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Coast Knife Review

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I had one of our firefighters use the Coast Knife DX330 during some extrication training. My own use of the knife was excellent in functionality. It was sharp, felt good in my hand and was durable. The only negative I would say is that the locking mechanism did not always lock the blade. This could be an isolated problem and it wasn't an issue when using because there is a secondary, manual lock that kept the blade locked. Here is the review from the training.

Knife Review

Today during our extrication demonstration my crew and I put the knife to use. We broke windows cut seat belts and really put it to the test. Initially with the knife you notice the overall look and appeal. The belt clip is strong and when opened you notice the straight and serrated blade. Upon my first couple of times opening the knife i did not like how un stable it felt open when you do not use the secondary lock. It felt like it wanted to close on me but when i used the secondary lock it was fine. I don't know if every time i open the knife that i would like the extra work.

During the extrication we used the punch to break out the windows. It took a few swings to understand the strength needed to punch the windows. I hit the corners like needed but it took a few hard swings to break the window. Others that used the knife did not use as many swings and grasped the idea faster than me. It was an effective tool and i would carry this knife for a punch before i carried a window punch.

During the removal of the seat belt I was skeptical but with very little ease the belt was cut clean. We did notice that it was harder to cut when there was no tension on the belt. As long as there was tension and belt held straight the belt cutter razor worked like a dream.

Overall it was a great tool to have and carry daily or leave in your turn out gear just for car extrication minus the looseness of the primary lock.

Andrew Krato

Posted by on April 15, 2013 • Filed under: Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Behind the Back and Thru the Legs

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I always loved sports. I played just about every sport I could and eventually settled in with basketball and baseball. The coaches I had were always preaching the fundamentals and basics explaining that as players, we had to master the basics to the point that things like dribbling and passing were second nature. When those basics were mastered we were able to ascend our skill sets to seeing an open player before he is open and making moves on the fly, avoiding the defender with moves that were more challenging because we had a “feel” for the game.

The “feel” for the game allowed us to improvise and do things on the court that weren’t necessarily practiced. A defender stepping in front of us quickly, obstructing our passing lane may force us to make a behind-the-back pass. This is improvising with an advanced skill based on our most basic of skills: passing. Does the player get punished for this advanced skill? Probably not, especially if the outcome is a positive one.

When we get to an advanced level of skill sets, it typically comes from past experiences and hours upon hours of training. With that training and experience also comes the ability to recognize situations that are not typical. These non-typical situations will require us, if trained appropriately, to make the best possible decision for the best possible outcome. The mantra of always use two hands to pass and catch the ball with thumbs turned down may not work or be appropriate in a certain situation because the desired outcome is not going to be achieved.

The same can be said in the fire service. In recent weeks a Philadelphia firefighter made a heroic save and was faced with a decision to give the fire victim his air. There has been a great debate over the actions. I was recently asked by Eric Rhoden on his and Ray McCormack’s radio show what I thought about the incident and the reaction that followed. What came to me was a baseball situation.

We teach our kids to get square to the ball, get our glove to the ground, field the ball in the middle of our body/stance and to turn toward our target and so on. You get the point. But that doesn’t always get the out. Sometimes the fielder has to dive for the ball, getting dirty and bruised and maybe tossing the ball behind his back to get the out. Is there less margin for error? Yes. Is it taught that way? Not usually. Is it effective in certain situations? Absolutely!

There is one important variable however. You must be highly skilled and practice daily to make plays like that. You can’t just walk out onto the field and expect to perform at that level. I don’t know the firefighter in Philly that made the save, but my guess is that he is very competent with his SCBA and has mastered the basic skills surrounding his air supply. I would also guess that he is one that takes his craft very seriously and wants to perform at a high level for incidents just like the one he performed so heroically for.

I always teach that in the fire service there are no “always” and no ” nevers” because right when you think you have every situation covered, a call comes along that you never thought about. Ask yourself every day when you walk onto that engine bay floor, “Am I ready for the worst call of my career?” The conclusion I always come to is “No.” But, I train, drill or engage myself into the fire service every chance I get, just in case that call or situation comes along that requires something a little extra of me. Hopefully I will be ready to dive for that ball to make the play.

Finally, thanks to Ray and Erich for having me on and thanks again to Fire Engineering and everyone on the site, you all keep me engaged and excited about the fire service. Take care and stay cool during this hot summer. Be ready to dive for that ball.

Posted by on July 16, 2012 • Filed under: administration-leadership, command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, mayday, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, 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: , , , , , , , , ,

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: , , , , ,

Engine House Training, LLC

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Engine House Training, LLC is a new training group based in St. Louis, MO. We have been doing training together for a long time and finally decided to do something formal with it.  As much as we like to train, we are great friends and have a blast with what ever we are doing.

The web site and blog site are not fully operational yet, but blogs should be coming in the next day or so.  In the meantime, we have launched our Facebook page and would really like to have you check it out.  We have already posted a great deal of material to the page and some of it you have seen before from this site.  You can also follow us on Twitter.

The primary mission with Engine House Training, LLC is to give firefighters the tools they need to survive each and every call.  Although our curriculum is based on self survival, Mayday, and RIT, we place a heavy emphasis on basic skills that will hopefully keep firefighters from needing to use the techniques that we teach.

Here is a quick list of our instructors and their backgrounds:

 

Jason:
  Jason Hoevelmann is a Deputy Chief with the Sullivan Fire Protection District and a firefighter/paramedic with the Florissant Valley Fire Protection District. He has over 20 years of fire service experience and has been an instructor for the last 15 years. He is Instructor Level II and Officer II. He holds a BS in Fire Service Administration from Eastern Oregon University and presents at FDIC and Fire Rescue International as well as other regional conferences.  He has been published in Fire Engineering magazine and OnScene magaizine and writes a monthly column on FireRescue1.com. He is on Missouri Strike Teams 5 and 3.  He is a board member of the ISFSI, a board of director on the IAFC/FLSS and is on NFPA Technical committees for Fire Officer qualifiations and Fire Service Instructor qualifications.
 
 
Gary Graf:
  Gary is a Battalion Chief/Training Officer with the Pacific Fire Protection District. Gary has been in the fire service for over 20 years. Gary helps coordinates training for Tri County Training, Franklin/Jefferson County Task Force 5 and for MUFTRI.  Gary has specialized in all aspects of rescue and firefighter survival.
 
Dave Konys:
Dave is a Captain with the Sullivan Fire Protection District and has been in the fire service for over 10 years. Dave is a fire service instructor 1 and has taught extensively on firefighter safety and survival.
 
Frank Lipski:
 Frank is a firefighter/paramedic with the Florissant Valley Fire Protection District and has been in the fire service for over 15 years.  Frank holds a Bachelors of Science in Fire Science from Columbia Southern University. Frank specializes in rope rescue and firefighter safety and survival techniques.  He is a member of St. Louis County Task Force 3 and is a Swiftwater Rescue Technician.
 
Andy Seers:
Andy is a Captain/Paramedic with the Creve Coeur Fire Protection and has been in the fire service for the past twenty one years. He holds an Associates Degree in Fire Protection Technology and is a Level I certified fire service instructor by the State of Missouri. He is a member of the St. Louis County Strike Team 3 and the St. Louis Co Hazardous Material Team.  He has been teaching safety and survival training throughout the State of Missouri for the past ten years. 
 
We appreciate your support and hope to have a long relationship in the fire service with all of you.  If there is anything we can do for you, please do not hesitate to ask.
 
In Training,
Jason, Gary, Dave, Andy and Frank

 

Posted by on June 4, 2011 • Filed under: administration-leadership, command-leadership, fdic 2011, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, MUFRTI, rescues, RIT, scba, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, special-operations, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , ,

FDIC 2011

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FDIC 2011

Well, it has been a while since I have posted. It has just been crazy and my time has been in short supply.  As we all know, FDIC 2011 is here.  It starts Monday the 21st of March and I plan on being there the entire week.  I just want to make you aware of some of the things that will be going on at this, the greatest fire training conference in the world.

Of course, Monday and Tuesday are the HOT classes.   The HOT, Hands On Training, classes are the great drills and evolutions that every firefighter dreams of.  These are instructed by the the best instructors that the fire service has to offer. At this time, a great many are sold out, but check the listing and get in any of them, you wont regret it.

Tuesday night is the ISFSI social at Howl at the Moon. This event is for ISFSI members to meet, greet and socialize, and to have few drinks together.  It starts at 6:00PM.  If your not a member, get registered and take advantage of the great resources that the ISFSI offers fire service instructors.

Wednesday the classroom sessions begin and run through the rest of the week.  I am going to ask you to try and check out the list below.  These are people I know or have associations with and I believe that these will be some very worth while presentations.  Some have been highly recommended by others.

Interior Benchmarking
Assistant Chief William M. Greenwood, Fire Emergency Training Consultation Services, Keene, NH
“Interior benchmarks” can help firefighters when they encounter a bad situation in an immediately dangerous to life and health atmosphere. Learn how to recognize these benchmarks and how to employ them so they can help you maintain situational awareness should you become disoriented on the fireground. Interior benchmarking questions are discussed in detail.
ALL LEVELS
Room 107-108

The Ready Position
Engineer Christopher Brennan, Harvey (IL) Fire Department
The Ready Position is the point at which the capacity and capabilities of the Fire Service Warrior are in an ideal state of potential energy. Whether sitting in the firehouse at the kitchen table or in the recliner at home with the pager sitting next to you on the table, ideally, you will be ready to spring into action when an alarm sounds. Learn how to master the physical and mental skills of the Fire Service Warrior: Be 100 percent present when you enter into battle; have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to thrive on the fireground; and be prepared for the unfortunate should the worst-case scenario occur at an incident. ALL LEVELS
Room 234-235

Benefits of the Personal Harness and Escape System
Lieutenant Daniel DiRenzo, Cherry Hill (NJ) Fire Department
The focus is on incorporating these systems with personal protective equipment or self-contained breathing apparatus to rescue other firefighters or self-rescue. Students will become acquainted with the techniques for using this device as well as its capabilities.
ALL LEVELS
Room 103-104

Power Saw Operations and Maintenance Tips
Firefighter Kevin J. Legacy, Fire Department of New York
Students will participate in proactive drills that will ensure safety and promote proficiency when operating saws. They will learn how to troubleshoot minor problems that may arise at the incident scene and that can make the difference between a successful or a failed operation. All aspects of saw maintenance are also addressed. ALL LEVELS
Room 236-237

How to Attack a House Fire
Lieutenant Ray McCormack, Fire Department of New York
A primer for extinguishing house fires according to their locations within the house and customizing the fire attack. Learn when, where, and how to apply your hose stream for maximum effectiveness in single and multiroom fires and fires involving stairways, hallways, attics, lofts, kitchens and bathrooms, basements, and garages. Tips on how to stretch up and down stairways, select the best location for the attack line, and combat fire extension. ADVANCED
Room 140-142

Flat-Roof Operations
Firefighter Nate DeMarse, Fire Department of New York
Attendees are shown a systematic plan of attack that will automatically prioritize the important tasks that must be done when operating on a flat-roof building. The skills needed to safely and efficiently perform primary duties on this type of roof are reviewed.
ALL LEVELS
Room 103-104

Social Media: The Fire Service’s Next Big Innovation
Lieutenant Rhett Fleitz, Roanoke (VA) Fire-EMS Department
Learn the “in’s and out’s” of social media for the fire service. Many questions about these media (blogs, twitter, facebook, MySpace, YouTube, skype, podcasting, text messaging, and so on) will be answered. Learn to be proactive by developing a social media standard operating procedure. Become acquainted with some of the ways departments are using these media for recruitment, retention, informing journalists and citizens, and publishing news. The benefits and potential consequences for personal use of these media by employees are also discussed. ALL LEVELS
Room 134-135

The PIO Reporter: Telling Your Story in a World Where “Spin” Doesn’t Work
Dave Statter, Statter911 Communications, LLC
What you do before an image problem occurs may be more important than what you do later. Building reputation equity in your community could be the key to your survival when things go bad. In this “post-media world,” where the public can access news immediately on the Internet, the fire department can easily lose control of the message. Learn how to communicate so that the public knows what you know, when you know it instead of waiting until all the details are in. Learn how to take control, put out the bad news, build trust with the community, and repair your department’s reputation.
INTERMEDIATE
Room 125-126

Leading with Attitude
Eddie Buchanan, President, International Society of Fire Service Instructors
This class is about empowerment–making positive changes in your department and lives. It poses and answers the questions: What can I do about changing those things I don’t like about my job? Do I have to be a “yes” man to be a good “follower”? How do I deal with the officer, the negative guy, the bobblehead, the rookie—and myself? Participate in a rankless and nameless “gut check” that will reveal what you can do to improve yourself, your department, and the fire service today and for future generations.
ALL LEVELS
Room Lucas Oil Stadium Classroom 2

A Firefighter’s Own Worst Enemy
Deputy Chief Jason Hoevelmann, Sullivan (MO) Fire Protection District
A look at how your actions, behaviors, and attitudes can contribute to your problems and those within your organization if you don’t recognize them and control them, and how supervisors’ human dynamics and interactions in the firehouse can transfer to the fireground. Students will be guided in how to ensure that they and their departments can be a fluid, clear, dynamic moving stream as opposed to a stagnant pond sitting in a farm field. INTERMEDIATE
Room 123-124

Understanding and Motivating Today’s Firefighters
Deputy Fire Coordinator Tiger Schmittendorf, Erie County (NY) Department of Emergency Services
Motivating today’s recruits is the focus. Gain insights that can be applied to all types of departments. Learn how to combat the challenges we face in the firehouse with solutions that are readily apparent. Share in the input from X-Box generation firefighters. Tips for attracting and retaining quality firefighters. ALL LEVELS
Room 105-106

Effective Use of Tower Ladders in Tactical Operations
Firefighter Nicholas A. Martin, District of Columbia Fire Department
Proper use of tower ladders in various fireground scenarios is presented. Topics include proper placement and deployment of aerial apparatus; integrating the aerial into the fireground effectively; and using the aerial in various scenarios such as gaining access, rescues, using elevated master streams, and performing technical rescue. Rear-mount and midmount devices and “ladder tower” vs. “tower ladder” are also discussed.
INTERMEDIATE
Room 238-239

Suburban Fire Tactics
Captain Jim Silvernail, Metro West Fire Protection District, St. Louis County, MO
Strategic principles related to the suburban setting are highlighted. Attendees are motivated to develop and establish effective preferred operating methods for structural firefighting. Students will get a glimpse of “how the rest of the country” is dealing with understaffing and adaptive strategic practices to establish consistent operations.
INTERMEDIATE
Room 120-122

Urban Tactics with Quint Fire Apparatus
Firefighter Nicholas Morgan, St. Louis (MO) Fire Department
The differences of applying standard engine and truck company emergency scene tactics with traditional engine and truck companies only, with all-quint companies only, or with a combination of all three types of fire apparatus are analyzed. The session includes a basic discussion about quints and their similarities and dissimilarities to traditional fire apparatus, the reasons some departments replace older apparatus with quints, and the relative strengths and weaknesses of quint apparatus for standard emergency scene operations.
INTERMEDIATE
Room 120-122

Although I recommend these classes, this is by no means the only people and topics you should go see.  I am just asking that you take the time to come see these great instructors while they are available.

Since this post has gotten a little long I will end it with one more request; please register for the Courage and Valor Run.  This is such an important event and cause. Even if you can’t or don’t want to run, your money for the registration goes to the Courage and Valor Foundation.  If you hurry and register you get really cool t-shirt too.

Well, I hope to see you all at one of the many events that will be taking place. I will be at the ISFSI social and the meet up on Friday.

Travel safe and be careful.  See you in Indy!

Posted by on March 18, 2011 • Filed under: fdic 2011, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,