March 2009 Blog Posts (167)

Open to LT.

Any Lt. that want to share stories,and training .

Added by N.Y fire fighter Lt. #503 on March 5, 2009 at 12:32am — 2 Comments

The Continuing Chronicles of the FNG (irl): Search and Resc…Get OFF Me!!!

Finally, a new drill in a sea of same-old, same-old. When our training officer isn’t feeling “inspired”, our drills tend to run to…take the trucks out, tap a couple of hydrants, do the inspections, run the equipment, wash the rigs and call it a night.

There’s nothing wrong with that, per se, it’s just that when you’ve done that three or four drills in a row, you’d almost rather have a cleaning drill (and I always end up doing the bathrooms on those… Continue

Added by Mary Ellen Shea on March 4, 2009 at 11:09pm — 16 Comments

Hanging up certificates

Tonight I was sitting in my office and remembered I needed to hang up my fire certificates that have been sititng in my desk drawer for a month or two. I excitedly ran to the tool box to find a hammer and nails. Of course I missed the stud in the wall the first 2 shots but who cares that will be under the frame when I am finished and 3rd time was my luck .. bamm the 2 nails were in time to HANG!! However quickly I realized that I had a problem.... you see I had two certificates one for… Continue

Added by Kimberly McDonald on March 4, 2009 at 10:18pm — 3 Comments

Loss of a Fire Fighter!!

It sadens my heart to say we have lost another Brother,Dennis (Denny ) Faw Jr. won his Battle with cancer he went on to be in Heaven pain free and no more worries of where it would show up next.I hope that we could fill his page up with comments he is listed at Deny Faw on here
http://www.firefighternation.com/profile/DennyFaw I hope God will use him as and angle to watch over us. Rest in Peace my Brother!!!!!

Added by Robert Nichols on March 4, 2009 at 8:36pm — 2 Comments

Hazardous Materials Technician

Wow, for the past 2 weeks I attended an 80 hour Texas State Certification course for Hazardous Materials Technician, and then took the state exam. It is known to be the 2nd hardest and most technical of all of the state tests. Good news, the entire class passed the state exam, so I am not only a HazMat Tech out of California through CSTI, I just landed my state of Texas Hazardous Materials Technician certification. Sweeeeet. Now I am able to get the IFSAC seal for HMT since Cali doesn't have… Continue

Added by FF Schoen on March 4, 2009 at 6:56pm — 3 Comments

I need me a tiller truck

OK everyone, you read right, Happy needs a tiller. Somewhere out there is my perfect rig, let me describe it to you:

circa 1976-1980 open cab or white top american lafrance 100' tiller drawn aerial ladder truck.

It needs to be in good running order and in decent body shape.

Here's the great part, the ladder DOES NOT need to be operable, tested, heck if it's missing, I'm still game.

If I have to drive it across this great land, or have it shipped, I will do… Continue

Added by the Happy Medic on March 4, 2009 at 6:48pm — No Comments

City Archive collapsed

Cologne (Germany):

The Biggest City Archive of central Europe north side the Alps collapsed yesterday.

At 02:00pm a big rumble and crying workers in front of the City Archive in the centre of Cologne alert the working people inside the building, so that theycan flee. After leaving, the four levels building collapsed completely.

After arriving of the first fire units the complete building lying on the street in front of the former Archive. Two adjoin houses of the City Archive… Continue

Added by Thomas Engel on March 4, 2009 at 4:30am — No Comments

Whatever/ Whoever Nation

As FFN continues to rise in popularity, more and more people are coming to join the ranks. I get e-mails on almost a weekly basis saying things like FFN tops 30,000. FFN tops 35,000. FFN tops 40,000 and still growing strong. I read these and I think to myself "Hey thats awesome, the more FF's we have on the site, the more we can learn from each other, the more discussions we can have, the more brothers and sisters that we can meet and become friends with.

As I read more and more of… Continue

Added by Dustin J. Millis on March 4, 2009 at 3:01am — 13 Comments

Basement fires. Scary if you ask me????

What and how r some good, safe ways to attack a basement. or is there really such. Because i have taken over training at my department and i have had this very question come to me. I tell them very carefully but truely i dont know. So is there really a good way to attack a one way in and one way out fire?

Added by Jeremy on March 4, 2009 at 12:03am — 6 Comments

A call for submissions - The Handover Volume 2

Medicblog999's concept of The Handover, a blog carnival for pre-hospital and ER/A&E staff was a great success.

For those of you not familiar with a blog carnival, it's a kind of wrap up or overview of blog postings around a topic or theme. If 999's doesn't spell out the idea, check out… Continue

Added by the Happy Medic on March 3, 2009 at 11:48pm — No Comments

wildland fires

we had 5 calls today 1was a DOA and 4 wildland fires wood county is consideren issueing a burn ban friday. county had 7 depts running today on different calls all at the same time. what a day 10hrs out.

Added by Joe Caldwell on March 3, 2009 at 11:30pm — 3 Comments

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter...March 3, 2009
I never realized how helpful snow can be. Can't say anymore than that.

And this is all the food my CCD class collected.

Added by Denise Imperiale on March 3, 2009 at 11:15pm — No Comments

Burn to Learn

Pros's & con's

Are they environmentally safe? or even necessary.Live fire training does give the new firefighter a realistic environment for training. However simulations with smoke machines can be just as affective.Some say were hurting the environment,Others say live fire training saves lives by teaching fire behavior to new and exp firefighters.What's your thoughts and concerns on this… Continue

Added by Paul Johnson on March 3, 2009 at 12:20pm — 5 Comments

5 Keys to Leading in Crisis

Firefighter Nation users now have access to special Web-only articles and extras through FireRescue magazine's blog. Check back periodically for more great tips and tactics!

LEADERSHIP SKILLS

Leading in Crisis: Mastering 5 key skills can help you adapt to any situation

By Chief Jim Broman

In the 21st century, our nation and our world have been embroiled in a series of unsettling and often frightening… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on March 3, 2009 at 11:30am — 3 Comments

Training way cool Last Night

Our training last night was way cool. Dayton Power and Light came down and had a mock up power pole and showed us some of the things that could happen. How with the fuse out there still could possibly be an energized wire how the tree branches can connect a circuit on the lines. They even showed us the electrical field and how far it will follow a conductor after it comes in close proximity to the lines. Thier mock up when the energized it had with the transformer and all was flowing 7000 volts… Continue

Added by John on March 3, 2009 at 8:37am — 1 Comment

Faced with Cuts? Layoffs? Let Firefighter Close Calls Know

The following is posted on behalf of FirefighterCloseCalls.com, an advocacy site for firefighter safety.

FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGETS CUTS?

STAFFING CUTS?

BROWN OUTS?

LAYOFFS?

Please tell us about it....

FirefighterCloseCalls.com is compiling information on fire department cuts during these tough economic times.

Your information and who you are remains anonymous. We don't care who you are or what your e-mail address is, if you see any… Continue

Added by Firefighter Nation WebChief on March 2, 2009 at 11:00pm — No Comments

Successfully passed my NPQ skills

I have successfully passed my Firefighter I NPQ skills. It was a long day and my nerves were racked, but I along with everyone else (about 20) passed the skills part. We should have the results to the written part soon.

Added by Brandon Gillman on March 2, 2009 at 9:04pm — 2 Comments

Baptism by Fire

Recently, during a church service, my Pastor got me to thinking. He was preaching about baptism. He was explaining to us his belief that some faiths baptize at too early of an age. Now before you spout off how wrong he is, or whatever opinion you may have about baptism, or other faiths, here me out first as I try to relate and tie in what he had to say in terms of being a firefighter. I mean this not to be a lesson in religion as the pastor did, simply an analogy, nothing else. First off, you… Continue

Added by Andy Marsh on March 2, 2009 at 8:44pm — 1 Comment

A little shout out

Well thought I would drop a few lines... since I am not out doing what i should be doing this evening. Yep no fires here! Nothing... my pager sits in its charger base just waiting for me keep checking it making sure i didnt unknowningly pass out for a few minutes and miss one of my ever anticipated calls. But no i push the little button and hear one single beep. The saddest noise in the world, the sound that no you have no calls yet! So I will sit here getting work done and playing around on… Continue

Added by Kimberly McDonald on March 2, 2009 at 7:30pm — 2 Comments

Productivity......We TRY!

Well. lets hope some of you can relate to this. Others can ignore this and the rest of you can roll your eyes or twittle your thumbs if you wish.

I guess I might have learned something over a couple of years?( maybe.) When you go to practice or are at the station killing alittle time, BE PRODUCTIVE.

Anything that falls within the relms of your duties as a ff at the station. Wash the engines, pic up the floor, tidy(yes i said tidy) the club room( for us dingers)… Continue

Added by METALHEAD on March 2, 2009 at 5:30pm — 4 Comments