Firefighter training drill by Forest Reeder
Putting emphasis in your training and operational awareness towards staying out of trouble instead of preparing for worst case scenarios may be one of the best forms of risk management available. Chief Alan Brunacini (ret.) identified this concept after review several line-of-duty deaths and near misses and has challenged the fire service to become pro-active instead of reactive when it comes to operations.
Officers need to prioritize their training efforts and operational size-up on identifying places and situations we shouldn’t go into in the first place. If it looks bad, it probably is. Prevent injuries and deaths by not getting into trouble in the first place.
Download this week’s firefighter training drill as a PDF HERE.
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Forest Reeder began his fire service career in 1978 and retired as fire chief of the Tinley Park (IL) Fire Department in 2021. He has worked extensively in the areas of instruction, firefighter safety, and officer development and earned his Master of Science Degree in Public Safety Administration in 2004. He is the author of Fire Department Incident Safety Officer 4th edition (2025) and co-author of Fire Service Instructor Principles and Practices, now in its 3rd edition. Forest presents nationally on fire service leadership, safety, and instructor development. He was inducted into the Moraine Valley Community College Alumni Hall of Fame in 2020 and awarded the Distinguished Alumnus award in 2021. In 2008, he received the ISFSI George D. Post Instructor of the Year, considered to be the highest recognition for fire service instructors in the nation.
