Fire Rescue Magazine's Blog (463)

Come Up for Air: Exit before the low-air alarm activates

Come Up for Air: Exit the building before the low-air alarm activates

By Chief Gary Morris

Editor's Note: This article was originally published in the July 2009 issue of FireRescue magazine. Read a letter to the editor, and Chief Morris' response, about this article.

Since 2001, as I have lectured about firefighter safety and… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 16, 2009 at 8:30am — 4 Comments

Managing Your Air: Wait for the Alarm or not?

Letter to the Editor

Editor's note: This letter is in response to the article "Come Up for Air: Exit the building before the low-air alarm activates" (FireRescue, July 2009, p. 66). Chief Morris' response follows the letter.

I would like to respond to the article “Come up for Air” in the July 2009 FireRescue magazine. The author, Chief… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 16, 2009 at 8:00am — No Comments

Are You Leading by Example, or Are You Just in Charge?

You Can’t Force It: Are you leading by example, or are you just in charge?

By Scott Cook

It’s that time of year again: The FireRescue magazine staff and board just selected the 2009 Company Officer of the Year. The list of candidates this year was loaded with people who’ve really made a difference, not just in their crew, but in their department and their community.

They’re not like Capt. Frank. Note: Although Capt. Frank is a… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 16, 2009 at 8:00am — 2 Comments

Take-Home Tips for Fire Prevention Education

Don’t wait for Fire Prevention Week—invest in prevention education now

By Jane Jerrard

Fire Prevention Week is, obviously, just one week out of the year. While departments can reverse fire trends and create many positive outcomes out of spreading fire prevention education throughout the year, Fire Prevention Week is a great time to start, expand or… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 16, 2009 at 8:00am — 1 Comment

Rescue Report: 3 Trapped in CA Ravine

RESCUE REPORT: California Firefighters Rescue Group Stuck in Ravine

By Tom Vines

On April 27, Palo Alto firefighters responded to a local natural hazard that, at least for a while, seemed to be collecting victims. Palo Alto City Hall received a 911 call at 1217 HRS reporting that a 91-year-old male was trapped in a ravine in Foothills Park in Palo Alto, approximately 30 miles south of San Francisco.

Palo Alto Fire dispatched Engine 2 and a medic… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 12, 2009 at 3:00pm — No Comments

Zion Rangers Rescue Climber from "Feast of Snakes"

RESCUE REPORT: Zion Rangers Rescue Fallen Climber from “Feast of Snakes”

By Tom Vines

Faced with a rescue that was far more complex than they first expected, Zion National Park Rangers were able to successfully adapt to the changing situation in order to rescue a fallen climber.

On May 9 at 1234 HRS, dispatch at the Zion National Park in Utah received a cell phone call reporting that a rock climber had been injured in a fall. The… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 8, 2009 at 11:30am — No Comments

Blowin’ in the Wind, Part 3

Working the interior of a fire building during a wind-driven high-rise fire

By Fred LaFemina

On the fireground, our No. 1 priority is life safety—including the lives of firefighters, which is why clear, concise and acknowledged communication is so important for safe and effective operations. At wind-driven high-rise fires, information gathered and relayed directly affects operations, both offensive and defensive.

Relaying pertinent information… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on July 29, 2009 at 6:00am — 1 Comment

No Butts about It: Pennsylvania picks up a powerful anti-smoking program for firefighters

By Jane Jerrard

Photo iStock.com

Firefighters across America—and especially in Pennsylvania—are getting some hardcore help kicking the tobacco habit. Thanks to a smoking cessation program introduced by the International Association of Fire Firefighters (IAFF), and picked up in June by the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association (PPFFA), any firefighter who smokes can get help with quitting—help that’s professionally designed and proven to… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on July 29, 2009 at 6:00am — 1 Comment

The World Burn Congress Brings Rescuers and Survivors Together

By Ann-Marie Lindstrom

After saving a burn patient from immediate death, you may have wondered late at night if you really did that person a favor. Maybe a quick death would have been better than the long and painful treatment for extensive, serious burns. And then there are years of continuing treatment, surgeries and skin grafts. If the burns are on visible parts of the body, especially the face, there will psychological trauma to deal with in addition to the… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on July 23, 2009 at 2:30pm — No Comments

Hosebeds Revisited: Follow the manufacturers’ lead & design ergonomically correct hosebeds

Hosebeds Revisited

Follow the manufacturers’ lead & design ergonomically correct hosebeds

Story & Photos by Bob Vaccaro

It’s been a couple years since I touched on the subject of fire apparatus hosebeds, so I thought it was time for an update. If you visit some of the fire service conference exhibit halls, you’ll notice an interesting phenomenon: More and more fire departments, along with just about all of the fire apparatus manufacturers,… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on July 15, 2009 at 8:00am — 6 Comments

A Multi-Layered Issue: Double-layer PPE doesn’t protect against heat injury

FROM THE PAGES OF FIRERESCUE MAGAZINE

A Multi-Layered Issue

Double-layer PPE doesn’t protect against heat injury

By Vaughan Miller

Over the past 40 years, most Southern California fire departments that regularly engage in wildland/urban interface (WUI) structure protection operations have improved wildland firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE), going from a single layer of cotton dungarees to the standard double layer of flame-resistant Nomex.… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on July 15, 2009 at 8:00am — 2 Comments

When It’s Time to Move On

When It's Time to Move On

Storming out & letting everyone know what you think might feel good, but it could come back to haunt you

By Scott Cook

A month or so ago, I received an e-mail from a friend of mine, one of the nicest guys you’d ever meet. I am fortunate to know him, and the guys at his new department are as well. He’s the kind of guy that gets the job done: strong back and a strong mind to go with it.

In the… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on July 15, 2009 at 8:00am — 3 Comments

Filtered Water for Rural Ops

RURAL FIRE COMMAND

Filtered Water: Use a strainer to perform simple pump preventative maintenance

By Patrick Pauly

Regardless of where your rural fire department operations occur, if you have to draft water, you should attach a strainer to the end of your hard-suction tube. Taking a few extra minutes to do this will pay dividends in the long run.

Many different types of strainers are available, and many manufacturers offer… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on July 12, 2009 at 2:00pm — 1 Comment

More Hot Products from FDIC 2009!

Show & Tell: FireRescue technical editors review hot products from FDIC 2009

Despite a sluggish economy, FDIC 2009 in Indianapolis was still filled to the brim with new products. Three of FireRescue’s experienced technical editors hit the halls in search of innovative products that have the potential to simplify your job while making it safer. Following are detailed descriptions of a few of these products we felt deserved a spotlight. For more, check out the July… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on July 11, 2009 at 1:00pm — 1 Comment

Focusing on the "V" in VES

TRUCK COMPANY OPERATIONS

Focusing on the “V”: Ventilation is perhaps the most important—& hazardous—part of VES

By Michael M. Dugan

If you boil down truck company tasks to the basics, you see that ventilation, entry and search (VES) make up our core

functions—functions that support the engine company’s advance on and extinguishment of the fire. This article will focus primarily on ventilation, perhaps the most important—and… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on July 10, 2009 at 4:30pm — 1 Comment

D.C. Metro Disaster Chiefs: “The Train Compacted Accordion-Style”

FireRescue Magazine/FFN Staff

The crash of two Washington, D.C., Metro commuter trains yesterday culminated in a response that involved at least six departments and hundreds of responders. Shortly after the D.C. Fire and EMS Department transferred command of the scene to the NTSB around 1 pm local time, FireRescue/FirefigherNation.com caught up with several of the chiefs who were on scene during the incident, as well as Billy Hayes, director of public… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on June 23, 2009 at 3:30pm — 3 Comments

3 Keys to the DC Metro Train Crash Response

As the death toll in the D.C. Metro incident continues to rise, we're already getting some good information about the response. On our sister site, Jems.com, Senior Editor Jennifer Berry interviewed D.C. Fire & EMS (DCFEMS) Medical Director and JEMS editorial board member Dr. James J. Augustine.

Augustine notes that it was a three-alarm assignment that brought more than 200 responders to the scene. Personnel needs were high because of warm… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on June 23, 2009 at 12:30pm — No Comments

Man Rescued from Maryland Quarry

RESCUE REPORT

By Tom Vines

Preplanning & Joint Training Help in Successful Maryland Rescue

On Feb. 15, at 1737 HRS, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) received a call that a person was seen

jumping over a fence near a quarry in Brooklandville, Md., near Baltimore. Around 1758 HRS, the BCPD received updated information that the individual had gone into the water at the bottom of the quarry.

Baltimore County Fire… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on June 16, 2009 at 1:30pm — No Comments

Couple Rescued from Fast-Moving Water in Arizona

RESCUE REPORT

By Tom Vines

Arizona Firefighters Rescue Couple from Raging Creek

On Feb. 23, quick action by central Arizona responders helped avert disaster for a couple trapped in fast-moving water.

The first call to the Sedona Fire Dispatch came in at 1951 HRS and reported that a person had been swept away in a creek. Montezuma Rimrock Fire District immediately dispatched Engine 711 and Ambulance 711. Then a second… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on June 13, 2009 at 1:00pm — No Comments

Man Extricated from Van Teetering on Cliff's Edge

RESCUE REPORT

By Tom Vines

Driver Rescued from Van Teetering on Cliff’s Edge

Colorado rescuers were called to a strange—and precarious—motor vehicle accident on Jan. 21. A van was teetering on the edge of a cliff in the Colorado National Monument, and the victim needed to be extricated immediately.