Once upon a time, there was a really cool video game called SimCity. The goal was for the player to build up his city by adding improvements and such. If you simply went wild and added everything you could want, the tax rate would go up and the citizens would get angry. But if you didn’t have enough amenities and services, bad things like crime sprees, traffic jams, and fires would cause a mess in your city. I think of that game from 25 years ago when the topic of fire protection versus costs co...
Jul 30, 2020•20 min
It’s easy to become jaded or cynical when the fire department administration comes up with a new list of core values. They sound good, but you know and I know and the American people know that those core values get printed up on posters, sent around to each fire house, pinned to the wall…and then ignored. They just hang there and fade…until the next administration comes along and issues new ones. But what if these core values were actually put into practice somehow? What if they actually meant s...
Jul 23, 2020•14 min
Since 1977, firefighter line-of-duty-deaths have been dropping. You know that already, right? And structure fires as a whole are decreasing as well, which you also know. Here’s something you may not realize: more civilians are dying in fires. It’s true. Since the 1980s, the rate of fire deaths is up six percent. This statistic is readily available—the source will be in the shownotes—but it’s not been publicized much. How did we get into this situation? And what will it take to fix it? Today’s gu...
Jul 16, 2020•24 min
If you’re a firefighter in a large metro department, you might find today’s topic a little unfamiliar. Because for firefighters in rural or even suburban areas, the challenges can be very different than yours. And if we’re talking about a volunteer department, that adds a level of difficulty. Today’s guest is the chief of a volunteer department that covers a rural community. He knows that any call may be hampered by longer response times, a lack of manpower, and even lack of water. Yet his depar...
Jul 02, 2020•22 min
Everybody knows THAT guy. There’s one in every firehouse. He’s easy to spot. He knows and is happy to lecture you on every fire science topic, but never seems to have time to help wipe down the rig. But as Chief Brunacini reminded us, egos eat brains. That’s why it never pays to believe your own PR. My guest made captain and then figured out that he’d become THAT guy. Ken Himel has almost 30 years in the fire service. During that time, he’s served in volunteer, combination, full-time, and career...
Jun 25, 2020•19 min
With today’s rapid fire growth, it’s more important than ever before to get water on the fire as fast as possible. Flashovers, for example, can occur in just minutes now. But another factor these days works against us: limited staffing. Decisions about what jobs get done first need to be based on that reality. My guest today says getting water on the fire is the primary goal. Even more than search and rescue. I’m pleased to have Curt Isakson back on Code 3 today. He is currently a Battalion Chie...
Jun 18, 2020•24 min
Here’s some easy math for you. What percentage of your time is spent on the rig and available? Now what percent do you spend looking at the exterior of buildings in your first-due area, planning for future responses? Now—and this is the tricky one—how much time do you spend stopping by these buildings to look inside? Today’s guest says that’s critical when you’re looking at a tilt-up concrete structure. That’s because this style of construction can be deceptive. The outside doesn’t necessarily g...
Jun 11, 2020•19 min
Today, I am introducing a new podcast. Don’t worry, this one’s not going anywhere.The new show is called True Fire, and it’s different from any other podcast available. It’s also quite possibly the most important one ever. Each episode breaks down, in detail, a line-of-duty-death fire. We know how these men and women died. True Fire tries to answer why. If you think it’s as important for people to hear as I do, then please go to truefirepodcast.com and click on the Kickstarter link. I have a $4,...
Jun 11, 2020•24 min
I’ve noticed a lot of chatter on social media over the past months about the idea that fire departments aren’t aggressive enough anymore. The next poster will comment that we’re no longer in the stone age, and we can’t be so reckless anymore. Then someone will bring up Danny Dwyer, and things will get personal. Now, look: if my house is on fire, I want the firefighters who respond to save my wife, if she’s trapped. Period. If she’s out, save my stuff. Don’t stand outside and call it a defensive ...
Jun 04, 2020•19 min
Sometimes, we make things more difficult than we need to. We develop a course of training, then insist on dictating every move firefighters make once they master it. The bottom line, usually, boils down to: put the wet stuff on the red stuff and the fire goes out. More wet stuff applied faster puts the fire out faster. This is taught on, or about Day One in Firefighter-1 classes. It’s certainly not all they’ll learn, but the rest builds on that foundation. And, with experience, they will use the...
May 28, 2020•18 min
Last week, we talked with Chris Moore, a captain with the Chesapeake, Virginia Fire Department about his battle with PTSD. This week, I’m bringing you the other half of the equation. That’s his wife, Lori. If you’re a firefighter and you believe you have PTSD, please play this show for your significant other. Because, try as they will, no one fights PTSD alone. It affects all their relationships, especially the one between the firefighter and their spouse. Lori has been married to Chris for 16 y...
May 21, 2020•19 min
Twenty years ago, it was a big no-no for a firefighter to admit to having anything like Post-Traumatic Stress. Of course, it’s still stigmatized in many firehouses. That’s a problem. PTSD can affect anyone, even the toughest firefighter. It doesn’t take being part of a line-of-duty-death or even a near-miss to cause it. And it can turn a dream career into a long-term nightmare. Suicides, driven by trauma, now take more firefighter lives than line-of-duty-deaths. But there are solutions. If you h...
May 14, 2020•19 min
How would you define success in a volunteer department? Would it be recruiting and retention? Or how about solid leadership? Maybe response time? Today, we’re going to talk about a department that meets all of those criteria. It’s called Ulster Hose Company 5, and it’s found in New York’s Hudson Valley near the city of Kingston. Ninety members respond from their homes. And they cover 1,500 calls a year with an average time to response of 3 minutes. If you’re struggling just to get members to sho...
May 07, 2020•25 min
What are your priorities in life? Most firefighters will typically answer this question by saying, “My family, my health, and my job.” But the reality is, most firefighters I’ve known, and I’ll bet most you know, are more likely to put their job first, their family second, and their own health a distant third. For example, a study found that about 80% of career firefighters are obese. And it’s pretty well-known that firefighters are frequently workaholics, taking extra shifts and working second ...
Apr 30, 2020•19 min
One of the critical skills a firefighter needs is the ability to communicate concisely and completely over the radio. Some firefighters, especially new officers, get excited on the radio and are loud, but don’t have much to say. Then the IC has to ask for clarification, which wastes time and ties up the radio. It definitely pays to take a second and be sure of what you’re going to say. The key is a balance between too much info—oh, yeah, that happens more than you’d like to admit—and too little....
Apr 23, 2020•13 min
Every house goes on runs that the crew just knows is a false alarm. You know it, I know it, your administration knows it. But the public doesn’t. And when you pull up to that alarm you’re sure is nothing and act like it, they notice. Today’s guest says that sends the wrong message in this time when perception is reality. Especially with instant online video. But even more important, you miss a chance to develop habits and muscle memory when you act like the alarm is false. Ty Wheeler says every ...
Apr 16, 2020•19 min
By now, as I record this show on April 6, 2020, most of this nation’s fire departments are now dealing with the devastating effects of COVID-19. But if you think your department’s been hit hard, be glad you’re not in New York City. Just as it was on September 11, 2001, ground zero for COVID-19 is New York. The FDNY is dealing with an enormous number of deaths among citizens, so many that they no longer transport patients in cardiac arrest unless they can get a pulse in the field. The radio calls...
Apr 09, 2020•20 min
Practically every study – not to mention common sense – says the fastest way to get a fire out is to get water on the seat of the fire. Modern day fires that burn hotter and faster demand the ability to rapidly select, deploy, advance, and start flowing handlines. What’s the best way to get that speed? My guest today will be talking about The Engine Company’s Need for Speed at Firehouse World 2020. Jonathan Hall is a captain with the St. Paul, Minnesota Fire Department. He’s been in the fire ser...
Feb 13, 2020•16 min
By now, it seems like just about every fire department has at least one thermal imaging camera. They’ve become a valuable tool. The trick, of course, is to be able to interpret correctly what the TIC is showing you. To be able to do that, you need to train with the TIC, matching an understanding of what a TIC does with experience reading it. Today’s guest writes extensively on how to use thermal imaging equipment, as well as what it can and can’t do. Manfred Kihn is a 19-year veteran of the fire...
Feb 10, 2020•18 min
Truck company operations are an important part of fireground operations, even when you don’t have a dedicated truck company available. That’s why, whether you’re a truckie or not, you need a thorough knowledge of truck company operations, tools, and equipment. This show's guest will be presenting at Firehouse World 2020 in Las Vegas on the topic of Top Tips for Effective Truck Company Operations. Sean Eagen is a 20-year veteran of the fire service. He’s a captain with the Buffalo, New York, Fire...
Feb 06, 2020•18 min
The ultimate in mutual aid has got to be the assist Australians are getting from US firefighters. These are wildland fires on a massive scale: more than 25 million acres have burned in fires that have raged since September. Thirty-one people—including seven firefighters – have been killed. Thousands of homes have been lost. Those statistics describe a fire the likes of which the US has never seen. And even though the weather has cooperated with heavy rains, it still hasn’t been enough. But about...
Feb 03, 2020•16 min
The two things firefighters hate the most are change-and the way things are now. You’ve heard that quote from Alan Brunacini before. But it’s still true and will remain true as long as there’s a fire service. Because this profession is so steeped in tradition, it’s hard to accept some of the changes that have come along. The helmet debate is just one of them- and it’s still raging. Yet, no one really argues in favor of the old-style rubber hip boots. And a lot of firefighters would like to be ab...
Jan 30, 2020•23 min
Firefighters are well aware of the pain of PTSD. They’re also often familiar with the stigma that comes with it.We’ve talked about PTSD and the stigma that comes with it on this show before. It’s maybe twice as hard to endure when the firefighter suffering from it is a woman. PTSD has been seen as a sign of weakness, and, to some degree, it still is. The judgment can even come from firefighters who are experiencing PTSD themselves. Today’s guest is a woman who left the fire service after she exp...
Jan 27, 2020•17 min
By now, most departments have adopted social media in some form. Here in LA, as in many larger cities, Twitter is a great resource to learn where agencies are responding to various emergencies, 24/7. In fact, in many cases, Twitter and other platforms have taken the place of press releases. That came about as news outlets realized that official social media accounts gave them much faster access to details than even a phone call. So—are you using social media to its fullest? Maybe you’re on Twitt...
Jan 23, 2020•14 min
When you arrive on scene of a medical emergency, do you talk with the patient? Sure you do. In fact, if you’re still fairly new at EMS, you likely practically interrogate them. Questions like, “When was your last oral intake?” or “What were your events leading up to this incident?”…are laughable, when heard outside a run.How about, “When did you last have something to eat or drink?” or “What happened just before you passed out?” A real conversation will get you farther faster than trying to act ...
Jan 20, 2020•20 min
Firefighting has always been about survival. But now, we are recognizing that fire isn’t the only danger. Whether it’s occupational cancer, cardiovascular events, or behavioral health injuries, the threats are constant. A new book, Surviving the Fire Service, contains information about cancer, cardiovascular risk, medical exams and screening, nutrition, managing heat stress, and a whole lot more. It explains how to manage and reduce risks in the fire service. Here to tell us more is Todd LeDuc, ...
Jan 16, 2020•19 min
This edition of Code 3 may make you a little uncomfortable. It’s about racial bias among EMS providers. And while that bias may be unconscious, it affects patients all the same. My guest today led a comprehensive study of nearly 26,000 EMS encounters in Oregon over two years. The results are disturbing. The data showed that medics were less likely to do a pain assessment on Hispanic and Asian patients than whites. It also found that black patients were 40 percent less likely to be given pain med...
Jan 13, 2020•17 min
Okay, here’s an idea that’s guaranteed to divide opinions: The Cosumnes Fire District, near Sacramento, California, is using virtual reality technology to train firefighters for structure fires. Officials say the VR goggles are a cost-effective way to train on a variety of scenarios that would otherwise be expensive to create. The company that makes the system is loaning it to the fire district for evaluation. I have a lot of questions and I’m sure you do, too. Today, I’m talking with Cosumnes F...
Jan 09, 2020•17 min
Lots of departments require you to be a paramedic as well as a firefighter, but that can lead to conflict. In some departments, this cross training means firefighters are assigned to ambulances. Many of them end up wanting to get out of otherwise excellent work environments because they don’t want to deal with an EMS role as their primary job. How you view this situation is largely a matter of attitude, of course. Ben Thompson wrote an article on firefighting from an ambulance a while back for F...
Jan 06, 2020•16 min
After many years of being called “firefighters”, there is a small but persistent group pushing back. They want to be called “firemen” again. Perhaps surprisingly, some of those people are women. They also want to be called firemen. It comes from an attitude that says women should strive to be a part of the team, not to ask that the team change for them. Also important here is a feeling that, in past years, women in the fire service have been excessively accommodated…that they’ve been given unnec...
Jan 02, 2020•13 min
