The First-Due: We predicate with certain expectations that fire will travel in a defined manner in a building.

  Taking it to the Streets: Your Street on any given Day At times, our surroundings become a blur and fade into the fabric that defines our response district, our first-due, our neighborhood, community, city or town. We tend to focus on thos…e areas that have an immediacy or frequency that defines day-to –day operations, […]

What at the Projected Operational Risks? Do they Matter? Photo:CJ Naum, 2013 Taking it to the Streets Vacant, unoccupied, abandoned and derelict buildings continue to challenge emergency response companies at incidents. It’s the buildings of Heritage ““ masonry construction with Heavy Timber, Mill, Semi-Mill or Ordinary Construction systems of three to six to eight story […]

The fact that at times, our surroundings do become a blur and fade into the background…

Captain Araguz, a 30 year old, 11-year veteran of the Wharton Volunteer Fire Department made Captain in 2009.

Interesting discussions and dialog coming from the Grand Rapids Press and a series of articles on fire service delivery , capabilities, ratings and finances. The Series was written by Jim Harger a reporter for the Grand Rapids Press. An examination and comparison of staffing levels, training, service delivery and budgets was presented. Budget issues, efficiencies […]

We’ll further explore how as Christopher Brennan states; “Today’s firefighter must be a warrior who will unflinchingly put his very life in harm’s way to accomplish a mission, but who is also fully informed about the path being chosen”.

The five alarm fire that ran through a seven story multiple occupancy (MO) apartment building in the Flatbush Section in the Borough of Brooklyn (NYC) this weekend considerably challenged operating companies of the FDNY as the fire was fueled and spread in rapid success due to significant wind conditions compounded by news reports that a […]

It is perceived by fire service leaders that fire departments across the United States will see a paradigm shift from just emergency response services to a comprehensive community risk reduction and management focus. This statement is becoming more and more common as you sit and talk with fire service leaders across the nation. National fire […]

Both the 2006 and 2007 Firefighter Near-Miss Reporting System Annual Reports identified a lack of situational awareness as the highest contributing factor to near misses reported.