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Transferred

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Apparently I’m on the squad… (more…)

38 Buildings To Burn:
“Johnny Reb”

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Maryland’s Bill Carey takes the great opportunity that the firefighters in Ogden have and looks at the vast educational opportunities, in our double-feature post.

The fire department in Ogden, Utah has the unique opportunity of having slightly over three dozen abandoned, private dwellings to burn. With burning in acquired structures a seldom and often taboo thing to do, I don’t think there is any department in the country that would turn away from the chance to “get back to basics”, if they have what Ogden has. (more…)

38 Buildings To Burn:
“Billy Yank”

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Massachusetts’ Dave LeBlanc takes the great opportunity that the firefighters in Ogden have and looks at the vast educational opportunities, in our double-feature post.

Ogden, Utah has been presented with a unique training opportunity, one at which many would jump at the chance to have. The City is in the process of the redevelopment of a section of Town and there are over three dozen buildings that need to be torn down. The City is considering the savings associated with having the Fire Department burn these structures, rather than having to pay for the removal and disposal of all the debris. (more…)

Illegal Renovation Kills FDNY Lieutenant and Probie, 2006

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Remember Lieutenant Carpluk and Firefighter Reilly by looking at dollar stores in your first due and asking “what if?”

On 24 August 2006 a FDNY lieutenant and probationary firefighter were trapped in the floor collapse of a burning dollar store in the Bronx. Immediately after, Engine 75 lieutenant Howie Carpluk transmitted a mayday message and began trying to help the FAST truck and others locate him and probationary firefighter Mike Reilly. (more…)

Preplanning Pays Off For Boston Chief

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Boston District Chief draws a line and keeps troops safe; says first thought upon arrival was Worcester cold storage fire.

Early in July District Chief Pettaway had walked through Norfolk Avenue working on a preplan. Known as the Boston Ice Company, the 200′ x 80′ structure had been vacant since a fire in 1963. Progressive disrepair led the owner of Cumberland Cold Storage next door to shut down the utilities and leave that structure vacant as well. On Saturday evening Engine 14 arrived and struck the second alarm. (more…)

Grab A 24, We’ve Got A Victim

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If you’re the first due engine, and you drop everything for the rescue, then who is doing your job? Dave LeBlanc looks at the obvious rescue and initial search priorities.

Engine 1, Engine 2, Ladder 1, Rescue 1….respond to a reported structure fire…138 Main Street, the cross streets are Elm and Pleasant. The time is 23:40 hours.” (more…)

33 Gets A New Wagon

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…and it’s not a Seagrave. (more…)

Willy And The Firemen

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Dave LeBlanc looks at a struggling Massachusetts department and politics.

I think that most of us would agree that as much as it shouldn’t be, politics are an integral part of public safety. Maybe not where the rubber meets the road, but certainly any fire chief today must be able to clearly and articulately state his case and advocate for his department with the various politicians he reports to. Furthermore, various fire service organizations must have political savvy so that they can convince the politicos to support their goals and needs. (more…)

Excuses

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More and more, veterans with prostheses are able to return to the fight, whether it’s in Iraq, Afghanistan or back home. (more…)

Hey, There’s A Fire!

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Notice what’s missing?
No one yelling, screaming, racing around like a chicken with their head cut off. (more…)

August Training Prompt:
Top Floor Fire, Truck Duties

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Along with a few other changes and updates, we’re bringing back the monthly training prompt series. Keeping with the original purpose the idea is to prompt you to respond to the subject and questions provided. What you do next can range from something grand such as a company level drill, to something as simple as looking up the answer in your rookie book or SOPs. (more…)

Boston Multiples, July

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July heat made for a busy month of multiple alarm fires in Boston. Here is how Independence Day kicked off the month. (more…)

Not Gone, But Forgotten

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Dave LeBlanc

The Fire Service has a longstanding tradition of not leaving its own behind. That is one of the reasons they do what they do, they put themselves in harm’s way because they know their brothers will do anything and everything to come get them when things go wrong. This is the same reason that many soldiers fight, the bond of the brotherhood and the knowledge that their brothers will lay down their lives to come save them.

There has also been a long standing tradition that the Service, the Department will take care of you. Firemen sign on the dotted line to risk their lives with the knowledge that if it all goes wrong, they will be taken care of………or at least their family will. (more…)

Surviving Fire Forums

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Cliffs Notes for Fire Forums. They were around long before Dummies.

Note: the following comments and opinions are mine and do not represent the views of my employers. Or maybe they do. Unless you’re offended, then they don’t. Either way, I’m thinking I’m not alone on some of these thoughts.

Eh, scratch that. I’m flying solo here.

After many years of viewing and working as part of fire service websites it has become apparent to me that a need exists for someone to write a Cliffs Notes version on how to use the sites; or rather a manual on how to stop posting stupid stuff and save the rest of us from getting tricked into reading your stuff. What’s unique is that there are many features and manners that some readers aren’t familiar with. Let’s dissect a website first to in order to get you on the right path. (more…)

Merchandising Your Safety

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I was asked my thoughts on a firefighter survival subject at Firefighter Basics. The matter involved whether or not NFPA Standard 1971 should include personal escape systems. The question itself is presented well and the many replies are what have made it a great discussion. Co-contributor Dave LeBlanc also added to the discussion. You can read his comments here and on Firefighter Basics. For the record, I am not against personal escape devices; I think they should be part of our PPE everywhere. The narrow minds that believe they don’t need them because they have nothing bigger than two stories, or because their department isn’t ‘urban’, have no valid argument. The potential problem I see is that they will become another recommendation listed to prevent line of duty deaths instead of focusing on the causes of the majority of those deaths. “If only they had a bailout kit”, will fall in line with “if only they had a TIC”, or “if only they had done a 360.” I can imagine what you are thinking, ‘What about Black Sunday? Would you not give the FDNY bailout kits?’ That is an extreme and irrational thought. Of course they should have them; however, keep in mind that the fatal Bronx fire had many things working against the members of the FDNY. When looking at standards and their effectiveness in reducing firefighter deaths, we have to ask ourselves which solution has the potential for a longer lasting and more effective result – merchandise or mentality? (more…)

4 Alarms in Jamaica Plain

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Ladder 10 (Tower Ladder company utilizing a reserve) was first in on today’s worker in Jamaica Plain. Box 2512 was struck for the fire across from 128 South Street. Along with multiple calls, TL.10 confirmed the working fire by requesting the second alarm upon arrival. (more…)

Wicked Hot

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High heat and humidity contributed to today’s fourth alarm in Boston. Today’s worker was for a landmark restaurant in Beacon Hill (District 3). Ladder 24 was first arriving on the box and reported smoke showing from the basement. (more…)

Hot Chiefs

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Riddle me this, if you can. What are your thoughts on chief officers and PPE. Considering that much of the Atlantic coast is currently experiencing record high temperatures, why is it that we see chiefs at the command post fully buttoned up? Conversely why do some people hand out grief about chief officers and others for not being “properly dressed”, even when the weather is in the upper digits? (more…)

4 Alarms on Bunker Hill

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Known as the location where the quote ‘don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes’ comes from the Bunker Hill area of Charlestown was the scene of yesterday’s four-alarm fire in Boston (the actual battle itself was fought on Breeds Hill nearby). An barbecue grill illegally placed on the roof of 41 High Street fell over. As a result, fire extended to additional propane tanks, the roof, cockloft and exposures. (more…)

4th ed. First Due Blog Carnival

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The 4th edition of the First Due Blog Carnival asked contributors and readers what they would do if they were the USFA Administrator. (more…)

National Fire Chief

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The fourth edition of the First Due Blog Carnival asks how participants would hypothetically fill the role of Administrator of the United States Fire Administration. Participants also had to state your first year’s agenda and three priorities. So, hypothetically speaking, should the President hit me up on Facebook or Twitter, here is what I would attempt to deliver. (more…)

There Ought to Be a Law

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It should be apparent that I am a advocate for the aggressive, intellectual fire attack and the continual education and analysis of such. That said, I also question blatant ignorance.

Take a look at some folks who missed being part of the memorial at Emmitsburg. (more…)

What Is It Going To Take?

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Dave Leblanc shares his Cape Cod Times Op Ed piece on the close call in Sandwich.

On Monday May 31st, 2010, while the rest of America was celebrating Memorial Day, the Sandwich Fire Department responded to a reported house fire. Short staffed because of EMS runs, like so many fire departments in the US, there were only two firefighters available for the initial attack. (more…)

Rhetorical Lesson No.1: ‘Perfect’

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I enjoy following politics, not the extremist, foaming-at-the-mouth, party line-do or die politics, but the science of politics. That said I’m also a fan of George Will. Last week on ABC’s This Week, the Roundtable closed with the panel’s thoughts on Jim Joyce’s infamous call during the Detroit Tigers game. George elevated the issue to two main subjects: Forgiveness and Perfectionism. He gave a great statement and like similar ones I hear of from time to time, and think can apply to the fire service, I tucked it away for later use. During his discussion George said “the perfect is the enemy of the good.” I thought this surely applies to the fire service especially within the safety v. aggressive debates but how? Maybe I’ll use it, maybe not. (more…)

First Due Blog Carnival:
Wanted: National Fire Chief

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The fourth edition of the First Due Blog Carnival is jumping on the recent news that the USFA’s top administrator, Kelvin Cochran, is leaving Washington, D.C. and taking up his old job as Atlanta’s fire chief. (more…)