Bill C., Firefighter Behavior

A fundamental basic to any successful fireground operation is a successful initial hoseline stretch. It seems simple enough, so why should we drill on it so much? Three main reasons:

Errors in the initial stretch have resulted in firefighter injuries and fatalities
We go to fewer fires
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From Backstep Firefighter

Do you realize that it has been five months since the infamous “Shot Heard ‘Round the Firehouse”? In that time, there have been 14 articles written devoted to “Examining the process of firefighting to see if there is a better and safer way to operate”. Was this an employer directed punishment, an adult version of writing “I will not be aggressive at hous… Continue

The new guy was just putting away the last dish when someone yelled “First due box!” He’s the last one on board and the engine pulls out just as he closes his door. Bouncing back and forth in the cab, he buttons up, and tries to slip his arms into his SCBA straps. Forgetting his radio, he slips out of the SCBA and slips the radio on. As he leans against the rig while taking a corner, he notices his hood on the floor of the cab. Instinctively he leans down to pick it up and is jerked to a halt by… Continue

There can be no substitute for overwhelming force

In the past months the nation has seen firefighters and other first responders face complex and difficult times. On the world stage we have viewed the inner department difficulties of a wide range from firefighters charged for committing criminal acts to firefighters justifying their right to a credibly earned promotion. Coupled with these we also see the constant difficulties that fire departments across the country are facing with budgets. No… Continue

In 2009, from January to June, 53 persons died in the line of duty. The cause and nature of their deaths varies and is representative of the many different fire department personnel across the country. The nature of their work at time of death ranges from removing an occupant from a window of the fire building to a surgical complication following a work related injury. Their ages, 18 to 77, also represent the wide spectrum of men and women in firehouses across the country. In some ways, their de… Continue