PHYRTRAINING

Midwest Firefighter

2011-05-21T21:22:00.002-05:00

Start looking for a few of my posts at Midwestfirefighter.com It is the official training site of numerous FOOLS Chapters (including Flatwater FOOLS), and Nate Jamison from Lawrence has been so gracious to allow me some space on there from time to time. Great resources!

Lego Mini-Man

2010-07-12T20:34:00.001-05:00

I had to try this out for my son:

http://www.gominimango.com/miniyou/getwidget.php?userid=6atanewdviup0ow8m6ws1488

A halfway decent fire show....

2009-10-09T09:41:00.002-05:00

In this day and age, the collision between reality and fiction is very apparent in the media...many of the dramas "mimic" reality, but still fall far short. And, for some reason, writers can't get a Fire/EMS show "just right." Not that I'm bashing "Rescue Me" (it is entertaining), but shows like "COPS" have been running for years while shows like "The Bravest" lasted about ten shows.

BET has a new series called "First In" that I just happened upon. It is about some firefighters in Compton, CA....you can watch the episodes on their site (http://www.bet.com/video/shows/FirstIn) or tune in Wednesday nights. Really, it isn't too bad of a show.

Fox Reality starts a new season of "The Academy" at the end of October by following a recruit class with the Orange County, CA Fire Academy. It should be interesting...I always enjoyed the original series when they ran with the LA County Sheriff. (http://www.foxreality.com/theacademy/#/index)

Of course, you can always watch "The Battalion" (www.thebattalion.tv) on the Internet. It has improved some over the past year or so...I got a little tired of the response footage, as I do that every day. I also got a little tired of the medical calls....I do that every day, also....just show me some fire, and I'll be happy!

Crossfit

2009-09-09T21:25:00.000-05:00

Anyone in the area is cordially invited to a Crossfit Lincoln workout. Check out their blog at http://crossfit-lincoln.blogspot.com to get your ass kicked, but the ass kicking will help you to kick ass at the next ass kicking fire you have....

Did that make sense?

Work this fire

2009-09-09T21:21:00.001-05:00

Hello all...

Whaddya know...two posts in one night!

Take a look at this video and email me what you think. How would you fight this fire with the resources that you have? After a few posts, I'll let you know what I think, too.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8Fgvs35j80

Conflicted Thoughts

2009-09-09T20:59:00.001-05:00

Well, it appears that it has been almost a year since I posted on this blog. Of course, there really is no excuse other than I've been busy and my adult onset ADHD sometimes doesn't allow me to develop a rational thought to place online. So, I'm just going to have a quick post tonight....

I've been thinking a lot lately about the true reason for our existence in the fire service....do we really promote saving lives, or do we only promote saving lives when it is convenient to do so. Are we creating a generation of firefighters (of which I might be one) who are self-serving and unwilling to take risks in order to do what we are supposedly sworn to do? I guess that one of the things that attracted me to this career was the fact that firefighters are perceived (or at least were at one time) as the ones who make selfless sacrifices. In some cases, that means placing our lives on the line. I'm not talking about being reckless; I'm talking about giving our firefighters a sense of pride in what they do that creates a willingness to actually do what the public expects us to do. There are soldiers, sailors, and marines fighting and dying at this very moment for our freedom; while every death is a tragedy, we EXPECT them to do it for us. And for that, we should be eternally grateful. But shouldn't those that call us expect us to do the same? A lot of the trade magazines would have you believe that you shouldn't ever do anything but try to stand outside a house fire and spray water or try to blow it out.

This ties into what we should really be doing: training and developing a mindset to be the very best at the very moment that we may be called to save a life. It is a burden that comes with the badge. It means that we should gain experience in any way that we can (and learn from the mistakes of others) so that we can make smart decisions that place our team in a position to make a difference. And it means cutting out all the bullshit that actually makes us less effective in our response....

Just my $.02...but you can comment and try to convince me otherwise.

Get yer shit together...

2008-09-13T17:27:00.000-05:00

Here is another video...a rookie putting on his SCBA (his bunkers are alread on) in less than 23 seconds...

Certain things should be automatic...this should be one of them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnV5Bcm8WBg

Take a look at this

2008-09-13T16:54:00.000-05:00

Here is a video created by a brother firefighter in Omaha. Not much else needs to be said, other than be sure to have a kleenex nearby...

If this doesn't move you, you don't have a pulse....please be safe out there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBhmw-djkh0

A couple of good resources...

2008-08-18T17:36:00.001-05:00

For those of you that know me, you know I LOVE to visit other departments and see how they do things. I especially like to learn from folks that are with traditional departments whose operations are "par-excellance." And of course, I like to average out the East Coast/West Coast thing with the perspective that we in the Midwest can take a little from both to do things right:) Most of you are aware that East Coast Firefighters and West Coast Firefighters like to show their fierce loyalty toward their methods and sometimes trade good-natured barbs about who's way is better. Fact of the matter is, they all have things we can learn, and they have developed their methods from years and years of experience that works well for them. Someday, maybe we'll be the same way in Nebraska. Anyway, here are a couple of links. One is the FDNY Forcible Entry Manual, or the "FE Bible" as some would say. The other is LAFD's Book 29...their Truck Company Operations Manual. Both are awesome resources!!! Enjoy!!!

http://www.firefactory.com/FE.pdf

http://ladderops.com/uploads/bk29.pdf

And, so there isn't any question...I prefer Chicago Style Pizza to the New York or California Styles...LOL!!!

I'm an idiot....

2008-07-08T17:48:00.000-05:00

It wasn’t long ago that I figured out I was an idiot….

A couple of years ago, 3 ½” years ago, as a matter of fact, I discovered that I needed some serious training….

It was the day before my Wife and I were going in to induce our son into labor…To be honest with you, that was really the only thing on my mind during that shift. Then, sometime in the afternoon, we were called on a full alarm to a house on fire. The Medic Unit arrived first and said they had a working fire in a one-story single-family dwelling. We pulled up as the first Engine and saw fire coming out of one window on the C/D side. My usual partner (and one of my best friends) was on the Medic Unit, and we were riding three on the Engine…he was able to get his stuff on pretty quickly (as usual) and met me at the front door. It was the first time we had deployed a new-fangled bumper load (stolen from Prince George’s County) on a real fire…the line was deployed so quickly that the Driver of the Engine was surprised to see us asking for water within about 30 seconds or so. The line was charged, and we opened the door. It was one of the weirdest things I’d ever seen…thick, black smoke from ceiling to floor. But it wasn’t moving. It didn’t move in or out. It just formed a wall. Oh well, we told ourselves…and we proceeded in. The second-in Engine had arrived by that time, and they were crawling and banging around. I assumed they were helping us, but how, I couldn’t figure out. Where is the hallway? It should be off to the right….I think. So, we went right. It felt a little warm, but not unbearable. I opened up the nozzle into the overhead, and felt nothing. The fire’s gotta be here somewhere. Then, I felt myself somersault and go upside-down. I saw my life flash before my eyes and then felt a thud with my PASS device digging into my ribs. My partner yelled, “Firefighter down, firefighter down.” I got my bearings and figured out that I’d only fallen down three steps onto a basement landing. “I’m alright.” “Hand me the nozzle,” he said. “Uh, no…I got it,” I replied. (I wasn’t about to give that up.) My ribs hurt like hell, but we figured out that we’d gone the wrong direction. “Over here,” yelled the Second-in Engine crew. We followed their voices and found our way to the hallway. A few more feet…and there it was. A room full of fire. It was beautiful. I hadn’t seen it in a long time. “Hit it!” the Captain of the Second Engine yelled. I took my time, made sure my nozzle was on a straight stream, and opened it on the fire. In a matter of seconds, the fire was knocked down. We moved in to the fire room, which was obviously pretty warm. Guys were pulling ceilings, and I sprayed a little bit of water. By then, my low air alarm was sounding…so, me and my partner left.

Well, the fire went out. It was scary and fun…just what I look for in a fire. But as I’ve become older (and maybe a little wiser, or perhaps lazier), I’ve figured out that there were a whole host of things that could’ve made that fire go a little better. Here are a few (and maybe you’ll think of a few more). 1) I could’ve slowed down a little bit. The rapid deployment of the bumper line bought me a little time. I should’ve used it to think more about the potential layout of the structure and path to the fire. To be honest with you, I didn’t even think about victims…this should’ve been one of my first considerations. 2) The second-in Engine could’ve been more help with stretching the line. By the time we actually made it to the fire, my bottle was almost empty. Part of this was due to being out of shape (which I’m remedying constantly); part of it was due to a lack of discipline. There were just two-of us dragging a line over and under and around a bunch of obstacles. If just one of the guys on the second Engine had taken the “control” position and helped feed the line around corners, we would’ve probably made the fire room faster and expended less energy. 3) We crawled through some pretty black and hot smoke. To this day, I don’t think that any ventilation was considered until after the room fire was knocked down. I’m doing a little research on the layout of the structure, but we would’ve benefitted from aggressive ventilation above the hallway. 4) A little too much pride…when I fell down the stairs, a backup line should’ve probably taken our place. I don’t think that anyone knew about the fall until after the fire was out.

There are probably a multitude of other items that would’ve made this bread and butter fire go a lot better. The primary thing I learned, though, was that we really don’t “learn” anything from our fires. We have become stagnant and just “rushed in.” No real assessment of building construction or reading smoke. Our fancy PPE will protect us. Now I’ve learned that this isn’t the case. I’m not going to bore you with all of the “Risk Management” Bullshit that you’ll find in just about every tactics book and trade journal article…although I agree with it, I think the stuff is overplayed. What I will say, though, is that 1) learning about the building construction in your district (including floor plans and layouts), 2) Reading the smoke and fire conditions as they relate to the construction and determining your attack plan, and 3) Utilizing a little company discipline will all contribute to these operations being conducted more professionally (and safely). Truth is, we attacked the fire the way I wanted to attack it…and nobody was the wiser. It might not have been the right way, and the more I think about it, should I have done what I did?

All I can say, is that my passion for training in effective fireground operations has been relentless since this fire.

The other thing that I can say, is that I went to the hospital, got X-rayed, and just had some bruised ribs. The next day, my beautiful son was born…which has given me further resolve to continue to try and “do things right.”

New Officer Jitters

2008-06-21T17:53:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm back out in the field....plus it's the first time I've operated as a Captain on the Fire Apparatus.

I'd like to tell you that my first shift went swimmingly....

.....but it didn't.

Let me see...here are just a few of the things that I need to work on:

1) Entering staffing in the Computer. Fortunately, they put me at a two-rig house, and the other officer was a tremendous help with this.
2) Keeping myself from getting tangled up in my seatbelt (yes, I am 100% compliant) with radio cords, headset cords, SCBA belts, and the like. I will say that the SCBA brackets that are set up in the officer's seat of the new E-Ones that we have are the biggest pieces of S%#t that I've ever seen!
3) Remembering to turn on the siren.
4) Remembering to turn on the siren.
5) Not getting the crew lost in an unfamiliar area.
6) Giving better assignments.
7) Getting to know my first in area--hydrants, occupancies, etc.
8) Making decisions.

I can see now how much pressure is on the Company Officer. Some people seem to really have it together...I am not one of those people But, I am 100% committed to being the best Captain that I can be.

Fortunately, they put me with a great group of guys that know what they're doing. They've been very patient with me. They even busted their asses when we called a "hose-pulling" drill, and didn't complain too much when my Taco Salad turned out costing almost $10 a person.

More later.

Another Bailout

2008-02-27T06:42:00.000-06:00

Brother Kirk sent me this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q54bFKWnA90

Some pretty tense moments for this particular firefighter...thankfully, he made it out. They're investigating whether or not his SCBA malfunctioned. Obviously, we can look at this from a bunch of different angles, and I'll leave that to you. It still goes to show that we absolutely must get every step of the basics right in order to survive...Yeah, it's cool that you can tie a knot or dive into a confined space rescue situation, but can you get ladders up in a timely fashion? Can you stretch a line appropriately, conduct a rapid primary search, and utilize the proper type of ventilation for the situation? Think about it....

The Deuce and a half....

2008-02-27T06:01:00.000-06:00

Erich Roden from Milwaukee has posted a great article on the use of the 2 1/2" line...take a look:

http://thehousewatch.com/2008/02/25/reach-flow-and-penetration/

Why are we so F#*^n LAZY!!!!

2008-02-17T20:23:00.000-06:00

Okay...the time has come for us to stop sitting on our ASSES and bitching about having to do things like reading to preschoolers, doing inspections, and extra training. We seem to wonder why the public opinion has waned over the past several years, and seem to complain that "they just don't appreciate us." We cry about riding three on a rig and needing new fire stations and the like; we seem to have our 24-hour shifts scheduled endlessly to the point where it seems like we're out of service more than we're in service.

Well let me tell you something...we did it to ourselves. And all it would've taken was a little initiative.

First of all...we exist for the public...not the other way around. Do I think we should be paid well? Yes. Do I think that our families deserve us to be able to send them to the "good schools" and have nice things? Of course. But we still have to remember that our positions exist for the sole purpose of helping others. If you want to sit in your house off duty and not help anyone, that is your prerogative. But when you go on shift, that dynamic changes...and anytime your are called to help, you need to do so. Anytime you PERCEIVE someone needs help, you should initiate that help.

Secondly, I was appalled the other day when I heard through the grapevine that some firefighters were complaining about having to read stories to some preschoolers. Put yourself in those kids' shoes. Don't you think that if we showed up every once in a while to talk to the kids that they would say something positive to their parents (you know, the ones that pay for us to have our jobs?) I can tell you with 100% certainty that if a firefighter gave me the time of day when I was in preschool that I would've been in seventh heaven for about six weeks.

Your shift is not your vacation from everyday life...it is your job to have an impact on someone else's everyday life. Let's put the honor and duty back into this job.

JUST SHOWING UP DOESN'T PUT OUT THE FIRE

To add to this little rant of mine, I'd like to talk about "showing up." And I'm not just talking about it on the career side. I've been seeing a lot of folks getting into the fire service over the past few years who feel that just "showing up" means that they've contributed to the overall success of an incident. When a fire truck arrives, things must be okay, right?

Well, I'll tell you that isn't the case. You have to know what you are doing. The fire doesn't go out by you standing there all glossy eyed...it requires rapid, decisive, efficient action in a compressed time frame. It requires coordination. And you aren't gonna learn anything by standing there and watching (a common position of rookies on my volunteer fire department)....get your ass in there and get to work! The only way to do this job well is to become a student of the job. People seriously do have the expectation that we will know what we're doing when they ask us for help. Doing all of your teaching by screaming orders at the scene of an incident isn't going to get you the best outcome.

I guess to put it all into perspective: would you go to a doctor that just stood there and stared blankly at you when you told him you had chest pains? It's "good enough" for him to stare at you and let you die?

Can you look your fellow firefighters and the citizens in the eye and tell them that you did everything you could?

Don't think that I know some things are out of our control...but we MUST be prepared for the things that we CAN control.

Check out this video...do you think these guys weren't ready?

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=24227261

Tying knots in a firehouse is easy...but when you leave the fire service after a full career, if that is your legacy ("Man, that guy sure could tie a clove hitch"), then you haven't gained a whole lot, nor has the public gained a lot from you. Get off your ass and do something that firefighters do on an everyday basis (or should, anyway)--raise some ladders and pull some hose.

Here is a video of some guys that actually get off their asses to learn how to be firefighters...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kBIt9npPB7o&feature=related

They put on some realistic training, and they truly want to MASTER their craft.

It's not too late. Hit the reset button on your career (whether paid or volunteer) and learn to do this job for someone other than yourself.

Or were you just bullshitting the Chief when you told him that you wanted to help people during your final interview...were you just lying to get the job?

Guest Rant

2008-02-17T20:18:00.000-06:00

I've added a guest rant from Brother Tom in Grand Island. It has been my distinct privilege to join Tom's family in the past several years as we have taught Fireground Survival and RIT. Tom is EXTREMELY competent, dedicated, and passionate about getting everyone home to their families. Take a look...and thanks, Tom!!!

Firefighter Survival and Rescue
What does it take in Nebraska?

Introduction
In 2007 a total of 115 firefighters lost their lives in the line of duty. This number included one Nebraskan, Jeremy Wach, of Wymore. Nationally, the number of firefighters killed in the line of duty annually hovers around the 100 mark year after year. Locally, the number has been averaging one firefighter per year killed. The issues which affect firefighters nationally are the very same issues killing our local Nebraska firefighters. The disturbing fact is that we, as Nebraskans, are burying our collective heads in the sand and refusing to learn from the mistakes of others. Of the seven firefighters killed in the last six years only one NIOSH report exists or will ever exist. The NIOSH report and investigation is an extremely important, although under-utilized tool, to learn about the recurring themes in our deaths while applying these lessons to our future operations.
What does it take to die?
As William Carey said for www.tinhelmet.com at the beginning of 2007 the issues of slowing down our rigs, exercising, eating healthy and getting yearly physicals still apply. There were preventable accidents, (seatbelt use is an issue), and heart attacks remain at the top of the list with 45.2 % of the 2007 deaths attributed to cardiac events. Will this change this year? I think not. Staying in shape, eating right, training and the thousands of other truths which are preached by firefighter survival gurus are completely worthless while we have the local and national “it won’t happen to me” devil sitting on our shoulders. “That only happens in the big city”. Tell that to Jeremy. I was once a bullet-proof, high octane, dragon slayin’ smoke eater who is alive today only by the grace of God and luck. I should not be here. I am not writing this to say that I am better than anyone or that I have all of the answers. I continue to make poor decisions every day. You know what they say though, admitting you have a problem is the first step. We must all take a step back and evaluate our mentalities toward firefighting, realizing that just because we continue to die in the line of duty does not make us heroes. Sometimes that distinction applies and sometimes it does not. What is (or should be) universal is the brotherhood. That is why we have the big fancy funerals with the pipes and drums. Let us ask our fallen brothers then if we should refer to them as heroes only to join them in a year doing the same stupid crap that killed them. I wonder what they would say. The ultimate sacrifice is not something to be taken lightly. Nor is it something that should be given without knowing that everything was done to prevent it. The first step toward a preventable line of duty death is poor attitude.

What does it take to live?
This business to which we belong is an inherently dangerous one. One in which we must continue to learn and apply lessons from the past. These lessons will include our collective mistakes and a proactive approach by departments and state training agencies to incorporate those lessons into the fire ground. I have had the distinct pleasure of spending time with Chief Mark Wessel of the Keokuk Iowa Fire Department. He lost three firefighters at an incident there. He continues to run that department and travels the country telling his story. I urge you to attend his talk at the Nebraska State Fire School every year hosted by the Survival and RIC classes. What you will hear is an honest, true, and tearful story about his mistakes and the lessons torn from that experience. Lessons he has applied to his department. Learn more and see what a NIOSH report is like at www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face200004.html. His is an example we all must follow, no matter the pain, in order to live.
A fire does not care if we are paid or volunteer, chief or rookie. It only does what it does, nothing more and nothing less. By doing proper size ups, establishing water supplies and applying the proper tactics based upon the incident conditions and construction, we lower the risk of getting our people hurt or killed. This begins with an attitude of humility and respect for our fallen brothers and a willingness to learn from them. It continues with training, lots of training.
Conclusion
Ultimately the responsibility of reducing the number of line of duty deaths in this country and the state of Nebraska is ours. It is collectively our responsibility as firefighters, as husbands and as wives. This responsibility lies squarely on our shoulders as children and finally as brothers, for I am my brother’s keeper. If these trends continue they are our fault. Because remember, “It doesn’t happen here”.

Here are some provisional details from the USFA on how and where we lost our lives in 2007 from: 1/1/2007 to 12/31/2007
Number of On-Duty Firefighter Fatalities: 115 Count of Hometown Heroes: 8 Classification: 49 Career 42.6% 3 Wildland Full-Time 2.60% 2 Paid-on-Call 1.73% 59 Volunteer 51.3% 1 Wildland Contract 0.86% 1 Industrial 0.86% Number of Multiple Firefighter Fatality Incidents: 7 Number of Firefighter Fatalities Associated with Wildland Incidents: 10 Type of Duty: 24 Responding 20.8% 11 Training 9.56% 37 On-Scene Fire 32.1% 8 On-Scene Non-Fire 6.95% 13 After 11.3% 20 Other On-Duty 17.3% 2 Returning 1.73% Percent of Fatalities Related to Emergency Duty: 64.3% Number of firefighter fatalities associated with suspicious/arson fires: 2 Type of Incident: 5 Wildland 4.34% 48 Structure Fire 41.7% 7 MVA 6.08% 3 Hazmat 2.60% 6 EMS 5.21% 1 Tech Rescue 0.86% 1 Outside Fire 0.86% 1 False Alarm 0.86% 41 Not Incident Related 35.6% 1 Other 0.86% 1 Unknown 0.86% Cause of Fatal Injury: 19 Caught/Trapped 16.5% 1 Contact with 0.86% 4 Fall 3.47% 55 Stress/Overexertion 47.8% 4 Collapse 3.47% 3 Struck by 2.60% 26 Vehicle Collision 22.6% 2 Lost 1.73% 1 Other 0.86% Nature of Fatal Injury: 16 Asphyxiation 13.9% 3 Crushed 2.60% 7 Burns 6.08% 2 CVA 1.73% 33 Trauma 28.6% 1 Electrocution 0.86% 52 Heart Attack 45.2% 1 Other 0.86% Age of Firefighter When the Fatal Injury Was Sustained: 5 - Under 21 6 - 21 to 25 9 - 26 to 30 26 - 31 to 40 31 - 41 to 50 21 - 51 to 60 16 - 61 and Over Percent of Firefighter Fatalities Under Age 40 37.4% Type of Activity: 14 S&R 12.1% 2 IC 1.73% 11 Advance Hose Lines 9.56% 2 Extrication 1.73% 1 Standby 0.86% 3 Ventilation 2.60% 24 Responding 20.8% 3 Support 2.60% 3 Water Supply 2.60% 1 Scene Safety 0.86% 2 Other 1.73% 2 Unknown 1.73% 46 Not On Scene 40% 1 Unknown 0.86% Time of Fatal Injury: 9 0100-0259 4 0300-0459 3 0500-0659 4 0700-0859 14 0900-1059 13 1100-1259 7 1300-1459 12 1500-1659 8 1700-1859 19 1900-2059 6 2100-2259 11 2300-0059 5 Unknown Month of the Year: 8 January 6.95% 11 February 9.56% 7 March 6.08% 7 April 6.08% 13 May 11.3% 15 June 13.0% 13 July 11.3% 14 August 12.1% 10 September 8.69% 5 October 4.34% 6 November 5.21% 6 December 5.21% Firefighter Fatalities by State by Location of Fire Service Organization: 3 Alabama 2.60% 1 Arkansas 0.86% 1 Arizona 0.86% 8 California 6.95% 1 Connecticut 0.86% 1 District of Columbia 0.86% 4 Florida 3.47% 1 Georgia 0.86% 2 Idaho 1.73% 5 Illinois 4.34% 3 Indiana 2.60% 5 Kansas 4.34% 3 Kentucky 2.60% 1 Louisiana 0.86% 4 Massachusetts 3.47% 1 Maryland 0.86% 1 Maine 0.86% 5 Michigan 4.34% 1 Mississippi 0.86% 8 North Carolina 6.95% 1 Nebraska 0.86% 5 New Jersey 4.34% 9 New York 7.82% 5 Ohio 4.34% 1 Oklahoma 0.86% 10 Pennsylvania 8.69% 11 South Carolina 9.56% 3 Tennessee 2.60% 3 Texas 2.60% 1 Utah 0.86% 1 Virginia 0.86% 1 Washington 0.86% 2 Wisconsin 1.73% 3 West Virginia 2.60% Firefighter Fatalities by State by Location of Fatal Incident: 3 Alabama 2.60% 1 Arkansas 0.86% 1 Arizona 0.86% 9 California 7.82% 1 Connecticut 0.86% 1 District of Columbia 0.86% 4 Florida 3.47% 1 Georgia 0.86% 1 Idaho 0.86% 5 Illinois 4.34% 3 Indiana 2.60% 5 Kansas 4.34% 3 Kentucky 2.60% 1 Louisiana 0.86% 4 Massachusetts 3.47% 2 Maryland 1.73% 1 Maine 0.86% 5 Michigan 4.34% 1 Mississippi 0.86% 8 North Carolina 6.95% 1 Nebraska 0.86% 5 New Jersey 4.34% 8 New York 6.95% 5 Ohio 4.34% 1 Oklahoma 0.86% 10 Pennsylvania 8.69% 11 South Carolina 9.56% 3 Tennessee 2.60% 3 Texas 2.60% 1 Utah 0.86% 1 Virginia 0.86% 1 Washington 0.86% 2 Wisconsin 1.73% 3 West Virginia 2.60%
For more information, go to: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/
The Secret List 1-3-07
www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com

Are you a PRIC?

2007-10-13T23:07:00.000-05:00

Most of the time, if someone called you a prick, that would be a bad thing. In this case, I'm just playing with the word in order to grab your attention. PRIC, in this case, means Prepared Rapid Intervention Crew. And my question is this. Are you?

I'm tired of Rapid Intervention being put on the back-burner. We seem to feel so much better when we say that the RIT has been established (that way, we can check the box on our tactical worksheet); but it's really only a false sense of security. Most people don't have the first clue about what they should be doing as a RIT before or during the deployment. And that's just plain scary.

But by God, we all know how to fill out an ICS 201. Very comforting.

Here's the thing...a Rapid Intervention Team could possibly be the most important assignment you ever have. First, you have to be proactive...if someone hasn't laddered the structure, it is your job to ladder it. If someone hasn't softened the structure, you force entry and make a quick sweep for victims. You should make sure utilities are controlled. You should attempt to determine where crews are operating and how long they've been inside. You should be prepared to go in, locate a downed firefighter, and get them on air.

If you are sitting on your ass or bitching that you don't want to be RIT, I don't want you on my fireground. You can be damn sure that I'll do everything I can to make sure you don't need me...but if you do, I'll be there for you. 'Cuz I'm a PRIC.

Critique this fire

2007-10-13T22:57:00.000-05:00

What a wonderful age in which we live!! You cannot go anywhere without having your actions photographed or videotaped...therefore, it would be best to stay on your toes at all times. Remember the whole Rodney King incident? That was a news helicopter, I believe. Nowadays, someone can whip out there cell phone and get some pretty good video footage. Do I think that this should be our only incentive for doing our jobs well and right the first time? No. Do I think that it ups the ante a little bit in regards to what the public (and other firefighters worldwide) uses to form their impressions of us? Yes.

Youtube has a lot of awesome examples of fireground footage. It can help us learn and enhance our tactical practices. Take a look at this one and let me know what you think:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=NcWR5QbYZlQ

Tell me why the reverse lay won't work

2007-09-22T21:08:00.000-05:00

Perhaps this is just one of my epiphanies, and perhaps it won't work. It would require some work and some practice. But I've noticed that we do a horrible job of placing our apparatus. We line the cross-lay hosebed right in line with the front door, and don't leave room for the Truck. Beyond that, we are almost always staffed with 3. Now I don't like this, but it's reality.

So, why don't we use the reverse lay? It would require the first in engine to drop a pre-determined amount of 2 1/2 (hell, bundle some 1 3/4 to it, if you are so inclined) and move to the closest hydrant. Most of the time, it wouldn't require us to pull more than 300 feet of hose, depending on the neighborhood. The officer and nozzleperson take the line and go to work. The FAO hits the hydrant. The truck has room. The second (or third) engine can take their own water supply to pull a backup line.

Again, I'm not advocating this in every circumstance...but I do think that it is an evolution worth practicing. It would require us to pull less LDH, and would also REQUIRE the first pumper to take their own water supply. They should only operate on tank water for as long as it takes to get their own water supply.

Instead of doing bullshit, why don't we get out into our neighborhoods and see what works? Develop a little bit of a standard, so there is less guesswork.

The picture that I posted is from Chicago. They see a lot of fire. And they are SERIOUS about Truck work. And that means they leave room for the GD Truck!

Think about the past few fires where using a truck earlier might've made a difference. And I'm not talking about lights and fans. I'm talking about using the big stick to the roof or to a window. The Truck is our toolbox. Let's use it. We shouldn't have purchased them primarily to piss water from up above...they should be used for Rescue and Ventilation FIRST.

And in order to do this, we need to place our apparatus correctly. LEAVE ROOM FOR THE TRUCK!!!!

Fill in the box or get the job done

2007-09-22T20:39:00.000-05:00

I used to be really in to Incident Command. I'd study it, practice approach reports, and felt pretty good about myself when someone said, "man, you did a good job running that call." Now, after observing some people who are considered "good" incident commanders, I've noticed that we approach things all wrong. Rather than focusing on the results, we focus on "filling the box." "I have assigned ventilation, so it must be 'done'." This isn't always the case. Your incident may look good on paper, but if you look over the steering wheel at the incident, does it really look as good as it does on your fancy little command chart? When you call for ventilation, what do you mean? What about fire attack?

We are really deficient in our expectations as Incident Commanders. We haven't "front loaded" the troops with enough training, and so we aren't surprised when we look up and see the troops attacking a fire in a commercial building with an 1 3/4" hoseline. Nor are we surprised when we ask for ventilation (in another LARGE structure) and a fan (or two) is placed in the door. How about primary and secondary search? I've heard us assign a secondary search before the fire was under control...and that's inappropriate. Oh, and don't even get me started on RIT.

We are so impressed with ourselves that the Plans section was implemented at a large fire, so we pat ourselves on the backs. Meanwhile, we completely ignore tactis applied that could've been disastrous.

RIT Training? It's been asked for...but I think we need more than that. We need to hit the RESET button, decide upon a doctrine, and get everyone up to speed.

Let me start with this. We lament the loss of the Charleston 9. But we need to learn from them. Did you know that they used booster lines in that furniture warehouse? Sure, a few 2 1/2's got pulled, but it wasn't their initial line.

Here's my point...If we are going to call ourselves a fire department, then we need to fight the fire RIGHT. We shouldn't take anything but a 2 1/2' line into a commercial building. Place ourselves in a safe spot, and work it. Then, move in as we get it knocked down. We either need to start embracing this appliance, or we shouldn't even go in these buildings. And if you want to go there, what is the point in having anything more than a giant deck gun on the back of a flatbed truck. We could get by with half the engines and fewer personnel. We could go back to colonial times and keep the fire to the "village" of origin.

Now you know I don't really believe that we should cut staff and all that stuff. But if we don't pull our heads out of our asses, we'll continue to feed the bastards of those that want to see us cut.

Stay safe.

Making sense of everything

2007-08-25T10:59:00.000-05:00

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

2007-08-23T17:17:00.000-05:00

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!!!

Let's do this!!!

2007-07-21T17:21:00.000-05:00

Hello, and welcome to my blog!! I'm excited to "talk fire" with anyone, and, hopefully, you'll learn from me and I'll learn from you. Please know that the content I provide doesn't necessarily coincide with the opinions of the organizations with which I respond. Be safe!!!

Welcome to my blog!!!

2007-07-21T17:14:00.000-05:00

Hello all! Welcome to my blog. This is a first for me, but I'm excited to communicate some things that I have learned, fire service wise. Please be warned that this is stuff I'm presenting, and opinions don't necessarily reflect those of the organizations with which I belong. If you ever have any questions or comments, jump on in!!!