Best of the Rest is a weekly column aired every Tuesday. If you have something to share, let me know! Our shoutouts (formerly the Monday Morning Shoutout) is now in this column and includes a Facebook fan page, blog or web site, and a Twitter profile.

This weeks is short because I am travelling…I am just getting to finalizing this post tonight…enjoy!

Shoutouts

Facebook Page:

Web Site: EverydayEMSTips.com. Here are some recent Everyday EMS Athlete profiles:

Twitter:

Quick Drills

You can view all of the weekly drills by FirefighterCloseCalls.com here. Try these two at the firehouse this week:

• Vol 24-287 Drag Rescue Device Drill.pdf
• Vol 17-204 It’s the Basics-Kinked Hose Lines

News and Opinion

Fire Service Warrior – Last week I posted an article from January on The Fire Service Warrior. Chief Ron Siarnicki commented on the post directly on FSW and apparently the two caught up to discuss it. This week, Chris Brennan talks about why he wrote the article and his discussion with Siarnicki. Read the original post here and the newest post here.

S.A.F.E. Firefighter offers a post titled I “Get It”… And I’m Gonna Give It To You. The post is short and sweet. It offers introspect to an issue that many bloggers, writers, and firefighters have been trying to put their thumb on.

 ”The Cure” is a response to “The Sickness”. Both are written by Jason Hoevelmann on FireEngineering.com and both are worth a read.

FireRescue1.com – Mississippi Chief cracks down on Social Media use…what do you think about the new policy? Read it here

Whats going on at FDIC this year? A lot. I will be there and will have plenty of information coming up on the happenings, what I will be involved in and what you shouldn’t miss at the largest firefighting conference of the year. However…I was checking out the Facebook page for the event and saw this photo that was apparently tagged with FDIC. Yes, this is one of those loopholes and shows the need to keep an eye on your social media sites. Or, I could be wrong and I will be posting on the class where you can see more of her soon!

What is going on at FDIC this year? I want to sign up for that class! Check out the pic of the lady! It seems as though someone has been very liberal with tagging FDIC in this pic!

I am seeking information on this topic. Leave links, info, etc. in the comments please.

Discuss it on the Fire Critic Facebook Page as well

I have a friend, a brother, who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis (MS). He is a Firefighter & Paramedic in a dual role department. His recent diagnosis was shocking for him to say the least, but he has held his head high. I cannot imagine what he is going through and it shows his strength. He is currently on light duty due to the disease. I admit, I did not know much about the disease until he told me about his diagnosis. He informed me of what he knew about it and I have read up on it a little since then. There is no cure for MS. Also, Multiple Sclerosis is not the same as Muscular Dystrophy.

Image from U.S. National Library of Medicine - The World's Largest Medical Library

I speak with him occasionally about his progress and the disease’s progression. Since his diagnosis, he has been able to begin medication which (from what I understand) will lessen the effects of MS and prolong its progression. He wants to come back to work and when I spoke to him the other day he said he felt great. His medication has helped with the signs and symptoms he was experiencing prior to the diagnosis.

I hope he is capable to return to work. I also hope that if he isn’t able to, our department doesn’t cast him away as they have some of my other brothers who have suffered from ailments (including injuries sustained at work).

So what is Multiple Sclerosis?

PubMedHealth:

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system).

It is more common in women than men and commonly diagnosed between the ages of 20-40.

The outcome varies, and is hard to predict. Although the disorder is chronic and incurable, life expectancy can be normal or almost normal. Most people with MS continue to walk and function at work with minimal disability for 20 or more years.

The range of people who are effected by MS is 2-150 out of every 100,000.

More information on Wikipedia here.

I have not been able to find much information on firefighters and/or EMT’s who suffer from the disease and are able to maintain an active duty role in suppression operations. I have found several articles on firefighters able to continue working in a non-suppression role.

I did find this article about Oswego Firefighter/Paramedic Dave Sackett from April 2011.

MS has not changed Sackett’s daily work routine. He completes all trainings, all house duties and all physical tests. However, he is more cautious and refuses to take any risks that put himself, co-workers or patients in danger. read more

I also found a thread on MSWorld.com. the thread started in July of 2010 and has been updated as recently as September 2011. read more

If you have any information, words of wisdom/encouragement, or links to other stories please leave them in the comments section below.

Read all of the “Owning the Job” articles here

Maybe you have seen these…

• Life Safety Initiatives
• Courage to be Safe
• Seat Belt Pledge
• Rules of Engagement (pdf)

Before I get started…here is my disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of these personally and I am not speaking on their behalf. I am offering my opinion of what they mean to me and sharing that with you in this collection of thoughts. Before you read on, please understand that I appreciate smart aggressive firefighting, it is what I live. I think there are some small things that some firefighters view as others trying to change the way we fight fire…I view them as tools for making us better and understand they must be understood properly and implemented into our game plan. They don’t really make us “safe”, they make us “smarter”. 

Let no man’s ghost return to say, “My training let me down.” — Aaron Heller, Captain, Hamilton Township Fire District 9, New Jersey

I have seen plenty written on these topics, initiatives if you will. I have read, dissected, and think I have a decent understanding of what they are and where they came from.

At the very basic level, most of these came from the loss of a firefighter(s). They have been formulated by best practices, lessons learned, and blood spilled. In fact, they are mostly committee based and I can only imagine the conversations when some of these were nailed down.

I remember the first time I read the “Rules of Engagement”. My thought was something like “You mean to tell me I am expected to go through these 1 at a time when I roll up on a fire…before any action?”. I imagine others might have thought the same thing.

My second thought was…hell, I already do most of that. Then I began reflecting on each rule of engagement. These things are a piece of cake if you are willing to understand them and add them as a tool in the toolbox.

Rules of Engagement for Firefighters (there is a longer section for incident commanders)

1. Size up your tactical area of operation.
2. Determine the occupant survival profile.
3. DO NOT risk your life for lives or property that cannot be saved.
4. Extend LIMITED risk to protect SAVABLE property.
5. Extend VIGILANT and MEASURED risk to protect and rescue SAVABLE lives.
6. Go in together, stay together, come out together.
7. Maintain continuous awareness of your air supply, situation, location and fire conditions.
8. Constantly monitor fireground communications for critical radio reports.
9. You are required to report unsafe practices or conditions that can harm you. Stop, evaluate and decide.
10. You are required to abandon your position and retreat before deteriorating conditions can harm you.
11. Declare a Mayday as soon as you THINK you are in danger.

Hell, it doesn’t get much more basic and clearer than that. As a matter of fact, it is like firefighters wrote it. Why in the World would a firefighter scoff at these? This isn’t asking too much. This guidance could streamline some of the thought processes for firefighters in the heat of the battle.

I fight what you fear

Really? You have a shirt that says “you fight what I fear”? Take it off. Chances are you don’t. Chances are that when confronted with a fire, you fear it too. You should. Fire is dangerous. We do a dangerous job. We aren’t dangerous. We shouldn’t be. The shirt should read “When confronted with what you fear (fire), I take calculated risks to ensure that I save lives and property”.

16 Initiatives

There are some great teachers out there who teach on the basis of content. Then there are others who teach on basis of some $50 words put together to make people think What the F#$% is that? Firefighters are just that…Firefighters. The majority have a high school education. Talk to them in a way they will understand. Make sure it makes sense. The 16 Life Safety Initiatives do just that. Read them here. No, really…read them. Take the time to read them and share them with your guys. Trust me, the minds who put that together weren’t wasting their time. The abbreviated ”cliffs notes” are here. Fire Department members should be using them to guide their focus in planning for the future. We can’t change the past, we can have an effect on the future. They are guidelines.

Did someone say SAFETY again?

Deal with it. Until the end of time, we are going to be pressed to be safe. It is only right. We have a dangerous job. I know that, you know that, THEY know that. Have you ever wondered if pencil pushers are asked to be safe? No, because their mundane jobs aren’t dangerous. We need to get over getting hurt feelings when asked to be safe. We need to understand that being safe is not asking too much.

Whoa…is The Fire Critic bowing down to the Safety Nazi’s? Not a chance.

Don’t get me wrong, some of us can go too far. They are the ones who need to be educated as well. We need to be safe and they need to have an understanding that our jobs are dangerous. Being safe and having a dangerous job are different…and can be accomplished at the same time. That is where we become S.A.F.E. firefighters (to borrow a term from here). Smart Aggressive Fundamental Efficient. It may not encompass everything, but I think it hits the nail on the head pretty well.

Trust me, to ask firefighters to be safe is not the same as asking for a company of yard-breathers. The goal is to go home in the morning…of course without a silhouette of the skyline burning behind us.

What about laying it all on the line?

Ah…here is something that people DO NOT like talking about. What about giving our lives for others. I mean, entering a situation where the outcome might be death. Hell, I don’t know how to explain it (remember, nobody talks about it). This is the stuff of heros. I mean the events that make firefighters call other firefighters heros. Whether the outcome is everyone going home or nobody going home, these are the events who define “Firefighters”.

Like doing a search for a victim in less than plausible conditions, yet where someone might still be viable. Yeah…what the hell does that mean? Hell, I don’t know. Have you ever been to a scripted fire? Yet…have you ever heard of victims being found in a room that could still sustain life, yet all around it looked like the face of hell?

These are the moments when we have to base our decisions on everything we know…and we find out we know more than we thought.

No one was ever called a hero for saving a couch against all odds.

Arm Chair Quarterbacking

We are all guilty of picking apart incidents we weren’t at. I do it. We would have done it better. We would have done it differently. Some organizations were built to dissect actions of others to find issues that might be prevented in the future. Tactical firefighting culture has been improved by dissecting incidents which have effected the fire service. We learn, we adjust, we train, we implement. Think of the Denver drill or other drills similar. The creation of the Rapid Intervention Team is another.

Seat Belt Pledge

Apparatus design will continue to change until we get firefighters using their seat belts. I know…it is difficult putting on your seat belt when gearing up in the back of the rig because every second counts and we have to be in the combat ready position when the driver pulls the air brake. What if you wreck on the way there?

The seat belt pledge means a lot to me. I drive, I am always buckled up. I am a decent driver…but not everyone is. By “not everyone is” I mean the other drivers you pass on your way to a call. I had the scare of my career this last cycle. I thought that a woman and possibly children were about to die because they pulled out in front of us. Luckily, I was able to keep it from happening. Were my guys belted in? I am not sure. I doubt it though. I am working on the seat belt pledge…I am working on our culture in my firehouse.

Are you working on yours?

Best of the Rest is a weekly column aired every Tuesday. If you have something to share, let me know! Our shoutouts (formerly the Monday Morning Shoutout) is now in this column and includes a Facebook fan page, blog or web site, and a Twitter user.

Shoutouts:

Facebook fan page of the week: The Fire Service Warrior – it is about being combat ready in the fire service. Need I say more?

Blog/ web site of the week: S.A.F.E. Firefighter Blog – S.A.F.E. stands for Smart, Aggressive, Fundamental, Efficient.

Twitter user of the week: Greg Friese has been a long time friend of mine who I met through various circles. He stays connected using social media. If you are into social media, EMS, or Education you should follow him. @GFriese

Quick Drills:

You can view all of the weekly drills by FirefighterCloseCalls.com here. Try these two at the firehouse this week:

• Basic Skills Vol 20-235 Ladder Carry & Raise
• Safe Apparatus Positioning

News:

FDNY Rescue 2 MAYDAY Fund – The Fire Critic, IronFiremen.com, and MN8 FoxFire have teamed up to raise money for the Rescue 2 MAYDAY Fund. Read more about it here, here, here, and here. Go Directly to MN8 FoxFire web site to donate/purchase. 50% of purchases go to the fund. 100% of donations go to the fund.

Captain Jeff Bowen

STATter911.com – Dave Statter is out first with this story about what Jay Bettencourt went through in the futile rescue of Jeff Bowen. We are turning STATter911.com over this morning and tomorrow to Firefighter Jay Bettencourt of North Carolina’s Asheville Fire Department. You may recognize Jay’s name from our coverage of the fire on July 28, 2011 at a medical office building at 445 Biltmore Avenue that took the life of Jay’s friend, mentor and captain, Jeff Bowen. Jay was seriously injured in the fire. This is a must read story!

The Fire Service Warrior – Quit Telling Me To Change My Culture. Although this was written a year ago, the post has found some new life being passed around facebook. It is short, sweet, and to the point! Check it out.

Police Officer Saves a Dog Stuck in a Fence – The End Will Blow You Away - You will NOT believe the end of this video! It’s hilarious and amazing all at the same time. After the police officer frees a dog stuck in a fence, the dog shows his appreciation in the cutest way ever.

Fire Truck Blog - Many of you have been asking for an update on 11-year-old Kyle McGetrick, the Barnegat, New Jersey boy who has been battling cancer for seven years. Jim Duffy, who read about Kyle here on FireTruckBlog.com in December, will have Kyle as a guest tonight on the Internet radio showFireground Strategies & Other Stuff From the Street that Jim does with Deputy Chief Anthony Avillo on Fire Engineering Talk Radio. It starts at 7:30 PM Eastern Time. Here’s the link 

Hybrid Medic – Why it’s important to be nice - You as a provider have a fiduciary responsibility, that is, having the characteristics of trust. If you display behavior that is not consistent of being worthy of trust, then the patients will not trust you to deliver the best care and certainly not for their family. This is important in all cases, but even more so in cases that involve poor outcomes, because poor outcomes could equal lawsuits even if you delivered stellar care, simply on the assumption that because you acted poorly that you performed equally as poor.

FireGeezer – Semi wipes out ambulance at accident scene - A TOLEDO, OHIO, AMBULANCE WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED Saturday morning after a tractor-trailer jacknifed and crashed into the unit that was stopped at an accident scene.

FireRescue1 - Zoe Saldana plays real-life hero after Calif. car crash. CULVER CITY, Calif. — A new celebrity hero has joined the ranks of real-life do-gooders. Zoe Saldana jumped to the rescue of an injured elderly woman this week in Culver City, Calif., after witnessing a car accident that left the driver with a scratched and bloodied face.

Surround and drowned in Detroit

This house fire happened on Hawkins Rd. off Hammond Lane in Centreach. No injuries. Great job by Centereach FD with a little help from Selden FD

Apparently a firefighter needed some assistance with directions for incoming units. He got answers from the guy holding the video camera. Nice teamwork!

KTSM.com:

According to George DeLaTorre, Spokesman for the El Paso Fire Department, a tenant was smoking outside on the balcony of a second-story apartment and did not put out the cigarette correctly. The cigarette fell onto empty cardboard boxes nearby and caught fire. The flames spread to surrounding units and resulted in heavy fire and smoke damage to three other units, and smoke damage to 4 others. The unit where the fire originated is a total loss.

Visit the Fastest Growing Firefighter Page on Facebook

on Facebook today: Rescue 2 MAYDAY Fund fund-raiser and “what gear to you wear”40+ responses?

Willie and I will be meeting up with Zach Green of MN8 FoxFire in New York City next week. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity, even though it meant fitting in another trip in an already hectic schedule. I am behind…way behind. I am looking forward to the trip, but now I am REALLY looking forward to the trip.

Willie and Zach’s minds never quit thinking about what do to next. Willie bounces ideas off me like a crackhead trying to score his next fix. Some are just completely absurd. Like the time he wanted to land in the middle of Lucas Oil Stadium at FDIC in a hot air balloon. He was deflated and dejected when I told him that the stadium had a roof on it. Or the time he wanted to drive to Hawaii…Oh, and I cannot forget the one about dressing up in drag and parading…never mind, that was my idea.

Rescue 2 FDNY Web Site

I digress

Willie and Zach hit the ball out of the park with this last idea. It fits perfect into our schedule, supports the brotherhood, spreads a message, and the ones who help out can get something tangible out of it as well. Willie writes about this effort here. Zach writes about it here.

Rewind to December 19, 2011 at a fire in Brooklyn that left Firefighters James Gersbeck and Robert Weidmann seriously injured. The men are members of FDNY’s Company Rescue 2. Gersbeck and Weidmann were searching the top floor of a Brownstone when the entire floor flashed and trapped both members inside.

Firefighter Gersbeck was removed through the interior after somehow making  it (diving into) the stairwell. Firefighter Weidmann made an unbelievable push through the flames making his way out a front window and onto an awaiting aerial ladder.

Captain Willie Wines Jr. sits at the table and talks shop with the firefighters of FDNY Rescue 2

Willie and I have teamed up with MN8 FoxFire for a fund raising effort for the Rescue 2 MAYDAY Fund

For the next week, today (Monday January 23, 2012) through next Monday (January 30, 2012) Zach will donate 50% of all online sales of MN8 FoxFire products to the Rescue 2 MAYDAY fund!

50% of all ONLINE sales will go to the Rescue 2 MAYDAY Fund! 

The offer is good for ANY MN8 FoxFire Products … Tetrahedrons, Helmet Bands, Equipment Bands, Tool Wrap or the Epoxy Kits! Or you can simply donate funds that 100% go to the fund.

The MN8 FoxFire team worked through the weekend to have everything set up on their site for this to happen.

This is what giving back is all about. I am not sure of any other company willing to pledge such a sizable chunk of profit for a cause such as this. However, if there is let me know and I will share it right here on my site.

Willie, Zach, and I will present the check to Rescue 2′s Captain Flaherty next week in Brooklyn.

Learn MORE, view the MN8 FoxFire Product line, make your PURCHASE or DONATE by clicking HERE 

Here is the full press release:

Joint Fundraiser to Benefit F.D.N.Y. Rescue 2 Injured Firefighters Established by MN8-Foxfire, FireCritic.com and IronFiremen.com

Cincinnati, OH, January 23, 2012— MN8-Foxfire, the developer of breakthrough illuminating products for firefighters, Lt. Rhett Fleitz of the Fire Critic blog (FireCritic.com) and Captain Willie Wines Jr. of the Wooden Ladders and Iron Firemen blog (IronFiremen.com) have teamed up to establish a joint fundraiser to support two injured firefighters with the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) Rescue 2. The fundraiser begins on Monday, January 23 and ends at midnight on Monday, January 30. During this time, MN8-Foxfire will donate 50 percent of all product sales through the company website to the FDNY Rescue 2 Mayday Fund. Opportunities for individuals to make donations without a product purchase will also be available through the MN8-Foxfire website at www.mn8products.com.

On Monday, December 19, 2011, two firefighters from Rescue 2 suffered severe burns during a brownstone structure fire and were in critical condition upon hospital admittance. Both men face long recoveries. One is still hospitalized in critical condition and the other is now recovering at home under the care of a burn center outpatient program.

“We were devastated to hear about the fire involving the Brooklyn firefighters as we have a special connection with Rescue 2,” said Zachary Green, president of MN8-Foxfire. “I’d met and spent some time Captain Liam Flaherty (from Rescue 2) in San Diego last year. Then last fall, Willie, Rhett and I visited Rescue 2 and they welcomed us like we were part of their team.”

“We had great discussions over coffee with Captain Flaherty and his men at their kitchen table and even watched a hockey game with them while we were there,” said Wines.

Fleitz, Wines and Green will travel to New York to personally present a check towards the FDNY Rescue 2 Mayday Fund during the first week of February. “There is such a sense of brotherhood among firefighters,” said Fleitz. “And when one of our brothers is in need, the firefighting community pulls together. We want to do all we can to help these men and their families.”

All Foxfire illuminating products are eligible for the 50 percent Rescue 2 Mayday fundraiser, including illuminating helmet bands, coating kits, grip wrap, tetrahedrons, equipment bands and t-shirts.

About MN8-Foxfire

MN8-Foxfire is a firefighter owned company offering energy efficient and eco-friendly products utilizing breakthrough advanced illumination technology. MN8’s product offerings for the fire safety industry, marketed under the name Foxfire®, have earned a reputation for safety, high quality and performance-proven. This is readily apparent in Foxfire’s photoluminescent helmet bands, coating kits, grip wrap, equipment bands, helmet tetrahedrons and other products. Both the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber and Cincinnati Innovates have recognized MN8-Foxfire for its efforts in developing technology that keeps firefighters safe. The company is headquartered in Wyoming, Ohio, a Cincinnati suburb. For more information, visit www.mn8products.com.

Check out this video about a brand new technology being developed by Tanagram Inc. They are developing Headmounted display (HMD) Augmented Reality (AR) technology. Yeah, I know…what the hell does that mean? Watch the video!

In my words: Think of it as fighting fire with the same types of heads up displays you have when you play Modern Warfare. That description probably sucks, watch the video and you will see what I mean. I just wonder how many fires you have to fight before you get to PRESTIGE!

Apparently this has been under development for a little while. Check out Tanagram’s site for more news and videos created last year about the technology. It seems as though we might be a little closer to seeing this stuff be available though.

The big question….will our fire departments be able to afford it?

Maybe they will pick The Fire Critic to do a product review and testing! I can hope, can’t I?

This technology is being developed for the military and public safety in mind.

From their site:

Tanagram, under a grant provided by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), developed a phase-zero self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) enhancement that leverages HMD / AR technology to display critical factors all-the-while not obscuring the firefighter’s field of view. Dubbed Helmet with Embedded Active Display for Emergency Responders or HEADER, our concept vision was researched with participation from the Champaign, IL Fire Department. (We even sent a few people to firefighter training!) In our literature review, we found little research has been done with regards to embedded, mixed media (augmented reality) display technology that focuses on unobtrusiveness and consumer acceptance (our fancy word for user friendly). Because of this we are sharing our work with you in hopes that it sparks a conversation that will be very relevant, very soon.

Also as seen on Firefighter Nation

Here is a short clip. Simply a reminder to pay attention to your surroundings. This could happen to any of us. Luckily it was just a mailbox!

Best of the Rest this week…

Reminder: if you want to be included in the “Best of the Rest” just let me know!

Check out this Facebook page: J5 Firelids…this one is new to me. However, if you are in the market to customize your helmet these guys offer custom inserts for your helmet. They offer handcrafted professional accessories created by a firefighter for firefighters since 2008.

If you are looking for a decent example of how to build your community on facebook, check out MN8 Products Facebook Page. They are currently at over 11,000 fans! It is all about communication and building a buzz!

CharlotteObserver.com: Off-duty rookie firefighter alerts couple in burning home - As house fires go, the one early New Year’s Day wasn’t a doozy, but for rookie firefighter Henry Calle it was a big one. Calle, who is 24, had just finished his 24-hour shift at Station 31 on Ridge Road and was heading home with his car windows down. As he passed a small white-frame house on MallardCreek Road, he caught a whiff of smoke. Then out of the corner of his eye, he saw the smoke, pouring from the attic. Read more here

Chad Ochocinco got a reply from @FireCritic on Facebook. I am sure he cherished it and blogged about it!

Ochocinco offering condolences to the family and friends of Peabody FD's Firefighter James Rice.

Chad Ochocinco on Twitter – I have been sitting on this story waiting for the right time to bring it up. I thought it was kinda neat that Chad Ochocinco mentioned the Peabody LODD on Twitter. Ochocinco has over 3 million followers on twitter. It is great to see someone with his celebrity offering condolences for one of our fallen. Follow Ochocinco on Twitter @Ochocinco

Boron Extrication - GM Announces Safety Enhancements for Chevy Volt

TheTailboard.com – Written by Teague Kenny. Read an article on the DCFD..err FEMS…err DCFEMS, or whatever they didn’t agree on…Let’s Hear it for the D.C. FEMS!

Raising Ladders – Need more on DCFD/DCFEMS? This one is hilarious. RaisingLadders.com: Comment Cards

The Fire Critic Product Reviews: You might have seen my brand new helmet adorned with a custom shield from Box Alarm Leather. I am working on a product review for the shield now. Soon I will be wearing custom leather suspenders from Wolfpak LeatherWorks (only seen on Facebook, but a web site is in the works). I currently am wearing Overhaul Logo Nylon Suspenders from Black Helmet (review coming soon). There are so many great firefighter owned and operated companies out there. Be sure to hook up with Fire Critic on Facebook and let us know your favorites! I also have two book reviews coming soon. I just finished the books.

Brotherhood Instructors – Speaking of reviews, the Brotherhood Instructors offer a review of the Bam Bam Tool. Read about it here

Shortage of volunteer firefighters - WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WDTN) – They’re experts at putting out flames, but now they’re fighting something else. ”There is just not the interest there used to be out there,” says Washington Township Fire Chief William Gaul. Over the last decade Washington Township has seen a dip in volunteer firefighters. Continue reading

FireRescue1.com – The Domino Effect, a FireRescue1.com blog by Mark van der Feyst offers this one. Handicap firefighting: Water source issues - Whenever we respond to structure fire, having access to, securing water source is vital component of overall fireground operation

Firefighter Nation - Two Dead, One Critical after Philadelphia Apartment Fire

TurnOut Blog – TurnOutBlog.com is a new blog on the horizon by Eric Lamar. Read his latest about Firehouses: History versus Safety here

Quick Takes on STATter911.com – Dave Statter offers his usual rundown every Monday of his biggest stories from the week prior as well as some other goodies that don’t require a separate article. This is always a great stop every Monday to see what is going on in the World of Fire. Check out Quick Takes for January 9, 2012

FireGeezer – Do you need more fire news? Check out the News Ticker over at FireGeezer.com. Read it here

And finally, I will let you all be the critics! What issues do you see in the video below? It doesn’t matter what department it is…just take a look and discuss how things might have been done better. Is that a red (booster) line?

I do not have much information on this video, nor do I know when it occurred. I believe it occurred in Russia. However, I was on the edge of my seat as this firefighter was rescued at the last possible moment as he hung outside the 4th or 5th floor of this high rise and fire burned around him. Just before he is rescued by the aerial you can see his gear on fire. Seconds later, the window he was hanging from is fully engulfed in fire. The end of the video says 2006, so it could be pretty old but still worth a look. I apologize if you all have seen it already. I have seen a couple videos…but not this one so I thought it was worthy of sharing.

This is definitely a CLOSE CALL!

The translation of the title is Fire in Kvartire. I couldn’t find anymore information, nor do I know where that is.

The video is apparently available for training purposes. The translation of the description on youtube is:

A series of films for training to prepare personnel of fire protection.