Never Forgetting and Always Learning

Here is a great reason to be healthy and safe at work everyday.  If this video doesn't make you think, or want to get home to your family, quit reading the blog and turn in your boots because this job isn't for you.......




This video gives some great ways we can control our own destiny sometimes.  Wear your PPE, Wear your seatbelt, don't be complacent, honor those who have come before, such simple commands on the surface, but so difficult to follow and live by once we are work.  Please take some time out of your day to watch this video, it is great.  This video comes from a large department whose leader put out an incredible letter a few years ago to his firefighters when he was first hired.  I think from the outside at least it appears he gets it.
  Here is the Letter



I like many of the points that he makes, and most of them you could and should apply to your department.  Once again thanks for reading, in the meantime Stay Safe and Stay Trained.

Haz-Mat Awareness

This video shows a horrific accident in what appears to be a rural area. The Police officer obviously doesn't see whats going on and it costs him his life. I think the fire department makes some pretty great moves to get the victims out of the environment, and having been around an ammonia leak, I'm sure they were taking a beating in their gear. How would you react as the first in engine crew here? What resources do you need, and more importantly where would you get them from? This video just makes you think about how we respond each day and we never may know what's waiting for us when we get there.  Until the next time folks......

Worcester LODD

I want to send out my thoughts and prayers to the WFD and the family of Jon Davies, who was tragically lost last week in an apartment fire.  If you haven't already go over to Statter911.com and catch the audio of the fire.  To me it sounded like they faced a bunch of obstacles that were insurmountable in the end.  The RIT team did remove one downed Firefighter which is a small victory in a time of such sorrow.  Also, I repeat what I have always said, let's not judge, let's learn.  Fellow blogger the Backstep Firefighter put it great in his post:

 http://backstepfirefighter.com/2011/12/09/too-soon/

So let's not be Captain anonymous and Firefighter Hindsight as he says, let's see what we can learn from the tragedy.  Have a great weekend folks......Stay safe and Stay trained.

New Technology

In firefighting we are always presented with new technology, which claims to make our job safer and easier.  Look at TIC's for example, a great piece of technology but only when it works.  The point I'm trying to make is that no matter what technology they come out with, we still need to remember the basics of our job.  As I looked over one of my favorite websites today, I saw fellow blogger Dave Statter had posted a link to a story on a new firefighter location technology.

Here's the link: http://statter911.com/2011/12/05/video-mfri-trx-systems-demonstrate-tracking-system/

 This technology claims to be able to help us locate firefighters inside of buildings even when there is no GPS signal.  This is a huge step forward, but many questions still remain like: Where will the equipment mount? How will it hold up to high heat and the abuse of firefighters? How much is it? just to name a few.  It appears to work very well in the video, but you never know until the units are in the field and firefighters wearing them.  I truly do look forward to this technology advancing and hopefully interfacing into the fire service everywhere.
That brings me to my main point, we can't forget the basics.  Even with high tech firefighter locators, you have to understand a primary search, and how to command a mayday or RIT activation.  You can't just dump firefighters in a building and say "go get 'em" without some basic understanding of search beyond looking at a computer screen.  What will we do if the computer dies (which it will)?  What will do if the locator malfunctions (which it will)?  Both of the questions show why we must not ever forget the basics even if we are given the latest technology.  Our training as firefighters gives us the fundamental knowledge to operate the technology and compensate when it fails.  Without a firefighter's knowledge the best technology in the world is crap.  Remember the basics, because when technology fails (and it will) you have to be able to finish the mission or assignment you are responsible for no matter what excuses you have.

Until the next one, stay safe and stay trained.