Are We Honest Enough?
One of the most challenging aspects of being an officer, leader or instructor is providing honest feedback to our crews. It sounds simplistic and most will say in response to reading that, “I am.” Well, as easy as it sounds, skimming over the “bad” stuff is easier to do because we are Brothers and Sisters […]
Don’t Forget the Obvious: Basement Self Rescue
In our classes we spend a lot of time showing firefighters how to stay out of and how to get out of bad situations. Our fire service is seeing an increase in firefighters who are falling through floors into basements or sub-levels. This is large part due to the engineered flooring systems that do not […]
Remembering With Our Actions
Today is a solemn day. Eleven years ago this country was attacked by terrorists and changed us forever. That day is remembered not only for the horrific events of the attacks, but also for the heroes of that day. We lost 343 of the bravest our profession has known and some of the most influential […]
Behind the Back and Thru the Legs
When we get to an advanced level of skill sets, it typically comes from past experiences and hours upon hours of training. With that training and experience also comes the ability to recognize situations that are not typical. These non-typical situations will require us, if trained appropriately, to make the best possible decision for the best possible outcome. The mantra of always use two hands to pass and catch the ball with thumbs turned down may not work or be appropriate in a certain situation because the desired outcome is not going to be achieved.
