Ok, so I have to vent or I’m going to lose it. As I sit here at my desk thinking about today’s history in the fire service. I think about all the times I have taught RIT or LODD case studies and see these blank looks. I see these faces go totally blank when I say places like Hackensack, NJ, Worcester, Ma, Keokuk, Ia, Marks, Ms, & Charleston, Sc. Now the last one, I get someone in the course that says…oh yea, those guys in South Carolina that got killed, right? I sit here today and think… Continue

Well, it looks like that last blog was a possible hit. I think we all know the people I was referring to, we’ve all seen them, worked around them and we’ve all wondered the same questions. Why are you here?

So, I may have stepped on some toes with that, if so….I’m not really sorry, if you were offended, then you need to take a long hard look in the mirror. Which will lead into rule #6. We all need to take a hard look in the mirror. As I say this, I am stepping on my own toes. We must… Continue

Well, it looks like I not the only one that's going through some of this. Again, over the last 6 or 7 years of going around and teaching & learning from firefighters, I keep seeing us making the same mistakes. As I see it, it's the same problems over and over. Look, I don't know everything, matter of fact, what I have learned, I've had to pay for most of these lessons. All I ask of my students, is please don’t repeat my mistakes, make your own, just don’t repeat mine.

With that being… Continue

Ok, so from looking at the replies, it's not just me. Looks like I might be on to something here. So, I'm sure your looking for rules #3 now right? Let's just start with a few sayings I heard as I "grew up" in the fire service. Now please understand, ALL of these saying I have heard at some point in my career. Sometimes is was from someone else, sometimes it was from my our mouth. If you've ever heard any of theses, please raise your hand.

"The fire had a head start." "We had to go get the… Continue

As I've been going around teaching and talking with various departments in the state. I am coming to the same thought....no matter if it's paid or volunteer, it's all the same stuff. I know what you're thinking and please close your mouth (your going to attract flies). Hear me out before you decide I'm just some ignorant firefighter.

As I go around and teach on various topics and I sit and talk with fire chiefs and firefighters I am beginning to hear the same stuff. Example: "We just can't… Continue