Blog Archives
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Pennington: What Hand Tools Do You Choose?
By Ryan Pennington - Wednesday June 12, 2013
As the men and women who ride in the jumpseat, we have a certain level of responsibility to our officers. Following orders and performing to their expectations are two things that remain constant on every run we go on. Performing our tasks to their expectations is one that we all should take seriously as the last person we would want to let down is our leaders. If your department allows you to choose your hand tools, I want to know which ones you choose and why? Let's take a look at where and why you would choose a tool for different occasions. Fire attack - Usually, the attack crew will carry a tool with them during entry. This will allow them to have a means for accomplishing many tasks. One problem with carrying a tool during fire... -
Training to Search for Victims
By Ryan Pennington - Tuesday June 4, 2013
The loud speaker opens with a a crackle and the dispatcher says "Stations and units respond for the structure fire with confirmed occupants trapped." If that statement does not get you up and focused, I do not know what would. Searching for occupants trapped inside a fire is one skill that should be practiced by everyone on the fire department. Protecting life has long been the number one priority for all responders. Conducting an effective primary search is a skill that isn't practiced enough by many firefighters. Becoming disoriented and lost inside today's homes, that are filled to capacity with belongings, is a real danger faced when searching for victims. Let us take a few moments to review search tactics used when looking for... -
Armpit Firefighters & Hose Stream Management
By Ryan Pennington - Friday May 24, 2013
Have you ever seen an armpit firefighter? You know the type, the firefighter who has the nozzle tucked into their armpit while trying to rotate it around to put the fire out. As today's firefighters are not gaining the same amount of nozzle times as our past generations, drilling has never been more important. While teaching groups of young and older firefighters, it has been revealed that the armpit firefighters are out there and until identified, they will continue to pull their boots on and respond, pits ready. A debate that has been around since my first day in the jumpseat is: pistol grip or no pistol grip? Many firefighters feel like putting a handle on a nozzle is a invitation to stick it in the armpits and teach firefighters... -
The Biggest Honor in the Fire Service
By Ryan Pennington - Friday May 10, 2013
What is the biggest honor that you have ever received in the fire service? From a medal of valor to recognition for 20 years of service, the fire service hands out many reminders of good times and good work. Recently I received the biggest reward my career; it wasn't a medal for heroism or a life saved, it was seeing my first protege sworn in as a firefighter. Sharing a moment in time to celebrate a young man’s journey into the world that we all care so much about was amazing. I’d like to take a moment to share the story and how you can pay it forward. There is no doubt that the biggest honor in the fire service is seeing your guidance followed, understood, and rewarded. The story of how I got to this point has been covered... -
Your Crew Has a Mayday: Are you Ready?
By Ryan Pennington - Friday May 3, 2013
As I listen to the audio recording from the fire in Baltimore County, Md., that claimed the life of Firefighter Gene Kirschner , I reflect on a lesson learned from my recent rapid intervention train-the-trainer class . If a Mayday were to occur the firefighters most likely to facilitate a rescue are the ones already operating inside the structure. If you have an emergency and need assistance, the firefighters nearest you will be in the best spot to help -- if they are not experiencing the same emergency. Are you prepared to help a fellow firefighter in their time of need? Let’s take a look at some self-rescue and crew rescue situations where you can help save a brother or sister firefighter. Are you ready to manage a crew... -
Pennington: Those Who Rush In...
By Ryan Pennington - Thursday April 18, 2013
As the news continues to come in from West, Texas, we stand by waiting for the inevitable. No one understands the loss of life and when first responders lay down their lives, it hits us all hard. As we learn the details from Texas and Boston , the emergency services community should send prayers and support to both of these communities. From the Boylston area of Boston to the small town of West, one thing is for certain in this Jumpseatrider's mind: the first responders are ready! Understanding how and why may not be known for days, or weeks, but we all should take the time to mourn while learning. These two incidents happened thousands of miles apart, but they both should have us focused on our district. We all have similar issues... -
Hoping For a Fire?
By Ryan Pennington - Thursday April 11, 2013
"Man, I hope we run a fire today." How many times have you said those words while at the firehouse just to hear a brother or sister ask "you want someone to lose their house?" It’s seems like an age-old battle between those who want to do the job and those who would rather be riding a recliner in front of the television while watching the History Channel, but maybe it goes a little deeper than that. Wanting to use the skills that you train on, day in and day out, is not a unusual thing to ask for, is it? Let’s take a little closer look at the heated debate on "wishing for a fire" from a few different perspectives. As firefighters we all want to be the first in crew, but at the same time how often is it the fire departments... -
Teamwork: Build it Before the Bell
By Ryan Pennington - Wednesday April 3, 2013
After the bruises and war marks from one of the most intense training weeks of this Jumpseat rider's life finally faded, I would like to share some thoughts from a class I recently took. I was asked to take "RIT: Training The Trainer Course," led by the Fire Department Training Network here in West Virginia. Jim McCormack and his awesome team of seasoned firefighters came down and put a group of instructors from around the state through a grueling class that handed out more than one piece of humble pie. One key learning lesson kept coming up was how teamwork is essential. It seems impossible to think that an experienced group of firefighters, all who serve as instructors, would be re-learning this lesson. But, this class really... -
Pennington: Have You Gotten Lucky Lately?
By Ryan Pennington - Thursday March 21, 2013
When was the last time you got lucky? Before you start writing e-mails to the editors of Firehouse keep reading because getting lucky means an entirely different meaning in this blog post. For the past two years I have taken on the topic of emergency responses in hoarding environments . I stumbled across the topic following a series of EMS calls and fires inside what I believed was the typical cluttered environment. What was truly amazing to me was the lack of education for first responders in relation to these conditions. From the days of Homer and Langley Collier in New York City, first responders have been dealing with overloaded structures for years. So why haven’t we adjusted or accounted for the difference in tactics and safety... -
Firefighters: Be First in Everything
By Ryan Pennington - Monday March 11, 2013
In the movie "Talladega Nights," race car driver Ricky Bobby's dad said "If you're not first, your last." Now I'm sure you're asking how in the world am I going to turn a line from a race car comedy into a meaningful blog from the Jumpseat? Hang on, because here it goes. Faster than a screaming Chevy on the high banks of Daytona! I want to ask: when did you ever participate in something where your goal was to be last? And, why start with your fire service career? Firefighters have a competitive nature deep inside of us that have grown up through the ranks of little league competition to secure a position within our departments. Many of you had to compete against hundreds or thousands to even step foot into the jumpseat. Remember when...
