Equipment
Ron Moore | 01/11/2010

Rescuers across this country are becoming increasingly aware that automakers are integrating new, tougher and stronger steel into their newest model vehicles so they can meet new government crash standards. The industry term ‘Boron’ is becoming more and more familiar to vehicle rescue personnel as well as our rescue tool vendors. Boron is just one of the various types of a new alloy steel family that are called ‘advanced steels.’ Boron, Martensite, Dual Phase, and TRIP steel are all examples of this new generation of steel that is challenging rescue personnel. It is 25 percent lighter in weight and eight times stronger than the steel we are currently used to in vehicles.

Rescue
Lenny Yox | 10/18/2009

During the past year, more people than ever before have been buying larger than normal quantities of ammunition and reloading components. There are many reasons for those purchases -- and I will not try to cover them in this article.

I will, however, try to bring out some of the additional dangers posed to us, the responders on a fire or other emergency.

Fire
Lenny Yox | 01/11/2010

If I were to ask you what the main differences are once you are promoted to a position of leadership in your department, what would you say? Some would glibly answer about the color of their helmet, a new radio, a response light in their POV, new keys getting added to their key ring. Far too often the most important answer is overlooked; more responsibility gets piled on.

Education and Training
MICHAEL P. DALLESSANDRO | 10/18/2009

I recently had the opportunity to participate in a training program that focused on drivers of commercial vehicles driving distracted. The program that I was involved in was based on a recent 100 car “naturalistic driving study” that was conducted by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).

A naturalistic study observes drivers with multiple video cameras located both inside and outside the vehicle over a long period of time. Most drivers, when observed for short periods of time, will be on their best behavior. However, when the cameras become a normal part of the driver’s natural environment, most drivers lapse into their normal driving habits.

Fire
DAVE MURPHY | 01/11/2010

Our essential mission and number one priority is to deliver the best possible service to our customers —or is it?

Do we only show up when someone calls 911? If this is the case, I maintain you are not providing the best possible service to your customer, the citizens that pay your salary, or provide the necessary resources for you to operate.

Fire
DAVID ELLIOTT | 01/11/2010

We’ re all very familiar with the incident command or incident management system. You have either been trained on it, or like myself, have applied it to successfully mitigate large-scale, multi-agency responses.  About 13 years ago I responded to a large woods fire. I established and maintained command until the incident was terminated. By the end of the day, fire equipment from the state and multiple counties was requested and utilized. The high number of news helicopters present prompted me to request restriction of air space over the incident in order for forestry aircraft to survey the scene. The extended duration of the incident necessitated delivery of replacement batteries for portable radios. EMS was needed to evacuate invalid residents in the area. 

KEEPING YOU SAFE
MICHAEL P. DALLESSANDRO | 01/11/2010

In the fire service there are people who just drive fire apparatus, and there are drivers who skillfully drive and operate fire apparatus safely. I have been very fortunate over the years as a guest speaker, to be able to travel to many conferences and fire departments that held safe apparatus operator workshops. Through my travels I have met many skilled apparatus driver/operators and I have also met a number of people who just drive fire trucks. There is a difference. I have been driving fire apparatus myself for approximately 25 years, but have only really been an apparatus driver/operator for about 18 of those 24 years.

Equipment
DAVID PEASE | 01/11/2010

I would like to touch on a couple of good products that we used in Guatemala with our training there. One tool has been around for quite a while actually, and is one that does an excellent job at what it is designed to do. Produced by Wehr, the “GlasMaster” is one of the best tools for cutting out a windshield that has come along in quite some time. When windshields used to be set in rubber gaskets, they could be removed by popping off the trim mold, and placing a bailing hook behind the edge of the glass to pop out the window.

Education and Training
Joe Mancos | 10/18/2009

"Training is one of the most challenging jobs in all of public safety.” I heard this statement in a class I attended some time ago, and I have thought about it over the years. I have amended that statement made all those years ago in that classroom to say, “Doing training well is one of the most challenging jobs in public safety.”

Fire
DAVE MURPHY | 10/18/2009

"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”

Most of us have heard this famous quote, one that was actually borrowed by President John F. Kennedy during his 1961 inaugural address. Regardless of the original source, the message remains the same. As you are well aware, the national economy has taken, and continues to take, a serious hit. As consumer spending and subsequent sales tax revenue decline, state governments are being forced to eliminate all non-essential programs. Ultimately, local budgets are affected as the downturn eventually trickles to the local level. Most emergency services already operate on a lean budget. In paid departments, it is not uncommon for 90 percent or more of the total budget to be allocated for salaries alone, leaving little for fuel, station maintenance, and gear replacement, and the list goes on and on.