The Firehouse Yak: John Lewis and Robert Moran – Basement Fires and Hidden Dangers Below
John Lewis and Robert Moran have been teaching basement fire tactics and strategies for nearly two decades, after a series of close call incidents they were involved with. The two, known as Jersey Guys Fire Service Training, discuss tactics, construction and command for below-grade residential fires on this episode.
From the use of the ELBOW acronym for basement fire size-up, to hoseline placement, ventilation tactics and search operations, Lewis and Moran dig into key strategies that can be used to prevent close calls, or worse, during residential basement fires.
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About the Author
Peter Matthews
Editor-in-Chief/Conference Director
Peter Matthews is the conference director and editor-in-chief of Firehouse. He has worked at Firehouse since 1999, serving in various roles on both Firehouse Magazine and Firehouse.com staffs. He completed an internship with the Rochester, NY, Fire Department and served with fire departments in Rush, NY, and Laurel, MD, and was a lieutenant with the Glenwood Fire Company in Glenwood Landing, NY. Matthews served as photographer for the St. Paul, MN, Fire Department and currently is a photographer for the Fort Worth, TX, Fire Department.
John J. Lewis
John J. Lewis is a retired lieutenant from the Passaic, NJ, Fire Department, formerly assigned as the training and safety officer. He remains active in fire service as a 20-plus-year instructor at the Bergen County, NJ, Fire Academy and as an adjunct instructor for Kean University/New Jersey Division of Fire Safety. Along with his partner, Robert Moran, Lewis has written and presented training programs throughout the country and co-authored many articles for fire service publications.
Robert Moran
Robert Moran served as fire chief of the Brewster, MA, Fire Rescue Department from 2010–2024. Prior to that, he served 26 years with the Englewood, NJ, Fire Department, retiring in 2010 after 12 years as chief of department. Moran holds a master’s degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University, is a certified public manager, and has a Chief Fire Officer (CFO) designation from the Center for Public Safety Excellence. He serves as an adjunct instructor for Kean University and the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety and lectures at numerous regional and national fire service conferences. Along with his training partner, John Lewis, Moran writes the back page of the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs' Size-Up magazine and operates Jersey Guys Fire Service Training.