Featured Blog Posts – June 2009 Archive (30)

Training Prompt: Before You Speak

Radios are perhaps the most important tool we have, and each firefighter should have one.

But, not every firefighter knows how to talk on one.

Everyone, officer and firefighter alike, should know the basics of an initial radio report by the first arriving company. Most departments have a detailed order or SOP stating what is to be said. Some even… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on June 29, 2009 at 8:00pm — 1 Comment

My experience at the Tribute WTC Visitor Center in NYC

I have to start by saying that I haven’t written anything in a very, very long time. Which is strange since my job title and description is “publisher.” Sure, I’ve written plenty of emails, business plans, memos, etc., over the last few years. But it’s been a long time since I’ve written something that had real meaning to me, and something I wanted to share with others. I guess I’ve been waiting for inspiration.

This story starts with an email from Billy G, aka Chief Goldfeder. He… Continue

Added by Jeff Berend on June 29, 2009 at 8:00am — 14 Comments

Implications of Medical History

Firefighter Behavior

In June of 2009, the line of duty death investigations of four persons was published. Each had a cause of death attributed to cardiac failure. These four deaths should cause leaders and individuals in the fire service to face two powerful medical implications:

1. To provide quality staffing departments have to ensure that its members are routinely undergoing medical and physical… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on June 27, 2009 at 4:25pm — 3 Comments

3 Keys to the DC Metro Train Crash Response

As the death toll in the D.C. Metro incident continues to rise, we're already getting some good information about the response. On our sister site, Jems.com, Senior Editor Jennifer Berry interviewed D.C. Fire & EMS (DCFEMS) Medical Director and JEMS editorial board member Dr. James J. Augustine.

Augustine notes that it was a three-alarm assignment that brought more than 200 responders to the scene. Personnel needs were high because of warm… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on June 23, 2009 at 12:30pm — No Comments

In Defense of Tradition

On Saturday I spent a few hours at the Fire Expo here in San Diego. Organized by the Burn Institute each year, the Expo combines firefighting demonstrations with safety messages to educate kids about fire safety and raise money for the Burn Institute’s programs that benefit children with burn injuries.

A key part of the Expo is the Burn Run, where dozens of fire apparatus parade by the spectators with lights flashing and sirens… Continue

Added by Shannon Pieper, FireRescue Magazine on June 22, 2009 at 7:16pm — 3 Comments

Don't save Safety for the Critique

Over at All Hazards Contemplations, we're observing a continuence of the 2009 Safety, Health, and Survival week, even though it technically ended yesterday. I'm sitting here sadly shaking my head. June has been a bad month for the U.S. Fire and EMS services. This month there have already been 10 reported… Continue

Added by Ben Waller on June 21, 2009 at 2:03pm — 9 Comments

STREET CRED

Your credibility should come from performance, not a battle-scarred image

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of traveling overseas to visit the Fire Service College at Moreton-in-Marsh in Gloucestershire, England, as a participant of a United States/United Kingdom exchange program. In its 40-year history, the Fire Service College has established itself as one of the leading fire service academies in the world.

The size and complexity of the facility is absolutely… Continue

Added by Timothy Sendelbach on June 20, 2009 at 9:26am — 8 Comments

NFFF Golf Tournaments

In 2003, the first National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Golf Tournament was held to raise awareness and to help sustain the programs of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

Now in its sixth year, the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Golf Tournament has grown to include over 30 regional golf tournaments held across the country on behalf of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. These tournaments will help the Foundation continue to support the families and… Continue

Added by NFFF on June 17, 2009 at 9:52am — No Comments

Man Rescued from Maryland Quarry

RESCUE REPORT

By Tom Vines

Preplanning & Joint Training Help in Successful Maryland Rescue

On Feb. 15, at 1737 HRS, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) received a call that a person was seen

jumping over a fence near a quarry in Brooklandville, Md., near Baltimore. Around 1758 HRS, the BCPD received updated information that the individual had gone into the water at the bottom of the quarry.

Baltimore County Fire… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on June 16, 2009 at 1:30pm — No Comments

Clean the Litterbox

My family is inspiration and motivation for much of what I do in the fire service. Alex, Laurie and Kathleen (l-r).

This blog is a companion piece to my article titled “Make it Personal” featured in the June 2009 edition of Fire-Rescue Magazine.

From: www.tigerschmittendorf.com

I was reading a not so… Continue

Added by Tiger Schmittendorf on June 15, 2009 at 12:11am — No Comments

Couple Rescued from Fast-Moving Water in Arizona

RESCUE REPORT

By Tom Vines

Arizona Firefighters Rescue Couple from Raging Creek

On Feb. 23, quick action by central Arizona responders helped avert disaster for a couple trapped in fast-moving water.

The first call to the Sedona Fire Dispatch came in at 1951 HRS and reported that a person had been swept away in a creek. Montezuma Rimrock Fire District immediately dispatched Engine 711 and Ambulance 711. Then a second… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on June 13, 2009 at 1:00pm — No Comments

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter...June 10, 2009

Boy they say that time goes fast, and that is all too true.

I have been scrambling to keep up with my new job, letting go of real estate without the whole world knowing, especially my old clients, and dealing with two children that have totally different mental issues. Time will tell on the third child, but I am hoping by the time he is older I will have a wealth of information that I can pull from.

Unfortunately… Continue

Added by Denise Imperiale on June 10, 2009 at 7:30pm — 4 Comments

Man Extricated from Van Teetering on Cliff's Edge

RESCUE REPORT

By Tom Vines

Driver Rescued from Van Teetering on Cliff’s Edge

Colorado rescuers were called to a strange—and precarious—motor vehicle accident on Jan. 21. A van was teetering on the edge of a cliff in the Colorado National Monument, and the victim needed to be extricated immediately.

The original 911 call from the vehicle driver, which came in at 1633 HRS, went to the Grand Junction Regional Communications… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on June 10, 2009 at 12:30pm — 2 Comments

2009 Roll of Honor Posted

The list of firefighters who will be honored at the 2009 Memorial Weekend has been released. To view a PDF file of the list, please visit http://weekend.firehero.org/2009RollofHonor.pdf

The 2009 Memorial Weekend will take place October 2-4, 2009 at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, MD. The NETC is home of the Fallen Firefighters Memorial Chapel, the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial, and the Walk of Honor.

To date, 22 Honor Guard Units/Pipe Bands… Continue

Added by NFFF on June 10, 2009 at 9:37am — No Comments

Everyone Goes Home® Program Asks for Your Help in a Brief U.S. Fire Prevention Survey

With assistance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Institution of Fire Engineers US Branch has established a steering committee comprised of noted fire service and related agency leaders to guide a national strategic planning process for the fire loss prevention that results in a national plan that will coordinate activities and fire prevention efforts. This steering committee is called Vision 20/20. The website is www.strategicfire.org.

This project involves a… Continue

Added by NFFF on June 10, 2009 at 8:47am — No Comments

The Sprinkler Wars: How to effectively influence decision-makers to support residential fire sprinklers

FIRE PREVENTION

Hearts & Minds

Our argument for residential fire sprinklers must effectively influence decision-makers

By Jim Crawford

You may have thought the effort to include fire sprinklers in all new construction of one- and two-family dwellings ended with the passage of the requirements in the International Residential Code (IRC), published by the International Code Council (ICC); residential sprinklers have been required for some years… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on June 10, 2009 at 8:30am — No Comments

National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Offer Available Now for September 27, 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Dover International Speedway

Dover International Speedway News Release

Following a successful first year, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) and Dover International Speedway have once again teamed up to create awareness and raise funds for the worthy non-profit organization. A special package for firefighters and their families is available now for the Sept. 27, 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at the Monster Mile and includes a ticket to the race and an appearance by driver Kevin… Continue

Added by NFFF on June 9, 2009 at 2:29pm — No Comments

Tips for Creating Revenue in a Tough Economy

Every trade magazine I pick up these days addresses the economy’s negative effect on local government, small or large, and area fire departments. It doesn’t matter where you are or what discipline you work in—everyone’s talking about it.

Funding is in short supply, and we’re seeing nontraditional effects. For example, over the past year, cities in and around Atlanta have decided to close stations permanently, brown out stations, close stations temporarily depending on that… Continue

Added by IAFC on June 9, 2009 at 11:45am — No Comments

Data-Driven: How to track specific performance factors to prove your department's worth

A Different Kind of Size-Up

Departments that can empirically demonstrate their value are best positioned to survive economic downturns

By Todd J. LeDuc, MS, CFO, CEM

Note: This article is part of a special FireRescue magazine series on the economy and its effects on the fire service.

Successful private sector businesses have long used a data-driven approach to track performance. And, in fact, many EMS systems have well-developed… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on June 9, 2009 at 11:30am — No Comments

Number Crunching: Stats from Fire Fighter Close Calls on public safety budget cuts

Number Crunching

Initial conclusions from reader input to FireFighterCloseCalls.com about nationwide public safety budget cuts

By Shannon Pieper

Note: This article is part of a special FireRescue magazine series on the economy and its effects on the fire service.

If you read the Secret List, the noncommercial and free e-newsletter from FireFighterClosecalls.com… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on June 9, 2009 at 11:30am — No Comments