By William Sturgeon



Let’s face it, the U.S. fire service is the most technologically advanced fire service in the world. We have the latest equipment, established incident command systems, set standards, and for the most part, a strong emphasis on training—and yet, a significant number of firefighters are injured and killed every year. Why? Because we’ve failed to understand how human error contributes to mishaps on the fireground.



It has been shown that 85% of all…

At 1924 HRS on Nov. 9, 1872, a fire broke out in the basement of a commercial warehouse. Although the incident occurred 138 years ago, the Great Boston Fire, as it later became known, is still Boston’s largest urban fire to date, and remains one of the most costly fire-related property losses in U.S. history.

By the time firefighters gained control of the fire, 12 hours after it started, 65 acres of Boston’s downtown area were destroyed; 776 buildings, as well as a…

By Andy Speier



The cold-weather months are fast approaching. If your response area includes a body of water that freezes over when the temperature drops, you need to be fully prepared to perform a water/ice-based rescue. Below, I provide information on some of the primary equipment and PPE you’ll need if and when you need to enter the water or break through the ice to save a life.…