The numbers don’t matter – Capt. Dave LeBlanc

As we continue to discuss the future of the fire service and it’s mission as it relates to fire attack, protecting civilians and our safety, something has become clear.

The numbers don’t matter. It was less safe to return from an incident this year than it was to operate on the fireground. 9 out of 87…

           With another Christmas officially in the books, it's time to again look to the future. Included in that future is the ever changing face of your district. There is no better time then the present, to get out there and check on what is being built, how are they building it and what would you do, should you have to respond to an incident there. We have three booming subdivisions being thrown together and thrown together quick, the one is putting about two new homes under roof a…

Many times we pass on opportunities to train or learn something although many situations lend themselves to doing so. Look for ways to incorporate the situation or circumstance that you are dealing with into a learning moment. The pictures below are of a company training on aerial ops with a candidate operator.

It was a call for an alarm sounding at a medical building after hours. After looking in the windows and doors and seeing no signs of smoke or fire and with the lock box key not…

Firefighters have physically and mentally demanding jobs which means we (as fire rescue athletes) have demanding nutritional needs to match.  Unfortunately, research confirms that most are deficient in some essential nutrients. The most common deficiencies are in protein, water (hydration), healthy fatty acids, and the essential vitamins. Research…

This episode of the Firefighter Training Podcast deals with a very serious topic about members who may be in some emotional distress because of the job, or factors in their life outside of the job. None of us would hesitate to help a brother or sister who called MAYDAY on the fireground, but what do we do with the thousands of silent MAYDAYS that are just as life threatening, but not being called.…

As progressive, engaged and enthusiastic firefighters, we all took classes, trained hard and created an image of the way we would be when we got promoted. We would do this and we would do that, damn the consequences and those we might piss off. But, when we got there, it may not have all gone as planned. Hmmm…..did you ever wonder why?

I have seen this happen over the years and it has happened to me during my first years as a young company officer and later on as a chief officer, the…