There are two character traits that will help you stand out from the rest throughout the probationary period; those traits are maintaining a…

In my fire service career, I have worked various different shift schedules.  When I first started as a volunteer, I signed up for 24-hour shifts on a Kelly Schedule as a paid…

How is your sleep? This is a common question that often comes when discussing a firefighters health and wellness. Over the years it has become clear to me that the real enemy is not heart disease, fire, or the traumatic exposures but rather the poor sleep quality. It is not uncommon to hear from a firefighter “Coach I have changed my eating habits and started to exercise but I can’t lose weight” and in reality if they do have poor sleep they are climbing an uphill battle. So…

Yesterday, I had the honor and privilege of interviewing Chief (ret) Bobby Halton. If you're a member of My Firefighter Nation, a reader of Fire Engineering, Fire-Rescue Magazine and others; dammit, if you're a firefighter today you have to know who Bobby Halton is. One of the best, well-respected, and well-learned teacher and mentor to the fire-rescue services.

Normally, our podcasts are about an hour long. Luckily and thankfully, my talk with Chief…

When I first started my career in the fire service, I started as a volunteer and this original experience taught me the importance of volunteerism.  One of my most rewarding volunteer experiences is when I…

This is a profession where you have to make the commitment of becoming a life long learner.  The fire academy is over and now you have found yourself in the Jumpseat.  Congratulations, you have arrived; however, the…

You have survived the first week as a probationary firefighter in the best career in the world.  You might need to pinch yourself because you…

Right now, I'm in the studio editing our inaugural episode of Season 2 of "5-Alarm Task Force: News & Issues for Today's First Reponders. This episode features my good friend and a business partner, Tom Mitten, a long-time PIO from Elsmere DE. Tom discussed the duties and challenges of the Public Information Officer's position. What if you're in a smaller combo or volunteer department. Do you need a PIO? How would you go about finding one? Tom fills you in on those questions,…

From our first day in the fire service, we have the opportunity to be a leader and lead throughout probation and well beyond, until long after our retirement.  This article is not…

I will never forget the day, I signed up to be a volunteer firefighter for my community. In 2005, I can recall watching the devastation on TV from the natural disaster Hurricane Katrina and Rita in…

We returned home this week and got straight to work on Season Two of "5-Alarm Task Force."

We've racked up some great guests for this season, including Chief Bobby Halton, Capt. John Dixon, Captain Andy Starnes, Capt (ret) Dennis Tucker and many more.

Don't forget you can find us on Twitter at either @Dalmatprod or @Cause_Origin. If you're new to Twitter and following us, our second ID, @Cause_Origin was originally created to help generate interest and support in a new project…

Winchester, Kentucky fire shows just how well training can pay off in a small department

Around 10 PM last Thursday June 1st, the Winchester Kentucky fire department which operates out of three fire stations and protects roughly 28,000 citizens responded to a fire on their Main Street, and as with many other fires that occur around the country this website posted raw video from the event.

FirefighterNation:…

Featured Contributor David Polikoff shares how he got started

(Author photo)…

Comply, or else!

STAY FIRED UP, and follow the code!

____

How did your story start?

I was 27 years old.  Never heard of PTSD.  I had just been turned down a week earlier by HR for the hire that was hands down my top pick, my hometown. That particular day I was at work at the Cashway Lumberyard.  Just as I was getting ready to head out with my 26 sheets of ½ inch drywall delivery order. The yard foreman yelled me back, “Carl phones for you.” That’s strange; I remember thinking,…

Over $2,500 in cash and prizes will be given away to Firefighters, EMTs and Medics! 

YOU can Win and more importantly Motivate Others!  

Don't wait, get your program and get started today!

The purpose of the contest is to motivate Firefighters, EMTs and Medics to change the…

I love being a firefighter. Let’s get that straight from the beginning. Aside from my marriage and the birth of my children, it is my greatest accomplishment. But despite the personal satisfaction it has given me I have often been frustrated with the lack of brotherhood and respect we sometimes show towards each other. I don’t mean the “support your brother or sister firefighter without question: right, wrong or indifferent” kind of false brotherhood. What I’m talking about is the true “we…

THE QUICK RACE TO THE GRAVE

Heroin....What's that mean to you or, what do you think about when hearing that word. Another overdose, more narcan, another code, another meaningless death, or another set of parents without a child again. This drug...Heroin…= Epidemic. There’s no other word to describe it. This drug has become the drug of choice in recent years to wreak the most havoc in the families of the loved ones that abuse it and are addicted…

Never get a tattoo you can’t see. Seems like good advice to me!

STAY FIRED UP, and smile!

Although Tim Casey and I had never met in person, we had a long-standing friendship through emails and phone calls. Several years ago, I received his first email. He had attached an article he wrote about his struggles as a firefighter; the nightmares, his addiction to alcohol, and his…