I read an article by an old acquaintance the other day.  I don't want to identify the author because this is not about the "who", but the "what."  What a concept. 

Here's an excerpt:

“There was a code that said that the coach was always right and you NEVER questioned a coach’s decision in regards to you. Like it or not, you had to respect it. It was not an option!  Sound familiar?  It should!”

“I came up in the fire service at a time when we did what our instructors told us to do. We learned very quickly that questioning the instructor was not the same as asking questions. The smart ones knew it. Questioning the “whys” had its consequences. We didn’t have time to break into focus groups to discuss our feelings. You were told how to do it, shown how to do it and then, you DID it!”

 

Sit down youngsters, and let Grandpa John tell you a story. 

It’s a story about growth, maturity, change, and ego.  It’s about the people we trust as fire service leaders to give us the best damn knowledge available for new kids entering the service.  It’s about accepting change.  It’s about recognizing that times just ain't like they used to be in the 60’s and 70’s.  It’s about not who you are. 

It’s not all about you.

Once upon a time long, long ago in my basic firefighter education, our instructors were often looked up to and held in reverence as they expounded their thoughts and ideas to eager young ears.  I had some kick-ass instructors for which much of that tribute was earned.  Of course, there were the others who were teaching for other reasons.  But we always took what we were told as good information without thinking for ourselves if something didn’t make sense.  We did as we were told and we never asked any questions.  We ate our meat or we couldn’t have any pudding.

Here's an example of something I always found hard to swallow:  Always fight a fire from the unburned side.  That way you push it back in on itself and extinguish it without creating further damage. 

Sound familiar?  That’s what we were told, so that’s what we did.

After awhile however, there were a few who began to question this edict handed down from above.  These brave souls raised their hands and asked “why?”   If the circumstances involving ventilation, fire behavior and building construction dictate that it may be better to fight it FROM THE BURNED SIDE, then why are we being told the opposite?

WTF? 

How dare these impetuous little rookies pose the question?  How dare they pose ANY question?  Don’t they know who I am?

The fact is, these “impudent pukes” who had previously and erroneously defined as disrespectful have actually become the moving force within the new leadership of the fire service.  There’s good REASON for this:  These are the new leaders who are no longer cultivated by their last name or years on the job, but rather by their inherent ability to lead and their ability to recognize and address EVOLVING KNOWLEDGE in the fire service.

Dinosaurs often forget that the fire service is dynamic (in constant motion).  Tactics and strategies are constantly developing- many out of close calls and lessons learned after following old principles which may no longer apply. 

One need only look as far as the gargantuan aircraft carrier-type shift in the fire department culture seen in Charleston, South Carolina.  Following the tragedy at the Charleston Sofa Superstore Fire four years ago, they recognized and admitted that their own policies and procedures which had been unchanged and steeped in history no longer applied as they had for decades in the past.  To say that they are a changed department today is a massive understatement. 

If we do what we’ve always done, we’ll get what we’ve always gotten. These old beasts do their dear fire service a great injustice by sticking to their guns on old tried-and-true methods when challenged with facts, and science, and actual accounts which clearly suggest otherwise.

In fact, new students entering into the fire service deserve leadership willing to accept these brave questions without feeling their fragile egos are being attacked.  In other words, don’t take it personally when you are asked “why?”

The true leaders in today’s fire service do not adorn themselves with a crown of closed-minded glory. They are open to new ideas and new concepts which they feel is their DUTY and RESPONSIBILITY to pass on to the new generation of firefighters, both for practical use and as an EXAMPLE of how you perpetuate a dynamic and growing fire service.

The true value of any “experienced” fire service leader can only be found in those unthwarted by the recalcitrance of a barricaded mind which can only find comfort wrapped in the chains of their unyielding personal history.

Ask questions, demand answers, adapt to change, and pass it on. 

Or die off and become an oil field. 

Stay stoked!

-J

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There’s a great video going around this week featuring John Salka at Andy Fredericks Training Days.  Someone in the audience captured a snippet of what Chief Salka was saying and shared it with the rest of us who couldn’t be there.

Essentially, Salka was putting forth his opinion on how a four-man engine crew should be deployed when first on the scene of a house fire.  In the instance he describes, he makes the point that the company officer should not remain outside when establishing command as that decision leaves the interior attack team of two firefighters ‘unsupervised’.

One brave firefighter in the audience is not afraid to disagree and stand up for this decision, citing ‘command and control’ and ‘directing incoming units’ as the reason for sending in the two blue shirts alone.

Click this link to see the video- definitely worth your time:

John Salka at Andy Fredericks Training Days 2011

 Quick- which one is right?

The company officer should always go in to supervise the attack. 

The company officer should trust his crew and assume command outside.

Scenario aside, I began thinking yet again how we have been inundated with right/wrong – left/right – black/white.  We are now a “polarized culture”, forced to decide between two opposite options.  What ever happened to the middle ground?

Attention to any of you who only think in black and white:  Gray exists.

I’m amazed that, a full quarter of a century after this gray-haired company officer first received his training, there are still fire departments across the country who don’t understand the concept of “interior command.”

Interior command involves maintain control of the situation from the inside while simultaneously mounting an initial attack.  Yes, this can be done!

In my department, the first arriving fire officer (or firefighter if no officer is there) establishes command on all incidents.  When establishing command, the company officer needs to decide if the incident is better served by establishing exterior command, interior command, or passing command to the next arriving officer.  Each incident will be different, taking into account the fire stage, smoke conditions, need for immediate rescue/extinguishment inside, training and capabilities of his/her crew, ETA of the next company, etc.  In effect, what will be happening in the next five minutes?

If your department establishes command only from the outside, then I would urge you to consider the option of “interior command.”  It may not seem black or white, but that’s just fine…  Gray is OK.  All it takes is a certain number of operational brain cells combined with ensuring that you communicate to everyone- those on scene, those still coming, and dispatch as well- what it is that you have and what it is that you are doing. 

This spring and summer, I’ll be working with Chief Christopher Naum and his Firefighter Netcast program, “Taking It to the Streets,” to explore, among other things, the controversial topic of “too safe” vs. “too aggressive.”  I am looking forward to a passionate discussion from both sides of the debate.  I urge you to participate as well! 

As the series progresses, we may see some middle ground (“gray” if you will) emerge that may hold some viable options for you and your agency/department.  Sign up for free notifications and RSS feeds of all the programming at http://firefighternetcast.com.

Thanks to the audience member who had the foresight to capture Chief Salka’s “point” being made, as well as to the firefighter who, among his peers, risked his neck to dare to disagree- in effect furthering the discussion we so desperately need.  That is really brave, and refreshing!

Be aggressive, be smart, and stay stoked!

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VERBOTEN!

Lantigua’s Constitution Lacks a First Amendment

Lawrence, MA Mayor William Lantigua has informed his non-school city employees that they are banned from making public comments including on internet social networking sites without clearance from his office.

The provisional fire chief until last month, Brian Murphy, is no longer employed at the Lawrence Fire Department.  Last month, Mayor Lantigua said that the chief’s criticism of cuts to the department’s budget were “causing unwarranted fear in our city,” and that any further comments “may lead to disciplinary action, including termination against you and/or members of your department.”

The issue of workplace speech by public employees has gone before the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts several times in recent years. Each time, the court has consistently distinguished between speech by employees who are on-duty and off.

So, back to the courts we go.  Oh to be a lawyer in Lawrence.

Or a mayor.

Artist rendering

I’ve got a minivan and I’ll use it!

An Arlington, Massachusetts man was arrested Friday and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon after he allegedly ran into firefighters who had been clearing hydrants.

59-year old Leo Najarian reportedly came out of his home to confront the firefighters about shoveling snow from the hydrants and leaving some on “his” sidewalk.  According to the Arlington Police report on the incident, Najarian was yelling and arguing with the firefighters.

When the firefighters told him to leave, Najarian allegedly got into his vehicle and backed into Lt. Brian Gerra, who was not seriously injured, according to a police.

Apparently not a good listener with firefighters, Najarian also decided he didn’t need to listen to police.  When they ordered him to stop, he fled the scene but was apprehended shortly thereafter.

Flying Robotic Firefighter

In the latest chapter of “Where the Hell is My Damn Jet Pack I Was Promised When I Was a Kid”, firefighters in Australia have bypassed the spectacle of a “Flying Mitchell” and opted instead for the CyberQuad.  This robot allows for firefighters to get an aerial perspective of a fire scene.  The Metropolitan Fire Brigade is currently deploying  it to detect hot spots in their war on wildfires which has been raging for weeks.

Note to everyone- this is by no means the end. I’m still impatiently waiting for my damn jet pack.

Stay stoked!

-J

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Ever have trouble pulling out for a run forgetting you left a coffee cup on the bumper?

Yeah, me too.  In fact, I had this happen several times due to the fact that I couldn’t impress upon a rookie on my crew to make a walk around the engine before it moves.  After losing a particularly valuable piece of equipment left on the tailboard after a call, I knew I had to figure out a better way to get my point across to this hapless lad.

Bear with me here.

I grew up in the 70’s.  You know, the generation that brought us both Led Zeppelin AND the Captain and Tennille.   “Convoy” by C.W. McCall AND Aerosmith.  Mac Davis (“Baby Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me”) and Foreigner (btw, Foreigner 4 is the all-time best break-up album ever).  Terry Jacks, Elton John, Neil Sedaka,… I think I just puked a little bit in my mouth.

I was there when disco came, and I was there at Comiskey Park in July of ’79 when we brought death and destruction to disco- and the double header scheduled for that night.

The 70’s have been described as one of the most musically diverse decades ever.  I’ve also heard it described as one of the most “musically-dead” eras in recent memory.  But through all the Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, and Electric Light Orchestra songs, I always had a secret dream to become a rock star.

Who hasn’t?  Oh the life of a rock star.  Sex, drugs, rock and roll, sex, travel, sex, partying… rock stardom had all the perks.

Speaking of perks, who can forget the most famous concert riders brought to us courtesy of Van Halen?  TSG has obtained a copy of the rider requesting that, among a myriad of other items, M&M candies be supplied in the crew room at the concert venue.  The rider specifically stated: “WARNING: ABSOLUTELY NO BROWN ONES”

Well, I guess this is one of the perks of being a rock star!  You can basically demand anything you want backstage, all the while being freakishly weird about said demands.  I can vouch for the fact that brown M&M’s do not taste any differently from yellow ones or blue ones (although there does seem to be a subtle difference to those sought-after green M&M’s…).

Now, you may ask what this has to do with firefighting.

To which I will return the volley with a question of my own:  Did you ever hear the real reason behind the specific request of ABSOLUTELY NO BROWN ONES?

Read on as David Lee Roth describes in Snopes.com:

“Van Halen was the first band to take productions into tertiary, third-level markets.  We’d pull up with eighteen-wheeler trucks, full of gear, where the standard was three trucks, max.  And there were many, many technical errors- whether it was the girders couldn’t support the weight, or the flooring would sink in, or, the doors weren’t big enough to move the gear through.

The contract rider read like a version of the Chinese Yellow Pages because there was so much equipment, and so many human beings to make it function.  So just as a little test, in the technical aspect of the rider, it would say “Article 148: There will be fifteen amperage voltage sockets at twenty-foot spaces, evenly, providing nineteen amperes…”  This kind of thing.  And article number 126, in the middle of nowhere, was: “There will be no brown M&M’s in the backstage area, upon pain of forfeiture of the show, with full compensation.”

So, when I would walk backstage, if I saw a brown M&M in that bowl… well, line-check the entire production.  Guaranteed you’re going to arrive at a technical error.  They didn’t read the contract.  Guaranteed you’d run into a problem.  Somewhere it would threaten to just destroy the whole show.  Something like, literally, life-threatening.

The folks in Pueblo, Colorado, at the university, took the written contract rather kinda casual.  They had one of those new rubberized bouncy basketball floorings in their arena.  They hadn’t read the contract, and weren’t sure, really, about the weight of this production; this thing weighed like the business end of a 747.

I came backstage.  I found some brown M&M’s, I went into full Shakespearean “What is this before me?” … you know, with the skull in one hand..and promptly trashed the dressing room.  Dumped the buffet, kicked a hole in the door, twelve thousand dollars’ worth of fun.

The staging sank through their floor.  They didn’t bother to look at the weight requirement or anything, and this sank through their new flooring and did eighty thousand dollars’ worth of damage to the arena floor.  The whole thing had to be replaced.  It came out in the press that I discovered brown M&M’s and did eighty-five thousand dollars’ worth of damage to the backstage area.

Well, who am I to get in the way of a good rumor.”

David Lee Roth put into place an automatic check, an indicator of sorts, as to the attention to detail he needed.  I took his lead and put my own indicator into play, in order to get the crew into the habit of doing a quick 360 around our expensive apparatus full of expensive, life-saving equipment.

Upon a small Styrofoam coffee cup, I wrote the message: “When you find me, deliver me to your Lieutenant.”  Then, I left it somewhere on the apparatus that it would readily be found by the engineer (“drivers” in some areas, “Lieutenants” in Roanoke) as he performed the quick 360 before moving the apparatus.

If we moved before I got the cup, I’d just smile and wait if he would spot it at some point later.  To his credit, he picked up on it pretty quickly.  We even got to the point we saved a ten thousand dollar TIC from certain damage if not total loss.

So the fire service could do well from the example given us by a rock star.  Pay attention to the details and we’ll all do just fine.

Now back to XM channel 7 and Al Stewart’s “Time Passages”….  More puke in my throat.

“ABSOLUTELY NO BROWN ONES”

Stay stoked!

-J

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On Friday, June 18, we mark the third anniversary of an enormously tragic incident in which nine Charleston, SC firefighters lost their lives battling a furniture store fire.

To mark the incident, there will be no shortage of written and video tributes to experience, no shortage of “ALWAYS REMEMBER”s and “NEVER FORGET”s, and no shortage of opportunity to buy a helmet sticker, purchase a lapel pin, and otherwise show others that you share some type of connection with this and other LODD incidents.

But do you?

This year, I implore you to try something a little different.

Take an additional step or two of effort and delve into the lessons we can learn from what happened that day.  This NIOSH report has about as many recommendations for improvement as any other I’ve run across.

I’ll save you the task of counting them out- there are 43.  Forty-frickin three.

This represents a huge responsibility for us, as professional firefighters, to arm ourselves with some of the ammo we’ll be able to use to make sure each of us actually goes home at the end of the day (not just wear the cool helmet sticker).

To see the entire NIOSH report, click here.  Allow me to enumerate the recommendations made, and ask you if any of them may apply to you or your department today, three years after the Charleston 9 lost their lives.

NIOSH investigators concluded that, to minimize the risk of similar occurrences, fire departments should:

• develop, implement and enforce written standard operating procedures (SOPs) for an occupational safety and health program in accordance with NFPA 1500
• develop, implement, and enforce a written Incident Management System to be followed at all emergency incident operations
• develop, implement, and enforce written SOPs that identify incident management training standards and requirements for members expected to serve in command roles
• ensure that the Incident Commander is clearly identified as the only individual with overall authority and responsibility for management of all activities at an incident
• ensure that the Incident Commander conducts an initial size-up and risk assessment of the incident scene before beginning interior fire fighting operations
• train fire fighters to communicate interior conditions to the Incident Commander as soon as possible and to provide regular updates
• ensure that the Incident Commander establishes a stationary command post, maintains the role of director of fireground operations, and does not become involved in fire-fighting efforts
• ensure the early implementation of division / group command into the Incident Command System
• ensure that the Incident Commander continuously evaluates the risk versus gain when determining whether the fire suppression operation will be offensive or defensive
• ensure that the Incident Commander maintains close accountability for all personnel operating on the fireground
• ensure that a separate Incident Safety Officer, independent from the Incident Commander, is appointed at each structure fire
• ensure that crew integrity is maintained during fire suppression operations
• ensure that a rapid intervention crew (RIC) / rapid intervention team (RIT) is established and available to immediately respond to emergency rescue incidents
• ensure that adequate numbers of staff are available to immediately respond to emergency incidents
• ensure that ventilation to release heat and smoke is closely coordinated with interior fire suppression operations
• conduct pre-incident planning inspections of buildings within their jurisdictions to facilitate development of safe fireground strategies and tactics
• consider establishing and enforcing standardized resource deployment approaches and utilize dispatch entities to move resources to fill service gaps
• develop and coordinate pre-incident planning protocols with mutual aid departments
• ensure that any offensive attack is conducted using adequate fire streams based on characteristics of the structure and fuel load present
• ensure that an adequate water supply is established and maintained
• consider using exit locators such as high intensity floodlights or flashing strobe lights to guide lost or disoriented fire fighters to the exit
• ensure that Mayday transmissions are received and prioritized by the Incident Commander
• train fire fighters on actions to take if they become trapped or disoriented inside a burning structure
• ensure that all fire fighters and line officers receive fundamental and annual refresher training according to NFPA 1001 and NFPA 1021
• implement joint training on response protocols with mutual aid departments
• ensure apparatus operators are properly trained and familiar with their apparatus
• protect stretched hose lines from vehicular traffic and work with law enforcement or other appropriate agencies to provide traffic control
• ensure that fire fighters wear a full array of turnout clothing and personal protective equipment appropriate for the assigned task while participating in fire suppression and overhaul activities
• ensure that fire fighters are trained in air management techniques to ensure they receive the maximum benefit from their self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)
• develop, implement and enforce written SOPS to ensure that SCBA cylinders are fully charged and ready for use
• use thermal imaging cameras (TICs) during the initial size-up and search phases of a fire
• develop, implement and enforce written SOPs and provide fire fighters with training on the hazards of truss construction
• establish a system to facilitate the reporting of unsafe conditions or code violations to the appropriate authorities
• ensure that fire fighters and emergency responders are provided with effective incident rehabilitation
• provide fire fighters with station / work uniforms (e.g., pants and shirts) that are compliant with NFPA 1975 and ensure the use and proper care of these garments.

Additionally, federal and state occupational safety and health administrations should:

• consider developing additional regulations to improve the safety of fire fighters, including adopting National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) consensus standards.

Additionally, manufacturers, equipment designers, and researchers should:

• continue to develop and refine durable, easy-to-use radio systems to enhance verbal and radio communication in conjunction with properly worn SCBA
• conduct research into refining existing and developing new technology to track the movement of fire fighters inside structures.

Additionally, code setting organizations and municipalities should:

• require the use of sprinkler systems in commercial structures, especially ones having high fuel loads and other unique life-safety hazards, and establish retroactive requirements for the installation of fire sprinkler systems when additions to commercial buildings increase the fire and life safety hazards
• require the use of automatic ventilation systems in large commercial structures, especially ones having high fuel loads and other unique life-safety hazards.

Additionally, municipalities and local authorities having jurisdiction should:

• coordinate the collection of building information and the sharing of information between building authorities and fire departments
• consider establishing one central dispatch center to coordinate and communicate activities involving units from multiple jurisdictions
• ensure that fire departments responding to mutual aid incidents are equipped with mobile and portable communications equipment that are capable of handling the volume of radio traffic and allow communications among all responding companies within their jurisdiction.

Do any of these recommendations apply to your department or agency?  Of course they do.  Now work with your fellow leaders and make the changes that need to be made.

The events of June 18, 2007 are tragic indeed.  Failing to accept and learn from the recommendations is a disrespectful slap in the face to the Charleston 9, their families and friends, and the fine firefighters who were so greatly affected on that fateful evening.

So if you sport a cool Charleston 9 t-shirt , or if their sticker adorns your helmet, or you utter the phrase “Never Forget” every June 18, back it up with the knowledge that you took the effort to learn from what happened that day- and took the extra time to apply it to the way you operate on the fireground.

I say THAT’S the memory that Brad, Billy, Mark, Michael, Melvin, Earl, Mike, Louis, and Brandon are counting on you to never forget.

-J

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The Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse Fire left the most indelible impression in my mind.

I imagined myself on the scene in one of three roles.  First, as a trapped firefighter in sheer terror wondering where the cavalry was.  Second, as a brother firefighter pleading, begging, nearly physically forcing his way past a Chief who would deny entry for yet another set of firefighters to die.  And finally, the Chief who denied entry, despite the verbal assaults, the M-Fing, and the physical altercation, stood his ground at the door denying the Worcester 6 would become the Worcester 8 or the Worcester 12.  Although I imagined myself in all three of these positions, I could never truly comprehend the raw emotion on that fireground that day.

God bless them all.

I could rehash the story of the Worcester 6, but it has been so heavily publicized by authors much more capable than I.  I won’t waste your time with my retelling of one of the most tragic incidents in fire service history.

I would rather take the opportunity offered by the First Due Blog Carnival to express my disgust with those in the service who make no changes to the way their agency operates based on the findings of the NIOSH reports.  It’s not that the reports are hard to find, they are rubbed in our noses constantly.  Why?  Because many are not doing a damn thing on a local level from lessons learned by brave firefighters who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

If this applies to you, shame on you.

Make it a point to go over the recommendations offered and apply them to your agency.  Make it a training opportunity so that each of your firefighters can learn the lessons of those who have gone before them.  Challenge your members to get involved and create an atmosphere of open and robust communication designed to make the changes necessary to ensure that your department is not the next department highlighted by NIOSH.  Sadly we are in the mindset that this stuff only happens to the other department.  Guess what?  To those departments, WE are the other department.

If you can’t do this, then relinquish your position of leadership to someone who gives a damn about their firefighters.

Late last year, I randomly selected several NIOSH reports and culled their recommendations.  See if you can detect a pattern.  See if your department can benefit by a change in your procedures, your approach, your mindset, based on the recommendations offered.

Make a difference.  Do it now.

Allow me to cheat a bit by re-posting the information as my contribution to this month’s First Due Blog Carnival.  Special thanks to Bill Carey of BackstepFirefighter for hosting this month’s topic.

+     +     +     +     +     +

I see that NIOSH reports have popped up on the radar of the blogosphere recently.  Frankly, I’m surprised at the heat a few have been giving them.  Maybe I’ve been missing something (it’s happened before). So I took a closer look.

We already know that heart attacks and traffic accidents are the main murderers of us firefighters, so I’m sure we’ve already dedicated the necessary resources to firefighter health and safety initiatives and accident scene safeguards to keep these killers from having free reign over our troops.

Right?

So, I went to the Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation Reports page from NIOSH and randomly picked 5 of the reports with deaths involving fire suppression. I was looking for patterns. Guess what I found….

NIOSH Report 2008-26

A residential basement fire had been burning for over 30 minutes. A crew was directed to enter the first floor to perform horizontal ventilation and found a spongy floor. The last (victim) of the four-man crew was just about out when the floor collapsed into the basement on top of working crews. Heavy smoke conditions hampered efforts to locate the victim and he died on the scene.

Among the NIOSH recommendations:

Sizeup, Risk/Gain “ensure that the incident commander (IC) conducts a 360 degree size-up which includes risk versus gain analysis prior to committing interior operations and continues risk assessments throughout the operations”

SOP’s/SOG’s- “ensure that standard operating procedures are established for a basement fire”

Coordinated Ventilation- “ensure that proper ventilation is done to improve interior conditions and is coordinated with the interior attack”

TIC- “ensure that interior crews are equipped with a thermal imaging camera”

RIT/RIC- “ensure that Rapid Intervention Teams are staged and ready”

NIOSH Report 2008-34

One of only three firefighters on the scene, the victim entered a burning residence alone with a partially-charged 1 ½ inch line and became lost in thick-black smoke, radioing for help from the other two. They couldn’t locate him, a flashover occurred, and the home became fully engulfed. A cop found him an hour later.

Among the NIOSH recommendations:

Size-up, Risk/Gain- “ensure that officers and fire fighters know how to evaluate risk versus gain and perform a thorough scene size-up before initiating interior strategies and tactics”

SOP’s/SOG’s- “develop, implement, and enforce written standard operating procedures (SOPs) for fireground operations”

Staffing- “ensure that adequate numbers of apparatus and fire fighters are on scene before initiating an offensive fire attack in a structure fire”

Coordinated Ventilation- “ensure that properly coordinated ventilation is conducted on structure fires”

RIT/RIC- “ensure that a rapid intervention team (RIT) is established and available at structure fires”

SCBA- “ensure fire fighters are trained in essential self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and emergency survival skills”

Mayday- “ensure that protocols are developed on issuing a Mayday so that fire fighters and dispatch centers know how to respond”

NIOSH Report 2008-08

30 minutes into a residential fire, crews had been pulled out. A decision was made to send a crew back in to extinguish the fire. A crew of 3 (A/C, Capt, FF) made their way into the basement of the burning structure with an 1¾ line. One by one they evacuated due to conditions. The third never came up the stairs. RIT was activated but repelled by the heat. Victim found an hour later.

Among the NIOSH recommendations:

Risk vs. Gain- “ensure that the Incident Commander continuously evaluates the risks versus gain when determining whether the fire suppression operation will be offensive or defensive“

SOP’s/SOG’s- “review, revise as necessary, and enforce standard operating guidelines (SOGs) to include specific procedures for basement fires and two-in/ two-out procedures“

TIC- “enforce standard operating guidelines (SOGs) regarding thermal imaging camera (TIC) use during interior operations“

Mayday- “ensure that fire fighters are trained on initiating Mayday radio transmissions immediately when they are in distress, and/or become lost or trapped“

NIOSH Report 2008-06

Without the protection of a charged hoseline, a Lt and FF (victim) were searching a 2-story residence for a trapped occupant. They did not know where the victim was and had no TIC. Conditions deteriorated, trapping the two on the second floor. The LT exited the front door and RIT was deployed to get the victim. Both were hospitalized and the victim succumbed to burn injuries 5 days later.

Among the NIOSH recommendations:

Size-up- “ensure the Incident Commander receives pertinent information during the size-up (i.e., type of structure, number of occupants in the structure, etc.) from occupants on scene and that information is relayed to crews upon arrival”

SOP’s/SOG’s- “develop, implement, and enforce written standard operating procedures (SOPs) for fireground operations”

Coordinated Ventilation- “ensure ventilation is coordinated with interior fireground operations”

TIC- “ensure that fire fighters conducting an interior search have a thermal imaging camera”

Mayday- “ensure that Mayday protocols are developed and followed”

NIOSH Report 2007-32

Two firefighters died while conducting an interior attack to locate, confine, and extinguish a fire located in the cockloft of a restaurant. One victim had been flowing water into the cockloft from the kitchen, another had been checking for fire extension in the main dining area. At about 5 minutes in, a rapid fire event occurred.

Among the NIOSH recommendations:

Size-up- Risk vs. Gain- “ensure that the incident commander conducts an initial size-up and risk assessment of the incident scene before beginning interior fire fighting operations and continually evaluates the conditions to determine if the operations should become defensive”

SOP’s/SOG’s- “develop, implement and enforce written standard operating procedures (SOPs) that address the hazards and define the strategies and tactics to be used while operating at specific structures known as “taxpayers”

Coordinated Ventilation- “ensure that fire fighters understand the influence of ventilation on fire behavior and coordinate with interior fire suppression operations”

RIT/RIC- “ensure that a rapid intervention crew (RIC) / rapid intervention team (RIT) is established and available to immediately respond to emergency rescue incidents”

TIC- “use thermal imaging cameras (TICs) during the initial size-up and search phases of a fire”

Any patterns?

Size-up, Risk vs. Gain- Does your first in crew perform a 360 and report an accurate size up of conditions to all others? Is a risk vs. gain assessment actually made? Are your initial tactics based upon these findings?

Why not? Didn’t you try to implement the NIOSH recommendations to keep from killing your firefighters?

Are your SOP’s/SOG’s current to the ever-changing tasks being performed at your incidents? Do you follow them? Do you even have any?

Why not? Didn’t you try to implement the NIOSH recommendations to keep from killing your firefighters?

Is ventilation performed early and integrated with your interior attack? Or has ventilation worked its way down to fifth or sixth on your list of priorities? After all, it will eventually vent itself.

Why not? Didn’t you try to implement the NIOSH recommendations to keep from killing your firefighters?

Is a RIT/RIC established early on? If you don’t have the personnel to form a RIT/RIC, do you have a mutual aid response to give you the number of firefighters needed to operate safely?

Why not? Didn’t you try to implement the NIOSH recommendations to keep from killing your firefighters?

Does your department have at least one Thermal Imaging Camera? It’s been called the best thing since SCBA in many firefighting circles. You have SCBA, right? Does your department know to call a Mayday early? Too macho to call it? Does EVERYONE ON THE SCENE know what to do when a Mayday is called?

Why not? Didn’t you try to implement the NIOSH recommendations to keep from killing your firefighters?

WHY ARE WE NOT FOLLOWING THROUGH?

Are the reports too difficult to understand? Perhaps we need to dumb them down or fluff them up? Fine. I’m all for whatever it takes.

But let’s not forget that the reports are just that- reports. We need to make the changes, NIOSH ain’t gonna do that for us.

So read the reports, see how they killed our brothers, and take a hard look at how you and your department operate.

THEN IMPLEMENT THE CHANGES YOU NEED TO KEEP YOUR GUYS ALIVE.

Because if we continue to do it the same way, we’ll get what we’ve always gotten. Another NIOSH report with the same ol’ stuff.

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When I think of St. Patrick’s Day and the fire service, many things come to mind.  One of those thoughts bubbling up to the surface brings a smile to my face every time. Indulge me with a re-post recognizing the value an experienced veteran with the right approach can bring to all of us, young and old.

With that perspective, I offer up a special note to third-generation firefighter retired Chicago Fire Department Deputy District Chief Eddie Enright who has over 38 years of duty having been assigned to engine, truck, and squad companies after serving his country in Vietnam.  As he would say:

“Only 0 more days til St. Patrick’s Day”

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Over the years, I’ve attended a boatload of fire training classes which emphasized leadership, training, and safety. Most were team-taught. A primary instructor would be there periodically, accompanied by a great group of “assisting instructors” who would each bring a certain level of expertise to the specific topic at hand.

There were lesson plans to be followed, objectives to be addressed and met, and the test to prove that learning had occurred. It’s a method of learning quite familiar with firefighters worldwide.

But sometimes, the Fire Gods might truly smile down upon you and bless you.

As you’re sitting in the classroom waiting for the course to begin, you wonder where all the instructors went. Just then, you hear guffaws of laughter just out of sight (probably damn near the coffee and doughnuts). What’s going on?

“Da Chief” is in the building.

Not necessarily the current department chief, but certainly a chief nonetheless.

He’s been around for decades and he’s seen it all. He rose up through the ranks and gained the respect from his peers the old-fashioned way. “Da Chief” earned it.

He knows how to handle the pick-head ax just as well as how to handle the politicians. He knows BS when he sees it and he doesn’t hesitate to call it out.

Just like Underdog, he is humble and loveable. He listens to everyone’s views and becomes E.F. Hutton: When “Da Chief” begins to speak- everyone listens.

Down to earth. Real.

When you are blessed with the presence of this special guy, drop everything you are doing and be near him. Hear what he has to say. Drink it all in.

Not only do you learn from his experience and wisdom, but, more importantly, from the way he relates to those around him. He does not condescend to the rookies; he gives no guff to those with whom he may disagree. He is compassionate and concerned. His smile is contagious and his love of the fire service is completely evident. He fills you with motivation and oozes tradition.

While reading this, do I have you thinking about someone you know that could be like “Da Chief”? If so, make it a point to get him to engage with you and your group. Buy him a beer after class.

It will be the best time you can spend in any fire service training session.

WordPress Tags: IFSI,Enright,leadership,wisdom,motivation,tradition,Chicago,Eddie

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The Dance of the Company Officer

We start out this week by pointing to one of my “favoritest” partner bloggers at FireEMSblogs, Mick Mayers of FirehouseZen.

You know, I really enjoy the dance that occurs between the top and the bottom in the fire service organization.  At the top, the vision and direction of the group are put into play.  Those at the bottom need to accept, or buy into that vision in order for the group to move forward in a unified and cohesive manner.

In the middle we find the officers and supervisors.  Their commitment to the success of the organization is demonstrated by the way they convey the direction and vision from the top to their subordinates.  If they are effective, the organization becomes a well-oiled machine.  However if they don’t buy into the message, there is little hope for their subordinates to do the same.

This is where the officer needs to be able to put the needs of the organization ahead of the need to be pals with their guys.  This is one of the most difficult issues facing company officers.

Therein lies the dance.

As usual, this issue of change and leadership is best addressed by Chief Mick Mayers over at FirehouseZen.  From his latest post entitled “Get Everyone on Board”:

“Regardless of your organization, you are going to have personnel who are resistant to change, and while the troops may or may not decide to go willingly, it is a requirement that your officers or supervisors are.  If your small unit leaders aren’t on board, don’t count on the personnel they supervise joining in to resist them.  It will be much easier on those troops if they can get along with their misdirected officer than if they embrace the change, so you can count on the message not getting through when it is most needed.”

Read his post as there is much more on this topic that is important for all your officers to understand.

Fire Rescue TV

Check out Fire Rescue TV- a new website for firefighters that brings breaking news,new product reviews, and a special weekly fire rescue TV news segment.  All the video is extremely professional and rivals anything found on your home TV.

When we spoke with Executive Producer Martin Grube last week on Firefighter NetCast, he revealed an additional exciting element they have planned.  They will be visiting various firehouses and accompanying their crews during all aspects of the cooking portion of their shift.  Starting with planning, then shopping, then cooking and eating, Fire Rescue TV will follow the entire process from start to finish.  If the station’s crew draws a call, the video crew tags along as well. It’s a unique way for non-firefighters to witness this daily station activity.

So if you are in the mid-Atlantic region and want some excellent exposure of your department, invite Fire Rescue TV to your station!  They also welcome video submissions as well.  Make this new site a regular stop when perusing the interwebs.

Pole-Dancing Fireman

Speaking of videos, here’s some dessert for making it this far in the 360 Burn today.  This came to me courtesy of a tweet from our friend Chester Kopco, AKA FatherCabbage on the twitters.  It reminds me of someone I know.  Howabout you?

Stay stoked!

-J

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Fire Chief and Assistant Fire Chief Arrested During Firefighting Operations

Last Sunday, the “leaders” of the Franklin Township Fire Department put on quite a show, causing Pennsylvania State Police to step in, forcing the duo to end their two-act play before their curtain call.

According to a report by James Loewenstein at TheDailyReview.com, the Assistant Chief was not satisfied with the way Monroe Hose Company,led by Fire Chief Paul Bump, was putting out the fire at his house, Assistant Fire Chief Dale Stranger was yelling and shouting at firefighters on the scene and “had to be detained by fire personnel on scene,” Pennsylvania State Trooper Ben Bigus said.

Firefighters just wanted him to calm down or leave, but eventually were forced to summon police so they could continue their suppression activities without the irate interference of this highly-trained professional.

Upon arrival, state troopers ordered Dale Stranger to cease his actions.  However, he “again became disorderly and was taken into custody” after two TASERS were used on him, the state police said in their press release.

Donald Stranger, 61, of Monroeton, who is the chief of the Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Company, was also arrested when he  “became disorderly after failing to comply with orders from the state police,” the press release said.

So, the answer is two.

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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)

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