5-alarm Task Force!

There’s so much happening in the fire service that one could spend the entire day reading the various trade publications, then move onto social media for the next several hours and still not know some of most important news happening in this field that we love. To “quench” our thirst for the latest, I called and invited my friend, Executive Assistant Chief Todd LeDuc of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office – Fire Rescue Services, to be my guest on another podcast.In this episode, Chief LeDuc and I discuss this month's Congressional Fire Caucus Dinner and Symposium that take place this week. These few days are some of the most important for firefighters in the U.S. That is because this is an event during which firefighters and civilians with strong interests in the fire service, have an opportunity to speak with their lawmakers and share their concerns, ideas and other thoughts, with the men and women to help direct our government. We also discuss Chief LeDuc’s passion and focus on firefighter health, wellness

One of the first “adult” things we learn to do as children is to shrug off tasks assigned by our parents or maybe, an older sibling. Or, we may have actually learned that behavior from that same older sibling, when one of your parents asked that sibling to perform a certain task or run an errand and they moaned so much about it, that the parent just dropped the matter. That behavior may be all good and well in that situation, however, when we’re discussing firefighting health, wellness and fitness-for-duty, there are no excuses. And that is what this episode is all about.You know if you are not in the best shape for being a firefighter, career or volunteer. You know that there are any number of ways, all very sensible and have your best interests in mind. Yet, you refuse to give up the one item on your “list,” that item that could set you down the right path to being healthy and fit-for-duty. Returning guest. Aaron Zamzow is a firefighter with nearly 20 years under his belt. Additionally, he is a certified pe

You are dispatched to a working shed fire. Your district isn’t that large, but there are still areas you’re unfamiliar with.\; this area is one of them. As you turn down the street of the reported address, you see a good loom-up ahead of you. “This one is cooking,” you think to yourself. The officer hits the intercom and assigns you to the nozzle and your partner. When the driver pulls to the side of the given address. As you exit the rig, there’s no fire that can be seen from the street, but there’s still a tall column of smoke deeper in the lot. You grab the nozzle and throw it over your shoulder, slip your arms through four loops and pull backwards. The officer is on the radio advising that the fire is deep in the lot, off the street and requesting additional companies. At the same time, you and your partner pull and straighten the hose and hump your way towards the smoke. Now you can see it, but as you take another step, there’s no more give on the hose line. You turn back to look at the fire, then

“REHAB” – a word that’s both prized and despised by most first responders, especially, firefighters. Why? Simply put, because it takes them away from the job they were doing. Prized? Because you get a quick breather, a cold drink and, if you’re lucky, a towel. This old model of rehab comes from the age when we told firefighters who were having difficulties dealing with some of the tragedy and trauma, to “Suck it up!” That command is no longer appropriate, and neither is poor or even incorrect rehab!My guest, Erica Wood, is a veteran firefighter and paramedic. And one of her greatest concerns is the well-being of emergency personnel; both those she works with and in the greater fire service, as well. In this podcast, Erica discusses the importance of proper rehab for emergency workers who are fighting a major fire, dealing with a structural collapse, mitigating a HAZMAT incident or other major emergencies. For example, Erica explains that drinking an ice-cold drink after exiting a building where you had been f

If you have even just a couple of years under your belt as a firefighter, then you are probably still familiar with the huge push in both the career and volunteer/part-pay sectors, for firefighter health, wellness and fitness-for-duty. Some interpret this as it’s time to go to the gym and “muscle-up.” And, while that may assist you in trimming some body fat and maybe even learning how to eat in a healthy style, it doesn’t mean that all the time and effort will make you a “firefighter fit-for-duty.” Why? Because a muscle building program is simply not going to necessarily prepare you for the physical stress and strain that we undergo as firefighters. If you ask any of your co-workers who are into fitness-for-duty or follow any of those folks on social media, you’ll see that one does not have to look like Mr./Ms. Universe, nor eat like one, to be a firefighter who is fit-for duty. Proper eating habits and regular workouts using the correct and proper exercises, will help you transform into a fit firefighte

If you’re a firefighter and you’ve visited the City of Philadelphia, then I hope you took some time to visit one of the most important sites in American firefighting history – Firemen’s Hall. While this top-shelf museum deals mostly with the history of the Philadelphia Fire Department, it is also closely connected with the very first, organized volunteer fire department in, what was then the colonies – the Union Fire Company, founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1736. In front of the museum is the carved, stone trough used to provide water to the horses.The Union Fire Company was actually a, “bucket brigade,” and they did the best they could do with that they had. However, today’s volunteer and combination fire departments are a far cry from those of long ago. Yet, many of today’s volunteer fire departments are still working off the model that Franklin created, “neighbors helping neighbors.” My guest on this podcast, Chief John M. Buckman III, is a past-president of the IAFC and one of the great leaders and mentor

If you are a first responder, you know that there are times when the first dispatched units arrive on the scene of a call and realizing the enormity of the task at hand, they call for mutual aid. With proper advance planning, neighboring first responders answer the alarm and soon arrive to assist. However, what happens when your asked to respond half-way around the globe to assist the fire service in another country, on a different continent??This is exactly what happened to Chief Jason Moore of the Bloomington IN Fire Department. In this podcast, Chief Moore relates the story of how he was asked to go to the country of Sierra Leone, on Africa’s west coast. However, to do so, the department would have to determine what had to be done and how to underwrite the effort. And what happens when they arrive to see a fire service unlike any other, these experienced firefighters had seen before. This podcast educates all of us who are part of the firefighting/first responder family, that this very “family” is much lar

Since his first appearance on "5-Alarm Task Force" my guest (and friend) Mark Slafkovsky, co-creator of the Nestorbar, has been busy "spreading the news" about this unique tool across both the fire-rescue services, as well as the building and contracting service. And if you have a half-dozen or more years on the job, you'll understand why the Nestorbar is similar to several other tools that we've carried for years, that were "comfortable" in different workshops, as well. Mark was able to stop by after having the opportunity to spend a couple of days at the Louisiana Instructors & Firefighters Training conference. As he explains in this podcast, people will often scratch their heads when he first presents the tool. After he explains, they're still scratching their heads, but this time, they do so as they strive to think of even more ways it would be useful to them! If you haven't yet heard about the Nestorbar, you'll want to listen to this podcast carefully!

Most of us who have or now serve as first responders have passed out stickers with emergency numbers, fire prevention pamphlets and posters that we hand-stamped with our name and address, key rings and much more. Why? To establish a connection between you and the community you serve. In a word, you are “marketing” your organization! Few people think that a fire, police or EMS organization, volunteer or career, needs a “New York City 5th Avenue advertising and marketing plan. But if you think again, what hard could a marketing program do? Sure, you drive around the fire district on Santa Saturday and collect a few dollars; some of you have a pancake breakfast or barbecue dinner. All of that is marketing, too! My guest on this episode of “5-Alarm Task Force,” is Lt. John Kowalski, with the Lone Oak Volunteer Fire Department outside of Chattanooga. John’s vocation is on communications and marketing. However, once he joined his small department (18 members and two pieces of apparatus) he saw a way to hel

Returning guest, Deputy Chief (ret) Kevin Burns of the Framingham MA Fire Dept., joins us on this episode to discuss, “21 Tips for the Company Officer.” If you follow Chief Burns on Twitter (@burns227) or you have heard his first episode with us, “The Shift Commander,” you know that Chief Burns is well-experienced and very well-versed in the career firefighting life and ops. In today’s podcast, Chief Burns presents his “21 Tips for the Company Officer.” The easiest way to explain this topic is this – being a company officer is a lot more complex than sitting in the right seat of the apparatus. You might want to be the one to “floor” the pedal for the “Q,” or yank the line for those Grover airhorns. However, Chief Burns provides a great set of concepts for the current or future company officer, that goes far and above a “co-pilot” role. Be smart and have a pad and pen or pencil handy to take notes on Chief Burns’ discussion. Tune in a www.dalmatianproductions.tv or iTunes® , Google Play® , Spotif

From cigarettes to well-water and from X-rays to cooking pans, almost everywhere we turn over the past forty years or so, we see warnings for cancer. And while we may be surprised by other products that we may be warned about, the last place we ever expected to find carcinogenic compounds was in our protective bunker gear! How the hell could that have happened? Did the manufacturers know what was happening? And there are many more questions we have! Being dedicated followers of @yourturnoutgear on Twitter, we were able to invite Dr. Graham Peaslee of the University of Notre Dame, who, for the past year or so, has been conducting particle-level research on the amount of PFOA (a fluorine derivative) in used bunker gear. Dr. Peaslee explains his research and provides us will a few more surprises regarding this basic chemical, that has been in our water and toothpaste for decades. If you are following all of the “chatter” regarding the Firefighter Cancer Initiative and making the effort to keep yourself

So you want to be a firefighter? Sure, you like all the lights and sirens; the excitement of barreling down the roadways, making others get out of your way! But do you really know what it takes to be a firefighter? Do you know what you have to do to become a firefighter (career or volunteer)? What is life in a firehouse like?My guest on this podcast, Mauro Porcelli, is a former firefighter with a 25-year career. He worked for a smaller, county department and for a large urban department. He has written the book, “Surviving the Firehouse” It takes that interest to be a firefighter and provides a step-by-guide from your first steps like, where to learn, almost to the day you wave goodbye to your friends as you head towards a well-earned retirement. Some of the topics include, “Do you need to be a paramedic, as well as a firefighter?, Where to learn to be a firefighter? What’s the rookie year like? What are pitfalls I should avoid? And many more. You cannot go wrong reading this book no matter where you are in t

The make-up of each firefighter is different, whether career or volunteer, some love humping that hose and always busting through the breach. With a few years under their belt, others start looking for leading that first group on the fireground or other emergency scene. Then, there are those who have their sights on a higher goal, the command level. A group of them remain committed to directing personal at scene of urgent need. Then, there are those whose bugles on the collars bring them to highest posts in the department – command administration and “the buck stops here!”No matter the size of a department and no matter if it’s a career, volunteer or paid-on-call, someone has to run the show. However, being at that command level involves much more than directing the lower officers and firefighters. In reality, that chief becomes the CEO of a corporation (sometimes, literally if that department hold a not-for-profit corporate designation).My guests, Chief (ret) Dan Jones and his business partner, Kelly Walsh h

From an outside view, the life of first responders looks glamorous and exciting. The red, white and blue lights flashing, “busting” the speed limit, sirens screaming. However, when those first responders arrive on the scene, they often find sadness and desolation, the darkest side of humanity or tragic, unnecessary loss. Now, imagine facing those situations day-after-day or on almost every shift. As we are about to close the second decade of the twenty-first century, our first responders see this dark side far too often. Add to that the pressures of everyday life in today’s “I need it now” society and some reach a breaking point. They don’t wear capes, nor do they have super powers, for those first responders are our neighbors, members of our church or synagogue, shop at the same grocery store that we do. And when we do see them in public, whether in uniform or not, there will probably always be a smile or a friendly nod. However, if we could look deeper, we just might see a very troubled individual.

There are few greater issues facing not only the fire service today, but all manner of first responders. To address these important matters, I am proud to present four current or past chiefs, who share their own experiences and views.Joining me is Chief Anthony Correia (ret.) Burlington Township NJ Fire Dept., Commissioner Jaren Renshaw, Western Berks Fire Dept., PA, Chief Brian Soller, Monticello NY Fire Dept. and Chief James Tornebene, TX.As the roles and demands of our ever-changing society push and pull us in diverse directions, so have our abilities to be able to serve our communities, not only as first responders, but in serving those civic and religious organizations that we once devoted free time to. This ever stronger “push-pull” requires new ideas and approaches as we look to both increase and retain those who wish to serve their communities as members of career, volunteer or paid-on-call departments.These four gentlemen share their experiences over their many years of service. They have seen this

If you’re a firefighter or in law enforcement, if you’re in EMS or another profession where “risk” at the top of the job description, you have probably had that “feeling in your gut.” You know the one; you are about to do something, but that little voice inside whispers to you to reconsider? If you’re in any profession with high risk, you know exactly what I am talking about. That is your inner-self speaking to you, as it sees or knows a bit more than you do at that very moment.My guest on this episode is Dr. Richard Gasaway, renowned authority on human factors, situational awareness and the decision-making process in high stress, high consequence, work environments. He has authored six books and he has been widely cited in more than four-hundred books, book chapters, journal articles and online publications. He is the creator and host of the podcast, “Situational Awareness Matters,” available on your preferred podcast streaming service. In our discussion, we focus on the concepts of “gut feeling” and “intuit

I am happy to welcome back the two founders of Hoods for Heroes, Jeff Rountree and Bill Hamilton. In Part I of their program, we learned how Jeff and Bill have dedicated the past year to providing new flash hoods, ones with a special weave, the precludes soot, toxins and carcinogens for passing through to the sensitive skin on our neck and face. Their foundation is raising funds from other foundations, corporate sponsors and others, to meet the goal of providing these hoods to every firefighter in the U.S. In this second appearance, Jeff and Bill are here to answer two very important questions, 1. “Who pays for my cancer treatment if I am diagnosed? 2. Is there a way to financially prepare myself and/or my family?As someone who was declared disabled at the age of 40, with a wife, two young children and a new house, I was lucky to have purchased a private disability policy at age 29. That policy saved my butt! Now ask yourself, with our strong Firefighter Cancer Initiative education and mitigation programs, do

Technology – it’s all around us. From our homes, to our cell phones and for many of us, where we work. Many of us are enthralled with new technology and make an effort to keep up with it, especially in our personal lives. Yet, the fire service, as much as we like new equipment, tools, etc., can often be reticent to accept and embrace new technology. It goes without saying that we should do our due diligence when examining a new product. At the same time, we also need to keep an open mind.Jeff Dykes, a fire captain in Wisconsin, saw a need for a device that could provide a firefighter wearing an SCBA mask, with his/her situational awareness via the Cardinal Directions of North, South East and West. With that, the Northern Star Fire was born. As you will hear in this podcast, Jeff has been working for the last three years on bringing the Northern Star Fire compass device to market. Placed inside the SCBA mask, the Northern Star Fire provides you with your cardinal direction in eight positions, even in the darke

After a few years on the front lines, a number of us believe that we should be officers. Perhaps I “should” have used “could be officers!” And that is because being an officer, from a lieutenant up to the chief, is not an easy job, no matter what you see, think or what your pals have told you! Not sure? Then I encourage you to listen to this podcast. No, it’s not a listing of all the negatives about being an officer. In fact, you may learn some important traits you will need if you choose to pursue this course in your career.My guest is Deputy Chief Steve Prziborowski of the Santa Clara County CA Fire Department. With over 25 years on the job and an accomplished speaker, instructor and mentor, Steve has a passion for helping others get hired, stay hired, get promoted and stay promoted.In this podcast, Steve presents two lists for you to consider; one are five traits that demonstrate you may be ready for a leadership role and the second is a list of five attributes that will help to better your chances of bein

Career or volunteer, our days are busy, at least most of the time. Nevertheless, training and drills are an important and integral part of the job we do. If you’re in a busy department, you may feel that all the calls that you run are enough training. If you’re a volunteer, you hardly have enough time to take care of the family, work full-time and respond to the calls you can! And to be honest, most of us like to train when it’s convenient. The problem is, the emergencies we respond to don’t know what “convenient” means and it is imperative for us to know and know well, everything we have to do to mitigate any emergency.My guest, Chief Dennis P. Reilly, currently serves as the Assistant Chief for the Davis CA Fire Department and is a 40-year veteran of the fire service and a veteran of our armed forces. When you look at his topic, some may get all blustery and will be ready to argue, while others may ask themselves, “I wonder where we may be missing something.” It all depends on if you view the “glass half-em