DTFF: The Volunteer Firefighter Podcast - Down To Fight Fire

EP150 - Team 3 Deployment, Rookies Right of Passage and Firefighter Games at Local Resort This week we sent out our 3rd team on structure protection duty on the White Lake Fire currently mapping at 81 thousand Hectares. We discussed an annual trip to the LakeSide Resort where we run a 2 line hose relay , an auto x demo where we get involvement from public and campers and we end with a rookies righ...

EP149 - Structure Protection Units , Wild land Fire Fighting and being Fire Smart This week we discussed one of the many forest fires in British Columbia. Focusing on Logan Lake fire at 60 thousand hectares, where current Fire Chief Doug Wilson and past Chief Dan Leighton pre planned and fire smarted the town , adding Structure Protection Units to most of the interface properties. With rank 5 fire...

EP148 -  Out of Area Deployment, and Strange Calls from Dispatch  This week, we discussed sending a crew and an Engine out of town to help on the White Lake  fire currently mapping at 55 thousand hectares.  We go on to discus a few strange calls from Dispatch and ended with a fire call and our mic packing it in.  We apologize for the audio at the end but assure you it will...

EP147 -  Welcome To The Show. Part 2 With Heli Pilot Mike P.  Nkmip Creek Wildfire  This week, Mike P joined us again to detail what it was like being our eyes ( and water ) in the sky. We went on to discuss the second half of our week.  Structure protection , more Rank 5 events and pooling resources and creative coms.   WHO WE ARE As a group of Rural Volunteer Firefighter...

This week we discussed the first few hours, and then days of our Wild Fire that kicked off Monday July 19th. At the time of the podcast it has grown to 7000ha , listed as out of control and we are expecting that number to continue to rise.   WHO WE ARE As a group of Rural Volunteer Firefighters, our Fire Department has built our firefighter training from both old and new tactics in the fire s...

This week we discussed more of our local fires, and an unfortunate incident leaving a fire fighter in the hospital. We went on to talk about pumper practice games and the importance of Pre Plan and expanding that position.  WHO WE ARE As a group of Rural Volunteer Firefighters, our Fire Department has built our firefighter training from both old and new tactics in the fire service and adapted...

This week we discussed a recent Helicopter Crash and the resources potentially required. Some large wild fires in our are and a devastating fire in Lytton BC where roughly 90% of the town was lost.  WHO WE ARE As a group of Rural Volunteer Firefighters, our Fire Department has built our firefighter training from both old and new tactics in the fire service and adapted them to fit the realitie...

This week we were joined by Mike P from Todd’s department, who is a helicopter pilot for wild land fires both in North America and Australia.  We have a healthy discussion on what  we can do to make our lives easier on the ground as well as the lives of our air support allies over head. This seems fitting as both of our departments battled interface fires with structures threatened.&nbsp...

EP142 - HEAT, Manpower, Mutual Aid , Wild land Training and Coms This week we discussed our Wild Land Pump and Run scenario, the record breaking heat in the valley and the concerns that brings. We discussed a few interesting calls we ran lately as we tried to keep our sanity in the podcast studio with the rising temperatures.  Be sure to find our give a way post and give it a like, a comment...

EP141 - Auto X Refresher and Wildland Fire Scenario Prep This week we discuss an upcoming practice where we will be focusing on wild land fire fighting in an urban interface setting. Utilizing pump, bump and run, the idea will be to stay as mobile as possible through tactical patrols and quick hose re loads keeping all apparatus detached from hydrants and portable tanks and focusing only on immedi...

EP140 - Road Trip Structure Fire Discussion This week we set off on a trip to plan our fall hunting camp. So why not bring the podcast equipment on the road with us and discuss a recent structure fire we had that presented us with some challenges and command was faced with some difficult choices to make.  WHO WE ARE As a group of Rural Volunteer Firefighters, our Fire Department has built our...

EP139 - MOTIS, Finally we sit down with the boys from MOTIS FIRE RESCUE. This week we finally got together with MOTIS Fire and Rescue. Luke and Paul got together and started a company built around the SNAGGER tool and have been expanding to Hydrant wrenches, force entry wedges , soft entry tools , pouches, pocket organizers and much more. Tune in and listen to us chat and talk about their history,...

EP138 - Structure Fire Scenario, Followed By a Structure Fire Call For Todd Resulting In A Mutual Aid call for Scott and Ash. This week we sat down and discussed a recent Structure Fire scenario that involved 2 patients , VEIS , Roof ops and more. We follow that up with discussion about a Structure fire Todd and his crew attended resulting in a mutual aid call for Water Tender support that got Sco...

EP137 - Rookie Training, Importance of Groups vs Solo hires, Paramedic Services Week and more.     This week we got together over our Victoria Day Long Weekend and had a chat about our recent recruits and how we bring them in in groups of 3 +. How that builds a team aspect that carries on long into their time in the service.    WHO WE ARE As a group of Rural Volunteer Fire...

EP136 - Multiple Structure Fires AGAIN, Strange Dispatching and Quick Thinking Catches Second Suspicious Fire.     This week between our two departments we had a few structure fires…again. We were down to only one grass fire this week. We chat about some recent training in auto x and always being alert and ready to go as Scott and Ash found themselves first on scene of a Vehicle vs...

EP135 - Multiple Structure Fires, More Grass Fires and Training Ground Vandalism    This week between our two departments we had a few structure fires, a few grass fires and a bunch of vandalism ending in 5 cars on fire at our training grounds.   WHO WE ARE As a group of Rural Volunteer Firefighters, our Fire Department has built our firefighter training from both old and new tactic...

EP134 - Stop The Bleed Month. Video Review and Commentary.   This week we watched a handful of videos involving bleeds and tourniquet application, discussing quick application and keeping your focus to foster the best patient outcome.   WHO WE ARE As a group of Rural Volunteer Firefighters, our Fire Department has built our firefighter training from both old and new tactics in the fire s...

EP133 - Structure Fire, Vehicle In River , Out of The Box Search Practice and more   This week we talked about a recent Structure Fire in a mobile home. A vehicle into the river, swift water rescue as well as some out of the box search training done at our local Ice Area.   WHO WE ARE As a group of Rural Volunteer Firefighters, our Fire Department has built our firefighter training from...

EP132 - Expanding Response Area and The New Equipment That Comes With it.   This week we discuss expanding our response area, some new specialty equipment that comes with it ,our recent training and a near by hazmat call.   WHO WE ARE As a group of Rural Volunteer Firefighters, our Fire Department has built our firefighter training from both old and new tactics in the fire service and ad...

EP131 - MCI Scenario, Live Patient Actors, and Scene Size Ups   This week we discuss our most recent MCI scenario. We talk about the benefits of using live actors in scenarios keeping everyone on their toes and as realistic as possible. We briefly touch on scene size up and differing tactics.    WHO WE ARE As a group of Rural Volunteer Firefighters, our Fire Department has built our...

EP130 - Tradition, Changing Over Time. Helmets, Nozzles and a rabbit hole of topics.   This week we discuss the changes in the fire service. Leather helmets vs “plastic”, combination nozzles vs. smooth bore, our new multi use helmets and a wide range of other topics that we venture off path about.  WHO WE ARE As a group of Rural Volunteer Firefighters, our Fire Department has built our f...

E129 - Trigger Warning. MCI, Stab Wounds and Todd’s unexpected trip down memory lane. This week we discuss a few local MCI events surrounding stab wounds. What that would look like for First Responder Fire Departments. What style med kits were looking at. Ending with a personal experience Todd shared about a trip he took where he used some of these skills first hand.   WHO WE ARE As a group o...

E128- Limited Manpower First Due, FireFighter Scavenger Hunts and Losing your Load… This week we discuss our latest training , one group worked on limited manpower first due structure fire ops , firefighter scavenger hunts and losing your hose load and other equipment.  Lastly, we have a return of a familiar face in the podcast room !   WHO WE ARE As a group of Rural Volunteer Firefighte...

E127 - Medical First Responder, The Official kick off to Forestry / Wild Land season and Emergency HQ This week we discuss the completion of the Medical First Responder course for 12 of our members, whats next and how we imagine the roll out could look.  We discuss the “official” kick off to Forestry / Wild Land season as more grass / brush / wild land calls are popping up in our area. Lastly...

This week we discuss some of our recent calls.  Grass Fires, Grass fires that turn into structure fires, camp fires that turned into grass fires and training for Medical First Responder. We also tip our hat to all the bad ass women out there on International Women's Day as we celebrate our local ladies in our departments as well as all the others out there getting after it.  WHO WE ARE A...