Fire Rescue Magazine's Blog – August 2010 Archive (21)

Know Your Role on the Roof: A step-by-step cut sequence for sawyers & sounders

TRUCK COMPANY OPERATIONS

By Randy Frassetto

In the ventilation world, truck companies need to be proficient on all types of ventilation tactics. A fire department may favor one ventilation style over another (vertical vs. horizontal), but all truck companies should know how to do both safely because we can’t assume one style will work for every situation. Further, it’s important to remember… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 31, 2010 at 6:00am — 4 Comments

FRI2010: The 7 C's Of Volunteer Leadership

7 simple words offer a foundation for navigating the ups & downs of leadership in the volunteer fire department

JANELLE FOSKETT

Managing Editor, FireRescue Magazine

Let’s face it. It’s hard to be in charge. You’re the one tasked with handling everything from personnel problems to the aftermath of a traumatic call. And although this holds true for every leader in the fire service, it’s perhaps even more… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 30, 2010 at 11:40am — No Comments

FRI 2010: "The First Five Minutes: How Ineffective Sizeup Can Lead To Disaster"

CINDY DEVONE-PACHECO

FireRescue Magazine Senior Editor

As most firefighters/fire officers will tell you, the first 5 minutes of any incident can affect the next 5 hours. But what exactly should happen in those first 5 minutes? According to Fairfax County (Va.) Fire & Rescue Department Battalion Chief Chuck Ryan, if you’re the first-arriving officer, you’ve got two main priorities on your plate: sizing up the scene and developing an initial action plan.… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 27, 2010 at 2:41pm — No Comments

Slideshow: Washington State Firefighters Pull Off Complex Water Tower Rescue

RESCUE REPORT

By Tom Vines

On June 21, firefighters in south-central Washington State successfully completed a rescue that combined elements of confined space, as well as high-angle rope-rescue hauling and lowering.

At 0857 HRS, a caller reported that a man had fallen approximately 40 feet into an empty water tank on Manor Drive in the Terrace Heights area of… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 26, 2010 at 7:30am — 1 Comment

True Concessions: Labor/management relations take on more importance during an economic downturn

True Concessions

Labor/management relations take on more importance during an economic downturn

By Deputy Chief Todd LeDuc, Commissioner Dennis Teel and IAFF 7th District VP Ricky Walsh

Never have labor/management relations been so important in the fire service. Why? The economic meltdown has brought unprecedented budget pressure on… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 25, 2010 at 8:00am — No Comments

Out of Tragedy: One year later, the lessons from the Buffalo double LODD fire are still fresh

Out of Tragedy

One year later, the lessons from the Buffalo double LODD fire are still fresh

By FireRescue magazine staff

At last year’s Fire-Rescue International conference, the mood was subdued. As the conference was opening, two firefighters were killed in the line-of-duty at a fire in… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 24, 2010 at 8:00am — No Comments

Means to an End: Effective communication leads to action

FIREFIGHTING 360

Means to an End: Effective communication leads to action

By Billy Schmidt

Engine 1 approaches the scene and sees a woman frantically waving in the street. The engine turns the corner and discovers why she’s so excited. Before them is a moderate size home with a… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 20, 2010 at 8:00am — No Comments

Going Green: Rosenbauer Uses GREEN Star Idle-Reduction Technology

Inside the Apparatus Industry

Going Green: Rosenbauer does its part to help the environment by using GREEN Star Idle-Reduction Technology

Story & Photos by Bob Vaccaro

I’m sure that those of you who’ve attended the various fire service shows around the country in the past 5 years are used to seeing Rosenbauer’s Tech Drive… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 18, 2010 at 5:30am — 1 Comment

Relentless Fire: Remembering the 8 Firefighters Killed at Philadelphia’s Gulf Oil Refinery in 1975

By FireRescue magazine staff

On Aug. 17, 1975, a fire erupted at the former Gulf Oil Refinery, located on the Schuylkill River in southwest Philadelphia. During the many hours of firefighting operations, the fire took the lives of six firefighters. Two others would die from their burns multiple days after the fire. Fourteen other firefighters were injured, and multiple fire apparatus were destroyed.

Today, 35 years after that tragic… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 17, 2010 at 3:39pm — 1 Comment

Firefighters & Bladder Cancer: Prolonged exposure to burning debris increases your risk

Firefighters & Bladder Cancer

Prolonged exposure to burning debris increases your risk

By Dr. Barry Stein

Forward by Michael Dubron

Firefighters are at higher risk for certain kinds of cancer—that’s an established fact. But many firefighters… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 16, 2010 at 8:00am — 1 Comment

Rolling the Ball Uphill: Poor leadership makes poor frontline firefighters

Rolling the Ball Uphill

Poor performance at the line level has a direct connection to poor leadership at the officer level

By Scott Cook

On March 20, 2009, the USS Hartford and the USS New Orleans collided in the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf. What does this have to with the firehouse? Read on.…

Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 13, 2010 at 8:00am — 5 Comments

Portland Firefighters Battle Treacherous Conditions to Rescue Injured Climber

By Tom Vines

Early summer seems to be a good time for getting into trouble in the outdoors. People slip off cliffs, plunge into raging waters, get lost in the backcountry—the list goes on. This was certainly the case in June, when Portland Fire & Rescue responded to a variety of unique rescue calls.

On June 24, a 911 call to the City of Portland Bureau of Emergency Communications reported a fallen climber at Rocky… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 11, 2010 at 8:00am — No Comments

Common Goal: Partnerships between the fire department & private corporations reap mutual benefits

Common Goal

Partnerships between the fire department & private corporations reap mutual benefits

Story & Photo by Rob Ugaste

As you scan this article, you’re probably wondering why you should invest 5 minutes of your life to read about public-private partnerships. In return, I’ll ask you a question: How important is the… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 10, 2010 at 8:00am — 2 Comments

The Face of Terrorism: A new DHS assessment points to success & challenges for first responders

TECHNICAL RESCUE

The Face of Terrorism

A new DHS assessment points to success & challenges for first responders

By Harold Schapelhouman

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently published an assessment on plots and attacks targeting government facilities in the United States, which should be of interest… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 7, 2010 at 6:00pm — No Comments

The Deadliest Crash: A look back at the Iron Complex Fire helicopter tragedy

By FireRescue magazine staff

On Aug. 5, 2008, nine men were killed when the Sikorsky S-61N helicopter they were riding in crashed into a hillside in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest near Weaverville, Calif.

Seven of the dead were firefighters employed by Merlin, Ore.-based Grayback Forestry.

• Shawn Blazer, 30, from Medford, Ore.

• Scott Charleson, 25, from Phoenix, Ariz.

• Matthew Hammer, 23, from Grants… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 5, 2010 at 5:30am — No Comments

Men & Fire: Remembering Mann Gulch

Men & Fire: Remembering Mann Gulch

By FireRescue Editor-in-Chief Tim Sendelbach

On this day, 61 years ago, one of the most tragic wildfires in U.S. history began in Mann Gulch, an area within the Gates of the Mountains Wild Area (now the Gates of the Mountains Wilderness), about 20 miles north of Helena, Mont. Although ignited by a lightning strike on the south side of the gulch on Aug. 4, the fire wasn’t spotted until around…

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Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 4, 2010 at 8:00am — 7 Comments

Outside-the-Box Engine Ops: 3 unique options for getting water to the upper floors of a building

By Jerod Levin

You’re the officer of a three-person engine company. Most of the fires you respond to are in single-family homes, but you do have commercial occupancies in your district, too. Does this sound familiar? Do you pull a pre-connect to handle most of your fires? If so, you should ask yourself, “Is my engine company prepared for a fire in a commercial occupancy or a multi-story building?”

Pre-connects are a fast, efficient… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 3, 2010 at 7:00am — 4 Comments

FireRescue Magazine Announces Company Officer of the Year Award Winner

Recipient to receive award at Fire-Rescue International in Chicago

FireRescue Magazine, an Elsevier Public Safety publication, announced today that Lt. Shawn M. Jones, of the Anne Arundel County (Md.) Fire Department, is the recipient of the 2010 FireRescue Magazine Company Officer of the Year Award. The award will be presented to Lt. Jones on Aug. 27,… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 2, 2010 at 2:59pm — No Comments

Truss Tragedy: Learning from the Waldbaum’s Supermarket Tragedy So We Don’t Repeat History

Truss Tragedy

Learning from the Waldbaum’s Supermarket Tragedy So We Don’t Repeat History

Today marks the 32nd anniversary of the Waldbaum’s Supermarket Fire in Brooklyn, N.Y. Six FDNY firefighters died in this fire in 1978 when the wooden bowstring truss roof of the supermarket collapsed while they were working on it. At the time, this was the largest loss of firefighters in… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 2, 2010 at 12:30pm — 2 Comments

Planning Today for Tomorrow’s Leaders: Don’t wait until someone leaves to figure out who’s going to fill their spot

President's Letter: From the August issue of FireRescue magazine

By Chief Jeffrey D. Johnson, EFO, CFO, MIFireE

Legendary athletic programs and iconic businesses are successful year after year because their executives know that leading a team to success is only half the formula. The other half is… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 2, 2010 at 11:22am — No Comments