5-Alarm Task Force!

If you’re a firefighter and you have been on social media oh, let’s say some time around 2011, you could not help but notice the frequent posts from The Firehouse Tribune. Then, it was a couple of firefighters posting some key ideas, facts, tactics, health, etc. Recently, Nic, the founder and editor of The Firehouse Tribune has raised the level the “Tribune.”  It began with Nic writing his first b...

We all know that many fire departments across the country, both career and volunteer are struggling with retention and recruitment. And most are looking for new ways and/or tools to assist them in this endeavor. Sure, there’s advertising in the trades, posting on social media, etc., but there doesn’t appear to be any “heart” in these efforts. It may be time to try a new method, using what almost e...

Mutual aid – fairly common in the fire service, right? Sure, there can be “stumbling blocks” in setting these arrangements up, such as personnel, different equipment, availability and even what might be seen as “silly” issues, like egos and a competition mindset. Lest we forget that our oath is succinct…”To protect the lives and property of our community. “ There is no mention of egos or equipment...

Almost every industry in the U.S. has its “Trades,” that is, magazines devoted to and about that industry. The U.S./Canadian fire services are no different. There are numerous periodicals for us to choose from, one of which is the one that somewhat taught me how to be a better firefighter, even though it was a brand-new periodical back in 1977, when it was first published by FDNY firefighter, Denn...

The American career Fire Service has often used basic testing and an interview of two when seeking new hires. And that may have served the need, “back in the day.” However, now into the third decade of the 21st Century, we should and need to create a new construct. Moreover, if we wish to remember that retention of current members should come before recruitment, we need a new paradigm to succeed f...

We have all seen videos on the news or on social media of big-city fire departments doing their “thing.” Lots of apparatus and a large contingent of firefighters and support staff. It is often an amazing site and sometimes, we might get a little jealous. However, the majority of American firefighters are not in the big urban areas. Most of us serve suburban areas with mixed usage, residential, com...

Every profession has standouts. These are the men and women who always strive to do their best for their profession, often going beyond the average levels and striving to always be prepared and ready to bring their “A-Game!” My guest on this episode of “5-Alarm Task Force!” Capt. Mike Daley is, in my eyes, a consummate firefighter. If I included his bio in these show notes, you would see multiple...

We often refer to the “trades,” the publications of fire service, for learning tactics, theories, seeing new equipment and new developments in apparatus. However, there is more to what we do than simply, “How to…”  More importantly, to do this job, we must have a strong idea of self, i.e., “Who am I?,” “How do I do this job and be there for my family?" “I’ve seen so much tragedy, how do I deal wit...

My guest on this podcast is Andi Clark. She is a certified Sleep, Stress and Resilience coach with over 30 years in the health and wellness industry. She specializes in teaching First Responders how to enhance their sleep quality, regardless of their shift schedule and boost their HRV, which is the body’s ability to handle stress. Learn from Andi on this podcast. For more information on Andi and h...

Difficult to believe that the Firefighter Cancer Initiative is about six years old. A strong part of the credit goes to our Brothers and Sisters with the Boston Fire Department. Without their moving video, we may not have crossed into where we are today for a year or two later. Then, only about 1-1/2 years later, we hear about chemicals that are man-made, came out in the 1950’s and that the vast m...

What type of firefighter are you? No, I’m not talking about engine, truck or rescue companies! How dedicated are you to what we do? Do you do/study/learn only what you are required to or are you a “student of the game?” Our guest on this episode is Danny Beauvais who serves with the Mooresville Fire Department in North Carolina. However, he started as a volunteer in 2003 in the Spring Valley NY ar...

You are sound asleep. You’ve had a busy day with lots of runs. Add the training that was squeezed in and you’re exhausted. You lie down on your bunk and you’re “out like a light!” Seconds later, the horn blares and all the lights turn on! You jump up with a start, put on your gear and head to the apparatus floor. As you make your way there the PA adds, “Confirmed working residential working fire....

There is an old adage in the fire service that what firefighters hate the most are “status quo” and “change!” Doesn’t leave much wiggle room, does it? Nevertheless, our guest on this episode of “5-Alarm Task Force!” Chief (ret) Charles Werner has become a specialist in new and helpful tech developments that support and enhance the efforts of the three main branches of public safety, Fire-Rescue, L...

It is no secret that behavioral health has become an important topic, not just in the fire service, but for all arms of first responders. We are losing far too many of our Brothers and Sisters to their own hands, and we cannot help but wonder why! If you are a first responder, no one has to tell you how difficult, dangerous and rewarding these jobs can be. Nevertheless, they still exact a heavy to...

If you are a firefighter, career, volunteer, paid-on-call, WUI, etc., and you do not know anything about PFAS/PFOS, you are woefully behind in your firefighting education. I know, because I did not know about it either until 2017 when I was referred to my guest on this episode.  Diane Cotter’s husband, Paul, had just been promoted to Lieutenant in the Worcester MA Fire Dept., in 2014, when he was...

We are honored to welcome back our guests for this podcast, Dr. Caban-Martinez and Dr. Schaefer Solle, who head up the FCI in Florida and share their findings with medical and research teams across the country and in other countries, as well. They have been with us on several occasions and provide us with the latest information on our efforts to reduce cancer in the fire service.  In this episode,...

It is no secret that fire departments across North America are “hungry” for more firefighters, including career, volunteer, paid-on-call and WUI. Why? There are various reasons behind it and if departments are to be successful in this endeavor, it might be a good time to re-think your processes. There is a new generation of young people interested. And if we can look beyond the fact that they may...

In the last ten-to-fifteen years, we have heard various terms used to describe the fire service, e.g., “We’re a family,” and “We have a culture.” In a number of ways, both of these phrases can be used with both positive and negative references. There is no doubt that in general, we do have a somewhat unique culture based on how we serve our communities, e.g., career, volunteer, paid-on-call, etc....

If you are a firefighter dedicated to being the best you can be, then this podcast/video is for you! Our guest is Capt. Mike Daley, who has nearly 40 years’ experience as a firefighter, officer and instructor. He has presented at national, regional and local conferences. He is also the current president of Kill the Flashover, the organization that runs educational programs and demonstrations, teac...

When we talk about the fire service and firefighters, our thoughts often go to firefighters working at a fire, HazMat scene, big and shiny apparatus, the firehouse and more. However today, more than ever, we need to look at the humanity of the fire service! No matter if we are discussing career, volunteer, part-pay or WUI firefighters, they are humans first, they are sons and daughters, moms and d...

For decades and decades, young children have always been enamored, curious and excited to see fire apparatus. Whether it was/is an engine, truck, rescue or even a “buggy,” we all loved to see the flashing lights and hear the sirens. For some, this is where their “connection” ends. For others, they follow through and join the fire service. And some of those children find other paths in life yet are...

As firefighters we spend a large part of our careers learning our craft. Some learn from the start and keep it going throughout their careers. Others think that from the academy they learned what was necessary and only continue their learning when they have to, i.e., mandatory department training. Across the country, there are often local, regional and national conferences with excellent speakers,...

We see it almost every day and sometimes, we are as much to blame as anyone else. We’re talking about distracted driving and the very real, very dangerous and fatal toll that it causes. From long conversations on your cell phone to watching videos, sports, etc., each contributes to a distracted driver. This driver may not even notice our flashing lights and multiple emergency vehicles and winds up...

Challenges…this job has plenty of them! To be a firefighter, there are certain attributes necessary, e.g., good physical condition, willingness to learn, practice tasks, dedication to the task, being aware of what you are getting yourself into, etc. Perhaps this last example is the most important. For while we understand that we will see things that we would not want most others to see, sometimes,...

If you’ve been a firefighter for more than a year or two, you probably realize that this job is not what you thought it was when you were an adolescent, teen or even a young adult. This profession, career, volunteer, paid-on-call and WUI, is not all fun and excitement. We see and do things that we wouldn’t want our loved ones or good friends to have to do. And those can and often do, exact a huge...