Command Vitality
Maintaining vitality of command during incident operations will help ensure the safety of personnel and promote the success of the mission.
David DeStefano
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The 21st-Century Company Officer
David DeStefano looks at the necessary requirements the modern fire officer needs to create a more successful and relevant fire service as we head into this new era.
Initial RIT Response
Are all your companies capable of serving as a rapid intervention team? David DeStefano shares an account and lessons learned from the fireground.
First-Arriving Decisions
The ability of first-arriving officers to rapidly assess the scene and set an initial action plan into motion will have a tremendous effect on incident outcome.
More David DeStefano
On the Line: Pursuing Perfection and Catching Excellence
Just being good has never been our goal. Every firefighter, officer, and chief must strive for perfection each day, writes David DeStefano, and in so doing we may obtain excellence.
Plan B
Firefighters need to keep a "Plan B" in their minds if their initial course of action on the fireground fails. David DeStefano runs through several examples for truck and engine operations.
On the Line: Fast and Effective Water
To achieve the best possible outcome at a fire, firefighters must have fast and effective water, writes David DeStefano.
Benchmarks and Sit-Reps
"When used routinely and adopted as department policy, benchmarks and sit-reps are important tools that enhance safety and efficiency on the fireground," writes David DeStefano.
Leveraging Your First-Arriving Resources
The sooner rescues are made and the fire is located, confined, and extinguished, the quicker firefighters will be out of harm’s way.
Time Well Spent in the District
David DeStefano writes that firefighters must not overlook one of the most important aspects of maintaining safe and efficient firefighting operations: the institutional knowledge of your first-due area.
Setting the Course for Training
"Just as fireground operations only succeed as a team effort, our training programs should reflect the best knowledge, skills, and experience of the department," writes David DeStefano
On the Line: Relying on Luck
Is it better to be lucky or good? David DeStefano urges firefighters to hone the fireground skills necessary to reduce one's dependence on the whims of fortune.