New contributor reminds you that "the can" is not a door chock.

PWE, PWC, piss can, water can, the can…whatever you want to call it, its’ an essential tool in a firefighters toolbox. Many take the can for granted. Often times, you will see it in the foyer, holding open a door.…

Graphic photo begins to be cool to share. Why?

There's a fine line between using images for news and self-promotion, between documenting an event or making an event into an advertisement. Recently a Associated Press photo is making it's way slowly across Facebook as one of those motivational…

Here is a list of knots to practice during a company drill.

Read on. 

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Pipe Nozzle: Firefighting Prose You Can Read is free this week only, Monday through Friday, for Kindle download at amazon.com.  The Kindle reader is free to install on computers and smartphones.  FDNY Battalion 9 Chief called Pipe Nozzle "all good," which may explain why the title is among the top 25% at amazon.com. 

This drill idea is from Phil Burden in SC.

If your out or on your way back from a run and see a gasoline tanker making a delivery at a filling station, stop and ask the driver if he has any time to review some of the parts of the tanker.…

Watch the video of this heavily involved 2-story balloon frame house. Note the wind and the exposures. Give us your RECEO breakdown, initial actions and initial rig placement. Have fun!

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE!!!

As the title says, if your life is in the balance, you want to be sure that you are as prepared as possible right?

Then why is it that on fires in cities and towns big and small, you can find videos or pictures of firefighters getting off the rig without tools? Or worse... carrying a tool then not using it?

I work with some great firemen who you know will grab the same tool everytime they get off the rig because they are masters at using the tool efficiently and expertly. I…

Get a front row seat next to the Battalion Chief for this working Multiple Dwelling fire in Brooklyn.  Listen to the BC give great radio reports, great size-up information and even take time to talk to the neighbors.  Nice video with links to the popular conversation on Facebook.

Other things you'll see:

• The Command presence
• Notice the professionalism of the operating crews
• Notice the window A/C unit falling to the street (around :40)
• Notice the…

This incident actually happened and it involved my daughter. The incident is as follows while me and my family was on vacation just a few days ago.

The incident was for a 6 y/o female with stomach pain, headache, sore throat, pain in the chest, and severe difficulty breathing with accessary muscle use. I took initial vitals before EMS arrived onscene. The initial vitals were pulse of 130 and resp rate of 22. The next set of vitals were a pulse of 110 and resp rate of 20. My…

Some questions for a tabletop company drill or tailboard chat in front of a demolition site…

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Pass it…

Lifesaving Resources, LLC announces its 2012 season of Ice Rescue training programs as follows:

Ice Rescue Technician Course #1

January 21, 2012

Harrisville, New Hampshire

Ice Rescue Technician Course #2

February 04, 2012

Harrisville, New Hampshire

International Ice Rescue Train-the-Trainer Academy

February 16 - 19, 2012

Keene, New Hampshire

Ice Rescue Technician Course #3

March 03,…

Here are a few pictures from a recent USAR training at a two story school in Oregon, OH slated for demolition after the first of the year.  Breaching walls and floors, search cam work, and some old fashioned forcible entry included.  See if you can pick up something for discussion at your firehouse.…

I was just wondering if anyone out there knew any grants for me to apply for, so that I can take my EMT-B class. I'm just a teenager and don't have the money to pay for the class myself. Any info you may have would be very much appreciated. Thanks! 

National Fire Academy – Executive Fire Officer Program EFOP

OUR Gary, Indiana Fire Department Brother-Melvin Carter recently had a small fire in his apartment, which set off the sprinklers throughout his entire apartment. The fire and related water damage caused damage to all of his family's belongs and he did not have insurance. He is also one of the Gary, IN firefighters that was laid-off for several months of this year and had just recently returned to duty. I am asking my brothers and sisters under the Maltese Cross to join with me, let's give…

Share your strategies, tactics and experience!  Every Friday we'll post a picture or video and want to get your take on the situation.

THE SCENARIO:  You're wearing all the hats today! You're dispatched to a reported "structure" fire.  It's the middle of the week during Christmas vacation and the neighbors don't know if the kids are there or not.

• What is your initial report?
• Where is the fire?
• Where is it going?
• How…

Do you know what Photovoltaic (PV) is?           

Photo from UL study for Firefighter Safety and Photovoltaic Systems

What are the safety hazards with PV?

What  tactics should be used at fires with PV present?

How do I…

Over at All Hazards Contemplations, I'm taking a look at a discussion that Capt. Willie Wines is having at Iron Firemen.com  Willie's excellent post on the nuances of phrasing and terminology can be found…