Featured Blog Posts (1,722)

FFN Biggest Loser Challenge: Time to post some results!!!

Okay kids, I've given you all awhile now to start your weight loss adventures. Its time to see you have done so far. Use this page to post your results so far. If you are just starting, feel free to post your starting and goal weights here or at the original blog. I'll start... If you remember, my starting weight was 178. I'm down to 176. Yeah its only two pounds but I was really wanting to lower my BP; which started at 158/102... Just took it... down to 146/88. So I've still got some work to… Continue

Added by Dustin J. Millis on June 9, 2009 at 1:02am — No Comments

A Truckie's Guide to Knowing House Layouts

TRUCK COMPANY OPERATIONS

Where Are the Bedrooms? Get familiar with common house layouts so you can find people faster

By Peter F. Kertzie

When driving down a residential street, I often find myself glancing back and forth at the houses on either side. Why? I’m trying to guess their layout. Most of the fires I respond to are in single-family, wood-frame buildings, so I use this mental pre-planning exercise to help me figure… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on June 8, 2009 at 2:30pm — 1 Comment

The Monkey Parable and Resistance to Change

Once upon a time, some researchers conducted an experiment. They obtained five monkeys and placed them into a single cage. In the center of the cage was a stairway that terminated in thin air. After a hungry night in the cage, the monkeys saw a researcher lowering a bunch of bananas through the bars above the stairs. The monkeys immediately charged up the stairs toward the food. Other researchers immediately blasted the monkeys with ice cold… Continue

Added by Ben Waller on June 7, 2009 at 10:12pm — 4 Comments

Time Will Tell: FireRescue article sparks discussion about oldest firehouse

Who says getting old is bad? Getting old means growing wiser and perhaps more dignified and even commanding more respect, right? I’d like to think this is just as true for fire stations as people. The members train hard to learn everything they can about their craft and then pass along this knowledge to the new recruits. And as a station grows older, our respect for the station—and what it symbolizes to the community—grows exponentially.

In the April issue of FireRescue, we published… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on June 5, 2009 at 2:30pm — 1 Comment

Dear Mayor and City Manager ...

CHIEF BILLY GOLDFEDER

FireFighterNation.com Commentary

Dear Mayor & City Manager,

Odds are at this point, as hard as we have tried, you still don't seem to understand the need for our department, YOUR fire department, to be well prepared and fully able to respond quickly when our citizens call 9-1-1 for a fire. Mr. Mayor, this has nothing to do with how many fires we have -- it has everything to do with every fire we have.

Actually, at this… Continue

Added by Firefighter Nation WebChief on June 5, 2009 at 2:00pm — 5 Comments

Our Responsibility to Those with Special Needs

Running a patient who has special needs is not a matter of “if” but “when.” Ignoring the problem creates anxiety for the responder, tension for the patient, and frustration for others on scene including family members and care givers. Ultimately, this could result in poor patient care or undesirable citizen service. A responder who is in this situation may have the best intentions but may not be aware that his or her actions are having an adverse impact on the community.

As… Continue

Added by IAFC on June 4, 2009 at 12:38pm — 3 Comments

Fire/EMS Safety Week: Survival Requires Situational Awareness and Structural Size-Up

The IAFC and the International Association of Fire Fighters are asking you to Protect Yourself: Your Safety, Health and Survival Are Your Responsibility. We’re calling on all fire/EMS departments and all IAFF affiliates to participate in the 2009 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week, scheduled for June 14-20.

Fire chiefs should develop situational awareness of their own organizations and ensure firefighters and company officers are… Continue

Added by IAFC on June 1, 2009 at 5:11pm — No Comments

Getting the Right People on the Engine

Joe Sommers, Director of HR Services for ZERORISK, has some great interviewing tips to help you in finding new candidates that fit with your team.

Q. Joe, what interviewing tips do you have to help departments find appropriate candidates that will “fit” in their department?

A. The success when interviewing for ‘fit’ is “knowing where you’re going.” By that I’m referring to – what does ‘fit’ mean to you and your department? Is it the ability to understand others,… Continue

Added by IAFC on June 1, 2009 at 2:18pm — No Comments

Killing the Messenger and Missing an Opportunity

STUDY FAILS TO ESTABLISH LINK BETWEEN CANCER AND FIRE FIGHTING was the attention grabbing April 16 press release from the National League of Cities. The angry response from both the IAFF and IAFC was fueled by this statement:

< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.

“While we depend on firefighters for… Continue

Added by Mike Ward on June 1, 2009 at 1:00pm — 2 Comments

Introduction Revisited

For those readers unfamiliar with Firefighter Behavior, May marks the point where I have been writing for one year. This is a reflection on the purpose and value of that writing and common themes that were very prevalent in that year.

Introduction Revisited

Firefighter Behavior, May 2009

A year ago I had begun my fire service writing with a reflection of the powerful… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on May 30, 2009 at 3:00pm — 1 Comment

Fire vs Police

With the recent events with the state troopers and emts, it got me to thinking about how often we in the fire service make jokes at the expense of law enforcement. How many of have heard of using the" cop o' meter"to check for haz-mat, or one of the many jokes about fire fighters being better than police officers? I have been on both sides of the issue, I am a retired law enforcement officer, and I can see both sides. We need to stop setting ourselves apart and start trying to remove the walls… Continue

Added by John Schander on May 30, 2009 at 7:49pm — 5 Comments

VCOS Offers $1500 FRI Scholarships

The Volunteer & Combination Officers Section (VCOS) of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) will award two $1,500 scholarships to attend Fire Rescue International (FRI), being held August 25-29, 2009 in Dallas. This scholarship program was developed to promote leadership through learning among volunteer and combination officers.

Scholarships will be awarded based on the applicant’s description of how the department or the… Continue

Added by IAFC on May 29, 2009 at 2:23pm — No Comments

CEUs for Safety Officer Recertification

The Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) has approved a total of 43 sessions and workshops at the upcoming Fire-Rescue International (FRI) conference for CEUs towards recertification for ISOs and HSOs.

Visit FDSOA for a complete listing of approved sessions and workshops.

Added by IAFC on May 28, 2009 at 11:24am — No Comments

FFN Biggest Loser Challenge!!!!

For those of you who have responded to my forum "top five issues facing ff's," you have seen that ff fitness is one of the issues that alot of ff's are thinking about. The sad thing is... its true!!!! While attending FDIC this year, I saw more overweight people then I ever wanted to. I'm talking a hostess shop could have opened and sold out in five minutes!!!! Okay... so maybe that last part isnt true but the point is we as ff's face a dangerous, physically demanding job on a daily basis and… Continue

Added by Dustin J. Millis on May 28, 2009 at 3:50am — 84 Comments

Play Nice With Others

I posted a blog on Firehouse Zen yesterday relating to evolving and changing with emerging issues and reflected on how even if we try to ignore it, the world around us is moving forward. Failing to move on from the past is only going to keep us from surviving.

This morning I was listening to Alan Dershowitz discussing President Obama's new supreme court… Continue

Added by Mick Mayers on May 26, 2009 at 10:57am — 2 Comments

(For Mike) Memorial Day Parade

My village hosts an annual Memorial Day parade.....and we've been blessed with great turnout and even better weather for the past few years. Our village is small (our coverage area is one square mile) but they are very pro-Fire Department. That might seem like a small statement....but for those of you who do not have the support of your community.....that support is huge. Our coverage area families completely buy into the services that we provide.....they attend our pancake/spaghetti/… Continue

Added by Mary Ellen Shea on May 26, 2009 at 12:18am — 10 Comments

Good Luck, Bad Luck, and SOGs

We're supposed to be responders to All Hazards - in other words, we don't do just one thing. In the range of things we do, it never ceases to amaze me how many times I hear or see really bad ideas espoused as the way to do things. Examples abound;

1) Refusing to wear seat belts in the rig "So we can go right to work at the scene".

2) Putting a vent crew on the roof… Continue

Added by Ben Waller on May 25, 2009 at 1:00pm — 21 Comments

Were you born stupid, or did you have to work at it?

People who know me and have seen me work, often ask me why I am no longer a Paramedic. There are several reasons, but one reason might be illustrated by the linked article.

Every day it amazes me that the human race has lasted this long. Now before I start getting poison emails, let it be known; I do not think ALL EMS people are this way. I know many many fine medics. Intelligent, capable, caring, etc. But over the last several years, I have witnessed class after class, of, for the… Continue

Added by Oldman on May 21, 2009 at 2:58pm — 10 Comments

Got Ink? In the fire service, your reputation can precede you

Note: I'm posting this article in order to share it with viewers of my upcoming Webcast, "So You Want to Be a Company Officer?" This is the first Company Officer Development column I wrote for FireRescue magazine, back in… Continue

Added by Ray Gayk on May 20, 2009 at 7:30pm — No Comments

Dear Editor Halton and Lt. McCormack …about your FDIC presentations

I was a late commentator on the FDIC big room presentations this year, posting my impression ten days ago (HERE). I shared my opinion that Halton likes to force us out of our comfort zones and that I was more comfortable with McCormack’s personal opinion on fireground risk analysis.

I am in the process of editing the second edition manuscript for… Continue

Added by Mike Ward on May 20, 2009 at 10:30pm — 1 Comment