Semi vs car

I was acting EMS chief and first on scene at a reported multivehicle with entrapment. I did the typical "are you OK" to the truck driver and continued on to the car. I got a pulse called in and command was established by another Asst Chief. We set up and worked like hell for 10 minutes. ALS called it. It was like every bit of adrenaline immediately left me and I was beat. After beating the reaper twce that day it…

Vehicle #1

First big snow of the season shows the rust we all have in our winter driving skills. Safety is only secondary in this installment. What do I want to know enroute to a vehicle accident? What is the most useless fact that I have to sift through trying to mentally prepare for my arrival? The dispatch information is a given in this discussion. Good or bad you have what you have. Obviously unknown vehicles, unknown…

A run away horse wagon ride during an annual festival in Wellsboro, PA tested Responders.

Wellsboro, Mansfield, Blossburg, Lawrenceville, Middlebury, Morris, and Valley responded with SSMH ALS to the scene. Unified Command was established with Asst Chief Boyce and EMS Asst Chief Lupkowski. Of significance was the number of resources that were available almost immediately and that actually…

When's the last time that you threw a ladder?

Do you know the difference between a dog and a pawl? Do you give a rip that there are "dissipative ladders" and the fire service doesn't use them? Extension, roof, hook, fixed, Bangor. It sounds like a Billy Joel song. But can we rely on the Aerial to save us everytime?

Today the "truck" was 15 minutes away and we put up…

Take a minute and read this article. Quit dumbing down the fire service. Create a culture and a tradition of firefighters who are adept in the risk analysis of emergency response. Thinking firefighters, saving our neighbors, and coming home--that is our tradition.…

Tioga Co. 911

Mark Northrup's best side.

I grabbed this list of odd 911 calls from Fire Engineering based on my county finally going to an enhanced 911 system. This will help solve the problems that I have previously addressed. You think we get no respect? What about these men and woman that are locked up in some out of the way place that we expect to peak efficiency from even when we are less…