I’ve been seeing a lot about SLICERS lately, so I had to check it out. I watched a couple instructional videos and they made me sad. Watching departments gobble the theory up hook, line and sinker and totally abandoning traditional, time tested practices is a bit disturbing. When are firefighters and administrators going to get […]

“Always carry a tool”, “Nobody shows up empty handed” These fire service nuggets of wisdom have been around for a long time. But just like other aspects of our job this too has been watered down to a “technically speaking” level. I’m beyond tired of officers walking with a closet rake (AKA Command Rake). That […]

There have been many times that we have received comments, we have received emails, and been asked in person what Firefighter Basics is all about? I wanted to take some time and answer that question as well as address some Firefighting Basics that will get you back home to your family after every call. Firefighter […]

http://www.deltafire.ca/Gallery/Misc%202007/Images/House%20Fire.jpg     The concept of running into a burning building is not a new one to most firefighters.  Of course, depending on your department’s SOPs, manpower, staffing, etc, things will be different.  This article discusses the critical decision of “Go” or “No-Go” when first pulling up to a structure that is on fire.  This […]

Recently it seems that the online community has forgotten that it is a community. The Troll level is increasing quite a bit. Troll being “a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community” (Thank you Wikipedia). Maybe people have […]

As I watch car commercials I am always struck by the new and better ways car manufacturers come up with to get us from point “A” to point “B”. All the bells and whistles add up to is more bells and whistles on wheels, but they don’t change the fact that we just need to […]

I will admit when the Spartanburg burns first started my first thought were they were trying to create and ” Outstanding ” Fire Service and I don’t mean Striving for Excellence. I felt as if there was a group of people trying to reinvent the fire service and make themselves the New Age Fire Service. […]

The second round of Fire Research burns are being conducted in Spartanburg. On Facebook and Twitter they are Spartanburg Burns. Will you be attending the burns? Do you think the research is necessary or is it just rehashing what firefighters know? Did you attend the first round of burns? If so did it change the […]

Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, firefighter, Mayday. The firefighters Mayday goes unheard, but who should have heard it. The answer to that question is Communications, IC, and the RIT. RIT teams must realize that they are a team of Accountability, and Safety Teams. Communications while being the RIT team is more than just communicating what you are […]