Featured Blog Posts – August 2010 Archive (28)

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

Heavy Rescue Inquiring

We are starting to look and spec a heavy rescue (possibly an attached crane or knuckle boom) for our department to replace our converted ambulance. Norfolk Southern has been given the go ahead to build a new container transfer yard and be up and running by 2012. Anticipated truck traffic, 1000 trucks a day. Plus other very large trucking terminals 500,000 and 1.6 million square feet being built as we speak. If anyone has any input, I would love to hear it.

Added by Harry Willis on August 27, 2010 at 6:55pm — 2 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

How Do I Get Them To Listen?

Ok you so called "OLD GUYS" I could use some advice, I am 25yrs old and have been a firefighter for a little over 5 yr's and in the past year I became a FF I & II Instructor.. How about some advice on teaching new firefighters younger and older than my self.... During classes i have taught and training that i have been the lead instructor on i have had Students and Probies both assume I know nothing about the Basics of firefighting and have a hard time getting them to pay attention to what… Continue

Added by Matt Mikowski on August 27, 2010 at 7:50am — 5 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

Australian & American emergency workers run from L.A. to N.Y.C. to remember Sept. 11

Running to Remember

Australian and American emergency workers run from L.A. to N.Y.C. to remember Sept. 11

We’ve all heard the term “extreme sports,” but what about “extreme dedication” or “extreme honor”? …

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Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on August 23, 2010 at 7:25pm — No Comments

The Definition of a Fire Fighter

The Definition of a Fire Fighter

Christopher J. Naum, SFPE

CommandSafety.com and TheCompanyOfficer.com

On August 9, 2010 Chicago Firefighter/Paramedic Christopher Wheatley was working a grease-chute fire at a restaurant when he fell approximately 35 feet from the ladder of an attached fire escape suffering fatal injuries while he was making his way up to the roof of the burning building with his equipment.…

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Added by Christopher J. Naum, SFPE on August 18, 2010 at 8:28pm — 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.…

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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

When are folks going to learn?

I see it everyday . . . drivers cutting in front of a fire apparatus, refusing to yield the right-of-way, or just blocking their path and refusing to allow them to pass. All too often, the end result ends up looking something like this . . .

Keep in mind that this accident took place, probably, somewhere in the 1920's or 1930's and things have steadily gone downhill from there. Now-a-days not only are cars…

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Added by Walter "Tommy" Little on August 8, 2010 at 8:15pm — 7 Comments

August Training Prompt: Top Floor Fire, Truck Duties

Along with a few other changes and updates, we're bringing back the monthly training prompt series. Keeping with the original purpose the idea is to prompt you to respond to the subject and questions provided. What you do next can range from something grand such as a company level drill, to something as simple as looking up the answer in your rookie…

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Added by Bill Carey on August 8, 2010 at 9:30am — No 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 1916 Mack Bulldog Roars Again

After 39 years, the restoration of Baltimore Fire Department Engine 23 is virtually

complete and on the road again. Stephen Heaver, Sr. and Stephen Heaver, Jr.,

past…

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Added by Rob Williams on August 6, 2010 at 10:46am — 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