FORCE MORE DOORS IN A DAY THAN YOU HAVE IN YEARS!

The Bluffton Twp. Fire District will be hosting a forcible entry day at their fire HQ. We will be putting on a Forcible Entry 1 (Irons and Through-the-Lock) and Forcible Entry 2 (Saw Ops, Advanced Irons and High Security).  Each class is 4-hours of intense hands-on training with the best and most realistic scenarios.  Details below:

REGISTRATION PERIOD IS SHORT, DON’T MISS IT!

• Flyer and Event Info 
• Registration- Forcible Entry 1 & 2- Bluffton

Share your strategies, tactics and experience!  Every Friday we’ll post a picture or video and want to get your take on the situation.

THE SCENARIO:  First thing you see is a Truck pulling up to the scene.  YOU’RE ON THAT TRUCK! Based on what you see with the building, the conditions, the Engine Co. and other crews’ operations, WHAT ARE YOUR ASSIGNMENTS FOR YOUR CREW?  Compare this FD’s ops to your FD and  give us your RECEO VS considerations.  Enjoy!

• RESCUE profile
• EXPOSURE considerations
• CONFINEMENT issues
• EXTINGUISHMENT strategies/tactics
• OVERHAUL considerations
• VENTILATION strategies/tactics
• SALVAGE considerations

• PLEASE REMEMBER… We want to critique this video, however First Due Friday is a CONSTRUCTIVE tool!  Mudslinging comments WILL NOT be posted.  Thanks and enjoy!

Click here to view the embedded video.

NOTE:  This week’s video was recommended by Bill Carey of www.backstepfirefighter.com.  Thanks as always Bill!

Irmo Fire District, in Columbia, SC, will be hosting 2 open enrollment 4-Hour Street Smart Forcible Entry 1 classes on June 27 & 28.  Both sessions will be from 0800-1200 hrs.  Details are below:

Street Smart Forcible Entry 1 (4 Hours)-  Nothings stops a firefighting operation  faster than a tough door.  Keep your fire attack moving by forcing more doors in a day than you may have in years!  This intense hands-on class challenges participants through high repetition forcible entry operations.  Topics include door size-up, inward & outward forcible entry, “baseball swing” method and through-the-lock.

• BOTH classes limited to 16 students and are filled on first come, first serve basis
• $35/ student
• June 27, 2012 from 0800-1200 hrs OR
• June 28, 2012 from 0800-1200 hrs

• REGISTER FOR THE CLASS HERE: Registration for Forcible Entry 1_Irmo
• CLICK HERE FOR A CLASS FLYER

Hope to see you there!  Be SAFE!

Share your strategies, tactics and experience!  Every Friday we’ll post a picture or video and want to get your take on the situation.

THE SCENARIO:  This week we’re gonna mix it up a bit!  What can you tell us about this fire from its aftermath!  Based on what you see, what would you do?  Enjoy!

• PLEASE REMEMBER… We want to critique this video, however First Due Friday is a CONSTRUCTIVE tool!  Mudslinging comments WILL NOT be posted.  Thanks and enjoy!

Share your strategies, tactics and experience!  Every Friday we’ll post a picture or video and want to get your take on the situation.

THE SCENARIO:  This video is a great training tool for size-up, radio comms & Command presence.  This FD sounds very professional despite difficult fire conditions.  This week we’ve got heavy fire & smoke on an upper floor w/ standpipe ops in progress and a Mayday called while transitioning to Defensive Ops.   Compare this FD’s ops to your FD and  give us your RECEO VS considerations.  Enjoy!

• RESCUE profile
• EXPOSURE considerations
• CONFINEMENT issues
• EXTINGUISHMENT strategies/tactics
• OVERHAUL considerations
• VENTILATION strategies/tactics
• SALVAGE considerations

• PLEASE REMEMBER… We want to critique this video, however First Due Friday is a CONSTRUCTIVE tool!  Mudslinging comments WILL NOT be posted.  Thanks and enjoy!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Safe Firefighter, LLC has been invited to Irmo Fire District in Columbia, SC for 3 days June 26-28, 2012.  We will be doing 4-Hour Street Smart Forcible Entry 1.  

While we’re there, WE/ THEY ARE HOSTING TWO OPEN-ENROLLMENT CLASSES for the same class.  Details are below:

Street Smart Forcible Entry 1 (4 Hours)-  Nothings stops a firefighting operation  faster than a tough door.  Keep your fire attack moving by forcing more doors in a day than you may have in years!  This intense hands-on class challenges participants through high repetition forcible entry operations.  Topics include door size-up, inward & outward forcible entry, “baseball swing” method, hydraulic entry tools and through-the-lock.

• BOTH classes limited to 16 students and are filled on first come, first serve basis
• $35/ student
• June 27, 2012 from 0800-1200 hrs
• June 28, 2012 from 0800-1200 hrs

• REGISTER FOR THE CLASS HERE: Registration_FE1_Workshop_1206

Hope to see you there!  Be SAFE!

Share your strategies, tactics and experience!  Every Friday we’ll post a picture or video and want to get your take on the situation.

THE SCENARIO:  Here We Go!  What would your FD’s operations look like for something like this?   How many and what type of resources, water supply considerations, exposure considerations, etc.?  Enjoy!

• PLEASE REMEMBER… First Due Friday is a CONSTRUCTIVE tool!  Mudslinging comments WILL NOT be posted.  Thanks and enjoy!

Share your strategies, tactics and experience!  Every Friday we’ll post a picture or video and want to get your take on the situation.

THE SCENARIO:  Here is a great pre-arrival video of a house fire transitioning from serious to worse.  This would be a great size-up tool for anyone riding the seat.  Give us the report and your RECEO VS considerations.  Enjoy!

• PLEASE REMEMBER… We want to critique this video, however First Due Friday is a CONSTRUCTIVE tool!  Mudslinging comments WILL NOT be posted.  Thanks and enjoy!

Click here to view the embedded video.

DO WE TRAIN OURSELVES INTO MEDIOCRITY?  It is rare to go to a live burn, fixed building or acquired, that realistically prepares us for the homes and businesses that our duty requires us to enter when they’re on fire.

As much as I would love to search and advance lines into buildings that aren’t packed with furniture, toys, desks, chairs, etc., it’s just not realistic.  I SEE MORE PACK RAT HOUSES THAN “BETTER HOMES & GARDENS” HOUSES.  Which begs the question,   IS THIS THE ROOT OF COMPLACENCY?  Do non-realistic training scenarios generate non-realistic tactics which results in non-realistic muscle memory?  IS THIS HOW BAD HABITS START?

We always talk about ‘”landmarks” when teaching search and tend to apply those principles to advancing hose lines in heavy smoke.  So what happens when the “landmarks” are out of place?  Can we trust ourselves, our crew, training and experience enough to press on despite misleading signals?  Can we identify and overcome obstacles in our path to complete the task at hand?

SCIENCE EXPERIMENT:  The next time you’re training on advancing lines through structures or searching, pile as much junk (pillows, cushions, books, magazines, boxes, toys, etc) into the building.  Acquire or build wooden end tables, night stands, chairs to be knocked over during the advance or search.  PUSH YOUR FIREFIGHTERS!

 

HERE IS A PRIMER!  How many of you have seen stuff like the pictures below? It’s very common.  The question is…

MID NIGHT FIRE, HEAVY SMOKE & FLAMES SHOWING FROM THE SECOND FLOOR.  YOU ARE ON THE FIRST ENGINE and THESE ARE THE STAIRS YOU HAVE TO MAKE.  DO THESE PICTURES REPRESENT A BIG PROBLEM OR A LITTLE PROBLEM?

 

Thanks and Be Safe

Share your strategies, tactics and experience!  Every Friday we’ll post a picture or video and want to get your take on the situation.

THE SCENARIO:  Heavy Smoke from a split-level. What are some of the specific challenges in split-levels? Where do you think this fire started? What is YOUR strategy for SEARCH?  What about VENTILATION?  Give us the initial report and your RECEO VS considerations.  Enjoy!

• PLEASE REMEMBER… First Due Friday is a CONSTRUCTIVE tool!  Mudslinging comments WILL NOT be posted.  Thanks and enjoy!