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Smart and Intelligent Firefighting

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The continuing importance of fire research and the strive to understand fire and its relationship to buildings, systems and firefighting operations is challenging long held beliefs and anecdotal basis; encouraging stimulating debate and discussions- resulting in thought provoking and insightful theories, positions statements and a time of retrospect and critical self-examination that will influence numerous facets of the fire service profession.

It’s not about NOT fighting fires, but rather fighting fires smarter.

Building Knowledge=Firefighter Safety.

The Art and Science of Fire Fighting – Buildingsonfire

 

Posted by on March 10, 2013 • Filed under: "firefighter safety", building construction, Building Construction for the Fire Service, buildingsonfire.com, Christopher Naum, Combat Fire Engagement, compentencies, Engineered Structural Systems, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, Naum, professional development, research, risk-based assessment, Risk-preferring, size-up, strategies, Technology, training, training-development • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Building Construction for Today’s Fire Service

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Here’s the starting line-up of the New 2013 Buildingsonfire Training Programs and Seminars

Program Details coming early January

  • Building Construction for Today’s Fire Service
  • Reading the Building: Tactical Risk for the First-Due
    • Two New Programs Addressing The Needs for Today’s Evolving Fireground and Firefighter

      Building Construction for Today’s Fire Service
      Reading the Building: Tactical Risk for the First-Due

  • Building Construction for the Adaptive Fireground
  • Collapse Considerations for Buildings on Fire
  • Fireground Leadership for the Company and Command Officer
  • Adaptive Fireground Management for the Company and Command Officer
  • Engineered Systems: Buildings, Construction and Tactics

If you’re interested in hosting a program in 2013 or 2014, contact us at Buildingsonfire@gmail.com or CommandSafety@gmail.com

Building Knowledge = Firefighter Safety

Posted by on December 21, 2012 • Filed under: "firefighter safety", Architectural Design, building construction, Building Construction for the Fire Service, buildingsonfire.com, Christopher Naum, Combat Fire Engagement, construction, Engineered Structural Systems, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting, firefighting-operations, size-up, training-development • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Resource Tool for Your Radar Screen

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Buildingsonfire on Facebook

Take a moment to check out the latest links on Facebook with Buildingsonfire. Timely and quick links to areas of interests related to Building Construction for the Fire Service, Emerging Firefighting Operations Theory and Command Risk Management for Operational Excellence and Firefighter Safety.  Please Pass the link along to increase our reach…

  LIKE Buildingsonfire HERE

 Who’ll be 5,000?
The mission of Buildingsonfire on Facebook is simple; to provide a single consolidated source and repository of information relevant to the Art and Science of Firefighting integral to Building Construction, Firefighting, Command Risk and Firefighter Safety.
Advancing Training, Knowledge, Skill Development and Safety Focus for the Fire Service, and Supporting the NFFF Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives & EGH program
Buildingsonfire.com The authoritative and informational site that provides leading insights on fire service issues related to Building Construction for the Fire Service, Emerging Firefighting Operations Theory and Command Risk Management for Operational Excellence and Firefighter Safety. Buildingsonfire.com provides a single consolidated source and repository of information relevant to the Art and Science of Firefighting integral to Building Construction, Architecture, Fire Dynamics, Engineering, Training and Firefighter Safety through Operational Excellence.
Buildingsonfire on Facebook continues to promote and highlights many of the prominent blogs that are part of the FireEMS Blog family and many, many more resources, publications, news media and reference sites and posts that should be on your radar screen.
It’s all about Building Knowledge=Firefighter Safety, so everyone can go home.
Posted by on November 10, 2012 • Filed under: advocate, building construction, Building Construction for the Fire Service, buildingsonfire.com, Christopher Naum, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, professional development, Reports, research, training-development • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Training Programs for Today’s Evolving Fireground Series for 2013

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The Command Institute’s Buildings on Fire Training Series

PROGRAM OFFERINGS

The Command Institute announces the 2013 Buildingsonfire training, seminar and lecture series.

These program offerings and deliveries are part of the Buildingsonfire.com Series of Training Programs designed and developed to support the continuing professional and operational development of the American Fire Service in meeting the challenges of the today’s evolving fireground. These programs are presented and facilitated by Chief Christopher J. Naum, SFPE.

 

 

 

 

Keynote Address- Opening or Closing Deliveries

  • Adaptive Management for Today’s Evolving  Fireground
    • Firefighting and Incident Command Management is the essence of the Fire Service; it is formulative to our rich history but at the same time is being impacted by numerous internal and external influences reflective of social and economic climate, values and challenges. The Art and Science of Firefighting and the quest to achieve operational excellence while maintaining Firefighter Safety suggests our future success rests with our ability to create a new adaptive operational model to meet the demands of today’s fires and the evolving fireground of tomorrow. 
  • Today’s Evolving Fireground: Are You Ready to Make the Necessary Changes?
    • Today’s fireground and structure fires are different from those of recent past; empirical research and data, new insights and emerging dialog is identifying an emerging fireground with new demands. Energizing insights with provoking perspectives asking if as Leaders you’re ready to make the necessary changes
  • Command Resiliency and Tactical Patience for Operational Excellence
    • Energizing insights on the needs for preparedness, resiliency and patience to effectively address the evolving fireground and increasing demands associated with incidents while attaining operational excellence and increasing firefighter safety.
  • The Company and Command Officer in 2013 and Beyond
    • A thought provoking discussion on the increasing demands for today’s emerging, practicing or future Company and Command Officer and a challenge on how to meet tomorrows demands today through self-determination and personal accountability.  
  • Tactical Renaissance and the New Rules of Engagement
    • Today’s buildings and occupancies present challenging fires that are redefined strategic and tactical fireground operations and are changing the rules of engagement in structural fire incidents. An intuitive proclamation on the emerging Tactical Renaissance directed at today’s Emerging or Practicing Company and Command Officers.
  • The Doctrine of Combat Fire Engagement 2013
    • What has today’s fireground evolved into when we talk about combat fire suppression and engagement? Has it remained constant-Has it changed? Do we continue to operate utilizing time proven methodologies or are we prepared to identify new adaptive methodologies and practices? What is the New Doctrine and are we ready to accept it? 
  • What’s on YOUR Radar Screen? Meeting the New Operational Demands
    • There are a lot of things going on in the Fire Service today, the need to filter through to the key issues that affect all organizations and personnel is imperative. An affirmation of what should be on the radar screen of today’s emerging, practicing or future Company and Command Officers.
  • Fireground Leadership for Company& Command Officers
    • Today’s fire ground presents new found challenges that are redefined strategic and tactical fire operations and are testing past practices in structural firefighting and incident management. An open and frank discussion on what will be defining attributes and traits of the emerging fire officer and commander influenced by new strategic, tactical and operational modeling.

 

New Conference Training Curriculums

  • Adaptive Fireground Management for Company and Command Officers
  • Fireground Leadership for Company & Command Officers
  • Reading the Building: Predictive Occupancy Profiling
  • Five Star Command & Fire Fighter Safety
  • The New Fireground: Engineered Systems, Construction & Tactics
  • Dynamic Risk Assessment & Firefighting Operations
  • Command Institute’s Fire Ground Leadership Series

Target Training Curricula Audience

  • Command Officers
  • Company Grade Officers
  • Training Officers
  • Fire Service Instructors
  • Safety Offices
  • Firefighters

 

Training Curriculums Descriptions 

Adaptive Fireground Management for Company and Command Officers This program presents insights into emerging concepts and methodologies related to the unique challenges during combat structural fire engagement that require new strategic, tactical and operational modeling due to extreme fire behavior, building construction and occupancy risk.

The principles of Adaptive Fire Ground Management (AFM) will be presented along with integrated discussions on Predictive Risk Management, Command Resiliency, Tactical Patience and integration of Five-Star CommandTM theories and model will be presented. Integrated into the program will be the latest insights into emerging fire ground tactical theory, suppression needs for effective combat operations and methodologies for operational excellence and firefighter safety. This is an interactive and thought provoking program that challenges conventional fire service paradigms and explores leading edge theories and fire service discussion points from across the American Fire Service profession.

 Fireground Leadership for Company& Command Officers Today’s fire ground presents new found challenges that are redefined strategic and tactical fire operations and are testing past practices in structural firefighting and incident management.

This program will present insights into emerging concepts and methodologies related to today’s unique challenges for combat structural fire engagement requiring new strategic, tactical and operational modeling due to extreme fire behavior, building construction and occupancy risk and the need for new training and operational requirements for firefighters, company and command officers.

The program will provide insights into the new Rules of Engagement, Redefining Tactical Operations, The Company and Command Officer in 2013 and Beyond, Integrating Safety into Aggressive Firefighting, Predictive Risk Management, Command Compression and Tactical Patience, Training for Tomorrow’s Fires, Adaptive Management for today’s Evolving Fireground, Achieving Operational Excellence and integrating Five-Star CommandTM theories. Incorporating the lasted testing and research findings on vent path theory, extreme fire behavior, structural system integrity, wind driven fire theory and fire suppression and incident management theory the program will also integrate extensive case studies and interactive exercises and group discussions. 

 

Reading the Building; Predictive Occupancy Profiling Today’s buildings and occupancies continue to present unique challenges to command and operating companies during combat structural fire engagement.

Building and occupancy profiling, identifying occupancy risk versus occupancy type, emerging construction methods, features, systems and components coupled with the increasing commonality of extreme fire behavior and the increased fire load package require new skill sets in reading the building and implementing predictive occupancy profiling for firefighters, company and command officers. Focusing on a wide variety of residential, commercial and multiple occupancy dwellings, the program will present leading insights on improved building size-up, risk assessment and determining and implementing appropriate tactical operations for today’s evolving fireground challenges, operations and incident management.

Fire Star CommandTM and Firefighter Safety The challenges of today’s evolving fireground require shifting the fire service’s paradigms; evolving the safety culture of the fire services and the way we do business in the streets. These paradigm shifts require redefining firefighting methodologies and training focus for combat structural fire engagement and incident operations.

This program will present the concepts and methodologies of Five Star CommandTM and the five (5) fundamental core relationships of; Building Construction, Risk Management, Firefighter Behaviors, Incident Operations and Situational Safety. The concept of Five Star CommandTM will present these five fundamental core elements along with the five points of excellence within each domain that provide an intelligent and safe approach towards unified fireground safety, risk reduction, operational superiority  and company integrity and the template for focused training and curriculum development for today’s evolving fireground. The program presents a new concept towards an integrate approach to enhanced incident operations at structure fires adding values towards an improved fire service safety culture. Presenting emerging and timely insights affecting a wide latitude of audience interests, experience levels and relevancy to work assignments in the areas of incident fireground operations from strategic, tactical and task levels of operations, the presentation concepts, methodologies and materials have relevancy to all operational levels of the fire service. The Five Star CommandTM model integrates with the emerging methodologies incorporating Adaptive Fireground Management concepts.

 The New Fireground: Engineered Systems, Construction & Tactics The explosive increase in Engineered Structural Systems (ESS) and their utilization in nearly all forms of current building construction and occupancies have created demands for redefining command decision-making and fire suppression tactics that must be adjusted for the rapidly changing methods and materials impacting all forms of building construction, occupancies and structures. This program will examine materials, methods and crucial assembly systems affected by fire dynamics, fire behavior and tactical and task level operations for firefighter safety and combat survival, integrating relevant fire ground case studies and incident overviews.

Command and company officers and firefighters MUST understand the building, the occupancy features and the inherent impact of fire within and on the structure, AND be able to identify, communicate and take actions necessary to support the incident action and battle plans, mitigate incident conditions and provide for continuous safety protection to themselves, their team, their company and the entire alarm assignment operating at the incident scene.

Due to the resulting increase design and use of Engineered Structural Systems (ESS), and their use in nearly all facets of new construction and alterations and renovations, command and company officers need to increase their understanding of the engineering and design principles associated with these systems, their application and use in various building types and occupancies and the impact of these systems under fire conditions during incident operations.  Current conventional strategies and tactics and decision-making are proving to be ineffective and unsafe requiring a different perspective toward redefined operations and dynamic risk assessment.

The program will address timely issues related to Engineered structural systems, testing and technical data from large scale testing and studies; integrate operational elements related to fire dynamics and fire behavior and the effects on command and company officer dynamic risk assessment, situational awareness, decision-making and correlation to aggressive/ measured tactical deployment. The program will integrate inherent building construction and occupancy profiling with performance indicators and newly defined tactical protocols that address the newest concepts and methodologies of strategic and tactical fire suppression theory based upon the most current technical data. Case studies and events will reinforce concepts presented and evoked open discussion and dialog on building construction and operational safety. The fast paced program will utilize extensive multimedia materials, interactive activities and case study review activities.  The program will review a wide variety of ESS, including floor, wall and roofing systems, enclosure and modified support systems, new technology wood and synthetic products, alternate building systems and incorporate data from the latest analytical studies, tests and research in the areas of ESS and firefighting safety.

Dynamic Risk Assessment & Firefighting Operations  This program will present the new rules of structural fire engagement and provide insights into integrated command and operational risk management, tactical safety and tactical protocols based upon occupancy risks versus occupancy type.

Presenting insights on building and occupancy profiling, emerging construction methods, features, systems and components coupled with the increasing commonality of extreme fire behavior and the increased fire load package require new skill sets in reading the building and implementing predictive occupancy profiling and appropriate tactics for firefighters, company and command officers. Integrating extensive case studies, history repeating event, the latest testing and research findings on vent path theory, fire behavior, structural system integrity, wind driven fire theory and fire suppression theory will complement interactive exercises and group discussions.

These programs represent three distinctive and interrelated training programs that are essential and mission critical in today’s fire ground context and demands. Building upon emerging research, fundamental firefighting principles, values and doctrines, these programs present new and original theories, suggested new methodologies and provide insights on the latest developments for operational excellence, fire fighter safety and incident mitigation

 

 

 Command Institute’s Fire Ground Leadership Series

  • CI Fire Ground Leadership for Company Officers (Silver Series)

  • CI Fire Ground Leadership for Command Officers (Gold Series)

The Command Institute’s Premier Fire Ground Leadership Series are training programs designed and directed towards emerging, new or practicing Company Officers or Command Officers.

Each training program consists of new curricula subject material selected and implemented to provide the Company or Command Officer with new insights, cutting edge methodologies, insights, awareness  and skill development in functional areas of importance that affect fire ground operations. The programs will incorporate the defining elements discussed in the FSC section and will integrate and assimilate technology and media into a rewarding training experience.

Topics include the IAFC Rules of Engagement, Extreme Fire Behavior, Building Construction, Occupancy Risk Profiling, Risk Assessment, Risk Management, Crew Resource Management, Five Star Command, Tactical Determination in today’s Occupancies, Survivability Profiling, Emerging Strategic and Tactical Models, Command Resiliency and Tactical Patience, Command Compression, Tactical Entertainment, Adaptive Fireground Management, Predicative Theory of Buildings, NIOSH LODD and Near Miss Reports Case Study Analysis, Interactive Activities and Simulation, Operational Safety, Firefighter Survivability, Tactical Operations with limited Staffing/ Resources, Engineered & Light Weight Construction Considerations, and Operational Safety, and more.

The programs are designed to be sequential, providing a reoccurring opportunity for returnees in subsequent years to take the next level program, or can be standalone delivery programs.  A single day refresher class program would be available after a run-in period for program graduates, providing a value added curriculum program with continuity versus termination for subsequent semester offerings. Integration of Blog content and other media support to provide full, 360 integration and training may be available.

  • A single day, eight hour Seminar version is available w limited content   for the conference program  
    • 8 Hour (Single Day Seminar overview program)
  • CI Fire Ground Leadership for Company Officers (Silver Series)       
    • 12 hour (Two Day Program)  Available as a sponsored program in 201
  • CI Fire Ground Leadership for Command Officers (Gold Series)
    • 12 hour (Two Day Program)   Available as a sponsored program in 2013

 

Additional Concurrent Seminar Program Offerings  

 Tactical Operations and the New Rules of Combat Fire Engagement 2013 Today’s buildings and occupancies present challenges that have redefined strategic and tactical fireground operations and have changed the rules of engagement in structural fire incidents. This program will present the new rules of structural fire engagement and provide insights into integrated command and operational risk management, tactical safety and tactical protocols based upon occupancy risks and reading a building and the new IAFC Rules of Engagement.

Today’s Evolving Fireground: Are You Ready to Make the Necessary Changes? Today’s fireground and structure fires are different from those of the recent past; empirical research and data, new insights and emerging theories and dialog are identifying an emerging new fireground with new operational demands; strategically, tactically, mentally and physically. Energizing insights with provoking perspectives asking if you’re ready to make the necessary changes.

The Company and Command Officer in 2013 and Beyond A thought provoking presentation and interactive discussion on the increasing demands for today’s emerging, practicing or future Company and Command Officers and the challenge on how to meet tomorrows demands today through self-determination and personal accountability. A look at the emerging fireground in 2013 and beyond will be examined and how that translates to the increased needs for advanced training, skill sets and operational models.  

 Redefining Combat Fire Engagement for the Company and Command Officer This program will present insights into emerging concepts and methodologies related to the unique challenges during combat structural fire engagement that require new strategic, tactical and operational modeling due to extreme fire behavior, building construction and occupancy risk. Predictive Risk Management, Command Compression, Tactical Patience and Five-Star CommandTM theories will be presented. Integrated into the program will be the latest insights into emerging fire ground tactical theory, suppression needs for effective combat operations and methodologies for operational excellence and firefighter safety.

 The Doctrine of Combat Fire Engagement 2013 Combat fire suppression and field operations are being impacted on a variety of levels with demands for increased integration of firefighter safety, expanding risk management; modified tactical protocols and new skill sets for fire service personnel. Addressing the five fundamental core relationships of building construction, risk management, firefighter behaviors, incident operations and situational safety, this program will present where the fire service is heading in 2013 and beyond. 

 Please note all of these programs are available for delivery as a full day seminar program that can be sponsored and delivered on a state-wide, regional or local delivery basis. Multi-deliveries across a state wide system thru the Firefighter or Fire Chiefs’ Association/sponsorship are available at competitive delivery costs. 

PEDAGOGY

All programs incorporate rich multimedia, exceptional graphics and stimulating visuals that combine the appeal of the visually stimulating images while integrating content that provides the latest in research, data, insights, information and methodologies. 

These programs have been designed and developed to incorporate the latest training delivery concepts and methodologies while integrating current and emerging technology, social media platforms, eMedia and internet based content management systems and material in order to provide unparalleled fire service curricula, training and education, The Command Institute has been actively researching, developing and promoting such training program and content since 1987.

Posted by on November 9, 2012 • Filed under: Building Construction for the Fire Service, buildings, buildingsonfire.com, Christopher Naum, Combat Fire Engagement, compentencies, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, professional development, training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2012 International Fire/EMS Safety & Health Week

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International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week is a joint initiative of the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the National Volunteer Fire Council. The event is coordinated by the IAFC Safety, Health and Survival Section and the NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program, and is supported by national and international fire and emergency service organizations as well as health and safety-related organizations and agencies.

  • Offical IAFC Safety Week Web Sites, HERE and HERE

The 2012 event will take place from June 17-23. The theme is Rules You Can Live By, which focuses on the Rules of Engagement for Firefighter Safety, Survival, and Health. Fire departments are encouraged to suspend all non-emergency activity during Safety and Health Week in order to focus on safety and health training and education. An entire week is provided to ensure all shifts and duty crew can participate.

The 2012 International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week marks the unifcation of the IAFC’s Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week with the NVFC’s National Firefighter Health Week.

The goal of both organizations is to reduce the number of preventable injury and death in the fire and emergnecy services. Safety and Health Week focuses on the critical importance of responders taking care of themselves both on and off the emergency incident scene. The week is designed to increase awareness and action so that safety and health become a priority in all fire departments.

RULES YOU CAN LIVE BY

Make safety, health, and survival a priority for you and your department! This International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week, focus on what you can do to increase safe operations, improve your health, and reduce your risks of tragedy. These are rules we can ALL live by
FOCUS ON SAFETY

The IAFC’s Rules of Engagement for Firefighter Survival and the Incident Commander’s Rules of Engagement for Firefighter Safety provide model procedures you can use as part of your standard opperating procedures/guidelines and firefighter safety training programs.

FOCUS ON HEALTH

Use the NVFC’s Rules of Engagement for Firefighter Health to learn what you need to do to protect your health and stay at your best.

All fire and EMS departments are encouraged to participate in International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week. The IAFC and NVFC will provide resources and tools to help your department focus on health and safety.

 

Press Release and Talking Points

Use the tools to help promote Safety and Health Week in your community and your department.

Posters

Download these posters and place them in your department to remind all personnel and incident commanders of the rules they should live by.

Activity Ideas

Suggested Activity Schedule for Safety 

Rules of Engagement for Structural Firefighting Lesson Plans 

Steps for Getting Healthy
This Safety and Health Week, look at the steps you and your department can take to help you get on the path towards good health so you can be at your best both on and off the job. Included are activity ideas and resources that can be implemented during Safety and Health Week to get you and your department started.

Rules of Engagement for Firefighter Survival and Incident Commander’s Rules of Engagement for Firefighter Safety

The International Association of Fire Chiefs developed these Rules of Engagement to provide best practice model procedures that departments can use as part of their standard operating procedures/guidelines and firefighter training programs.

IAFC Safety, Health and Survival Section

The International Association of Fire Chief’s Safety, Health and Survival Section was established to provide a specific component within the IAFC to concentrate on policies and issues relating to the health and safety of firefighters.

IAFC Survival Resources

National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System

The Near-Miss Reporting System has added a 2012 International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week section to their Resources page, which includes near-miss grouped reports relating to the Rules of Engagement topics.

Webinars 

Plan to attend these free webinars as part of your Safety and Health Week activities.

Overcoming Wellness and Fitness Barriers in the Fire Service: A Study by Johns Hopkins University
Tuesday, June 19 – 2:00 pm ET
Register at https://nvfc.webex.com under the Upcoming Sessions tab

Johns Hopkins University and the National Volunteer Fire Council have collaborated on a three-year research project to study health interventions in firefighters in Maryland.  Participate in a one-hour webinar that will provide insight into the focus group feedback, barriers to wellness and fitness in the fire service, and how some departments have developed creative solutions to their wellness and fitness challenges.

FULL INVOLVEMENT: Firing Up Your Program
Wednesday, June 20 – 2:00 pm ET
Register at https://nvfc.webex.com under the Upcoming Sessions tab.

The course helps firefighters take the lead as a Health and Wellness Advocate by establishing a sound action plan for their department’s Wellness Program. Participants will learn strategies to ignite full involvement – from their officers to their community – in the support and success of the program. This includes building a wellness team, creating an annual plan, establishing methods of gathering and evaluating data, and securing sponsors to support the health and wellness program.

Health and Safety On-Demand Webinars

The NVFC offers a sereis of health and safety webinars that you can take on-demand. Click here to learn more and access the webinars. Courses include:

  • STOP: Seatbelts Top Our Priorities
  • Pump Operations and Maintenance
  • Health and Wellness Advocate Training
  • Functional Exercise
  • Nuturtion
  • Health and Wellness Program Design
  • Heart Health
  • Smoking Cessation
  • Heat Stress – Choosing the Right PPE
  • Obesity in the Fire Service
  • The Insulin Connection
  • The Impact of Stress on Firefighter Heart Health
  • Basic Nutrition
  • Functional Fitness for Firefighters

Use International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week to continue your comprehensive focus on personal safety – on the fireground, while training, at the station, and while driving. Ongoing awareness of your surroundings and proactive measures to mitigate potential threats will help ensure that you can be there for your department, your family, and your community.

Rules of Engagement for Firefighter Survival and Incident Commander’s Rules of Engagement for Firefighter Safety

The International Association of Fire Chiefs developed these Rules of Engagement to provide best practice model procedures that departments can use as part of their standard operating procedures/guidelines and firefighter training programs.

IAFC Safety, Health and Survival Section

The International Association of Fire Chief’s (IAFC) Safety, Health and Survival Section was established to provide a specific component within the IAFC to concentrate on policies and issues relating to the health and safety of firefighters.

National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System

The National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System is a voluntary, confidential, non-punitive, and secure reporting system with the goal of improving fire fighter safety.  Submitted reports are reviewed by fire service professionals and identifying descriptions are removed to protect your identity. The report is then posted on this web site for other firefighters to use as a learning tool.

B.E.S.T. Practices for Firefighter Safety and Health

The NVFC has set forth their Firefighter Health and Safety Priorities in a series of B.E.S.T. Practices, which are divided into the four main categories of Behavior, Equipment, Standards and Codes, and Training. Learn the B.E.S.T. Practices and find resources for implementing them in your department.

Emergency Vehicle Safety

This guide provides resources to assist departments in researching and developing their own written policies and procedures for emergency vehicle safety.

S.T.O.P. – Vehicle Safety Training

The NVFC offers the S.T.O.P. (Safety Tops Our Priorities) training series on vehicle safety. The first course – Seatbelts Tops Our Priorities – is a 30-minute session that educates participants on the importance of using a seatbelt. The course examines how to encourage safety when responding to emergencies and how seatbelt use and safe vehicle operations can be enforced at the department level. The training is provided using an online platform from McNeil and Company’s Emergency Services Insurance Program (ESIP).

Emergency Vehicle Safe Operations for Volunteer & Small Combination Emergency Service Organizations

The NVFC and USFA created the Emergency Vehicle Safe Operations program to prevent firefighter deaths and injuries from vehicle accidents, which are historically the second leading cause of firefighter fatalities. This innovative educational program includes an emergency vehicle safety best practices self-assessment, standard operating guideline examples, and behavioral motivation techniques to enhance emergency vehicle safety.

Posted by on May 27, 2012 • Filed under: "firefighter safety", "health and safety", "Safety Week", command-leadership, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, training, training-development • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Argument for European, North American Unification

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While doing some research on UK and US Strategic Leadership and Operational issues, I came across an article published on FireChief .com on April 28, 2011 and written by By Glenn Bischoff titled: The Argument for European, North American Unification. After reading through the piece, I thought this had some interesting connotations worthy of reposting on CommandSafety.com.

The information contained in the article points out the highlights from John Chubb, a battalion chief for the Dublin Fire Brigade, who spoke on the topic at the 2011 Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) held in Indianapolis. Take some time to read the excerpt here and follow the link for the complete article on FireChief.com HERE. I’m certain there can be some interesting dialog that can evolve from it.

Both the European and North American fire services would benefit greatly from a unified approach to firefighting for a very simple and straightforward reason: the former is well-schooled in the theories of fire dynamics, while the latter is expert on fireground tactics. So said John Chubb, a battalion chief for the Dublin Fire Brigade, who spoke on the topic last month at the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) held in Indianapolis.

Indeed, many sound North American tactics — such as technical rescue, hazmat response, positive pressure ventilation, tactical ventilation and forcible entry techniques, particularly the use of the Halligan tool — largely are being ignored by European fire departments, according to Chubb. “There is a level of ignorance towards the way in which North American departments operate, and even a level of arrogance,” Chubb said. “People in Europe feel that we have superior firefighting technology and a superior [knowledge of] firefighting science in the average firefighter. But I would suggest that such a belief is very close-minded.”

Chubb added that such beliefs are fueled by misconceptions about the number of line-of-duty deaths in North America, particularly in the United States, which at first glance are considerably higher than they are in Europe. “When you drill down into the American statistics, however, you find that they are taken from a much broader spectrum of deaths than the European statistics, particularly the United Kingdom,” he said.

“In other words, if you went home from work [in the U.S.] and 12 hours later you had a cardiac event, that would be associated with your job. That wouldn’t happen in the U.K.”

Chubb cited a couple of examples during the session where an application of North American tactics might have saved lives. In one, a fire started on the 14th floor of an apartment building in the U.K., when a tea light that had been left burning on top of a television set in a bedroom had burned through its container. One of the occupants awoke to the smell of smoke and raced to the kitchen to get a towel, thinking that he could somehow smother the fire. Unfortunately, he couldn’t get back to the bedroom where he had left his girlfriend because the smoke and heat was too oppressive. By this time, he also couldn’t find his way to the front door of the apartment, so he opened a window to call for help. Passerby placed the emergency call.

Two pumpers arrived to the incident about three minutes after the call was received, Chubb said. What they found when they arrived was a building that had no sprinkler system. It did have a hydrant/standpipe, but that was padlocked because of previous vandalism. Unfortunately, neither of the pumpers was equipped with a bolt cutter. Two firefighters raced to the 14th floor and kicked in the door of the apartment. When they were told that the girlfriend still was inside the unit, they decided to perform a rescue — despite having no water.

  • For the complete article on Firechief.com, HERE 
  • Published on FireChief .com on April 28, 2011 and written by By Glenn Bischoff: The Argument for European, North American Unification, all rights reserved.
Posted by on October 23, 2011 • Filed under: building construction, Combat Fire Engagement, firefighting, firefighting-operations, statistics, strategies, tactics, training-development • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Training for the Evolving Fireground

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Check out the new promo video for 2012 from Buildingsonfire.com

Buildingsonfire.com and the Command Institute’s

2012 Training Curriculums and Offerings

Building Construction and Systems Training for

Commanders, Company Officers and Firefighters

  • Building Construction for the Company  and Command Officer
  • The Rules of Combat Fire Engagement & Tactical Operations 
  • Reading the Building: Predictive Occupancy Profiling
  • Reading the Building; Size-up and Tactical Risk
  • The New Fireground: Engineered Systems, Construction &  Tactics
  • Building Construction and Tactical Operations
  • Adaptive Fireground Management
  • The Anatomy of Buildingsonfire 2012 NEW
  • Five Star Command & Fire Fighter Safety
  • The Doctrine of Combat Fire Operations 2012 NEW
  • Adaptive Strategies and Tactical Patience NEW
  • Predictive Management of Today’s Fireground NEW
  • Fireground Leadership  for Company & Command Officers
  • Extreme Fire Behavior & Fireground Operations NEW
  • Firefighter Safety  and Tactical Entertainment
  • Dynamic Risk Assessment & Firefighting Operations
  • Tactical Renaissance:  Building Construction & Tactical Excellence
  • Occupancy Risk Profiling and Firefighting Strategy & Tactics NEW
  • Command Institute’s Fire Ground Leadership Series NEW
  • CI Fire Ground Leadership for Company Officers (Silver Series) NEW
  • CI Fire Ground Leadership for Company Officers (Gold Series) NEW
  • Operational Safety at Buildings of Ordinary & HT Construction
  • Operational Safety at Residential Occupancies
  • Operational Safety at Commercial & Big Box Occupancies
  • Operational Safety at Garden Apartment & Townhouses
  • Operational Safety at Buildings under Construction
  • Keynotes ,Lectures, Special Presentations & Programs Available
  • Other Building Construction , Command, Tactics, Fire Fighter Safety and Operations programs available
  • Contact us with your special or site specific needs

 Download the NEW 2012 Buildingsonfire PDF  Listing: 2012 Buildingsonfire.com Training Brochure Building Construction and Systems Training for Commanders, Company Officers and Firefighers

We’ll be presenting two of our distinguished programs at the Liberty Fire and Leadership Training Conference in November

Make your plans to attend the newest premiere training conference, offering the latests in integrated eMedia, interactive classroom and hands-on training, education and networking? The Buildingsonfire.com family ( consistings of CommandSafety.com, TheCompanyOfficer.com, Taking it to the Streets Radio and Buildingsonfire.com) will be presenting two cutting edge and timely programs at both the Liberty  Fire and Leadership Training Conference on  November 4-6, 2011 in King of Prussia, PA

November 4 – 6, 2011 | King of Prussia, PA

Tactical Ops and the New Rules of Combat Fire Engagement

This session will present the new rules of combat structural fire engagement and provide insights into integrated command and operational risk management, tactical safety and tactical protocols based on occupancy risks versus occupancy type. Building and occupancy profiling requires knowledge of emerging construction methods, features, systems and components. Coupled with the increasing commonality of extreme fire behavior and the increased fire load package, these factors require new skill sets in reading the building and implementing predictive occupancy profiling to determine appropriate tactics for firefighters, company and command officers.

The class will examine case studies, history-repeating events, the latest testing and research findings on vent path theory, fire behavior, structural system integrity, wind driven fire theory and fire suppression theory, and engage students through interactive exercises and group discussions.

Reading the Building: Predictive Occupancy Profiling

Presented by Christopher J. Naum
Chief of Training, Command Institute, DC

Today’s buildings and occupancies continue to present unique challenges to command and operating companies during combat structural fire engagement. Building and occupancy profiling, identifying occupancy risk versus occupancy type, emerging construction methods, features, systems and components coupled with the increasing commonality of extreme fire behavior and the increased fire load package require new skill sets in reading the building and implementing predictive occupancy profiling for firefighters, company and command officers. Integral to the presentation will be detailed discussions on building and structural system placarding methods and labeling programs.

Posted by on October 7, 2011 • Filed under: "firefighter safety", Building Construction for the Fire Service, buildings, buildingsonfire.com, Christopher Naum, Combat Fire Engagement, compentencies, education, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, professional development, symposium, training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tabletop Training for the Weekend “Rubbish Fire”

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Ten Minutes in the Street: “Rubbish Fire- Fill the Box”

Ten Minutes in the Street with Christopher Naum

This special weekend edition of Ten Minutes in the Street TM is being offered on CommandSafety.com and is taking advantage of a training video produced by the LAFD in 2009 that involved a basis initial dispatch to a report of a rubbish fire that escalates into two structure fires and resulted in multiple alarm operations.

Take the opportunity to view the video clip and stop at various hold points to discuss and dialog operational considerations and issues affecting strategic command level management as well as tactical company level operational and safety issues.

Ten Minutes in the Street Weekend Edition

Consider operational factors that would affect your organization profile and resources. Take the time to entertain open dialog and discussions in a group setting. Deliberate and debate the operational issues, roles and responsibilities, safety considerations, as well as tactical deployment demands and incident priorities. 

This version of “On the Fireground” uses live fire footage and talking points to illustrate some lessons learned at a recent fire incident in South Los Angeles.

A Training Aide PDF File is provided to support your company level drill or group tabletop training, HERE  and Ten Minutes in the Street Volume 11 Number 09

Posted by on August 27, 2011 • Filed under: "pre-fire planning", Building Construction for the Fire Service, buildingsonfire.com, Christopher Naum, decision-making, firefighter, firefighting-operations, risk-based assessment, size-up, Skills, Ten Minutes in the Street, training, training-development • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Building Construction Training for Fire Service Commanders, Company Officers and Firefighters

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We’ve got an advance look at some of the new training and lecture offerings coming out this fall and for 2012 that will be offered commencing in October for the Buildingsonfire Series produced and offered by the Command Institute and Buildingsonfire.com.

Buildingsonfire -2012  Building Construction and Systems Training for Fire Service Commanders, Company Officers and Fire Fighters

An intense and concentrated  series of exceptional training programs examining trends and methods in building construction for the fire service with an emphasize on construction and  occupancy risk assessment, structural and construction systems, and their direct relationship on structural combat firefighting operations, firefighter survivability and the command decision-making process. Understand building systems and occupancy performance under fire conditions is mission critical with new and emerging technical information and data that is redefining tactical and operational models and firefighting protocols with new rules of engagement.

Firefighters and Officers will gain a new understanding of inherent construction features and hazards that directly influence effective risk management and decisive strategic and tactical considerations with a focus on key construction features, inherent occupancy profiles that will influence strategic, tactical and task level operations and crucial assembly systems affected by fire dynamics, extreme fire behavior and combat fire suppression operations. These programs & seminars examine crucial considerations for Reading the Building, Occupancy Risk Profiling, Adaptive Fireground Management, Tactical Patience, Predicative Occupancy Performance and Construction Resiliency correlating building construction performance toward combat structural fire suppression operations. Case studies will reinforce concepts presented and evoked open discussion and dialog on building construction and operational safety.

Programs utilize extensive multimedia, interactive activities, case studies and simulations to reinforce course content & subject areas providing exceptional learning opportunities.

New Seminars and Lecture Program Offerings; (Selected Topics)

  • Building Construction for the Company  and Command Officer
  • The Rules of Combat Fire Engagement & Tactical Operations  
  • Reading the Building: Predictive Occupancy Profiling
  • The New Fireground: Engineered Systems, Construction &  Tactics for the Company  and Command Officer
  • Adaptive Fire Ground Management for Command and Company Officers
  • Building Construction and Tactical Operations
  • The Anatomy of Buildingsonfire 2012
  • Five Star Command & Fire Fighter Safety
  • The Doctrine of Combat Fire Operations 2012
  • Extreme Fire Behavior & Fireground Operations
  • Predictive Building and Occupancy Performance
  • Tactical Entertainment and Firefighter Safety
  • Dynamic Risk Assessment & Firefighting Operations
  • Roof Construction for Truck Company Operations
  • Occupancy Risk Profiling and Firefighting Strategy & Tactics
  • New Residential Construction and Operational Considerations
  • Tactical Renaissance:  Combat Fire Engagement and the New Fire Ground
  • The Anatomy of Buildingsonfire; LODD Case Studies and Near Miss Lessons Learned
  • Building Construction and Operational Safety in Buildings of Ordinary Construction
  • Building Construction and Tactical Safety in Commercial Buildings
  • Keynotes ,Lectures, Special Presentations & Programs Available
  • Other Building Construction , Command, Tactic, Fire Fighter Safety and Operations programs available  

Download the Program Announcement for Building Construction for the Fire Service Training Programs HERE

Building Construction for the Fire Service Training Programs for 2012 by Buildingsonfire.com

Keynote and General Session Programs that will be available for 2012 include;

Keynote Topics:

  • The New Adaptive Fire Ground in 2012
  • Tactical Patience
  • Buildingsonfire 2012
  • What’s on YOUR Radar Screen?
  • Achieving Operational Excellence and Safety
  • Command Compression and Tactical Entertainment
  • The Evolving Fireground: Are You Ready for the Changes?
  • Command Resiliency for Operational Excellence   
  • Tactical Renaissance and the New Rules of Combat Fire Engagement

Upcoming:

Check out the program presentations we’ll be making at the Gateway Midwest Fire & Leadership Training Conference ( Missouri) and at the Liberty Regional Fire & Leadership Training Conference (PA) this fall.

Take the time to check out the new Training Program Offerings from Go>Forward Training’s Gateway Midwest Fire & Leadership Training Conference, HERE and the Liberty Regional Fire & Leadership Training Conference  HERE

  • About Go>Forward Training, HERE
Posted by on August 14, 2011 • Filed under: Architectural Design, building construction, Building Construction for the Fire Service, buildings, buildingsonfire.com, Christopher Naum, Combat Fire Engagement, construction, fire behavior, firefighting-operations, lessons, professional development, training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

188 Days of Opportunity to make a Difference: Surviving the Fire Ground

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During this week, there were on average, over 8,600 structure fires in the United States. According to NFPA statistics the following occur on average in the U.S;

  • A fire department responded to a fire every 23 seconds.
  • One structure fire was reported every 66 seconds.
  • One home structure fire was reported every 87 seconds
  • One civilian fire injury was reported every 31 minutes.
  • One civilian fire death occurred every 2 hours and 55 minutes.
  • One outside fire was reported every 49 seconds.
  • One vehicle fire was reported every 146 seconds.

There are on average of Eight to Ten Firefighter Line-of-duty Deaths each month.

Thus far in 2011 there have been Forty-seven (47) LODD events in the United States. During the same period in 2010, there were thirty-seven (37) LODD events.

During the month of June, there have been nine (9) Fire Fighter Line-of-Duty Deaths, four (4) occurring during Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week.

The following from the USFA LODD notification page;  

Firefighter’s Name City, State Date of Death
Pham, Chris  Dallas, Texas 06/23/2011 
Burch, Josh  Lake City, Florida 06/20/2011 
Fulton, Brett  Lake City, Florida 06/20/2011 
West, Robin Erlic Wellford, South Carolina 06/19/2011 
Shaw, Corey  Du Quoin, Illinois 06/17/2011 
Davis, Scott  Muncie, Indiana 06/15/2011 
Rasmussen, Garet  Wenatchee, Washington 06/12/2011 
Valerio, Anthony M. San Francisco, California 06/04/2011 
Perez, Vincent A. San Francisco, California 06/02/2011 

 

From the NFPA

Firefighter fatalities (NFPA 2010)  

  • There were 72 firefighter deaths in 2010 (NFPA)
  • There were 87 firefighter deaths in 2010 (USFA)
  • Stress, exertion, and other medical-related issues, which usually result in heart attacks or other sudden cardiac events, almost always account for the largest share of deaths in any given year. Of the 39 exertion- or medical-related fatalities in 2010, 34 were classified as sudden cardiac deaths and five were due to strokes or brain aneurysm.
  • Fireground operations accounted for 21 deaths.
  • Residential structure fires accounted for the largest share of fireground deaths (eight deaths).
  • Eleven firefighters died in nine vehicle crashes. In addition to those deaths, four other firefighters were struck and killed by vehicles.

Firefighter injuries (NFPA 2009)

  • There were 78,150 firefighter injuries in 2009.
  • 32,205 of all firefighter injuries in 2009 occurred during fireground operations. Other firefighter injuries by type of duty include: responding to, or returning from an incident (4,965); training (7,935); non-fire emergency (15,455); and other on-duty activities (17,590).
  • The major types of injuries received during fireground operations were: strain, sprain; muscular pain; wound, cut, bleeding, bruise; and smoke or gas inhalation.
  • The leading causes of fireground injuries were overexertion, strain (25.2%) and fall, slip, jump (22.7%).
  • Regionally, the Northeast had the highest fireground injury rate.

This past week, the Fire Service set aside and dedicated a week to allow departments and organizations to focus and concentrate efforts and attention on Fire and EMS safety, health and survival.

The theme and focus in 2011 was Surviving the Fire Ground – Fire Fighter, Fire Officer and Command Preparedness. Primary to the theme was a focus on the mayday event and its various workings and components. Seven days were designated for Safety, however what did you or your organization devoted towards the goals and objectives of Safety Week?

Recognizing there are unique and diverse circumstances and demands within all of our organizations, operations and jurisdictions, and not everyone may have scheduled time or had enough time to allow for the planning and execution of applicable training programs, drills and activities attentive and objective to Safety week. Regardless, it is not too late to plan, develop, schedule, implement and execute. Opportunities are there, you just need to make it happen or advocate for such.

  • There are 188 days of opportunity remaining in 2011.
  • There are approximately 358 days of opportunity until the 2012 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week.  
  • Enhance upon what you are doing well, improve on what may need advancement or what isn’t up to standards and identify and develop that which is needed but has yet to be implemented.
  • Don’t miss these opportunities to make a difference or to influence and change destiny; You have that ability.
  • You have choices and decisions to be made, they all have ramifications; Like choosing the red or blue pill…..

 

There are choices to be made; more than just red or blue...

The Consciences Observer or Activist

So, at the conclusion of Safety week and as you begin a new week and soon a new month the operative question today is this:

  • What did you do on your last alarm response related to operational safety and enhanced situational awareness?
  • How about your last training evolution or training drill?
  • How about Safety week, hopefully you engaged and participated…
  • Do you: participate in, contribute, join in, share, lead, promote, instruct, present, facilitate, help, assist, aid, or
  • neglect, disregard, undermine, abuse, challenge, demoralize, undercut, damage, torpedo, circumvent, or avoid?

Take a minute to look over the following list that I first published on December 31, 2010 in advance of the new year, think about what each of  these line items can do for you, your organization and the fire service in 2011.  It’s mid year and coming on the closing days of this year’s Safety Week activities, it seemed appropriate to list them again. Don’t sacrifice or forego on these mission critical areas when so much is at stake in the domain of combat structural fire suppression, fire ground survival and the integrated operational and safety needs shared by firefighters, company officers and commanders.

Understand the predictability of performance in the buildings and occupancies not only in your jurisdiction, first or second-due areas, but also in those areas that you may be called upon to respond to for greater alarms or mutual aid. Remember Building Knowledge = Firefighter Safety. Understand and improve upon your skill set levels  and those of your company, battalion, division, department or region.

Twenty Eleven (2011)

Here are twenty-one (21) Suggested activities, actions or initiatives for you to consider completing in next six months of 2011….

Above all, be safe in all your endeavors, assignments and incident tasks.

  1. Regardless of my years of experience, I will increase my understanding of the basic principles of Building Construction, because; Building Knowledge=Firefighter Safety.
  2. Identify eleven (11) buildings within your first-due or response district and complete a pre-fire plan and present this to my company of organization.
  3. Identify an area where new residential construction is underway and follow the construction process from foundation through completion to gain an understanding of operational issues.
  4. I will complete the UL Structural stability of engineered lumber in fire conditions online course AND the new UL Fire Behavior course and implement the lessons learned in my strategic and tactical operations.
  5. I will not take any building or occupancy for granted, and shall take all precautions to ensure crew integrity and safety during my task assignments.
  6. Complete a 360 assessment of all buildings upon arrival (or delegate), whenever feasible to gain reconnaissance information on the building and incident risks and implement this info into my strategic, tactical plans or company task assignments.
  7. Research the issues affecting; Engineered Structural Systems (ESS), Fire Behavior/Fire Dynamics or Fire Suppression Management/Fire Loading and develop a training drill to share the lessons learned.
  8. Select a new or previous published fire service text book and read up on a subject area that I may have neglected or ignored to increase my skill set.
  9. Implement an objective approach towards effective risk assessment and profiling of all buildings and occupancies during incident operations and implement balanced tactical deployment with aggressive/measured assignments; recognizing that my company and I are not invincible.
  10. During demanding Combat Structural Fire Engagements, I will; Do the Right Thing at the Right Time for the Right Reasons and will not practice Tactical Entertainment.
  11. Read the Report of the Week (ROTW) on the National Firefighter Near-Miss Reporting System web site and share the operating experience (OE) lessons with my company or department, to reduce the likelihood of a similar or more serious event.
  12. I will read Eleven (11) NIOSH Firefighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program Reports and present the lessons learned in a discussion, table top, and drill or training program.
  13. I will attend a regional or national training conference to increase my perspective and awareness of other firefighting, safety or operational methodologies, process or practices to increase firefighter safety in my home organization.
  14. I will increase my understanding of the NFFF Everyone Goes Home Program initiatives, including the Sixteen Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives, Safety Thru Leadership and the Courage to Be Safe Programs and other new program initiatives and advocate and promote enhanced safety measures in my organization.
  15. I will advocate and promote safe and defensive apparatus operations during emergency responses and will always buckle-up my seat belt and ensure my crew is always belted-in, not placing my company at risk and obeying traffic signals and postings.
  16. I will implement the New Rules of Engagement during combat structural fire operations; while monitoring and reacting to on-going building performance and fire behavior.
  17. I will increase my understanding of the Predictability of Building Performance and base my operational deployments on Occupancy Risk not Occupancy Type.
  18. I will become a mentor to a new or less experienced firefighter and promote the traditions, honor and duty of our fire service profession, tempered with an emphasis on firefighter safety, survival and wellness.
  19. I will take NO emergency incident responses as being routine in nature, due to frequency , regularity or  past performance, demands or outcomes, nor will I take any building for granted; Company, Team and personal safety and integrity is paramount and I will not be complacent, but remain vigilant based upon my training, skills and experience.
  20. I will be an aggressive firefighter; operating smarter, working within the parameters of my Department’s protocols, regulations and expectations while employing Tactical Patience and NOT underestimate the fireground, fire behavior or building performance
  21. I will not settle for status quo; but strive to achieve my highest potential as a firefighter, company officer or commander; and remember I am a brother/sister (firefighter) to everyone in this great profession

Ensure you’re glancing occasionally in your rear view mirror to monitor where you’ve been, while driving your initiatives, programs, processes and actions forward. Above all, maintain the courage to be safe.

Stop and reflect today, where do you stand? What are your true beliefs and convictions in regards to the developing safety culture that is being forged and institutionalized within our fire service? Are your professing one thing, but implementing or allowing another circumstance?

Keep an eye in the rear view mirror; learning from the wisdom and knowledge from where you’ve been, what you’ve done and all your past experiences and practice; but at the same time focusing on the road before you with keen attentiveness on situational awareness, anticipating error-likely conditions and balanced risk assessment and operational management in both your strategic and tactical deployments. Take those opportunities; all 188 days of opportunity remaining in 2011 AND the 358 days of opportunity until the 2012 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week.  Make a difference, however small. You can do it.

Here are the links to this week’s previous Safety Week postings and articles on CommandSafety.com

If you didn’t have a look and read, take some time to do so. If you didn’t do anything during Safety Week, there’s always next week or the week after… find the time and commit to some training, insights, dialog, discussion…Get Prepared.

Day One: Fire/EMS Safety, Health & Survival Week 2011: Day One- Are You Ready?

Day Two: Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week: Day Two- Building Knowledge = Fire Fighter Safety

Day Three: Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week: Day Three-The New Rules of Engagement

Day Four: Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week: Day Four -The New Fire Ground

Day Five: Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week 2011: Day Five: Near-Misses, Maydays and Floor Collapses

Day Six: Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week 2011, Day Six; From Waldbaum’s to Hackensack-Worcester to Charleston; Legacies for Operational Safety

Day Seven: Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week 2011, Day Seven; Fire Fighter, Fire Officer and Command Training and Preparedness

Extra from Thecompanyofficer.com: Mayday and Rapid Intervention Realities: The Phoenix Perspective

Hey, I'm talking to YOU; You can make a difference!

Posted by on June 26, 2011 • Filed under: "firefighter safety", "Safety Week", building construction, Building Construction for the Fire Service, buildingsonfire.com, Christopher Naum, decision-making, decisions, Fire Service Tradition, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, Mayday, professional development, Safety Culture, training, training-development • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Albuquerque Fire Department; Learnings from Close Call Collapse and Fire Fighter Injuries

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The Albuquerque Fire Department seeks to improve operations from past performance

Four firefighters with the Albuquerque (NM) Fire Department were injured during operations at a three-alarm fire that injured raged through the Royal Crown Apartment Complex  in southeast Albuquerque on Friday February 4, 2011.

The injured firefighters were among four who fell through the floor from the second story to the first while searching for residents of the, according to the Albuquerque Fire Department. Both suffered leg injuries, one had minor burn, and they were treated and released from University of New Mexico Hospital a few hours later, an AFD spokesperson said.

According to published reports at the time of the event, the first alarm came in at 3 p.m. bringing personnel and apparatus to the three-story building at 4801 Gibson SE. First units on the scene reported heavy smoke and flames on the north side of the building.

A crew from AFD Engine 13 entered the building and during a search rescued two uninjured residents from one apartment and also save a cat.

At 3:40 p.m. Incident command transitioned to a defense operations to fight the fire from outside the building. The third alarm was transmitted due to the projected heavy fuel load in the large complex.

Overall 75 fire personnel responded and operated at the alarm.

The fire is believed to have started behind a washing machine in the first-floor laundry room. An electric cause is suspected, but AFD said the exact cause is still under investigation.

The three-story multiple occupancy apartment complex was built in 1976 and housed 47 apartment units in 31,896 square feet of space.

In the months since the fire, the Albuquerque Fire Department has conducted a critique and post incident assessment of the operations, mayday and close-calls and overall performance of the department. As reported in the media video leading into this article, the department has taken the results of that post incident assessment and has developed training being delivered to al personnel to increase future operational performance, efficiencies and to reduce the likely hood of a similar event from occurring.

According to the Fire Department, they were playing catch-up from the early advancing stages of the incident and experienced difficulty in being able to make strategic strides to get ahead of the escalating incident severity, magnitude and rapid development.

The unexpected events leading to the multiple maydays and firefighter injuries challenged incident command and operations and could have resulted in possible multiple firefighter LODDs versus the close-call, near-miss events that subsequently lead towards the efforts to undertake  critical review of the incident and operations.

Some Insights and Learning’s from the Incident included that have resulted in enhancements;

  • Communications
  • Situational Awareness
  • Calling the Mayday
  • Radio Communications
  • Distractions and Error Prevention
  • Accountability
  • Command Response to Mayday Events
  • Communications Mayday Alerts

It is imperative that all departments initiate at the least a formal or informal post incident critique or review. This may be at the company or station level or escalated to a more formal department level assessment and review based upon the incident parameters and conditions.

The initiation and development of post incident analysis or assessment can be more involving and complex, with the commitment of personnel, resources and time but the benefits derived from such a review will contribute highly to the continued development and improvement of any organization. 

There are a number of recent after action, post incident or assessments reports that have been published and have been reviewed and discussed here on CommandSafety.com.

Take the time to review your incidents and runs at the company, station or battalion level. These reviews will identify and address low threshold, latent or emerging conditions before they escalate into apparent or root cause conditions that may contribute to significant adverse events and incidents.

The Albuquerque (NM) Fire Department’s self-critical review of this event has identified short comings at a number of levels that they are working to improve.

As they state in the video report, the outcome of this event could have been a lot worse than the injuries sustained and the resultant near-misses. The focus on improvements and enhancements within the functional areas of Calling the Mayday, Rapid Intervention and Mayday Communications and Operations is commendable and aligns with this year’s theme for Safety, Health and Survival Week.

The 2011 Safety Week theme is; Surviving the Fire Ground – Fire Fighter, Fire Officer and Command Preparedness.

  • Previous Safety Week announcement and details; HERE.
  • We’ll post under a separate article details on the IAFF Fire Ground Survival Program soon.

Albuquerque (NM) Fire Department’s Web Site, HERE

This year’s Safety Week will focus on delivering the online IAFF Fire Ground Survival (FGS) awareness training course to all fire departments. The program is the most comprehensive survival skills and MAYDAY prevention program currently available and is open to all members of the fire service. Additional planning tools and resources will be available on the Safety Week website.

The IAFF Fire Ground Survival Program (FGS) is the most comprehensive survival-skills and mayday-prevention program currently available and is open to all members of the fire service. Incorporating federal regulations, proven incident-management best practices and survival techniques from leaders in the field, and real case studies from experienced fire fighters, FGS aims to educate all fire fighters to be prepared if the unfortunate happens.

For links to the IAFF Fire Ground Survival Program, HERE and HERE

The program will provide participating fire departments with the skills they need to improve situational awareness and prevent a mayday. Topics covered include:

  • Preventing the Mayday: situational awareness, planning, size up, air management, fitness for survival, defensive operations.
  • Being Ready for the Mayday: personal safety equipment, communications, accountability systems.
  • Self-Survival Procedures: avoiding panic, mnemonic learning aid “GRAB LIVES”— actions a fire fighter must take to improve survivability, emergency breathing.
  • Self-Survival Skills: SCBA familiarization, emergency procedures, disentanglement, upper floor escape techniques.
  • Fire Fighter Expectations of Command: command-level mayday training, pre-mayday, mayday and rescue, post-rescue, expanding the incident-command system, communications.

Keep watching the website and the IAFC’s Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages for continuing updates to this year’s program and planning resources.

Remember to visit the SHS Section’s website for more information on health and safety issues and the IAFF’s Health, Safety and Medicine’s website for more information on health, wellness and safety programs.

Additionally, look for a comprehensive series of articles, activities, insights, downloads, podcasts, video clips and resources that will be posted each day of Safety, Health and Survival Week here on Commandsafety.com, Thecompanyofficer.com and Buildingsonfire.com.

Announcements and campaign materials will begin posting in Mid-May.

We will be offering a special series of live shows nightly on Taking it to the Streets on Firefighternetcast.com and blogtalkradio during the week of June 19-25, 2011 addressing key issues with a stellar line-up of fire service leaders.

This will be an exceptional opportunity to listen in, call in and participate actively in the week’ theme of Surviving the Fire Ground – Fire Fighter, Fire Officer and Command Preparedness.

These shows will be mission critical. Stay Tuned for more upcoming information.

Be Self-Critical and a Learning Organization

  • In the meantime think about your operations; are you self-critical and a learning organization seeking to identify gaps or areas for improvement?
  • There is a lot that can be learned from our daily responses and operations, whether they be that single company response or that multiple alarm incident. 
  • All it takes is the recognition to see things for what they are and your may not be as good as you think and the understanding and desire to identify those conditions and improve .

 

Addtional Resources, videos and images related to the Albuquerque (NM) Fire Department’s operations at the Royal Crown Apartment Complex

Alpha Street Side View

 

Aerial View from the Delta Side

 

KASA News 13 photo by Alex Tomlin.

Posted by on April 24, 2011 • Filed under: "pre-fire planning", building construction, Building Construction for the Fire Service, buildings, buildingsonfire.com, Christopher Naum, close-call, Collapse, construction, decision-making, firefighting-operations, floors, pre-planning, size-up, Skills, training-development • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Building Construction and Systems Training for Commanders, Company Officers and Firefighters

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Building Construction and Systems Training for Commanders, Company Officers & Firefighters

New for 2011

An intense and concentrated  series of programs examining trends and methods in building construction for the fire service with an emphasize on construction and  occupancy risk assessment, structural and construction systems, and their direct relationship on structural combat firefighting operations, firefighter survivability and the command decision-making process. Understand building systems and occupancy performance under fire conditions is mission critical with new and emerging technical information and data that is redefining tactical and operational models and firefighting protocols with new rules of engagement.

 Firefighters and Officers will gain a new understanding of inherent construction features and hazards that directly influence effective risk management and decisive strategic and tactical considerations with a focus on key construction features, inherent occupancy profiles that will influence strategic, tactical and task level operations and crucial assembly systems affected by fire dynamics, extreme fire behavior and combat fire suppression operations.

These programs & seminars examine crucial considerations for Reading the Building, Occupancy Risk Profiling, Adaptive Fireground Management, Tactical Patience, Predicative Occupancy Performance and Construction Resiliency correlating building construction performance toward combat structural fire suppression operations. Case studies will reinforce concepts presented and evoked.

2011 Training Program Offerings

  • Building Construction for the Company and Command Officer
  • Tactical Patience and the New Rules of Combat Fire Engagement
  • The New Fireground: Engineered Systems, Construction & Tactics
  • Building Construction and Tactical Operations
  • Reading the Building: Predictive Occupancy Profiling
  • The Doctrine of Combat Fire Operations 2011
  • Dynamic Risk Assessment & Firefighting
  • Tactical Renaissance:  Building Construction & Tactical Excellence
  • Extreme Fire Behavior & Fireground Operations
  • Tactical Entertainment and Firefighter Safety
  • Occupancy Risk Profiling and Firefighting Strategy & Tactics
  • Keynotes, Lectures, Special Presentations & Programs Available
  • Other Building Construction, Command, Tactics and Fire Fighter Safety and Operations programs Available  
  • PDF Program Flyer, Building Construction Training for the Fire Service 2011 
  • Buildingsonfire.com
  • TheCompanyOfficer.com
  • More Here
Posted by on April 10, 2011 • Filed under: "firefighter safety", Architectural Design, Building Construction for the Fire Service, buildings, buildingsonfire.com, Christopher Naum, Combat Fire Engagement, construction, Fire Protection Engineering, firefighting-operations, size-up, Skills, training, training-development, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2011 FDNY Symposium

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2011 FDNY Symposium

Schedule/Topics

Tuesday March 15

08:30 – 8:45  Welcome and Introduction by FDNY Commissioner and Chief of Department.

08:45 – 10:00   The latest building trends in construction and technology including ‘Green Buildings” and how they impact on firefighting operations -Assistant Chief Ronald Spadafora

10:00 – 12:00  FDNY Firefighting Procedures and the different tactics used for Residential versus Commercial high rise fires. Case study of recent multiple alarm.  Specialty units unique assignments at high rise fires.- Deputy Chief James Daly  and Lieutenant Chris Flatley

12:00 – 13:00  Lunch

13:00 – 14:00  Managing building systems.  How Building Personnel and Fire Department members work together in protecting life using the building systems and Fire Safety/Emergency Action Plans. -Captain Joseph Evangelista and Mr. John C. Santora, President & CEO Americas, Cushman & Wakefield, Inc. 

14:00 – 15:00  Firefighting operations, focusing on Command procedures.  Importance of effective training from a candid discussion of a difficult fire. Lessons Learned: Importance of situational, reality based training.
Fire Departments can evaluate their own strategies, tactics and training methods from a Chief Officers point of view.-Deputy Assistant Chief Jack Mooney

15:00 – 16:30    New Terrorist trends, extreme fires as a weapon and their implications for safety and incident management.  Plus technology and command procedures that are improving firefighting accountability.16:30 – Assistant Chief Joseph Pfeifer

17:00  A guided tour of the FDNY Training Academy

Wednesday March 16

08:30 – 10:00  High Angle Rescue Operations.  All the tactics, equipment and Command procedures required to perform life saving operations on the upper floors of buildings- Battalion Chief Joseph Downey

10:00 – 11:00  Command and control at major emergencies and a critique of the Times Square terrorist event.  The presentation will identify Command methods for First Responders under your immediate control and the public.  Street Management, Staging areas, Sharing information, Unified Command following Federal NIMS standards will be defined.  -Deputy Chief James Hodgens

11:00 – 12:00  Overcoming Water supply problems. Learn Standpipe and Sprinkler systems capabilities and understand how to use these systems effectively when problems occur. -Battalion Chief Thomas Meara

12:00 – 13:00 Lunch

13:00 – 14:00 Medical triage Operations defining Command and control at multi-causality events.  Medical operations at the Times Square Bombing will be reviewed.- EMS Division Chief James Booth

 
14:00 – 15:00. New tools on how to overcome intense fires in buildings. Learn how the FDNY has adapted to maintain effective procedures using these new tools and innovations: Fire blanket, high-rise nozzle, Fire curtain.-Division Commander James DiDomenico , Battalion Chief George Healy and Lieutenant John Ceriello

15:00 – 16:30 Controlling Mayday situations. Newest Safety initiatives in protecting Firefighters when Mayday messages are transmitted.  Programs to increase Safety while responding into and operating at the scene of fires and emergencies.  -Chief of Safety Stephen Raynis , Battalion Chief Thomas Riley , Lieutenant Michael Wilbur and Lieutenant Thomas Woska

16:30 – 17:00  A guided tour of the FDNY Training Academy

Posted by on February 20, 2011 • Filed under: "firefighter safety", "health and safety", buildingsonfire.com, Christopher Naum, compentencies, FDNY, symposium, training-development • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Make Everyday a Training Opportunity

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Make Everday a Training Opportunity

Here’s some USFA/NFA Training Program Course Titles and direct Links to their respective Student Manuals  (PDF Files) that you can download, review and take away some information for a company or department level drill or integrate into a class.

 Make everyday a Training Opportunity.

Posted by on January 7, 2011 • Filed under: Christopher Naum, compentencies, education, firefighting-operations, research, Skills, training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Taking it to the Streets: Looking Forward Through the Rear View Mirror

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Taking it to the Streets with Christopher Naum

 

Taking it to the Streets: Looking Forward Through the Rear View Mirror

On Your Street, In Your City, Across the Country, Around the WorldTM

 Join us on Wednesday night December 15th at 9:00 pm EST for an insightful look back at 2010 and forward into 2011 and beyond with a stellar line-up of fire service leaders. 

The lineup of Scheduled guests include, Deputy Coordinator Tiger Schmittendorf (NY), Chief Glenn Usdin (PA), Captain Willie Wines (VA), Bill Carey (MD), Chief Doug Cline (NC), Lt. Rhett Fleitz (VA), Lt. John Mitchell (IL), and a few others on the invite list who might just drop in on us.

Grab a cup of coffee and sit down for a special two part, two hour program with Taking it to the Streets on Firefighernetcast.com where we’ll be Looking Forward Through the Rear View Mirror with Christopher Naum and this outstanding group of fire officers, fire service leaders and visionaries.

Join in on the live open discussion with fire service personnel from around the country. Check out the latest downloads of recent programs in the archives by visiting Taking it to the Street’s webpage on Firefighternetcast.com or for program insights at CommandSafety.com.

  • Tune in to the Program Wednesday evening December 15th at 9:00 pm EST, HERE
  • Firefighternetcast.com HERE
  • Taking it to the Streets Radio Programs, HERE and HERE 
  • Look back at Twenty Ten, for 2010, HERE

Taking it to the StreetsTM is a monthly radio show featured on BlogTalk Radio and is hosted by Christopher Naum and is a Buildingsonfire.com Series and FireFighternetcast.com Production, © 2010 All Rights Reserved 

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Posted by on December 14, 2010 • Filed under: Christopher Naum, command-leadership, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, professional development, Taking it to the Streets, training-development • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ordinary and Heavy Timber Constructed Occupancies Training Download

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Training Program Download Compliments of Chris Naum

Operational Safety Considerations at Ordinary and Heavy Timber Constructed Occupancies 

Building Type III and IV Training Materials for the Fire Service

This program was developed to support the case study information published within the 2009 Near-Miss Reporting Calendar for the Month of May, 2009 for the National Firefighter Near-Miss Reporting System.  If you’re not familiar with the NFFNMRS, go to their web site, HERE  for insights on resources and timely operational and training information, data and resources. The National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System is a voluntary, confidential, non-punitive and secure reporting system with the goal of improving fire fighter safety. 

The Near-Miss Reporting System Report Case Study #08-0099 provided various insights into operational and safety issues affecting incident operations within a complex of warehouses built within the late 1800’s. 

The program objectives consist of;  

  • Increasing awareness of Type III and Type IV construction characteristics.
  • Provide awareness of inherent building construction, stability, performance and collapse considerations.
  • Provide a focus on Type III and Type IV building construction predominant in pre-1960 construction and occupancies.
  • Although Type III and IV construction is utilized in a variety of present day construction projects, these areas are excluded due to production limitations and focus on the near-miss case study reporting correlations.

This program provides an awareness level perspective on selective construction, operational and safety issues affecting the fire service, and does not represent other numerous areas of considerations. Formal training courses within a number of related subject areas is encouraged to increase knowledge and skill sets necessary to further strategic and tactical firefighting operations and incident management.

Resources:

  • National Firefighter Near-Miss Reporting System Operational Safety Considerations at Ordinary and Heavy Timber Constructed Occupancies PowerPoint Program developed by Christopher Naum, HERE 
  •  Informational Support  Narrative download, HERE

Do you know what to look for upon arrival? What Building features and factors will affect your operations?

Program Screenshot

Posted by on December 3, 2010 • Filed under: "firefighter safety", Building Construction for the Fire Service, buildings, buildingsonfire.com, Christopher Naum, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, pre-planning, risk-based assessment, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Commandsafety.com and TheCompanyofficer.com Quick Response Codes (QR)

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Commandsafety.com and TheCompanyofficer.com Quick Response Codes

A Quick Response (QR) code is a two-dimensional code that can be scanned by smartphone cameras to automatically pull up text, photos, videos, music and URLs. These codes have become mobile-friendly ways to point people in the offline space to online resources.

While already popular in Japan, consumers in the United States are just now becoming more familiar with QR codes and what to do with them. On the scanner side of things, apps that can scan codes are available for most smartphones.

Simply search your app store for “barcode reader,” or “QR code scanner,” and you’ll find several to choose from. On the iPhone, options include QuickMark and Optiscan. On Android, Barcode Scanner is a popular QR code reader.

So, what are these codes? They have been described as paper-based hyperlinks, and this is a good description. You simply take a picture of a code on a poster with your smart phone, and you get redirected to the website using your cell phone’s browser.

They can also be used digitally – you can append a QR code to a Tweet, or they can be displayed on a web page to transfer contact information directly to the cell phone, for example. This technology is blurring the distinction between smart phones, digital destination and content, and paper-based communication mediums.

QR technology provides cell phone users the ability to scan paper-based content using the cell phone’s camera to decode information on a menu, a magazine, a business card, a gift card, a coupon or a website. Once the QR code has been scanned and decoded, the user has access via their cell phone to the information or destinations that can be any or all of the following:

  • Personal or company contact information to include MeCard, BlackBerry PIN and BlackBerry vCards.
  • Dial an embedded phone number, or be redirect to your company home page URL or a specific destination on a social network (i.e. company fan page).
  • An RSS feed, SMS or an arbitrary text message.
  • An email address or a calendar event with location, title, start and end time, alarm and zone.
  • A physical address with location coordinates information.

We’re going to try to incorporate the QR codes in some upcoming downloads and materials, so we’ll see how this new technology supports the growing need for resource connections…..

qrcode

The CommandSafety.com QR

qrcode

TheCompanyofficer.com QR

Posted by on November 27, 2010 • Filed under: Technology, technology-communications, training-development • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Interactive Dynamic Risk Assessment Download

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Interactive Risk Assessment Training Download by Christopher Naum

 An interactive training program has been provided courtesy of Buildingsonfire.com and Commandsafety.com to support skill set development in the areas of dynamic risk assessment, size-up analysis and situational awareness. This is a basic program that will support any of your department’s or company’s current drill or training inititatives.

Download the program HERE

Risk Assessment_Sizeup3

Posted by on November 26, 2010 • Filed under: training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2011 Building Construction for the Fire Service Training Programs Announced

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Building Knowledge=Firefighter Safety

 Buildingsonfire.com and the Command Institute

2011 Training Program and Seminar Offerings Released

A comprehensive offering of Training Programs, Lectures, Seminars and Keynotes available for bookings in 2011 and 2012. 

Building Construction for the Fire Service Training Programs for 2011 PDF File Here

Building Construction for the Command and Company Officer 

Effective and safe fireground operations requires command and company officers to have a profound need to understand building systems and occupancy performance under fire conditions. Examining current trends and methods in building construction that affect operational level risk assessment and strategic and tactical decision-making in the development of incident action plans; topics include construction & occupancy risk profiling, risk assessment, structural construction systems and relationships on firefighting operations, tactical patience, command compression, firefighter survivability & the command decision-making process. 

Tactical Operations and the Rules of Fire Engagement

Today’s buildings and occupancies present challenges that have redefined strategic and tactical fireground operations and have changed the rules of engagement in structural fire incidents. This program will present the new rules of structural fire engagement and provide insights into integrated command and operational risk management, tactical safety and tactical protocols based upon occupancy risks and reading a building.

Reading the Building; Predictive Occupancy Profiling 

Today’s buildings and occupancies continue to present unique challenges to command and operating companies during combat structural fire engagement. Building and occupancy profiling, identifying occupancy risk versus occupancy type, emerging construction methods, features, systems and components coupled with the increasing commonality of extreme fire behavior and the increased fire load package require new skill sets in reading the building and implementing predictive occupancy profiling for firefighters, company and command officers. 

The Doctrine of Combat Fire Engagement 2011

Combat fire suppression and field operations are being impacted on a variety of levels with demands for increased integration of firefighter safety, expanding risk management; modified tactical protocols and new skill sets for fire service personnel. Addressing the five fundamental core relationships of building construction, risk management, firefighter behaviors, incident operations and situational safety, this program will present where the fire service is heading in 2011 and beyond.

Buildings on Fire: Engineered Structural Systems & Fireground Operations

The prevailing use of engineered structural support systems and assemblies within current building construction and occupancies has contributed significantly to command and operational challenges and LODD events. This program presents defined strategic and tactical perspectives on building construction principles with truss and other engineered systems, effective command operations, risk management and tactical firefighter safety. Case studies will be presented with focused discussions and the lessons learned.

Building Construction, Command Risk Management and Operational Safety 

An insightful and thought provoking look at Building Construction and command safety with the emphasis on firefighter safety and risk management on the fireground related to the changing paradigms for an improved safety culture in the fire service. The program will review key building construction systems, occupancies, assemblies and features with an emphasis on dynamic risk assessment, recognition-primed decision making and safety insights. Case studies will be presented with focused discussion on the lessons learned. This program will provide a fresh perspective on command accountability, tactical responsibility and firefighter safety for all ranks. 

Dynamic Risk Assessment of Occupancies for Operational Safety

An examination of dynamic risk assessment factors of various building occupancy types, with an emphasis on occupancy-building construction profiles and inherent structural systems for operational safety with an enhanced focus and continuing assessment of building structural integrity, fire behavior and construction performance to ensure the safety and integrity of tactical company missions within the incident action plan at various buildings and structures, regardless of their construction type, materials, occupancy classification, age or size.

Buildingsonfire 2011 

Providing key insights with fundamental core information on the dynamic risk assessment of building construction, occupancy hazards, systems and assembly performance, structural collapse indicators and safety awareness during combat fire suppression operations. Key fundamental principles and their rules of combat structural fire engagement will be presented and reinforced, integrating case studies, firefighter injury reduction & line of duty death initiatives and providing cutting edge insights on Building Construction for the Fire Service. 

Five Star Command™; Defining Firefighter Safety during Combat Fire Engagement

This program presents new concepts and methodologies of  Five Star CommandTM and the five (5) fundamental core relationships of; Building Construction, Risk Management, Firefighter Behaviors, Incident Operations and Situational Safety. The concept of Five Star CommandTM will present these five fundamental core elements along with the five points of excellence within each domain that provide an intelligent and safe approach towards unified fireground safety, risk reduction, operational superiority  and company integrity. This program provides a clear roadmap for defined training and operational area that support integrated firefighter, company and command officer development and proficiencies.                     

This is a partial List of Training Programs available. A Comprehensive listing of Programs, Lectures and Topics available upon Request  

C2009 Paul Combs

Posted by on November 23, 2010 • Filed under: building construction, Building Construction for the Fire Service, buildingsonfire.com, Christopher Naum, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ten Minutes in the Street: “A Little Smoke Showin’?”

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Vol10NO08
Ten Minutes in the Streets with Christopher Naum

Ten Minutes in the Street

A Buildingsonfire.com Series

Interactive Scenarios, Where YOU Make the Call

Ten Minutes in the Street is back, bringing you insightful and provoking street scenarios for the discriminating and perspective Firefighter, Officer and Commander; where you make the call. You don’t have to have any special rank to participate in this interactive forum, just the desire to learn and expand you knowledge, skills and abilities in order to better yourself, create new insights, while sharing your experience and perspectives to help you and others in the street in making the right call; so everyone has the opportunity of going home.  

Ten Minutes in the Street: “A Little Smoke Showin’ with your Coffee? 

 Volume 10, Number 8 

The recruit firefighters just finished brewing a fresh pot of coffee and you’re about to have your first cup this morning when the tones and bells alert the station of a report of smoke coming from a house across the street from the caller. The communications center advises that the caller doesn’t know if anyone is home, but they are certain there’s smoke coming from the house, even though a slight morning fog layer is beginning to burn off. OK, so much for that coffee. You’re the acting chief this morning, so instead of riding the engine company, you’ve got the chief’s SUV. As you get ready to head out the door, you can hear the engine company fire up a bay over signaling you a driver is in the house and a crew is assembling and preparing to roll out shortly.  

You’re out the door and down the street. A couple of quick turns and a few intersections later, you’re heading down the street towards the smoke that you can see rising over the trees and house peaks. You arrive, on-scene in a residential neighborhood and observe fire in the upper second floor of a 1-1/2 story wood frame. You drive past the front and take in a good view of the Bravo, Alpha and Delta sides of the structure. You establish command in the driveway of a house across the street that gives you a good view of the occupancy. Two Engine Companies are enroute, along with a truck company, ems unit and a Rescue company. Mutual aid has also been dispatched, that will give you two additional engines and another manpower squad company. The first-due engine is about four minutes out. The street has ample hydrants at both ends and mid points. The house is midway down the street, with access from both directions  

Scenario Questions  

  • What is your command risk assessment and size-up of the structure, occupancy and present fire conditions?
  • What will your transmit in your initial communications upon arrival?
  • What kind of information must be transmitted by a first-arriving company of command officer and why?
  • What’s your initial incident action plan (IAP) and strategy?
  • What are the sequences of primary tactical objectives that must be implemented in a timely manner?
  • What do you know about this type of structure and occupancy, how will the building behave; how will the fire behave?
  • What is the Ten Minute milestone; what do you expect to be doing or have happen after ten minutes have elapsed after your arrival?

Conditions on Delta Side

 Spend some time around the kitchen table, the day room of in the classroom and share your ideas and thoughts on the issues presented by this scenario  

  • The Scenario PDF File is attached HERE for download

 

Posted by on November 23, 2010 • Filed under: Christopher Naum, firefighting-operations, scenario, Ten Minutes in the Street, training-development • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Emerging Fire Officer

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 For a Today’s Fire Officer to be truly effective, accountable and responsible to their duties, function and assignments; they must have the requisite training and skill sets that correspond with their job performance and functions. Regardless of your affiliation or membership, career or volunteer, rank or title; if you are performing as an officer in the fire service you need to have the right combination of training to support and augment the experience you obtain while working in field operations or other administrative or staff positions.  The question is do you know what is expected of you? Does your organization provide you with the road map? Is it defined, is it part of the recognized national standards process? 

It’s no longer acceptable to be functioning and performing in a rank and position of responsibility without the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) in order to execute those duties in an effective, efficient and compliant manner aligned with your department’s policies, procedures and standards. The aspect of Officer Credentialing and Qualifications isn’t anything new. 

The NFPA Professional Fire Officer Qualifications standard has been around since 1976, as have a variety of Pro Board, IFSAC and State approved training programs that lead to certification, credentialing and have a sequential qualifications track. 

Origin and Development of NFPA 1021 In 1971, the Joint Council of National Fire Service Organizations (JCNFSO) created the National Professional Qualifications Board (NPQB) for the fire service to facilitate the development of nationally applicable performance standards for uniformed fire service personnel. On December 14, 1972, the Board established four technical committees to develop those standards using the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards-making system. The initial committees addressed the following career areas:

  • Fire Fighter,
  • Fire Officer,
  • Fire Service Instructor, and
  • Fire Inspector and Investigator

 The first edition of NFPA 1021 was published in July 1976. The original concept of the professional qualification standards was to develop an interrelated set of performance standards specifically for the fire service. The various levels of achievement in the standards were to build on each other within a strictly defined career ladder. In the late 1980s, revisions of the standards recognized that the documents should stand on their own merit in terms of job performance requirements for a given field. Accordingly, the strict career ladder concept was abandoned, except for the progression from fire fighter to fire officer. The later revisions, therefore, facilitated the use of the documents by other than the uniformed fire services.The 1992 edition of NFPA 1021 reduced the number of levels of progression in the standard to four. In the 1997 edition, NFPA 1021 was converted to the job performance requirement (JPR) format to be consistent with the other standards in the Professional Qualifications Project. 

The intent was to develop clear and concise job performance requirements that can be used to determine that an individual, when measured to the standard, possesses the skills and knowledge to perform as a fire officer. These job performance requirements can be used in any fire department in any city, town, or private organization throughout North America. (Excerpt from the NFPA 1021 Standard preamble, Copyright © 2008 National Fire Protection Association®. All Rights Reserved.) 

To order a complete version of the NFPA 1021 standard go HERE.  

  

The scope and purpose of the NFPA 1021 standard is to identify the minimum job performance requirements necessary to perform the duties of a Fire Officer and specifically identifies four levels of progression— Fire Officer I, Fire Officer II, Fire Officer III, and Fire Officer IV. 

  • The intent of the standard is to define progressive levels of performance required at the various levels of officer responsibility.
  • The authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) has the option to combine or group the levels to meet its local needs and to use them in the development of job descriptions and specifying promotional standards.
  • The NFPA 1021 standard does not restrict any jurisdiction from exceeding the minimum requirements defined by the standard.

In most progressive organizations there is a formal and defined process whereby a firefighter transitions and becomes a fire officer. The general practice consists of time in grade, examination, oral and sometimes practical examinations, followed by a list ranking and then appointment. Some organizations utilize an appointment process based upon wide latitude of criteria and still others utilize a popular voting process. There are stringent civil service requirements and protocols that define the qualification, ranking, selection and appointment process in career organizations. There are numerous variations on these themes that take into account a variety of local or regional commonalities, and elements that define the process and procedure in becoming a fire officer. It’s safe to say that the vast majority of volunteer organizations utilize some form of membership voting process or an appointment process often with little to minimal prerequisites. This form of promotion has varied measures of liability and risk for those individuals who attain leadership roles and responsibilities as company or command officers with nothing more than a few “basic” training courses, a few years of experience and a following.

The lack of creditable and measurable knowledge, skills and abilities that align with nationally recognized processes and standards in this day and age is questionable at best, and may border on the edge of negligence. A candidate or appointee who assumes the role of a company or command officer or raises through the ranks without any balance of credentials and qualifications in so doing, has the potential to practice with a degree of assumed risk.  

The volunteer fire service has traditionally been recognized as being seriously challenged when it comes to officer credentialing and qualifications for a variety of reasons. The inability to follow or complete the rigors, burdens and demands associated with traditional and conventional credentials and qualifications programs leaves many officer candidates or appointees with little in the way of quantifiable and documented training and education. 

An innovative process was developed and implemented in 2009 in Onondaga County (NY) that was designed to bridge the gap between conventional State and/or national certification, credentialing and qualifications processes and officer requirements that prevailed at the local department level; providing a structured and recognized methodology and basis that would allow knowledge, skills and abilities to be attained and documented within the officer ranks. 

Based upon selective NFPA 1021 standard criteria that formed that basis and provided a recognized structure and methodology, a Voluntary Fire Officer Qualification Based Credentialing program was established to meet the needs of the volunteer fire service sector. 

The Onondaga County Executive’s Fire Advisory Board recognized the need to address today’s challenges for fire officer development. The goal of the Voluntary Fire Officer Qualification Based Credentialing Program is to assist individuals and organizations in improving safety, health and operational efficiencies. This program provides a “map” to guide individuals and organizations towards leadership training and an opportunity for advancement in the fire service. 

The County Fire Advisory Board recognized New York State legislative “home rule” that essentially allows each organization to determine the acceptable criteria for training, skills and competencies for fire officers within its organization. The Voluntary Fire Officer Qualification Based Credentialing Program offers one method to achieve fire officer development based on generally accepted standards and practices. 

Program Overview Inconsistencies in training levels, skills and operational proficiencies existed in the county’s emergency services organizations related to fire officer qualifications. The Onondaga County Fire Advisory Board recommended the implementation of a voluntary fire officer qualification based credentialing program that may increase the opportunities for safe and successful emergency operations. The purpose of the voluntary credentialing program is to provide a sequential template of training, education and knowledge steps for supervisory and management levels within the organization structure of an agency. Enhanced personnel safety and operational effectiveness may be achieved, contributing towards operational excellence and risk reduction measures. Furthermore to enhance individual responsibility, empower leadership, provide technical skill uniformity and operational integrity. 

Objectives  

1. Provide Onondaga County Emergency Service personnel with a disciplined and uniform approach to learning, skill and knowledge, aligned with New York State and national standards and recommendations.2. Provide a career path to achieve proficiency and skill development to meet the demands of officer positions and ranks commensurate with roles and responsibilities. 

3. Provide a systematic approach towards officer development and growth that is based upon recognized curriculum and subject areas. 

4. Promote voluntary compliance to achieve regional uniformity, consistency and standardization of fire officer training. 

Voluntary Fire Officer Qualification Based Credentialing Program  

The recommendations promulgated by the Voluntary Fire Officer Qualifications based Credentialing Matrix are based upon the following subject and topical areas; 

The Voluntary Fire Officer Qualifications program allows for maximum flexibility, allows for awarding of equivalencies in nearly all subject area categories and promotes the implementation of grandfathering exiting agency personnel based upon documentation of past training, education and structured training drill opportunities.The purpose of this program is to provide a means to document training, skills and proficiencies aligned with standard rank and position responsibilities. This would allow an agency to determine the method for phased implementation of the elements of this program. The intent of the Voluntary Fire Officer Qualifications Credentialing Matrix is to provide a sequential model for training, education and skill set development that provides uniformity to achieve increasing proficiencies that align with advancements in rank and responsibilities. ( It is not the intent to replace traditional certification paths and processes) 

Credentialing Subject Areas  

There are seventeen (17) subject areas that comprise the Credentialing Matrix (based upon NFPA 1021); 

1. Command Management 

2. Supervision & Management 

3. Reporting & Planning 

4. ICS Tabletops and Simulations 

5. Strategy and Tactics 

6. Building Construction 

7. Multiple Company Operations 

8. Hazardous Materials 

9. Fire Behavior & Arson Awareness 

10.Suppression Systems 

11. FAST & RIT 

12.Incident Safety 

13.Live Fire Training 

14.Fire Instruction & Training Methodologies 

15.Special Operations 

16.WMD and Homeland Security 

17.Disaster Operations 

Furthermore, The Voluntary Fire Officer Qualifications Credentialing Matrix identifies suggested prerequisites for entry level into the first line supervisory rank.  

Training hours assigned to each subject area for each rank and position. 

Training hours in each area can be achieved through any combination of methods that include but are not limited to; 

  • Department Training Drills
  • Local, regional and state courses and program
  • Documented Life experiences applicable to the subject areas
  • Training Seminars
  • On-line training programs such at the NFA, EMI and ODP program
  • NYS OFPC programs and course offering
  • National Fire Academy/ EMI On-line programs
  • Community College or other Public Safety Institute programs
  • Conference and Training Program offerings
  • Web based seminar and POD Casts
  • Trade and professional training offerings
  • Documented lecture programs
  • Open Fire Academy (OFA) On-Line
  • Computer Based Training (CBT) & educational offerings

 For a complete program overview and a view of The Voluntary Fire Officer Qualifications Credentialing Matrix go to the county web site HERE to download the program. Program

Questions or to request a copy of the program by email to commandsafety@gmail.com  or Buildingsonfire@gmail.com

Whatever path you select; traditional certification, degree program or hybrid, ensure you choose one and work towards achieving credentialing and qualifications commensurate with your rank, roles and responsibilities. You own it to yourself, the firefighters you supervise and the community and citizens you protect.

Posted by on November 22, 2010 • Filed under: Christopher Naum, command-leadership, education, firefighting-operations, leadership, professional development, qualifications, training-development, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Taking it to the Streets; “Redefining the Fire Ground”

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Taking it to the Streets with Christopher Naum

For a Rockin’ Hot Time, Tune in this coming Wednesday night, November 3rd  to FireFighter NetCast.com and Taking it to the Streets for; “Redefining the Fire Ground”

If you missed last month’s program on the Tactical Renaissance of Combat Fire Suppression Operations and the new Rules of Engagement, with Chief Gary Morris (ret) Phoenix (AZ) Fire Department and Dr. Burt Clark from the NFA, then you missed out a some great insights and discussion. This month Taking it to the Streets is looking to further the dialog and look at “Redefining the Fire Ground”. Many would argue that the fire ground doesn’t need to be “redefined”; that the way we do business in the Streets is just fine and that the American Fire Service knows how to get the job done, at any cost.

The recent release of the NIST Technical Study of the Sofa Super Store Fire – South Carolina, June 18, 2007 has presented compelling data and information that provides further discernments of how our buildings react under fire conditions and how our tactical assumptions and deployments continue to be willfully miscued.  Joining Chris will be Chief Douglas Cline, from the City of High Point FD, North Carolina, a highly regarded national instructor, author, advocate, tactician and incident command.

Don’t miss out on debating and dialoging the transitional fire ground. It is here and it’s here to stay; you just didn’t know that it was changing. But then again, was anyone paying attention?  Join the live broadcast on Wednesday night November 3rd at 9:00pm ET, or download the post production podcast from Firefighter NetCast.com.

  • For additional Taking it to the Streets programming, HERE
  • Firefighter NetCast.com HERE
  • Taking it to the Streets for; “Tactical Renaissance and the Rules of Engagement” Show Link, HERE

Taking it to the StreetsTM On Your Street, In Your City, Across the County, Around the WorldTM ©2010

Taking it to the Streets is hosted by Christopher Naum and is a Buildingsonfire.com Series and Fire Fighter NetCast.com Production.

Posted by on November 1, 2010 • Filed under: "firefighter safety", building construction, Building Construction for the Fire Service, buildingsonfire.com, Christopher Naum, Combat Fire Engagement, fire behavior, Fire Service Tradition, fire suppression, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, Naum, research, Taking it to the Streets, training-development • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Operational Safety at Basement Fires: Close Call

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Basement fires in both residential and commercial occupancies are one of the most challenging tactical operations that present numerous risk factors that required the highest degree of situational awareness, training skill sets and continuous incident monitoring and assessment to gauge building structural integrity, fire behavior and crew integrity and performance. 

An explosion rocked a Fairdale, Kentucky neighborhood this past weekend while the homeowner was in the process of doing remodeling his basement. A Camp Taylor (KY) firefighter survived a floor collapse that momentarily trapped him proximal to the seat of a working basement fire. Camp Taylor (FD) Captain Mark Long sustained second and third degree leg burns after falling through the floor of the burning home and subsequently being rescue by other fire department personnel. 

Fellow firefighters, including his brother-in-law, who was right behind him prior to his fall, were yelling and screaming at Long to hang on.  They managed to get a ladder to the basement and it was up to Long to find the strength to get out.  He says “I started to try to climb up. I got two, I lost my grip, fell flat into the fire.  I was so exhausted.” On his third attempt, he did find the strength and pulled himself up the ladder and out of the flames.  

According to published reports a coordinated fire suppression effort was undertaken, with heavy fire involvement extending throughout the house and into the roof area. Interior fire attack was commenced, and as crews began moving across the first floor area above the seat of the fire, the floor subassembly failed causing an isolated collapse and compromise of the structural floor system and sub-floor decking, resulting in Captain Long falling into the basement. The fire originating in the basement was the result of the homeowners’ use of acetone as a floor treatment when the chemical vapors were ignited by the hot water heater causing an explosion and resulting fire. 

Safety Considerations related to Residential Occupancies (non-inclusive) 

  • Conduct a thorough fire size-up and communicate the findings to all personnel on-scene before entering the building.
  • Conduct an assessment of the Building Profile ( building construction type, structural assembly systems and features and age) and assesss fire behavior and intensity levels.
  • Ensure an adequte Risk Assessement is conducted and that Risk versus Gain is determined
  • Maintain situational awareness throughout the tactical deployment of crews within the interior of the structure
  • Conduct a 360 degree perimeter assesement when feasible to determine access and egress points, fire location and travel and other mission critical operational perameters.
  • Incident commanders and company officers should be trained and experienced in structure fire size up to avoid putting fire fighters at unneeded risk of working above fire-damaged floors.
  • Do not enter a structure, room, or area when fire is suspected to be directly beneath the floor or area where fire fighters would be operating, or if the location of the fire is unknown.
  • Never assume structural safety of any floor (regardless of the construction) having a significant fire under it.
  • Conduct pre-incident planning inspections during the construction phase to identify the type of floor construction.
  • If pre-planning is not conducted, assume residential construction and small commercial buildings built since the early 1990s may contain engineered wood I-joists.
  • Report construction deficiencies noted during preplanning to local building code officials. For example, engineered wood floor joists should only be modified per manufacturer specifications—usually limited to cutting to length and removing pre–cut knockouts for utility access. Report damaged or cut chords or webs to building officials.
  • Develop, enforce, and follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) on how to size up and combat fires safely in buildings of all construction types. Rapid intervention teams (RIT) should include a portable ladder with their RIT equipment when deployed at basement fires.
  • Ensure Time Compression is considered: Ensure Command has the ability to monitor progress or elapsed incident time and adjusts strategic and tactical plans accordingly and in a time effective manner. 
  • Provide training on identifying signs of weakened floor systems (soft or spongy feel, heat transmitted through floor, downward bowing, etc.).
  • Make fire fighters aware that all floor types can fail with little or no warning.
  • Use a thermal imaging camera to help locate fires burning below or within floor systems, but recognize that the camera cannot be relied upon to assess the strength or safety of the floor. (Refer to the recent UL Test Data and Operational Safety Considerations ”Structural Stability of Engineered Lumber in Fire Conditions” available at http://www.uluniversity.us/ )
  • Fire fighters should be trained on the use of thermal imaging cameras, including limitations and difficulties in detecting fire burning below floor systems. (See reference to UL above)
  • Immediately evacuate and, if possible, use alternate exit routes when floor systems directly beneath the floor where fire fighters would be operating are weakened by fire.
  • Use defensive overhaul procedures after fire extinguishment in structures containing fire-damaged floor systems of all types.
  • Consider becoming active in the building code process and influence requirements for fire resistance of floor and ceiling systems to further fire fighter safety and health.
  • Ensure RIT personnel area staged and have complete a site assessment of the building and occupany upon thier arrival and set-up
  • Ensure that a rapid intervention team (RIT) is on the scene as part of the first alarm and in position to provide immediate assistance prior to crews entering a hazardous environment

Here are some resources and case studies resulting from operations at floor collapses;

Incident links; HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE 


 

Posted by on July 28, 2010 • Filed under: "Situational Awareness" assessment, building construction, Building Construction for the Fire Service, buildings, buildingsonfire.com, Christopher Naum, close-call, Combat Fire Engagement, construction, Engineered Structural Systems, failures, fire suppression, firefighting-operations, first-due, floors, Mayday, Naum, NFPA, NIOSH, occupancies, pre-planning, risk-based assessment, size-up, strategies, Systems and Assemblies, training-development, Trapped, Truss, UL, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

In the Streets; On the Air

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Taking it to the Streets had its premier July 21st on Firefighter Netcast.com with a lively and provoking discussion on “What’s on YOUR Radar Screen?” The program theme aligned with a recent posting on the same topic. Join me on the program were two prominent and nationally recognized fire service leaders, who I’m honored to have known for many years, Chief Billy Hayes and Chief Doug Cline; the program explored leading fire service issues affecting firefighter safety, training, credentialing and education; fireground operational variables related to the continuing changes in building construction, engineered systems and extreme fire behavior,  and the emerging need for “Tactical Patience” as I’ve been exploring the relationships towards the need for tactical enhancements to our current fire suppression theory and firefighting models.

Conversations expanded on the NFFF/Everyone Goes Home Campaign and programs, the newest EGH initiatives on Behavioral Health and the successes achieved through the Courage to be Safe Programs and the Advocacy Program.

Both our guests provided cutting edge perspectives and commentary on the key issues that the fire service needs to have on their radar screen and the need for emerging and practicing fire officers and commanders to continually strive to increase skill sets and maintain a pulse on the leading issues affecting the fire service and apply emerging research  and studies to increase operational capabilities, improve performance and enhance and promote firefighter safety and survival and operational integrity.

Although technical difficulties from the live feed coming from the Inner Harbor in Baltimore at the Firehouse Expo, precluded the ability to have the call-in segments of the program to work, the 120 minute program gave the listeners a wealth of information to talk over in the firehouse, at the kitchen table or in the apparatus bays.

The program is a Buildingsonfire.com Series and a Fire Fighter Netcast.com  production, produced by John Mitchell and Rhett Fleitz.  The live program segment will be edited and available for iTunes download soon. You can check out the other programming and shows produced by Fire Fighter Netcast.com HERE. Stay tuned for announcements on the next program date for Taking it to the Streets coming to you live from the IAFC Fire Rescue International Conference in Chicago in August.  

Taking it to the Streets; Advancing Fire Fighter Safety and Operational Integrity for the Fire Service through provocative insights and dynamic discussions dedicated to the Art and Science of Firefighting and the Traditions of the Fire Service. 

  • Firefighter Netcast.com HERE
  • Taking it to the Streets, HERE, HERE
  • “What’s on your Radar Screen?” July 21, 2010 Program, HERE
  • “What’s on your Radar Screen?” post on Commandsafety.com, HERE

 

Posted by on July 24, 2010 • Filed under: "firefighter safety", building construction, Building Construction for the Fire Service, buildingsonfire.com, Christopher Naum, Combat Fire Engagement, compentencies, courage to be safe, Deployment, education, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, Recommendations, Taking it to the Streets, training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Transmitting the Box for an Alarm of Fire…Taking it to the Streets

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Taking it to the Streets

Premiering Wednesday July 21st  9:00pm ET

Live on Firefighter Netcast.com

Premiering “What’s on YOUR Radar Screen”?

Check out what’s on of off your radar screen on CommandSafety.com

If you’ve never listened to a FirefighterNetcast, visit the site now, sign up for a new user account for BlogTalkRadio, and be prepared to join in the conversation Wednesday night.

Listen in via the Internet, listen and/or participate by calling in, and join in the live chat that takes place amongst listeners while the show is going on. In case you miss the live show, you can even download the recording after the fact on FirefighterNetcast and iTunes too. It’s free, it’s fun and it’s easy.

Taking it to the Streets is a Buildingsonfire.com Series and Fire Fighter Netcast.com Production

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Posted by on July 20, 2010 • Filed under: "firefighter safety", "health and safety", building construction, Building Construction for the Fire Service, buildingsonfire.com, Christopher Naum, Combat Fire Engagement, command-leadership, courage to be safe, decision-making, Deployment, development, education, Fire Service Tradition, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, Generations, History Repeating Event, professional development, research, Safety Culture, Taking it to the Streets, tradition, training, training-development • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,