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Fire Daily’s 360 Burn Around The Fire Webs

Check out Daily Fire Fix for today’s stories!

These Tunes Are ON FIRE!

A neighbor observed his 57-yr old neighbor listening to music in his BMW parked in the driveway of his home.  Shortly thereafter, the car was ablaze, and as was caught on police dash cam, responding officers noticed the man was still inside.  The Police officers are seen reaching into the vehicle and dragging him away from the intense heat and flames, clearly risking their lives .  The man, described as having been incapacitated, and he was transported to the hospital suffering only from minor smoke inhalation.  You gotta love the dash cam!

 

Injured CFD's Finest Rescue Carful of Criticals Who Pulled Out In Front Of Them

Alcohol is being investigated in the cause of an intersection accident in which Chicago Fire Department engine 62 struck an automobile on Monday night injuring ten including 4 firefighters.  3 children and two adults were critically injured.  According to initial reports, the automobile proceeded into the intersection after stopping, and the engine did not have enough time to avoid the crash.  Witnesses at the scene reported that firefighters injured in the collision immediately began to treat those in the automobile before other firefighters and paramedics arrived.  The 18-yr old driver has since been charged with DUI and other traffic offenses.  Check out the news report from MyFoxChicago.com :

9 Injured When Chicago Fire Truck Crashes Into Car: MyFoxCHICAGO.com

 

Patriots Send NH Fireighter to the Super Bowl

A New Hampshire firefighter will be unable to respond to calls this weekend because he is a volunteer.  Why?  The New England Patriots chose 10 “Super Persons” from around New England, police, firefighters, teachers, and military members, all a part of their Celebrate Volunteerism Campaign.  One of those winners is Somersworth NH firefighter Tim Wilder.  Tim is headed to the Super Bowl this weekend along with nine other public service workers.  Watch the video from WMUR TV :

<a data-cke-saved-href='http://video.app.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&vid=d59e7576-1b69-4c4e-a958-1ac41591a7a9&from=&src=v5:embed::' href='http://video.app.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&vid=d59e7576-1b69-4c4e-a958-1ac41591a7a9&from=&src=v5:embed::' target='_new' title='Somersworth Firefighter Heads To Super Bowl'>Video: Somersworth Firefighter Heads To Super Bowl</a>

 

Nom Nom Nom…..

Here's some secret recipes for firehouse snacks on this- the most glorious weekend to be on shift at the firehouse- the Super Bowl!  First up, an ultra simple idea that will make you look like you know how to make something- even though your partners will realize you can’t.  Get a brick of Philadelphia cream cheese, put it on a plate, pour some shrimp sauce over it.  Wallah- with a few triscuits, you’ve got a dipping delight! 

Now for a secret recipe from my firehouse that is sooo simple and soooo yummy, you’ll make it even during the off season.  Pop a blob of beef roast into a crock pot at the beginning o your shift and cover it with a big jar of giardinara peppers.  Cook it on low heat til game time, open the lid, shred the meat with a couple of forks and serve it on some fresh French bread with a little mozz or provolone- and you’ve got some of the best Italian beef sandwiches you’ll ever taste. 

If you want to show some true effort with a quick, easy, and healthy Super Bowl food idea check out the video below from TheFirehouseChef.  In this episode, Ryan celebrates one of the most hallowed days at the firehouse- Super Bowl Sunday- with his famous Chipotle Chicken Salad Crostini.  Although it’s great all year long, this finger food combination of chicken, garlic, and chipotle is sure to be a crowd pleaser.  And here’s a secret- The full video recipe enables guys like me to shine in the most valuable position in the firehouse- the shift’s cook. 

Bon Appetit!

 

 

Got something to get off your chest?

Call the Fire Rant Hotline

888-887-8718

and let it all out on our voicemail!

 

Posted in 360 Burn, Chicagoland, Fires, In Da House, In the Line of Duty, Just For Fun, NetCast, News, Tips and Tricks, Vehicle Operations & Apparatus, Videos

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Posted by on February 2, 2012 • No comments

Check out these unique gift ideas for firefighters!

OK, these are pretty cool.  Check out these custom-made products from my friends at Wall Shields.

riding assignment boards, photo collection displays

specialty items including kitchen tables and weather-resistant dog houses

Replicate your department’s helmet shield or any other design you want in many different sizes.  Send in a photo, they’ll create a picture wall shield anywhere from 3 foot to 4 feet in size.  They offer similar productions on a kitchen table, media center, riding assignment board, or any other type of item you are looking for.

I saw a firehouse dog house at their booth in Baltimore this summer.  It’s big enough for me, and I’ll sure be needing it periodically.

Whether for the holidays, retirements, or just to spruce up the station, these guys offer a nice alternative to an ax plaque or a signed helmet.

Posted in In Da House, Just For Fun, Tips and Tricks

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Posted by on September 17, 2010 • No comments

WARNING: ABSOLUTELY NO BROWN ONES.

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

Posted in In Da House, Just For Fun, Leadership, News, Tips and Tricks, Training, Vehicle Operations & Apparatus

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Posted by on September 10, 2010 • 1 comment

First Due Blog Carnival- Sharing The Wealth

Dale runs the ride.

Remember the excitement of going to the carnival?  You know, before we became “spooked” by the the guy with more arms than teeth running the “Zipper” screaming to us riders: “YOU ALL WANNA GO FASTER?”  We’d all scream back, “YEAH!”  And the ex-con with his glass eye gleaming would grab one of the long red levers with all eight and a half fingers and shove it forward forcing the ride into overdrive, the screaming kids only drowned out by the sounds of Bad Moon Risin’ by Creedence Clearwater Revival cranking at an ear-splitting level.

All for two tickets. Damn, that was cool…

Those were times we look back upon with fondness.  We were young with out lives splayed out endlessly in front of us.  We were pups with a lot to learn.  In time, we would be growing into mature young adults- all blazing our own trails and creating our own ways of life.  Eventually we would find ourselves in the fire service, young, dumb, and full of come on, you didn’t think I’d really go there, didja?  All of us didn’t stay young, most of us didn’t stay dumb, and, well, you can finish the thought…

My point is that there were many sign posts along each of our journeys that we look back upon and never forget.  Just like the when the kid puked on the Tilt-O-Whirl, we also have a few memorable moments in which someone said or did something that left an indelible impression upon us.  And we grew from that, and we became better firefighters in the process.  The truth is, we benefited from someone who Shared the Wealth.

This month’s First Due Blog Carnival sought out your stories of someone who Shared The Wealth in your life.  I asked you to Share that Wealth with us all.

I had a feeling there was some fantastic stuff out there, but I absolutely amazed at what you took the time to share.  To all of you, I express my sincere appreciation for Sharing The Wealth.  There stories are simply incredible.

To our readers- please set aside some time to reach through all of these.  This is some exceptional stuff.  Don’t short-change yourself by skimming through it too quickly.  If you must, bookmark this page and come back to it so you can properly savor it and benefit from it all.

Then YOU Share The Wealth.

Here’s how.  Forward these stories to someone you know, whether it be a rookie just starting out, or someone who feels a little stale and could use a pick-me-up.  Print a couple up and post them at your station so that others can benefit.  Perhaps you have a story you would like to share.  Get it to me and I’ll make sure to share your wealth.

YOU make the ride go faster.  YOU crank the tunes to ‘eleven’.  YOU make it a memorable moment for those riding on YOUR carnival ride today.

On to the submissions!

“If one of your firefighters gets into trouble, how are you going to get them out?”

Chief Reason Art Goodrich was once asked this question during a class taught by Rick Lasky.  “I left the class with a new found attitude,” Art relates. “I no longer viewed us as invincible. I no longer thought that we could get into any situation and get back out without assistance. It caused me to take a better look when I was doing size up at a scene.”  Art takes it a step further by focusing on a major flaw that many of us have in our wheelhouse.  What is that flaw?  Read about it here.

“You won’t be the best at everything, but no one is.”

Hydrant Girl is relatively new to the fire service and, thus, offers this unique perspective in her Sharing of the Wealth.  As you can see, it doesn’t take very long to be the recipient of some sage advice from the right person who told her, “Find what skills you can offer your team and work to strengthen them. You won’t be the best at everything, but no one is.” He went on to say that the best crews that he’s worked with worked together. They built on each others skills and were successful because they knew their strengths and weaknesses before they went in the fire rather then too late. “  Who said it to her and why?  Find out here.

“Looking back on it, the things we talked about that weekend were shown to us as being “fresh” ideas ten and even twenty years later.”

When I saw that Mick Mayers had offered up some of his wealth, I knew we all had struck gold.  In Firehouse Zen, Chief Mayers writes about leadership and attitude, two of the topics closest to my heart in the fire service.  In his article, Mick frames his story by reminding us that he has spent a bunch of time with nationally recognized fire service leaders and could have chosen from any of them when sharing his wealth.  Why then, does he tell us the story of the relatively unknown Chief Harry Diezel?  Because “he was able to inspire a young officer candidate in sixteen hours of a seminar, by exposing to him to the potential of emergency services from an entirely different model than ever envisioned.”  Read about how Chief Diezel was able to send Mick down this particular road in his article over at Firehouse Zen.

“Since I don’t have a juicy “moment of Zen” for you, I will instead give you some things I have learned along the way from some great guys.”

Hard to believe that you have never experienced a moment of Zen, Rhett.  Wait, I take that back.  Unencumbered by zenness, Rhett Fleitz AKA Fire Critic has instead offered up some pearls of wisdom he’s learned along his winding road in the fire service.  You may have heard of some of these before, but they are definitely worth a revisit.  Chances are, some of your rookies need to be exposed to these as well.  Read them here .  Thanks, “Big Toe!”

The message is simple, yet it is often forgotten. I use it to reign myself in when tension is high and focus is required.

Captain Joe Schmoe over at Report on Conditions offers up some words of wisdom which should be a part of everyone’s mindset.  Head on over to his site and read about what he is talking about.  As usual, all his stuff is spot on.  Bookmark his page and read it often.  Then come up with an adjective or two about his writing style and e-mail them to me.  It will help me describe to myself why I am so attracted to it. Dare ya!

“Who messed with my gear?” I yelled. No one looked up, busying themselves with putting on their turnouts

Rachel Smith is a wildland firefighter and graduate student studying fire ecology and community risk abatement at the University of California, Berkeley.  That’s what it says on her site, Flash Fuels at RachelCSmith.com. It should also say excellent writer.  Rachel tells the story of how, as a green rookie, she became acceptable as a member of her company and the necessity of reacting correctly to the traditional “tests” flung her way.  This is a “copy and save” article.  You will want to refer to it when it comes time for a young rookie to go through this mental obstacle course.  See it here.  Thanks, Rachel.  It blew me away!

“At the end of the day, when the alarm comes in, you’ll do your thing and I’ll do mine.”

The beauty of mining for these nuggets is that you never know what you will find.  Bill Carey over at BackstepFirefighter.com takes us down the road less travelled.  How?  As firefighters, we are constantly inundated with “Thou shalt’s”.  Well-meaning “experts” point to a particular method, procedure, tactic, or strategy that has worked exceedingly well.  For them.  While such advice is often valuable to some (or even many) Bill reminds us that we are all different, and we don’t necessarily fit into the cookie-cutter way of doing things.  Maybe we would do better by taking what we read, hear, and see and determine how it effects US and OUR organization before falling in lockstep behind it.  Very refreshing.  Like a glass of pineapple-mango juice.  Thanks, my friend!

Remember the Onion

My offering here at Fire Daily is simple.  Ever notice the guy who never really cooks?  Oh sure, he’s trying, he wants to do it right, but no one ever showed him how to do it.  Be the firefighter who has the ability to recognize, and the desire to help, a faltering member of your company.  Too often, we fall into some sort of competition, a race, in which we are not only better, but better than the next guy.  In my opinion, true leaders cast such competition aside, opting instead to mentor those nearby, ensuring that the end game results not in one winner, but a team of winners.  For Chissakes, show the idiot how to peel an onion before he hurts himself!

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So there you have it.  Thanks to all of you who Shared the Wealth this month.  We are now a little bit richer.  Keep feeding us, we are hungry for this stuff.

To our readers- if you found this valuable, promise us YOU will Share the Wealth.

YOU Create a ‘life memory”’ in a young firefighter’s life.  YOU teach them how this all works.

Make the “Zipper” go faster.  Crank the music to eleven.

Oh, yeah, almost forgot. Stay Stoked!

Posted in Administration & Leadership, Brotherhood, Command & Leadership, In Da House, Just For Fun, Tips and Tricks, Tradition

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Posted by on May 28, 2010 • 9 comments

Remember the Onion

Remember your first time?

(….I mean- cutting an onion)

Way back when, I learned how to correctly cut an onion from my friends at the firehouse.  Until then, I just hacked away at it mercilessly and with reckless abandon.

Hey!  Nice hatchet job there, Lizzie Borden.

If I wanted to dice an onion, I chopped it. If I wanted to slice an onion or mince an onion, I chopped it.  And if I was lucky, I was able to chop an onion when I actually needed some chopped onion.

I never really knew how to do it correctly, but I got by OK…. No matter how the onion pieces ended up I was still able to use them and still managed to get the job done.  It may not have been pretty- nothing like your guys picking some outer onion skin from the pasta sauce you served up that night.  And I managed to keep the blood out of the food, know what I’m saying?

Where am I going with this?

All I needed was someone to show me how.

Someone who could take 12 seconds out of their life to give me the direction necessary to get you to dice that onion just right.   Ahhh….

Once someone showed me the PROPER WAY, I was golden.  I never looked back.  No sauce was compromised, everyone’s dinner was not just good, it was damn nummy!

The key?  Someone took the time to show me the best way to get it done.

It made me better, it made us all better.

Remember the onion when you see a guy struggle with getting his gear on.  Maybe he doesn’t take the time to get his suspenders lined up for that quick pull-on.

Remember the onion if your partner continually shows up in the nick of time at the start of your shift leaving little room for error thereby showing disrespect for the off-going crews

Remember the onion if he doesn’t completely clear out all of the glass from the window during extrication.

Remember the onion if the new guy fumbles for his handlight because he’s got too much crap in his bunker pockets.

Remember the onion when your partner has trouble throwing a ladder because he isn’t grabbing it at the right points taking it off the truck.

If you take the time to give a quick hint or offer a helpful tip, you’re entire team has just improved.  While one member has become ever-so-slightly better at what he does, that just made you all better.  Show them how to show the next guy, and so on.

It means the difference between just getting the job done somehow- and getting the job done right.

Which would you rather do?

Remember the onion.

Stay Stoked!

-J

Posted in Command & Leadership, In Da House, Tips and Tricks, Tradition

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Posted by on May 28, 2010 • 4 comments

First Due Blog Carnival 3rd Edition: Call for Submissions

Wow!

Thanks to my FireEMSBlogs.com partner Bill Carey of Backstep Firefighter for hosting the second edition of the First Due Blog Carnival.  The topic was “Influential Fire Reports” and several top notch contributors stepped up with gripping stories, some painfully personal.  The result was an absolutely superb collection of “must-read” articles for firefighters worldwide.  Check them out here.  Thanks, Bill!

With the April edition of the First Due Blog Carnival complete, it’s time now to begin collecting your submissions for this month’s topic: Sharing the Wealth.  Whether young or “seasoned”, career or volunteer, rural or urban, each of us has seen or heard something which changed the way we personally approach firefighting.

Maybe we learned it from a wise captain, or picked up something during a training session.  Maybe we witnessed something on an emergency scene.  Maybe we learned from an informal debate around the kitchen table.  Maybe someone pulled you aside and whispered something in confidence which made you think how you could handle the next situation more easily, more effectively, more safely.

These are valuable gems which, until now, have been been mined on an individual level.  Now it’s time to “Share the Wealth”. Let others benefit from your treasure.  Share with us the pearls of wisdom which you found to be invaluable in your quest to be the best firefighter you can be.  Together, we can multiply their effects and allow others access to our individual treasures.

As you relate your story, please include the circumstances under which you encountered the information (fire scene, day room, local bar) and from whom the information was obtained.  Be sure to include any pertinent links or photos. Most importantly, let us know how it changed the way you personally operate and why. It’s hard not to get excited about how this may turn out- with your help.

Submit your story by Wednesday, May 26 so I can get them out right before Memorial Day weekend on this site.  If you don’t have a blog, drop me a line at blog@firedaily.com and I’ll be honored to guest-post your submission.

Thanks for doing your part in Sharing the Wealth!

Posted in Change, In Da House, Just For Fun, Tips and Tricks, Tradition

Posted by on May 2, 2010 • 6 comments

Open Phones Night over at Firefighter NetCast- Tuesday at 9pm ET

Firefighter Netcast is live again this Tuesday night at 9pm ET.  Join me and my co-host Rhett Fleitz (FireCritic) for the first “Open Phones Night” in which you- the caller- decide the direction of discussion.

As usual, Rhett and I will have our own takes on a few of the more interesting and notable firefighter stories out there.  We’ll also have a new Training Drill Bit as well as another look at the upcoming events at FDIC in Indianapolis in April.

Join us to participate either by phone or in the live chat room, or feel free to just listen in.

Of course, if you can’t join us live, we’ll always be available at iTunes where you can subscribe to our show and download past shows to your iPod or other mP3 player to listen to at your leisure.

All the information can be found at the Firefighter NetCast website.

Posted in NetCast, Tips and Tricks, Training, training-fire-rescue-topics

Posted by on February 21, 2010 • No 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, Leadership, Line of Duty, LODD, NetCast, News, Tips and Tricks, Training, Training & Development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Videos

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Posted by on January 13, 2010 • No 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 on January 11, 2010 • No 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 on January 10, 2010 • No comments

Fire YesterDaily- “Da Chief”

Der Tannenbaum ist lit.  Der blogmeisterberger ist lit too.

As we approach the end of the year, the crack staff here at FireDaily has taken advantage of the open bar.  What better time than now to return to the thrilling days of YesterMonth for the third installment of “Two Thousand and Nine Favorite FireDaily Blog Posts from 2009”.

In case you missed the first two, you can find them here:

#2009-  Got a Bad Attitude?  Stay at Home!

#2008- 30 Minutes a Week of Training is Unfair and “Unreal”

#2007- “Da Chief”

Sometimes the Fire Gods might truly smile down upon you.  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… (full post here)

In the meantime, we’d better get the rest of the bar checked out.  I’ll put some more ice on….

Posted in Chicagoland, In Da House, Leadership, Tips and Tricks, Tradition, Training

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Posted by on December 17, 2009 • No comments

The Ghosts of Fires Past

In January of 2002, a fatal fire broke out in the Plaza on DeWitt condominium hi-rise at 260 East Chestnut in Chicago.  In that fire several firefighters were injured and residents were rescued from the building’s roof where they were forced to flee to escape severe smoke conditions.

A few mornings ago as reported here on Fire Daily, history repeated itself.  As the first brutally cold and windy night of winter charged into the city, fully one-third of the on-duty personnel of Chicago’s firefighters were again called to the Plaza on DeWitt.  The 36th floor fire was again fatal; again eight firefighters were injured; several residents again were rescued from the building’s roof where they were forced to escape severe smoke conditions.

A little over a week ago on December 3, we all took pause to remember the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse fire of ten years ago.  Six firefighters lost their lives that day on an interior rescue for squatters believed to be inside the old building.

Yesterday, history again repeated itself.

A two-alarm blaze in a vacant South Boston warehouse yesterday was eerily reminiscent of the Worcester fire.  Boston Fire Rescue Company 1 was advised that the building was known to be occupied by squatters and people may be trapped inside.  They entered, split into two groups and began their search.  Two of Boston’s bravest tripped and fell into FOUR FEET of standing water during the effort.

One of the firefighters was able to feel his way up some stairs and found the lone occupant who had become disoriented in the heavy smoke conditions.  That firefighter, 63-year old John Smith, a FORTY YEAR VETERAN FIREFIGHTER. led the man outside to waiting EMS workers.

The report from the Boston Globe describes the scene:

“Fire officials said the rescued man was one of several people living in the warehouse. Inside the building, an intricately organized squatters’ residence could be seen, with beds, televisions, microwaves, and even a stocked kitchen setup, complete with a spice rack. Fire officials said yesterday that the legally vacant building was even wired for electricity.

South Boston is home to an array of warehouses and industrial-type buildings, and fire officials know that homeless people gather here.

“Since Worcester, there’s been a heightened awareness among firefighters’’ as they go about their searches,” (Boston Fire Department Spokesman Steve) MacDonald said.

Smith said his crew stayed focused on saving anyone who might be inside the warehouse yesterday. “This is a prime spot for homeless people at this time of year,’’ he said. “Inside these buildings, they can set up quite a bit of housekeeping and stay there for quite some time.’’

The firefighters in Massachusetts and Chicago have witnessed history repeating itself.

Because they applied knowledge gained from these previous incidents, they were better prepared to handle the next incident.

Here is tangible proof that the Worcester 6 an others like them have not died in vain.

We have learned from their tragedy and all become better prepared to handle the next call where history will invariably repeat itself.

Again.

Stay stoked!

-J

Posted in Chicagoland, Close Calls, Major Incidents, News, Rescues, Tips and Tricks, Tradition, Training, training-fire-rescue-topics

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Posted by on December 14, 2009 • 4 comments

To Daddy’s Little Girl’s Daddys Everywhere

Found this at Justin M. Roslevich’s site on FirefighterNation.com. I haven’t seen it for awhile, but I’m going to be needing it again in a few years…


APPLICATION TO DATE MY DAUGHTER

Note: This application will be incomplete and rejected unless accompanied by a complete financial statement, job history, lineage, and current medical report from your physician.

1.   What are your name, nickname or alias, age, social security number, IQ and Boy Scout rank?

2.   Do you own or have access to a van?

3.   A truck with oversize tires?

4. A waterbed?

5.   Do you have an earring, nose ring, or belly button ring?        Why ??

6.   Do you have a pierced tongue or pierced anything?               Why ??

*If you have answered YES to #2, #3, #4, #5, or #6- discontinue application and leave immediately.*

7.   In fifty words or less, on a separate sheet of paper, what does LATE mean to you?
8.   In fifty words or less, on a separate sheet of paper, what does DON’T TOUCH MY DAUGHTER mean to you?
9.   In fifty words or less, on a separate sheet of paper, what does ABSTINENCE mean to you?
10. In fifty words or less, on a separate sheet of paper, what does REAL PAIN mean to you?
11. Church/Temple/House of Worship you attend:
12. How often do you attend?
13. When would be the best time to interview your mother, father and priest/rabbi/minister?
14. If I were shot, the last place on my body I would want wounded would be my:
15. If I were beaten, the last bone I would want broken would be my:

16. The one thing I hope this application doesn’t ask is:
17. Now answer question 16:
18. When I meet a girl, the one thing I always notice about her first is:
*Note: If answer to last question begins with “T” or “A”, discontinue and leave premises – keeping your head low and running in a serpentine fashion is advised*

19. What do you want to be IF you grow up?

I swear that all the above information is correct to the best of my knowledge under penalty of death, bodily harm, dismemberment, Native American ant torture, crucifixion, electrocution, Chinese water torture, red hot pokers, the Hillary Clinton kiss torture and mental abuse including listening continuously to music you hate the most.


Signature of applicant _________________________________
Signature of father _____________________________________
Signature of mother ____________________________________
Signature of priest/rabbi/minister ___________________________________
Signature of State Representative _________________________


Thank you for your interest (and it had better be genuine and non-sexual). Please allow 4-6 years for processing. You will be contacted in writing if approved. Please do not try to call or write (since you probably can’t, and it would cause you injury). If denied, you will be notified by two men wearing white ties answering to the names GUIDO and LOUIE and never ever apply again. Don’t call me, I’ll call you.


Daddy’s 10 Rules of Dating

1. If you pull into my driveway and honk, you’d better be delivering a package – because you’re sure not picking anything up.

2. You do not touch my daughter in front of me. You may glance at her so long as you do not peer at anything below her neck. If you cannot keep your eyes or hands off my daughter’ body, I will remove them permanently.

3. I am aware that it is considered fashionable for boys your age to wear their trousers so loose that they appear to be falling off their hips. Please don’t take this as an insult, but you and all your friends are complete idiots. Still, I want to be fair and open-minded about this issue, so I propose this compromise: You may come to the door with your underwear showing and your pants ten sizes too big, and I will not object. However, in order to insure that your clothes do not, in fact, come off during the course of your date with my daughter, I will take my electric nail gun and fasten your trousers in place.

4. I’m sure you’ve been told that in today’s world having sex without using a “barrier method” of some sort can kill you. Let me elaborate: when it comes to sex with my daughter, I am the barrier … and I am the one who will do the killing.

5. It is generally understood that in order for us to get to know each other, we should talk about sports, politics and other issues of the day. Please do not do this. The only information I require from you is an indication of when you expect to have my daughter safely back at my house, and the only answer I need from you on this subject is “Early.”

6. I have no doubt that you are a popular fellow with many opportunities to date other girls. This is fine with me as long as it is okay with my daughter. Otherwise, once you have gone out with my little girl, you will continue to date no one but her until she is finished with you. If you make her cry, I will make you cry.

7. As you stand in my front hallway waiting for my daughter to appear, even if more than an hour goes by, do not sigh and fidget. If you want to be on time for the movie, you should not be dating. My daughter is putting on her makeup and fixing her hair, a process that can take longer than painting the Golden Gate Bridge. Instead of just standing there, why don’t you do something useful like changing the oil in my car?

8. The following locations are not appropriate for a date with my daughter: Places where there are beds, sofas, or anything softer than a wooden stool; Places where there is darkness; Places where there is dancing, holding hands, or happiness; Places where the ambient temperature is warm enough to induce my daughter to wear shorts, tank tops, midriff t-shirts or anything other than overalls, a sweater, and a goose down parka zipped up to her throat. Movies with strong romantic or sexual themes are to be avoided. Movies which feature chainsaws are okay. Hockey games are okay. Old folks’ homes are better.

shotgun

9. Do not lie to me. I may appear to be a potbellied, balding, dim-witted has-been. But on issues relating to my daughter, I am the all-knowing, merciless God of your universe. If I ask you where you are going and with whom, you have one chance to tell me the truth and nothing but the truth. I have a shotgun, a shovel, plenty of stripping holes and know enough important people in three counties.. Do not trifle with me.

10. Be afraid. Be very afraid. The voices in my head frequently tell me to clean the guns as I wait for you to bring my daughter home. As soon as you pull in front of my house, you should exit the vehicle with both hands in plain sight. Speak the perimeter password, announce in a clear voice that you have brought my daughter home safely and early, and then return to your vehicle. There is no need for you to come inside. The camouflaged face at the window is mine.


PLEASE NOTE:
My daughter claims it embarrasses her to find me attempting to get her date to recite these ten simple rules from memory. I’d be embarrassed too — there are only ten of them, for crying out loud! And, for the record, I did NOT suggest to one of these cretins that I’d have these rules tattooed on his arm if he couldn’t remember them. (I checked into it and the cost is prohibitive.) I merely told him that I thought writing the rules on his arm with a ball point pen or permanent marker might be inadequate — ink washes off — and that my soldering irons were probably better alternatives.


I Am a Firefighter:

1) I once broke a man’s sternum by accident while doing CPR to save his life. If that’s how I help people, what do you think I do when I’m pissed off?
2) I investigate arson fires. I know exactly what clues to look for to prove it was arson. I also know how to make sure nobody can tell how a fire started… and I know where you live. Remember Backdraft?
3) I’ve worked more car accidents than you’ll ever see. The sight of blood doesn’t bother me one little bit unless its my daughters.
4) Its normal for me to carry chainsaws, axes, and various other extremely sharp tools in my car … tick me off and me and you are going for a little ride.
5) When we burn down a house for training, nobody ever looks in the closets.
6) I use the Jaws of Life to tear doors off wrecked cars. They cut though solid metal like a hot knife through butter. So watch your paws or get the jaws.
7) Sirens and air horns can really muffle the sounds of someone screaming.
8) My friends are state troopers, local cops, paramedics, dispatchers or firefighters. WE ARE 911. If you make me mad, who do you think you’re going to call for help?
9) I am trained in WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) and I have access to explosives.
10) I am well trained in emergency medicine. I know exactly which arteries are the easiest to sever and which ones bleed the most. (Remember all the sharp tools?)

Posted in Just For Fun, Tips and Tricks

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Posted by on December 1, 2009 • No comments

Best Practices: Strive to Stay Under the Radar

Posted in Just For Fun, Tips and Tricks

Posted by on November 25, 2009 • No comments

Handerpants

Sometimes I feel the need to “glove up” when not at work, know what I mean?

Want a pair?   Really?   Wow, OK.  Click the pic…

Posted in EMS Health & Safety, H1N1 Flu Pandemic, Just For Fun, Tips and Tricks

Posted by on November 17, 2009 • 3 comments

Dancing Firefighter Robot Helps Protect Chief’s Boot Tassles

The fire service has always been able to look toward the military as a source of methods and ideas in meeting the challenges both face. What’s next on the horizon?

Enter “Big Dog”.

Big Dog is the newest entry into robotic assistance to the foot soldier. Imagine the possibilities for such a buddy on the fireground:

1. Big Dog could hump the supply line while the firefighter who forgot to tag the hydrant can run ahead and prepare for connection.

2. When it comes to RIT activities, Big Dog can be pre-supplied with all the equipment necessary whilst staging close to the potential entry point.

3. Four Big Dogs together can each hold a corner of a rescue net to catch jumping fire victims, constantly adjusting their position based upon facial recognition technology of the terrified occupant readying their decent.

4. Fitted with a “Chief Seat” ala Captain Kirk’s on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise, Big Dog can give the Incident Commander or Safety Officer complete mobility around any fire scene, effectively negotiating the pile of spaghetti hose, hard-working firefighters, piles of dog crap, and those annoying puddles of water that are so damn destructive to fire chief’s bunker boots with tassels.

5. Back at the station, during those slow times when firefighters get bored and invariably turn to a video camera for merriment, Big Dog can join in as firemen try to improve what they think are their best dance moves as they prepare for the new NBC show “So, You Want To Dance With a Firefighter?”

Like some firefighters, Big Dog might currently be too slow, too large, and in need of constant manipulation by his crew. It still takes Big Dog a long time to get dressed up in all his gear, rarely making the 60-second threshold of his peers.

He seems to let off plenty of gas, too.  He’ll fit right in!

But he is already advanced enough to be able to mimic some firefighters by the sheer noise he  emits when pressed into action at “the big one.”

Help me, I can’t stop- there are so many possibilities!

Care to offer more?

-Stay stoked!

-J

Posted in Change, Firefighting Operations, Just For Fun, Technology & Communications, Tips and Tricks

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Posted by on November 12, 2009 • No comments

The Latest Chirp on Twitter Lists

Twitter’s new Lists feature is all the rage right now.

Essentially, a list is just a grouping of Twitter users, all of whom may be followed in one click. They may be created by any user, although Twitter is currently limiting a user to 20 lists and capping the number of tweeters on a list at 500. So, if I create a list called “Best Firefighters on Twitter,” I could group a few players into a list, and blam-o, if anyone wants to follow that entire list located on my Twitter page, he or she may do so.

There are probably already millions of lists, and that number is growing by the minute (or second). So what are people using all these lists for? Are people creating lists just for the sake of creating lists? Savvy individuals are looking for ways to use lists to further their personal/professional agendas, and while we are all still learning how to harness the power of this new feature, here are a few ideas to get the creative juices flowing.

1. Firefighting (or Paramedic, EMS, Rescue) Topics- Check those you already follow and pull out the ones that fit into your specific category. Once you have developed your list, offer to share it with others. Feel free to link to my list in case you’re not into reinventing the wheel.

2. If you’re an expert at a certain topic, say, truck work, create a list of fellow experts on twitter and name it “expert truckies”. Not only do your fellow twitters gain online visibility, but you gain credibility as leader in that field as well by creating the list and offering it out to your peers.

3. Location Based links- Create a list of everyone in your geographical area with similar interests. Again, you will have created a valuable resource to utilize for things important to your area, as well as having something of value to offer your partners.

Need more information? Check out this article. Also, FireCritic recently posted a blog on the site WeFollow. I’ve found another great site called Listorious that is useful for finding lists that already exist.

Posted in Change, Just For Fun, Tips and Tricks

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Posted by on November 4, 2009 • No comments

"The Head Rule"

When I joined the fire service “a couple of years ago”, my mentor was a wise young captain. He offered up what he called the “Head Rule”. It is something I have made a point to pass along to all probies struggling to find their fit in this great service:

“You’ve got two eyes and two ears; keep ‘em open. You have a nose, keep it clean. But above all, keep your mouth shut!”

The fiasco in DC that burned our brothers on video (see STATter911.com) is still with us as mouths remain open and the yammering intensifies. DC Fire & EMS Chief Dennis Rubin should have enough experience to know better than to extend the story with what came bubbling out of his mouth during an interview with Ed Comeau of Campus-Firewatch.com.

According to Comeau, the Chief said it “looked like a comedy act”.  It is a comment he still stands by today in a video update by STATter911.

A wordsmith he was not and his choice of verbiage may have caused more harm than the embarrassing incident of which he was referring.  Who wouldn’t expect a vocal and public outcry from the firefighters accompanied by a blistering response from President Raymond Sneed of IAFF Local 36

Imagine you are a DC firefighter. How does this make you feel about your leader?  What effect do these perceptions have within the group? What discipline would have been handed down if the Chief himself wasn’t involved?

There is a lot of blame to go around at all levels. We can all learn from the mistakes made here. As we mature in the fire service, we will come to learn that we always gain more by criticizing the act rather than the individual.

To his credit, Rubin “assumes full responsibility” for what happened. Stuff like no safety officer for the event, no pre-incident briefing, lack of use of a required check-off list, and he himself calling for the backup line which was never charged.  I’ve seen for myself many a time where a Chief would drop his people like a prom dress.  Thankfully, it appears this isn’t the case.  But this nightmare had an end in sight and it should have been left alone.

It Didn’t Have to Happen

With all the outcry from the initial story, it began to look like the story had run it’s course.  But, the “looked like a comedy act” remark now makes Rubin fair game. It just didn’t have to happen.

According to Department spokesman Pete Piringe, Rubin is said to be out of town and unavailable for comment.

Good. This fuel has been taken away and now the fire can be extinguished.

Maybe the “Head Rule” can finally be enacted.

-J

Posted in Leadership, Tips and Tricks, WTF?

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Posted by on October 14, 2009 • No comments

A New Weapon for Hi-Rise Fires-The Hero Pipe

Mount a Master Stream Attack from the Exterior Regardless of Height.

FireDaily has learned that the Chicago Fire Department has been testing a new tool for hi-rise fires. It’s called The Hero Pipe, and it looks very interesting. This nifty device offers an additional tactical option: with access to the floor below the fire floor, you can now mount a master stream attack from the exterior regardless of height.

Some of you may remember the Cook County Building fire at 69 W. Washington St. back in 2003. Master streams were initially ineffective due to the height of the fire floor (12th). The only other alternative was to mount an interior attack with handlines.

After the fire, I was able to talk with the guys in there on those lines. Every single guy I spoke with told me they had never been in a hotter fire- ever. More than one shared the thought that they knew they were not going home that day. They were literally tasked to put out the fire from inside the oven.  Eventually they were forced out and aerial master streams were able to be placed and used with efficacy.

Less than a year later, CFD had the LaSalle Bank fire on the 26th floor, out of reach of ladder company master streams. After an unsuccessful interior attack — again turned back because of high heat and flames — firefighters set up master streams on adjacent rooftops to put enough water through the 26th floor windows to cool the fire so an interior attack could be made.

Perhaps there is a better way.  According to The Hero Pipe website:

With as little as a two person team, the HERO PIPE can be set up for action in minutes. Once the proper attack points have been determined the aluminum manifold is secured to the sill using the rapid action lever clamps. If no sill is available, rest it directly on the floor at any outside wall or directly on the floor. Then secure with a patented hydraulic system between the floor and the ceiling.

The HERO PIPE was created by a veteran fire fighter with 20 years experience in downtown Chicago who recognized the limited capabilities when battling modern high-rise fires. Their product has been chosen as a finalist at the 2009 Chicago Innovation Awards being held on a week from Tuesday at the Goodman Theater in Chicago. Good luck, guys!

Toss this idea in with all the others in my cabinet labeled “Why Didn’t I Think of That?” Anyone have any experience with this device? Let me know!

FireDaily.com has no financial interest in this product.

-J

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Posted in Chicagoland, Tips and Tricks

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Posted by on October 9, 2009 • 9 comments

Fire Daily is Looking for Your Winter Tips and Tricks

frozen

 

It’s Coming!

Up here in the northern climes, winter is a season to be reckoned with.  On the fireground, envy the firefighter who has thought ahead. 

Perhaps you have some tips to offer, or things you consider necessary to carry in your pockets or on your rig.

Share your best so that your brothers and sisters can benefit from your wisdom!

 

bn39jqsikz

Posted in Tips and Tricks

Posted by on October 5, 2009 • No comments

Tips and Tricks Tuesday

Today’s tip comes from our friends at VentEnterSearch.com  There’s all sorts of different ways to “smoke up” someone’s mask for training. This one from Firefighter Jason Zamarron from Grand Rapids Fire offers the greatest sense of realism bar none.  pressandseal3 All he did was cut some Glad Press-N-Seal to size and stuck it on the outside of the mask. As you can see in the second picture it gives a somewhat distorted smoke type of view, but still offers opaque light- which we all use inside a working fire.  Not enough obscurity?   Use two.  Catch a run during training?  Peel it off and away you go. 

Thanks Jason, and thanks to VentEnterSearch.com  .  It’s a kick-ass site for everyone, especially truckies!

Click here to share your tips and tricks!

Posted in Tips and Tricks, Training

Posted by on September 29, 2009 • No comments