FE Volume 162 Issue 12
The Latest
It’s More than Fires
Receiving a call for an odor of smoke can be challenging. Initially your mind is tossing around many ideas: Is it food on the stove? Is it rubbish? Is it even a job? Donning your bunker gear, waiting to hear the address so you can start your real size-up, you begin to process in your mind the type of structure you’re responding to at that location. It’s important to remember that size-up begins with the receipt of the alarm.
COMPANY/ASSOCIATION NEWS
FIREMAN’S FUND INSURANCE COMPANY and HOLMATRO® announce a nationwide agreement to support local fire departments. Holmatro will provide special pricing to Fireman’s Fund for vehicle extrication gear awarded through its Fireman’s Fund Heritage Program®.
PRODUCTS/SERVICES/MEDIA
5.11 Tactical’s PATROL RAIN PANTS fit right over your station pants. Fully lined for on/off convenience, they’re made of waterproof and breathable fabric for extreme weather.
More FE Volume 162 Issue 12
What Every Firefighter’s Spouse Should Know
The divorce rate for firefighters is three times that of the general population, which is the highest rate in the nation, second only to that of the military. A functioning, long-term marriage in this profession is uncommon; a happy, thriving, intimate one is rare.
APPARATUS DELIVERIES
The Lower Macungie Fire Department, Wescosville, Pennsylvania, uses this PLASTISOL USA demo unit as a spill truck, says Assistant Chief Brett McNabb. The department wanted a four-door cab and the type of body this demo features. The vehicle also tows their foam trailer.
Decon Technology from the Military
Until recently, if a terror-ist attack occurred on U.S. soil, first responders would rely on traditional elemental technologies—primarily water—to decontaminate themselves to remain working on-site. Although more advanced decontamination tools existed, firefighters and first responders were unable to procure them, as those technologies remained exclusive to the military.
Dangers of Fiberglass Roof Panels
At 2014 hours on July 26, 2009, Newark (NJ) Fire Department dispatch transmitted an alarm for a fire at 282 Sherman Avenue. At 2017 hours, Battalion Chief 4 Pete Spann transmitted an “all hands” signal.
A Matter of the Heart: Living a More Healthful Life
We have all known for quite some time the hazards of firefighting. These hazards include everything from the smoke we breathe to our heart rate elevating from 60 to 120 in a matter of seconds.
Fire Engineering University: Pressurized Fire Attack Precautions: THE “BIG THREEE”
Over the past 20 years, the use of fans on the fireground has steadily increased. We don’t believe there is another tactic that provokes such an emotional reaction for firefighters. Some swear by the tactic and think that any other option is irresponsible. Ohers maintain just as vehemently that the use of this tactic will spell death and disaster. The fact is, like most polarizing topics, the truth is somewhere in the middle.
Fire Incident Reporting: Accurate Data Will Market Your Department
Your engine company is dispatched for a report of smoke in a building. It turns out to be a fire in a garbage can in a bathroom at an office building. The fire is smoldering, and you extinguish it with a water can. The fire is contained to the metal garbage can of origin.
Become an “Occupational Athlete”
As Firefighters, WE must be prepared to meet the physical demands of the various types of emergency calls we might face. In addition to mundane tasks such as shoveling dirt on antifreeze, we sometimes have to engage in the extremely physical work of lifting a 600-pound patient onto a stretcher, performing a technical rescue, or fighting a serious fire on the 52nd floor of a downtown high-rise building.