To paraphrase an old saying: The only constant in life is change. Life changes every day for every person in some way. The same hold true in the fire service. Technology has lead to some significant changes to the tools we use to fight fires over the years. However the actual buildings we fight fires […]

If you have been a firefighter for very long, you are probably aware of firefighter’s concerns with engineered wood and how it performs under fire conditions. The use of engineered wood products has grown significantly in recent decades. According to APA–The Engineered Wood Products Association, engineered wood components saw their first commercialization in the 1960s […]

The construction industry began using pre-manufactured components and lightweight construction methods  over 50 years ago in order to improve the efficiency of the construction process and to reduce costs associated with materials. One of the major things that many firefighters have written and taught about over the years is Metal Gusset Plates. Metal gusset plates […]

Once again CLOSED doors a calm dispatcher and good brothers and sisters made a rescue from a fire that destroyed a house in Ohio. News report source Columbus Dispatch. Dispatch Audio: Groveport Road Fire Video:   By Earl RinehartThe Columbus Dispatch  •  Monday June 1, 2015 8:50 PM “Please hurry!” a frantic Jessica Moore is heard early Monday […]

CLINTON, Md. (WJLA) — A 13-year-old boy who made a dramatic call to 911 and his 9-year-old sister were rescued from a house fire Sunday morning by Prince George’s County firefighters. PGFD firefighters describe the rescue of two kids from a burning Clinton house. (Photo: Jeff Goldberg/WJLA) As the boy talked with the 911 operator, […]

Firefighters from Abingdon Fire Company, The Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company, Joppa Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. (Official) and Aberdeen Proving Ground FD have the Winterberry Drive fire under control (20min). One civilian male taken to a regional hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Media: Jenn will be POC for your calls. Rich/Jenn Original Source: […]

This post is in honor of Firefighter Mark Falkenhan on the forth anniversary of this tragic incident. The best way we can honor Mark is to review the lesson learned and make sure we are keeping doors closed on the fireground until fire is under control and we  also all need to make a greater effort at educating […]

Most people are aware that homes built in the last 15 to 20 years have made some attempt to be energy efficient. However, there has been significant increase of builders and consumers raising the bar to achieve Superinsulation. No, ‘superinsulation’ does not have a cape, or a big S on it. It is also not […]

In this post we will honor the loss of Lt. Arnie Wolff and the sacrifice of Firefighter Jo Brinkley-Chaudoir. By examining this incident in detail, we will discover lessons that will we can share with others. Incident Summary: At 12:24 PM on August 13, 2006 the Green Bay Fire Department (GBFD) was dispatched to a […]

Spray Foam has struck again! Back in September I wrote a post to raise awareness of Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) for the fire service. In this article I referenced that there had been several fires that happen during the application of  SPF. By the initial reports it is appearing that a recent mansion fire in Middlebury Connecticut […]