Check out the posting on the backdraft explosion and injury at a row fire in Camden, NJ.
Check out the entire series of photos here

First of all and thankfully the fire chief and the interior companies were not seriously hurt. Luck was clearly on thier side on this alarm. The outcome could have been entirely different. However with that aside, this incident and series of photopgraphs illustrates why there are no routine calls and why SAFETY must become futher institutionalized and a part of the job.

We strive to provde the highest level of protection to our firefighters, we promote and preach safety and banter the safety tag line all around, we talk about everyone going home; yet everyday, we place ourselves in harms way, either directly or indirectly, by lack of focus, inattention to detail, assume nothing is going to happen to us; oh, its just another routine fire/job, complacency....etc.

The fireground is a hostile environment. It can change in the blink of an eye, or in this case in the time it takes for a picture frame to capture an image. Think about your PPE use on the incident scene....set the example, maintain the standards, don't assume...nothing is routine.....Let's learn some valuable lessons from this incident.

How do you operate on the fireground as a Command Officer, Company officer etc? Are you setting the example in the use of PPE? Should command officers wear all the appropriate PPE within designated areas of the fireground? What do you think....?

A speedy recover to Chief Phelps.