While shiny new pumpers, ladders and rescues grab most of the headlines, the Shift Commander's Buggy, looks almost like another SUV. However, the person driving this vehicle has paid his/her "dues" and has been promoted to the position of Shift Commander.

    This interview with Deputy Chief (ret) Kevin Burns of the City of Framingham MA, is special to me, because I grew up in Framingham. And it was my exposure to the wonderful firefighters in my community as a child that planted…

5/17/2018

The creative team at our host, Podomatic, offered to help create a new logo for "5-Alarm Task Force." That was the good news!

However, they did such a great job that we're having a difficult time choosing the one we like best. So, we decided to let …

One of the simplest and most advantageous modifications to a Halligan Bar is to GAP the forks. 

Gapping the fork of the halligan makes a conventional forcible entry tool into a THRU-THE-LOCK tool.  

Thru-the-Knob Technique:

This technique…

With thanks to the Beatles (OK, Ringo) and the late, great Joe Cocker, that song has moved "mountains" when some couldn't even move "mole hills!" And that title rings true for many, if not most of us.  Of course, it also depends on our ability to discern those who are true friends from those people who are more acquaintances than friends. Often times though, that is difficult to do and it's not unusual for us not to want to make that distinction.

   We wanted to…

We have the great Bob Dylan to thank for those words. Funny how just six words can convey such a strong meaning across so many aspects of life. And for first responders in general and firefighters in particular, times are changing for us at a very rapid pace.

   Even if you've only been on the job for, let's say, five years, you'd got to admit that a great deal about the fire service has changed since 2013! For example, we've seen a great evolution of one of our…

We now know, with certainty, that fire is not necessarily our worst enemy on the fireground. Its by-products are! Whether you’re a career, volunteer or paid-on-call firefighter, means that you can no longer approach what you do as a casual job or hobby.

In this, our 51^st episode of “5-Alarm Task Force,” Chief Anthony Correia joins us to discuss the specific physiological and mental stressors of fighting fire. His explanation begins with your visceral and mental response to…

Being former military I have a deeply ingrained sense of duty and commitment so I hope this doesn't drive people away, I have seen discord in different departments and jobs caused by drama llamas and the Im special attitudes! (and if anything sours my temper it's that type of Bull crap)

As far as being in a fire department you take an oath to serve and protect your department and its members, and contention in the ranks has no place there

we are better than that

For me…

FireBot, a low cost device that automatically activates in case of a fire to properly extinguish a stovetop fire.

Able to attach to the range hood, unseen, battery operated like a smoke alarm, triggered by an out of control fire, which activates fire suppressant to extinguish any type of fire.

A solution for 50% of all home fires, which start on stovetops, numbering over 116,100 per year costing more than 500 lives, 5,540 injuries, and 1.1 billion dollars in…

Almost 6 years ago, I wrote a post discussing what I felt was happening to the Fire Service and the next generation of firefighters and medics. I just wanted to post it again because I feel it is still relevant and it’s a problem that looks to continue and keep getting worse. I am also seeking feedback and solutions.

From 22 July 2015

”What the hell is the fire service coming to? It is supposed to be a brotherhood / sisterhood. Well,…

The fire service culture of an “aggressive” nature in its current form may be attributed to dominant ideologies and the subsequent societies that have developed. In order to further identify best practices we must first investigate cultural diffusion and the elements that are allowed to reside within the profession. In taking a deeper look into formal and informal…

Listen to our latest podcast with Chief Emeritus Charles Werner of the Charlottesville VA Fire Dept., as he discusses the use of UAS - Unmanned Aerial Systems or drones in public safety. Even if your agency is already using one, make sure it is following all federal regulations. They can literally be a lifesaver! Go to our Dalmatian Productions website