Bill Carey's Blog (60)

2009 LODD Summary, 2nd Half

Preface

At the start of 2009 I began a deeper look into the statistics that make up our line of duty deaths. One reason was to see in greater detail what firefighters are dying of and how. A second reason was to begin an honest and respectful look at what is both technically and culturally considered line of duty by the American fire service. To help understand the second half of the 2009 data, readers should review… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on January 30, 2010 at 4:00pm — 3 Comments

30-Second Drill, Basement Fire Hoselines

Salisbury (MD) firefighters prepare to advance a hoseline at this residential basement fire. (Cliff Shockley/FITHP)

The 30-Second Drill is to… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on January 11, 2010 at 5:38pm — 3 Comments

Collyer Mansion, Part II

Three universal fireground considerations from actual incidents

This morning, Dec. 23, 2009 news reports of two hoarding fires that claimed occupants,

Alabama: "In some cases,… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on December 23, 2009 at 4:00pm — No Comments

Collyer Mansion, Part I

Given that much of Wash., D.C. is snowed in, this old article seems appropriate - BC.

Everyone in the fire service, no matter their location, should be familiar with term "Collyer… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on December 20, 2009 at 9:30am — No Comments

Find six for Six

An Education Prompt Honoring Fallen Firefighters

Each anniversary of a fire that killed a firefighter or firefighters there are many well wishes of support for the families and friends. Intermingled are various questions, some subtle, some disrespectfully blunt. They… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on December 5, 2009 at 4:00pm — 5 Comments

The First Line Determines the Result

A fundamental basic to any successful fireground operation is a successful initial hoseline stretch. It seems simple enough, so why should we drill on it so much? Three main reasons:

Errors in the initial stretch have resulted in firefighter injuries and fatalities

We go to fewer fires…

Continue

Added by Bill Carey on November 9, 2009 at 10:45pm — 3 Comments

Quiet: Firefighters at Work

From Backstep Firefighter

Do you realize that it has been five months since the infamous “Shot Heard ‘Round the Firehouse”? In that time, there have been 14 articles written devoted to “Examining the process of firefighting to see if there is a better and safer way to operate”. Was this an employer directed punishment, an adult version of writing “I will not be… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on September 29, 2009 at 7:59am — 1 Comment

New Guy, Learn Your Area

The new guy was just putting away the last dish when someone yelled “First due box!” He’s the last one on board and the engine pulls out just as he closes his door. Bouncing back and forth in the cab, he buttons up, and tries to slip his arms into his SCBA straps. Forgetting his radio, he slips out of the SCBA and slips the radio on. As he leans against the rig while taking a corner, he notices his hood on the floor of the cab. Instinctively he leans down to pick it up and is jerked to a halt… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on September 14, 2009 at 11:31pm — 1 Comment

Highlighting the Day In, Day Out

There can be no substitute for overwhelming force

In the past months the nation has seen firefighters and other first responders face complex and difficult times. On the world stage we have viewed the inner department difficulties of a wide range from firefighters charged for committing criminal acts to firefighters justifying their right to a credibly earned promotion. Coupled with these we also see the constant difficulties that fire departments across the country are facing with… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on August 9, 2009 at 12:00pm — 1 Comment

2009 LODD 6-Month Summary – Final

In 2009, from January to June, 53 persons died in the line of duty. The cause and nature of their deaths varies and is representative of the many different fire department personnel across the country. The nature of their work at time of death ranges from removing an occupant from a window of the fire building to a surgical complication following a work related injury. Their ages, 18 to 77, also represent the wide spectrum of men and women in firehouses across the country. In some ways, their… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on August 3, 2009 at 1:10am — 1 Comment

2009 LODD; Medical, Response

From January to June 2009 the following line of duty deaths are categorized by medical cause, nature and response. When comparing this data with the earlier articles, readers will see an overlap in the listing of fatalities related to apparatus response. For the purpose of viewing both fireground specific fatalities and those of traumatic nature, these deaths are in each article. The purpose is not necessarily to recalculate the number of line of duty deaths specifically, but to look at them in… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on August 1, 2009 at 8:09pm — 4 Comments

2009 LODD; Position, Fireground

Firefighter Behavior

A further, more specific, breakdown of the numbers and information shows the following:

Position Types

Chief Officer: 6; Line Officer: 15; Firefighter: 32

Line Officer, in this writing, refers to traditional sub-command positions (i.e. captain, lieutenant, and corporal) as well as “station chief” as it was listed congruent with “firefighter”.

Of the 32… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on July 8, 2009 at 8:08am — No Comments

2009 LODD 6-Month Summary

"2009 LODD 6-Month Summary", Firefighter Behavior

The following is a brief look at the line of duty death numbers for the first half of the year. Future posts will take a narrow look at these fatalities, the difference between "on duty" and "line of duty", and without the inclusion of the December 2003 Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefits Act. This is to be a cultural and numerical evaluation… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on July 4, 2009 at 9:30am — No Comments

Training Prompt: Before You Speak

Radios are perhaps the most important tool we have, and each firefighter should have one.

But, not every firefighter knows how to talk on one.

Everyone, officer and firefighter alike, should know the basics of an initial radio report by the first arriving company. Most departments have a detailed order or SOP stating what is to be said. Some even… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on June 29, 2009 at 8:00pm — 1 Comment

Implications of Medical History

Firefighter Behavior

In June of 2009, the line of duty death investigations of four persons was published. Each had a cause of death attributed to cardiac failure. These four deaths should cause leaders and individuals in the fire service to face two powerful medical implications:

1. To provide quality staffing departments have to ensure that its members are routinely undergoing medical and physical… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on June 27, 2009 at 4:25pm — 3 Comments

"Father's Day" 2001

The following was written by Andy Fredericks and is shared with permission from the staff at Fire Nuggets

Father's Day

Andrew A. Fredericks

On Sunday, June 17, 2001, a fire occurred in a hardware store in the Astoria section of the Borough of Queens, New York. The FDNY was notified and responded with a full first-alarm assignment, including Rescue Co. 4, which… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on June 18, 2009 at 6:17am — No 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

Wind Driven Conditions - Building Experiments

From Firefighter Behavior, May 2009

The second part of the NIST Wind Driven Fire Conditions reports has been released. This part details the experiments and results from the Governor's Island tests. The lengthy report is a must read for those who desire to better understand not just high rise firefighting, but positive pressure ventilation as… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on May 12, 2009 at 7:40am — 1 Comment

Engine Company Principles, Part I

Originally posted on Firefighter Behavior, October 2008, this article is intended as a guide for determining how to tailor your engine company riding assignments to fit your response demographics.

This series will look in detail at three principles of a disciplined and effective engine company: Prepared to Work; Knowing the Response Area; and Basics of Handline Stretches. Each… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on May 7, 2009 at 7:54am — 6 Comments

Word of Mouth

"Word of Mouth" from Firefighter Behavior

In fire departments our most influential training opportunities are not necessarily the yearly recertifications or the latest seminars but the working fire. Our trade is a hands on service where the majority of learning is done by doing. We go to fires; we stretch hoselines; we search rooms; we open up the roof. And if we happen to not do any of those… Continue

Added by Bill Carey on May 2, 2009 at 8:00am — No Comments