This week we are talking with Domenic Colletti of the Rural Firefighting Academy Online Learning. In addition to talking about the online learning we also venture into talking about Class A Foam, Compressed Air Foam, driving of Tankers (tenders) and training in general.
Lots to learn in this episode.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2014
This week a quick thought about poking an inspection hole.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2014
What would you be willing to do to prevent a line of duty death? I have grown a bit weary about all of the talk about safety and what we should change to make our job safer. I have grown a bit tired from folks in very large departments mocking the way small departments are forced to fight fires because of lack of personnel and/or resources.
Ask yourself some questions about what can you do to make a difference.
Would you be willing…
* To be criticized for ordering a tactical withdrawal from a structural fire? This criticism might be from your own personnel, your peers, or mutual aid neighbors.
* To enforce your department’s rules and regulations, and SOPs, and be called all sorts if names, and being told you forgot where you came from?
* Admit you have made errors and increase your personal training effort to make sure it doesn’t happen again?
* Make an appointment with a physician to be poked, prodded and tested to prevent your own LODD?
* To begin and maintain a physical training program to be sure you are fit for duty!
* To correct the most senior man on the job or the newest rookie on a safety violation? And endure the departmental “shunning” because “Who the heck do you think you are anyway?”
* To have an uncomfortable conversation with a brother or sister who is under severe personal, or critical incident stress? …or is that not “your job”
* To always wear your all your gear correctly and always wear your SCBA even when it “looks like” you don’t need it?
* Are you willing to give up some personal time to teach or mentor another firefighter in need, regardless of what they need?
These are some of the things you must be willing to do if you want to be proactive. We have all seen photos of firefighter funerals where thousands of firefighters gather to pay tribute and we should. But at these same funerals we have seen photos of young widows who are so overcome with grief that they are inconsolable. We have seen photos of the children left behind, clutching a flag, a badge, or some momento of a father or mother who is no gone.
What would you be willing to do to prevent that photo from ever having to be taken again?
If you are really strong enough and have the courage, do something to make a difference.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2014
This week we are looking at a significant roof fire in a supermarket.
1.) One of the first considerations at a structural fire (after life safety) is the size of the structure. What does the size of this structure indicate about, the volume of fire, length of hoseline needed, and air consumption of SCBA?
2.) What heat and smoke conditions might you encounter on the main floor?
3.) Does the supermarket in your area have a second floor area, or partial mezzanine for offices in front or for stock in the warehouse?
4.) What do you know about roof construction?
5.) Based upon what you see, what is the plan? Can you gain access from an inside ladder and scuttle? Should you? Can your thermal imager give you a good reading from 30 feet away? (Inside floor to roof)
What amount of work will be involved? How long has this been burning?
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2014
This week we are speaking to Jon Pascua who is pioneering the use of DJI Phantom quadcopters for use in the fire service. We talk a little about technology, uses, costs and more.
https://facebook.com/rifiredrone
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2014
This week we ask some questions about fire behavior and fire attack in a small bungalow.
1.) What impact does the small size of this house have on fire growth and flashover potential?
2.) What is the difference in what you see in the two D side windows? One window has fire showing in the top half, clear in the bottom half. What does that indicate to you? The rear window has heavy black smoke pushing out the full height and width of the window. What’s the difference, what can it tell you?
3.) Are the interior doors in these rooms open or closed ?
4.) What size lines and where? What is your plan of attack?
5.) Would any of your decisions change if this was a larger house? How is fire behavior affected by the size of the container? (Size of the structure)
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2014
This is a repost of an article written by my friend Jim Blanchard from many years ago. I was in several discussions this week where I verbally made reference to this article, so I thought I would post it again.
Below are Jim’s thoughts and unfortunately I have had some experiences which lead me to say I must agree.
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I truly believe that this should be hung on every bulletin board in every firehouse.
The fire service operates on a rule of thirds. Understanding this rule will help you understand the actions of certain members.
READ THIS AND ASK YOURSELF, WHERE DO I FIT IN, IN THIS RULE OF THIRDS?
ONE THIRD OF THE MEMBERS DON”‘T WANT TO DO THE JOB.
They dedicate all of their time and energy to their second job.
They are much to busy to attend a union or association meeting
They can never find the time to serve on a committee. They complain vigorously about everything but won’t do anything to try to improve anything.
The Fire job is an inconvenience to them. They are easy to find at a fire. They are the ones outside near the pump or truck always having trouble with their SCBA.
ONE THIRD OF THE MEMBERS DON’T KNOW HOW TO DO THE JOB.
They never took a class in firefighting. They don’t want to train. If an inservice class is Scheduled on their group, they will take a vacation or sick day. They don’t have time to come to union or association meetings. They know the television schedule for every channel. They know the date and time that the special checks, longevity, holiday, clothing, arrive. They know which vacation schedule has the most days off, especially weekends. They know how many sick days they have left and when they will get more to use. They also know more about maximizing their retirement plan than the commissioner of the board. They are easy to find at fires. They are the ones standing outside with a rake or hook in their hand waiting for the coffee truck.
ONE THIRD OF THE MEMBERS WANT TO DO THE JOB AND KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO DO IT.
These members rarely miss a union or an association meeting, they frequently take classes in firefighting, even on their own time. They are eager to drill. They work a second job but always find time to serve on committees, hold office and help out on anything that will benefit the members. The only complaining they do is at union or association meetings and then they always have a suggestion on how to make things better. They might not know the television schedule or how to operate the remote control from the second row. But they do know where all the equipment is on the Company they are assigned and they know how it works. They probably don’t know what day clothing allowance comes but they do know how to get the pump into manual shift override. They also can’t tell you how many sick days they have accrued but you can bet the last one they used wasn’t on a Friday or Saturday Night. They are difficult to find at fires. The only time you see them is when they come out to change their third air bottle.
James L Blanchard
Saugus Fire Department
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Pete Lamb
Copyright 2014
This week we talk about standard operating procedures (SOPs) or standard operating guides if you prefer. What they are, why you need them, how to write them and review them and use them for a training document are all discussed.
The book that was referenced:
Standard Operating Procedures and Guidelines, John Lee Cook, published by Fire Engineering books.
This week we talk about what happens before your arrival.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2014