February 2008

This month, we have a unique first-hand view at a horribly tragic line-of-duty death; not a close call, but a death. And since the circumstances of every firefighter fatality ...

Michael Owenby and Stephen V. Rinehart describe the hazardous materials response and foam operations at a fire in an oil-distribution facility.

Jay K. Bradish reports on a blaze in the Allegheny National Forest resulting in extended response times due to snowy weather and poor road conditions.

Barry Furey cites recent events that will shape the future of fire service communications, from funding opportunities to upgraded hardware and software.

Barry Furey discusses the increasing role of graphics in fire service communications.

Peter Matthews interviews Dallas Fire Chief Eddie Burns Sr. about staffing, training, firefighter health and safety, communications and other important topics.

Paul Snodgrass offers advice on finding the right school to suit your academic needs.

Dennis L. Rubin and Edward Kaplan report on a pilot project to provide an interoperable, competency-based system of professional development

These are the days when political candidates scramble to get their pictures taken with firefighters down at the local firehouse. They come around every two to four years (depending...

By request of the author, this article is not available online.

Last month's column opened a discussion about the concept of shared services and whether economies of scale are being overlooked. I closed by suggesting operational areas where...

For years, we have heard about the "Chain of Survival" -- the links necessary to save the life of a person in cardiac arrest. The American Heart Association has summarized the...

By request of the author, this article is not available online.

SUBJECT: Safe Parking TOPIC: 2008 UpdateOBJECTIVE: Update of Safe Parking Protocols for Responders Working In or Near Moving TrafficTASK: Highway incident scene responders shall...

By request of the author, this article is not available online.

The Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau (http://www.fcc.gov/pshs/) officially began operations on Sept. 25, 2006. This bureau is...

The job of an incident commander (IC) can be a trying one. Coordinating a scene full of firefighters and apparatus and performing a multitude of tasks in a life-threatening situation...

Last month's column asked whether we in the fire service are doing everything we can to raise awareness of America's biggest fire problem -- fires in residential occupancies. ...

As we begin a new year, may this be the year that we operate more safely. Let this year be less deadly for firefighters than 2007. With this in mind, the International Association...

Seattle, WA, is the largest city in the Northwest and 22nd largest in the United States. Situated between the Puget Sound and Lake Washington, the city is 96 miles south of the...