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Honesty is ALWAYS the Best Policy…Lesson Hopefully Learned by Chief Taylor in High Point, NC

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High Point, NC Fire Department is in the local news. The Chief is answering questions about his chuckle and lack of action after an FEO told him about a mold problem at firehouse #12.

As I have observed during my tenure in the fire service Fire Chiefs are always under scrutiny. Due to that fact, it is very difficult to cover up lies and half truths. I have realized that honesty is the best policy and that you must be willing to pay the consequences for your words and actions.

All of that being said, we have a little bout of mis-communication within the High Point Fire Department. That mis-communication was unmistakably proved false via recording. Watch the video and follow the stories below:

HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP) – High Point Fire Chief David Taylor is blaming miscommunication as why he did not act immediately when a firefighter told him there was a mold problem at one of the department’s stations.

Although Taylor says he didn’t learn that Station No. 12 had a mold problem, FOX8 News has obtained a recording of a staff meeting that informed the chief of the problem back in July.

“I’m sorry about the miscommunication, Taylor told FOX8 News. “When firefighters talk about an apple and I’m talking about an orange, it might take a little while to put that all together.

I highlighted the above for effect. What exactly does that mean? I think that they were very clear about the mold problem in the telephone meeting. But what the hell do I know.

It just seems to me that whether or not the Chief’s story is true, he would have come out smelling a lot better if he had just owned up to the mistake and gone on and fixed the problem.

Posted by firecritic on September 2, 2010 • Filed under: Firefighter Safety & Health, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , ,

Firefighter Netcast at Fire Rescue International

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I had all these plans….

We will be rolling out some audio today. However, things just haven’t gone quite as planned. Luckily for us, we are back on track.

Yesterday at FRI we were busy. As luck would have it our entire system was down for recording first thing in the morning. We have a secondary “remote” set up however, and we put it to use. Our Zoom h4n came in very handy. It would have been a lot more handy if we didn’t then let human error in to ruin our first couple of podcasts. They are salvageable and we will be working to remedy that first thing this morning.

John and I learned early on that you have to roll with the punches, learn from our mistakes, and always have a backup plan.

The day wasn’t an entire spoil though. We did have fun!

We were able to record about 10 individual podcasts. Many were produced for Tim Sendlebach and his crew at Fire Rescue Magazine. A couple others for Dave Statter and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

The audio for the NFFF will be available later on Firefighter Netcast.

Art Goodrich was able to record a couple as well. He actually got to interview Rob Schnepp (Cyanokit) and Steven Pasquale. You might know Steven from his roll as “White Sean” or Sean Garrity on Rescue me.

Sean was a blast to talk to, and Art got to shoot the shit with him for a while after the interview.

All of that audio will be available later.

Here are some photos from the day. We have Willie Wines Jr. (IronFiremen.com) helping us out and he has been a huge help. He has been snapping the photos.

The Pink Heals Foundation
The Pink Heals Foundation
Steven Pasquale and Rob Schnepp
Steven Pasquale and Rob Schnepp

Art Goodrich and Steven Pasquale
Art Goodrich and Steven Pasquale
Willie Wines Jr. and Steven Pasquale
Willie Wines Jr. and Steven Pasquale

Art Goodrich, Rob Schnepp, Steven Pasquale, John Mitchell, and Rhett Fleitz
Art Goodrich, Rob Schnepp, Steven Pasquale, John Mitchell, and Rhett Fleitz
Art interviewing Rob Schnepp and Steven Pasquale.
Art interviewing Rob Schnepp and Steven Pasquale.

Steven Pasquale (Sean Garrity on Rescue Me)
Steven Pasquale (Sean Garrity on Rescue Me)
Fire Rescue Magazine
Fire Rescue Magazine

The FRI Exhibit Hall Floor.
The FRI Exhibit Hall Floor.
L-R Paul Andrews, Willie Wines Jr., Chris Naum, Rhett Fleitz, Dave Iannone, Chris Hebert at the White Sox vs. Orioles Game on Thursday.
L-R Paul Andrews, Willie Wines Jr., Chris Naum, Rhett Fleitz, Dave Iannone, Chris Hebert at the White Sox vs. Orioles Game on Thursday.

Art interviewing Rob Schnepp at Firefighter Netcast in the Fire Rescue Magazine Booth.
Art interviewing Rob Schnepp at Firefighter Netcast in the Fire Rescue Magazine Booth.

Posted by firecritic on August 28, 2010 • Filed under: NetCast, News, Podcast • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Positive Pressure Ventilation tonight on The Voice of Reason with guest Chief John Kriska

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Tactics? We don’t need no stinking tactics! Or do we?

Tonight on Firefighter Netcast, Art Goodrich delves into Positive Pressure Ventilation with Chief John Kriska.

Be there at 9pm EST.

The direct link to the show at 9pm is here on Blog Talk Radio.

You also might want to check out more information on the show and a video showing poor use of PPV at Firefighter Netcast here.

Posted by firecritic on August 24, 2010 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, NetCast, News, Podcast, Training & Development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Monopoly Parity between Firefighters, Cops, and EMT’s

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Ah yes, you know if we have it then they have to have it too. However, the history books have already written that firefighters had their own firefighter monopoly game first.

Now you have your choice in monopoly…Do you want to be the fire engine, the stethoscope, or the handcuffs? (not sure if the stethoscope and handcuffs are actual pieces).

For those of you waiting for your own EMS or Police version of Monopoly your wait is almost over!

This holiday season, both brand new games will be available for your board-game playing pleasure!

Introducing Monopoly: Law Enforcement Edition and Monopoly: Emergency Medical Services Edition, Presented by JEMS.

Eat your heart out Medics and Cops!

I hear that in the EMS version the go to jail card is actually a Non-emergent transport for the nose bleed! And in the Law Enforcement version the money is already laundered! (warning: I made those last two statements up)

Both new editions of Monopoly are available for sale for $39.95 at EmergencyPlay.com.

Just don’t let them catching you playing it Jake!

Posted by firecritic on August 24, 2010 • Filed under: News • Tagged: , , , ,

Book Review – Kurt Kamm’s “One Foot In The Black” and “Red Flag Warning”

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In the following weeks I will be reading and reviewing two books by author Kurt Kamm. He sent me the books for this purpose, and I was happy to check them out.

Kurt Kamm

I will admit that I do not read many books. However, I do know how to read. I am one of those guys who will read a page and then realize that throughout scanning the page of its words I was thinking about global warming and its effects on the migration habits of the red-headed double-breasted mattress thrasher. Then I have to go back and re-read the page with focused attention. This keen ability to act as though I am reading while day-dreaming elongates the reading time for books.

So be forewarned, this could take a while to complete.

I started reading “One foot in the Black” first. I will be traveling with it to Chicago in case Willie and John are too much to bear. I will just curl up in the fetal position and read for a while!

One Foot in the Black – Greg Kowalski grows up in Michigan with an abusive father, a Saginaw city firefighter. Cut off from his family, Greg travels to California to become a seasonal firefighter. He is tormented by the contradiction of hatred for his father and the need to have his father’s approval and love.

Red Flag Warning is a SERIAL ARSON MYSTERY. Los Angeles County is burning. A serial arsonist is setting the parched hills on fire. Plunge into infernos and face the smoke, heat and danger with the men on the fire lines. While NiteHeat prowls in the darkness, setting fires and taunting investigators, the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Arson Unit struggles to find the fire-setter and stop the devastation.

Check out these books and more about Kurt Kamm at KurtKamm.com

Posted by firecritic on August 24, 2010 • Filed under: News, Product Reviews • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Monday Morning Shoutout – Hybrid Medic

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This weeks Monday Morning Shoutout goes to the Hybrid Medic. This is a fairly new site in the EMS blogosphere.

About the Hybrid Medic:

I became a Basic EMT in Oklahoma in 2004. When I couldn’t find any engineering jobs (I wasn’t interested in the oil industry) I started working for Med-Trans, Inc in Springfield, OH. I started paramedic school at Grant Medical Center in 2007 and finished in mid-2007. I was hired by the Memphis Fire Department in 2008.

Posted by firecritic on August 23, 2010 • Filed under: Monday Morning Shoutout, News • Tagged: ,

Total Loss House Fire in Las Lomas and Taking Care of the Exposures!

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When I think of exposures I think of houses nearby or maybe a propane tank. Sometimes this means the apartment next door or above. Never has it occurred to me that the exposure could be the countryside.

As you can see in this video, their exposure is the potential of this house fire turning into a brush fire or wildfire that could consume acres of land and other houses.

Check out this unique view of a house fire with planes and helicopters, maybe even hotshot crews operating at in California. Their definition of exposures is certainly deeper than mine!

Posted by firecritic on August 21, 2010 • Filed under: News, Videos • Tagged: , , , ,

Taking it to the Streets Live with Chris Naum TONIGHT

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Check out Taking it to the Streets with Christopher Naum on Firefighter NetCast.com Thursday night August 19th at 9pm ET with a live online radio call-in show addressing the most current issues affecting the Fire Service.  This month Christopher Naum’s guests include Battalion Chief Matt Tobia with the Anne Arundel County, MD Fire Department, a metropolitan combination Fire / Rescue / EMS agency in Suburban Baltimore, MD and Battalion Chief Greg W. Collier, Mount Laurel Fire Department, NJ and NFFF/EGH Region II Advocate discussing the emerging and prevailing issues related to situational awareness on the fireground and incident scene, with a show entitles; “We Have A Situation; Are You Aware?”

The direct show link is here live at 9pm EST

Go to www.FirefighterNetCast.com to listen and participate live, with a national and international audience of firefighters, officers and commanders from rural heartlands of Oklahoma to the suburbs of Chicago and the urban streets of DC. Or download the program later in the week for later use. Check out the premiere show with featured guests Chief Billy Hayes (DCFD) and Chief Doug Cline (High Point FD, NC). Also, if you haven’t taken the time, check out the latest on the FireEMS Blogs Community at CommandSafety.com and TheCompanyOfficer.com. Taking it to the Streets is a Buildings On Fire Series and Fire Fighter NetCast.com Production.

Posted by firecritic on August 19, 2010 • Filed under: NetCast, News, Podcast • Tagged: , ,

Unbelievable Video: Bystanders Rescue the Driver of a Burning Vehicle in Sherman Oaks, California

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These people put their lives at risk to save this driver before firefighters arrive on scene. Great Job!

I am not sure what happened before the cameras started rolling, but that is a hell of a lot of smoke and fire!

15-08-2010 , Sherman Oaks , California , USA
Video shows a group of bystanders pulling a driver from a vintage car that caught fire in Sherman Oaks, California.

Posted by firecritic on August 18, 2010 • Filed under: News, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Incredible Video: Helmet Cam Footage of a Dog Being Revived After Rescue From a House Fire

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Great Job Guys!!!

Oakland, California – (Helmet Cam) Firefighters performed rescue breathing on a dog that was found unconscious/unresponsive in a house fire. The dog was found at the backdoor in the kitchen, pulled from the building with minor burns and initially had a respiratory rate of 40+. Firefighters performed rescue breathing for approx. 12 minutes and as you can see survived. The owner was not home at the More..time so they decided to bring the dog back to the firehouse for dinner and water.

Posted by firecritic on August 18, 2010 • Filed under: News, Videos • Tagged: , , , ,

Fire Rescue International Here We Come!!!

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Next week, I will be attending Fire Rescue International in Chicago. I am looking forward to it. Most of my time will be spent on the exhibit hall floor with my cohort at Firefighter Netcast John Mitchell. We have a full bill of podcasting going on.

We will be producing 5 hours of short podcasts for the crew at Fire Rescue Magazine and we will be producing some short podcasts for the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation.

On top of all that we have to keep OUR listeners happy! We have plans of doing two live shows and two recorded shows while at FRI.

I will also be traveling with a friend and coworker of mine. Captain Willie Wines Jr. will be there to lend moral support! You might remember Willie from the Engine 9 RFD blog and more recently from IronFiremen.com.

Needless to say, he is a hell of a guy and is probably hanging with me so I can post his bail.

I did get him to fly up. He wanted to drive the cowboy Cadillac. We found some decent airfare and I talked him into it.

Look for us at FRI. We will be at the Fire Rescue Magazine booth!

See you then!

Posted by firecritic on August 18, 2010 • Filed under: News • Tagged: , , ,

E-One Fire Truck Giveaway is ending Soon…and Barney Died! Vote Now

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You might remember a post a while back about E-One giving away a fire truck. I did an article on it here.

The Hines Volunteer Fire Department is in it to win it….

Hat tip to Kelli Beers for this one!

They even secured the url WINAFIRETRUCK.COM and are using it to forward to their story on E-One’s web site. What an outstanding idea!

Unfortunately, Hines VFD’s engine “Barney” they are hoping to replace has died. As you can see in the video below they are now hitchhiking to fires. That is unacceptable….and hopefully not entirely true!

The voting ends August 27th! Vote here

At the bottom is a bonus tribute video from Hines VFD! The soundtrack on this one reminds me of the fire service’s answer to the EMS Anthem by Farooq Muhammad. The soundtrack is titled Firefighters Anthem and can be found on youtube here.

Here is the Firefighters Anthem

Posted by firecritic on August 16, 2010 • Filed under: News, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Monday Morning Shoutout – STATter911.com

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This weeks Monday Morning Shoutout goes to Dave Statter’s STATter911.com. His site has been up and running for quite a while, and is easily one of the most visited “fire blogs” out there.

Dave recently retired after working as a reporter in the DC Metro area. He now spends his time as a consultant…most notably the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

Even though he has retired, his site hasn’t changed all that much. I can only guess that he doesn’t have all the news stories at his finger tips…but I am sure he is still connected!

Posted by firecritic on August 16, 2010 • Filed under: Monday Morning Shoutout, News • Tagged: , , ,

Stubborn 3 alarm fire in Milford, MA

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Posted by firecritic on August 14, 2010 • Filed under: News, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Please Teach Me…I need to know!

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This is a serious post today. Seriously!

I have a video and a news story that are really bothering me. I am asking what you think about the two situations. I would like to know what you all think and use that to better my knowledge!

First…

In Fredericksburg, Virginia the fire department is planning on building a new fire station. The City offered citizens, business owners, and others to a forum to discuss the plans, location, and any issues anyone might have with the new station.

What really got me was this:

Allen [City Fire Chief Edwin Allen] said fire engines would be equipped with emitters that communicate with traffic signals at intersections, so the traffic signal would automatically turn green in favor of the fire engine, eliminating the need to use sirens. Entire Story here

It was my belief that when using your lights you were required to use your siren by law (in Virginia at least). Sure, I know that at 3am, we might chose not to use the siren while going down a residential street with no traffic. But for a Chief to make this statement seems like a liability.

What do you think?

Secondly…

I will admit it, my department very rarely does vertical ventilation. This is due to the way we fight fire in my city and I think has a little to do with manpower (4 ladder trucks staffed with 3 firefighters each). In the video below you will see a house which ends up venting out the dormer window in the front of the structure. Then, firefighters make their way to the roof to vent the roof. For me, this seems redundant, unnecessary, and unsafe with the fire directly below them. I can’t tell, but it doesn’t seem as though they are able to complete the cut before being pulled of the roof.

What do you think? Is it necessary if the dormer is already vented?

Posted by firecritic on August 12, 2010 • Filed under: News, Videos • Tagged: , ,