Featured Blog Posts (1,722)

Helicopters

Whenever WCBS/Ch. 2's chopper is aloft over a fire, the footage from cameras is fed not only to the station, but to the FDNY's…

Continue

Added by Ray J on May 6, 2011 at 7:01am — 1 Comment

Know Your Disassembly Tools for Extrications

Disassembly can be advantageous to cutting or prying tactics, but you need to know which tools to grab

Story & Photos by Les Baker

Disentanglement tactics may necessitate disassembling parts of a vehicle. In many cases, disassembly is much more advantageous than tactics that involve cutting and prying. Disassembling a vehicle creates safer working conditions, significantly reduces the… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on May 6, 2011 at 2:00pm — 1 Comment

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter...May 5, 2011

Have you all wondered what's happened to me?

I am working with no contract like many of you guys have had to do. I totally understand your pain. It's given me an ulcer and anxiety.

However, on a good note, I am seeing consistently that I am worth more and it will be just a matter of time before someone snaps me up and I can dive right into their internet experience.

Give me a laptop…

Continue

Added by Denise Imperiale on May 5, 2011 at 8:21pm — 3 Comments

The Whole Package: Developing a total wellness program

By Mike Ong

Having participated in many health and fitness symposiums over the years, I’ve had the privilege of meeting firefighters from all over the world, and I’ve entertained a variety of questions regarding the development of wellness programs for their respective departments. In short, I’ve learned a great deal about other departments and the challenges they face in developing or growing their programs.

Most attendees of… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on May 4, 2011 at 8:00am — No Comments

Numbers Spark Improvements at Austin Fire Department

A business intelligence software application provides the AFD with statistical basis to better itself

By Rhoda Mae Kerr & Elizabeth Gray

“You can get a lot further with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word.” These memorable words attributed to mobster Al Capone have relevance in the world of fire service company officers—not in promoting violence (no one is advocating that), but… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on May 3, 2011 at 6:00am — No Comments

Forward to the Past

Continue

Added by Peter Lupkowski on May 2, 2011 at 2:03pm — 2 Comments

Exporting USAR Expertise: California firefighters respond to Japan

By Jane Jerrard

By now, most of you know that U.S. firefighters rushed to Japan to help with search and rescue efforts following the March 11 earthquake and subsequent tsunami.

A total of seventy-four CA-TF2 members were…

Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on May 2, 2011 at 8:00am — No Comments

How Can My Department Get Grant Money?

How and when to apply for various grant packages

By Wayne L. Eder, EFO, MBA

It’s that time of year again! Time to work on your Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) applications, and once again, we’ll all hear that frequently asked question: How can my department get a grant?

The AFG has been a staple for fire service funding since its inception in 2001, and to date it has been… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on May 2, 2011 at 7:00am — 2 Comments

Evaluation Strategies for Fire Service Mentors, Instructors, and Officers

If I walked into the classroom and said……..I am glad some of you showed up. My name is Paul Hasenmeier and I am a firefighter / paramedic and newly promoted lieutenant that is going to teach you everything you need to know about evaluating. You might wonder what experience I have

evaluating employees. Not much…

Continue

Added by Paul Hasenmeier on May 1, 2011 at 10:50pm — No Comments

IN THE ZONE... LCES (#2 28 APRIL 2011) - Fire Engineering Training Community

As I sat here contemplating what to write about this week, thinking about our fellow firefighters that have been injured or have paid the ultimate sacrifice on fires in or near wildland-urban

interface areas

already this year. Two firefighters injured in North Central Nebraska, A firefighter injured in Arizona, Two

firefighters killed and I believe the total injured at one point

was 8 firefighters on separate incidents here in Texas. And I have

been wondering what is…

Continue

Added by Jason Myer on April 28, 2011 at 9:30pm — No Comments

Colorado Firefighters Perform Unusual Residential Rescue

A rescue by the Red, White & Blue Fire Protection District of Breckenridge, Colo., proves that you may need to employ rope rescue techniques in the most unexpected places.

On Jan. 31 at 1511 HRS, the Summit County Dispatch center received a 9-1-1 call reporting that a 21-year-old male had fallen down an elevator shaft in a house. The caller said the patient was unconscious and shaking.

At 1514 HRS, the Red, White & Blue Fire District dispatched units… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on April 28, 2011 at 7:00am — 3 Comments

We Try Harder - Firehouse Zen

Fresh out of the oven, some humble pie. Served with the right amount of self-critique, this can be a tasty dish. Latest post at Firehouse Zen.

Added by Mick Mayers on April 27, 2011 at 11:02pm — No Comments

Training Ground Complete !

The Mullins Fire-Rescue Training Ground is now complete and certified by the SCFA. Eight years of hard work and dedication finally paid off. Countless man hours put in by lots of people finally made this possible. Special thanks to Training 1 Wayne Collins, Assistant Chief Shawn Harrelson, FF Ray McCormick (Expert Fabricator),FF Josh Richardson, and everyone who helped when they could. I am proud to say i'm one of the first to graduate SCFA 1152 right here at our home training facility. Hope… Continue

Added by Shawn Lee on April 27, 2011 at 9:43pm — 1 Comment

30% Club... Wanna Join? Pay Your Dues

This article is being posted, with permission from the author Jake Rixner

In everyone's career, things are said or done that…

Continue

Added by SAFE Firefighter on April 27, 2011 at 9:45am — No Comments

Managing the “Personal” Side of Fire Service Leadership

EADERSHIP SKILLS

Managing the “Personal” Side of Fire Service Leadership

Leadership requires people skills to maintain operational readiness

By Marc Revere

“Leadership is horrible! Leadership is lonely!” I’ve… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on April 26, 2011 at 8:00am — No Comments

SOMETIMES IT"S NOT SO SIMPLE on BACKSTEP FIREFIGHTER

Continue

Added by Dave LeBlanc on April 25, 2011 at 3:30pm — No Comments

The Company Officer: Going for it and Belief

The Company Officer: Going for it and Belief

Christopher J. Naum,SPFE

TheCompanyOfficer.com

As a Company Officer, at some point in your career, you will come to that one pivotal point, when the clarity of a situation becomes all so apparent and clear.

Sometime you just have to believe and have the resilience, fortitude and that deep in the gut feeling that you know what and how something needs to…

Continue

Added by Christopher J. Naum, SFPE on April 23, 2011 at 11:28pm — No Comments

SCHOOL BUS UNDER-RIDE AND THE YELLOW JACKET SPLIT

Guess what? Some firefighters and myself got our hands on another school bus for heavy rescue training in Norwalk, Ohio sponsored by the Northern Ohio Fools on a rainy April Saturday. Of course, we spent some time covering the basics of school bus extrication with the newbies of this heavy rescue environment. Then I had a few new ideas and… Continue

Added by Paul Hasenmeier on April 23, 2011 at 8:45pm — No Comments

In the Zone....PPE, Equipment, Training and Firewise program.

Hey all don't know how far this idea will make it, but some friends of mine said I should so here we go....

The Name of my Blog for all to read will be "IN THE ZONE". For this blog, "The Zone" is the Wildland - Urban Interface Zone, or the I-Zone as it is commonly referred to. Even if your deep inside the heart of a major metropolitan city, anywhere the Urban Fuel… Continue

Added by Jason Myer on April 21, 2011 at 11:00am — No Comments

Choose Your Weapon: Nozzle selection when using CAFS

By Keith Klassen

For years, the fire service has been embroiled in the “great compressed-air foam system (CAFS) nozzle debate”—a debate that focuses primarily on which nozzle is best for compressed-air foam (CAF). In reality, CAF can be pumped through any nozzle. However, that doesn’t mean fire departments should just pick a nozzle at random. Nozzle selection must be based on research into how CAF works and consideration of the various factors that make each department…

Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on April 21, 2011 at 8:00am — No Comments