All Blog Posts (7,003)

Pay to Spray

Here’s the short version of what happened: In rural Obion County,

homeowners must pay $75 annually for fire protection services from the

nearby city of South Fulton. If they don’t pay the fee and their home

catches fire, tough luck — even if firefighters are positioned just

outside the home with hoses at the ready.…

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Added by Davin Eshelman on October 7, 2010 at 5:20pm — 2 Comments

I GOT A 97!!

On my second evaluation test. haha

Added by Jonny Gordon on October 7, 2010 at 4:12pm — 1 Comment

More college credits

Over the past few years, I have been doing those independent study courses with FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute. As you can see on my training page, I have been working my butt off trying to accomplish as much as I can to make myself as marketable and as adaptable as I possibly can. Apparently, the Frederick Community College in Frederick, MD, has quite a comprehensive program that allows FEMA ISP students to apply their courseware for college credits!

For example, a good deal…

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Added by John Karl Ambrusch, III on October 7, 2010 at 11:34am — 2 Comments

Basement Firefighting Course

As part of my own professional development, and because I have such an interest in the subject matter, I’ve decided to take a long shot and start writing a training course on basement firefighting.

I’ve been reading quite a few articles on several fire service web sites and have noticed a few more news coverages on the television about firefighters injured or killed after accidents involving fires in basements. At school, I learned quite a great deal about the special circumstances…

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Added by John Karl Ambrusch, III on October 7, 2010 at 9:06am — No Comments

A Sarcastically Humorous Guide to Surviving Fire Forums

Cliffs Notes for Fire Forums. They were around long before Dummies.

Note: the following comments and opinions are mine and do not represent the views

of my employers. Or maybe they do. Unless you’re offended, then they

don’t. Either way, I’m thinking I’m not alone on some of these thoughts.…

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Added by Bill Carey on October 7, 2010 at 7:00am — 4 Comments

Pull-ups Work: A pull-up bar lets you use your own weight to gain muscle strength

By Jeff & Martha Ellis

As firefighters, we’re big on inexpensive tools that facilitate physical training. In many cases, you don’t need equipment at all, just gravity and an imagination—and those are free.

There’s one piece of equipment, however, that provides a multitude of options when strength training and conditioning without requiring you to take a rig out of service to pay for it: a simple pull-up… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on October 7, 2010 at 4:30am — 1 Comment

Radios

what kind of radios like:portable scanners/desktop scanners/portable 2way radios/c.b. radios are the best to use for f.d./r.s./e.m.s. units and places to find Frequencies for them thank you

Added by RESCUE 540 WPIN412 on October 6, 2010 at 1:43pm — 2 Comments

Keep Your Head in the Game: NFFF focuses on LSI #13

NFFF focuses efforts on Life Safety Initiative #13, developing consensus protocol on behavioral health

By Chief Ronald J. Siarnicki

This is the first in a series of seven articles describing a new approach to mental and behavioral health in the fire service. Check back for future articles.

It’s well recognized that firefighters and their… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on October 6, 2010 at 12:00am — No Comments

10 Tips for Conducting Tunneling Operations at Extrication Scenes

Story & Photos by Les Baker

Tunneling is a tactic that we’re rarely required to perform at extrication incidents. However, when it is the most practical plan, it’s usually the only tactic that will work, so rescuers need to have the expertise to get the job done.

Further, tunneling may become more common for responders in the future, with the increased number of sport utility vehicles and minivans on the road. It’s often a… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on October 5, 2010 at 6:00am — No Comments

I really may have saved a life

I will not mention the name of the officer or the department, but I wanted to share this experience with any other officers and especially dispatchers out there who may encounter that same issue.

Today, about a half hour ago, I was sitting our data channel (where the officers without computers call to get driver licenses, registrations, criminal histories, etc). The officer called me on the air and asked for operator license information. He gave me OLN and…

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Added by John Karl Ambrusch, III on October 4, 2010 at 2:00pm — 2 Comments

Embrace Diversity: How to Create an Inclusive Work Environment

PRESIDENT'S LETTER

From the October issue of FireRescue magazine

By Chief Jack Parow, MA, EFO, CFO, MIFireE

Today’s fire department workforce is very different from the one I entered 35 years ago. In my experience, personnel don’t seem to act, think or look like the workforce of the past, and they seem to have different expectations,… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on October 4, 2010 at 6:30am — 1 Comment

Nothing Good Happens At 3 A.M.

"Combat Ready" is not a slick ad slogan or an "aggressive" cliche. That call for bells at 0300 may be the only jump you get. How prepared will you be?

This week members of the District of Columbia Fire Department responded to a fire on the fifth floor of the eight-story Sarbin Towers in Northwest. First due companies arrived to find that two occupants had jumped from the fifth floor and others were in the windows. Some occupants had… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on October 2, 2010 at 9:59am — No Comments

American Lung Association Stairclimb Dallas Texas

http://www.mrsnv.com/evt/home.jsp?id=3042

Join us for one of the most unique events in Dallas! On February 26, 2011, hundreds of people will huff and puff their way to the top of the Renaissance Tower in downtown Dallas for a great cause. This is more than your same-old 5K. This…

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Added by Adam C. Law on October 1, 2010 at 11:18pm — No Comments

I'm taking an EMT class and it's hard but fun!!!!!!!!

Added by Jonny Gordon on October 1, 2010 at 7:31pm — 1 Comment

I did it!

Well, all of my hard work at school is starting to pay off. I've maintained a GPA of 3.673 for the past year and this morning, I received a letter from school inviting me to be inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, the National Honors Society! Not only does that look great to any fire department attached to a Fire Sciences degree, but great way to get a $3000.00 scholarship for my B.S. Add that to 2 Dean's Commendations and I have a pretty good education career going!

It's a great…

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Added by John Karl Ambrusch, III on October 1, 2010 at 1:30pm — 8 Comments

Fully Involved? 2 drills to practice the age-old fireground size-up question, “What do I have?”

Fully Involved?

2 drills to practice the age-old fireground size-up question, “What do I have?”

By Homer Robertson

The other morning while I was getting ready to go to work, the news caught my attention, as it always does when there’s a report about a fire. The young reporter told of a fatal overnight house fire, saying… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on October 1, 2010 at 8:00am — 1 Comment

Boston’s Trumbull Street Fire: 46 Years Later

5 firefighters were killed & 12 were injured when part of a vacant factory collapsed

On Oct. 1, 1964, an abandoned four-story factory caught fire in the South End of Boston. The building collapsed, resulting in the death of five Boston Fire Department firefighters: Lt. John J. McCorkle (Engine 24), Lt. John J. Geswell (Ladder 26), Firefighter Robert J. Clougherty (Engine 3), Firefighter Francis L. Murphy (Engine 24) and Firefighter James B.… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on October 1, 2010 at 4:30am — No Comments

2010 NFFF Memorial Weekend - Live!

RETURN TO THIS PAGE FOR THE LIVE SUNDAY BROADCAST

Memorial Service Broadcast: Sunday, October 3, 2010 9:00 am - 12:30 p.m. EST

(Telecast Begins at 9:30 a.m.; Service Begins at 10 a.m. Eastern Time)

This year if you are unable to travel to Emmitsburg you can still take part in the NFFF 2010 Memorial… Continue

Added by FFN WebTeam on September 30, 2010 at 6:30pm — No Comments

funny "war" stories

Added by djc 0106 on September 30, 2010 at 8:00am — No Comments

Rural Command: Tips for measuring both water & foam concentrate flow volumes

OCTOBER RURAL COMMAND

Calibrating the Proportioner: Tips for measuring both water & foam concentrate flow volumes

Story & Photos by Keith Klassen

Today’s electronic direct-injection foam proportioners are highly sophisticated machines. They’ve been through approximately 20 years of development, and countless incidents have proven their… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on September 30, 2010 at 6:00am — 1 Comment