Accountability The Easy Way As a foundation of safe fireground operations, a strong accountability system based on solid SOP’s being followed by solid and disciplined Officers and firefighters is the rock on which the Incident Commander builds his organization. This month, I will use a couple of slides from my Accountability class to drive this […]
PROACTIVE REPORTING I want to cover some issues regarding the importance of fireground reports. We often refer to the fire service as being proactive when in reality we are one of the most reactive businesses out there. Look at the gear we wear, the apparatus we operate, and the codes that must be enforced. Almost […]
I wrote this column for the New Jersey FMBA. I reprinted it here because I like it. This column is being written from my hotel room in Indianapolis where I have the great privilege of attending and speaking at the Fire Department Instructor’s Conference (FDIC International). This is the Disneyland for firefighters, the Greatest Show […]
 I want to talk a bit about how much influence our experience has on our decisions on the fireground. While no two situations are alike and every fire presents different issues, we must understand the mechanisms by which we operate. In a study conducted by the military regarding the command activities of FDNY, it […]
Cold-weather firefighting: Nowhere to run to, baby. Nowhere to hide (Ron Jeffers) If the only place you’ve seen ice is in your drinks, you have missed out on of half the “fun†of being a firefighter. Those of us who have braved the winters know how brutal it can be. Especially, as a Chief, there […]
Does your Department have and enforce electrical policy? C’mon Man!!! Every fire department must have a policy in place addressing electrical safety on the fireground. The reason for this is that there is no time to react when a zap is going to occur….it happens too fast. No one can keep the consequences from occurring, so […]