FireFighterNation

Greg Jakubowski addresses the fact that no matter how bad an incident seems (and how badly we want to go), self-deploying to an incident happens completely outside of any organized incident management system, and offers advice on what first responders can do to help in these situations.

Residents of a hillside overlooking scenic Puget Sound heard the thunder of a large landslide early Wednesday that knocked one home off its foundation, and isolated or threatened more than two dozen others on Whidbey Island, about 50 miles north of Seattle.

On the scene of a confined space rescue, due to the activity level and the number of personnel, it’s important for rescuers to understand what to do and where to go. Andy Speier discusses each major position for rescue technicians responding to the scene of a confined-space incident.

All-hazards incident management teams (AHIMTs) have been established across the country to handle needs ranging from command and management to multi-agency coordination, but they have also been utilized in less common roles, such logistical and resource management. Despite the clear benefits afforded by an AHIMT, one concern with their administration and development is a lack of national definition and standard. Here, Randal Collins and Mark Livingston cover what constitutes a Type 3 IMT, how to develop one and when to call for these specialized teams.

When firefighters are called to active-shooter situations they are often directed to “stand by” until the scene can be determined to be safe. But such policies can leave lives in the balance and further jeopardize the safety of law enforcement officers, who may be saddled with rescuing victims. Paul Atwater proposes a model in which firefighters work closely with law enforcement to operate in the “warm zone.”