Featured Blog Posts – October 2010 Archive (27)

10 Tips for Conducting Tunneling Operations at Extrication Scenes

Story & Photos by Les Baker

Tunneling is a tactic that we’re rarely required to perform at extrication incidents. However, when it is the most practical plan, it’s usually the only tactic that will work, so rescuers need to have the expertise to get the job done.

Further, tunneling may become more common for responders in the future, with the increased number of sport utility vehicles and minivans on the road. It’s often a… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on October 5, 2010 at 6:00am — No Comments

I really may have saved a life

I will not mention the name of the officer or the department, but I wanted to share this experience with any other officers and especially dispatchers out there who may encounter that same issue.

Today, about a half hour ago, I was sitting our data channel (where the officers without computers call to get driver licenses, registrations, criminal histories, etc). The officer called me on the air and asked for operator license information. He gave me OLN and…

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Added by John Karl Ambrusch, III on October 4, 2010 at 2:00pm — 2 Comments

Embrace Diversity: How to Create an Inclusive Work Environment

PRESIDENT'S LETTER

From the October issue of FireRescue magazine

By Chief Jack Parow, MA, EFO, CFO, MIFireE

Today’s fire department workforce is very different from the one I entered 35 years ago. In my experience, personnel don’t seem to act, think or look like the workforce of the past, and they seem to have different expectations,… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on October 4, 2010 at 6:30am — 1 Comment

Nothing Good Happens At 3 A.M.

"Combat Ready" is not a slick ad slogan or an "aggressive" cliche. That call for bells at 0300 may be the only jump you get. How prepared will you be?

This week members of the District of Columbia Fire Department responded to a fire on the fifth floor of the eight-story Sarbin Towers in Northwest. First due companies arrived to find that two occupants had jumped from the fifth floor and others were in the windows. Some occupants had… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on October 2, 2010 at 9:59am — No Comments

I did it!

Well, all of my hard work at school is starting to pay off. I've maintained a GPA of 3.673 for the past year and this morning, I received a letter from school inviting me to be inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, the National Honors Society! Not only does that look great to any fire department attached to a Fire Sciences degree, but great way to get a $3000.00 scholarship for my B.S. Add that to 2 Dean's Commendations and I have a pretty good education career going!

It's a great…

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Added by John Karl Ambrusch, III on October 1, 2010 at 1:30pm — 8 Comments

Fully Involved? 2 drills to practice the age-old fireground size-up question, “What do I have?”

Fully Involved?

2 drills to practice the age-old fireground size-up question, “What do I have?”

By Homer Robertson

The other morning while I was getting ready to go to work, the news caught my attention, as it always does when there’s a report about a fire. The young reporter told of a fatal overnight house fire, saying… Continue

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

Boston’s Trumbull Street Fire: 46 Years Later

5 firefighters were killed & 12 were injured when part of a vacant factory collapsed

On Oct. 1, 1964, an abandoned four-story factory caught fire in the South End of Boston. The building collapsed, resulting in the death of five Boston Fire Department firefighters: Lt. John J. McCorkle (Engine 24), Lt. John J. Geswell (Ladder 26), Firefighter Robert J. Clougherty (Engine 3), Firefighter Francis L. Murphy (Engine 24) and Firefighter James B.… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on October 1, 2010 at 4:30am — No Comments