robert benz

from what i can see or cant see no scuttles or skylightes no reason to be on that type of roof. I am wondering how many of the firefighters reading this would go up there with a saw and start cutting??

I will take a shot at this, I dont like the term great firefighter, I will hit it as what is a good firefighter, someone who comes prepared to do whatever needs to be done without being told when to do it. A good firefighter doesnt shirk his duties, firehouse, fire scene, or fire dept function. He is quick to share his knowledge, and what he doesnt know he asks or finds out. He is the guy you can always count on to remain calm, yet be able to break tension in a moment. Like was said he has a real feel for the job, and doesnt act like the fire service owes him anything. We have a ton of "good guys", but as I told a graduating class of probies, if after you end your career you are remembered as a "good firefighter" you did the right thing while you served.

yup nothing new and stinks like hell

ok you have my interest peaked, so as a shift commander, do all your vol. houses have set shifts? are you required to sign up for "X" number of shifts per month? what happens if the shifts are not covered? If every shift is always covered, maybe it should be looked into for depts having trouble getting out.

how do you go from being a vol firefighter to a paid fire lt? arent you missing a step somewhere in between?

How many of us have had apparatus at block parties, fundraisers, whatever and had kids climbing on the rig. http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/nbh/2010/04/25-20/Rolling-fire-engine-with-8-kids-onboard-hits-tree.html?ne=1

I have read your reply, sorry i am going to disagree on a couple of points. A firefighter isnt as good as the tools he has on his back or in his hands it is the tool on his shoulders. This member who did this act of entering the structure, I would hope, as a firefighter, used all his training in evaluating the situation, judged the risk vs benefit, and did what his firefighting background allowed him to do. Turnout gear doesnt make you a firefighter, it is whats inside that makes you a firefighter. This member of the fire service / ems did a hell of a job. And thats what separates us from the rest of the world. GOOD JOB AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING A POSITIVE STORY ABOUT EMERGENCY SERVICES.

Ok group, what bailout system if any, is your dept using. Likes / dislikes so far, would you change if YOU had the say. Thanks for any input.

Thanks for your input Mike, Let me know how you make out deciding what type of bag you are going to get

thanks this is what i am looking for input. Anybody using a lumbar bag yet? is anybody using the STERLING F4 ?

In the early 80's when McDonalds went to the new style buildings, they started using truss const. I was told in classes that this type (lightweight truss) was now refered to as Mcdonalds construction. So 30 yrs goes by and firefighters have to die in a lightweight building. It has been told to me that the Fire Dept knew not to send members ONTO the roof of the fire building (McDonalds) because of the truss construction, but sent members UNDER the roof into the building. The roof did what it was expected to do and members died. We have to be smarter than this. As a side note it has also been passed down to me that McDonalds does not carry fire insurance on their buildings. Dont know how true that is but if it is, they already know it is a disposable piece of property, and the only ones who care about saving anything will be us, treat it like a car fire, no life hazard, no reason to get anyone hurt for something that wont be recognizable by the end of the week.

couple of things i have to rebutt, 1. Most of the time routine, is what gets things accomplished on the fire ground. If shooting from the hip becomes the norm, then anything anyone does can be conscrued as the right thing to do. 2. Isn't thinking outside the box saying/asking "WHY"? 3. And I agree there are very few "always" and "nevers" 4. I will take your advise and watch out for the paper cuts and possible amputation as i sit behind my desk and type this.

The key word you used is "whoever". is there to collect them, what if the first to arrive is ready to advance into the structure, and the safety officer or the "whoever" guy isnt standing by the front door, who does the officer give his cluster of tags to? and if it is the safety officer, you stated he has a board, is that next to the front door also, the safety officer by definition should have a bigger role than just collecting tags. Also what happens with a crew taking a ground ladder to the rear, do they have to stop by the front door first with the ladder before proceeding. I understand the tag system, having good accountability is very important, but it is so much deeper than just tags. here is the scenario, your "whoever" guy did a good job of collecting tags, hell he has twenty of them, then there is a mayday over the radio, just one, no name given, please someone tell me how the twenty tags collected are going to help identify the member down as opposed to any other method, PAR, rollcall or whatever you call it. I do like you your faith in the "it must work sometimes or so many depts wouldnt be using it theory"

I would have to think that highway oriented police officers would be more than capable of operations. That said, how many pd officers get struck as to fd members while operating on the highway? More calls equal more exposure to the risks. That being said, we have 2 different jobs while on the highway, yet the same responsibility to make it home alive after the call. I always hear about the traffic delay that the Fd can cause by blocking a lane(s), yet when the pd has to do their job of reconstructing an accident scene, the whole roadway can be shut down for as long as needed. Why? Because it is safer to do so!! So the bottom line is the safest way to handle the scene, should be the most important decision made by PD/FD/EMS.

I am asking for input for this topic. What I am looking for is a list of tips that we cant find in the books that work on the fireground. this could help everybody at sometime in thier career. No particular order at this point, if you have something share it with the rest of the crowd. GROUND LADDERS All ground ladders should be marked at the balance point for one man carries Whoever has the Butt / foot of the ladder in a 2 man carry should anounce it so as you are approaching the building there is no confusion as to where it should be placed, and also so it cant get put upside down. That could never happen lol

found this to be a easy way of tracking when our scba's need to be tested. I didnt think of it just passing it along scba colors.pdf

Good point Mike.

rubberband for your helmet is a must, wood chocks, get the carpenter in your dept to cut up a bucket full and they should be readily available for the members. Keep the chocks on your helmet where you can get to it, WITH A GLOVED HAND. next time you are training in full gear, crawling around see how difficult it can be to reach into your pocket with your gloves on to get ANYTHING out of your coat or pants. Along with that thinking, so guys I know carry a knife and or cutters on the outside of their coat, same reason as above.

seeing the pic of the hydro ram in the bag, put a strap on it and it can be carried over the shoulder freeing up a hand and get rid of the rubber mallet and train your members how to finese the tool where you want it to go with the halligan to gap the door for a purchase point or "tapping" the back of the ram with a flathead axe. Also the dump valve on the hydro-ram has a tendency to stick, you should always give it a push closed everytime you use it. It will work fine until you put it under a load,and in a smoky condition you might not notice that it isnt working.

also for you ems folks i am sure one of you could start the same kind of topic and get a million street smart tips to share pump ops I teach that the pump operator needs to know the following; what nozzle is attached fog / smooth bore 100/50 psi what size line street friction loss 15 lbs per 100' 2.5' approx 250gpm 20 lbs per 100' 2" approx 180-200 gpm 30 lbs per 100' 1.75" approx. 150 gpm how many lengths any head press to deal with what outlet is it attached only then can you come up with a pump pressure that will be in the ballpark to assist you i cringe when i am @ the fire academy and ask the MPO what are you pumping at and I get a number, and when asked how did you get it, the response is we always pump that. unless of course i left out a step above

I do not believe the dept has to accept anything just because you bought it, that is a very broad statement to make.

here are some steps that need addressing and some already have determine what kind of elevator you are being called to work on you may only have a hydro, but does your mutual aid area have traction elevators? do you have the keys to open all the doors you may come across? where is the elevator stuck? is it a true emergency ie medical call or just a stuck occupied elevator? do you have an sop for lock out tag out? ANY elevator you are going to work on MUST have the power shut off before starting any evolution.This is probably the most important thing you have to do. with that said do you leave a member at the shut off, (in the old days we always took the fuses out and put them in our pockets), do you shut it off and lock it out so no one else can put it back on, or do you just assume because you shut it off that no one else is in the building answering the same call: IE: building maint, PD, elevator repairman who might turn it back on for whatever reason. how many people are in the elevator? involves making contact with the occupants and possably calming them down BEFORE any attempt to open doors where is the car in relation to the floor is there a fall hazard into the shaft by ANYONE FD or OCCUPANT UPON REMOVAL a little giant ladder/ closet ladder is standard on all our responses to help remove occupants how good are you at getting the doors open practice makes perfect AND PLAN B FOR THAT ONE IN A HUNDRED CALL WHERE NOTHING YOU PRACTICED WORKED This is just a quick overview some steps were already mention in previous posts I am sure i left out something along the way

as was stated already contact Mike Dragonetti @ dragonrescue.com for excellent classroom and hands on training

cross trained by who? to what level? are they county employees? is it like the fire brigade for west county? never gave it any thought before now you have my interest, any help