Janelle Foskett, FireRescue's Blog

Firehouses Lit Pink to Support National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

By now you’ve probably all heard that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s important that we do everything we can to bring attention to this disease. One Connecticut department is doing just that. To show support for a firefighter at their department who has been treated for cancer, as well as all people who are struggling through the disease, the East Hartford Fire Department has lit… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on October 29, 2010 at 11:02am — 1 Comment

Australian & American emergency workers run from L.A. to N.Y.C. to remember Sept. 11

Running to Remember

Australian and American emergency workers run from L.A. to N.Y.C. to remember Sept. 11

We’ve all heard the term “extreme sports,” but what about “extreme dedication” or “extreme honor”? …

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Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on August 23, 2010 at 7:25pm — No Comments

Get Your Rules of Engagement Poster!

FireRescue magazine is excited to announce that we’ll be giving out a poster depicting the “Rules of Engagement for Firefighter Survival” and “The Incident Commander’s Rules of Engagement for Firefighter Safety” at Fire-Rescue International next month. The poster will be available at the FireRescue booth (#1142) and the IAFC’s Safety, Health and Survival (SHS) section booth (#1621).

The poster (pictured… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on July 23, 2010 at 5:30pm — 5 Comments

How Did You Quit Smoking?

NVFC launches Web site to help firefighters curb a dangerous habit

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has launched a new Web site, www.healthy-firefighter.org/putitout, to help firefighters “Put It Out”—in other words, quit smoking. This got me thinking about just how addictive this habit is, and asking, what actually works?

Have you… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on June 28, 2010 at 2:48pm — 5 Comments

It’s Official: Firefighting Is the Nation’s Most Stressful Job

CareerCast.com Report identifies firefighting as nation's most stressful job for 2010

At some point in your life, you’ve probably asserted to someone that your job is hands-down more stressful than theirs, regardless of whether that person was an accountant, lawyer, doctor or, dare I say, police officer. Well, what you didn’t have then was a study to back up your argument. Enter a new CareerCast.com report… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on April 26, 2010 at 7:15pm — 5 Comments

Live from FDIC: Innovative Drills You Won't Find in Any Book

Innovative Drills You Won’t Find in Any Book

Story by Janelle Foskett

Photos by Raul Angulo

We all know how difficult it can be to motivate some people to train. It’s like working out. We need to do it, but finding the motivation to actually hit the pavement is a whole different story. And similar to… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on April 23, 2010 at 3:48pm — 6 Comments

FDIC Session: Schmittendorf emphasizes understanding when it comes to the newest generation of firefighters

FDIC Session: “They Are It!” Schmittendorf emphasizes understanding when it comes to the newest generation of firefighters

By Janelle Foskett

Parallel universes may exist on the TV drama LOST, but as Tiger Schmittendorf explained in his FDIC session “From the X-Box to the Box Alarm: Leadership in Today’s Firehouse,” the harsh reality… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on April 23, 2010 at 1:40pm — No Comments

FDIC Award: Robert Colameta Jr. Is ISFSI’s Instructor of the Year

Champion of the Courage to Be Safe Program Awarded the ISFSI's George D. Post Instructor of the Year Award

By Janelle Foskett

During Thursday’s general session at FDIC, Eddie Buchanan, president of the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI), and Glenn Corbertt, technical editor for FireEngineering magazine, presented the ISFSI George D. Post Instructor of the Year Award to Robert J. Colameta Jr.

In… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on April 23, 2010 at 9:30am — 1 Comment

Siarnicki Awarded 2010 Tom Brennan Lifetime Achievement Award

Siarnicki Awarded 2010 Tom Brennan Lifetime Achievement Award

Announces that military firefighters who die while performing firefighting duties will be included in the NFFF memorial

By Janelle Foskett

Chief Ron Siarnicki, executive director of the National Fallen Firefighters… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on April 22, 2010 at 2:50pm — No Comments

Want More Fire Station Design Info?

I spent the majority of my week at the Firehouse World conference, where I was working in the FireRescue booth. I personally love my “booth time,” as it affords me a chance to chat with our readers and get ideas for future articles.

This year, our booth was positioned close to an architecture firm. I had spoken with the lead architect before, specifically when I was covering past F.I.E.R.O. Fire Station Design Symposiums where he… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on March 5, 2010 at 11:59am — 2 Comments

Hoops for HOPE Seeks Cure for Colorectal Cancer

A battalion chief in Ontario, Calif., is fighting for his life in the battle against colorectal cancer, and he’s doing something to help make a difference for everyone fighting the disease.

Richard “Chip” Smith, a battalion chief with the Ontario (Calif.) Fire Department, met David Smith, the head boys basketball coach and teacher at Los Osos High School in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., in the spring of 2009, after both men were diagnosed with stage 4 metastasis cancer. They… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on January 27, 2010 at 7:00pm — 1 Comment

"Hope Always Remains": USAR Teams Discuss Relief Efforts in Haiti

By Janelle Foskett, Senior Editor, FireRescue Magazine

In a conference call from Port-au-Prince on Monday, specialists from the Fairfax and Los Angeles County Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams fielded questions related to their response and rescue efforts following the massive earthquake that struck Haiti on Jan. 12. Participants on the call—a special briefing for publications that serve the fire, EMS and emergency management communities—included four members of VA-TF1, two… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on January 26, 2010 at 12:55pm — No Comments

Is the Safety Message Starting to Get Through?

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, 90 firefighters died in 2009. While that’s far too many as far as I’m concerned (and I’m sure you feel the same way), that number also happens to be the lowest it’s been since the early 90s, when 81 firefighters died in 2003 and 77 died in 1992. In 1994, the number of firefighter LODDs jumped to 106 and since then has steadily hovered near that mark. In both 2007 and 2008, 118 firefighters died in the line of duty. (You can find a chart that depicts… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on January 13, 2010 at 5:59pm — 1 Comment

Longest-Serving Fire Chief Dies—How Long Would You Serve?

After reading about the death of Chief Ralph Jackman, the man believed to be the longest-serving fire chief in American history, I wonder how the men and women of the Vergennes (Vt.) Fire Department are holding up, and my heart goes out to them. Jackman was their chief for 55 years before retiring this past November at the age of 85. What incredible commitment to his service, his community, his brothers and sisters. How many chiefs out there could imagine holding the position for 55 years?… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on January 8, 2010 at 3:30pm — 8 Comments

Return of the Fire Station Design Symposium!

I’m happy to say that the Fire Industry Equipment Research Organization (F.I.E.R.O.) Fire Station Design Symposium is on for 2009! After initially choosing not to hold the event this year because of the tough economy, organizers reconsidered, noting that fire stations are still being planned or built and, therefore, people still need all the help they can get in this arena. “And with a portion of the economic stimulus package earmarked for fire stations, we decided that we should offer an… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on July 24, 2009 at 11:07am — No Comments

Time Will Tell: FireRescue article sparks discussion about oldest firehouse

Who says getting old is bad? Getting old means growing wiser and perhaps more dignified and even commanding more respect, right? I’d like to think this is just as true for fire stations as people. The members train hard to learn everything they can about their craft and then pass along this knowledge to the new recruits. And as a station grows older, our respect for the station—and what it symbolizes to the community—grows exponentially.

In the April issue of FireRescue, we published… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on June 5, 2009 at 2:30pm — 1 Comment

FDIC Recovery Mode

The Monday following FDIC is never fun. It’s usually characterized by exhaustion, sore feet and a stack of business cards that need some action, like, NOW.

But not all is gloomy—far from, in fact. I’ve spent most of my first day back in the FireRescue office musing about the sights, sounds and accomplishments of the previous week: the myriad vendor meetings and subsequent scheduling of product reviews; engaging debates about controversial fire service topics (including Lt. Ray… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on April 27, 2009 at 8:02pm — 1 Comment

Crash Site IC: “One of the Biggest, Hottest Fires I’ve Ever Seen”

I just spoke with Clarence Center Volunteer Fire Company (CCVFC) Chief Dave Case, who was the incident commander at the scene of the Continental commuter plane crash near Buffalo, N.Y. Despite it being difficult to digest everything that has happened in the past 12 hours, Case was able to offer FireRescue and FirefighterNation.com some initial reflections on the event as well as a play by play of the… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on February 13, 2009 at 5:00pm — 11 Comments

Crash Responder: "We Knew It Wasn't Going To Be a Rescue Mission"

I had the opportunity to speak with Chief Jim Quigley of the East Amherst Fire Department, a 100 percent volunteer department, which responded as mutual aid to the scene of the Continental Airlines commuter plane crash last night. He recalls his first thoughts upon arrival at the scene and discusses some of the fire-suppression effort during his 6 hours on… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on February 13, 2009 at 1:30pm — 11 Comments

IAFC’s 2009 Safety Week theme focuses on personal responsibility

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Billy Goldfeder, chairman of the IAFC Safety, Health and Survival Section, about the theme for this year’s 2009 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week, June 14–20: “Protect Yourself: Your Safety, Health and Survival Are Your Responsibility.” Here’s the scoop:

Goldfeder says it’s easy to see how diligently so many national fire organizations, along with the USFA and the fire service media, have worked to provide resources to… Continue

Added by Janelle Foskett, FireRescue on February 6, 2009 at 3:30pm — 2 Comments

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