Tag Archives: Backstep Firefighter Blog

I'm Headed to KZOO, We're Coming For You, Facing Suicide, The Discussion Every Shift Must Have, Mutual Aid to Detroit, Is EMS Vital?, Surviving Survival, Combat Ready Drivers, Know Yourself, Firehouse Shot in Cleveland, Tabernacle Apparatus Wreck, and FTD Shirt

Best of the Rest - iGeneration, Reason, Excellence, Beer Pong, Ride Backwards, and Much More!

Come see Superman & Lex Luthor together: Or maybe it's more like Austin Powers & Dr. Evil. Dave Statter meets Rhett Fleitz. Somehow I ended up on the same bill with THE Fire Critic at the Ohio Fire & Emergency Services Foundation's 2012 Leadership Conference.

This is the second shield I had made by Box Alarm Leather. The first one, I wear on my new leather helmet at the firehouse. I am not sure exactly which helmet I will be putting this one on, but it is the one I will be traveling with for sure! I just can't see wearing this one out the door every day on the engine. Who would want to mess up something this nice?

To me BROTHERHOOD is not something that can be taught, learned, or explained. It is too simple to understand and too complicated to explain. BROTHERHOOD must be experienced. If you want to start to experience BROTHERHOOD...Go To the Funeral

This weeks Monday Morning Shoutout goes to a newer blog on the block - Backwards and stupid. The blog may be new, but the person behind it has definitely been in the business a while. Hallway Sledge (the username of the anonymous author) has a unique writing skill... they write as they talk...with profanity and all when necessary. Backwards and stupid came up on my radar recently afer a series of great posts. The blog began in October 2010. In one of the more recent posts, Hallway Sledge writes an article titled "The Pussification of the American Fire Service".

Is this the new guy going into battle with all that rookie school knowledge vs. the older and wiser guys? Is it simply the outside vent guys next to the do it all engine guys? Is it the dying breed of truckies next to the new age HAVE to do it all firefighter because of cutback? Does it show the more singular tasked firefighters of days long ago vs. today's vision of a firefighter by the beancounters? Quite possibly, it could be a vision of the Culture of Extinguishment vs. the Culture of Safety.

So here’s your chance. Write out a draft policy on social media/networking for members of your department. Chances are good that most of you don’t already have one in place. Be serious about it as your work might be a catalyst for change, and could help prevent your department from experiencing some of the problems we’ve read about – and will continue to read about. Check our you current disciplinary process to be sure your draft policy is fair and legal.

Today is the due date for June's First Due Blog Carnival titled "Wanted: National Fire Chief". Get your submissions in to Bill Carey of Backstep Firefighter. The link for the call for submissions is here.

There were some new blogs in the mix and some non-bloggers who submitted their articles to be posted on blogs as well! It seems as though this thing is catching on. Episode 2 titled "Influential Fire Reports" struck a cord with a lot of people and really helped put a thumb on what has influenced many firefighters! I must say that the best part of episode 2 is the thought that a family member may come across it and see that their relative's death/injury resulted in a positive learning experience for someone else. It also proves that no one is forgotten...