15+ Online Resources Every Firefighter Should Know

I had an idea…to put as many online resources that firefighters SHOULD know about in one article. So, in typical fashion, I went to the Fire Critic FB page and asked everyone what they thought should be on the list. Several misunderstood what I was asking…others offered ideas. Below are just some of the online resources to firefighters that we should know about and utilize. I am sure others will have more resources to add…so look for that in the future!

Firefighter Close Calls – Home of the Secret List. This site and it’s email list share need-to-know, no bull, important information about the fire service. Sign up for the email list here.

Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN). Since 2005, the nonprofit Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN) has provided assistance and one-on-one mentoring to thousands of cancer-stricken firefighters and their families. FCSN also delivers extensive firefighter cancer awareness and prevention training nationwide.

National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF). The United States Congress created the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation to lead a nationwide effort to remember America’s fallen firefighters. Since 1992, the tax-exempt, nonprofit Foundation has developed and expanded programs to honor our fallen fire heroes and assist their families and coworkers.

Everyone Goes Home (EGH). The Everyone Goes Home® Program, founded by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, provides free training, resources, and programs to champion and implement the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives. The goal of the Everyone Goes Home® Program is to reduce the number of preventable firefighter line-of-duty deaths and injuries.

Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives. This is another great tool for firefighters to review and learn from from the EGH Program of the NFFF.

FireHero Learning Network. Fire Hero Learning Network delivers critical safety, operations, and community relations fire service training, from the line firefighter through to command and leadership. Unless otherwise noted, the modules on FireHeroLearningNetwork.Com are appropriate for all levels of the fire service, all staffing characteristics (career, volunteer, and combination), all jurisdictions in the United States, and all types of firefighting (including public, private, structure, vehicle, wildland, military, transportation authority, State Fire Marshal, special squad, and academia).

Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI). UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute (FSRI) advances fire research knowledge and develops cutting edge, practical fire service education aimed at helping firefighters stay safe while more effectively protecting people and property. Working in partnership with the fire service, research departments, and agencies, UL FSRI executes firefighter research and makes the results widely available to the global fire community. With a team of pioneering experts and access to UL’s leading infrastructure, equipment, and vast knowledge and insights, UL FSRI conducts and disseminates research and training programs focused on the changing dynamics of residential, commercial, and industrial fires and the impact they have on strategies and tactics throughout the fire service.

Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA). The mission of FBHA is to collaborate, develop and implement behavioral health awareness, prevention, intervention, and post crisis strategies to provide firefighters with an easily accessible and confidential source of information. Using best practices and protocols, FBHA promotes awareness, education and training, communication, integration of services, resources and support to the men and women of the fire service and EMS. In furtherance of these goals, FBHA undertakes educational projects aimed at chaplain programs that deal with behavioral health issues of firefighters/EMS, survivors and their families. Contributions to FBHA may be deductible from Federal income as a charitable donation.

I have put all of the current FIREXTalk’s in a playlist on youtube. That playlist plays above from the first to the most recent. 

FIREXTalk. The FirexTalk one-day firefighter conference is designed to help fire service communities, organizations and individuals spark conversation and connection through a local TEDx-like experience.

At a FIRExTalk event, twenty 20 minute “talks on fire” are given by local presenters.  Each presentation is professionally video recorded and placed on the FIRExTalk YouTube channel and website. This sparks conversation and connection at the local and national level. FIRExTalk events are planned and coordinated by FIRExTalk llc.

Animated Knots by Grog. There is also a mobile app for this resource. This resource is ad heavy, but gives you an animated demonstration on tying many knots.

CFI Trainer. The International Association of Arson Investigators has long been a leader in fire investigator training and certification. CFITrainer.Net is the Association’s latest innovation in providing training to fire investigators at all levels.

CHEMTREC. CHEMTREC serves as a round-the-clock resource for obtaining immediate critical response information for incidents involving hazardous materials and dangerous goods. CHEMTREC is linked to the largest network of chemical and hazardous material experts in the world, including chemical and response specialists, public emergency services, and private contractors. CHEMTREC is also a cost-effective method to assist shippers of hazardous materials with compliance with government regulations.

PoisonHelp.org. They have the phone #, but also a website to assist.

National Fire Academy. The National Fire Academy (NFA) works to enhance the ability of fire and emergency services and allied professionals to deal more effectively with fire and related emergencies. Free training courses and programs are delivered at our campus in Emmitsburg, Maryland, online and throughout the nation.

National Fire Protection Association. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a global nonprofit organization, established in 1896, devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards.

Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI). Established in 1989 as a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy institute, CFSI is designed to educate members of Congress about the needs and challenges of our nation’s fire and emergency services so that the federal government provides the types of training and funding needed by our first responders.

Some other links that are useful and were mentioned on Facebook.