This book is aimed at all firefighters, career and volunteer, in departments ranging from the smallest to the largest. It is intended to be a "reality check" and a guideline to improve the operations of our fire departments. The book identifies the key elements of safe, successful and predictable fireground operations.
It is filled with understandable and sometimes amusing short stories and examples. All the stories, people and examples are real. The names may be changed to protect the innocent (and the guilty) but all the stories are true. The stories come from fire departments around the country, including my personal experiences as a deputy chief in the District of Columbia Fire Department.
Why You Need This Book
With so many fire books on the market, why do you need this one? Because this is the only fire service book that contains just about everything that you need to know to survive on the fireground. It will guide you towards safe and efficient fireground and emergency operations using tried and true procedures and good old common sense.
This book is different from the other fire fighting guides because it introduces a new way to do business. Books currently available to us in the fire service are often heavy on theory and light on reality. The textbooks will tell you that there are fifteen size-up considerations or tell you to follow steps A, B, C and D to extinguish the fire. The information is technically correct, but often does not reflect the real world. The lessons in this book are based on real life experiences.
This book has a fresh approach and includes chapters on philosophy, dispatch procedures, and preparation. All these subjects greatly affect fireground performances, and are often neglected in the typical fireground books. For example, our philosophy is very important because it drives our goals and how we do business at an emergency scene. Often the success or failure of an operation depends upon how we think.
Most fire departments are under-staffed, under-trained and under-funded. In many areas, medical calls are increasing, while fires are declining. The result is that many departments are having problems handling fire calls, and there is a great need for a practical approach to firefighting. This book provides the basis for developing such an approach.
This book provides little information about selecting the right nozzle, raising ladders or operating pumps. Rather, this book emphasizes avoiding common pitfalls and using proven methods to improve operations. The aim is to address our most common problems; most of the principles covered in the book apply to all incidents.
Some of the information in this book may be unconventional because it challenges popular opinion, examines long held beliefs and generally kicks up a lot of dust. It’s time to shake the tree of tradition to get people thinking about the best ways to operate. We cannot simply accept things because "that is the way we've always done them." The fire service has changed and we must adapt by using a practical approach to our work.
Why I Wrote This Book
I considered writing this book for several years. As a fire service instructor, around the country, I have taught many command courses that include videos of fireground "bloopers" showing safety and tactical errors captured on film during actual fireground operations. The reactions from the students range from amusement to disbelief. Students often want to know which fire departments are shown committing such obvious and serious errors. My answer is that it is all of our fire departments, yours and mine. I then ask if there are any people in the class who have never seen any of these problems occur on their own firegrounds. No student has ever raised a hand.
When I stand in front of a command class, I always ask the following questions.
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“Have any of you ever been at an emergency scene and wondered if there was a plan?”
“Have any of you ever been at an emergency scene and wondered if there was a plan?” ·“Have you ever been embarrassed by some of the things you've seen?
“Have you ever been embarrassed by some of the things you've seen? ·“Have you ever gone back to the station and said, we were just lucky this time?"
“Have you ever gone back to the station and said, we were just lucky this time?" Invariably, all the faces would light up and there would be plenty of nods. I have connected with them through the reality that many fire departments have fire and emergency operations that leave a lot to be desired.
During my 31 years in the fire service, I have come across almost every type of situation imaginable, and a few that were unimaginable. I learned some lessons the hard way, sometimes by burning down buildings, sometimes by taking casualties that could have been prevented. I have witnessed many fire departments in action all over the country and observed what works, what doesn't work and why. Through experience, I have become streetsmart, which is the ability to know what is happening, and what is likely to happen. Although you can't learn "streetsmarts" from a book, you can learn to think smart, to challenge current practices, and operate more efficiently and safely.
