Topics

  • He Who Preaches to One Generation is Lost

    As many of you know, I have a deep and abiding love for old movies. Countless happy hours have been spent watching the work of actors who have long ago passed on to their reward. Maybe it is a longing for a bygone era, or just a love of the old days...

    Article • October 26th, 2012

  • Restoring the Flame at the U.S. Fire Adminstration

    Next year marks the 40 th  anniversary of the landmark report, "America Burning." A must-read for fire service officials, "America Burning" brought together many of the brightest minds in the fire service to develop a report that captured the...

    Article • October 23rd, 2012

  • Daddy, the Tearjerker

    Okay, now he did it. Once again, my firefighter went and left the state for a class. It is only four days, for four different months. This shouldn’t be a big deal. For me, it isn’t. But for our youngest daughter, the softest petal in our family...

    Blog • October 23rd, 2012

  • Lethal Leadership Landmines: A Primer

    One of the most often-quoted phrases is that, "…the road to hell is paved with good intentions." Let me also suggest that the road to leadership success in the fire service is also paved with good intentions. Unfortunately, the road is also strewn...

    Blog • October 22nd, 2012

  • Firehouse.com Weekly Drill: No. 91

    Fire Station Safety

    Article • October 21st, 2012

  • Three Lessons from the Fire Behavior Lab

    Today’s firefighters are experiencing an old danger that has come full circle to affect everyone.  Flashovers are becoming a more common problem due to many factors.  Why are we seeing more and more of them when we arrive?  I believe that it is...

    Article • October 19th, 2012

  • Air Bag Operations – Part 2: The Science of Lifting

    Air bag lifting capacity is based on simple physics. The operating pressure of the bag, in pounds per square inch (PSI), is multiplied over the entire surface area of the bag to equal lifting force. This article aims to explain how to calculate the...

    Article • October 16th, 2012

  • Firehouse.com Weekly Drill: No. 90

    Drill #90: Building Collapse Readers will learn about the different types of wall collapses and the warning signs of a building collapse. The drill is designed to be a single page of information to conjure up discussions among your crew members...

    Article • October 14th, 2012

  • Searching for Victims

    Good morning from the jumpseat! Often when I sit down to write my next "Views from the Jumpseat" blog, I pull from my personal experiences and today is no different.  Recently I had experienced a situation that put us in the door searching for...

    Blog • October 12th, 2012

  • The Strategic Six & the First Five Minutes

    Initial responding companies to the scene of a working fire have a huge responsibility when it comes to setting the stage for a successful suppression operation. When it comes to tasks on the fireground, the National Institute for Standards and...

    Article • October 12th, 2012

  • Fire Prevention Over the Years

    Forty-nine years after the Great Chicago Fire, President Woodrow Wilson issued the first National Fire Prevention Day proclamation in 1920. Two years later Fire Prevention Day was expanded to Fire Prevention Week. Since then, Fire Prevention Week has...

    Article • October 9th, 2012

  • Common Responses: Electrical, Brush & Trash Fires

    Back in June, I wrote a few blog entries on some of the more common fire-related emergencies that you will see in  The Fires You Will See Frequently . I further expanded on my many experiences with two additional blogs:  Danger Overhead: Attic Fires...

    Blog • October 8th, 2012

  • Firehouse.com Weekly Drill: No. 89

    Drill #89: Strip Malls Readers will learn how strip mall fires can pose several different types of safety issues to firefighters. The drill is designed to be a single page of information to conjure up discussions among your crew members. Sit down...

    Article • October 7th, 2012

  • What Should 'Senior' Firefighter Really Mean?

    Good morning from the Jumpseat! On this chilly fall morning I wanted to take a moment to ask you a question: what does "Senior Firefighter" mean to you?   In our business, we gain respect as we spend time on our departments and many members take...

    Blog • October 2nd, 2012

  • Maneuvering Hoselines at Hoarder Home Fire

    Good afternoon from the Jumpseat. Yes, it is time to bunker up and buckle in again, after finally receiving clearance from the doctor it is time to return to the job that I dearly love. While preparing my PPE and checking my uniforms I wanted to...

    Blog • September 30th, 2012