Since the weather has been getting warmer it is allowing more time to train outside and get some real good engine work in. Been practicing a lot of moving lines up stairs. With a 3 person engine it makes it difficult especially in a district with large 3 story homes.
One of the most popular ways I have seen to move hose is the loop and roll method, here is an example of the loop and roll method
It is something that is taught pretty wide-spread around here and as already said is very popular. While doing some recent training this method was being used to move hose to a third floor landing with only 2 firefighters. The below video is the result.
The malfunction was flipping the roll into the room before actually being in the room, causing a major kink, instead of maintaining the loop. The kink was so bad it caused a catastrophic gpm flow problem at the nozzle rendering the line useless.
This happened in no smoke, no heat, and in good visibility. Will this happen every time? I do not think so, but it is a possibility and heat, smoke, etc. can only contribute to the difficulty.
Finding things like this only enhance our fire service, the sharing of ideas, and even failures only makes all of us better. Much like the campaign for terrorism prevention states “if you see something, say something” apply the same message to the fire ground and our training. If you see something that works say something, if you see something that doesn’t work SAY SOMETHING! Do not hoard ideas, share them! Also embrace your failures!
As usual thanks for reading, spread the word, and STAY SAFE!
The above video gives us a great chance to read smoke prior to fire department arrival. It is a great example of turbulent smoke an indicator of impending flash over. Without immediate water delivery and a cooling of the interior compartments the fire will surely reach a flash over state.
It appears that the arriving engine company elected to use an exterior attack, and then go interior once more firefighters arrived. This technique has been branded as “transitional attack”.
Some have panned this technique as not keeping with the truest sense of the fire service, that not making interior attack every time makes someone less of a firefighter. A wise fire captain told me that in todays fire service knowing when not to go in, is more important than going in. Meaning simply that the construction, staffing, fire loading, etc. are different and in order to defeat the problems of today, we must make sound tactical decisions based on a true fire and structural assessment. After that we must adjust the tactics we use to meet the needs of our problem.
Taking this video at face value you can not argue with the success of the technique utilized…a well advanced fire, producing three-dimensional, turbulent smoke was knocked down and the smoke production reduced. While the initial assessment of a rescue profile would be minimal, the rapid reduction and production of smoke by this technique could make a rescue viable in some of the rooms adjacent to the main fire area.
Every technique has its place and time, this fire with what appeared to be a reduced initial staffing level screamed transitional attack. Even a beefed up staffing level it would have been a great option.
As usual thanks for reading, spread the word, and STAY SAFE!
It feels like forever since I have been able to devote some time to the blog. Things have been CRAZY busy here on the homestead. I just finished up a week of the new Rope Rescue Level 1 course. Here in Virginia they have totally revamped the Heavy Tactical Rescue program (HTR), by dropping some courses, adding some courses, and combining some courses. This course that I took over the last week was a combination of old Rope 1, and 2. In this class we did rigging, rappelling, haul systems, lowering systems, pick offs, victim packaging, ascending, etc. all culminating in one huge scenario. It was tough and very labor intensive but I learned a lot and got to hang out with fireman from all over the state. Here are a few highlights.
EVEN MY TRUCK GOT IN ON THE ACTION!!!!
This program was all part of a week-long offering from the Virginia Department of Fire Programs called “Rescue Week” in addition to my class, there was Trench Rescue,Vehicle Rescue, and Introduction to Technical Rescue Classes all being taught. It was the first in what I hope is a pattern of doing this yearly.
In other news I also found out that I will be going back to FDIC 2013 this time as a Work Shop Instructor! My class “The Medical Mayday” will be 4 hours long and will encompass the missing part of the Mayday/fireground rescue process, actually caring for the victims once they are removed from the fire ground. I think it is going to be very well received and I hope I do the topic justice. It is not to early to sign up, head over to www.FDIC.com and sign up today! You do not want to miss FDIC it is by far the best fire conference out there with educational, networking, and exhibit opportunities!
Lastly in a few short days I and hopefully 343 other fireman from this area will be climbing 110 stories for the 343 FDNY firefighter murdered on 9/11. You can still register by going here http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=1117802 . There is ZERO reason not to do this climb, and pay tribute to the fallen firefighters of the FDNY. There is no excuse for the Metro Richmond Area to not fill this climb up, it is an insult if we do not, so SIGN UP TODAY!!!! The money collected from all the climbs nation wide goes to support the FDNY Counseling Unit http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/units/csu/index.shtml a unit that provides counseling to firefighters and family’s.
If you do not feel you can make the climb then send in your money anyway and I will carry the name of your firefighter for you. No excuses fill this climb and honor those that have gone before us. We all promised to never forget, now here is a chance to show that you have not forgotten.
Well things are still getting busier and busier! Intermediate to Paramedic bridge class has started, Youth Football for my oldest is in full swing, in the next week or so my youngest will start youth soccer, the oldest will also be heading back to school soon, the wife is teaching an EMT-Basic course, and my self and Ryan Pennington http://www.viewsfromthejumpseat.blogspot.com/ and http://chamberofhoarders.com/ are getting ready to start our joint venture that will help spread our message of fire service excellence far beyond our individual websites.
You can always follow along on twitter @averagejakeff and….
As usual thanks for reading, spread the word, and STAY SAFE!
Well it is good to be back from FDIC it was a very succesful conference and I am working on my full review post. However someone forwarded me this video and I could not wait to share it.
Since VODPOD decided to sell to Lockerez and stop the WordPress plug-in I am still looking for a new video sharing site so until then links will have to do.
I am putting this out a day early since I have to work in the AM, plus February is a short month so you can take that extra day and use it to train.
A lot of times we find ourselves sitting around the firehouse not doing anything. I am not talking about taking a break, or eating, or even down time sometimes we are just sitting there. This is a GREAT time to get that hour of hands on training in. However sometimes you find yourself all alone while trying to get that training done. The guys on your crew may be in the middle of something else, they may be talking to their families on the phone, or they may simply not want to train. DO NOT LET THIS STOP YOU!!!! There is a ton of things you can do on your own to get that training in and make yourself better. Here is an example:
Self RIT Bottle Drill
All you need is the following:
1 RIT Bag
1 Spare Bottle
1 Air Pack
1 Pair Firefighting gloves
First start with going over the pieces and parts of the RIT bag. Work all of the buckles, zippers, connections, etc. with your firefighting gloves on. Also pull out the mask, and transfill connection and make go over how they connect and make sure they are all in working order.
Next put all of the stuff back in the bag. Start a few feet away and crawl to the airpack. Once you reach the airpack go over your down firefighter assessment procedure. Once you do this make the transfill connection to the URC (Universal RIT Connection) or Transfill valve (whatever you call it). Of course we are doing this with firefighting gloves on.
Repeat this as many times as it takes for you to not fumble around with getting the trans fill hose out of the bag and onto the connection. Once you have got it down you can move on to the next phase in the drill.
For this phase we bring in the spare bottle. Start again with you bag fully zipped up, ans squared away. Begin a few feet away and crawl to the spare bottle. The spare bottle is going to simulate a firefighters face and head. Approach the bottle and perform a down firefighter assessment. SImulate that the mask has been damaged, or dislodged and you have to replace it. Then (of course with firefighting gloves on) pull out the RIT mask and place it on the spare bottle, just as you would a down firefighter.
The spar bottle can actually be very challenging as in you gloves it can slip and slide, it is a great simulator for a unconcious fireman as they will usually have no muscle control and be difficult to maneuver.
If you want to increase the difficulty, you can add your full PPE compliment with SCBA, black our your face piece, increase the distance, or of course add a live victim.
This drill may seem simple but being able to replace a mask, or make that connection is truly life and death stuff as when you are asked to do it, you will be performing it under fire conditions, with your brother’s life in the balance. Do not let the fact that it has never happened before in your department make this any less important.
Bottom line is there is NO excuse for not training a minimum of 1 hour every shift, even if you are by yourself. No excuses get to work. So this month get out there and work with that RIT bottle hopefully your crew will join you but if not it is ok because you can do it alone.
Do not forget to keep following me on twitter @averagejakeff and let me know what you’re doing for training in your departments by using the hastag #1hourHOT if you send some pictures I will post them on the site.
As usual thanks for reading, spread the word, and STAY SAFE!
I have been reading some pretty motivational stuff as of late, specifically the “Owning The Job” Series over at www.firecritic.com. It has come at a good time when I am kinda down on my motivation (not personal but departmental). Sometimes it is just hard to do a good job with people who do not care (not any one specific person just an overall feeling) so I am trying to take some of these motivational words to heart and trying to stay motivated even in the face of non caring.
I try to be the change, or better yet the fireman I want to see others become. Sadly and for some reason loving the job, and wanting to be fully immersed in it will not only cause ridicule but down right hate for you when dealing with some people. I am being serious when I say that there are people who absolutely HATE me, all because of my level of involvement with the fire service. They know nothing of me the person, yet they still choose to hate usually from a distance.
So then I came across one fo my favorite motivational speeches from one of my favorite movies “Brotherhood” (it’s a must see). It is short and sweet but it really speaks to me. This job is not given to you, sure you can fake your way through a career but at some point the stuff is gonna hit the fan and your going to get exposed for what you really are. You really have to want this job in order to do it the right way, and if you want it you have to come and get it, it is not going to wait on you.
Bottom line I am still chasing this job, there are things that I need work on, and there are things that I have a great grasp of. I even stepped into a whole new world as a medic to which I am like a rookie all over again. I am not perfect (in any aspect of life especially verbal expression, well at least in diplomatic verbal expression) but I will always be chasing, going after the job. Will you? Or will you let this job take a back seat?
Keep following along on twitter @averagejakeff
As usual thanks for reading, spread the word, and STAY SAFE!
It is a shame that in an instructional picture on how to “Kick in a door” that a fireman is used to depict the act. Sadly to many of us are out there kicking doors while perfectly good tools are sitting on the rig waiting to get used.
“Don’t be a fool, grab some tools”
This message provided for you by the Firefighting The Right Way Coalition, and the Stop Fireground Tool Neglect Foundation. Lets make sure that every tool has a home and is cared for. No more homeless halligans or hooks, no more transient irons.
With your donation of just one hands on training hour a shift we can help stop Fireground Tool Neglect and save knees, ankles and feet of fireman everywhere.
Be sure to keep following along on twitter, @averagejakeff
As usual thanks for reading, spread the word, and STAY SAFE!
According to the study done by the NVFC (National Volunteer Fire Council) that firefighters have a higher percentage of obesity (73-88%) than the average American (33.8%).
Obesity is measure by BMI (Body Mass Index) To calculate BMI you can use this link http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bmicalc.htm if your BMI is anything over 30 you are considered obese, and according to most health professionals are at risk for heart disease, certain cancers, etc.
1. BMI has some draw backs. On the BMI Calculator site (the link I posted above) even will tell you that BMI may overcalculate people with high muscle mass causing them to have a higher score, and it can undercalculate those with low muscle mass. I do not have to tell you the issue here, its pretty obvious.
2. This thing says I am overweight! No obese but overweight. This is hard to swallow as I have made SIGNIFICANT life changes in the past 2 years. I am not a big guy I am only 5foot9 and right now my weight fluctuates between 175 and 178, in order to get into a “normal” range I would have to get into the 160’s. Sure 2 years ago I was overweight I was 216lbs, scratch that I was not overweight I was FAT! So I changed I changed my eating habits, got in the gym and now 41lbs later I am planning on running the 2013 Disney World Marathon, and have completed 10k’s,5k’s,8’ks, and the Tough Mudder. Yet still according to this nationally recognized system I am still, well fat.
3. I do agree that there is a significant “health” issue in the fire service, far to many guys eat too much, and work out not enough. It is proven in the amount of health related LODD’s, injuries, and retirements we see every day.
4. Part of the problem is our lifestyle there have been several studies done to show the correlation of sleep deprivation to heart disease, well there is not to many people more sleep deprived than the American Firefighter. Further more the study done in Indianapolis proved that just the nature of our job causes our heart rate to go to the MAX (kinda like the pump cavitation) just at the dispatch of a call. Further more it showed that the anticipation of the alarm even at busy stations causes your sleep to not enter REM and prevents you from proper recovery. Here is the video link:
Also found in the study done by the University of Kansas states that firefighters are 300% more likely to contract a cardiovascular disease (heart attack, or stroke) based on uncommon factors such as the particulates in smoke. Add to all of that our poor eating habits and our sedentary lifestyles out side of work and it is a recipe for disaster!
So what is the solution? First and foremost we must change as a service, and as people. We must place an increased emphasis on fitness in order to not only be able to perform on the fireground but to survive our careers and enjoy our retirement. I have said it once and I will say again, I HATE WORKING OUT I get ZERO enjoyment from it, but I know to be the type of firefighter I want to be, and to perform the way I want to perform I have to push aside that hate and get in the gym. I also know that while I may want to eat 2 steaks at dinner one is more than enough. Simply put we have to change our habits, and adjust not only what we eat but how much we eat.
Some of you may not know where to begin so here are some helpful sites to assist you:
Additionally you can follow my workouts by following me on twitter @averagejakeff using the hashtag #fswfitness. This is just the tip of the iceberg folks, go out there and find a program that suits you and will get you to your optimum performance. It is not easy but neither is this job, if you do not want to do it for you then do it for your family, and the family of the guys you work with, no excuses just WORK!
As my buddy Rude Boy would say “Firefighters are athletes, TRAIN LIKE IT!”
As usual thanks for reading, spread the word, and STAY SAFE
I have been thinking about this for a while and after some recent events it has finally boiled over to where I feel the need to write about it.Also I feel I must say this based on past experience, and I am even going to caps and bold it, THIS IS NOT DIRECTED AT ANYONE PERSON THIS IS AN OVERALL GENERAL FEELING I HAVE AFTER 15 YEARS INVOLVED WITH FIRE AND EMS... so now that that’s out-of-the-way here it goes.
This all stems from some work stuff, like I wrote in a previous post a lot of people out there do not like the fact that I have a blog, write articles for Fire Engineering online, write articles for our Training Section Publication, or in general have an opinion that I am passionate about. Now I will take some of the blame here, I am not as articulate as some, I am not a deep person who can string words together like endless melodies and make it always come out sounding right, and I am very passionate about what I do. So sometimes I know I can get a little carried away, I constantly have to remind myself that not everyone LOVES this job the way I do. One thing I am also not is perfect, although that is where I am trying to get I often fall short. I guess that’s why I put so much emphasis on training, learning etc. cause I am not perfect so I feel that there are very few times when I couldn’t be learning something about this job.
The term “he is really into the fire department” or “he really loves his job” used to be a good thing but for some reason now they are used as an insult. It is apparently no longer cool to “care” about this job. Being seen reading a Fire Engineering magazine for example, or looking at a fire service blog like Statter911.com is usually met now with ridicule and the “why the hell you looking at that”.
The big question I have is WHY AREN’T YOU? Why aren’t you writing articles, reading up, drilling? Why don’t you care? I know putting yourself out there for all to critique can be hard, but for me even if one person comes up and says “I really liked your article” then it was all worth it.
I know for me I will continue to care, I will continue to write, I will continue to train, I will continue to teach, I will continue to listen to fires from other departments at the off-chance I may learn something by listening, I will continue to try and be the very best I can be at my job so that I and YOU (not directed at anyone in particular a “royal” you) can go home to our families.
The point is share what you know, even if you feel it is small someone out there may think it is great. Not a lot of people I know personally like what I do, but a ton of people I have never met have sent me many an email, or comment saying they have learned something from my various ramblings on this blog. It is not hard to do what I do, you just have to care and then share. You do not have to write articles, have a blog or anything like that, all it takes is a 30min drill in the firehouse. However in order to do that you gotta put down the paper, and get out on the apparatus floor, or the drill ground.
So as Joe Dirt would say “Keep on keeping on” keep fighting the good fight out there, Capt. Wines over at Ironfiremen.com talks about people who “get it”. People who get it in my opinion LOVE this job, sure they may have other things going on but the fire department is super important and all things involved (working, training, going to events, going to conferences, etc.) are can’t miss things. People who “get it” NEVER FORGET and understand the lessons of our fallen brothers, and honor them every day by training, and learning from their actions so that if mistakes were made they are no repeated. People who “get it” climb 110 stories on a Sunday, and donate to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Bottom line is BE SOMEONE WHO GETS IT! and if you don’t WHY AREN’T/DON’T YOU?
Average Jake Firefighter Blog 
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