All Blog Posts (7,007)

NFFF Honor Bear Twitter Giveaway

The NFFF is giving away Honor bears as a thank you to all who support us! Honor was made by the folks at Boyds Bears as a tribute to those firefighters who have lost their lives.

Watch Twitter and the Facebook page for updates on this. The first drawing starts July 15 and will end Friday, July 24. There will be more drawings in the future, so if you don't win, stay tuned in for the next drawing!

How to enter

Entering is simple and takes 3 steps:

•Create or… Continue

Added by NFFF on July 15, 2009 at 4:10pm — No Comments

EMT-Basic

I have recently begun my journey into the EMS field. I have now completed 2 class' of EMT-Basic course. I will complete my course as of Oct. 31 2009 and will test out For National Registry within two weeks of that date. wish me luck all.

Added by Robert on July 15, 2009 at 12:16pm — 3 Comments

Hosebeds Revisited: Follow the manufacturers’ lead & design ergonomically correct hosebeds

Hosebeds Revisited

Follow the manufacturers’ lead & design ergonomically correct hosebeds

Story & Photos by Bob Vaccaro

It’s been a couple years since I touched on the subject of fire apparatus hosebeds, so I thought it was time for an update. If you visit some of the fire service conference exhibit halls, you’ll notice an interesting phenomenon: More and more fire departments, along with just about all of the fire apparatus manufacturers,… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on July 15, 2009 at 8:00am — 6 Comments

A Multi-Layered Issue: Double-layer PPE doesn’t protect against heat injury

FROM THE PAGES OF FIRERESCUE MAGAZINE

A Multi-Layered Issue

Double-layer PPE doesn’t protect against heat injury

By Vaughan Miller

Over the past 40 years, most Southern California fire departments that regularly engage in wildland/urban interface (WUI) structure protection operations have improved wildland firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE), going from a single layer of cotton dungarees to the standard double layer of flame-resistant Nomex.… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on July 15, 2009 at 8:00am — 2 Comments

When It’s Time to Move On

When It's Time to Move On

Storming out & letting everyone know what you think might feel good, but it could come back to haunt you

By Scott Cook

A month or so ago, I received an e-mail from a friend of mine, one of the nicest guys you’d ever meet. I am fortunate to know him, and the guys at his new department are as well. He’s the kind of guy that gets the job done: strong back and a strong mind to go with it.

In the… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on July 15, 2009 at 8:00am — 3 Comments

What i wish...

What I wish people knew about EMS, Firefighters,

Dispatchers, & Law Enforcement.

I wish you could know what it is like to

search a burning bedroom for trapped children at 3

AM, flames rolling above your head, your palms and

knees burning as you crawl, the floor sagging under

your weight as the kitchen below you burns.

I wish you could comprehend a husband's horror at 6 in

the morning as I check his wife of 40 years for a

pulse… Continue

Added by Justin Scott on July 14, 2009 at 11:47pm — No Comments

NFFF - Reflecting on Positive Change

I was recently awarded as the first New Hampshire Fire Instructor and the first of (15) in the United States as a Challenge Coin Award Recipient from the NFFF - Courage to be Safe Program.

There is no greater achievement for an educator than to identify and witness behavioral changes in a student whom you have influenced and educated. If and when that lifelong dream comes to fruition, one can personally acknowledge that in a way, their beliefs, challenges and efforts have come… Continue

Added by FETC on July 14, 2009 at 9:00pm — 3 Comments

Anemia and gestational diabetes

Apparently I had to much sugar in my monthly "donation" at the doctors office. (Urine specimen for those who don't know what I meant) So I had to do the one hour glucose test. Doc called the next day to let me know I'm anemic, which can easily be fixed with an Iron supplement. And that I "failed" the glucose test. So tomorrow I go in for the big bad three hour test. I'm not really looking forward to the boredom this will entail. I was bored to tears in the one hour. LOL In any case, his plan of… Continue

Added by Daniele on July 14, 2009 at 5:05pm — 4 Comments

Looking for used bunker gear....

I am a Volunteer Fire Fighter for Rancho Viejo fire Department in South Texas, and we are currently out of gear. Anyone interested in donating any color gear pants 40/29 and a Jacket 46. I would be ever so grateful. I am not asking to take advantage, but the last fire I was on my super old Pants ripped. My name is Juan Trevino e-mail: Juan.trevino@utb.edu or cell phone number 956-909-8775

Thanks for taking time out to read this. any gear is helpful!

Godbless!

Added by Juan Trevino on July 14, 2009 at 3:00pm — No Comments

The Forgotten Victims

We have all been on these calls before. 67 yr old grandmother fell and broke her hip in the kitchen. 38 yr old father fell from the roof shingling the garage. 28 yr old female 7 months pregnant experiencing severe cramping and pain.

It doesn’t matter the gender, age, race or religion. We rush to the scene to render the best aid we can give to the patient. Our crew will rush into the house. Lights and sirens blaring. We jump out of our rigs grabbing medic bags, backboards, Oxygen… Continue

Added by Station10Capt106 on July 14, 2009 at 1:44pm — No Comments

Just a thought

I think that it is the heat down here but some people think that they are above the law all the time. Well it is going to get interesting folks. To the peeps-peace, hydrate, and be safe

Added by kari (kat) kotara on July 14, 2009 at 1:23pm — No Comments

FireShowsReno Conference

The Nevada Fire Chiefs Association will be hosting a new fire conference this October in Reno, NV. The cost to attend, including hotel and airfare is minimal. Check it out at www.fireshowsreno.com

Speakers include Chiefs Brunacini, Gillespie, Stein, Mittendorf and others.

This is a start-up conference and our first year attendance is critical to be able hold this conference every year in Reno.

Added by Ken Riddle on July 13, 2009 at 4:00pm — No Comments

My life

I have decided to go a step up in life and that is to be who I want to be . I have fought for my parents to accept that I want to save lives but I have only just begun just that my family like my brother who is a paid firefighter and he loves it It was his dream . My dad is a firefighter on leave for a long time because he has bad knees and there Is nomore cartlidge to walk and he hurts to the point where he can only do somuch as a firefighter. Ever since I was little I have loved going to the… Continue

Added by lauryn stapleton "lilly" on July 13, 2009 at 9:15am — 1 Comment

One idiot firefighter from Boston

Before you read this let it be known i respect every single firefighter police officer and paramedics and everyone serving in any Branch of the military. It;s just what one idiot Firefighter said to me that really got under my skin. Hi i went to see the tall ships in Boston this past Saturday and saw some of them we were there at 5 and all the ships were closed and you couldn't go on them They were only letting old Navy veterans on the Irish Navy ship and the USS Cassin Young was closed. I… Continue

Added by matt lynch on July 12, 2009 at 9:45pm — 8 Comments

First Application to a career Dept.

Well I'm getting ready to go take my CPAT this week and then turn in my app for Shelbyville Fire Dept. It will be my first process for a career position.... I'm kinda nervous yet anxious to go through it. I just hope that everything goes well with it. I know it's very hard to get on the first dept you apply for.

Added by Stephan on July 12, 2009 at 8:31pm — No Comments

Filtered Water for Rural Ops

RURAL FIRE COMMAND

Filtered Water: Use a strainer to perform simple pump preventative maintenance

By Patrick Pauly

Regardless of where your rural fire department operations occur, if you have to draft water, you should attach a strainer to the end of your hard-suction tube. Taking a few extra minutes to do this will pay dividends in the long run.

Many different types of strainers are available, and many manufacturers offer… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on July 12, 2009 at 2:00pm — 1 Comment

More Hot Products from FDIC 2009!

Show & Tell: FireRescue technical editors review hot products from FDIC 2009

Despite a sluggish economy, FDIC 2009 in Indianapolis was still filled to the brim with new products. Three of FireRescue’s experienced technical editors hit the halls in search of innovative products that have the potential to simplify your job while making it safer. Following are detailed descriptions of a few of these products we felt deserved a spotlight. For more, check out the July… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on July 11, 2009 at 1:00pm — 1 Comment

Focusing on the "V" in VES

TRUCK COMPANY OPERATIONS

Focusing on the “V”: Ventilation is perhaps the most important—& hazardous—part of VES

By Michael M. Dugan

If you boil down truck company tasks to the basics, you see that ventilation, entry and search (VES) make up our core

functions—functions that support the engine company’s advance on and extinguishment of the fire. This article will focus primarily on ventilation, perhaps the most important—and… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on July 10, 2009 at 4:30pm — 1 Comment

High rise kits.

I am doing a study on highrise kits and would like some input on what your depatment uses as far as smoothbore or fog. Thanks for you input.

Added by Doug Carter on July 10, 2009 at 3:34pm — 5 Comments

How Sleep Deprivation is Effecting Your Firefighters

Prolonged shift work is putting today's firefighters at a greater risk of developing sleep deprivation and fatigue which then contributes to an increase in accidents and injuries. The IAFC and USFA in partnership with researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have put together a comprehensive report on sleep deprivation and strategies to combat the effects of fatigue.

Listen to the podcast by Kerry Keuhl providing an… Continue

Added by IAFC on July 10, 2009 at 10:59am — No Comments