For as long as there have been people, fire and those willing to quench unexpected issues from fire, the basic tenet was “put the wet stuff on the red stuff!” Of course, there were no “classes” given to what was burning until many years later. And to be honest, that premise worked. However, in the last fifty years or so, one of the key issues that has changed is WHAT is burning and what is the safest and most expedient way to snuff these more modern flames.

On this podcast,…

Does your department have a plan in place for its future? Do you know when your current apparatus will be deemed out-of-date and how they will be replaced? Tune in to our latest episode with my guest, Capt. John Dixon. Captain Dixon discusses the importance of having a Strategic Vision Plan for your department and provides guidance on how to start the process. Tune in via your favorite podcast platform or on our website,…

I was like many of you. I had heard on the news or had read in one of the trade journals, that firefighters had been diagnosed with cancer. It often pointed to FDNY and these were firefighters who had worked, so determinedly, on the Pile left after the collapse of the WTC on 9|11. However, as I was about to learn, this was just the tip of the iceberg, as they say.

This “Out-of-the-Vault” episode of “5-Alarm Task Force,” takes us back to March 2017. My guest was Bill Banks, a…

While we're enjoying some time off, I've reposted my episode of "5-Alarm Task Force," with the late Chief Alan Brunacini and Chief Dennis Rubin, as they discuss the 2016 Wingspread VI conference.
Tune in at www.dalmatianproductions.tv

The word, “leadership,” especially in the ranks of first responders, is bandied about by many. And for all those that participate in this conversation, there are probably at least, twice or three times the number of definitions of what leadership is in emergency services. In this podcast, our guest, Asst. Chief John Luca of Boca Raton Fire-Rescue Services, provides us with a new and deeper definition of the term and strongly encourages us to look inward first, before we even think of leading…

Hi,

This is not your usual blog post. In this one, I'm reaching out to you, our listeners to help us win one of the upcoming Podcast Awards. From July 1st - 31st, you can go to the website, The Podcast Awards and nominate "5-Alarm Task Force" for one of the awards. You'll find us in the "Government & Organizations" category. If you want to either follow the Awards progress on Twitter or send a tweet out…

Many of us are pretty damn excited when the dreams of little kids to be firefighters comes to fruition in our usually, young adult lives. We are usually in our late teens or early twenties. We may have had some experience by “buffing” until we were old enough to ride the apparatus. We’ve watched the experienced members do so many tactics, that we feel we’ll know exactly what…

     Today is Memorial Day here in the U.S. In my family and our community, it was always a special day. The last day of school before Memorial Day was made very poignant, even for those of is in elementary school. We learned a little about World War II and about the soldiers who fought there...and those who died there. There would be a patriotic play that we'd put on and often, a speaker would come to our assembly. Each student went home that day with a small…

While some firefighters take fitness-for-duty seriously, they often run into the "hard wall" of those who either don't think it's necessary of afraid of punitive actions if the do participate.

Well-known fire officers and fitness "gurus," Dan Kerrigan and Jim Moss return to "5-Alarm Task Force" with a concise summary of their successful class taught at this year's FDIC 2018: "10 Steps to Cultivate a Culture of Firefighter Fitness in Your Department." This podcast only runs about…

    While shiny new pumpers, ladders and rescues grab most of the headlines, the Shift Commander's Buggy, looks almost like another SUV. However, the person driving this vehicle has paid his/her "dues" and has been promoted to the position of Shift Commander.

    This interview with Deputy Chief (ret) Kevin Burns of the City of Framingham MA, is special to me, because I grew up in Framingham. And it was my exposure to the wonderful firefighters in my community as a child that planted…

    While shiny new pumpers, ladders and rescues grab most of the headlines, the Shift Commander's Buggy, looks almost like another SUV. However, the person driving this vehicle has paid his/her "dues" and has been promoted to the position of Shift Commander.

    This interview with Deputy Chief (ret) Kevin Burns of the City of Framingham MA, is special to me, because I grew up in Framingham. And it was my exposure to the wonderful firefighters in my community as a child that planted…

5/17/2018

The creative team at our host, Podomatic, offered to help create a new logo for "5-Alarm Task Force." That was the good news!

However, they did such a great job that we're having a difficult time choosing the one we like best. So, we decided to let …