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Always Preplanning

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This is a blog post by one of our instructors, Andrew Krato.

 

While in Indy at FDIC my first night on the town I was looking out of my hotel window and I came across this building. What I saw was just a reminder of how important it is to get out and do your building preplans in your district.

What I found was a multi story commercial brick building just like many of theothers in down town Indianapolis and so many other s in my district in Missouri.

Like many other building they all have fire escapes, this building was different because it was missing. This building is setup for the escape and if you look closer at the pictures you can see that at one time one was there. The holes from the mounts can still be seen in the brick and the rust marks from over the years of weather have left its impression on the building. Unfortunately, I was unable to make my way into the building and see what it looked like from the inside. What I can see from the outside is each level has a full size door that exits to the platform.

As in the pictures the platforms and stairs are gone but the doors remain there. From the outside nothing is labeled as do not enter, not an exit or is blocked off from the inside no bars or boards as such. I would hope that from the inside it is labeled or marked or at least secured shut.

As we all know in the smoke or dark a door feels like a door and whether or not it goes toanother room or outside and down 10 floors we need to make sure we have control of the doors, andwe sound before we enter into another room.

Thanks and be safe doing your preplans.

Posted by on May 16, 2012 • Filed under: buildling construction, FDIC 2012, firefighter-safety-health, situational awareness, size up • Tagged: , , , , ,

Two Questions for Future Officers

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I get asked frequently by up and coming firefighters all of the time about what they
should concentrate on in order to be prepared for promotion. Of course, there are the
typical replies about certain types of training and education along with career
development paths. Most are enthusiastic and really into the job and others want an
easy way to a gold badge
.
In recent months I have started to offer some new suggestions after witnessing
firefighters jockeying for a new officer's position and I am sometimes met with quizzical
looks. It is somewhat simplistic, but I really wanted to break down the promotional
questioning to make the candidate take some reflection of his/her career. In many
cases, the candidate will know when he tries to answer what his odds are of being
chosen.
 
Before some of you go on a rant about how promotions are more complex than what I
am about to offer, just humor me for a moment. This is not the ONLY questions that
need to be posed. However, by asking them you will see and hear most of what you
need to know. If you are the candidate, you too will find yourself either prepared for the
questions or you will be fishing for an answer that sounds good.
 
If you are a potential candidate ask yourself these two questions on a regular basis to
determine where you are in your career. This is not competition with others, it's about
you and how you develop yourself. If you are already an officer, these questions should
be a time of introspection. If you are the interviewer you will likely know the answer to
these questions before they are answered, and that's okay. It disallows a lot of BS from
the candidate.
 
So, here they are:
1. What have you done in the past 90 days to improve yourself, the department and
those around you in respect to the profession of firefighting?
2. What have you done over the last three to five years to prepare yourself to take on a
formal leadership position that separates you from the other candidates?
 
Okay, let's start with number one. Why would we ask the 90 day question first?
What do most officer candidates do as soon as a promotion is posted or an officer
retirement is announced? That's right, the race is on to take on new projects, kick up
the training and enroll in classes. They will start "acting" like a leader and they are a
little more friendly. We know what's going on, come on!
 
For those that train everyday, that treat people with respect, that go out of their way to
help and that offer to take on projects, all for the right reasons, this is easy. Others that
don't do this on a daily basis will sound real good and will have this confident smile
because they just nailed it! Wooo hoooo, they have just given the best answer to a
candidate interview and they feel invincible. But, we know it all started just weeks ago
and that the motivation is just for the badge. Now comes the decider and it will separate
those that love the job and those that are employees.
 
Now we ask the second question and the employee just looks at you for a moment, a
bit perplexed. There are some "uhs" and "ums" and they are trying to figure out what
you want to hear. They, in my experiences, will start to replay what they did over the
last 90 days. Most of these folks have not performed or strived to make himself better
over the years, much less worried about those around him. It will become obvious that
his track record is to perform when there is something in it for him, but only then. The
spaces in between are spent doing other things, if anything at all.
 
The candidate that is prepared will have a list of classes, trainings, ideas, projects
and conferences that he has shared with his fellow firefighters. This will be a consistent
trend that will very likely transfer over to his career as an officer. In addition, as a formal
leader, he will very likely encourage his crew and/or shift to do the same and he will
have high expectations for performance. This is the guy you want to promote.
I understand that you are not going to promote based solely on these two questions
nor am I condoning that. There is much more to a promotional process than two
questions. But, what I do believe is that when the candidates are interviewed, these two
questions can be a strong indicator of who is just an employee and who is a firefighter.
 
Asking yourself these questions on a regular basis will not only prepare you for
possible promotion opportunities, but they will build a strong foundation for who and
what you are in the fire service. Be a firefighter with integrity, respect, honor, tradition
and pride. If you can't answer these questions with pride and conviction, then you might
be in the wrong profession.
Posted by on May 10, 2012 • Filed under: administration-leadership, command-leadership

The Long Stretch and Push

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Take a look at the pictures and think about getting water on the fire to the upper floor and/or making rescues. This building is one that is old and not sprinklered. It sits off of the road and aerial access is extremely limited, almost ineffective.

When looking at this type of building we need to consider the construction type, occupancy, access and egress points and any special hazards. What are our initial resources and what should we have coming on the way? This building is four stories and is a dormartory at a college. The corridor length is 225 from stairwell to stairwell. As you look at the building in the picture, the stairwell on the right is more remote from a parking surface than the one on the left. The elevation that you see in the picture from this side is the same on the opposite side.

There is a basement under this building with tunnels that lead to other campus buildings with limited access and egress where kids sneak away to do what kids sneak away to do. There is a great deal of combustible storage in these basements and tunnels.

Type 3 construction is the type of building we are dealing with and the interior has been altered over the years. There is an automatic alarm system but no standpipes. Water supply is limited; the closest hydrant is approximately 300 feet from where you would likely place first in companies and that hydrant, if laid from, would severely hinder access by other units because of only one access to the campus.

So, here we go……..what are your tactics and why? Watch the video and let everyone know what you would do and why. Use this for discussion purposes and relate it to buildings that you might have in your jurisdiction. Share your thoughts and ideas.

Train hard and we hope to see most of you at FDIC 2012 next week.

 

 

Posted by on April 9, 2012 • Filed under: administration-leadership, buildling construction, FDIC 2012, fire stopping, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, ladder truck/aerial devices, rescues, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Training, training-development, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

EngineCo22 and Green Maltese–Training Module on Basement Fires

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You need to check out this training module done by Chris Huston and John Schafer. They did a fantastic job and it is full of great information.

 

Posted by on April 3, 2012 • Filed under: Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , ,

Jason Hoevelmann presenting “A Firefighter’s Own Worst Enemy” at FDIC 2012

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A Firefighter’s Own Worst Enemy: A Synopsis

When I created this class it was in response to my own attitudes and behaviors that I had developed over a period of time. During those 18 months of “darkness” I allowed outside influences to dictate my perception of the fire service, what my job is and should be and the direction of my future. Luckily, I had other influences around me that recognized I was drifting and helped to set me back on course.

After I was re-calibrated I realized that most of my problems were of my own doing. I was allowing other’s attitudes and perceptions to affect my own. It was easy for me to buy in to the negative influences because that was popular. It is always easy to swim with the current in that regard. Instead of standing up for what I truly believed in I allowed my values and principles to be altered by the peer pressure to act and react in an appropriate manner.

When asked what my class is about, I struggle sometimes to fully explain it to others. It isn’t just about peer pressure or about keeping a positive attitude. It’s about more than getting up out of the chair and working out and training. It is about more than being a positive example to others and to not fall into the easy way out.

This topic is not a typical firefighter related class. We cannot deny that our egos and perception of what a firefighter is does not include introspection on our thoughts and attitudes and how they can affect our team. In that regard just teaching this class is sometimes a challenge knowing that many will not “get it.”

My first career firefighter job was in a small suburban department in St. Louis County. There was a battalion chief there who was an old Navy guy and had an old timer attitude but understood very well that the fire service had to progress and was a supporter of training, physical fitness and higher education. He was also an old farmer who always had a saying or euphemism for just about every occasion. As a young firefighter I didn’t truly understand those sayings nor did I try to attach them to any real meaning.

One of his favorite sayings was that “a firefighter is his own worst enemy.” He would say this frequently and I never really put too much thought into it until many years later after I had moved on to a different department. He never elaborated and never really preached, he just threw out these little nuggets of advice and would go about his business. Well, it finally struck me what he was trying to say.

In just about every aspect of our job we create our attitude. That attitude will dictate our course in the fire service. Those that have an attitude that the only PR we need is running calls will have to live with the results of that attitude. For those that refuse to train and do not place any emphasis on continued improvement in our skills and tactics will be forced to live with the results of those attitudes. The problem is that these individual attitudes not only have a direct impact on them, but also on those they work with and the organization.
We have to understand that our actions, behaviors and attitudes do affect more than just ourselves on a personal level. This is probably the most difficult thing to get firefighters to understand. If a guy doesn’t want to train and is not made to train, he will be inefficient and will then be the weakest link of the team. If one or more members of the team are grossly out of shape and can’t perform, then they become a liability to the team if things go bad or they go down in a fire. Your health is not only your business, it can directly affect those you work with.

Being part of the fire service is not the same as the majority of other jobs. The plumber that fixes the pipes will probably not contribute to the loss of his own life or others if he screws something up. Could there be some water damage and cost him some money? Sure! But nobody is going to die because of his lack of training or commitment to his profession. (Nothing against plumbers.)

The fire service does not have that luxury. It is cliche and to some the extreme, but if we screw up, our citizens we swore to protect, our Brother and Sister firefighters and/or ourselves may not live to see the next day. This is a fact and is one we must wrap our heads around. We need to understand that not only does every action have a reaction, but every inaction has a reaction as well and typically it’s not positive.

A lack of fitness can and will result in health problems and poor performance leading to the rest of the team having to pick up the slack; which we are good at. A lack of training will result in inadequate skills and the completion of sound tactics which, again, will put others at risk. These are real game changers and during the class we discuss some hypothetical situations where we show how this can happen.

Finally, we pass on to others what we display. If the prevailing attitude is one of working hard to get out of work then that will be what the rookie firefighter becomes. He doesn’t know any better and the circle remains unbroken. We have to break that circle and create a new environment. There is no easy way to change the culture of a company much less an entire department.

We owe it to ourselves, the citizens we protect, our fellow firefighters and our families to be the best we can be. I had a senior firefighter who has coached his kid’s athletics for years tell me we don’t need to train because we “know what to do.” I asked him how many times a week he had practice for his teams? He stated two to three times a week. I then asked if he did the same drills and concentrated on the same basic skills at every practice? The answer was “yes.” Did he make his team run or were they allowed to walk during the practices and scrimmages? Of course they had to run to build endurance and get in “game” shape. Then I asked how we were any different from those teams? Well, you can probably guess what he said……”That is different.”

That’s right, it is different. That team may lose a game if they don’t practice. We may lose a firefighter, a citizen, a building or a block of buildings if we don’t practice. It’s time to be different. It’s time to not cave into negative peer pressure and to create our own positive peer pressure that makes it “wrong” to be on the side of “inaction.” It’s time we hold what we do and love to a high standard and expect the best of ourselves and of those around us. Do the job and do it better than well. Encourage others with our actions and show the next generation what being a firefighter is about. Don’t let them be their own worst enemy.

Join me at FDIC 2012 on Friday @ 8:30 for “A Firefighter’s Own Worst Enemy.”
Room 103-104

Posted by on March 27, 2012 • Filed under: administration-leadership, FDIC 2012 • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Bailout Hooks–Your Preference?

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Check out this new blog from Frank Lipski of Engine House Training, LLC.  Visti the site and post your responses and to learn more about Engine House Training, LLC.

 

 

A recurring question that comes up during almost every firefighter escape or bailout class is which anchor hook most people use and why. We like to train firefighters with the equipment they have, but the hook debate always seems to cause some passionate opinions on which is best and why. I feel that it is not as important what hook you have, but whichever you are using… be an expert with it. No matter what system you are using you must know how to use it properly in any and all conditions that you may face as a firefighter.

We have students that ask if they must wear structural firefighting gloves when they take our classes. As you can assume our response is always the same, you should practice as you play. We feel like if you cut corners in training scenarios, you will repeat your training performance when under stress. So we encourage students to put themselves in situations that are realistic to what they will face in real situations.

Having said that, I would like to hear from all of you as to what anchor you use and WHY. Please take the time to leave constructive opinion and discussion as to why you prefer a given device. If you have used and like multiple hooks that fine also. Please try to avoid arguments which really don’t help anyone. I am looking for reasonable reviews of the popular anchors so others can more quickly research and develop an opinion on anchors to test when making an equipment purchase.

Thanks, Frank

Posted by on March 22, 2012 • Filed under: fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, mayday, rescues, RIT, search, self rescue, situational awareness, Training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Tools for a Purpose

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We have taught a lot of classes and trained extensively on numerous firefighter operations. One thing that always interests me is the choice of hand tools by firefighters. Each has their own preference and favorite, but in many cases when challenged as to why that specific tool is their tool of choice, the answer is not clear to them. Some are bound by the fact that they work on a truck, engine or squad.

 

Some are bound by their riding assignment based on what order they arrive on the scene. In many cases, however, they just pick what they want and what is convenient or easy to carry. This is dangerous and we encourage each firefighter to choose their tool with a purpose in mind.

When choosing your tool some things to consider are what your using it for, will it accomplish your tasks, is it durable and reliable and does it complement the tools of other members. I’m not here to tell you what tool to use, but I have some suggestions for you to consider when picking your too

l –Can you use it for forcible entry or forcible egress?

–Will it get the job your are assigned to do accomplished?

–Will it allow you to perform multiple functions with that tool? Is is versatile?

–Are you familiar and proficient with that tool? Do you train frequently with it?

–Will it complement what your team members are using?

This could be especially important for forcible entry and for being a more efficient team.

Take a look at the pictures and discuss the pros and cons of each tool. For example, I don’t like seeing guys coming off with a close hook. It is good for overhaul, but for forcible entry or breaching walls and getting out of a bad place, it’s not very useful. This is just my opinion. But, I have had firefighters pick that tool because it’s light and easy to carry. Make the tools that are preferred easy to access and train with them. Clean and inspect them on a regular basis. Take care of those tools. Get know their capabilities and their limitations. You have to get your hands on them. Discuss these options as a crew and/or company and share your thoughts. Take care and expect fire. Train hard!

Posted by on March 14, 2012 • Filed under: buildling construction, fire-rescue-topics, firefighting-operations, fires, forcible entry, ladders, RIT, search, self rescue, situational awareness, Training, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Get Around

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Here are some more pictures from my A Shift buddies, Jim, Bob and Dave at Florissant Valley Fire Protection District.  These photos show the challenges of just getting into some of our buildings.  It's a lot easier to get a good look at the working mechanisms and traits of these obstacles during daylight and in non-emergent situations.

Take time to know what is behind these doors and grates.  What are they protecting and how secure are they? Is just a matter of prying bolts out of the brick and concrete or are they really seated into the building?  Now is the time to find out.

One note, the pic with the bars is actually a smoking lounge for an adjacent bar. Access is made from inside the building but it looks like a different occupancy.  Don't wait until it's smokey and dark.

Read the doors and try to identify characteristics that can indicate foricible entry challenges.  Do the doors swing out or in? Are the hinges exposed or protected? Is the jamb protected?

These are also important for RIT operations, to read the building and soften it up for interior crews if a company has not already done so.

Stay alert and get out and look around. You'll be surprised what you'll find.

Posted by on March 7, 2012 • Filed under: buildling construction, exits, fire codes, fire-prevention-education, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, forcible entry, inspections, mayday, rescues, RIT, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Training, training-development, Uncategorized, VES • Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Challenges Everywhere—-But We Have to Get In to See Them

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Hey, here are some pictures sent to me by a Brother who is going out the DOING the job. The whole job.  He and his crew are getting out and checking on things.  Bob gets IT and thanks for the pics.  These are in his still area and these are buildlings that get inspected and then they go right back to doing this kind of stuff.   We have to be prepared for everything and anything.  Imagine being the RIT and forcing the back door to make access for a Mayday and dealing with the mattresses?  Look at the pictures and just imagine and discuss the challenges that you would face in those situations.  Not to mention patrons trying to evacuate a smoke filled building.

Stay sharp and get out of that chair.  This is important stuff, don't put it off.  I'm a huge proponent of training on line deployment, search, vent, and all the rest.  This is just as important.  Stay safe and keep training.

Thanks to Bob Tresch for the pics and making a difference by sharing.

Jason

 

Posted by on February 17, 2012 • Filed under: administration-leadership, buildling construction, exits, fire-prevention-education, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, forcible entry, inspections, mayday, RIT, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Podcasting from Missouri Winter Fire School

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This past weekend we at Engine House Training, LLC had the distinct honor to interview and just talk with some of the leaders of the fire service at the 31st annual Missouri Winter Fire School. We were able to sit down with Billy Goldfeder, Dave Dodson, Forrest Reeder, Doug Cline and John Norman. To say the least, it was a great time. Click on the photo below to hear all of the podcasts. We also sat down with some of the great firefighters that attended. Challenge coins were flashed with two FOOLS guys and stories were told. Check it out and share with your friends. We think we are going to make this a regular thing. Thanks and train hard.

(Photo to come, click here for the Podcasts.)

 

Posted by on February 12, 2012 • Filed under: Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Missouri Winter Fire School

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Check us out at Missouri Winter Fire School. We will be podcasting live from Columbia, Missouri on the weekend of February 10th. Listen live and listen for recorded podcasts of your favorite instructors and new and up and coming instructors.

 

Posted by on February 3, 2012 • Filed under: Uncategorized • Tagged: , ,

More Building Construction for Size Up

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Here is a quick look at a building that offers more than one considering in regards to construction characteristics. The building in the photos is currently a resale shop. This building has been a tack shop, lawn equipment, sold boats and trailers. If you look hard at the front, it has been added onto.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The right side of the building was the original and the left was an addition. The front and side walls are wood frame with a brick veneer. As you can see, there is a parapet wall on three sides of the building. Both sides have been rearranged multiple times on the interior to accommodate the occupant of the moment. The original roof was flat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This side view shows some exterior doors and the brick veneer. We can also see the electric service and a boarded up window. This two doors lead to different areas of the building and are not adjoining. You can also see that the parapet wall appears to be very tall and of combustible material.

 

This is the rear view and the most telling about this building. We can see that the back wall is different from the other three walls. The back wall is of block. We can also see that the roof is a lean to type of construction and knowing the history of this building, it is a “rain roof” or “roof over” that covered an old flat roof.

We can also see the parapet wall is brick on the two side walls with support ties. We know that those connections are very likely going to fail during a fire. There is a lot of void space that could be difficult to get to due to the “rain roof” and early collapse of the parapet wall should be expected.

In addition, the importance of the block wall in the back is important for orientation as well. If we get inside and get to a wall that is block, we have a pretty good idea of where we are. We only would know this by pre-planning and/or doing our 360.

These are just a few of the considerations you must think of when presented with this building or one like it. Discuss this with your crews and identify buildings that are similar in your response areas.

Train hard, stay safe, and remember those who have fallen for the lives of others. Please especially remember the families of Chief Kyle Ienn, Firefighter Doug Haase, Chief David Flint, Fire Lt. Kevin West who all left us this week.

Posted by on February 3, 2012 • Filed under: administration-leadership, buildling construction, command-leadership, fire codes, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, in-the-line-of-duty • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

High Rise Markings

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If you have a high rise or respond on mutual aid to a high rise district, do you know if they are marked for floor identification? If so, do you know how they corresspond with the interior labels? High rise buildings are marked differently, if at all. In our area the windows are typically marked with a reflective sticker, one on every fifth floor. Where this gets tricky is when the interior floors are labeled differently.

This high rise has red circle on the corner on the fifth floor window and the 15th floor window. You can see them in the top right hand corner of the windows on the right side. Now, some places will actually put numbers on the windows, but we are going to just address this one method. If you count the windows you will notice that it doesn't add up.

This building has eliminated the 13th floor, thus making the floors on floor off if counting. This is where preplanning comes in.

                                                                                                                      

It is important to know how the outside corresponds with the interior. In some of these buildings the ground floor may be labeled as "Ground" or "Lobby" and not the first floor. In addition, if there are penthouse units at the top they may be labeled as such and not given a numerical label on the elevator panel. On this building the 13th floor has been eliminated. It goes from floor 12 to 14. On the photo below you can see that there is no 13 on the panel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We need to get into these buildings and be familiar with the labeling of floors. The last we want to do is deploy to the wrong floor or take an elevator to close to the fire floor. It is also important when searching for victims, knowing what floor is reported and how the occupants will report floor numbers.

This is by no means the only marking systems, just one method. Get out, know your system and train with it.

Posted by on January 19, 2012 • Filed under: buildling construction, elevators, fire codes, fire service recall, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, high rise, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , ,

Anatomy of a Basement Fire

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Here is a short video that you can use for a drill or training night. Feel free to use however you like. This is from a recent basement fire and what was looked for and what was done. There are some considerations to think about. This is not everything for all basement fires. Just a simple tutorial. Feel free to add your experience and ideas to this video.

Stay safe,
Jason

Posted by on December 25, 2011 • Filed under: administration-leadership, buildling construction, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, rescues, RIT, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, VES • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Green Maltese

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Check out the most recent blog post from Green Maltese on Photovaltaic Systems.  Thi is some new information that we should know about. I am not going to ramble on about this…….Just check out the post and share with others.  There are new trends currently upon us and coming down the pipe that we have to pay attention to.

Posted by on December 19, 2011 • Filed under: Uncategorized

Judge Not….

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I’ve done it and you’ve done it. It is going to happen again and it’s going to happen soon. With every line of duty death the Monday morning quarterbacks come out and tell us all what they should have or should not have done. We preach and teach to learn from these tragedies by understanding the circumstances surrounding the incident. But, what are we doing to make sure that this doesn’t happen?

Our job is dangerous. Worcester Fire Department is a highly trained department and according to some reports I have gotten, fight these types of fires every year. There are some additional factors like high winds and possibly illegal renovations that compromised the structural integrity of the building. Neither of these two factors can be anticipated or controlled. We have a job to do and when we are told that someone is in a building, we do what we can to get to them. As I write this I have not heard confirmation that there was or was not a victim found.

I have no doubt that we could dissect and scrutinize what happened and we would have done this or that differently. We will hear how simplistic it should have been and others pounding the table that we don’t enter buildings that are compromised. Guess what? As soon as that building catches fire it is compromised!

What frustrates me more is that in the fire service many are real good at solving problems after the fact and few try to identify and solve them before they are actualized. It’s not just judging the YouTube video or a line of duty death, no, it’s many things. “That guy doesn’t know what he’s doing.” “That guideline is outdated and inefficient.” “That small time volunteer fire department doesn’t know what they’re doing.” Of course, most of these “kitchen table experts” have no desire to be proactive or to put themselves out there to take the lead on a project to make a positive change.

Sometimes, and I’m not saying this is the case yet, things are not preventable. Sometimes we are going to lose. We hope not, but we are running into burning, compromised buildings to save lives and property. When someone comes to us and is telling us someone is in the building, if we can make a push, we will and we should. This is what we do and why we are here. There is no time to run down a check list to determine if a certain profile is met. We don’t have time to switch our size up decision making. We have to consider the situation presented to us at the time and use our training and experience to do our best to attempt a rescue.

But, if we do want to be Monday morning quarterbacks I suggest a different approach. Take your expertise and knowledge to some less fortunate departments in regards to resources for training and teach. Share your experience and knowledge with these departments and individuals to keep bad decisions being made on the fire ground. I believe that this is the best way to honor those who have sacrificed their lives for others. Whether there were mistakes or not, we can help to prevent those who don’t have resources to perform appropriately on the fire ground.

We recently did a class in a remote part of our state and had two firefighters arrive with some hand-me down gear and SCBA. Neither had worn the gear before and neither had ever had on an SCBA. They stated they had been fighting fire with self purchased boots, gloves and helmets. That’s it. Nothing more. This is still happening. We had to pull these two firefighters aside and walk them through some basics about gear and SCBA operations. We took extra time with them just to teach them basic firefighter skills. They were more than willing to learn and were eager.

The point is this: let’s put our efforts into training and teaching firefighters to operate safely instead of beating up departments, officers and firefighters after the fact. Can we learn from these tragic events? Absolutely! We should learn lessons in a constructive manner from not just tragic events, but from every call we run. There is always something to learn whether things went well or not so well.

Train, be tolerant and make a difference in a positive way. Stay safe and thanks for reading.
Jason

Posted by on December 11, 2011 • Filed under: administration-leadership, buildling construction, command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, in-the-line-of-duty, line-of-duty, major-incidents, mayday, news, rescues, RIT, scba, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, vacant building fires, ventilation, VES • Tagged: , , , ,

The Purpose

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This is a very simple post but one that I am finding is ever more important. Take a look at the picture and what is the first thing that you think of? What do you see? We've all done this drill or scenario and we have all at one point or another felt the anxiety of being "stuck" in a box, tube or tight spot. Some may have had instructors that guided us through and others may have been screamed at they needed to get out or they were going to die in there.

The main purpose of this post is to find out what we are trying to accomplish. It is more than just getting through the prop. We want to emphasize calm and deliberate actions. I like to point out the small things. Calm breathing and think one step ahead. What is at the other end and how should I prepare my next action accordingly? Is there a drop off? Is there a tighter space? I also like to practice getting to my pockets. Whether I actually need to or not, if I get into a position that I would need them, I have practiced that. I will be confident that I can reach my wire cutters in a tight spot. The same with my flash light; can I turn it on? Do I have an extra one I can get to?

Can I reach my radio? Can I reach my PASS device? I like to feel the space I'm in with one hand and arm to determine what the shape of the space I am in. It may just help me with placing my tank. It's not always on the bottom corners. There could be debris or the opening may be wider at the top. Feel the shapes and contours.

I know this sounds simplistic and time consuming. It is! But, if we do it over and over again, we will be better and faster at it. With these drills it's not always about speed. Creating good habits that will be easy to recall in a crisis situation just may save your life.

 

Posted by on December 5, 2011 • Filed under: administration-leadership, command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, mayday, rescues, RIT, scba, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , ,

Leaders Need Followers

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Here is a quick video that uses a unique perspective to shine a light on leadership and followership. I really enjoyed the video and I think the message is perfect. A great picture of leadership in action; in a little different setting. I hope you enjoy and learn something from it. Thanks for humoring me.

Posted by on November 21, 2011 • Filed under: administration-leadership, command-leadership • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Balloon Frame Construction: From the Inside

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This short clip show balloon frame construction from the inside. With Engine House Training, LLC this summer, we had the opportunity to hold a class in this building. It was going to be torn down and the interior wall coverings in most of the house had been removed. That exposed the balloon frame construction characteristics that we so often speak of but seldom have the chance to see.

Use this however you like and share it.  Hopefully, this will help someone to better understand the meaning of balloon frame buildings and to ensure proper tactics are used with these structures.

Keep training and pass on your knowledge to others. Share the gift.

Posted by on November 18, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, fire stopping, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, trusses • Tagged: , , , , ,

Firefighter Mode for Elevators

3 comments

Okay, here is a short video on firefighter mode for elevators. Remember that each jurisdiction should check with their buildings and operational guidelines. This video may not be the only way to operate certain types of elevators but it is indicative of most in our area.

It was asked of me to mention the "HOLD" position.  This position in most elevator cars allows the crew to place the key in the "HOLD" position and exit the car without it getting recalled to the lobby.  When the crew gets back in the car they need to turn back to the "ON" position and take full control of the car again.

The "BYPASS" position is at the lobby control.  This can be used to put the elevator back into normal operation if the alarm system has not reset.  This should be done only after it as been determined that the alarm activation is a malfunction or service related.

Hope that helps.

 

Train hard and thanks for reading.
Jason

Posted by on November 1, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, elevators, fire service recall, firefighting-operations • Tagged: , , , , ,

Apartment Fire Considerations

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This is another video I put together. I have been getting positive feedback on this format, so I will continue to do this.

We are addressing some concerns and challenges with apartment fires. This building is of the garden apartment style but this same type of building can be a stand alone as well.

As always, this is not the only considerations when looking at apartment fires. Follow your guidelines and get out to your response areas to become familiar with similar buildings.

Until next time, stay safe and ring those bells tomorrow and say a prayer for all of the fallen and their families.

Posted by on October 15, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, fire stopping, fire-rescue-topics, firefighting-operations, forcible entry, rescues, search, situational awareness, size up, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Reading the Building: Just a Glimpse

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As you may know, I am playing with a different format. It wont be all of the time for every blog, but something a little different. So, here is one based off an article that I did. Please be patient as I work with this. Hopefully, it will enrich your blog reading.

Thanks, and let me know what you think.

Posted by on September 29, 2011 • Filed under: administration-leadership, buildling construction, command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, rescues, RIT, search, situational awareness, size up • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Legacy Building Considerations: Old School Buildings

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We are trying out a new format for our blog. We will use this when it is effective and appropriate. Let us know what you think.

As always, train hard and stay safe.

Jason

Posted by on September 16, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, fire codes, fire-prevention-education, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, inspections, situational awareness, size up, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Honoring 343 Fallen

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I have read many articles, blogs and stories about the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and have decided to keep this short. Not out of disrespect or laziness, but because I believe that how we remember and honor those 343 and the firefighters who have passed since from working on the "pile" should be shown daily in our actions.

I ask that you honor those brave firefighters everyday by being a real firefighter every day. The following is a list that I have come up with to honor their memory daily.

Have pride in your job and profession.

Treat your citizens the way they expect to be treated.

Master your craft. You must train yourself and those with you.

Plan, expect and prepare for fire.

Be a mentor, coach and a leader. Not in your words but in your actions.

Be in engaged and active in your profession.

Ask yourself everyday, "How am I making a difference?"

Be a Brother. Don't just say it, BE one. Actions speak louder than words.

Finally, keep all those firefighters and families in your prayers daily. Live your life and career in a manner that would honor all of the brave men that lost their lives that day trying to save others.

I pledge to do these things to remember and honor the Fallen 343 everyday.

God Bless all of our firefighters,
Jason

Posted by on September 11, 2011 • Filed under: 911 coin, Uncategorized • Tagged: , ,

Two Questions for the Company Officer

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This past week I had the pleasure to present for future, current and past company officers in Atlanta. As always, I learn something new from the great discussions and comments during and after the classes. I also am one who tweaks my classes up to the last minute. Good, bad or indifferent, new ideas and different ways to present an issue will enter my mind and I will make the change.

During discussions in one of the classes I asked two very simple, but far reaching questions to the class: What are you going to do today? and What have I done today?

Simple enough, right? This is a technique that I like to emphasize for company officers, and even chief officers. We all have meetings and appointments and the routine things that we do each day. But, the questions are broader than that.

The company officer has to know what to do that day to make the organization, his company and himself better for that day, and in that order. Some things that are accomplished may cover all three at the same time. This is a very dynamic topic, but simply put, he has to have a path and using these questions provides as a daily guide.

So, company officers, what have you done today? Also, ask this of your crew too. You might be surprised what you have or have not accomplished.

This is from the class “Rule of 90′s: A Guide for Success for the Company Officer.”

Sorry for being gone a while, it has been crazy! Stay safe and train hard.

Posted by on August 31, 2011 • Filed under: administration-leadership • Tagged: , , , , ,