fire Inspections Dashboard</em></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Example 3: Automating the Standard of Cover (SOC) Response Times Calculation.</strong> Calculating response times for your Standard of Cover (SOC) document for your accreditation process is a huge effort and time-consuming task. The conventional way of handling your data is to create and run separate queries to determine each response time (Alarm Handling, Turn Out, Travel, Total Response) for all incidents and then for the Effective Response Force concentration (Travel and Total Response). Once the data is extracted, the next task is to calculate the 90th percentile for all those times broken down by calendar year, by SOC category (e.g. Moderate Risk Fire, Special Risk Fires, etc.), by area type (metro, rural), etc. Can you imagine the number of queries and manual manipulations your analyst must perform to fulfill that task?</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Well, if you invest some time with your team to come up with querying logics that, later on, your analyst binds together in your business intelligence software, then you will end up with a dashboard that can answer all those questions simultaneously, as shown in Figure 3. In addition, you can set filters for scrubbing outliers, add visuals that show the percent of time you reached your target, and many other custom-built logics that can answer a huge array of questions with a simple click of a mouse.</span></p>
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<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8270436870?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8270436870?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a><em>Figure 3. Standard of Cover (SOC) Response Times–90th Percentile Dashboard</em></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Five Tips for Building Up Your Departmental BI Capability</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">If your department is still in the beginning of developing a more enhanced BI capability and you are still struggling with where to start, then remember the three core elements of a BI capability–the tools/applications, the BI training, and the BI public safety analyst(s). Start with acquiring those first. Below are some tips that can be used as best practices in this “to-be-transformational” for your department endeavor.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em>Does your fire department have a public safety analyst?</em> If not, plan for having at least one or more, depending on the size of your department. Analysts will form the core element of your departmental BI capability that will bring together the BI tools, the departmental knowledge, and your innovative and process-improvement ideas. The critical role of analysts for the success of professional fire departments has been recognized by the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) by launching the Fire Analyst project and requesting the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) “to develop a fire analyst professional qualification (Pro-Qual) standard. Given the complexity of gathering and analyzing data for accreditation and the growing sophistication of technology systems available to fire departments, CPSE believes a Pro-Qual standard for fire analysts is an important next step in the progression of fire departments.”<a href="https://firerescuemagazine.firefighternation.com/2020/12/02/is-your-department-business-intelligent/#_edn3">[3]</a></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em>Being a professional and modern fire department requires efforts not only “on scene” but also behind it, where your departmental knowledge and data reside.</em> Start exploring that knowledge in a smart way using BI and you will be able to see “all at once” what is the current status of your performance and compare it to where you aim to be.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em>Be proactive and volunteer for initial testing of products and applications.</em> Participate in new testing of BI tools or solutions by offering your fire data. This was how the VBFD developed its first BI Dashboard for presenting calls for service by first-due area and succeeded in becoming the first department in the City of Virginia Beach to embed a BI dashboard onto its publicly accessible Web page.<a href="https://firerescuemagazine.firefighternation.com/2020/12/02/is-your-department-business-intelligent/#_edn4">[4]</a></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em>Use a shared working space.</em> Encourage your department to use shared working spaces (e.g., SharePoint Online) and take advantage of its multiple functionalities. That way, everyone can have quick access from anywhere to vital data, dashboards, and documents. Collaboration is key. You can still control who can see what by managing permissions. In addition, you can create workflows to support specific processes.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em>Seek counterparts, learn from others, and build your team of champions.</em> You need a team of champions both internally and externally. Internally, no one can do wonders (and be willing to do them) without having the full support of their supervisor and the chain of command. Externally, you need to collaborate with your IT department so that they can trust your analyst and provide the necessary access to databases, BI tools and licenses, and day-to day IT troubleshooting support. In Virginia Beach, we have a small dedicated team of BI system engineers in the IT department who provide support (to include BI training) to other departments. Reach out to your counterparts from other public safety departments; that way, you will learn what software you might need. Also, you might find that you have a lot of common problems and you might get or even share some tips on how to solve them.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>The Benefits of a BI Capability</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I have limited the BI examples here to three, but the list of process improvements through BI is quite long and is getting even longer as we speak, and so is the list of their benefits.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The utmost benefit, as mentioned above, is that BI, as a cross-cutting capability, can support a better functioning of all the processes in your department. Your departmental senior staff can quote data from the dashboards using their mobile phones during a meeting. Or, your fire safety educator can project those while speaking in a school classroom. The created dashboards can be shared with other departments if there is a need. For example, a dashboard with the GIS locations of fire hydrants can serve both the fire department and the public utilities departments’ needs. Ultimately, BI will help improve your performance in data handling in terms of the following:</span></p>
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<li><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Automating data processing. This will limit the time your employees have to spend querying and reporting data and allow them time to learn new skills or take on new projects.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Who has access to it and from where.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14pt;">How much information you can see at once.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Whether the end users can interact with the data themselves–the “Self-Service” paradigm—or they need an analyst to create and run a separate report to answer each request for information.</span></li>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">These are just some examples of how your department can benefit from developing an enhanced BI capability. As for VBFD, the initial BI capability has been achieved. Our next milestone is to reach and sustain a full BI capability that helps all VBFD program managers handle data in a smart and an intelligent way.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Acknowledgments</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I wish to thank to District Chief Administration Amy Valdez and Battalion Chief Research and Analysis Jonathan McIvor, both with VBFD, for providing valuable suggestions and comments.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Dr. Evgeniy Ivanov</strong> works as a research manager for the Virginia Beach Fire Department. He is a certified PRINCE2 project management practitioner with current research efforts in data analysis, problem solving facilitation, program evaluation and process improvement, concepts, and methods, among others.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>ENDNOTES:</strong></span></p>
<hr class="wp-block-separator"/><p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://firerescuemagazine.firefighternation.com/2020/12/02/is-your-department-business-intelligent/#_ednref1">[1]</a> Virginia Beach Fire Department. (June 2020). <em>2020 – 2025 Strategic Plan</em>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://firerescuemagazine.firefighternation.com/2020/12/02/is-your-department-business-intelligent/#_ednref2">[2]</a> Foley, É., & Guillemette, M. G. (2010). What is Business Intelligence? <em>International Journal of Business Intelligence Research (IJBIR), 1</em>(4), 1-28. doi:10.4018/jbir.2010100101.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://firerescuemagazine.firefighternation.com/2020/12/02/is-your-department-business-intelligent/#_ednref3">[3]</a> Center for Public Safety Excellence, Projects – Fire Analyst, accessed 04 October 2020, <<a href="https://cpse.org/projects/fire-analyst/">https://cpse.org/projects/fire-analyst/</a>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://firerescuemagazine.firefighternation.com/2020/12/02/is-your-department-business-intelligent/#_ednref4">[4]</a> Virginia Beach Fire Department, <em>Calls for Service Dashboard</em>, accessed 01 October 2020,<a href="https://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/fire/Pages/Calls-for-Service.aspx">https://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/fire/Pages/Calls-for-Service.aspx</a>.</span></p>
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<p><a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/firerescue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>READ MORE ON FIRERESCUE MAGAZINE</strong></span></a></p> Firehouse Christmas Decorationstag:my.firefighternation.com,2020-12-09:889755:Topic:67520102020-12-09T12:26:18.971ZFFN WebTeamhttps://my.firefighternation.com/profile/WebTeam1
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>San Francisco Fire Department Revives Firehouse Decorating Contest</strong></span></p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8265683087?profile=original" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-full" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8265683087?profile=RESIZE_710x"></img></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Tradition from the 1940’s returns</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Peter Hartlaub,…</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>San Francisco Fire Department Revives Firehouse Decorating Contest</strong></span></p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8265683087?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8265683087?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Tradition from the 1940’s returns</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Peter Hartlaub, <a href="http://www.sfchronicle.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">San Francisco Chronicle</a></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://www.tribunenewsservice.com">(TNS)</a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Hoping to brighten an increasingly grim holiday season, San Francisco firefighters will revive a tradition last seen during the Harry S. Truman administration: a city firehouse-decorating contest with prize money going to charity.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">From 1948 to 1950, the San Francisco Fire Department and other city agencies came together to transform fire stations into winter wonderlands, with holiday themes, lights and, in at least one case, live animals.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">After the contest <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/culture/article/Holiday-fire-stations-once-lit-up-the-city-Then-15754825.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">was highlighted</a> in a San Francisco Chronicle Our SF history column last week, fire officials decided early this week to restart the tradition, with a contest, judging and winners announced before Christmas.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">San Francisco Fire Lt. Jonathan Baxter said firefighters typically get closer to their communities during the holidays. With the department’s <a href="https://www.sffirefighterstoys.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">annual toy drive shifted online</a>, and other in-person events canceled for safety reasons, the contest will be a way to show civic pride and unity.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“We want to do something that’s going to bring as much of that back as possible, while still adhering to the protective measures that are in place for COVID-19,” Baxter said. “The community wants or needs this as much as I think our firefighters do in San Francisco.” <a href="https://www.firefighternation.com/leadership/san-francisco-firehouse-decoration-contest/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">READ MORE</a></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>What is your department doing for the holiday? Post your photos and videos.</strong></span></p> FireRescue Magazine: Thermal Imaging Use in Fire Preventiontag:my.firefighternation.com,2020-12-01:889755:Topic:67517282020-12-01T21:15:48.874ZFFN WebTeamhttps://my.firefighternation.com/profile/WebTeam1
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Wait, did I just say camera?</strong></span></p>
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<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8237895277?profile=original" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-full" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8237895277?profile=RESIZE_710x"></img></a> <em>This TI image shows an obstructed view of a power strip with adapters under a cabinet. (Photos courtesy of Bullard.)</em></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>By Manfred Kihn…</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Wait, did I just say camera?</strong></span></p>
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<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8237895277?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8237895277?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a><em>This TI image shows an obstructed view of a power strip with adapters under a cabinet. (Photos courtesy of Bullard.)</em></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>By Manfred Kihn</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">One of the most undesirable roles in today’s fire service is conducting fire prevention inspections. Dealing with the public, walking through buildings, and writing reports sound like fun, eh! No, it’s not, but it has to be done, so let’s see what we can do to make it more enjoyable.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Off you go with the required tools in hand to conduct your proper fire prevention inspections including a clipboard, tape measure, flashlight, camera, and so on. Wait, did I just say camera? Yes, I did, but it’s the 35-mm kind of camera. Have you considered using a thermal imager (TI)? A TI is another valuable tool to be used for inspection purposes. Can you see everything through your naked eye, including potential hidden hazards that you are supposed to be identifying?</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The holidays are right around the corner, and that means lots of decorations, lights inside and outside the house, power strips, and a massive amount of those unsightly extension cords. As the saying goes, “Out of sight, out of mind,” and those extension cords are buried under carpets, tucked behind cabinets or furniture, and so on. Let’s also consider what condition those extension cords are in—are they new or are they older, dried-out plastic that is cracked and just waiting to overheat and catch fire?</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Based on your firefighting experience, bringing a TI with you during these fire prevention inspections would make your job that much easier, don’t you think? You see with your naked eye, but the TI detects infrared heat, which your eyes cannot see unless you physically reach out and touch it. Sure, go ahead and bend over and crawl under that desk to touch the wiring. Or, stand back and take a look with your TI and have confirmation and temperature measurement at your fingertips. Better yet, if your TI has a built-in digital video recorder (DVR), take a picture or video for your file and record keeping.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Inspections are conducted of occupied properties to ensure that the structures meet the locally adopted building and fire codes. The public looks at firefighters as subject matter experts, and our focus is on preventing fires and eliminating safety hazards. As you inspect, take a periodic look with your TI to confirm where the heat sources are and how hot they are. You can now determine, based on your experience, if it’s a concern or if it meets code. An overloaded electrical outlet may cause a fire or a pile of cardboard boxes in the back room appears OK, but what you don’t see is the baseboard heater under those boxes. You can verify that through the lens of the TI without having to climb through all those boxes. A TI can make your job easier.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Other potential fire hazards are overheated breakers on an electrical panel and the heat signature emitted from an extension cord under the carpet that is constantly being walked on. These are potential fire hazards that can be detected using a TI. Think about your large appliances such as dryers and ovens. Are they wired correctly?</span></p>
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<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8237895697?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8237895697?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a><em>This TI image shows the unmatched aluminum and copper wiring of a dryer plug.</em></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As I have preached the gospel about thermal imaging before, practice makes perfect. If you don’t have a lot of experience using a TI, start at your desk in the fire station. Look at the obvious with your naked eye and compare the differences with the TI. Look at your computer and electrical outlets and determine what you didn’t see with your naked eye. Now, walk around as if you were walking through a commercial building inspection and identify what and where the potential hazards are hiding. You want to be professional when conducting your inspections, so the more experience and knowledge you have using a TI, the better inspector you will be.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Fire department roles and responsibilities can change in your community, but education, enforcement, and inspection remain constants. Use the tools available to you; if your Fire Prevention Bureau does not have a TI or does not have access to one, then purchase one. TIs have gotten smaller, lighter, and more affordable over the years. You can’t afford not to have or use one.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Manfred Kihn is a 19-year veteran of the fire service, having served as an ambulance officer, emergency services specialist, firefighter, captain, and fire chief. He has been a member of Bullard’s Emergency Responder team since 2005 and is the company’s fire training specialist for thermal imaging technology. He is certified through the Law Enforcement Thermographers’ Association (LETA) as a thermal imaging instructor and is a recipient of the Ontario Medal for Firefighters Bravery. If you have questions about thermal imaging, you can e-mail him at manfred_kihn@bullard.com.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://firerescuemagazine.firefighternation.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Read More on FireRescue Magazine</strong></span></a></span></p>
<p></p> Size-Up: Pennsylvania House Firetag:my.firefighternation.com,2020-10-07:889755:Topic:67238612020-10-07T12:07:43.880ZFFN WebTeamhttps://my.firefighternation.com/profile/WebTeam1
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Give us your size-up report and directions if you were first arriving.</strong></span></p>
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<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8009845263?profile=original" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-full" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8009845263?profile=RESIZE_710x"></img></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Be first arriving at this fire in West Bradford. (Mark Walsh video)</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Answer based on resources and operations in your…</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Give us your size-up report and directions if you were first arriving.</strong></span></p>
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<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8009845263?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8009845263?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Be first arriving at this fire in West Bradford. (Mark Walsh video)</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Answer based on resources and operations in your department.</span><br/><br/></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">What apparatus and how many firefighters respond to this weekend house fire?</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">What will be your initial on-scene report?</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">What assignments or directions will be given to the responding companies</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">What benchmarks are you looking for or reporting on in the first minutes of the fire attack?</span></p>
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<h2 class="cl-post-list-item__title"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a class="" href="https://firerescuemagazine.firefighternation.com/2019/10/30/fireground-basic-size-up-for-the-first-due-engine/">Fireground Basic Size-Up for the First-Due Engine</a></span></h2>
<h2 class="cl-post-list-item__title"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a class="" href="https://firerescuemagazine.firefighternation.com/2018/05/07/building-size-up/">Building Size-Up</a></span></h2>
<h2 class="cl-post-list-item__title"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a class="" href="https://firerescuemagazine.firefighternation.com/gallery/15552/engine-company-size-up-iap-development/">Engine Company Size-Up & IAP Development</a></span></h2>
<h2 class="cl-post-list-item__title"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a class="" href="https://firerescuemagazine.firefighternation.com/2020/06/26/considerations-of-the-first-due-engine-company-nozzleman/">Considerations of the First-Due Engine Company Nozzleman</a></span></h2>
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