Consolidation

Consolidation. It is considered one of the most dreaded words in the fire service. It takes two or more departments and merges them into one, under a new name, new identity, and creates a new culture. There are a variety of reasons why consolidations occur, such as manpower or financial issues. It can be determined that ultimately, it is best to pool the resources. However, one reason is known to continually cause consolidations to fail: Culture. And when I mean culture, I mean pride and egos.

For a job so loved, it is not surprising how much pride goes into. We are proud of our departments and what we do. However, sometimes we let this overshadow what we are meant to do. Why are you a firefighter? This is the firefighter's purpose: To protect life and sustain property. Make a hazardous situation safe. The job of a firefighter is not about the individual firefighter. It is about everyone else, the people that you protect.

For volunteer firefighters, it can be a struggle. Not only are you balancing an outside job and family while responding to calls, you also have to put in time for training, meetings, and fundraisers. For some departments, fundraisers can be what keeps the department going. It is also common for there to be more than one department per municipality, often for reasons stuck in the past as in white collar versus blue collar or terrain issues that past fire apparatus (or horses) could not get through.

We are content in our history. We see each other struggling, with money, worrying about paying department bills, or with manpower, worrying about crewing the truck the next time the pager goes off, and it is still hard for us to admit that it is time to change history. Consolidations pool resources together. Sometimes you can get rid of a station or apparatus piece in consolidation. There could be less fundraisers or less donation letters being sent out, possibly enticing more residents to attend or donate more, since they do not have to choose. It is not easy at all starting from the beginning. You have to create new by-laws, new standard operation procedures, guidelines, and more.

You also have to deal with people. You are changing the way things have been done. People do not always respond well to change.

Without a doubt, there is an overabundance of fire departments and a continual decrease in manpower. There are times that departments cannot answer calls. A variety of recruitment methods have been and will continue to be tried. But right now, we have to use the resources that we have in the most efficient manner that we can. And that very well may be pooling our resources together.

But then you have to worry about this guy not liking that guy and wondering who's going to be Chief, what's the name of the company, what color of the fire trucks and not necessarily the things that matter. The question should be will this improve our services to our community? How can we best prepare to fulfill our mission?

Instead of thinking about themselves, people need to look at the situation and think about others. Think about the community. How prepared are you for your community? To hell with the pride. It's not about trying to dominate. It amazes me how quickly multimillion (or billion) corporations can consolidate with each other and there are still fire departments bickering over who is responding to what.

A lot of municipalities cannot afford paid departments. We are what they got. We have to do what's right. It is not going to be easy. But would you rather work through the problems or watch them get worse? And know that it was a fear of change that kept those problems from working out? You have to try. Not a half assed effort either. It is not easy. It never will be. You are making two into one. There will be arguments. You won't win every disagreement either. But who is it for-your pride and potential of a position or the people you protect?

It is a very touchy subject. But someone needs to be willing to state their stance and go with it.

Stay safe.

RIT Drills

I've talked about RIT in the past, but today I am going to discuss drills and techniques concerning rapid intervention team response. The Benjamin Franklin quote about prevention versus cure is easily applicable to the fire service. Practice like you play. RIT is not easy. In order to extricate one downed firefighter from a hazardous situation, multiple firefighters are required, divided into teams all with specific purposes.

This is a great review on how RIT should be established with important key points. As well, it gives examples of drills to practice RIT skills. It shows that RIT drills do not always requires a lot of equipment or special considerations, and it also tests firefighter skills in other areas.

If you are dispatched as a RIT team, do you have key components in place to consider once you arrive on scene? RIT is preparing for the worst; you need to have a mental checksheet to know that everything is in place in case the worst were to happen. Is everything crossed off? RIT is a lot more than just bringing hand tools and a TIC and staging on scene. You constantly have to be aware of the situation surrounding you and recognizing hazards.

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Benjamin Franklin. What the hell does that even mean? Train. If we train, we can PREVENT the situation from getting worse. Firefighting is dangerous, people. It is always going to be dangerous. We can only prepare ourselves for the situation and keep our skills consistent and sharp enough to evaluate each situation and respond accordingly. Athletes practice daily. Responding to emergencies and performing rescues have a lot more variables than a sporting event, so why shouldn't we keep ourselves prepared?

I found some great training videos to consider for RIT. This video  looks at the technique of converting the air supply and harness. It establishes that the firefighter has an air supply, and that the SCBA waist belt can be used as a harness to assist in dragging the firefighter, while also providing control of the SCBA that the firefighter is wearing. Imagine for a minute that they aren't in an open bay, but in a dark, cramped hallway. This extrication doesn't look easy to begin with, and now you're in cramped quarters. You and your crew are trying to manipulate this in much less space, and now it is going to be a lot darker, plus your adrenaline/emotions will be running high. See why we train? We can't create the moment as its going to be. Entanglements and obstacles can be thrown at you, PASS devices can be going off all over the place, but it won't create the scene as it will be when you actually have to implement RIT (or any skill really). But training can help you prepare. You can learn your strengths and weaknesses. Better to make mistakes while training rather than during the real deal. Everyone goes home.

There are drills that challenge a firefighter in more constrained environments and require more exertion. These include the Denver Drill and the Pittsburgh Drill. These exercises were developed in response to past mistakes. And they are extremely useful teaching tools and well-known throughout the nation. Both drills show how extricating a firefighter is a team effort and a process. The Denver Drill requires firefighters to maneuver through cramped spaces and lift the downed firefighter through a window. The Pittsburgh Drill has a variety of obstacles-a small wall breach, an A frame up and over, and a tube to navigate through with the downed firefighter at the end. The firefighter is low on air and entangled, so the firefighters need to extrication him from the entanglements and put him on an alternate air supply. After that, along with him being packaged, the team goes back through the obstacles with the downed firefighter. It really tests your skills. While props are involved with these drills, it isn't anything too extensive and should be fairly easy to obtain. Again, RIT uses skills that you need for other aspects of firefighting. These drills help you develop these so that hopefully when you use the skills-whether it be for RIT or in another situation-you are able to effectively apply them to the situation.. It's all about surviving.

Stay safe!

Something I Don't Understand

Actually, there are a lot of things I don't understand. But one thing in the fire service that I do not understand is why we don't work together in a way that utilizes technology and shares our knowledge for everyone's benefit?

When you join a fire department, you are issued your turnout gear, pager, and some equipment; gloves, flashlight, rope, the basics, and later you build up more and buy more to fit your needs. You get sent off to training at your local fire academy and start going through the various certification courses and get your piece of paper. Depending on the culture of your department, you might continue to consistently train in-house or you might not Depending on the type of calls your department responds to, some of those basic skills and knowledge bits might fade away just because it's not being used. Some departments are able to issue every firefighter a fundamentals/essentials textbook where other departments might only have one or two in station.

Those textbooks have A LOT of information in them as well. Hundreds of pages, some of which might not be applicable to each department.

Here's my question. As a collective effort, there is a lot of knowledge within a single department and even more if one departments works with a couple others.

Why are we not working together to make a type of condensed guide for firefighters? In the past, I have tried to take power points and/or practice tests and rewrite/restyle them into study guides, more or less because rewriting is how I learn personally (as in writing out practice test questions as a statement with the answer bolded or something).

My company is lucky enough to have a couple instructors as officers in our department. But I bet most departments have a mutual aid company with an instructor or two.  Although, this isn't something that necessarily requires instructors. If you're taking classes, you can type up your notes or type up parts of the power point for others to use.

And with cloud technology, it's simple to share. Dropbox is great for sharing files and so is Google drive. If you make a group, anyone in that group can upload files. So other, outside training resources could be shared as well.

I created guides for my FFI exam, and I am doing it for my BVR Tech exam. I have also already found resources to help me prepare for the FFII exam, which I hope to take in the spring.

Different people learn in different ways. Some people can see something done in front of them once and they're good to go. Others need to read about it first. I fall into the reading about it category.

I think it's little things like this-with technology, you can have the information at a single touch. I have my guides synced so that they can be accessed from my laptop, tablet, and cell phone. It is a cooperative effort, but I think most firefighters could benefit from it. What's wrong with a little refresher every now and then?

Stay safe.

The funny thing about firemen...

"The funny thing about firemen is night and day, they are always firemen," is a quote from the movie "Backdraft." And it's true. No matter what, its a job to be loved, regardless of whether the fireman is paid or volunteer. It's a job that requires a lot of work and effort, but that's what makes it great.

The other funny thing about firemen? We make this job a lot more difficult than it needs to be sometimes.

We do things knowing that a simple change in action can make us safer. Or, sometimes, it requires a more complex action or even a series of actions that make the job easier/safer, but we still like to make things more difficult sometimes.

It can be as simple as putting on a seatbelt. Why do we need fire trucks with alarms that go off if we aren't belted in? How simple is it? One click. We're not immortal. We're human. Sometimes, I think some of us like to believe we're above every day safety limits. We're firefighters. Supposed to be heroes to the rest of the world. Stronger.

I don't know about others, but I know that I am not a hero. I am a human doing something not so normal and want to learn. I make sure to hear that click.

Perhaps it is our humanity that derives our weaknesses. Society holds us to a standard. When everyone else is having a bad day, they call us.

There are other things we do-or don't do-which make the job more difficult as well. I preach again and again about training, but what about general exercise? How many of us are out of shape? How would it help us if we took a little bit of time to work out?  Some extra cardio could help out in the long run. It is a strenuous job.

Even something like the 60 second SCBA drill, is something people struggle with but may write off. It is something that takes practice. Its repetitiveness at least forces you to be familiar with a key piece of equipment.

Perhaps the one thing that makes this job the most difficult, from human factors at least, is our pride. Sometimes we have issues working alongside each other. That happens everywhere. The difference between others and us is that our job performance can be the difference between life  and death. We have to remember our mission: to protect life and sustain property.

Its a unique job, a blessing and an honor. If we each try to drive change that can make us safer and more efficient, we could make a difference in the culture. We all deserve to go home.

Sometimes, the change can seem minor to one, but have a significant impact on another.

I've struggled in the past, it hasn't been easy being away at school and not being able to be involved as much as I would like. I try my best and hope to see it translate in the future. A few weeks ago, I got a random letter in the mail from a fire instructor. He included a a sticker from his training from his training company. I recently put it on my helmet. It shows my whacker side, but that little effort and note really lifted me up from some internal struggle. It was a brief reminder that I'm doing this for a reason, it won't be easy but I can do it. That's what makes this job great. The brotherhood is present. Always.

Brotherhood keeps us going at times. We have to be there for one another because in some ways, we are the only ones who understand.

Its a funny job. People think we are crazy. But I've never met a firefighter who hated the job.

Stay safe

Puzzle Pieces: Some Truck Basics

Training, training, training. This cannot be stressed enough. What is amazing to me is realizing how many departments don't train. It is not easy to schedule around for everyone else, but not even planning a drill? That scares me. Practice like you play. If you don't practice, what happens at game time? Will you be combat ready?

Now, training does not always have to be complex. At the root of it all, firefighting can be pretty basic. And even when you consider the complexities and specializations, those  are built UP from the basics. It's a foundation. Considering the puzzle that is firefighting, the basics are the end pieces. You have to have that in place before you can build into anything else.

Today, I am going to discuss truck operations basics. Whether you are a truckie or an engine guy, these are all skills that the combat ready firefighter needs to be aware of. Understanding and being competent in these skills is important because it allows the firefighter to have a more developed situational awareness, which can result in improved safety.

Enough about that. Let's talk about the truckie's job and skills.

I got the idea for this piece from this article. First, if you click on the link, please note that the website is called firefighting BASICS. Take away the basics and what do you have? You don't have much. Can you be too prepared for a fire? I don't think so. Preparation covers your bases; hoping for the best but expecting the worst. By having equipment available, you are "combat ready." You are considering your safety and the safety of your crews. So why does Boston throw so many ladders? Because it is a basic skill that provides a safety net and can make a significant difference if that ladder is needed. I know that on RIT calls, one of the first things to consider should be ladder placement because that determines location of egress. It's funny because engine and truck guys like to get on each other's nerves sometimes, but these practices allow for the engine company is alter their operations knowing that they have that egress option in place. This article is really good, I'll just sum it up with two quick quotes before moving on: "The best RIT crew is the one you never need," and "So the bottom line is the same for everything else on the fire ground; call for the equipment, put it in place, if you don't need it you can put it away. I'd rather have it and not need it." Firefighting can be complex, but sometimes the answers are just as basic as throwing a ladder.

So lets talk about ladders. I like this because, just like anything else, you have to be familiar and comfortable with it in order to correctly utilize it in the fire ground. Now, the purpose of the ladder is pretty obvious: a tool to get from Point A to Point B. One of the most important aspects of ladders is knowing them. Train with them. Get comfortable with them. Know your limits. I have experienced this before. I am not the strongest. Ladders definitely forced me to look at this aspect. So, I recognized my weaknesses and got my ass to the gym. Another interesting aspect is that while there are some safety concerns with ladders, it's common sense that can prevent that-foot that ladder. Consider the angles you are placing the ladder at and how that can affect the base and where the tip is placed-this affects the egress techniques as well. Practices throwing ladders can be a simple drill to throw together-you just need a building. If you have a chance to go somewhere else other than your station house, go for it. But even with your station, you can practice different angles. Practicing throwing ladders is kind of like practicing the 60 second SCBA donning drill-the more you practice, the more it becomes second nature.

This article is a great resource about common tools used for truck operations and their roles. This also offers a great perspective: "The tools we live with are basically the same; its the mindset that's different." That is an excellent point. We know what tools we need to complete these tasks, but for different situations. And all of these tools can be used in different ways. How effectively and the variety of ways it can be used depends on your personal skills. It goes back to the Halligan Bar post awhile back; you can use both ends of a Halligan for forcible entry, one side just tends to get used more often than others. Training leads to improvisation opportunities. This article also offers different training suggestions. Training doesn't have to be expensive. Get some plywood. I think I might be the in the minority on this one, but one way that I learn is by taking the tools in my hand. We preplan, don't we? Why not consider the different or off the wall situations we might have to use a tool in? Improvise, overcome and adapt.

Do routine maintenance on your equipment. Make sure it is in good condition. The tool is only as good as the person using it. Make sure you know it.

These post covered a lot of different things. I hope that the articles linked offer more insight as well. The point I was trying to make here is that the basics are more important than we sometimes give them credit for, and it also plays a role in our situational awareness while on scene.

Practice like you play. Everyone go home. Stay safe!

Admitting

This blog has been really useful for me in a variety of ways. It has allowed me to explore different aspects of firefighting, and I feel as if I have learned much from researching and writing for this blog as well. It has made me excited to get back into firefighting, full time so to speak, once I graduate college and move back home.

But the other day I realized I was actually terrified.

This semester has been an interesting challenge for me, and I have not gotten to go home as much as I have the past couple years, or when I was home it was for specific reasons. All in all, I haven't been to the station very often. I've had a lot going on with my family, and they know that (seeing as my dad and two brothers also belong haha). But with the way my schedule has been, I have not been able to work out as much as I would like, and a hospital visit/injury pushed back my strength and conditioning workouts. For the past year, I have been using lifting (heavy lifting that I never thought I would do, not only has it been great for working out, it's also a confidence booster-if you can think it, you can do it) to keep in shape while I am at school, since I'm not home training, pulling lines, packing up, throwing ladders, or anything else that we do in the fire service.

This has made me very antsy. There is nothing more that I want other than to be a good firefighter. I want to learn. A year ago, if someone would have told me I'd be a Firefighter I, I probably would have laughed-I didn't think I could do it. I truly did not believe I could do it. But I did. And that got some type of fire burning, and I want to keep doing it, I want to keep training and obtaining certifications, I want to be the best firefighter I can possibly be. I'm just afraid I'm a little behind now.

I've been reading lately about female firefighters getting extra chances at fitness tests. First, forced diversity never works well for anyone. Second, special treatment makes the minorities who can do the job have a more difficult time. Third, can't we all just be viewed as people? Four, I don't want to be that liability. Nothing scares me more than being *that* person. *That* person is being the one who can't hold my own, being a liability. Failing. You can't fail, you can't falter in this job. You have to be the best you can be. Combat ready.

In some ways, going to college might have made it more difficult for me to develop as a firefighter, having it going in and out of my life because I've been away. But now I am hoping that with my life is settling down, health is back, and I am ALMOST done with all of my crazy projects, I can put fitness back in my life.

I want to learn. I want to be stronger.

This may be rambling, but I am concerned. Nothing but the best is acceptable. And I am looking forward to taking my Thanksgiving and Winter breaks to spend plenty of time at the fire house.

Stay safe.

Leadership At All Levels

"The greatest leader is not necessarily one who does the greatest things. He is the one who gets the people to do the greatest things." Ronald Reagan

"Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another." John C. Maxwell

"Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do, and let them surprise you with the results." George Patton Jr.

A few weeks ago, I asked some friends if they thought you could "teach" leadership. The consensus was more or less that you can teach the tactics or strategy, but, at the root of it, leadership is an innate skill. Some people are born to lead. Some are born to follow. And that's okay. But that doesn't mean everyone can't have potential to lead in some way.

The fire service has a set hierarchy in place. You know the chain of command. You know who to go to. Your leadership should be clear.

But that doesn't mean leadership only goes to those with a different colored helmet. Leadership might start at the top, but it is reflected from the bottom. "Attitude reflects leadership."

There are some people who do not have any desire to be an officer. They like keeping their black shield. That doesn't mean they can't lead or that they aren't going to be leaders! You can have too many leaders. You need people who are able to follow and execute orders. But you know what I think? That's a form of leadership in itself. Be an example. Set the standard. I don't think people consider this a form of leadership but it is! Leadership doesn't always have to be in the form of fireground operations, either. If you're the one at the station stepping up to check equipment or keeping the trucks clean, people notice. It can be called stepping up, it can be called a matter of pride. It can be doing what is right.

You can throw a small rock-a pebble-and the resulting ripples spread out in all directions. Why do I say this? Small actions can cause larger reactions. Leadership does not always have to be an action of rallying the troops. It can be as simple as doing the menial task that others might overlook. It is getting done what needs done. You do what you need to do. You do what is right. Doing what's right, setting an example-that's leadership. Be the standard. Help out, step up.

Leadership does not have to be a burden or struggle. It can be working together as a team. Again, firefighter is like a team sport. You have the coach (Chief/Incident Commander) and assistant coaches (officers), but leadership doesn't stop there. Members of the team are supposed to step up and lead, too. Together. Work together. It takes the cooperation and effort of everyone to obtain success.

You don't need to stand out to be a leader. Yes, we do need those people. I guess what I am trying to say is that you can lead by following. You can instill more confidence in a leader by following them. Others might follow your example too. Motivation can be contagious. Show your dedication.

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." -William Arthur Ward.

I think that quote by Ward is perfect for firefighting. I am not just talking about drilling. Hopefully, your leadership in your department can have this effect on you-explaining, demonstrating, and inspiring. You should want to get better. You should want to learn more. I joined the fire department at 14 years old. I don't think I would have thought I would have held a Board position and gotten my EMT and FFI by the time I was 21. Yes, I wanted it. But there were people along the way that helped me get there-and made me want it more.

This article takes leadership from, not a "what do I do" perspective but "what do THEY need" perspective. It is that doing what's best for the team attitude.

This post is great for leadership development in the fire service overall. Let's work together. I can't stress this enough. This doesn't just apply to your department-your mutual aid departments and at drills too. This is a great perspective too on attitude. This is a dangerous job. You gotta do what's right. You always got to do what's right. It might not be easy, it might not be popular. Don't let complacency of others change you. Rather, you change them. Challenge, motivate, and lead your crew. Not necessarily all at the same time. Maybe not each one to everyone either.

Protect life and sustain property. Safety. Creating a better environment.

I like how Cline's post talks about development of the company officer. Remember, I said that leadership can't always be taught. But Cline said exactly what I believe. People might have natural leadership skills, but you can't become a leader all on your own. Noticing a theme here, anyone?

Here's another recurring theme: we're always learning. Remember that. Develop your skills. Never stop. Be combat ready.

And, as always, stay safe.

By chance, I happened to find this cartoon by Paul Combs today. I think it's very appropriate to what needs to be said.

"I am" a firefighter

I wanted to share this because I don't know who reads this that is a firefighter or who is not. I wrote this essay for a class, and I think you can tell the difference in my writing style. I would call that #englishmajorproblems. Not that it is a bad thing. Whoever reads this, I hope you appreciate either the writing style, the job, or the feelings I am trying to convey. I love being a firefighter.

I am a firefighter. I volunteer. I train and learn. I respond. You do not want to see me. If you see me, in all of my gear, it means today is not a good day for you. You do not know me, but you put your trust in me. I am supposed to make your day better. I do not wear a cape, but on some occasions, I am expected to save the day.

            I am a second generation firefighter, following in tradition, as often happens in this field. I am a firefighter, like my father before me. Everyone who wanted me to fail because I am another Mikulan or because I am a woman-you failed. I am a firefighter, like my father before me. As a child, my dad was serving as a volunteer fire chief. Despite the memory of the fear that my ten year old self felt on 9/11, believing that my father would have to go to New York for those raging fires and not return, I still joined as a junior firefighter when I was old enough. I never looked back. Being a firefighter is everything that I have ever wanted. It is not a job for everyone, but it is a job that you must truly love to do. At 14, you do not realize the scope of the risks you are inheriting. The years went by, and I developed as a firefighter. At least one night a week, my time was spent with classes and learning. On other occasions, I went out of my station to go elsewhere to train. Did I miss things? Yes. Were there times when my friends wanted to go out, and I would respond, “Sorry, I have drill.” Yes. Was it worth it? Yes. Even while away at college, there would be times I would miss out on with my friends because I would go home to go to a drill or fundraiser.

            Now I see myself and look back. I have responded to floods that devastated neighborhoods. I have spent the twilight of a Christmas morning at a structure fire. Just last year, when the clock struck midnight for the New Year, I was riding in the cab a fire truck, returning from another house fire. When I turned 16, I was old enough to become an emergency medical technician, and I did. The week after I finished my finals for my junior year, I obtained my Firefighter 1 Pro-Board, national certification. There have been times that I have struggled, but I always realize one thing: I am a firefighter. I do not see how anything could ever change that. Why else would I put so much time in training and fundraising? It is time consuming. Being a firefighter is not easy. While I may never be paid to do anything firefighting-related, I plan on continuing my career as a volunteer, hoping to achieve my Fire Instructor and Fire Officer certifications.

            It is hard being away from the department like I am while I attend college. I miss it. I miss the hard work that goes into it. Even when I am away, I still know that it is a part of me. I can imagine the smell of the turn-out gear, the weight of the air pack on my back, once extremely intimidating, now a solid reminder, or the feeling of that first breath of cool air when I connect my regulator into my face piece. Two of my brothers are firefighters too, when they tell me of calls or drills I have missed, I get jealous at times. I wish I was there with them, pulling lines, forcing doors, or setting up and climbing ladders to get access to the roof.

            I am a volunteer firefighter. I am the luckiest girl in the world. For every day that I can call myself a firefighter, I am thankful. This job can be hard, dirty, painful, disgusting, and frustrating. I have been bruised, cut, bloodied and strained by it. I am a walking contrast, a sorority girl with bows in my hair, taking out them or taking of my hoop earrings and throwing them in my locker as I get geared up to go on a run.  But I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. This job has made me stronger. It has forced me to grow, physically and mentally. Being a firefighter is a gift, not an obstacle.

 We ask a lot from the community, with all of the fundraisers we have. But believe me when I say that your support is necessary, valuable, and much appreciated. Firefighting is not cheap. Our gear and our apparatus cost thousands of dollars; all of it is costly. It can be expensive to save lives and sustain property. Know that for those donation letters we send or the tickets we try to sell, when we get those final numbers, it can be like a weight lifting off of our shoulders-for a moment. After one fundraiser is finished, we are already thinking about the next. Always, we have to be thinking ahead, whether it be fundraisers, planning training drills, and responding. Responding to emergencies always requires us to be ahead. Being a firefighter has changed my life.

            I am a firefighter. I am a part of something more. I am part of a brotherhood. It is nothing to me to call another firefighter my brother. I have never met a firefighter who did not truly love that job with all of their heart. You have to. There is no other way. We are our own culture. I can’t explain the bonds with my brothers and sisters, just know that I always have their backs. I understand that it is not normal to run into burning building when others are running out. It is not natural to run into danger. However, I see it as a job that someone has to do. I know that I am lucky to be a firefighter. I am living a dream. I am not a hero. I am a firefighter. I took this job knowing it wouldn’t be easy. I have struggled. But it has been worth it. If there ever comes a day that I am longer a member of a fire department, there will always be a part of me that would want to go back. Firefighting will always hold a place in my heart.

            The helmet weighs heavily on my head, but that’s okay. This job can have heavy meaning. The heavy weight is a reminder to always be prepared for whatever obstacles are thrown our way. In all of my gear, face mask on, breathing air from my SCBA, all you may know about me is that I am a firefighter, perhaps you may see the Mt. Troy shield on my helmet or V. Mikulan on my back. In that moment, it does not matter who I am, what matters is if I get the job done. All you know is that you need a firefighter to do something. I am a firefighter.

Communication-Pieces of the Puzzle

I have described fireground operations as a puzzle, with many different pieces needing to come together to reach our continued goals of saving lives and preserving property. One major piece of this puzzle is communications. From acknowledging the incident to calling back in service, communications are vital to operations. A misstep or confusion in communications can have fatal results, just like with any of the puzzle pieces that aren't deployed correctly and efficiently. I am looking at several different aspects of communications: radio reports, strategies to improve communications, and use two recent examples of how communications either positively or negatively played a role in the operations: the Boston Marathon bombings and the Yarnell Hill fire/19 hotshots LODD.

This "Radio Reports: A Review"written by Greg Jakubowski is a really informative piece on continuing communications during fireground operations. For something seemingly simple, communications can be a hassle and difficult at times. While communications need to be brief so that they do not the channel is not jammed, but also informative enough that the message is clearly conveyed. Obviously, a good initial report is vital because it establishes the setting for all involved and crews en route can have a better idea of what they will be arriving to, and plan accordingly. Progress reports allow for all responders on scene to know what is going on. An interesting benefit that Jakubowski states is that giving a report forces the person giving the report to have a thorough understanding of the situation-they have to to understand it if they are going to explain it to someone else. Another interesting concept he gives is the "CAN method" for giving ongoing reports-Conditions, Actions, Needs. I think that this is a good theory to follow; it covers several important factors of the incident and whatever operations are occurring at that time. However, it is important to remember that this is a template/guideline. We need to be able to improvise and adapt during operations-there may be times where the situation does not allow a "CAN" report. But communication is vital so that the Incident Commander is aware of what is going on during operations and what tactical decisions he may have to make next.

Another important consideration for communication obstacles and overcoming them are the "frictions," "constant obstacles instead of progress," often a term used by military leaders for strategy and tactics, as explained in Billy Schmidt's article. One of the most important considerations for overcoming these frictions are making sure clear and concise communications are executed. Clear communications are required from everyone on the scene. Firefighting is not an operation that can be completed by only an individual's actions; it is essentially a team sport. Work together, communication together, execute operations together. Keep the situation in perspective. You should be familiar and comfortable with your company's procedures and guidelines for radio communication. As well, Schmidt suggests using Chief Mark Emery's 4-C Communications as follows:   
Connect: Ensure that you are talking to the right person.
Convey: Communicate a clear, concise and easy-to-understand message.
Clarify: Repeat the message to establish that the message received is the message that was conveyed.
Confirm:Confirm that the message clarified is the message that was conveyed.

Communication isn't a physical or necessarily strategic skill, but it does have a role in tactics and strategy. Without it, tactics and strategy cannot be deployed. Miscommunication can also alter the way operations are deployed. Many responders would rather get then job done and not talk on the air. However, planning communication and implementing communication successfully is vital to the operations. Lack of communication can also have an effect, or leave others without answers to the situation.

In the first minutes of the Boston Marathon, their communication system was so overwhelmed by people calling 911 and responders trying to deliver reports or call for additional resources. However, communications were quickly reestablished. Pre-incident planning for the Boston Marathon had communication plans in place for an emergency and were apart of the incident action plan. This displays preparedness  to adapt. It provides a foundation on what to do. One important aspect of their communications plan was establishing a dedicated fireground channel and command channel. It was a great example of deploying the ICS system efficiently and integrating into the response and operations. This was a mass casualty incident with fatalities involved; however, because communications was working well and directions were precise, that saved lives and prevented more fatalities. Additionally, technicians staffing the communication station near the finish line were able to ensure the system's functionality quickly. For more information on how communications were used as part of strategy and tactics in operations, read this article.

Communications during the Boston Marathon bombings saved lives. Unfortunately, in Arizona, communication inefficiencies may have had a role in the line of duty deaths of 19 wildland firefighters. This article comments on the reaction to the serious-action report following the LODD of the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots. Several experts believed that the report did not "break any new ground" or give any information that firefighters can learn from for the future in operations. Many expected that the report would have findings that other firefighters could learn from, as many LODD reports do accomplish. Unfortunately, we often learn after its too late. But this report seemed to ignore some of those moments. However, it was noted that equipping firefighters with GPS technology to better know their location and recognized that there was a 33 minute gap in communication, which is really shocking to me. I know nothing about wildland firefighting operations. However, I know how important it is to know what is going on with your crew. We will never know what communication during that time period could have changed. If anything, we would know their operations and tactics during that time. I have not gotten to read the entire Yarnell report (It is linked at the end of the article linked above), but that 33 minute gap is pretty concerning to me. As well, I think the aftermath of the report is interesting as well-some do not feel that everything that should be communicated clearly, is being communicated clearly. If we don't learn from the past or our mistakes, we may just repeat those mistakes. That is not acceptable. Communication is key in learning and can help you in the future, especially in establishing situational awareness. It also makes you, the first responder, establish your understanding of the situation.

Keep it brief, keep it concise. Think before you speak (especially on the air!).

Stay safe

Improvise, Overcome, and Adapt

Ever see the Clint Eastwood classic "Heartbreak Ridge?" It's about a salty old Marine gunny who is assigned to a misfit recon unit and whips them into shape? Classic. Eastwood's character, Gunny Highway, says multiple time that the job of a Marine includes the ability to "improvise, overcome, and adapt." More than once, I have heard fire instructors and officers say the same. And it's true. Never knowing what that next run will bring, you have to be able to react and respond to a situation quickly and effectively.

We can make this potentially easier in a variety of ways. As always, training. But learning never stops and it isn't always donning the gear. There are multiple factors to consider. This article talks about how as building construction materials have changed, it has affected how fires burn thus affecting how we attack the fire as well. Sometimes, these changes alter tactics that have strong roots in the fire service, which isn't easy for some firefighters to adapt to. But that is why it's important to keep up on some of the underlying factors. I found this to be an interesting read, because even though a lot of this I knew, it was valuable to learn more about the background information explaining the "why" or "because." Ultimately, these changes in tactics provide better ways to achieve our goals of protecting life and sustaining property. Search and rescue is a top priority obviously, but, as explained in the article, getting water to the fire is needed in order to perform search and rescue because of how quickly the fire can develop with more rapidly-burning materials in existence.

Here is another informative piece explaining why we must allow ourselves guidelines and operational tactics that can be improvised in order to adapt to the situation at hand. What makes this a valuable read, I think, is that the author is not discrediting the research and studies that have been performed. He's taking those studies and showing how they can benefit us with our tactics and also how they can hinder us. Blanket statements and concrete tactics don't always work in fireground operational tactics.  There are too many variables for each incident. Different building construction, surroundings, manpower, the fuels that are burning, and many more. Every incident is different. Of course, we have an idea of how various scenarios will go or how we would like operations to go in a "perfect world." But those aren't always a reality, which makes adaptation a valuable skill in the fire service.

I don't think that this is just at the officer level, either. If you are an interior firefighter, exterior/support firefighter, or a pump operator, you have to be able to adapt. How can we do this? Read. Read up on the magazines and blogs and see what others are doing. Talk about it in your department, ask about various, potential scenarios. Even when you are just driving around in your first due, observe the area around you. What unique building construction is present? Could the terrain be a problem? What obstacles are present? Narrow streets? What can prevent you and your department from performing the best job to your abilities?

I know that to many of us, I am not saying anything new. However, it is important to go back to the basics, remember them, and be able to utilize and carry them out during operations. And you can't perform any operations without a size up. No, the average firefighter sitting in the cab of the engine may not be delegating operational tasks or  giving the size up over the radio. But it is just as important that they are aware of the situation. They need to know what could provide limitations or obstacles to their duties.

The best way I can describe this is that improvising and adapting are tactics which involve a lot of critical thinking. You need to be able to process and analyze a problem in order to come to a solution.

Check out this video. I know of departments around me that have done this, and I think it's great. It is utilizing the resources that you have readily available. We can't all always get a house to drill in. But this provides some good training. It puts you against obstacles. You could learn about your own limitations. I think this type of drill, using a playground to stretch lines, is a good example of improving and adapting.

Like I said, I know this post is telling us anything knew. However, I wanted to stress the importance of being aware of changes, the need to adapt and overcome obstacles, and the importance of always learning. Don't forget the basics. That is what keeps the foundations of your skills set and tactics together.

Stay safe.

Pieces of the Puzzle

The great debate between truckie and engine work will never end! Personally, I enjoy both. They require a variety of skills, but both are obviously extremely important to the incident.

Sometimes, I'll hear someone say how they are a "truck" or "engine" guy and don't prefer the the other, or even scoff at it. However, these operations do go hand in hand for the operations overall. Worse, if these operations do not work well together, the results could be disastrous or fatal. In the volunteer world, I don't understand how some can scoff at either. I highly doubt you have the leisure of picking your assignments. Sometimes, you might be dispatched as one job as per the preset run cards, but the amount and capabilities of the manpower at hand might result in different jobs being required or assigned to you.

I wrote about how deploying RIT requires a wide variety of skills, which can help in other aspects of firefighting. They are all pieces of the puzzle.

Think about it: You might be on the line, but someone on your crew might be the on having to force the door. Or you are setting up the ladder so the line can get to the window. Before you vent a window, you bet you better make sure you know where suppression is and how venting the roof or window could affect the fire. As well, horizontal ventilation can help the engine crew attack the fire. Of course, the fire may vent itself.

By not working together and drilling together, the results can do the opposite of our goals-to protect life and sustain property. If you do see yourself as an engine or truck guy, take some time and work on the opposite side for a bit. It is vital to understand all operations of the fire ground to see what they you can learn from it.

We never know what the next fire is going to bring us. This is what makes training so significant, along with learning from the past and what we can do better. Feedback after a fire is not necessarily criticism; it can be a game changer.

Learning never ends for a firefighter. I belong to a slow company, and it does not help that I am away at college and am missing out. However, that is where personal accountability comes in. I keep to a lifting regime at school and try to keep up to date on firefighting information.It's all readily available.

With that, I think my next few blog posts will be focused more on the individual and how they can help change the fire service. Health, personal accountability, and leadership are just  a few examples of what I am thinking of covering.

Training never ends. I guess that's why when I saw, online, the back of a T-shirt that said, "If you can read this you must be on the engine," my first thought was "If I'm on the engine, and you're on the truck, I better not see the back of your shirt, just the back of your coat." Maybe I'm just a killjoy. But on the fireground, we're all one team against the same thing: The fire. That's it.

It's a pretty complex puzzle. But let's see how an individual can affect it.

Stay safe.

Brotherhood

Today, I experienced something that I was not sure how to take. I had to write an essay entitled "I am." So, I wrote that "I am A Firefighter." I ended part of the essay with how I felt belonging to a brotherhood. In my class, we had a writing workshop. The majority of the feedback was very positive; about the content and my writing style. However, there was one thing that I was unsettled to hear.

My professor told me that I could not belong to a brotherhood.

Why can I not belong to a brotherhood? Because I am female. Let me say something. I work very hard, at least I think I do, to be a firefighter. I know that because I am female that I will face some different challenges. I am small, even for a girl, but that is what got me into lifting weights which I absolutely love. I think I'm doing alright.

But let me tell you something else. This job doesn't care if you are male or female. More importantly, the fire doesn't care. It's firefighting for a reason. It is not an easy job. Truly, it is a fight. We need to properly prepare ourselves and get ready for that fight. It is up to you, as a person, to decide whether or not you will be prepared and up for it. It can be a challenge to get ready for that, but really, that's what makes it a brotherhood. We struggle together, we build each other up, we have each other's backs. You have to have your brother's back.

I tried to explain to my professor, that it is a brotherhood, I told him that you cannot have brotherhood without her. I told him that this is our culture. It is a brotherhood. I told him I don't care for the gender-specific, politically correct terms.

I am a sister who is part of a brotherhood.

For one, I'd like to point out that in my case, I think it is kind of stupid to specifically make the distinction of a sisterhood. Why separate it? We are one team. The argument of gender? No. The time for that has passed. That has no place.

I have learned a lot from my brothers and sisters. I am very grateful for them. One team.

The other issue I had with these comments, other than the fact I was being told by someone who had no presence in my culture (and admitted he had no idea the significant being a firefighter has had on me) that my thoughts/understanding of it were wrong?

I am part of a sisterhood. I am a sorority sister. How lucky am I? Not only do I have my brotherhood, but I have a sisterhood too. I think I know the distinction between the two. I know it is kind of odd, being a sorority girl and a firefighter. But I think I am pretty good at it. I love it with all of my heart. In some ways, the two can overlap. Both are very much value based and rooted in tradition.

In Greek life, people often say, "From the outside looking in, you can never understand it. From the inside looking out, you can never explain it." The same kind of goes for firefighting.

It probably confused my professor that I was so passionate in my defense over the term brotherhood. However, you would think that would perhaps help his understanding that it is, indeed, a brotherhood. Also, I am a writer, so I really don't understand why his attempts to censor my word choice in a personal essay. But, please, understand, I am perfectly fine with it being called a brotherhood.

In case you are wondering, here is one definition of brotherhood: an association, society, or community of people linked by a common interest, religion, or trade. 

Notice there is nothing in there about gender.

Also, I'm not taking the word brotherhood out of my essay. That would not be true to me or to my brotherhood. It would not be me.

I am kind of surprised at how much this bothered me, but I don't understand how someone who is not part of it can just blow it off and think they are right.

Proud sister of a brotherhood.

Keep fire in your life. Stay safe.

Accountability and Freelancing

Firefighting is like a team sport. You need to work together to accomplish the goals. Think of the Incident Commander as like a coach. The Incident Commander needs to know who is doing what so that he can make his next tactical decision. This is why accountability, good radio communications, and not freelancing is vital.

You should have an accountability system in place with your department's SOPs. If you do, make sure you use it. If you don't, ask yourself why? Resources-wise, accountability systems are not that difficult to put together. Having an accountability system can also decrease freelancing, especially if accountability is used consistently. Hold your members to a standard. Additionally, mutual aid departments should be familiar with your system, and vice versa.  Or, work with your mutual aid departments to create a system that all can use. Implement it during your training. Practice like you play, right?

Tag up. Keep to your teams, keep to your assignments. When the incident commander gives your crew an assignment, keep to it. It is being done for a reason. You might not always agree with the incident commander's decisions. But the relationship between incident commander and the crews is built on trust. Unless your assignment is putting yourself or your crew or a person in danger, you should trust your incident commander.

We have officers and crew assignments for a reason. Actually, we have them for many reasons. Responsibility, leadership, and accountability are just a few. Accountability is part of the emergency response. Everyone goes home. It is not just safe firefighting practices that bring people home. It's personal accountability. You owe it to your crew. If you aren't where you are supposed to be because you decided to go freelance and something goes wrong, now you made it more difficult for the rescuers to save YOU. Because you weren't doing your job and decided to freelance.

This is one reason why I like riding assignments in apparatus. I would think that the majority, if not all, paid departments implement them and I know that more volunteer departments are starting to. It's useful. It helps keep consistency and can allow for smoother operations. Again, practice like you play. Your officers can put together riding assignments, but ultimately, it becomes your responsibility to learn what they are and retain the information. Accountability. It extends to more than just fireground operations. If you know what you are supposed to be doing as per your riding assignments, that can also decrease freelancing. Personal accountability is important to the fire service as well. You don't prepare to fail, you fail to prepare.

This is kind of a cycle. You train. You learn the skills. You implement those skills during emergency response. However, within the cycle is a puzzle. You need to know the tactics. You have to be able to perform risk assessment. How can you keep yourself safe as you are involved in operations? Accountability is part of that puzzle. It is not hard to do; it's more or less tedious. But by keeping an accountability system in place and using it can be a valuable resource if an incident goes downhill fast. And if you practice it enough, using it will become second nature and automatic. For me, packing up is second nature. Breathing on air doesn't feel weird like it did the first time I ever put a mask on. I don't even need to think when I'm putting on my SCBA. Why is this? Because I practiced it enough.

We should always be using an accountability system on emergency responses. It doesn't hurt to practice it during your drill night. Even if it is just a quick review. Maybe you're practicing truck work, but you can ask your crews how you would set up accountability with what you have. You should have drills that are dedicated to accountability/communications, but you can also use it in other drills as well. Put the puzzle together.

Keep fire in your life. Stay safe.

Using the Halligan Bar

I think my favorite tool in the fire service is the Halligan bar. It is an excellent tool for forcible entry. There are a variety of ways that it can be utilized, and innovation opportunities are abundant. Some of these are not always utilized, but this is where the Internet is a great resource. With YouTube, companies and individual instructors can share training videos with the world.

The design of the tool makes its purpose versatile. It can be used for striking, prying, and pulling. Paired with a flathead ax, the two are often joined together as the "married" couple as "the Irons" to perform forcible entry on doors. The Halligan also can be used to shut off gas meters, prying open the hood of a car, vehicle extrication, and opening walls.

With a fork on one end and a pick and an adze on the other, the potential of the Halligan is vast.

Look at this article to read about utilizing the adze for forcible entry. He's right, in classes, we are generally taught to use the fork end to force our way in. I found the videos really useful; using the adze to create a gap could be a quick fix to entry. I think most of the time, yes, the fork is going to be enough to get the job done. However, those times where the fork might not work, the adze offers a mechanical advantage, as the article states. The adze would be able to get into some areas that the fork might not be able to. And it would definitely be good to use during vehicle rescue. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten the chance to really use the adze end of the Halligan for forcible entry, but it is definitely something that I want to practice.

This is a good video from Traditions Training on forcing inward opening. You'll notice that during the video both the adze end and the fork is being used, it is the "shock/gap/set/force" technique. I really like how the camera shots show the gap being created. I think it offers a valuable perspective. He mentions about having enough tools in the toolbox to guarantee having the right one. That applies to more than just physical tools. Learning, practicing, and implementing proficiently a variety of techniques applies as well. The more you know, the more potential solutions you can have in your mental toolbox. Just something to consider.

There is also this video from Brotherhood Instructors, LLC on forcible entry for through the lock failure. Appropriately enough, this uses the adze end with the ax.

I enjoyed the article and videos because I think it helps shape the way we think. The more we practice, the more proficient we are, the smoother and more efficient our responses can be. But with forcible entry, there's always one thing to remember: Try before you before you pry.

Keep fire in your life. Stay safe.

Rapid Intervention Teams

Having a rapid intervention team at the ready at the scene of a working structure fire is essential to the safety of the firefighters attacking the fire. It is not necessarily a popular job, because, fortunately, a RIT team won't usually be deployed and then there is a crew on the fireground just waiting, wanting to go put the fire out and definitely not wanting to stand around watching others work. However, how can not having a RIT team in place be justified? 

If a Mayday would be called during an incident, suddenly RIT just got a lot more prevalent. Instinct and concern for your brother firefighter would have many wanting to stop what they are doing and go help. Discipline, however, dictates that you keep doing your job and put your trust in the RIT team-that's what they are there for! Additionally, freelancing during an already bad situation is not going to help anyone and might just put more people at risk. 

I find RIT to be a fascinating form of rescue. It requires a proficiency, and honestly, when you're completing RIT drills, you're using other firefighting skills that could be used in other roles. Additionally, you need to be proficient in the tools that may be required for extrication of a firefighter should a mayday be called. Rescuing a civilian can be difficult enough, now you have to consider that your victim is a fellow firefighter wearing turnout gear with an SCBA which adds weight and makes the victim bulkier. 

There are a variety of tools that can be required for RIT operations. A TIC is extremely useful in locating victims. Rope bags, hand tools, chain saws (along with fuel!), stokes basket, backboard, first-in bag and a spare SCBA with a corresponding face piece are just a few examples of tools that may be necessary to extricate a firefighter.It is a lot to take in. There are a variety of skills required. When the RIT team gets on scene, they should be staging and at the ready, knowing what their job is. It is not an easy one, but we have to make the extrication as quick and safe as possible. This requires skill, critical thinking, and composure. It is not just another victim; it's someone who is apart of the brotherhood. You can't let your emotions take over. 

Another important aspect of RIT is that it is more than these variety of firefighting skills. You have to have situational awareness. 

RIT is more than just standing around watching others do work. You sure as hell better be paying attention to what is going on during operations. What methods of egress are there? Are ladders set up, ready and available if need be? The RIT team, which may be broken down into smaller teams dictated by duties assigned by the RIT officers, should be performing 360s around the structure so that they are keeping up to speed on operations and the situation at hand. RIT requires you to be ready at all times. It is something that we cannot take lightly because that one time a crew doesn't take it serious is the time that someone could get hurt or die. Everyone goes home, right? 

Keep fire in your life. Stay safe.

What it all means to me

I love taking pictures in general. There is no way around it. I love looking at pictures and associating them with memories. Working in corporate communications, I started taking random firefighting photos, thinking it would be an interesting ad/marketing campaign to complete by showing snapshots of the job. With the smartphone, it was simple enough. A peek into the world of a firefighter.What does it all mean? What makes firefighters so passionate about their job? This post is about personal reflection.

Being a firefighter was all that I ever wanted as a kid. For a brief time however, a grueling six months, I thought I was going to lose it all. I was 19 years old when I was diagnosed with clinical depression and general anxiety. It was a dark time in my life, and for some time, I couldn't even walk into the fire station without feeling sick. My anxiety would go up in ways it never had before when we had calls. It was the anxiety that forced me to recognize that I needed to take a step back. That was pretty hard. Even though my body was having thee adverse reactions, I still had enough control of myself that I knew this wasn't right. I knew that I was supposed to be a firefighter. I was determined to get it back. I kept going up to the fire station to ease myself in, and one day I was able to feel OK up there again. Another six months after I was back, I earned my Firefighter 1 certification. Knowing that the previous year I had struggled so much made getting that certification so much sweeter.

The awesomeness of this job never ceases to amaze me. That's with some of the seemingly random equipment shots. I went home from college this past weekend and had a couple calls. Wearing the equipment feels so natural. I remember how the SCBA first felt on my back when I joined at 14. I didn't know how I would ever get used to it. Or the helmet. I'm a little bit on the "whacker" side-I have stickers on my helmet recognized my EMT and FF1 certification, along with a Pittsburgh "P" that one of my friends was designing for a bunch of us a few years ago. But, on my shield, I have one of those rubber band bracelets which reads "Officer Michael Crawshaw." Michael Crawshaw was a police officer who was killed in the line of duty in 2009. He graduated from the same high school as me, and I was one of the recipients of his scholarship my senior year. I kept in touch with the organization and got to know some of Mike's family and friends. While I always wear one Crawshaw bracelet, I couldn't really think of a better way for me to honor him. His sacrifice will never be forgotten.

My last post had to do with line of duty deaths. 2013 has been a rough year in that aspect; there were several incidents that resulted in multiple firefighters dead. A shooting in New York, a plant explosion in Texas, a wildfire in Arizona killed 19. I thought it was important to include those as well because they won't be forgotten. We fall together, we stand together.

Finally, a couple of the photos were things I have seen throughout the web that I think really embody how some of us feel about this job. It's the best thing in the world. Almost every little kid wants to be a firefighter at one time or another. Some of us actually get to live it. It's not easy but it's worth it. You have to put a lot into it. You have to push yourself. And honestly, as cheesy as it may sound, you have to believe in yourself. I'm not sure if firefighting is really anything that comes naturally to anyone. I'm going to have to think about that. You put so much into it. It makes you a better person. You're stronger for it. I thank God for every day I'm a firefighter. Best thing I ever did.

I just thought it was important to recognize how great of a job this is.

Keep fire in your life. Stay safe.

2012 Annual Report of FF LODD released

The U.S. fire administration released the 2012 annual report for firefighter line of duty deaths recently. Down by two deaths from 2011, 81 firefighters died in the line of duty. This report is informative in that it breaks down the data by incident, type of firefighter (career, volunteer, wildland), and other demographics such as age, gender, suburban/urban setting, etc. Only one of the firefighters that died in the line of duty was female. Forty two were volunteers, 28 were paid, and 11 were wildland.

One interesting statistic provided was emergency versus non emergency. Emergency LODD made up 55.6% (45 deaths), and non emergency was 44.4% (36 deaths). Non emergency deaths are training, administrative activities, performing other functions that are not related to an emergency, or those that occurred post incident but the firefighter did not experience it during the emergency.

Twenty two of the firefighters died during fireground operations. It surprises me how many still are dying from responding/returning to an incident. Speed is often a factor unfortunately, as is not wearing seat belts. Not wearing seat belts still amazes me because as first responders it's something that we tell others. In vehicle rescue, we see the results of not wearing proper restraints, yet are still guilty of the same action. It is one of those things that I don't understand why we haven't learned.

No firefighters died from being lost/disorientated in a burning structure for the second year.

This report is extremely informative and useful. Here is the link if you are interested: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/ff_fat12.pdf.

Inherently, firefighting is a dangerous job. I don't think that there will ever be a year where there are zero line of duty deaths. However, reports such as these are valuable because we can learn. We know that we need to stay healthy, we know that we need to drive safe, we know that we have to wear our seat belts-unfortunately, at times, we don't seem to remember this. These reports are useful because it truly breaks down the line of duty deaths in a way that they can be used as an educational resource. Every LODD was a sacrifice-let's not make it for nothing. Let's remember and learn. I feel repetitive with this but we have to train. As first responders, our education never ends. We will never be able to guarantee that this job will be 100% safe. But we can operate in a way that can make it as safe as possible. Control the elements that you can. Learn.

Keep fire in your life. Stay safe.

Article from Fire Chief-> Darwin and the volunteer fire service

I just read an interesting piece by Ronny Coleman on the "Fire Chief" website. Here's a link to the article: http://firechief.com/departmental-issues-amp-management/darwin-and-volunteer-fire-service. I highly suggest both paid and volunteer firefighters reading this because it offers a good perspective on the volunteer fire service and also brings up that dreaded word change without actually saying it.

 Everything is evolutionary. It is unavoidable. Name something that has not changed over the years. Just look at the fire service. We've gone from horse drawn carriages to amazing pieces of fire apparatus that carry equipment to not only put out a fire, but address other emergencies as well, whether it be rescue, hazmat, or whatever else your first due response area may see.

In no way whatsoever do I fit into the category of chief that Coleman mentions. But I think as an everyday firefighter, a "grunt," the changes that Coleman brings up is important for all firefighters to recognize. It's knowing what is in your first due. What needs does your community have? Yes, the chief is going to be dealing with more pressing issues concerning these changes, like how to guarantee crews or making sure that firefighters are up to training standards.

I think  it is important to recognize changes that are coming to the volunteer fire service at all levels. Coleman's post may have focused more on the chief side of things, but this got me thinking as a regular firefighter. We always need to be ready for whatever the calls may bring. We always need to be "Combat Ready" as the training group Training Traditions teaches (they are awesome! Highly recommended!) Thinking "outside of the box" is an integral part in firefighting. Can your department right now meet all of the public safety needs of your community? What standards do you hold yourself to?

I think at this point, we are definitely past the social club aspect. That is a thing of the past. But if your company ready? What changes are still being resisted? It kind of worried me that Coleman specifically pointed out that volunteer fire chiefs need to know about risk assessment and NFPA standards. I know that when I went through my essentials of firefighting program, even as a junior firefighter, I had to learn NFPA standards. Who and where are these not being taught?

Although, some of this goes back to my thesis if you read my previous post. There needs to be some type of accountability with the volunteer fire service. I do not understand how that has gone so unregulated in some ways for so long. How can we not hold each other to at least some standard? You can three departments in one municipality with three different types of standards. How is that efficient?

There are some levels of standardization that may be seen in a paid department that might not work in a volunteer department just because of time restraints, as Coleman states. But that is not an excuse to have any standardization. We have to be as safe as possible.

Coleman's post really got me thinking in ways I did not expect. In fact, I'm still thinking about it in different ways. I hope you do too.

Keep fire in your life. Stay safe.

The Issue of Consolidation

Perhaps the best thing I have gotten to accomplish in my undergraduate career is the completion of a thesis concerning the issue of consolidation. This blog post is part of my thesis. I was lucky enough to present at the PA State Capital at a conference, be awarded one of the "Best Papers" at another conference, and am awaiting to hear on publication date from a firefighter magazine. 

Volunteer fire departments are common the United States.  Approximately 73% of all departments in the United States are volunteer-based, with some 800,000 volunteers. In Pennsylvania, the fire departments are 96.1% volunteer, and the approximately 1,500 Pennsylvania volunteer fire departments produce a tax savings of approximately $6.0 billion a year for state and local government, according to a report done by the Pennsylvania’s Legislative Budget and Finance Committee.  

These problems have caused serious strains on the volunteer fire service in areas throughout the country, but Pennsylvania has specifically experienced some issues.  At one time, more departments were necessary so that adequate units would respond to incidents in a timely manner. There were issues with response times because of topography of areas and the capabilities of apparatus. Now, with advances in these resources, that is not the case. Today, many of these departments are suffering from such severe staffing and funding shortages that they are sometimes unable to satisfactorily respond to incidents or provide adequate equipment for their department. This includes responding to incidents short-handed and responders not having personal protection equipment to protect themselves. Naturally, this becomes a safety issue as well, for both residents and first responders.

            As volunteer firefighters respond to a broader range of emergencies today, from medical emergencies to terrorism incidents, more training is required. This is not easy for many volunteers, which is one reason why there has been a steady decrease of volunteers of approximately 8,000 per year since 1975, according to State Fire Commissioner Ed Mann.  However, volunteers are still depended upon by many municipalities.

The overabundance of volunteer fire departments did not happen overnight. It is a complex problem that has been created by a variety of groups.  There are aspects of this problem that have been caused by the volunteer departments. Resources, such as pieces of apparatus or specialized equipment, overlap unnecessarily in municipalities or bordering municipalities to “keep up” with the other departments. This results in money and resources that could have been potentially spent or used somewhere in a more efficient manner. Neighboring companies can have strained relationships with each other for the simple fact of pride.

            Some volunteer fire departments have looked to consolidations as potential solutions, despite its unpopularity. However, as the situation continues to get worse; it is time for departments to act. Formal mutual aid agreements, mergers, regionalization, and consolidation are all potential solutions to these problems, and some of these can evolve into one another. These solutions all require change and cooperation, and the levels of complexity vary. Consolidation, which is defined as two or more companies combined operationally, financially, and legally to create one, unified company as a new entity, new name, and new by-laws, is one way to try and solve this problem. It is time consuming and can be difficult. However, an operational consolidation has many potential benefits, which include increased efficiency, increased cost-savings, improvement on utilizing resources, and more, all of which can create an improved service provided to the public.

            Consolidations can take a few years to complete and may have failed attempts before a successful one occurs. There are many obstacles that can make the process difficult. These include turf wars, loss of volunteer membership, belief that consolidation is being used to eliminate positions, underlying cultural issues, loss of identity, loss of tradition, and feeling as if their department is “being taken over” can occur throughout the process. Many of these obstacles do not affect the quality of services that the fire department will ultimately provide. Although consolidation can be risky, it is important to analyze each case on an individual basis to decide what the best option would be. Each case is unique which is what makes it difficult to decide the best option. The most important concern should be providing the best service available to the public. Although the idea of consolidation is not a new issue, the decline in resources has caused it to be more widely recognized and volunteer firefighters are acknowledging that it is time to act. 

Increasing demands and dwindling resources have caused the volunteer fire service to push its limits, burning out members, and scrambling to find resources in order to keep up response and efficient protection. Some fire departments have been looking into the potential of consolidating departments. It involves the blending of cultures and loss of tradition. It is a complex process that requires more than just input from the volunteer fire departments affected.  Commissioner Ed Mann believes that the fire service is at its most critical point and that this area has too many companies. While volunteer firefighters make up the majority of Pennsylvania’s firefighters, there has been a severe drop in manpower: In 1976, Pennsylvania boasted 300,000 volunteer firefighters. Commissioner Mann observes that as of 2012 the number has gone down to about 50,000 volunteers. Despite the decline in volunteers, Pennsylvania has 2,400 volunteer departments, which is much more than any other state. This also works out to more than one fire department per municipality. Although the majority of volunteer firefighters acknowledge that there are issues in response times, funding, and staffing, consolidations are not a popular option. However, more fire administrations are beginning to see the necessity of consolidations and they are the ones looking for a solution.

Consolidations fail for several reasons, such as failure in communication, source of pride, lack of trust, determining risk versus benefit, and other legalities. Firefighters do not always respond well to consolidations. Often, this occurs because of pride and rivalries between companies and consolidations, if they occur, end up unsuccessful. Also, firefighters tend to be less supportive of a consolidation forced by local government entities. Although forced mergers may not be as successful, local government involvement can be useful. Support from the local government tends to produce more success according to Commissioner Mann. However, elected officials often do not want to get involved, due to the negative political publicity that can occur if something like a tax raise needs to occur and local fire chiefs do not want to get local officials involved at times for fear of losing their “power.”

Currently, there is a gap in knowledge and communication between the fire departments, elected officials, and the public. There are many negative connotations to the concept of consolidation, but it can help provide better and more efficient services. Other areas of the countries show successful consolidations. Often, these departments face very similar obstacles and are looking at the same types of potential benefits and drawbacks. The idea of consolidation is general, and it is often brought up with the same goal intended: To create a more efficient response service.

Goals of consolidations often are similar, despite differences in size. The goals of a Paseo County, Florida consolidation were unifying, improving, and equalizing the fire service, centralizing and reducing administration costs, to avoid duplication, strengthen purchasing power, achieve a better insurance rating, and provide better training programs, according to Frazier. Michael Curry’s “An Analysis of Proposed Four Fire District Merger in Ada County” explains that Ada County, Idaho decided to approach merger discussions again after noticing the service duplication, cost comparisons, and noticing that service levels were drastically different between agencies that were occurring. Gary R. Honeycutt cites one success in Oregon, the Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue merger that occurred in 1997. It consisted of three companies that were stable but decided to consolidate, and did so successfully, “improving service and lowering the tax burden.”  This is a significant example because it shows that departments do not necessarily have to be in a poor position, whether it be financial or operational, to consolidate and still see a benefit. Consolidating can improve on what already is working. It does not have to be a final effort to save a cause.

Despite the benefits that a successful consolidation can create, the obstacles that companies encounter are often similar as well and need to be recognized and addressed. As the New York State guide “How to Consolidate Fire Protection” notes, many of these obstacles are cultural. These include perceived loss of power/control, turf wars, and even small details such as the name of the station and color of the apparatus. These cultural problems, which may seem petty to those not involved, can be the biggest stumbling block and the main reason as to why consolidation discussions fail. Volunteer firefighter and Captain Scott Garing Jr. of Zelienople, Pennsylvania stated that egos were the biggest obstacles towards consolidations because of “people losing control of their little piece of the pie.” Even from within, volunteer firefighters are acknowledging the problem and their role in the obstacles.

There is also the issue of governance for the volunteer fire service. For example, in Pennsylvania, the Emergency Medical Services Act was initiated as an attempt by the General Assembly to “establish and maintain an effective and efficient EMS system which is accessible on a uniform basis to all PA residents and visitors of the Commonwealth,” and it ultimately designated the Pennsylvania Department of Health as the EMS lead agency for the Commonwealth and it was given the primary responsibility of implementing the act. The Department of Health’s website describes its responsibilities as “The department’s Bureau of Emergency Medical Services is responsible for the statewide development and coordination of a comprehensive system to prevent and reduce premature death and disability,” and the EMS system is further broken down into 16 Regional Councils to guide their regions. Currently, there is no comparable statute for the state fire service. The State Fire Commissioner’s office oversees the training programs and certifications offered, assists with the Volunteer Loan Assistance Program and the Fire Company and Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Program, Public Education and Information program, and other programs. Not having such a governing body has resulted in the state’s fire service lacking “clear and consistent statutory definition and standards and an overall direction for system planning and development.”  Fire departments have to answer to multiple entities. Improvements need to be made for government, as in more concise and specific government entities. If the fire service were to fall under one government office (the State Fire Commissioner), then it would create clearer lines of communication and an easier route to find resources.

There are obstacles that do directly affect the operational services provided. Training standards are often a stumbling block for fire companies. In Pennsylvania, there is no set statute for the fire service to efficiently and effectively govern them, as according to the Legislative Finance and Budget Committee’s report on Regionalizing Pennsylvania Volunteer Fire Departments. Various sections of law (both at state and municipal levels) govern the fire service, which creates a lack of consistent definitions and guidance. This can affect training standards, which then can be decided by the individual companies. In fact, there are no Pennsylvania standards concerning firefighting training at all. Firefighters are only required to obtain certifications in hazardous materials awareness and be compliant in the National Incident Management Systems courses. Other requirements for training stem from the National Fire Protection Association and the Occupational Safety and Health Association for insurance coverage and legal protection. Departments may have different opinions on what is a sufficient amount of training for a volunteer firefighter, even with using NFPA guidelines. Different volunteer departments have different standards. Training requirements can be set by the municipalities but are more often dictated by the company. Multiple departments in the same municipality can have varied training standards, and each company can have many reasons as to why their way is the correct way.  That can cause tension in consolidation talks between companies on deciding how much training to require because it affects volunteers’ time, but it can also affect safety. For a variety of reasons, the obstacles caused by training are key factors in consolidations.

            I surveyed approximately 30 firefighters in Western Pennsylvania on this issue, and it was established that volunteer firefighters are recognizing the same types of obstacles and factors affecting consolidations. However, some differences in answers were significant because they represent the gaps in knowledge for firefighters. All volunteer firefighters involved with the consolidating companies need to have a voice. Without their input, the problem cannot be understood thoroughly, and therefore cannot be answered adequately. No matter what the end result, they are the ones who are going to have to adapt and succeed at whatever consolidations and changes do or do not come about.

Although every volunteer fire company’s situation is different, there is often overlap in how the companies operate. Therefore, many departments are facing the same types of obstacles. This requires the same type of equipment and resources needed to respond to emergency incidents. Volunteer departments know what type of incidents that they tend to respond to and what equipment is most often used.  Also, most departments use automatic aid for incidents which can request specific units for certain incidents. Evaluating this is one way to thoroughly understand what resources are in a department’s response area.

  This point is emphasized by local firefighters; they are acknowledging the overlap of equipment. Evaluating each municipality’s individual needs and relationships with neighboring municipalities can result in allowing companies to better understand what they do and do not need. It also can emphasize where consolidations need to occur. Consolidating resources is a way to ease financial difficulties. Many of these volunteer fire departments have been around for decades; they know what type of incidents tend to occur and what would be pertinent to their needs. The culture of volunteer fire service has many believing that they have to always have the best and newest equipment in order to prove their worth to other departments. This is a cultural problem that needs to be addressed from within the fire service.

While there are these issues at a higher level, firefighters also know it needs to be addressed from within.  In some areas, consolidation has been successful, but the difficulties were acknowledged. Adams Area (Pennsylvania) Assistant Fire Chief Richard Mann explains that Adams Area’s consolidation’s biggest obstacle was attitudes against consolidation, and that it came down to convincing those members of “The real meaning of our goals…to provide service to the community.” Mann believes that his department has improved when it comes to pride and loyalty, and that they are now a more cohesive unit. The Adams Area consolidation was ultimately successful in creating more efficient public safety to its residents.

Beliefs on who should consolidate are varied. While a majority believed that it would be best for smaller companies or companies that reside in municipalities with multiple volunteer fire companies, there is some support for widespread consolidation. Berkeley Hills Volunteer Fire Company Deputy Chief Scott Story believes that Western Pennsylvania would be a premiere starting point for volunteer fire department consolidations in the Commonwealth. Others believed that widespread consolidation will become necessary as well. Scott Garing thinks that, “Every fire department should consolidate with one other department. Reduce the expenditures by half throughout the state. It’s plausible to an extent. There are some rural companies that would not be able to do that. I would say any fire department that is within 10-15ish miles of another fire company should have to consolidate with that company.” For others, the difficulty of consolidation was acknowledged, but so was the eventual necessity of it and the benefits that could occur from it. City of Pittsburgh Assistant Chief Thomas Cook, once a volunteer firefighter and also an instructor, states:

I believe that where it makes sense, consolidation of fire departments in Allegheny County needs to occur. There is a significant waste of resources duplicating service. In my experience, mergers and consolidations do not save anyone money. But from an operational standpoint, it allows resources to be deployed in the community where they are most needed based upon risk analysis, not just because a fire company “wants” to be a truck company or rescue company. Over extended time periods, this will save money by reducing the number of apparatus in the field. But I do not believe, except in very rare cases that in Allegheny County there need to be closures of fire stations.

Overall, there is a general agreement that resources are being duplicated in Western Pennsylvania. Consensus occurred that consolidations could increase efficiency and public safety, but the ways firefighters believed that it would varied. Some believed that better training, better equipment, improved response times, and staffing would improve to provide better public safety. When asked about alternatives to consolidations, suggestions included paid departments, shutting down stations, more fundraising, and internal/external reviews of departments.

There are those that believe consolidation will become the only option for the volunteer fire service, which means a lot of changes could be coming for the volunteer fire service. The most important factor concerning consolidation is how it will affect the safety that departments will provide. Some of the firefighters who believed that consolidations are the only solution also believed that providing less safety would not be an issue and would not occur. However, several firefighters in support of consolidation recognized potential safety drawbacks. Slower response times and gaps in coverage were the main concerns. Rural company consolidations were also a concern for providing less safety. 

Many firefighters also recognized that much of the problem comes from within. When asked about what were the biggest obstacles towards consolidations, the majority of firefighters answered that it fell in the spectrum of tradition, pride, and attitude/understanding. 

Throughout the survey, the firefighters noted that the public, while not always having a clear and thorough understanding of what services are provided, they do expect quick and professional response whenever they need to call 911. It is very important to keep the public informed and educated on consolidation matters. While some citizens may not care, others will be very concerned as to how the level of service will change. Just as lines of communication need to remain open and clear within the consolidating companies, the public needs to be kept informed as well.

Often, it is debated who should be involved with consolidation discussions. Involvement of elected officials is often debated, but their input is necessary. As Commissioner Mann explains, Pennsylvania is a Commonwealth; therefore, public safety decisions are left to the local governments and citizens. In a situation that is already affected by power struggles, this can make it even tenser. The lack of cooperation between entities and groups does not provide the community with any more safety.

 Local governments and elected officials need to become involved with consolidation, despite volunteer fire departments feelings towards them. While some believed that they should care about it, the majority had negative thoughts towards the elected officials, believing that they were not concerned, or only concerned about the financial aspects and the choices that would get them reelected. If a fire company is going to enter in consolidation discussions, it is necessary to establish that the ultimate goal is how-to provide the best service for their response areas. Commissioner Mann recommends that local governments do get more involved and that it is necessary because Pennsylvania is a Commonwealth. Decisions concerning public safety are ultimately left to the local government and the citizens. He does not believe that the Commonwealth will ever enforce consolidations, but perhaps one day they will be able to put money into an incentive program. He states that in his experience, local government involvement usually means a more successful consolidation. Ultimately, Commissioner Mann thinks that the solution will come by working together:

At the end of the day, it is going to take a partnership between state [government], local [government], and the volunteer fire companies to level the problem off and fix with what we have. We have to do better with what we have. Look at the entire system-fire, EMS, and career. Take a system approach to it and make it better.

A countywide evaluation can be a valuable resource to volunteer fire companies in understanding what resources and services are needed where. Thomas Cook stated that, “A countywide deployment model needs to be created and then stations equipped and staffed as determined by the risk analysis used to develop the deployment model.” While such a study may be time consuming and costly, it can look at the operations of volunteer fire departments and establish what departments are producing and providing for the public. This study would look at quantitative data provided by the companies-it would be able to take out some of the cultural obstacles of consolidation. Equipment and apparatus would need to be inventoried. Incidents would be broken down by response times, average number of responders, and types of incidents responded to (fires, motor vehicle accidents, hazardous materials, etc.). Training certifications would also need to be inventoried to see where responders are getting educated. Financial information would be analyzed as well, such as fundraising, savings, and debt load to see if one department’s financial problems would hurt another department if they took it on.

Such a deployment model would not be a fix-all solution. It could potentially match up companies to consolidate with, but other factors will need to be considered as well.  There are guides in existence for how to consolidate fire departments that should be used as well. This is where some of the cultural aspects of a department can be analyzed and understood and where firefighters can voice their specific concerns. These guides are valuable to keeping the lines of communication open and readily available. Without clear communication, consolidations will be set up for failure. It also helps explain who should be involved in a consolidation and factors that should be considered. Ideas for a plan of action can be developed from these guidelines. One suggestion that is given is a SWOT analysis which involves identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, which can be a good way for fire departments to establish their levels of service. While they are “guides” and not definitive answers, it can be a good starting point for consolidation discussions.

Consolidations need to be considered by a case-by-case basis. However, surveying firefighters from different departments established that it is in the opinion of the majority that consolidations need to begin occurring for the survival of the volunteer fire service and for the best protection of the citizens. Individual discussions between two or three departments are slowly or not consolidating departments. More guidance is needed. Therefore, it is recommended that an evaluation occur of the volunteer fire service. In the instance of Western Pennsylvania, a countywide deployment model could be useful. Departments need to be evaluated on inventories, qualifications, locations, financial status, and incident responses to establish similarities in service so that gaps in service can be identified, along with duplication of services. From this, working alongside municipal governments, the amount of resources needed and expected (equipment, apparatus, and fire stations) can be deployed into each municipality to provide the optimal amount of safety. For some municipalities, it may not result in changes. It may be a significant amount of change for others. However, without evaluating the state of the volunteer fire service, improvements will occur at a slow pace. Volunteer fire departments need to become more readily involved and adaptable to change, and make sure that those who need to be consulted are. Consolidation affects much more than the companies consolidating. It is not a decision to be taken lightly, and needs to be thoroughly researched and understood.

Consolidations are occurring across the country in different realms of public safety. Some areas are seeing EMS and fire companies consolidate for medical response and rescue; others are consolidating paid, volunteer, or combination departments. There are many years of tradition that will be affected by consolidating departments. However, it is a new beginning. Both volunteer firefighters and elected officials should not consider what is popular or best for power or personal agendas, but what will provide the best safety for the residents and the people that they serve in both the short and long-term.

            Such an evaluation can allow companies to look at both the big and small picture.  Departments will be able to establish where the gaps in service are and what resources are needed. By taking a look at the entire situation, companies can analyze it to their specific needs. Without, change occurring, it can begin to risk not only their safety, but the safety of others as well.

            Volunteer fire departments should support the idea of an evaluation and deployment model. This can help departments start consolidating fire departments within and between municipalities. With the past case studies evaluated, they were all the result of analysis to try and complete a consolidation or some type of operational change which altered had a company provided its safety. Current guides from insurance should be used for consolidation discussions once it is established which departments will attempt to consolidate. Before departments reach that level of discussions, more quantitative data should be the focus of deciding what companies should consolidate so that the best service will be ultimately provided. While creating such a model and utilizing will not be an easy, quick, or cheap process, it may help departments establish where there are inefficiencies and make it easier when they do decide to consolidate.

Government entities need to provide aid to the fire service as well. Establish more concise models for the volunteer fire departments to follow. Local governments need to be involved, but work with the volunteer fire companies, not try to push a decision unto them. It is a cooperative effort. Classes are available on consolidations and how to decide whether or not it is the choice for a municipality. Elected officials need to take advantage of these classes and educational guides. Firefighters need to allow “outsiders” (elected officials, citizens, etc.) to participate in their consolidation discussions so that other perspectives can allow for different ideas to be considered.

Solutions do exist to this problem. As it is a sensitive topic, it appears that it will be left to the volunteer fire companies to make change. By working with other entities, resources can be altered to be used more efficiently and provide better services. If volunteer fire departments were to work together, changes may be able to come about more quickly, while also being more thoroughly researched. Departments need to show that they are willing to work together to solve this problem, that will emphasize to other entities the severity of the problem. More research needs to occur, at municipal and county levels, and potential consolidations need to be analyzed. The state of the volunteer fire service needs to be reevaluated so that departments can make decisions to be able to provide the best level of safety.  Ultimately, it needs to be understood that all changes should be made in the best interests of public safety.