August 2012

Photos courtesy of the author
Student firefighters at the University of Montana-Helena Fire and Rescue Program live in a fire station and work 12-hour shifts while gaining technical and academic credentials they need to land jobs in the fire service.
Colleges & Universities

Starting Out: Community & Technical Colleges for Your Foundation

March 17, 2015
Paul Snodgrass looks at some of the advantages of attending local colleges.
Photo courtesy of LVFR
Observing Fire Prevention Week by visiting local schools promotes the services and opportunities offered by fire departments.
Community Risk

Fire Safety Education: Fire Prevention Week 2012: It's Time to Get Ready

Aug. 26, 2012
Once each year comes Fire Prevention Week. It is always the week of Oct. 9, the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire. It was on Oct. 9, 1871, when a conflagration occurred in...
Photo courtesy of BCFD
The operation took place in the Triadelphia Reservoir, or Tridelphia Lake, on the Patuxent River in Howard and Montgomery counties in Maryland. The reservoir was created in 1943 by the construction of the Brighton Dam on the Patuxent. It has a surface area of 800 acres and average water depth of 52 feet.
Operations & Training

Close Calls: Firefighter Trapped: Water/Dive Rescue Emergency

Aug. 1, 2012
This continues our discussion of an incident involving the Baltimore City Fire Department (BCFD). As I noted last month, this close call provides loads of valuable information...
Gary Ludwig 10740922
EMS

EMS: Count Your Blessings!

Aug. 1, 2012
I recently had an opportunity to visit a friend who works at a career fire station (no, not Memphis, where I work now, and not St. Louis, where I used to work). While I was at...

More content from August 2012

Photo courtesy of Prince William County Department of Fire & Rescue
Firefighter Kyle Wilson died searching for people who had already safely evacuated their burning home. Had someone immediately met the first-due units on arrival to confirm all occupants were accounted for, the outcome might have been different.
Safety & Health

Guest Commentary: "People Reported Trapped!"

Aug. 1, 2012
Responding to structural fires, we sometimes hear the generic phrase “People reported trapped.” Firefighters’ adrenalin starts pumping, hearts beat faster and blood pressure increases...
Photo by Jay K. Bradish/IFPA
Dsc 0253 10734516
EMS

20 Tough Questions For the Fire Chief: Are You Prepared To Answer Them? Question 4

Aug. 1, 2012
This question has a hidden nuance in how it is worded. It uses the terms “acceptable” and “expect.” While we should strive to avoid answering a question with a question, this ...
Tamarac, FL, Fire Rescue has taken delivery of an E-ONE HP 78 Sidestacker aerial.
Apparatus

New Deliveries 8/12

Aug. 1, 2012
TAMARAC, FL, FIRE RESCUE has taken delivery of an E-ONE HP 78 Sidestacker aerial built on an E-ONE Typhoon chassis. Components include a 450-hp Cummins ISL engine, Allison 3000EVS...
SCOTT SAFETY has introduced the Eagle Attack tactical lightweight thermal imaging camera.
Awards, Collectibles & Memorials

New Products 8/12

Aug. 1, 2012
Thermal Imaging CameraSCOTT SAFETY has introduced the Eagle Attack tactical lightweight thermal imaging camera. Its high-resolution design provides users with great image quality...
John Salka 10734648
Operations & Training

The Fire Scene: VES: Ventilate, Enter & Search

Aug. 1, 2012
You probably read and hear lots of fire service instructors talk about “VES” all the time. VES – ventilate, enter and search – is a major function of any fire department that ...
Barry Furey 10735886
Leadership

Fire Dispatch: Security 2012 – More Than A Lock and Key

Aug. 1, 2012
Barry Furey examines the need for solid security of all fire department technology applications to protect gas card numbers, pre-plans filled with exotic materials, keypad codes...
Photos by Ron Moore
Determining how many occupants were in a vehicle at the time of the crash and if all occupants are accounted for can be a challenge for fire department personnel, especially at rollover incidents.
Vehicle Extrication

University of Extrication: Thermal Imager Camera Use for Patient Accountability

Aug. 1, 2012
SUBJECT: Patient Accountability at Crash ScenesTOPIC: Thermal Imager Camera Use for Patient AccountabilityOBJECTIVE: Given a scenario of a crash-damaged vehicle and unoccupied...
Dennis Compton 10739413
Leadership

Fire Politics: Community Involvement Pays Off

Aug. 1, 2012
One tradition of the fire service is the decentralized placement of resources and services in local neighborhoods. Many believe fire stations represent the most visible example...
Photo by Patricia Loftus/Somers FD Photographer
The fire rages 25 minutes after receipt of the call.
Educational Materials

On The Job Connecticut: 3-Alarm Fire Damages 170-Year-Old Church in Somers

Aug. 1, 2012
On Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012, a three-alarm fire destroyed a portion of the historic Somers Congregational United Church of Christ in Somers, CT. Numerous master streams and handlines...