The alarm rang at 0600. Tom normally got up at this time. He kissed his wife while she slept and checked the kids. He put on his running shoes and headed off to the park that was near the station
Capt. PJ Johnson, of the Kittery, ME Fire Department and Vice President of New england FOOLS, sent us this very simple yet durable tool grip modification. In great detail Capt. Johnson explains the 14 step process....
In this article submitted to us by Kevin Keating of the First State FOOLS we take a look at a way to use some material from Turn Out gear that is no longer in service. Prior to disposal or destruction take a minute to look at this information.
The morning of our last day at North Bend, we were standing in a burn room when one of our instructors began to write in the heavily caked soot on the wall. DTRT, EGH, FTM-PTB, KTF, RFB. The other firefighters nodded in approval while us recruits were, for par, clueless. As he wrote, the atmosphere changed among us, as if something sacred was passing through, and we recruits knew that, whatever those letters meant, we hadn’t yet earned the right to know.....
This ended up being long but please read it may help save your life if you get stung by a bee.
When I say bees I mean the yellow/black flying insects that nest in the ground. I was on duty and we got a call about a tree that had fallen into some power lines and was on fire. When we got on scene we had a tree leaning on 2 wires burning a little. The power company got there pretty quickly and shut off the power. Then the base of the tree cut so it would fall off the wires. When it hit the ground it must have landed on the nest. I went to the tree to make sure it was not going to keep burning and I felt something stick my hand. I thought it was a thorn and kept checking the tree. I felt some more stings and noticed the bees on the ground and flying around me. At this point I got out of there.
It's 2:00am, you're a lieutenant on a rescue squad returning from an alarm on the other end of the city when you notice smoke showing from a three story residential building. As you get out of the squad you are met by a hysterical woman who states her son is trapped in a bedroom on the third floor. Faced with an immediate life rescue situation, you transmit a first alarm and enter the building with your firefighter for an aggressive interior search. As you make the third floor you encounter moderate heat and smoke, you hear calls for help and locate an adult male in a rear bedroom. As you prepare to remove the victim, the hallway lights up forcing you back into the room. Second due companies are still enroute and fire is threatening your location………
I know that kind of sounds funny but sometimes that is just what we need. Leadership from the bottom refers to the example that the probationary firefighter, or the intern, or the recruit or whoever can set by doing his job to the fullest.
Someone once said a smart person has knowledge, a wise person shares knowledge. Everyone learns through sharing of knowledge and experience. No one benefits more from this sharing than the “rookie”.
“Fireman?”Can we still use that term in the world of political correctness?You are probably telling yourself that we are all firefighters, and guess what?You’re right.But there are still firemen out there and better yet, there are still firemen coming up through the ranks.These firemen have nothing to do with being a man.This title does not recognize gender or race, not even your pension status.In fact some of the firemen that I respect the most may be sisters.......
As firefighters travel in search of more knowledge for this great profession you come across great “Tips” or “Tricks” to help get you and your crew home safe after every job. I have been fortunate enough to come across several of these tips over the years. Nationally known instructors from all over the country have taught these tips at H.O.T. classes and conventions for years. All with the same goal in mind, to make sure we all Go Home Safe! Instructors such as Lombardo, Dugan, Goldfeder, Pressler, Ciampo, Dodson, and Laskey, have made every effort to impart lessons they have learned to us, to make a safer fireground. The following list is a compilation of the Tips and Tricks I have picked up from these fire service legends in hopes that others may also learn them and pass them on.
