http://www.firehouse.com Firehouse.com http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10687989/you-must-become-a-student-of-firefighting/blog/10687989/you-must-become-a-student-of-firefighting Being a company fire officer, chief, or incident commander can be a challenging job. Or as I have said time and again over the decades of my career: " relax gang, this is only a life or death job." Mon, 09 Apr 2012 00:31:00 -0500 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10687989/you-must-become-a-student-of-firefighting/blog/10687989/you-must-become-a-student-of-firefighting http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10687358/are-you-working-to-create-a-better-organization/blog/10687358/are-you-working-to-create-a-better-organization If you want to succeed as a leader in your organization, you will apply yourself to writing a series of truly solid policies. Wed, 04 Apr 2012 09:00:00 -0500 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10687358/are-you-working-to-create-a-better-organization/blog/10687358/are-you-working-to-create-a-better-organization http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10657840/leaders-must-help-to-shape-their-organization/blog/10657840/leaders-must-help-to-shape-their-organization You must be sure to search far and wide for possible solutions. I have found that it is the rare problem that has not been solved by someone else in another place. Sat, 17 Mar 2012 08:00:00 -0500 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10657840/leaders-must-help-to-shape-their-organization/blog/10657840/leaders-must-help-to-shape-their-organization http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10623662/honesty-is-the-only-policy/blog/10623662/honesty-is-the-only-policy So why is it that people do not always deal in the truth? This is as tough a question to assess as any other problem involving fire department people, and society in general. Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:30:00 -0600 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10623662/honesty-is-the-only-policy/blog/10623662/honesty-is-the-only-policy http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10601936/good-leaders-care-for-their-people/blog/10601936/good-leaders-care-for-their-people My friends let me start this visit with you by making a simple declaration. I love studying about leadership.Just when you think you know it all, ten new theories are put forward.I just love being in this research battle for the newest and latest... Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:15:08 -0600 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10601936/good-leaders-care-for-their-people/blog/10601936/good-leaders-care-for-their-people http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10492056/have-you-ever-been-a-target/blog/10492056/have-you-ever-been-a-target A great deal of my writing over the past decade has come as the editor for the Respondersafety.com website.As the editor, a great deal of what I do involves researching and writing about the highway safety problems which you and I face each and every... Sat, 10 Dec 2011 10:27:46 -0600 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10492056/have-you-ever-been-a-target/blog/10492056/have-you-ever-been-a-target http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10454521/some-realistic-thoughts-on-the-nation-we-protect/blog/10454521/some-realistic-thoughts-on-the-nation-we-protect This will not be a normal Harry Carter commentary.I am really fired up about all of the nonsense which is going on in our nation and in the world at large.Since we cannot divorce the fire service from the world at large, I think that the time has come... Sun, 27 Nov 2011 12:34:26 -0600 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10454521/some-realistic-thoughts-on-the-nation-we-protect/blog/10454521/some-realistic-thoughts-on-the-nation-we-protect http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10456809/take-time-to-say-thank-you/blog/10456809/take-time-to-say-thank-you My, how time flies.Where does it go?Now we are about to sit down to yet another Thanksgiving Day feast. Wasn't it January just the other day?Then suddenly it was April, then my birthday in July and now, wham, it is November. I guess... Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:18:27 -0600 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10456809/take-time-to-say-thank-you/blog/10456809/take-time-to-say-thank-you http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10451429/i-am-an-american-veteran/blog/10451429/i-am-an-american-veteran There are those who have held up November 11, 2011 as some sort of a special numerical festival. They seem to see something special in 11/11/11. That is something about which I am neither here nor there. No. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 09:19:00 -0600 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10451429/i-am-an-american-veteran/blog/10451429/i-am-an-american-veteran http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10456789/i-am-an-american-veteran/blog/10456789/i-am-an-american-veteran There are those who have held up November 11, 2011 as some sort of a special numerical festival.They seem to see something special in 11/11/11.That is something about which I am neither here nor there.No. what really counts for me is what happened... Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:57:53 -0600 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10456789/i-am-an-american-veteran/blog/10456789/i-am-an-american-veteran http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459412/some-basic-leadership-tips/blog/10459412/some-basic-leadership-tips Recently I spent some time reviewing the research files one my computer and was pleased to come across a really neat article on the basics of leading people within a volunteer environment.Let me suggest that they will apply to each and every type of... Mon, 12 Sep 2011 19:12:46 -0500 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459412/some-basic-leadership-tips/blog/10459412/some-basic-leadership-tips http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459416/you-cant-live-life-from-the-sidelines/blog/10459416/you-cant-live-life-from-the-sidelines Like many people in America I play the lottery games in my state.I have never won more than a few bucks, but as one famous writer has noted, "hope springs eternal in the breast of man."There is a lottery slogan which will serve as the foundation for... Tue, 06 Sep 2011 09:19:13 -0500 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459416/you-cant-live-life-from-the-sidelines/blog/10459416/you-cant-live-life-from-the-sidelines http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459422/whats-in-it-for-me-leadership/blog/10459422/whats-in-it-for-me-leadership Over the course of the past several years, it has been my unfortunate duty to have noted a decided change in the type of people who are becoming leaders in our fire service.Perhaps it is a by-product of the way that our society has changed, or maybe... Wed, 24 Aug 2011 16:42:42 -0500 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459422/whats-in-it-for-me-leadership/blog/10459422/whats-in-it-for-me-leadership http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459429/its-time-to-fly-our-flag-again/blog/10459429/its-time-to-fly-our-flag-again Ten years ago a bunch of ignorant savages attacked our nation and killed thousands of innocent people.In that same instant, 343 of our brother firefighters were taken from us.In the wake of that terrible tragedy, a massive wave of patriotism rose up... Wed, 17 Aug 2011 11:24:03 -0500 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459429/its-time-to-fly-our-flag-again/blog/10459429/its-time-to-fly-our-flag-again http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459437/but-im-not-the-boss/blog/10459437/but-im-not-the-boss How many of you have ever ridden in the right front seat on one of your fire department engines, trucks, or rescue units?I am going to guess that a great many of you have.Let me suggest to you that there is a lot more responsibility in taking that... Sat, 06 Aug 2011 21:16:16 -0500 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459437/but-im-not-the-boss/blog/10459437/but-im-not-the-boss http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459449/some-firefighter-safety-thoughts/blog/10459449/some-firefighter-safety-thoughts People are our most important asset.How often have you heard someone say that?Sadly, there are far too many for whom this phrase is mere window dressing.Far too many just mouth the words they think others want to hear. Once a life is lost... Sat, 09 Jul 2011 18:57:20 -0500 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459449/some-firefighter-safety-thoughts/blog/10459449/some-firefighter-safety-thoughts http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459462/to-err-is-human/blog/10459462/to-err-is-human Let me begin by stating that this is a column that many of my fellow fire service writers would not write. However, I am doing this because it is the right thing for me to do. There is no getting around it. When you screw up you must apologize. That has... Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:59:41 -0500 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459462/to-err-is-human/blog/10459462/to-err-is-human http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459465/effective-training-the-key-to-success/blog/10459465/effective-training-the-key-to-success Let me share an observation about the world around us.It is my opinion that the level of dumb ass amongst our society today is a source of constant amazement to me.Each and every day a new story appears on the television news or in my local paper... Sun, 26 Jun 2011 21:44:52 -0500 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459465/effective-training-the-key-to-success/blog/10459465/effective-training-the-key-to-success http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459470/you-talk-and-i-listen-or-do-i/blog/10459470/you-talk-and-i-listen-or-do-i While I was cleaning up my desk the other day, I came across a very interesting article in an old edition of the Star Ledger newspaper of Newark, New Jersey.It had apparently found its way to the bottom of one of my famous 'stacks of stuff' on my... Wed, 22 Jun 2011 14:21:13 -0500 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459470/you-talk-and-i-listen-or-do-i/blog/10459470/you-talk-and-i-listen-or-do-i http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459476/we-are-our-brothers-keeper/blog/10459476/we-are-our-brothers-keeper As I was sitting on my front porch the other night, puffing on one of my favorite cigars, and enjoying a small glass of Port wine, my mind began to drift back over the years.I tend to do that quite a bit these days.However, it is not a waste of time... Fri, 17 Jun 2011 08:58:55 -0500 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459476/we-are-our-brothers-keeper/blog/10459476/we-are-our-brothers-keeper http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459479/if-the-disciples-didnt-believe-the-lord-how-can-i-make-my-firefighters-believe-me/blog/10459479/if-the-disciples-didnt-believe-the-lord-how-can-i-make-my-firefighters-believe-me As is often the case in our life, the seed of this idea for my visit with you came from the message provided by one of my pastor's sermons. It is my guess that by now you have gotten the idea that all I do is scribble notes during my pastor's... Thu, 16 Jun 2011 10:22:08 -0500 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459479/if-the-disciples-didnt-believe-the-lord-how-can-i-make-my-firefighters-believe-me/blog/10459479/if-the-disciples-didnt-believe-the-lord-how-can-i-make-my-firefighters-believe-me http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459482/lessons-learned-from-the-living-of-life/blog/10459482/lessons-learned-from-the-living-of-life Some of life's greatest lessons do not come from organized classroom learning sessions.Neither are they to be found in a research paper within a technical journal or a textbook from your personal library.They come from the living of life. And... Thu, 09 Jun 2011 22:08:57 -0500 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459482/lessons-learned-from-the-living-of-life/blog/10459482/lessons-learned-from-the-living-of-life http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459522/slow-and-steady-wins-the-fitness-race-one-mans-confession/blog/10459522/slow-and-steady-wins-the-fitness-race-one-mans-confession This visit with you will be all about a topic which many people might not equate with Harry Carter.I will be discussing my personal battle with the twin demons of physical fitness and weight control. But Harry you might ask, aren't you fat?My answer... Fri, 06 May 2011 12:52:51 -0500 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459522/slow-and-steady-wins-the-fitness-race-one-mans-confession/blog/10459522/slow-and-steady-wins-the-fitness-race-one-mans-confession http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459532/another-look-at-the-twenty-minute-wonders-theyre-still-here/blog/10459532/another-look-at-the-twenty-minute-wonders-theyre-still-here They are still at it.I have been writing about this matter for years, but the instant know-it-alls are still out there scoffing at the accumulated wisdom of the veteran members in their fire departments.Once again my friends, it is time to share my... Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:44:39 -0500 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459532/another-look-at-the-twenty-minute-wonders-theyre-still-here/blog/10459532/another-look-at-the-twenty-minute-wonders-theyre-still-here http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459535/promise-them-the-gold-mine-but-give-them-the-shaft/blog/10459535/promise-them-the-gold-mine-but-give-them-the-shaft Maybe it is just me, but I am really not pleased with the manner of public discourse in our nation.It seems as though the concept of basing ones' arguments on the truth has taken that proverbial long walk off of a short pier.In my opinion, new lows... Fri, 22 Apr 2011 09:45:53 -0500 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459535/promise-them-the-gold-mine-but-give-them-the-shaft/blog/10459535/promise-them-the-gold-mine-but-give-them-the-shaft http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459564/old-dogs-and-new-tricks/blog/10459564/old-dogs-and-new-tricks My friends, I had one of those "hallelujah" moments while I was out at the Fire Department Instructor's Conference (FDIC) in Indianapolis.It has been my good fortune to be able to attend the FDIC for 31 of the last 34 years.More than that, I have been... Tue, 29 Mar 2011 11:29:05 -0500 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459564/old-dogs-and-new-tricks/blog/10459564/old-dogs-and-new-tricks http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459583/leadership-doesnt-just-happen/blog/10459583/leadership-doesnt-just-happen Dearfriends, my study of the concept of leadership has formed a great part of my professional life for well over three decades now.Let me suggest that my research has documented the fact that some people really are better leaders than others.Let... Wed, 09 Mar 2011 19:25:18 -0600 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459583/leadership-doesnt-just-happen/blog/10459583/leadership-doesnt-just-happen http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459589/to-think-or-not-to-think-that-is-the-question/blog/10459589/to-think-or-not-to-think-that-is-the-question Thinking is good.Not thinking is bad.One would suppose that these two concepts are widely known and well-shared.Unfortunately, I am beginning to think that they are not.As I watch the world around me, I am beginning to come to the conclusion... Mon, 28 Feb 2011 11:32:44 -0600 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459589/to-think-or-not-to-think-that-is-the-question/blog/10459589/to-think-or-not-to-think-that-is-the-question http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459625/the-ten-gallon-city-and-the-half-pint-fire-department/blog/10459625/the-ten-gallon-city-and-the-half-pint-fire-department I have a sad tale to tell. It speaks to a once great place that has fallen upon hard times. Of course this is not just one place. It is a composite of any number of places. It is up to you to fill in the blanks. For you see, I know the city about which... Wed, 26 Jan 2011 15:25:17 -0600 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459625/the-ten-gallon-city-and-the-half-pint-fire-department/blog/10459625/the-ten-gallon-city-and-the-half-pint-fire-department http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459658/a-holiday-message-for-my-buddies-in-the-fire-service/blog/10459658/a-holiday-message-for-my-buddies-in-the-fire-service Once again we find ourselves fast approaching the day when most of our great nation pauses to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.It is a time when we like to pause and take our lives out of gear for a few days so that we can slow... Thu, 23 Dec 2010 12:31:54 -0600 http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10459658/a-holiday-message-for-my-buddies-in-the-fire-service/blog/10459658/a-holiday-message-for-my-buddies-in-the-fire-service