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2 Young PA Firefighters Drowned, Third Teen Also Dead

photo from WPXI.com

Two teenage volunteer firefighters who were reported missing after they didn’t show up for a training drill for their small-town department died along with a friend when their SUV slid off a slick road and into an icy western Pennsylvania pond.  The bodies of the three teens were found in their overturned SUV in a frozen pond early Wednesday morning.

Two of the teens, Elijah Lunsford and Sam Bucci, both 18, were members of the Zelienpole Fire Department.  The third teen, 17-year old Trevor Barkley also perished in the crash.  All three were varsity baseball players at the Seneca Valley High School.

Their fellow volunteer firefighters were called to the scene when the accident was discovered along a sparsely-traveled road, and divers recovered the bodies shortly thereafter.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of each of these three young men, as well as to each of their brothers and sisters at the Zelienpole Fire Department.

Video from ThePittsburghChannel.com

Online Report from ThePittsburghChannel.com

Posted in News

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 27, 2010 • View Comments

FDNY Must Hire 2 Blacks and 1 Hispanic From Every 5 Successful Applicants

Last week, Brooklyn Federal Court Judge Nicholas Garaufis ruled that FDNY’s 1999 and 2002 entrance examinations were “intentionally” discriminatory.

In his decision, Garaufis wrote: “There has been one persistent stain on the Fire Department’s record. When it comes to being a New York firefighter, blacks and other minorities face entry barriers that other applicants do not.”

Now, the same judge has issued an order to impose a temporary hiring quota in which 2 blacks and one hispanic will be hired for every five applicants who pass the test until there are 293 minorities added to the ranks of the FDNY.

The quota was just one of the corrective actions that Garaufis laid out in a 57-page ruling in response to a bias suit filed against the city in May 2007 by the feds, the Vulcan Society, which represents black firefighters, and the Center for Constitutional Rights.

Also under the judge’s ruling, approximately 7,400 minority applicants who sat for the two racially skewed exams may be eligible for monetary damages.

Read the full story here.

Posted in News

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 27, 2010 • View Comments

Animal Rescues: Risk vs. Benefit

We’re seeing a lot of dog rescues making the news lately.  All across the country, man’s best friends are finding themselves in a struggle between life or death at the mercy of Mother Nature.

It’s hard NOT to do everything possible to save lives, but there are dire departments and rescue teams that have standing orders AGAINST animal rescues.  Why do think this is?

Weighing the risks vs. benefits when called for an animal rescue, where should we draw the line?  Can you identify the advantages and disadvantages of either decision?

Posted in News

Posted by John Mitchell on January 23, 2010 • View Comments

360 Burn Size-up of the Fire Web- 1/21/2010

photo: Firenews.net

More Apparatus Accidents

Apparatus Accidents are headlining the news far too frequently again.  After medical issues, vehicle accidents kill more firefighters every year.  Read up the horrific injuries sustained by by firefighters in New Jersey, Kentucky, and North Carolina as related in FirefighterCloseCalls.com Then, take an active role on doing whatever you can to keep your department out of these types of headlines.

Do that today.

When Maydays Bring Crickets

While looking for a way out during a search, two veteran Cincinnati firefighters became trapped by a burning stairwell after one of them tumbled face first down six stairs, knocking his helmet and air mask off.

“Mayday, mayday, mayday!” his partner called out over his fire radio.

Silence.

“Mayday, mayday, mayday!” It was so quiet they wondered aloud if they were on the wrong channel. “Is anybody copying?” he asked as both men got critically low on air.

Why was this happening?  Read the article in Cincinnati.com by Sharon Coolidge to find out more on a new threat to modern firefighters.

Virginia Firefighters in Haiti Safe Following Aftershock

As if they didn’t already have enough on their plate, Mother Nature continued to keep things interesting as a 6.1 aftershock hammered the disaster area Wednesday morning.

All 83 members of the Virginia Task Force 2 were unscathed and are continuing their efforts at this moment.  You can follow VTF 2 on their cool website.

Despite all the obstacles that have been overcome by all of our heroic expert rescuers, the worse may still be on the way. Unfortunately, civil unrest is already making the situation more dangerous as Haitians increasingly turn to violence in their quest for the basic needs of food, water, and medicine.

Posted in 360 Burn, Close Calls, Firefighter Safety & Health, In the Line of Duty, Line of Duty, Major Incidents, News, Special Operations, Technology & Communications, Vehicle Operations & Apparatus

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 21, 2010 • View Comments

A Dusty Dust-Up

From the New York Post

An angry 83-year-old brawler beat a 99-year-old man old with a metal steering-wheel lock in Brooklyn in a fight over parking, authorities said yesterday.

The geriatric dust-up happened at 2:10 p.m. Monday across the street from Maimonides Hospital in Borough Park, when Gersh Gofman, 83, of Sheepshead Bay, pulled his car in front of the driveway outside Steve Pulwers’ house.

Pulwers, who’s just two months shy of 100 and lives above a doctor’s office, said he was putting out the trash and knocked on Gofman’s window when the doctor returned for an emergency call and couldn’t get into the driveway.

ACT YOUR AGE! Steve Pulwers, 99, says he was brutally set uponby Gersh Gofman, 83, over access to this Brooklyn garage.   Photo Credit:Paul Martinka

“The doctor honked the horn, one, two, three, four times,” Pulwers told The Post. “I say, ‘Gentleman, the doctor wants to go into the garage.’ He did not answer. He then got out and takes a metal tool and hits me. He knocked me to the ground.”

Pulwers, a retired Manischewitz wine-factory employee, said Gofman pinned him to the ground with his knees. The near-centenarian said he was helpless, and tried to use his coat to defend himself.

“I hit him in the leg with my coat like a little fly,” he said.

Gofman, who hadn’t said a word up to that point, then threatened Pulwers in Russian.

“He said he was going to send somebody to cut off my balls,” Pulwers said.

The doctor called 911, and Gofman was arrested. Pulwers was taken to Maimonides where he was treated for a broken nose and broken ribs.

“He’s much younger than me, much stronger. He could be my son,” Pulwers said of the comparatively spry Gofman. “Maybe he’s crazy or maybe not normal, because a normal person doesn’t try to fight an old man who is close to 100 years old.

“I’m lucky I’m still alive. I thought he was going to kill me.”

Pulwers said they had gotten into an argument over parking in November when he had asked Gofman to move out of the driveway, and the younger man had shoved him.

“This time he was prepared to hit me,” Pulwers said.

Gofman’s lawyer, Michael Pate, said his client was there because he had taken his wife to the hospital and that he was “not looking for trouble.”

“He’s an old man who got caught up in a situation,” Pate said. “We’re not talking about two street thugs battling over territory. It’s an unfortunate incident.”

Gofman, who has no criminal record, was charged with assault, menacing and harassment, and released without bail. He’s due back in court Feb. 25.

jamie.schram@nypost.com

Posted in News

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 20, 2010 • View Comments

Sleight of Hand in Franklin Park, IL?

When performed by a well-practiced magician, a sleight-of-hand trick serves as an amazing piece of entertainment, wowing young and old alike.  The foundation, of course, is pure deception- tricking your eyes and ears and brain into believing something which truly isn’t.

You may recall last week a post from FireDaily called “Didn’t See This Coming…” in which we focused the light of day on the amazing turn of events in Milwaukee, WI.

In an effort to close a budget deficit, the City scrambled to slice and dice their public safety budgets by eliminating truck companies and instituting a daily plan of rolling brown-out closure of fire stations.

Amazingly within weeks, reports of the City scrambling once again- this time to hire new firefighters and paramedics as quickly as possible addressing the –wait for it- SURPRISING need for manpower required to fulfill their mission.

While there at least two or three sides to every story, we seem to have graduated into a culture of spin- in which an audience (the public, the taxpayer, you, me) is ripe for entertainment and easily fooled by anything said.  After all, if you heard it on the news, it must be true, right?

We have progressed into a society that no longer calls the truth the truth, or a lie a lie.  We are a people who have grown accustomed to “grey areas” in which one plus one can actually equal a submarine- if it can be expertly explained away before the next episode of Jersey Shore is on.

Remember when then-President Bill Clinton explained to us that what really mattered was what “the definition of the word is… is?”

Huh?

How about when Alaska’s investigation of “Trooper Gate” found that Sarah Palin had abused her powers as their Governor?  Out came the cape and wand, then the abracadabra: “”Well, I’m very very pleased to be cleared of any legal wrongdoing … any hint of any kind of unethical activity there. Very pleased to be cleared of any of that.”

Huh?

Are we so numbed to the bull that we have come to accept whatever we hear?

Or worse- are we too lazy to demand accountability of those who tell us mistruths, misspeaks, ahem… lies?

Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain!

Last night, a report on my local TV news station aired regarding the potential layoff of six firefighters from Franklin Park, IL, a community adjacent to the City of Chicago, O’Hare Airport, and an incredible amount of rail traffic carrying tons of hazardous materials daily throughout the village.

Now Franklin Park is not immune to the financial cesspool found all across the country.  Tough decisions have to be made, many unpopular.  It’s tough to be the guys who have to find a way through these difficult times.

But as we find ourselves increasingly amenable to having our budgets slashed in all areas- including public safety- we should not be led astray by the mal-truths, the mischaracterizations, the sleight-of-hand which is becoming the norm lately as well.

We need to throw the flag on the bull when we hear it.

In Franklin Park’s case, the plan is to eliminate six firefighter positions (on top of the five they had already lost) as well as dumping one of its two ambulances providing EMS coverage for a population of 19,000.

Get your flag-thowing hand ready…

Read this gem as reported by Paul Meincke of ABC7 News as published here.  It’s from Franklin Park Mayor Barrett Pedersen who, when asked about the risk to public safety, offered up this little gem:

“I spoke with my chief and three commanders, and they indicate there’ll be the same response time. Every single one of the firemen are EMT qualified. So, they’ll be responding just as they are now with trucks and ambulances,” the mayor said.”

FLAG!

But wait.

Better pick up that flag and stuff it right back into your ass pocket.  Why?

Aha, didn’t catch it, did you?

Read it again.

Can what he is saying can be the full truth even when interpreted in each of these ways?

Without the layoffs, here’s the response scenario:

911 call comes in, ambo is dispatched, crew responds. No delay in response time.

With the layoffs, here’s the response scenario:

911 call comes in, ambo is dispatched, crew responds. No delay in response time.

In fact, if Franklin Park had only one firefighter/EMT, the response scenario still does not change!

911 call comes in, ambo is dispatched, crew responds. No delay in response time.

What is your definition of “response time?”  See?

Abracadabra, Alacazam! Now you see it, now you don’t!

So How Do We Get Real Answers?

By asking real questions:

“If I dial 911, when will the first paramedic arrive at my door?”

“If I dial 911, will that paramedic have an ambulance with equipment?  If not, when will an ambulance arrive?”

“If I dial 911 and your ambulance is out on another call, when can I expect another ambulance to arrive at my door, you know, to replace Franklin Park’s second ambulance?”

“If my home catches fire and I need to be rescued in the middle of the night, will my chances be greater or lesser of making it out alive if you cut your manpower down by almost 25%?”

“If a train carrying six carloads of methylethylbadsnot derails in our gem of a city, or a tornado hop-scotches across our community this spring, is our emergency preparedness plan current and viable despite the changes in manpower levels you want to institute?”

“Am I more safe or less safe with less firefighters on duty?”

and an obvious question to see just how fast that whizzer can get spinning:

“How come I’m getting less but my taxes keep going up?”

Sleight of hand is more difficult to get by if you are paying attention.

This is what you’re up against, folks:

People who know they can spin their message to suit their needs

vs.

a public that won’t take the time to press the issue and get the hard truth.

Still itchin’ to throw that flag?

OK, me too.  Here’s a few opportunities:

In this, the second decade of the new millennium, we have video to capture what is said so we may compare it later to what is done.  Here are some of the examples from then-Mayoral Candidate Barrett Pedersen on March 2009 at a Special Meeting of the Franklin Park Firefighters Local 1526.

“…When you make that emergency preparedness plan, you’re going to put a formula in there for a minimum number of people to be available to handle that emergency. And if you don’t have that number in the contract, that there’s going to be a specific number of people, than the formula you’ve set up for your emergency preparedness plan isn’t worth very much money….I think we can do a better job, and I think with that emergency preparedness plan, you’d have to take a look at putting into the contract a specific number of people guaranteed.”

-Mayoral Candidate Barrett Pedersen, March 2009

YouTube video

“…One of the things that I think is important for the fire department is to bring it back up to full staffing. I know you’re short three people right now and I think that you deserve a full accompaniment on each one of your staffs. I think that we can do that by cutting down on litigation, I think we can cut down on the wasteful spending- 800 thousand dollars on ornamental concrete on Grand Avenue…”

-Mayoral Candidate Barrett Pedersen, March 2009

YouTube video

“…I don’t think we should reduce the number of stations we have… Should there be a contract that has a specific number of firefighters that are guaranteed and if the number goes below that min number should they be replenished? I think it’s important to maintain that minimum number with regard to the emergency preparedness issue…”

-Mayoral Candidate Barrett Pedersen, March 2009

YouTube video

* * * * *

If you want more information the current issue in Franklin Park, IL, you can find it at the Franklin Park Local 1526 website, including info on a rally scheduled for January 23.  The Village also has a website, but I couldn’t find anything on it about the upcoming vote, and the major changes that face the Village today.

Posted in Chicagoland, Funding & Staffing, IAFF, News, Staffing, Videos, WTF?

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 19, 2010 • View Comments

Haiti and Social Media: This Ain’t Your Daddy’s Internet Anymore….

When Iranian citizens took the streets to challenge the Presidential elections last year it was difficult to obtain any real time reporting from traditional sources in the mainstream media.  The government had cracked down on all foreign media, and threatened severe retribution.

But while CNN, ABC, and NBC all struggled to keep the video and audio flowing, we saw the emergence of an entirely new form of communication in street-level reporting.  Anyone and everyone with some type of connection to the internet suddenly had the instant ability to become the next Christiane Amanpour, Anderson Cooper, or Wolf Blitzer.

During no other disaster has the entire world depended on cyber space as we do today.

This week, the internet faces it’s greatest test to demonstrate its capacity for good as it continues to establish a firm foot hold during history in the making.

Social media has developed into a modern technology which allows us to reach into areas of the world with immediacy in a way traditional systems can no longer match.

Facebook has 1500 status updates involving Haiti in every minute.  Relatives and friends are utilizing the power of Facebook as a tool to obtain information about missing loved ones who have .

In some cases, the first long awaited message that a family member is OK has come in the form of a tweet.  A Twitter message of less than 140 characters can carry this type of news more easily, more quickly, and more consistently when telephone and other traditional communication systems no longer can function.

Celebrities and musicians with hundreds of thousands of followers on twitter have established fund raising efforts with incredible results. Those followers join the cause, but then create an entirely new group of donors simply by re-tweeting the information to their own followers.

The result?  Millions and millions of dollars in donations in just a few days from this twitter effort alone.

Haven’t given in to lure of your Tweeps, or have yet to take the dive in creating a Facebook presence?  No worries.

Just today (January 14, 2010), the American Red Cross reported that over 3 million dollars has been raised- ten dollars at a time- from people simply texting in donations from their cell phones.

We are truly at a turning point in communications worldwide.  As social media continues to demonstrate its value in Haiti, we begin to wonder what new technologies will grow from this point forward, and dream of how different it may be in just a few years.

Whether in a fund-raising role, or by providing a critically important communications ability, social media is no longer only a means by which to just chat with friends.  This week, it has evolved into an entirely new animal, demonstrating just how invaluable it can be.

Added Jan. 15-  Be sure to check out a post this morning from PIOSocialMediaTraining.com written by David Konig entitled “Social Mddia- The Real First Responder in Haiti” He lists details and  links to several social media efforts to communicate and donate to the disaster in Haiti…

was written by @DavidKonig for PIOSocialMediaTraining.com

Posted in Change, Disasters, Major Incidents, Mass Casualty Incident, News, Technology & Communications

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 14, 2010 • View Comments

Didn’t See This Coming…..

On December 27, the Milwaukee Fire Department ladder company at 3628 N. Holton Street that has served the city and saved lives for 106 years was shuttered.

Less than 2 weeks later, on January 9, 2010, a taxpayer died of smoke inhalation in a fatal fire to which that ladder company would have responded.

No one can say whether the two are related.

No one can say the ladder company could have helped saved the life of this man found unconscious on the second floor of a residence, even though the ladder company’s primary task would be to search and rescue victim’s.  Just like this man.

But we all can say this without much room for debate:

Eliminating firefighters and instituting rolling brown-outs (like the City of Milwaukee and many other municipalities across the nation) will not provide the same level of service the taxpayer needs.

Without the same level of service, we can’t expect the same outcomes.

Until recently, the public safety budgets seemed to be off-limits to the hatchet men.  It used to be political suicide to slash and burn the budgets of the life savers, the heroes, the proud public servants who give life and limb in the protection of their community.

Not any more.

More and more frequently, budgets are being cut, firefighters, paramedics, and cops are being laid off, employees furloughed, stations closed.

That sure sucks.

But it gets worse.  Really worse.

Time and time again, we now hear fire chiefs announce that these cuts and closures will not affect the level of service to their community.

Bunk.

And shame be heaped upon you for even belching that waste in public.

Times are tough- agreed.  Money is tight- agreed.

Don’t justify your actions with incredulous statements.  It’s a slap in the face to the heroes of your community, and you should be called on them every time you try to sneak them out there.

Better to say, “I don’t know how else to say this folks, but economic times are forcing us to take actions that might very well make you less safe.”

That’s the hard truth, right?  Much easier to swallow.  But that won’t get you re-elected, will it?

Good.

My prayers go out to the family of the unidentified man. I will also continue to pray for the safety of Milwaukee’s firefighters as they, like others across the nation, are doing more with less.

Here’s the complete story from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel by Lee Bergquist:

“Saying budget cuts to the Milwaukee Fire Department are “akin to playing Russian roulette with people’s lives,” Ald. Bob Donovan said Sunday that he would ask the Milwaukee Common Council to restore financing for a north side firehouse located close to a blaze that claimed the life of a man on Saturday.

Spending reductions in the 2010 city budget forced the elimination of a 106-year-old ladder company at 3628 N. Holton St. on Dec. 27.

That ladder company, which plays a search and rescue function, would have responded to the fire on Saturday at 628 W. Clarke St., Donovan and the president of the firefighters union said at a news conference at the Holton St. firehouse.

At Saturday’s fire, a man was found unresponsive on the second floor of a wood-frame house.

Paramedics took him to Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital Milwaukee, where he died from smoke inhalation. The man’s identity has not yet been released. The Milwaukee County medical examiner’s office said Sunday afternoon it was trying to contact family members of the victim.

It was the second fatal fire in Milwaukee in 2010. There were six fatal fires in 2009, according to the Fire Department

Firefighters in ladder companies perform the initial search and rescue at a scene. Their duties are different from firefighters in engine companies, which are first charged with putting out fires before starting searches and rescues.

Neither Donovan nor David Seager, president of the Milwaukee Professional Firefighters Association, would say that eliminating the ladder company on Holton St. was the cause for why the man died. The engine company at the firehouse remains open.

But Donovan and Seager said closing the ladder company, and the decision to close three other companies for a month at a time on a rotating basis, is causing a domino effect across the city, making it harder to fight fires.

The cutbacks coincide with a shortage of paramedics that authorities are now rushing to plug with a plan for a new trainee class.

Mayor Tom Barrett and the council agreed to the service reductions for the Fire Department, but they let Fire Department officials decide how to impose the cuts.

The city’s top firefighter disagreed with Donovan and Seager and said the public is receiving good fire protection.

Acting Fire Chief Michael Jones said the proposed cutbacks at firehouses were analyzed with the help of a computer program used by many large cities to ensure there would be no gaps.

Using factors such as the number of calls in an area, population density and anticipated response times under normal conditions, Jones said the department is not risking the public’s safety.

“I think that we had adequate resources at the scene,” Jones said. “We feel that our response times are adequate to meet the needs.”

Last week, Jones and city economist Dennis Yaccarino said they were revising their budgets to hire more firefighters and cut the number of companies that are being taken out of service on a temporary basis.

Donovan, chairman of the council’s Public Safety Committee, said he would propose legislation on Monday asking the council to use contingency funds to re-open the ladder company and end the rotating cuts, which officials are referring to as “brownouts.”

At Saturday’s fire, the first to respond was a firefighting engine company from 2903 N. Teutonia Ave. It arrived three minutes after the call, according to Fire Department records.

But because of the brownout, its companion rescue-oriented ladder company was responding to another call at N. 28th St. and W. Center St., and that took it farther away from the scene, according to Capt. Brad Sibley.

Sibley had been in charge of the ladder company on Holton St. before it was closed.

The first two ladder companies to respond were from downtown, the Fire Department’s computer call report shows. They arrived six minutes after the call was received, or three minutes after the engine company.

Seager said the shuttered Holton St. ladder unit would have responded faster than the ladder units from downtown.

“Without that (ladder) company there is a delayed response,” Seager said.

Jones said firefighters from ladder and engine companies are trained to do both jobs.”

Posted in Funding & Staffing, News, Staffing, WTF?

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 14, 2010 • View Comments

360 Burn Size Up of the Fire Web- 1/13/10

And the Winner is……….

Mark Glencourse, the creator of Medic999, emerged victorious in what ended up to be a neck-and-neck race to the finish for the Best Fire/EMS Blog of 2009.  Congratulations, Mark!

FireGeezer sure gave him a run for his money, as they each traded leads in the exciting final stretch.  But Mark had an entire Kingdom of loyal readers mobilized and they came through as the contest ended last night. He stayed up late (1:00 am UK time) to take the honor of becoming the first guest on the live premiere edition of FirefighterNetCast to accept his “award”.

Obvious to all but the most childish (;->), no one here wanted an Oscar or was hurt because they weren’t considered or didn’t win.

There are no trophies, but there is the sheer triumphant joy of “bragging rights”. Those that truly know the fire and EMS services can appreciate the value bragging rights bring.

On the NetCast, Mark spoke eloquently to the goal of the “contest”: a means by which to expand the awareness of so many excellent bloggers out there, whether in the contest or not.

He is “spot-on” (methinks is a favourite saying acrost the pond) with that viewpoint.   We really are fortunate to have so many high-quality bloggers sharing their thoughts, views, and perspectives.  If you have a few favorites which you regularly visit, be sure to take time to check out some of the other talent out there as well.

To those of us who lost and have the bitter taste of defeat today- I say- wash that taste away with a high-end lager and say what we always say here in in The Windy City (home of the Cubs): “Just wait ‘til next year!”

You can read Mark’s reaction to his win here.

Appreciation must go out to my buddy and partner Rhett Fleitz over at FireCritic for spending is valuable time, talent, and treasure in creating and hosting the contest.  If he wasn’t running the project, there is no doubt you would have seen FireCritic vying for the gold as well.

Also a quick shout-out to my Mom- Hi Mom, thanks for voting for me!  Yep, just you and 14 others!  No, it’s OK, I’m fine.  Again…

Congratulations again to Mark, as well as all the other fire and EMS bloggers.  Let the 2010 games begin now!

Helmet Cam and the Outside Vent Guy

Speaking of excellence in fire/EMS blogging, head on over to Traditions Training Blog and catch an excellent helmet-cam video of DC Firefighter Joe Brown as he performs the tasks as the “Outside Vent Guy”.  While viewing the video, Joe adds important training tips on laddering, opening up windows, gaining access, and vent-enter-search practices.  This is a must-see video for any firefighter that wants to be on top of his game as a truckie.

You may also want to check out Joe in yet another DC Fire helmet cam video of ”Outside Vent Guy” at my earlier post, “Be This Guy.”

We are so pleased to have Traditions Training Blog as one of our newest partners here on FireEMSblogs.  Traditions Training is composed of fire department veterans from around the country, including the Washington, D.C. metro area and City of New York. The mission of Traditions Training is to teach “beyond the book” and provide knowledge and skills that will enhance your safety, efficiency, and knowledge as a firefighter.  Be sure to bookmark them and stop in regularly!

Too Aggressive or Too Safety-Conscious?

One other member new to FireEMSblogs.com, but certainly a seasoned veteran fire chief and nationally-recognized fire service leader and educator, Christopher J. Naum joins us with his newest blog The Company Officer.

In a recent post entitled Company Fortitude & Courage to be Safety Conscious,  Chris tells us that “dynamic risks must be managed at the company level with a balanced approach of effective assessment, analysis and probability within company and command decision making that results in safety conscious strategies and tactics.”

Does your company have this level of courage, or is there room to evaluate your ability to recognize the situation and adjust the manner in which you accomplish your fireground tasks?  Let this blog plant a seed in your head as you embark out into the new year.

Content Was King!

A final thank you to all who listened and participated in the live premier of Firefighter NetCast Tuesday night.  Despite the technical glitches that seem to always be lurking in the shadows, Rhett and I were absolutely thrilled and honored to have the caliber of discussion and listener participation to make the show truly special.  Special thanks to our featured guest, Bill Carey over at Backstep Firefighter for his vast knowledge and continued focus on Line of Duty Deaths.

A live netcast brings special surprises, as we found out by calls from Chief Art Goodrich (Chief Reason Art) and Christopher Naum (see above).  The interaction between these three guests was simply extraordinary.  I believe this may have been the first time these gentlemen spoke together on one show, as well as relating to input from our listeners in the live chat room.  We are indeed proud to be a part of that.

If you missed it, you can link to the raw feed at our site (hurry, before I have a chance to splice and dice out the glitches!) and make it available on iTunes.

Our next NetCast will also be live, this time at 9pm ET on February 4.  The featured topic will be Old School vs. New School and Social Media.  All the information can be found here.  We hope you can join us!

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Human Horror

As we watch the unimaginable human horror unfolding in Haiti where thousands have perished in the most intense earthquake there in 200 years, our hearts pour out to all those affected.  On a personal note, our family has an adopted child next door in the Dominican Republic and despite several attempts, we still aren’t able to determine her conditions.  Please pray for all of the victims.

We are so proud of the USAR teams and other specialized rescue workers from the United States who are either mobilizing now or are already on scene doing what they do best.

An earthquake survivor carries a small baby in a shanty town on the outskirts of Port au Prince, following a major earthquake in Haiti, Tuesday Jan. 12, 2010. (AP Photo/Matt Marek/American Red Cross, ho)

Posted in 360 Burn, Command & Leadership, Disasters, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, In the Line of Duty, LODD, Leadership, Line of Duty, NetCast, News, Tips and Tricks, Training, Training & Development, Videos, training-fire-rescue-topics

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 13, 2010 • View Comments

If You Had Something Valuable, Would You Share It With Your Crew? You Do! And You Should!

SHARE THE WEALTH!

Yesterday, I ran a post focusing on quick, simple, and innovative tailboard training sessions.  Those of us who see the length and breadth of all four seasons, including the frosty bite of Old Man Winter, have come up with a few great ideas to train on a small scale- say a company of 3- inside on your bay floor.  I asked if you might want to SHARE THE WEALTH with the rest of us looking to become better at what we do.

The results are quite impressive.  Dozens of ideas have flooded in already, and not one is a repeat of another.  You can submit your drill suggestions simply by commenting on this post, or by emailing me at blog@firedaily.com.  Keep them coming, we’ll be sharing them all shortly.

We can’t speak about SHARING THE WEALTH without again giving a shout-out to our friends at VentEnterSearch.com.  I have yet to find a better site devoted to forcible entry and rescue techniques.  Specifically, they feature a page called Tips From the Bucket of submissions from their readers sharing their wealth.  If you have a moment, page through their site- you’ll find them quite interesting!

Don’t forget to vote for your favorite Fire EMS Blog of the Year 2009.  You can vote every six hours until the polls close January 12 at 17:59 hrs ET.  The winner will be announced on the live premiere episode of the Firefighter NetCast Tuesday night at 8pm ET.  Check out the Firefighter NetCast website for all the details and links.

* * * * *

Many of you have changed shifts this new year.

Perhaps you are working for a new company officer or B/C.  The fire service is a dynamic, ever-changing experience.  Whether you feel you’ve made a move for the better or otherwise, look to your new changes as a perfect opportunity.

You now have an opportunity to learn from a new cache of individual knowledge from your new partners, or offer your own bits of wisdom to them. In either case, your opportunity to SHARE THE WEALTH results in a team that becomes better prepared to meet the challenges we all face in the coming year.  It sounds cliché, but if you strive for professionalism, you’ll probably get there sooner than you think!

Again, keep the suggestions for tailboard training drills coming, and stay warm out there!

Stay Stoked!

-J

Firefighter NetCast Premieres Live Tuesday, January 12 at 8pm ET

Click the logo above for more info

Posted in Brotherhood, In Da House, Tips and Tricks, Training, Training & Development, training-fire-rescue-topics

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 11, 2010 • View Comments

What Simple “Tailboard Drills” Have You Found Valuable?

Baby it’s cold outside.  It’s our busy season.

That’s why it’s so important to stay on top of our game, now more than ever.

It’s a great time for a simple “tailboard drill.”

I’m looking for your suggestions on quick company drills that you have found to be great ways to spend a few minutes while stuck inside.

Let’s gather some ideas and we’ll use them on a future Firefighter NetCast as well!


Firefighter NetCastEpisode 1- Live Premiere Tuesday, January 12 at 8pm ET

Posted in In Da House, NetCast, Tips and Tricks, Training, Training & Development, training-fire-rescue-topics

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 10, 2010 • View Comments

Every Day- A Firefighter’s Life

Posted in Firefighters, Pub Ed, Videos

Posted by John Mitchell on January 10, 2010 • View Comments

In The Blink of an Eye

An Indescribable Sense of Loss on an Incredibly Lucky Day

Fire Daily started just a few scant months ago as a way to stay involved in the fire service after suffering a disability on the job.  Forced into an early “retirement” of sorts, I was surprised at how much I really wasn’t enjoying it.  Beyond the medical issues, I have to tell you about the overwhelming sense of loss which became almost unbearable.

I have been a firefighter all my adult life, starting as a volunteer in my home community and eventually becoming my department’s first full-timer.  After a long while, I started all over again at a career department down the road where I began that special firefighter relationship with a whole new group of guys and gals.  My second job was as a fire and EMS instructor.  My whole life revolved around my family at home, my family at work, and my family of students and fellow instructors.

Then, the accident happened.  Another quarter of an inch shift in location, my neurologist explained, and my skull fracture would almost certainly have resulted in me becoming a quadriplegic.  So I fully appreciate the “luck” that befell me on that warm spring day in May.  But, even with help from above, I must tell you how everything changed in the blink of an eye.

Let me repeat that.

Everything changed in the blink of an eye.

The regularity of having contact with the guys and gals with whom I truly held a special bond was severed.  One day there, next day- crickets.

It’s difficult to try to describe the different relationship that developed when I was no longer part of the “team”, yet always still a part of the “family.”  Although I’m able to pop in anytime I want (there’s an open invitation forever) to break bread and bust a gut with the guys, it just isn’t the same.  I’m not going to be on the line with them for the next “big one.” Or even the next little one.  Or even the advanced living center call for assistance.  Or training.  Or shopping.  Or watching “Family Guy”.

In the blink of an eye, it’s all gone now.

The longer I’ve been away, the deeper the sense of loss of being apart from them and the job I honestly loved.  This emotional response must be similar to the feeling experienced by firefighters that are forced to retire before they want to due to age. Be kind to them, folks.

Enter Fire Daily.

It all started out as a means by which I could remain somewhat connected to the fire service without gearing up and actually battling the red devil.  Blogging has been extremely medicinal for this injured firefighter/paramedic.

Just like the change that happened halfway through my career by switching departments, this new change has brought me into yet another family- a group of bloggers and readers that have quickly become my friends.  As the days and weeks and months plod along, these ties, too, will continue to strengthen.  How can I be sure?  Because we enjoy a certain pact– call it brotherhood- that is inherent to the fire service.  It lives in each of us and continues to develop each day no matter who we are, where we live, or what capacity we hold.

Although I will always have a sense of loss, I thank each and every one of my readers and fellow bloggers for allowing me to remain connected.

As another well-established blogger puts it- “Thanks for taking the time to read my stuff!”

You are my new family.

Posted in Brotherhood, Change, Close Calls, In Da House, Line of Duty

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 7, 2010 • View Comments

See How Fire Daily Made the Cut…

Fire Daily has advanced to the top ten final round of the Fire EMS blog of the Year 2009.

What?

I am fully humbled and completely surprised that I was nominated at all, let alone advancing out of the evening gown portion of this highly competitive contest.

Here’s how I made it this far  (Eat your heart out, Art Goodrich….) :

Now it’s your turn.  Have some fun and choose from an outstanding list of the other nine bloggers that truly deserve to have advanced to the final ten, whilst averting your eyes from the visual your brain will so cruelly conjure up of FireDaily in a swimsuit.

STATter 911 Statter911.com

The place to go for up to the minute coverage of daily stories of anything emergency services.  If it seems like the coverage is from a real-life TV journalist, it is.  Looking for a video and want to find it fast?  Check out Dave Statter’s site first!

Rescuing Providence RescuingProvidence.com

True stories from Michael Morse, a medic in Rhode Island with an amazing ability to string together words and form a movie in your head.  My newest regular read.

Medic999 999Medic.com

What a year for Mark Glencourse, a medic from the United Kingdom who talks funny but packs a mean forearm! Part of “The Project”, Mark came across the pond late last year to see how EMS operates here in the U.S. and let us all in on the process. With a very engaging personality and a clever sense of humor, I’m really glad to have “met’” him.

The Happy Medic HappyMedic.com

The other half of “The Project”, Justin Schorr came out of the anonymous closet when it became apparent just how wildly public he would become.  After hosting 999Medic, Justin traveled over to the U.K. for his half of the adventure.  More success in inevitable for both Justin and Mark this year.  It will be interesting to see which one of the two finishes with a higher vote total.  Place your bets!

FireGeezer FireGeezer.com

One of the obvious front runners, FireGeezer probably needs no introduction.  If you have never heard of FireGeezer, welcome to our planet Earth. I’m proud to be the one to introduce you to a blog actually made up of three people: retired fire captain Bill Schumm (FireGeezer), retired fire captain Mike Ward (FossilMedic) and Jim Featherstone (LightRock) with over 30 years in the fire service. Frequently updated posts with some of the best titling this side of Uranus.  You read that exactly how it was meant to sound.

Firehouse Zen FirehouseZen.com

Chief Mick Mayers posts his thoughts, insights, and opinions focusing on two of the most fascinating areas in the fire service- change and leadership.  Any aspiring company officer, or fire service professional looking to better their leadership qualities should put FHZ on their daily reading list.  I do.

Everyday EMS Tips EverydayEMSTips.com

Greg Friese is a paramedic, EMS instructor, conference speaker, and EMS author.  Beyond that, he has clearly demonstrated a grasp of the successful utilization of numerous social media elements to put forth a wide array of EMS topics, tips, and tidbits.  Greg’s commitment to using the newest internet technologies to expand learning opportunities sets him apart from the norm.  And he lives in Wisconsin.  That should count for something, right?

Engine 9 RFD EngineCompany9.Blogspot.com

A highly-addictive look into the daily interactions of an engine company in Virginia.  I love this site because I feel like I know all the players when I read of their everyday exploits as a “fire station family.”  Get inside their heads as long as they let us…..

The EMT Spot TheEMTSpot.com

Steve Whitehead has an extensive history in EMS instruction and has written for several EMS journalists as a freelance author.  His content is update three times a week, and you can always count on quality information geared toward EMS topics.

Voting is simple.

Go here, select your choice, and click the button.

By the way, the rules say you can vote once every eight hours (a little more restrictive than here in Illinois).  Take a moment to make your choice.  Voting ends very quickly (January 12) and the winner will be announced on the live FirefighterNetCast next Tuesday night at 8pm ET.

Finally, hats off to Rhett Fleitz, a.k.a. Fire Critic for taking on this contest among all his other irons in the fire.  Make FireCritic.com a regular stop as well, you won’t be disappointed.  If he were not running the contest, he would be a serious contender.  Thanks, Rhett!

Posted in Just For Fun, NetCast, News, WTF?

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 6, 2010 • View Comments

What Would You Do?- Suspicious Item

You are the company officer on a jump company engine with a crew of three.  The dispatcher calls you on the phone and tells you she’s received a report from a passer-by of a “suspicious-looking bottle” lying in the ditch in a rural portion of your response district.  You tell her that you and your crew will head out and check on it.

After you arrive in the area, you begin your search of the ditch line, looking for a plastic bottle with a bright blue liquid in it.  After a few moments, you find it and take a closer look.

It’s a clear two-liter pop bottle about 2/3 full of a bright blue liquid.  Not Gatorade blue, but even “brighter”.  You notice there’s no label on the bottle, but evidence that there had been at one time as it appears a paper label had been removed.  There is a non-descript white twist cap closing up the bottle.  Nothing else is nearby that would not otherwise be found in a roadway ditch.

It seems like the next call is yours here.  What would you do with this incident?

Posted in HazMat, Leadership, Training & Development

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 5, 2010 • View Comments

FirefighterNetCast- The Next New Chapter?

(not pictured: FireCritic)

Mark your calendars for January 12 at 8pm ET!

Firefighter NetCast debuts a week from tomorrow night with your hosts Rhett (FireCritic) and John (FireDaily).  God help us.

We will be hosting live netcasts, informative podcasts, and go live for any major incident.  Join us!

The first live NetCast on January 12 at 8pm ET will focus on Line of Duty Deaths.

The number for the year 2009 is below 100 for the first time in a long time.

Why?

Is it an anomaly, or the result of a concerted effort to reduce the causes for firefighters killed in the line of duty?

What will it take to keep this number on a downward trend?

Is it realistic to assume we can ever get to zero?

Has your department adopted Everyone Goes Home’s 16 Life Safety Initiatives?  Have you heard of them?

What obstacles have you found impeding your department’s efforts?

There’s much more, including the announcement of the winner of the Fire/EMS Blog of the Year 2009.

It’s free and easy to get involved.

After a quick registration on the BlogTalkRadio site, you’ll have complete access to our show (as well as others) and you’re in!

Join in the conversation by calling in at (347) 327-9920 on January 12 or just join in the chat room.  We would be honored with your participation.

If you can’t make the live NetCast, each archived show will be available for listening at your leisure.  In fact, our first attempt at the technical aspect is up now for a preview.  I’ll warn you, it’s 90 minutes of your life you’ll never get back… Also, look for us on iTunes in the very near future.

Check out our home site at FirefighterNetCast.com for all the updates.

We’re also on twitter (@ffnetcast) and Facebook.

When you have a moment stop in for a peek and become our friend.

Posted in In the Line of Duty, LODD, Line of Duty, NetCast, News

Posted by John Mitchell on January 4, 2010 • View Comments

360 Burn Size-Up of the Fire Web 1/2/10

Stupidity, Buttons, and Balls- Oh, my!

With the holidays behind us, it feels good to me to get back into some type of routine.  Sipping a homemade three-shot sugar-free vanilla skim latte from my newly-aqcuired FireGeezer mug, one of the first things to do is to sit and flush.  Then I’m off to sit and flush again.

Whilst whistling Mr. Postman, I sit down and open my email, clicking through things to flush into my deleted items folder in a great attempt to stay ahead of the email pile that will surely accumulate.  Items that catch my eye are temporarily pardoned for future perusal.

This morning, the folks at FirefighterCloseCalls and The Secret List sent an email referring us all to their post Stupid Message, Buttons, Balls, and Forgetting the Secret List .  It takes about a minute or so to read.  I would urge you all to pause just one moment and start off the new year with these special thoughts.

How Would You Like to Be in This Academy Class?

Many times during the hunt for interesting blogs, we find ourselves stumbling upon something we’ve never before seen.  During one such hunt, Tiger Schmittendorf tripped over this blog written by St. Paul MN Fire Chief Tim Butler titled On Scene with Car One.  In recent years, St. Paul Fire Department has had some pretty public issues between firefighters and management.  If this blog is any indication, those days seem to be fading into the past.  Although not required to do so, and with decades of fire service already under his belt, Chief Butler has decided to attend and complete his own department’s academy as a recruit.

“Fundamentally, I believe that all members of the Saint Paul Fire Department’s uniformed division must share a common bond – a common culture – and a shared base of experience and perspective. We all must be confident in each member’s ability to operate safely and effectively on an incident scene or when representing our department to the public. It shouldn’t matter if we’re assigned to a hazardous materials team, an Advanced Life Support medic rig, or the Chief’s office – all of us should share the core competency and the shared experience of being first – and foremost – a firefighter.”  -Chief Tim Butler

How refreshing.  Thanks for sharing, Chief!  We’ll be watching.

God help anyone who finishes behind you.  Or ahead of you.

Cast Your Vote for Fire EMS Blog of the Year 2009

If you haven’t heard already, a contest is being held over at Fire Critic’s site.  We’re looking for the Best Fire/EMS Blog of 2009.  Voting is open for a few more days, so I urge you to take a couple seconds to shine the spotlight upon the blog you feel best fulfills the following criteria:

Caliber of posts relating to the Fire and/or EMS fields

Design elements in their blog

Professionalism towards our service(s)

Use of other social media to extend the network of their blog

Longevity as a blogger

Nomination period:

Begins on December 30, 2009 at 1500 hours EST and concludes on January 5, 2010 at 1459 hours EST.  Ten finalists will be picked by our judges (TBA) from the list of eligible nominees.

Read more information here…

(just one “l” in Daily)

Well, I’m out of latte for a moment.  I’ll trek back upstairs and schpritz up another.  If you had stock in Starbuck’s, dump it now.  Lori, Sue, and Rose will be seeing much less of their best customer as I’ve become my own barista.

Stay Stoked!

-J

Posted in 360 Burn, Administration & Leadership, Just For Fun, Leadership

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 2, 2010 • View Comments