Making sense of everything

I'm trying to compile some information related to things that are near and dear to my heart. Namely, fire tactics, ventilation, fire streams, and firefighter survival/RIT.

It is my opinion (this is my blog, remember...you can disagree if you like) that a lot of the fire training in Nebraska has been watered down and/or very "vendor" influenced over the past few years.

In addition to this, I've noticed a lot of leaders in the fire service tend to have spent a lot of time during the past few years getting themselves to where they want to be, and, as a result, they haven't continued their tactical fire service education.

As many of you know, I'm an avid reader...especially when it comes to Firehouse, Fire Engineering, etc. But I've learned not to believe everything that I read. I've also learned that if you question something, you need to investigate it.

So, that's what I've done over the past couple of years. If a concept has been introduced to me via book or trade journal, I attempt to find someplace close that is holding an educational opportunity on the subject. Okay, so maybe it doesn't have to be close...I went all the way to King County, WA last year for a Truck Class.

Perhaps I'm taking being a "Student" of the fire service to the extreme, but I know that I won't find a lot of stuff that will get us anywhere around here.

In fact, my next few posts will most likely be related to some things that I learned.

Here are a few things to whet your appetite:
1) Vertical ventilation is NOT the devil! It is still the best form of ventilation, and is often underutilized. Even with modern construction (lightweight truss, etc.), it can be used very effectively.
2) The 2 1/2" Hoseline CAN and SHOULD be used as an interior attack hoseline on large structures. Fire is not impressed by how fast you reach it, it is only impressed if you can deliver enough GPM's to overcome BTU's. Smooth bore for the hard core!!!
3) Why don't we look at using the reverse lay more often to leave room for the Truck Company? It isn't that tough.
4) If you don't have a nozzle in your hand or you aren't backing someone up on the hoseline, you should have a tool available to you. Whether it is an axe, halligan, pike pole, etc., you should be carrying something. They do make belts to carry axes, if your hands are that precious.

There's more. Let me know what you think!!!

While you're at it, check out this video!!

http://www.king5.com/perl/common/video/wmPlayer.pl?title=www.king5.com/ki_100505tacfire.wmv

Now that's ventilation!!!!

Some EMS Stuff

I was gone for a couple of days. Our USAR team headed to Texas in the event that Hurricane Dean turned into a "Katrina-sized" storm. One morning's USA Today had the following article:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-08-20-ems-atlanta_N.htm

It made me think a little about how we really measure an EMS System's effectiveness. Some places go by response times. Others go by cardiac arrest save rates. In my opinion, it is nice (and essential) to have rapid response times and high cardiac arrest save rates, but this should not be the wholesale measuring stick for an EMS System's performance. The article "assumes" that if cardiac arrest save rates are high, that the rest of the system should be good. This, I feel, is a little short-sighted and doesn't take a lot of other important things into account. Even with all the research and new cardiac arrest algorithms, codes are still a "crap shoot." The moon and stars have to align just right for the chain of survival's links to come together. There needs to be a better gauge of a system: clinical accuracy, for instance. How well does a EMT or Medic give a clinical impression? How good are their assessments? If they have an accurate impression, then is their treatment aggresssive, just right, or lacking? If folks are going to use statistics, use real ones...not BS stuff to make themselves look better. For instance...a lot of the cardiac arrest save rates are based only on patients that present in ventricular fibrillation. Other rhythms are thrown out in their statistics.

How do we do this? I don't know. I just know that the media likes to start things, and we really need to get to the root of the problem.

Enough of a rant for now. Stay safe, and learn something new today!!!