All Blog Posts Tagged 'Firefighter' (49)

A Tale of Two Fire on BACKSTEP FIREFIGHTER

On Thursday September 29, 2011 a Vallejo, California firefighter was burned in the rescue of a paraplegic. The firefighter made entry into the man’s mobile home which was heavily involved in fire and dragged the man toward safety. During his attempt he was forced to bail out after suffering burns and a second crew knocked down the fire and completed the rescue.

On March 30, 2010 the Homewood, Illinois Fire Department responded to a report of a fire in a chair in a house. They were…

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Added by Dave LeBlanc on October 22, 2011 at 7:11pm — No Comments

New Firefighter Skills Competency Workbook is now available

The new Firefighter Skills Competency Workbook is now available. This Skills Competency Workbook follows NFPA 1001 (2008 edition), and can be used not only to document initial training but continual skills competency training as well. This workbook should assist departments with developing an organized training program as well. Learn more about this workbook at

www.createspace.com/3690367

Added by Asst. Chief Loftis on September 26, 2011 at 9:41am — No Comments

Training.... Or a Lack Thereof

Every department trains. Some departments train weekly, monthly, daily, etc. My question for you is:

HOW do you train?

I already talked about practicing like you play and training hard, so lets talk about training CORRECTLY.

I, sadly, know of more than a few fire departments that are stuck in

their old ways. They train using the same methods that the old salts

learned when they were in the academy. This is not completely a bad

thing, as using… Continue

Added by backsteprescue on June 27, 2011 at 12:32pm — No 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

Analytical Study Reveals Patterns in U.S Firefighter Fatalities

Christopher J. Naum, SFPE

Executive Producer;…

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Added by Christopher J. Naum, SFPE on April 16, 2011 at 7:30pm — No Comments

LOOKING BACK AT “THE FRONT SEAT” FOR APRIL 6, 2011 on BACKSTEP FIREFIGHTER

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Added by Dave LeBlanc on April 9, 2011 at 9:47am — No Comments

The Truth Hurts, So Learn From It on Backstep Firefighter

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Added by Dave LeBlanc on April 4, 2011 at 6:41am — 1 Comment

What's in a title?

I know there is a lot of sometimes heated discussion over the terms we use in the Fire Service to describe paid and unpaid Firefighters.

The term, "Professional" in ordinary usage by anyone outside of the

Fire Service means someone who "Follows an occupation as a

livelihood." (Random House Webster's Dictionary, definition 1) by almost

any definition, firefighters who are paid to be Firefighters and make their

livings as…

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Added by Greenman on March 16, 2011 at 8:29am — 10 Comments

Twitter: a new firefighting tool?

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…

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Added by Jeremy Orozco on January 11, 2011 at 11:16pm — No Comments

Rookie Firefighter Blog

Rookie Firefighter Blog:

How I became to be the newest Rookie Firefighter at the Big Thompson Canyon V.F.D. in the Colorado mountains...

Click for MORE or visit: www.rookiefirefighter.wordpress.com

Added by Lisa Kling on December 9, 2010 at 2:39pm — No Comments

Rookie's and Veteran's

As a fire service instructor over the years I have met a lot of fellow firefighters and not until recently did I realize the stories from these firefighters were always the same from rookies and veterans. The rookies always say “we don’t fit in” and the veterans always say “ the rookies just don’t get it”. I guess the reason it didn’t hit me sooner was as a fire service instructor and as a company officer it is my…

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Added by Vince Curry on March 3, 2010 at 5:36pm — 2 Comments

“MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY!”- Are You Ready?

Did you get enough training so far this week? Because you are a proud and

professional firefighter, I already know your answer. So allow me to offer some more.

Here’s a little something to think about: Is everyone on the same page regarding MAYDAY's on the fireground?

Many…

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Added by FireDaily.com on February 24, 2010 at 10:30pm — 2 Comments

What were they thinking in 1982? Same as today?

Head on over to Backstep Firefighter…

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Added by FireDaily.com on February 11, 2010 at 1:30pm — No Comments

Welcome the to Nation

FireFighter Nation is NOT a training institution.

Seems like a simple enough statement, but there are those who think that it is, or should be, and would have everyone believe that it is.

What is FireFighter Nation, or FFN, as we like to call it? It is a Social Network for FireFighters and our EMS brothers and sisters. It is a virtual gathering of Firefighters from all across the U.S., and the world, in a sort of on-going Social Hour. Like the first hour of a Firefighter’s… Continue

Added by Greenman on February 1, 2010 at 6:13am — 3 Comments

A Decline in Volunteer Firefighters and What Can Be Done About It

"It takes a very special person to volunteer his time," (Stephens et al 14) however, the number of these special people who volunteer as firefighters is declining and fire departments are doing all they can to retain current volunteer firefighters and gain new ones. Over the years, the number of volunteer firefighters within the United States has been declining. Not only is it becoming difficult to persuade people in joining fire departments, but it is also becoming more difficult to retain the… Continue

Added by Sean Miller on December 21, 2009 at 12:02am — 8 Comments

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter...August 22, 2009

Tomorrow is an important day. It's a bone marrow drive in Staten Island for a retired Staten Island firefighter named Roy Chelsen. Roy was a hero during 9/11, and according to some accounts, was responsible for getting his crew out of the WTC that day.

If you are in the NY, NJ, Connecticut area, please consider attending the bone marrow drive for Roy, or joining the bone marrow donor registry.

Here's the Facebook… Continue

Added by Denise Imperiale on August 22, 2009 at 4:50pm — 1 Comment

Why Cant we as Firefighters GET IT!!!!!!

As a State Advocate for the Everyone Goes Home program I was asked by a department and a good friend to come speak during the 2009 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week. I was very impressed with how this department has made the steps to improve and adopt the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives. Before the presentation started my friend and fellow instructor gave me a tour of his department and we got to talking. He said that a few of his neighboring departments probably wouldn’t show up… Continue

Added by Vince Curry on June 29, 2009 at 3:48pm — 2 Comments

How To CHANGE what TRADITION Has Built

As I sit here trying to build a plan for the future I think of what has happened over the last 41 years in the fire service. It was 1968 November my Father joined the fire dept in our small mid west town of around 1,200 people, I was 11 months old. He was told show up bring a CASE and be there at 7. So he did and I am sure he never thought that 41 years later so many things would have changed and how far the fire service has come. That night in Nov. he was handed his gear, which was a plastic… Continue

Added by Tim Zehnder on April 1, 2009 at 9:02pm — No Comments

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter

Notes from a Rookie Firefighter...February 26, 2009

Here it is almost a month after I took the state test for Firefighter 1 for the second time. I heard I have to wait about 2 more weeks to get my results. I sometimes forget about that, I've been doing this for a year and a half now. I like to volunteer, and last night was the recording secretary for the officers' meeting, and am on our 100th anniversary committee.

Tonight I went to an OEM meeting. I joined the… Continue

Added by Denise Imperiale on February 25, 2009 at 9:48pm — No Comments

Whats in your Pockets?

So as my questions asks, "What is actually in your turnout pockets?" I am a firm believer that every firefighter should be equipped with the basic tools required to start self-preservation/rescue operations when confronted with firefighter entrapment.

Now I am pretty sure folding spanners have a place on the fireground but when was the last time you used one inside a burning building? Besides modern fire apparatus have so many spanners mounted on it, it will make your head spin. So… Continue

Added by FETC on January 6, 2009 at 3:00pm — 4 Comments