Firehouse Magazine

In This Issue: November 2011

Dennis Walus

On May 27, 2011, the Warren, MI, Fire Department responded to a report of a garage on fire. On arrival, the Engine 3 officer reported a fully involved residential garage with fire extending to a two-story, single-family dwelling. Two lines were stretched and the fire was controlled in 20 minutes. Engines 3 and 1, Truck 1, Rescue 4, Squad 3 and Battalion Chief 3 responded.

Dedication

This month’s Firehouse® is dedicated to Forest Rangers Josh Burch, 31, and Brett Fulton, 52, of the Suwannee Forestry Center, Florida Division of Forestry, in Lake City, FL; Firefighter Chris Pham, 35, of Dallas, TX, Fire-Rescue; and Fire Chief Matt Hadaller, 47, of Lewis County Fire District 3 in Mossyrock, WA, who died in the line of duty, June 2011; and to Firefighter III Harold Gregory Gibson, 53, of Fulton County, GA, Fire Rescue; Firefighter Walter E. Hauser, 62, of the Rochester, NY, Fire Department; and Firefighter Caleb N. Hamm, 23, of the Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management, Bonneville Hotshots, in Salt Lake City, UT, who died in the line of duty, July 2011.

Manufacturers Roundtable: Apparatus

by Ed Ballam
Created: October 17, 2011

Firehouse® Magazine asked a cross-section of apparatus manufacturers, large and small, about their recommendations and creative ideas on how to specify and finance apparatus in this challenging...
Higher Education: Why College?

by Paul Snodgrass
Created: October 14, 2011

When Kelvin Cochran first embarked on his college career in 1981, little did he know that four years of study would take nearly two decades to complete. The former U.S. Fire Administrator and...
On The Job Pennsylvania

by Jay K. Bradish
Created: October 13, 2011

On Wednesday, May 4, 2011, a four-alarm fire destroyed a 50-year-old bowling center in downtown Strasburg in Lancaster County, PA. The 180-by-200-foot, block building with a builtup flat roof was...
The Apparatus Architect

by Tom Shand and Michael Wilbur
Created: October 5, 2011

Fire departments are being challenged to do more with less, particularly with respect to the financial resources required to provide for adequate staffing and training of our personnel. Capital...
Effective Chief Fire Officer Behaviors

by Joseph L. Krueger and David F. Peterson
Created: September 22, 2011

A while back, we overheard a firefighter refer to the brass on the collar of a chief officer as “plungers.” Freely admitting that it took us aback for a moment, we still wanted to know what the...

Close Calls: Log Impales Ambulance Cab

by William Goldfeder
Created: October 18, 2011

Paying attention while driving any emergency vehicle is clearly a top priority because, in so many cases, defensive driving can result in avoiding a bad situation. Factors such as roadway...
As Firehouse Sees It: Truckin’

by Harvey Eisner
Created: October 17, 2011

With November being our focus on the latest fire apparatus, I would like to reflect on some of the many factory visits I had made over the years. A few months ago, I was asked to visit Pierce in...
Tools & Technologies: Low-End Torque

by Nate Charles
Created: October 17, 2011

Every firefighter has wondered about the potential positive outcomes of reaching an emergency scene earlier. What might have gone differently if the crew had one more minute? Or just 30 seconds...
Marketing ICS: Strategic Thinking for Marketing the Fire Service

by Ben May
Created: October 14, 2011

Over the past few years, we have endured economic hardships that have eaten into the fabric of our society. As a consequence, the fire service is under a kind of scrutiny it has rarely seen. We may...
Lightweight Commercial Construction

by Brad Harvey
Created: October 12, 2011

I’m sure you have them in your district – pole-barn-style commercial buildings. They go up quickly, cost less and sometimes offer superior strength or performance when compared to more traditional...
Fire Politics: Investing in the Future

by Dennis Compton
Created: October 4, 2011

I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity to visit with people from all over the fire and emergency services community. One concern shared with me often centers on the preparation of people who...
Safety & Survival: Risk Assessment of Fireground Hazards

by Vincent Dunn
Created: October 3, 2011

The fire environment is full of dangers. The surrounding atmosphere of a fire scene may include gas explosion, collapse, falls, falling objects, rollover, flameover, flashover, backdrafts, fire...
Guest Commentary: A Debt We Can Never Truly Repay

by Joe Biden
Created: October 3, 2011

In September, we remembered the heroic sacrifices of more than 400 firefighter and police officers who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. We honored their courage – and the courage of all first...
EMS: Paramedics Front and Center in Jackson Case

by Gary Ludwig
Created: October 3, 2011

One thing is for sure in EMS – whenever you start your shift, you do not know what the day (or night) is going to bring. You don’t know what calls you will be dispatched to and you certainly...
The Fire Scene: Setting the Standard

by John J. Salka, Jr.
Created: October 3, 2011

When we say “setting the standard,” what exactly do we mean? It means establishing a level of excellence in whatever activity or job we are performing. Why is setting the standard important...
Leadership Lessons: Top Seven Morale Killers in Your Department

by Kimberly Alyn
Created: September 26, 2011

Facilitating high morale in tough economic times is a real challenge for any fire service organization. I have conducted a variety of studies and surveys on fire departments all over the United States...
Communicating: Weathering the Storm

by Barry Furey
Created: September 22, 2011

There is an old saying that goes, “There is going to be weather, whether or not.” While this is certainly true, it seems that during the past 12 months, much of this weather has been extreme...
The Rapid Intervention Reality of Your Fire Department

by Jeffrey Pindelski
Created: September 6, 2011

The first four installments of this series described preliminary items that must be understood to have a successful rapid intervention team (RIT) on the fireground. Posing the question “What is...

September Line-of-Duty Deaths

by Firehouse Staff
Created: October 17, 2011

Eight U.S. emergency services personnel died in September. One career firefighter and seven volunteer firefighters died in seven separate incidents. Two deaths were the result of fireground...
Industry News 11/11

by Firehouse Staff
Created: October 12, 2011

FIRE-DEX has appointed Brett Jaffe as president and CEO. Jaffe started his career in the management-training program at Cooper Industries in 1988. During his 11 years at Cooper, he played...
Scuttlebutt 11/11

by Steven Shaw
Created: October 6, 2011

Teach, Sparky, Teach! The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has teamed up with Emmy-award winning and best-selling author Don Hoffman and illustrator Todd Dakins to create Sparky the Fire...
New Products 11/11

by Firehouse Staff
Created: September 27, 2011

Rescue Ram HURST JAWS OF LIFE has introduced the R 411E, a rescue ram without hoses and able to be operated with or without a cord. The claws at the two ends can be rotated 360 degrees, enabling...
Hot Shots 11/11

by Firehouse Staff
Created: September 26, 2011

DETROIT, MI, AUG. 26, 2011 – Companies from the Fourth Battalion responded to a reported commercial building fire. Ladder 25 reported an occupied one-story hardware store with heavy fire in the...
Forum 11/11

by Firehouse Readers
Created: September 23, 2011

An Amazing Day At FDNY Rescue 2 On the 10th anniversary of 9/11, my husband and I were privileged to sit among the bravest men, their wives and children that anyone would ever want to encounter. Our...
Rekindles 11/11

by Paul Hashagen
Created: September 22, 2011

LONDON, ONTARIO: NOV. 3, 1911 – A serious fire threatened this city’s business section and proved difficult to control. Workers discovered an advanced fire when they opened the Chapman & Co...

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The Buzz on Technical Rescue: The Changing World of USAR Response

Bob Duemmel and Todd Fetters discuss the changing world of urban search and rescue, including new technology and tools to help rescue teams in unique situations. Fetters recently retired as a fire captain in California is a member of a USAR incident support team and a USAR instructor. He joined CA-TF 6 in 1992. The two discuss changesbeing made to USAR training and how funding and grants are impacting local and state technical response teams. The two dive into the myriad of technology that...

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