2020 Hindsight Will Never Sound the Same
Another year has passed and for many of us it was a year of defining experiences. The COVID-19 pandemic affected us all in one way
A New Administration and Congress: It’s Time to Introduce Ourselves
Now that we have elected a new president, the question is if he will be a strong supporter of the fire and emergency services. The
Agricultural Equipment Rescues
Rescue Instructors occasionally have the pleasure of teaching a class of exceptional quality and fun, the fulfillment of seeing the rescue students really “get into
Both Sides Now
Once again, I am showing my age! In 1966, Joni Mitchell released a song called “Both Sides Now.” It later won a Grammy for best
Can the COLORS of a Station Affect Mental and Physical Well-Being?
Part one of this series emphasized the need to consider the physical and mental well-being of the first responder when designing the fire station. One
Crossword Puzzler – 01/25/21
DOWNLOAD CROSSWORD PDF ACROSS 3 Building _____ may be the most important component to the pre-planning of a hostile incident 7 Among Public Safety Divers
Don’t Get Lost in the Smoke: Navigating the Maze of Designing Your New Fire Station
While certainly exciting, the idea of starting a new construction project, and particularly one as complicated as a public safety facility, can often cause as
Ending the Pandemic by Vaccination
(Editor’s note: This column was written before Pfizer began shipping the vaccine on Dec. 14.) The purpose of this column is to briefly describe the
Firefighter Behavioral Health — A Five Alarm Fire
You are likely reading this after the year 2020 has concluded and I’m sure you would agree with me that we would really like a
Generational Mentorship
Today’s workforce is already a complicated and multi-generational challenge. If you are a Baby Boomer and looking to develop your staff, are you ready for
Here’s Hoping 2021 is More Joyous for you than 2020
A column devoted to answering your questions on consumer, mortgage, small business and non-profit investments and lending programs to help you navigate the new financial
Leadership: Our Biggest Failures
(This is the second in a series of articles focused on leadership in the fire service. It is directed more for the volunteer side, but
Protecting Our Most Valuable Asset: Occupational Safety and Your Hazmat Team
There should be no argument that the most valuable asset that our hazmat teams have is our personnel. To look after the safety and well-being
Setting Up a DFR Program Successfully
Although the concept of using a drone as a first responder (DFR) originated within law enforcement and has seen significant success there, the application of
Skyland Fire and Rescue
Department Name: Skyland Fire & Rescue County: Buncombe Type Department: Combination ISO: 3 Fire Chief Ryan Cole Number of Stations: 4 Number of Apparatus: 18
Slow Year for PIO
Make no mistake – the year 2020 was a crazy, tough, chaotic year for many. It was a year that will go on record as
Spartanburg Fire Department
Department Name: Spartanburg Fire Department County: Spartanburg Type Department: Career Structure: Municipality ISO: 1 Number of Stations: 5 Number of Apparatus: Pumpers: 6 Aerials: 2
Teamwork DEFINED
For this article, I have a few questions for you to ponder and answer on your own. Once you do that, I hope you can
The 7 Qualities Fire Service Leaders Must Possess — Courtesy
(This is part five of a seven-part series on leadership.) During this series we will be examining the seven qualities that are necessary for a
The Art of Rescuing Victims
In the water-based environment, we find ourselves operating in a space that is truly fluid. Evolving, changing, reactive, dynamic. This is not dissimilar to the
The Entry Briefing
The Entry Briefing is a crucial part of any hazardous materials incident. It must be conducted prior to the first Entry Team making access into
The Necessity of Drones in the Fire Service and Public Safety
In 2015, I wrote my first article in “Firehouse Magazine” about drones in the fire service. I recall identifying three major categories of potential use
Working with a Design-Build Firm on Your First Project
There are a few modern ways to perform the art of building your new fire station. Currently, the one that has made major waves within
