Firehouse Magazine’s Common Sense

**Firefighter430** · 03-15-2002, 04:52 PM

ADD AS YOU SEE FIT. GOT THIS ON AN E-MAIL AWHILE BACK. CAN YOU THINK OF ANY MORE TO ADD?

FIREHOUSE MAGAZINE’S COMMON SENSE
“LAWS OF FIRE AND RESCUE”
1. YOU ARE NOT SUPERMAN!
2. ANYTHING YOU DO IN FIRE AND RESCUE CAN GET YOU KILLED!
3. ALL 30-MINUTE AIR PACKS LAST 15 MINUTES.
4. NEVER FORGET THAT A SENIOR MEMBER PROBABLY DISCARDED YOUR GEAR.
5. HURST TOOL AND AIR HOSES ARE ALWAYS 5 FEET TO SHORT.
6. NEVER ATTEMPT A RESCUE WITH SOMEONE BRAVER THAN YOU.
7. HEROES LAST FOR DAYS; DEAD IS FOREVER
8. PROFESSIONAL RESCUERS ARE PREDICTABLE; THE WORLD IS FULL OF AMATEURS.
9. THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS IS PROPORTIONAL TO THE “NEWBIES” DOING “FUN” STUFF.
10. FIRST IN MEANS LAST TO LEAVE.
11. NEVER PASS ANOTHER EMERGENCY VEHICLE UNLESS THE EMERGENCY IS AT YOUR HOUSE.
12. ALWAYS “TRY” BEFORE YOU “PRY”.
13. SMOKE EATERS; ALWAYS DETERMINE THE FLOOR IS THERE BEFORE ENTERING THE ROOM.
14. DON’T TURN OFF YOUR BRAIN WHEN YOU HEAR THE PAGER BEEPING AND THE SIRENS BLOWING!
15. THE MORE IMPORTANT THE STREET SIGN, THE GREATER THE CHANCE IT WILL BE MISSING OR MISSED.
16. IF YOU CAN SMELL HAZMAT, THEN YOU’RE TOO CLOSE!
17. PERSONNEL WITHOUT FULL PROTECTIVE GEAR IS CALL A HIGHLY INFORMED BYSTANDER.
18. WAIT TILL THE TRUCK COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP BEFORE GETTING OFF.
19. AN AXE CANNOT TELL THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOUR FOOT AND THE FLOOR.
20. IF YOU BREAK SOMETHING, TELL SOMEONE
21. ALL BLEEDING EVENTUALLY STOPS, WHETHER YOU DO SOMETHING OR NOT.
22. IF YOU DO SOMETHING RIGHT, NO ONE NOTICES BUT THE OFFICERS. MESS UP AND EVERYONE TELLS YOU ABOUT IT.
23. NEWBIES: DON’T TOUCH THE SIRENS.
24. FIREFIGHTER AND RESCUER’S PRAYER: PLEASE LORD, DON’T LET ME MESS UP AND WATCH OVER US ON OUR CALLS.
NO MATTER HOW LONG YOU’VE DONE IT YOU STILL DON’T KNOW IT ALL.

**SilverCity4** · 03-15-2002, 05:17 PM

--Don't get into situations that are so exciting that you don't survive.

--Very little on the fireground falls up.

--All fires go out...eventually.

--If you can keep your calm while everyone around you is losing theirs, you've probably underestimated the situation.

**Ohiovolffemtp** · 03-15-2002, 05:21 PM

How about:[list=1][*]Your apparatus may be your most expensive exposure - don't park it too close. Hose is cheaper than truck repairs.[*]A good fire is a mutual call where everything came off "their" trucks.[*]Always slow down the speed of your response to the speed of your brain.[*]If your patient is screaming that they can't breath, they probably can.[/list=1]

And of course: WE FIGHT DARWIN!!!

**WTFD10** · 03-15-2002, 11:09 PM

Air goes in & out, blood goes 'round & 'round. Any variation on this is a bad thing.

If it's an MVA at 0300 and none of your patients are intoxicated...keep looking, someone is missing.

**latigo** · 03-16-2002, 01:09 AM

Keep them coming, guys!! I am laughing so hard a almost had an accident here!!

How about: If all your trucks are washed/waxed the night before a parade, you will have a call that night, in the rain, running all units.

For us in rural areas, remember, a pumper does no good without water from a tanker following you.

The sight of emergency lights, and the sound of a siren will automatically halve the IQ of other drivers on the road.

No matter how many lights are surrounding an MVA, there will always be at least one driver who doesn't see you.

Senior Citizen housing is always designed in such a way that a stretcher will not reach any room except the front room.

It is better to step down for 10 minutes to cool off and rest than to ride in an ambulance with an IV. Only you know your limits.

Vent, Vent, Vent!! It is better to repair a hole in the roof than to lose or injure one firefighter.

**HOTDOG** · 03-16-2002, 09:31 AM

How about:

When you think you know it all, it's time to turn in your pager and hang up your helmet!

Never give up....at least you can save the lot or foundation.

...I am still pondering some others

**DeputyChiefGonzo** · 03-16-2002, 09:53 AM

I have a 24 page collection of these...I call it Murphy's Laws of Firefighting, Hazmat and EMS...

The list is getting bigger every day...I just added this one:

Those that know the least always know it the loudest!

**FFMike9** · 03-16-2002, 10:24 AM

How about....
As soon as the lights and siren go on, the public says your doing 90 mph when you pass them.

**FDNYRR** · 03-16-2002, 10:53 AM

"A Rescuer is but a victim if in fact they too need rescuing!"

**RSchmidt** · 03-17-2002, 01:01 PM

My personal favourite...though it does have to do with EMS it can easily be modified for the Fire Service...

"The first line drug in ANY algorithm is diesel....."

Be Good, Stay Safe...

**FireCapt1951retired** · 03-17-2002, 02:05 PM

Let the brain sift the notion before putting mouth in motion.

**PhyerPhyter** · 03-17-2002, 02:16 PM

The ladder goes up, the walls go down.

and/or see tag line

**martinm** · 03-17-2002, 03:05 PM

How about:

Get it off their truck, before you get it off yours

This also translates into:

The number of trucks at the job is proportional to the lightness of the vehicle when you return to station

**shammrock54** · 03-17-2002, 04:00 PM

This is a quote from my father:
"Always remember you are a stupid creature, your willingly walking into a situation were everyone else around you is running away as fast as they can!"

**SPFDRum** · 03-17-2002, 04:32 PM

One that keeps things in perspective-
Remember: It's not YOUR emergancy, so keep your head so you don't become part of the problem.

**DeputyChiefGonzo** · 03-17-2002, 05:18 PM

Here's one that pertains to Mass. General Laws, Chapter 148, section 26F, requirement for home fire alarm/smoke detector inspections so a house can be sold. We require a 24 hour notice to schedule a 26F inspection detail. It never fails, someone always waits until the day of the closing (usually the hour before!) and tries to schedule an inspection...

Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on ours...

**E229Lt** · 03-17-2002, 06:52 PM

The only firefighters that have learned everything they can, have their names on bronze plaques.

**old timer** · 03-17-2002, 06:57 PM

THE MORE YOU KNOW! THE MORE YOU GO!

KEEP DOING IT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Knighthawk** · 03-17-2002, 10:53 PM

Here's one that I see when I go to the training academy for classes and everytime I read it, it just makes me laugh.

"People generally don't call the Fire Department because they did something Smart !"

**firemangeorge** · 03-18-2002, 01:57 AM

These are old but true:
Always let the truck park closest. You can stretch hose all over the place but can't stretch the ladder even one inch.

Amateurs practice til they get it right, professionals practice til they can't get it wrong.

Two deep, controlled breaths will add great perspective to any situation.

Yelling into a radio that is off or on the wrong channel will not allow command to hear you any better.

The heavier the patient, the more floors you have to carry them down.

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