5-alarm Task Force!

You’ve seen it happen. You may have even done it yourself. No, not being a few minutes late for your shift! No, not horsing around in the day room! We are talking about making the type of judgement error that could cost you your job and possibly, your career! So, listen up – this podcast applies to all first responders.My guest is Chief Dennis L. Rubin, currently serving as the first Chief of Fire & EMS for Upper Merion Township in Pennsylvania, not too far from the great city of Philadelphia. Chief Rubin has been the Chief in Atlanta, Washington DC and Petersburg VA, before coming to PA. He has several books published and is a well-traveled speaker, instructor and mentor. This is his third appearance on “5-Alarm Task Force,” where he has discussed his principles of leadership and, along with his dear friend, the late Chief Alan Brunacini, was on the podcast to discuss the Wingspread VI conference, which is held once per decade!In this episode, Chief Rubin cautions us to avoid those actions which could be

For most folks, especially those who are first responders, if they someone in pain or truly distraught, they won’t have the heart to just pass it by and go on with their shopping, run, picking up the dry-cleaning, etc. My two guests on this podcast, Jeff Rountree and Bill Hamilton, are “cut from the same cloth.” This past May, while first-timers at promoting International Firefighters’ Day in Clay County, Florida, they found out about the scourge that is devouring great firefighters every single day – CANCER. Their background is the insurance business, so they were well aware of cancer and the toll it wreaks upon both the patient and those around him/her. But they had no idea of how strongly it was depleting the American Fire Service of great firefighters, of all ages.Not ones to sit around and do nothing, they create and non-profit organization, “Hoods for Heroes.” Their goal is to present each and every one of the approximate 1.2 million firefighters in the U.S., with a newly designed, flash hood, with a p

It is what it is! This job that we love to do has inherent risks and now, besides everything else, we know, all too well, that one of those risks is cancer. It’s a fact that firefighters have higher occurrences of cancer than the average American. However, we also have excellent medical and research teams around the country who are doing everything they can to learn about our behaviors, exposures, the equipment we use and more, in the herculean effort to help us reduce these risks.One of those teams is right here in South Florida at the University of Miami – Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Two of the leaders are Dr. Alberto Caban-Martinez and Dr. Natasha Schaefer-Solle. For at least the past four years, the medical and research teams have worked diligently to glean the facts of what we are exposed to and the means to reduce that exposure as much as possible. Dr. Schaefer-Solle was an integral member of the team that recently developed a gross-decon bucket that was made available to every fire departmen

When we have one “cookin,” we know we’re going to need water and lots of it. In most cases, if you’re located in an urban or metro area, water will probably not be a problem, but perhaps pressure may. But, what if we could use less water and what we do use, would have a greater effect on our efforts to extinguish the blaze?My two guests on this podcast, Quincy Emmons and Peter Sells, discuss their product which, they say, can actually accomplish the statement in the last sentence above – “…use less water and what we do use, would have a greater effect on our efforts to extinguish the blasé.” Their Toronto-based company is Fire Rein and their new product is “Eco-Gel.”Both of these men are or were firefighters, Peter was even a District Chief for training. Together with their science team, they developed a product made entirely of food-grade bio products and approved by UL Laboratories and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.Instead of me trying to tell you about the product here, you’re better off to tune in to

When you’re on the fireground, it often looks like organized chaos. Why? Because, rarely does the situation remain stagnant. Things are always changing. Whether its redirecting a hose line, raising the stick, one crew heads out to rehab, while a fresh one gets ready for entry. Change in wind direction, etc.My guests on this podcast, Dep. Chief PJ Norwood and Capt. Sean Gray, have seen this occur over and over again through their years of experience. However, more than the simplistic view that I’ve provided above, they have looked at the fireground in a much more focused manner, seeing, “The Evolving Fireground,” which is the name of their current book.Based on research-based data they use in the text, we discuss key areas such as, “How firefighting activities affect the fire tetrahedron,” “How to stay safe while working in the flow path of the fireground,” “Search methods that isolate the firefighter and victim” and several others.Their years of experience, together with the data they have culled from numero

If you’ve been riding the apparatus for as little as a few months, you already know that there is something special about being on the first arriving piece at a “worker!” That’s the first arriving piece, not the first due piece. Traffic, construction, etc., can and does often get in the way, making the first due the second or even third to arrive.As our guest, Capt. Joe DeVito points out in this podcast, there is a great deal of responsibility that falls on the shoulders of the first arriving crew, especially the officer. And there are and will be times, that due to staff shortages, this responsibility may fall on the driver/engineer/chauffeur or even someone in a jump seat!Capt. DeVito explains his new acronym, C.L.U.E.S., as Conditions, Location, Utilities, Exposures and Survival spaces, to help with your size-up and 360. He also makes the important point that whomever is making the size-up, should never leave the TIC (thermal imaging camera) on the apparatus. That device can help you devise your initial at

Looking back over the last several months, there have been several firefighters, EMS workers, LEO’s and recovery personnel, who have lost their lives on the scene of an emergency, on active roadways. Sadly, this is nothing new. As the number of distracted and/or drivers under the influence have increased, so have the numbers of deaths and injuries to emergency and recovery workers. This issue hit very close to home for Chief Victor Conley and the members of the Irving TX Fire Department, when one of their ladder trucks that was blocking an emergency scene, was hit by a fully-loaded tractor-trailer, throwing three firefighters in all directions and totaling a million-dollar tiller. Luckily, all three survived, but this incident was the proverbial, “straw that broke the camel’s back.” Chief Conley never wanted to see this occur again and set to work, together with the City of Irving, to create a new program that would use retired apparatus to be the “official” blocker vehicle at these types of emergencies.

When we think of the fire service, we think of the one where we live. But how often do you think about the fire service in other countries? Luckily, many of our listeners are spread out across the globe. And in this podcast, a good friend of the show, Exec. Asst. Chief Todd LeDuc shares with us hos recent visit to the Irish Fire Brigade. Chief LeDuc traveled to Ireland on behalf of the IAFC-SHS (The International Association of Fire Chiefs – Safety, Health and Survival) Division. While there, Chief LeDuc shared with the important information on the Firefighter Cancer and Behavioral Health Initiatives, among other issues facing fire departments no matter where one might be located. We all share the same basic job and we all finds ways to carry out our duty. In October, Chief LeDuc was at the National Fallen Firefighters’ Strategy Summit, which was held in Nashville TN at FIREHOUSE® Expo. To augment that topic, Chief LeDuc will join with Bill Carey of Firefighter Nation for a FREE webinar on December 6th,

What happens when you’re the co-creator of a new tool that, although you see it works very well for its original purpose in construction and demolition, you have the feeling that it could do so much more? That’s exactly where co-creator of Nestorbar®, Mark Slafkovsky found himself. He had this new, remarkable tool that combined a standard pry bar with a doubled claw hammer, in three different lengths and, which created its own fulcrum point wherever it might be used. After Hurricane Sandy, Mark started to use the Nestorbar®, to assist his neighbors in the demo of major sections of their homes that had been flooded and severely damaged. Instead of using a simply pry bar that poked a small hole in the drywall, the Nestorbar®, made a much larger hole going in and a huge one coming out! This work being a citizen “first responder” gave Mark the idea that real first responders could use the Nestorbar® not only for overhaul and demo, but for actual rescue work. Imagine someone with their arm pinned by a topple

Our nation’s capital, Washington DC, is actually a relatively small parcel of land. At the same time, DC Fire usually can be found in the top 12 for total runs and several of its engines and ladders run in the top 5! Our guest today, Capt. (ret) Jimmy Partridge, knows all about that, having served over thirty years in DCFD. In our podcast today, Jimmy starts off telling us about several of the challenging calls he ran, including the last call of his long career. As you listen, you’ll hear him describing conditions and tactics, rather than self-promotion and bluster. These calls lead to the crux of what the retired captain wanted to focus on, namely if you are thinking about seeking a promotion, what are some of the challenges you will face. An officer must change the way he or she thinks as a basic firefighter. With rank comes responsibility – a lot of responsibility, over many areas. Jimmy tries to help you move over that “mine field.” Listen to a real, long-time veteran of one of the busiest dep

Smoke from any type of fire has never been good for a human, even long before we could actually know what was in it. All it took was a good “snootfull,” and we were coughing, hacking and crying…all at the same time! Today, nearly 20 years after 9|11 and after losing so many brothers and sisters who worked the pile or anywhere near Ground Zero, we now realize that smoke from almost any combustion, isn’t just bad for us – it’s deadly! Firefighter/Engineer/Paramedic/PIO Brad Bihun, is doing everything he can to warn firefighters in southern California about the dangers of the invisible carcinogens and toxins in the smoke we so often find ourselves immersed in while fighting everything from a dumpster fire to a vehicle fire, to a multi-story structure fire. Brad is also the co-founder of “Stachetober Fest,” a moustache competition for both men and women, where proceeds are dispersed to firefighters in need. And all too often, this fundraiser has helped firefighters in his area that are fighting cancer, or to a

The job of being a firefighter has never been a “lightweight, even going back to the days of hauling canvas buckets of water. Over a hundred years later and even with all the tools we have, the job still demands that we fit and healthy. That’s hard enough, but factor in today’s lifestyle and what we face when we fight fires that we cannot even see, this job demands that we are in the best shape possible. My guest today, Dr. Lance Walker, knows quite a bit about firefighter health and wellness. His company, SiteMed provides over 6,000 firefighter physical exams per year. And for the past twelve years, Dr. Walker has dedicated himself to speak not only to firefighters, but to other health practitioners as well, to advise them in the particulars of firefighter health and wellness. Listen in as Dr. Walker discusses his list of the issues we face and how regular physical exams and common testing can not only keep us fit and healthy but help us look forward to long careers and long and healthy retirements.

This job (whether you are career, volunteer, wildfire or paid-on-call) that we love to do, is rarely a “walk in the park.” No matter how simple the dispatch or phone call appears to be, it often turns out to NOT be that simple or easy and that requires us to think it through and fast! My guest on this podcast is Nicholas Higgins, the editor and frequent contributor to the Firehouse Tribune website (firehousetribune.com), a long-time supporter of the show and a repeat presenter at FIREHOUSE Expo. As a matter of fact, Nic will be teaching the course that he shares with us today, at this year’s Expo, on Thursday October 18th. In his discussion, Nic addresses the need that the task of firefighting requires every firefighter, whether in training at the station, performing a preplan or on the scene of a call, no matter his/her rank, to always be thinking several steps ahead of the next move. Look at it as a game of chess, where multiple moves or actions, must be considered in advance. Whether you plan

It’s there, hanging on the rack, next to our bunk, in the backseat or trunk of our car. What is it? Our bunker or turnout gear; part of our entire PPE ensemble. It is designed to protect us from sharp or pointy edges, to prevent the heat from reaching our “civilian” bodies and to not allow wetness to pervade into the inner layers which might cause us suffering steam burns. Besides our boots, coat and pants, it includes our hoods and gloves – all playing a critical role in protecting us from environmental toxins and carcinogens so often found in what is burning today. However, what if this PPE is doing its job at a higher risk than we had ever known or suspected? It is here that the “waters get muddied.” We know for a fact that certain chemicals used to waterproof not only our PPE, but carpets, upholstery and almost anything else that is made where we do not want any liquid incursion, when joined together and over a period of time, can develop into carcinogenic compounds. What do we do about this and why

Over the years, many men and women have entered the fire service with little or no prior training other than perhaps being a “junior” firefighter, an Explorer® or perhaps the departments basic training program. Yet, as we are all well aware, we are quite often, not fighting the types of fires that our forebears did and, as a matter of fact, we are responding to many different types of calls, altogether. Add to the mix is the fact that many people entering both the career and volunteer fire service are looking towards advancing their knowledge to meet the changing role of the firefighter and the best way to do that is to expand your educational reach. My guest on this podcast is Anthony Mangeri. Not only has Anthony been a volunteer in NJ for over thirty years, he is the Director of Fire & Emergency Services Initiatives at American Public University System. Anthony clearly and concisely explains how one can advance a career in not only the fire service, but in many areas of emergency services, through

As firefighters, we face some very difficult situations such as flammable liquids, concentrated atmospheres of flammable gas, heavy content fires, mass casualty incidents and more. Yet, many might agree that in 2018, there is one that could bring the bravest and “toughest” firefighter to his/her knees – and that is a diagnosis of cancer. Although today, more people are surviving cancer than ever before, our love for our work can often bring us together with strange, alternative forms of known cancers, even ones that have rarely, if ever, been seen before. That is where our guest on this podcast, Cindy Ell, comes in. Cindy is the founder of the Firefighter Cancer Foundation, which was established in 2004. Cindy and her group of over three dozen volunteers, spread out across the country to help lead the charge against cancer in the fire service. They work on multiple platforms, including legislative at both state and federal levels; medical, working with medical professionals and facilities who are studying

Even though the premier example of “heavy content” or hoarding fire dates back to the Collyer brothers’ mansion fire in Manhattan in1947, the problem has taken on a new urgency in today’s fire service over the last decade or so. With television programs displaying various interventions for people who may be suffering from a disorder, the public has no idea what it is like for members of the fire service to battle a blaze that breaks out in a structure where extreme clutter is the norm. Our guest, Lt. Ryan Pennington, considered one of the country’s foremost firefighting experts in this topic, returns to the podcast to share with us additional information he gathers from speaking with firefighters both in the U.S. and Canada, who have come face-to-face with this serious problem. If there is one warning that Ryan emphasizes, it is that no firefighter can enter this type of structure fire, thinking that his/her general firefighting education and experience has prepared them for this type of incident. “It doe

We are the fire service. We’re all about fighting fires and kicking its butt. We have always believed that for most materials, we put the “wet stuff on the red stuff” and we’re done. Sure, we might catch a “snootfull” of smoke; perhaps suffer a small burn here, a steam burn there, maybe even a broken bone. Yes, we’ve had tragic losses too, from time-to-time, but those were usually the building’s fault! However, in the aftermath of 9|11, we suffered a strong dose of reality – what’s actually burning in many of these fires is “fighting back,” by off-gassing and/or releasing toxic chemical compounds and high levels of carcinogenic substances that are found in much of the furnishings of our homes and offices. In turn, creating, for all intents and purposes, an “epidemic” of various and sometimes, strange types of cancer to those who have taken the oath to protect lives and property in the communities which we serve. My guest on this podcast is Heather Mazurkiewicz. She is a lead advocate in the Florida c

No one said, “Life is easy.” And for those of us who are first responders, we get to see life at its very worst sometimes. It may be just one call, or it could be several really serious ones in a row. Fires, auto collisions, shootings, tragedies involving children and more; they often seem to pile up, one on another. Add to that mix how little sleep we often get, maybe problems at home with family, money, and yes, even health, and the result is a toxic soup from which we may see only one way out. According to the current statistics, the number of firefighter suicides in 2017 was equal to the number of LODD’s registered. And to that, the number of our EMS colleagues who took their lives and the numbers are almost staggering. My guest on this podcast, Jeff Dill, knows these numbers and well. Currently, Jeff and his organization, the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FFBHA.org) are the only ones who keep track of firefighter and EMS suicides. You will hear Jeff explain the process he follows and t

If you’re a first responder, you’ve come across “heavy content” properties and homes. That’s “polite-speak” for severe clutter or hoarding. And many of us have responded to some type of call there, from a trip and fall or critical illness, to an actual working fire. All of us in fire, police and EMS want to do something about these problems in our community, but there never seems to be enough people, funding or motive to drive a solution, until sadly, it’s too late. Our returning guest is Shanna Perino, a Certified Professional Organizer. She has been working in this field for nearly two decades and has seen it all. She has studied the issues of clutter and hoarding and as you’ll hear, the causes are more than you may suspect. However, she has also been working on the mitigation of these issues together with first responder partners, as well as members of the community. Being certified as a Fire Inspector II by the KY State Fire Marshall and now preparing for the NFPA Fire Protection Specialist Certificat