Fire Critic An Unadulterated View of the Fire Service
I created a Facebook Fan Page for my firehouse (Roanoke Fire-EMS Department Firehouse #3). I did it because it was one point I made during the promotional process during my presentation on “Improving Morale” within our department. The page will be utilized to connect the community to the firehouse. In the first day, we have over 900 fans…maybe that is one benefit of having 26k fans on the Fire Critic Facebook Page.
Model City Firefighter
Andrew Catron is back with another “Blowin Smoke” article. This one features Matt Flagler, a good friend of mine from the Cincinnati Fire Department as well as the Wyoming (Oh) Fire Department. I met Matt through Zach Green (MN8 Foxfire).
I love working with people. I work very hard to help others enter, survive and thrive in our profession. I enjoy teaching and working with our newest firefighters very much. I hope these efforts accomplish two ends: First to make sure that our citizens, our civic leaders and most importantly the fire service itself knows that Firefighters (people) are the most important part of keeping a community safe. Second, I hope that our Firefighters take their value to heart: working hard, being safe and serving their citizens fully, no matter what the call or who the caller. Read the entire article here
Fire Law Blog
Curt Varone has news of a New Jersey Fire Department that was suspended. Read it here
Fire Service Warrior
Focus by Michael Manning was written almost a year ago. It has regained popularity online and I figured I would share it.
I was in your firehouse the other day. You may not have seen me, but I saw you. You were the guy checking your mask in the morning. You got there early and did your best to avoid being sucked in to the rest of your crew complaining about the previous shift leaving a mess. As you laid your gear on the floor I noticed you look over your shoulder at the full-on whining session and then look back to knock the chunk of drywall off your tool for the day. Read the rest here
FirstDueTackle.com
Paul Hasenmeier has an update on his health and fitness kick in “2013 Triathlon Opener”
We are just getting started with multiple races slatted for this year. Ultimately, we are supporting the National Firefighters Endowment and the mission to help firefighters and fire departments in need. You can get involved by started your own Turnout Challenge fundraiser or donate to our cause. If you can swim, bike, and/or run let us know and we will help you get a team. Or, pick a local 5k or event and make it happen. Read more here
FireNews.net
Jason Thompson has photos and a video of a house fire in Benson, NC on June 8th. Read more about it, see more pictures, and watch the video here.
House Fire in Benson, NC on FireNews.net
FireCritic.com
Matthew Bartlett sent in a helmet camera video from a house fire in Shinnston, WV. Watch it here.
STATter911.com
Dave Statter has another interesting story about citizens getting in the way of our work. Check it out here
In the past few days we have shown you a car that almost drove through a fireground in Bellingham, Washington and a train that took out a supply line in Indianapolis, Indiana. At least the engineer had an excuse. But what can you say about the driver of this car during a two-alarm fire at the Bedtime Inn motel in West Ocean City, Maryland Monday afternoon?Check it out here
IronFiremen.com
Captain Wines is back with a post about his recent trip to New York. Read about it here
BoronExtrication.com
Mike offers us an article on “Why do we Skin Doors?”. Read it here
Why do we skin doors? Have you ever wondered why your door removal went from bad to worse? The outer skin or panel of the door is usually composed of light-gauge steel which all of us know can separate from the inner door structure during a door removal. Why does this happen? Two reasons, bad technique or the design of the door. Usually we find out it was our technique. Read it here
EverydayEMSTips.com
Greg offers an article about the “Best EMT Test Prep Ideas“. Read it here
At the Minnesota EMS Educators conference I was really struck when Heather Davis said, “More practice tests are more effective than more studying.“
If you fail a written test, especially if the questions are application and comprehension, rather than retention your time is better spent becoming a better test taker.Read the rest here
FireGeezer.com
The wise ole FireGeezer has a great story out of Stafford County, VA. Read “The Story of a Good Save“.
AN EMOTIONAL AND HEART-WARMING meeting was held a few days ago in the engine bay of the Falmouth fire station in Stafford County, Virginia. Pete Sullivan, a man who served as a volunteer firefighter for 50 years in a nearby county before retiring, was addressing a group of firefighters, sheriff’s deputies, and FF/Paramedics…… all the people who had come together one afternoon in May to save Pete’s life. Continue Reading here
