Now compared to my father, my grandfather, and a good portion of the people on here I haven't been in the fire service very long. Five years officially this fall.SoI have been around just long enough to start forming opinions, and  whether they be right or not depends on who I agree or disagree with. When I joined I was 21 kept my mouth shut and trained and learned everything I could. All while taking over the family business which just made it even funner. Over the last five years I have…

"Quid est veritas?"

In this classic scene from ‘A Few Good Men’, Danny Kaffee is questioning Lt. Col Nathan Jessop about the use of a ‘Code Red’ that resulted in the death of a Marine. Colonel Jessop’s…

Video bites, Facebook morsels continually shape our education

As we look at the evolution of training in the fire service, we must realize that we are at a time like never before experienced. Today there is the availability of information at a moment’s notice. Fires occur and are on YouTube before the companies finish making up. There are…

Fallen Heroes FD/MC is looking for serious firefighter/riders who want to help other firefighters in need.We are dedicated to helping in any way possible for those that are in need.Firefighters with 10 years or more are only required to prospect for 1 month to show us if you really mean to join.Those with less than 10 will prospect for a 4 month period,with the ability to get patched early if you show us sincerity.No…

I don't know how many of you have a family member on the dept with you but my significant other, I got crap for calling her a spouse at this point but she is to me, and I are on the same dept. I have been for 13 yrs, she has been since November. It is so incredibly awesome to be able to do this together, to see her excitement, to watch her learn and go outside her comfort…

So yesterday I stopped by a coffee shop owned by another retired Firefighter my buddy Eric. Eric I don’t think started off wanting to own a coffee shop, he just hated fire house coffee.

Firefighters for the most part are really cheap when it comes to pitching in on shared expenses at the station. So the cost of stuff like coffee, creamer, anything we deem a “staple” is split evenly across all firefighters.

Eric hated cheap coffee and cheap cigars so he began…

Can fire service personnel who have been out of fire suppression for over 26 years be put back in the fire suppression service fighting fires with only 2 weeks of training, which was watching videos???? Can anyone tell me if there are standards for training for fire service personnel re-entering the fire service????  

For over 11 years firefighters, who volunteer at their credit unions as directors or committee members, have been meeting annually to network and discuss best business practices with each other. If you, or you know someone that fits this description, please check out our website www.ncofcu.org

Grant Sheehan CEO

National Coalition of Firefighters Credit Unions (NCOFCU)

www.ncofcu.org…

If you could go back 5, 10, or 20 years in your fire service career, what's the one important thing you would tell yourself?

I believe the one thing that really counts is, "knowing that everyone is watching." Throughout our careers, beginning on day one, everyone is watching what…

We have a very small dept and we have chief, asst chief, treasurer and secretary.  Wondering about having Capt and a LT. Is there set requirements or what is the deal with those postitions? Can we have our own rules for who can have those positions?

by Peggy Sweeney

The Sweeney Alliance

Journeys Through Grief Newsletters, Editor…

The USA Wellness Cafe is launching here: www.usawellnesscafe.com There will never be any charge or login required.

If you are a stress management writer or seminar trainer, perhaps you'd like to post some of your materials on the website. Email me at judihopson@earthlink.net to discuss your educational materials that can help health & EMS workers lower their…

Balance, coordination, power, strength, cardiovascular recovery....all essential fitness traits of the "fit for duty" Fire Rescue Athlete.   If you are a Fire Rescue Athlete (or not) you need to plan your workouts to address each of these traits.  One of the most overlooked is balance and coordination.  As a trainer I get asked how and when is the best time to train for balance?  As a firefighter I get asked why do I need to train for balance?  The last thing you want to happen…

Sometimes the most important lessons we learn come to us from unique people who are not firefighters. The fire service is continuously searching for new knowledge, and we discover it from a variety of people coming from diverse backgrounds.

I just learned today that Dr. Kimberly Alyn recently passed away unexpectedly. Dr. Ayln played an intricate role in the education of the fire service. She didn’t teach tactics or fire behavior. She coached us on firefighter behavior. She talked…

Hello everyone:

This is Jonathan, I’m a Firefighter Medic in Southern California, and like all of you, love being a Firefighter, serving others, alongside the finest men and women I know!

I just wanted to take a moment and invite you to be a part of an incredible book that is all about Firefighters and the joys and hardships of our job! We are currently compling, editing, and carefully selecting the best stories to be featured in our book! These are the stories…

Protecting people’s lives will involve risk for us as firefighters

“A female occupant, in her 40’s, was unable to escape due to the intense heat and thick smoke and was quickly located by firefighters. She was removed out of the bedroom window and treated by paramedics on the scene.”…

  Well , the year has been going smoothly so far . I have been in-and-out of theraputic range on my blood thinner . I am going to the Cardiologist every two weeks to get my finger stuck to check the coumadin level . The only good thing about these trips is going to be able to count the milage for tax time :)

   I am walking every day , and I'm not as short of breath as I once was befor the cardioversion and pacemaker was implanted in November 2012 .  I pick up cans along the road side…