Here are some photos of the Rochester Protectives Banquet which was held this past weekend.

- Laurie Kingsley-Henry received　the 2011 Harry B. Austin Award.

- Joel Lee EMS Response Award.

 …

During the San Bruno fire, I found Twitter to be the best source of live and up to date information. Hundreds of people posted updates by the second, like “horrific fireball continues to burn”. There were also

accurate updates of the location of the rapidly spreading fire. Could

this be the fastest form of emergency communication?

There are limitations to an emergency dispatch system that relies on transferring vocal information. On average, it takes 60 seconds for a 9-11…

The Recruitment and Retention Committee of FASNY is promoting the concept that every volunteer fire department in New York State open its doors to prospective members on April 9 and 10, 2011.

More than just a plea for common sense collaboration among departments, FASNY put their money where their mouth is by creating planning and marketing tools to help FDs leverage the impact of the statewide campaign and make their local efforts…

Glenn Usdin was a Run-to-the-Curb kid, growing up in the Long Island New York fire service and rising to the rank of fire chief in Lancaster PA. Like many in the fire service, his career path has taken him in several different directions including a tenure as associate publisher of Fire Engineering Magazine, president of American-LaFrance Used…

By Kevin Milan

A fireground mentor once told me, “It’s OK to vary your plan, as long as you have one.” As a young fire officer, I understood the message: We can change ventilation tactics so long as we plan to vent. A secondary water supply can come from either direction, so long as it arrives. Little did I know that this mentor imparted wisdom about things far beyond commanding the initial fire…

By Michael Ong

Fitness is a big industry these days. Companies spend millions of dollars competing for consumers while nutritional supplements, fitness equipment and various workout programs flood the market with the endorsements from big-name athletes. Advertisements even include testimonials from firefighters and their success stories that came about as a result of using the products. Video workouts, Web-based workouts and “boot camps” are all the rage at the firehouse…

By Kriss Garcia



Today’s structure fires are becoming more infrequent yet more aggressive all the time. This, along with the fact that we’re in a construction era where building materials are becoming less resistant to the damage fire can cause, makes it imperative that we get the most experience and education possible out of the fires we do have. How do we accomplish this in a manner that translates to real learning, where we can make decisions based on real-life…

I've written about the event but I'm ashamed to say that I've never visited the memorial site before last night. Nonetheless, I'm glad I attended the brief, quiet remembrance for the five Buffalo firefighters who were killed in the line of duty on December 27, 1983.

Here's a story of my experience at the corner of Grosvenor and North Division Streets and what happened there almost 30 years ago.

 …