Climb & Crawl for a Good Cause

When you try out Globe’s new PPE, you’ll also be donating to the D.C. Burn Foundation



When you're at FDIC, there's always certain booths that always have crowds of people at them, where it's apparent something exciting is going on--that, or free T-shirts are being given out! …



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ON-SITE @ FDIC

Blowin’ in the Wind

Recent NIST research is changing fireground tactics

By Shannon Pieper



If you attended Dan Madrzykowski’s seminar today at FDIC, “Wind-Driven Fires in Structures,” you might have left feeling like some of the tactics you were taught in the academy are under question. Attack from the unburned area first? Maybe not. Don’t… Continue

At FDIC, Ricci evokes Brennan, urges “political courage”



In a forceful address that touched on topics as diverse as fire service culture, the need for stronger leadership, equal opportunity, merit and the debate over education vs. experience, Frank Ricci urged FDIC attendees to have “political courage” in his keynote address at today’s General Session.



Ricci, a lieutenant with the New Haven (Conn.) Fire Department who became a fire… Continue

ON-SITE @ FDIC

The Enemy Within

Class focuses on how to combat cultural & career development shortcomings in the fire service

By Shannon Pieper



In March, the Cumberland Valley Firemen’s Association rattled the fire service with its report, “Fire… Continue

On-Site @ FDIC

The Dreaded Counseling Session: How to make it a mere speed bump, not a train wreck



If you ask company officers what they like least about their jobs, I’d venture to guess that a fair number of them would say the personnel issues that come with being an officer. No manger likes dealing with personnel issues—or if they do, they’re certainly not a manger people… Continue

On-Site @ FDIC

Hard on the Heart

Research illuminates the relationship between firefighting and cardiac strain

By Shannon Pieper



By now, you can probably recite in your sleep that “heart attacks are the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths.” But do most… Continue

Each April, my in-box starts to fill up with emails from apparatus manufacturers and equipment companies introducing new products or, in some cases, spreading intrigue about upcoming announcements. It can only mean one thing: FDIC.



FDIC boasts the biggest exhibit floor of any U.S. fire conference, so big that it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Of course it’s nice just to browse sometimes, but the pre-FDIC announcements that companies send out can give you some direction on what to see.… Continue