They look like they are just getting off the ground but they already have some great workouts on the site. Just another resource for us to continue on the path to the fitness level we need to perform the critical functions of our job at the high level that our citizens expect from us.
Remember that not one workout is one size fits all and do things that will work for you. The route you take does not matter what matters is the end result. No matter what you do though in order to achieve the level of fitness we need hard work, and dedication are mandatory.
You are not alone! You may be the only one at your station working out but all you have to do is go under the hashtag #fswfitness and you will see a ton of your brothers and sisters posting their workouts. Also on several sites (Fireservice Warrior, Crossfit.com, Sealfit.com) they have forums fo you to discuss you fitness goals, and ask questions. So like I said you are not alone in this journey, the internet has given us the ability to share our passion, and resources with EVERYONE! Some call it the “network”, to others it is just brotherhood. No matter what it is to you it is there USE IT! NO EXCUSES START TODAY! IT WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE! Like Chris Huston from the Engine Co. 22 Blog said Nothing Worth Doing Is Easy http://engineco22.net/2011blog/?p=258
As usual thanks for reading, spread the word, and STAY SAFE!
Well it is a day late but the giveaway contest is over and WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!!
The Ratliff Volunteer Fire Department Station 10 in Callahan Florida submitted this picture after doing some RIT training
They won the free copy of Real Heroes: Firefighter for the Nintendo Wii
Thanks for reading guys and gals keep a look out for the game coming to you and let me know when you get it. I am also working on a possible product review that will have a giveaway aspect to it if it goes down so keep an eye out for that.
Sorry this is so short but the last few weeks with ALS continuing education class, activities with the kids, regular shifts, and part-time work it has been BUSY here. Hopefully after this week it will calm down a bit and I can get back to some regular posting.
Until then….
Thanks for reading, spread the word, and STAY SAFE!
The term transitional attack has been thrown around and debated for a while now. Some of the naysayers say it pushes fire, could raise temps in adjacent rooms, etc. In short they do not like it and I have even heard some call it “coward” firefighting.
Now before I get crucified I am big fan and advocate of getting inside as quick as possible, getting to the seat of the fire and putting it out. Thats why I come off the rig masked up. I am however very aware of how factors such as fire loading, heat release rate, building construction, response times, and staffing impact our ability to get in and make that interior hit.
Bottom line when applied in the right circumstances this technique works! Check out the video the temperature of the room goes from 700 to 140 degrees in about 10 seconds. I am not the greatest at math but using the simple discipline of subtraction that seems pretty good and 140 degrees is very livable temperature in adjacent rooms (to be honest it is lower due to shielding which makes it even more livable). Not only do the numbers support it, but I have seen this done in person, and done it myself so my personal experience says this works.
One thing to keep in mind is that some of the naysayers while coming from large prestigious departments, they are actually a minority when it comes to the fire service as a whole. There staffing levels ( number of companies, and members on those apparatus) is exceptional and far beyond 90% of the fire service populations capabilities. While their tactics may be sound for a 5 man engine, where the 2nd,3rd,and 4th due engines are only 1-2 mins. apart in most of the country where that is not even close to accurate. The point is they are not wrong but they are not right it is all just an opinion of perspective. A cautionary tale whenever anyone tells you anything is to determine how it applies to your department and the fires you go to. Sure a guy from FDNY is an expert at putting out a brownstone fire, but how good is he at drafting and putting out a barn full of hay?
So take a look at the video and determine for yourself if this tactic is for you or your department. I can tell you from my own experience in the departments I have worked in, it works. The studies also indicate that this tactic works.
As usual thanks for reading, spread the word, and STAY SAFE!
It has been a little while but finally the fire service is getting another show. I am hopeful on a couple different levels. First I hope this is better than Rescue Me. Quite frankly I could not stand Rescue Me I thought it was an insult to the fire service and was happy when it was cancelled.
There have been shows like Third Watch (which this seems a lot like) that have been ok, but focused more on the police than fire department. The drama of a police show seems to attract more of an audience. Thats why there are 15 versions of Law and Order, NCIS, CSI, and on and on. In my opinion none of them hold a candle to Miami Vice. Lets be honest you can not recreate the magic that is Crockett and Tubbs! But I digress.
Then there are shows like Firehouse USA, The Bravest, First In, etc. that never last long because it is real life and usually the only people who care about that stuff is well other firefighters.
Secondly I am just hopeful this show represents the fire service in a positive light. I do not mind the inter firehouse drama scenes, the coping with death scenes, because that stuff happens. I did not even mind the bouts with addiction depicted in Rescue Me, again that is real. However at the end of it all our job is all about helping people. Going to them on their worst day and saying “it is ok, we are here”. Not many shows have been able to capture that essence that only we know to well truly exists.
So I am definitely going to give this show a chance, and you should to. If it does well it could spring-board other shows and maybe can even bring back some of the “documentary” shows those of us on the job love.
Funny but true! However in times where our staffing levels are being cut we have to work that much harder in order to serve our citizens more efficiently.
So it is going to take more training, and more hard work.
So keep pushing forward, keep working out, and keep training! While you’re doing it SMILE this is the best job in the world, and that smile will be contagious!
Thanks for reading, spread the word, and STAY SAFE!
The “Battle Rope” exercise is an awesome full body, and cardio workout that is perfect for on duty workouts. However sometimes the battle ropes can be highly expensive.
Well do not fret you can do all of these great exercises, and routines with something that every firehouse has in abundance, FIRE HOSE!
It is simple just find an object to anchor the hose to (pole, hydrant, section of LDH) and you can start using this awesome workout TODAY!
Check out this site: http://mymadmethods.com/workout-database/workouts-rope-workouts for some awesome routines to incorporate into your fitness regimen (they even have video to demonstrate the exercise). Start out with 1 3/4 or 1 1/2 hose and then go up to 2, or even 3 inch. You can even add your PPE and SCBA for a truly realistic workout.
If you do not want to use in service hose, contact your logistics division, hose shop, or whoever gets things in your department and get some out of service hose.
So get out there and get to work, and while your out there snap a picture and enter the give away contest for a copy of Real Heroes: Firefighter for Nintendo Wii, and then send it on to averagejakeff.gmail.com.
As usual thanks for reading, spread the word and STAY SAFE!
On February 20th 2003 one of the deadliest fires in the history of our country occurs in West Warwick Rhode Island. In the 9 years since have we actually learned our lessons from it?
As the result of several influential fires (Beverly Hills Supper Club, Coconut Grove Night Club, and Rhythm Night Club) the creation of better fire protection codes, and code enforcement were born. Even some of our strategy and tactics have changed as a result of these incidents.
With all of these things though have we really “gotten it” routinely (just look on youtube) we can see engine companies attack large fires with undersized handlines, we still have people who consider aggressive fire tactics to be how close they are to the fire and not the actions they are performing on the fireground, the term transitional attack is met with ridicule and disdain from the “aggressive fireman” even with empirical data that solid and straight streams do not push fire or raise temperature in adjacent rooms.
I was told this a while ago and it rings true today, “you can not use house fire tactics on commercial occupancies”. One captain I used to work for used the term “teddy bear tactics”. The “teddy bear tactic” is something that makes you feel good but does nothing to mitigate the fire, or emergency. An example would be using an 1 3/4 line on a fire that requires a deck gun. Sure that 1 3/4 line is our safe zone it makes us feel really good when we deploy it right, and are fighting fire. However that 1 3/4 line is not really doing anything but making us feel good and putting on a show for the neighbors.
Who has occupancies such as restaurants, night clubs, etc. in there first in? How often do you get inside them? At the company level in my department we perform business inspections, however we do not perform them on special occupancies (schools, large assembly areas) or food/restaurant service occupancies. So unless we catch a run to them, or go out to eat in them we usually never see the inner workings of these occupancies. I will be honest it is something a lot of fireman ignore (myself included) because they so seldom happen. The result of that is we focus our training and walk through on the more likely events.
The problem with that is when this happens with out minimum staffing first in company we are quickly overwhelmed which could result in us resorting to our “teddy bear” or comfort zone and making an improper decision. Just think about the video above and apply it to your department. In mine it is a 3 alarm fire, with MCI that we are going to have to involve outside agencies in order to handle (mostly on the EMS side of things). It is going to involve a unified command, mutual aid, relief crews, extensive rehab, etc. The success of which will hinge on the actions of the first in officer.
The point is to expand your mind, test theories out on the training ground, train, read, and keep an open mind. There is NOT one end all be all tactic in the fire service! Normally it is a combination or several things that lead to success on the fireground. There is no one size fits all tactic all fires, firefighters, and fire departments are different be a student of the game and do not be afraid to think outside the box, and leave that “teddy bear” at home.
I’m not going to lie either I do wonder what would happen here if different tactics were applied. I try to not criticize but to put myself in there place with my staffing, and my thoughts and try to imagine what it would be like. THATS NOT WRONG!!! Study these fires, use youtube to get a better idea of what you would or would’nt want to do.
Just shy of two years ago I created this blog. I created it mostly out of anger, I saw a lot of other bloggers out there voicing their opinions and I felt that was a oppourtunity that I was not getting in my current employment situation. So I began to write, and while some who work with me did not ( and still do not) like the topics, or tone of the blog, or just the fact that I do this I began to find it very therapeutic a virtual journal if you will.
What I did not expect is that so many people would read, and even appreciate what I would have to say. What I really did not expect is that I would develop relationships with these people and get to share ideas, concepts, and the passion we all share for this job.
In short this has been a great experience for the last 2 years and no matter the negativity that swirls when you take on an endeavor like this I plan on continuing on writing my musings, giving training tips, inspiration etc. I feel it is every firemans responsibility to share what they know, no matter how small that nugget may be it could be the thing that saves someones life.
So in honor of this, and to thank all of the wonderful readers out there who give me feedback and support I am giving away this….
A copy of the Nintendo Wii game Real Heroes: Firefighter !!!!!
Email me (averagejakeff@gmail.com) or tweet me (@averagejakeff) a picture of you or your crew either training or working out. When you do make sure you include your contact information. You have until May 20th 2012 at 10pm to get them in. The winner will be selected at random (via the random number generator) on May 21st 2012. The winning photo and name of the winner will be featured on the blog! So send them in and tell your friends!
Again I want to thank each of you who read, tell your friends, and tweet things from this blog to all of your followers. I truly appreciate all of the support and am humbled whenever anyone says they enjoy reading what I write. So again thanks and keep reading the best I hope is yet to come!
As usual thanks for reading, spread the word and STAY SAFE!
Knowing your district is VITAL to succesful fireground operations. You may be the best hose stretcher, tactical officer, and firefighter around but if you do not get there all of those skills are for nothing. However knowing your district is not enough, you have to be very familiar with your second, third, and maybe even 4th due!
This is a lesson that has been reinforced to me hard recently, as I have been moved to a part of town I am very unfamiliar with. Sometimes the maps (whether hand drawn, or GIS) is not enough. This (hypothetically of course) could lead to you running a fire in your second due and not knowing 100% were you are going and ending up 2nd due. Sure you still get to do some good fireground work but you should have been on the initial attack line and….well Im rambling and this in no way really happened (lol).
But seriously knowing the roads, buildings, different routes, etc. is very important and sometimes gets very over looked.
So this month dedicate some training time, to driving your district and the surrounding districts, get in the map book, get in your buildings, and take some different routes back to the station to see some streets you may never see. Also no matter how good you know your district always look it up in the map book, or your mapping system it will get you used to using it and will make finding locations easier under the gun.
Be sure to keep following along on twitter @averagejakeff
As usual thanks for reading, spread the word, and STAY SAFE!
I was recently made aware of a great fire service blog written by Mark Vonappen. The blog is called fully involved and it is full of great leadership examples and quotes. While I was thumbing through them the other day I came upon this one http://mark-vonappen.blogspot.com/2012/04/no.html take a moment and read it.
This sums up exactly how I feel on most days. Well taking the lead from Steve Kraft (FDIC 2012 Keynote), and several other well-respected members of the fire service I am going to as the post says “start moving ahead with or without you” I am done waiting, done talking about, and done trying to placate to those who do not want to see excellence in our Fire Service. I will not waste any more of my time, or your time blogging about these “fireman” who are here for the awesome schedule. The biggest reason is it is counter productive. Those people are always gonna be those people no point in preaching to them about concepts that they will never get or have the values, or care to understand.
I love this job, flat-out love it. There are very few places I would rather be than riding on a fire engine heading to a call. For far to long I have let people who use words like brotherhood as a punch line bring me down. No more!
In order to fully get to the next level that I want to get to, the anger, negativity has to go away. It will be a long battle with my emotions but it has to happen. It will not happen over night, or even over a year but today is the day to change it.
Be sure to keep following along on twitter @averagejakeff
Also within the next few days I am going to be rolling out a giveaway so be on the look out.
As usual thanks for reading, spread the word, and STAY SAFE!
