One of the first tools you were taught about when you started this job is the basic ground ladder. Once you learned how to throw one, it was no big deal, right? The longer the ladder, the more firefighters get to carry it. Except… What if there’s not enough people on the fireground to do that? You might be surprised to find that the 24-foot extensi…

One of the least exciting jobs for a firefighter is the dreaded Community Risk Reduction assignment. In an urban environment, CRR may mean doing a meeting with the people you serve. Or maybe you’re changing smoke alarm batteries. Either of those—not exciting, but not so much work, either. But if your department covers urban and rural areas, where y…

(This episode is a rebroadcast of a June, 2018 edition of Code 3) On June 30, 2018, the fifth anniversary of the LODD of 19 members of the Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew at Yarnell Hill, a memorial ceremony was held in Prescott, Arizona, their home base. The brief ceremony commemorated their loss and celebrated their lives. This is the e…

Incident commanders, here are some questions for you: How much thought do you put into where you set up your command post? Is it usually on the alpha side of a structure? Why is that? Routine? Street access? What about distractions? For example, noise. That can not only give you a headache but also make you miss an urgent radio call, right? My gues…

This week’s show is related to last week’s. If you haven’t heard episode 344 with Jennifer Stanislaw, go ahead and listen to it—it dovetails nicely with this one. On this episode, we’re talking about the importance of setting standards for probie training. Years ago, that training consisted of handing the probie a mop as often as a ladder. It was d…

Firefighters around the country are looking at the possibility of a new OSHA ruling very carefully. I’m talking about the two-in/two-out rule, contained in NFPA 1500. There’s a new report written by five prominent members of the fire service that says two-in/two-out doesn’t make firefighters any safer. Instead, the time wasted waiting for a RIC cre…

From Day One in the fire service, the lecture is the standard teaching method. Sometimes, it seems like fire departments must keep Microsoft in business, what with all the PowerPoint software they must be ordering. And you know the instruction -- notice I didn’t say “learning” – keeps going like this until you retire. Want to be a Battalion Chief? …

Every firefighter who rides an engine has a favorite tool: The Halligan Bar. As nearly all young firefighters learn, it was invented in 1948 by an FDNY Deputy Chief named Hugh Halligan. Not long after that, he created the Halligan Hook. Sometimes it’s called a New York Roof Hook. This six-foot bar is a favorite of truckies who need to open up roofs…

If you were among those fortunate enough to be in the audience at the opening of FDIC 2024, you heard something special. I’d say it was a call to arms… a call to take revolutionary action. Chief David Rhodes spoke for about a half-hour, laying out a case for change in the fire service. His main argument: that the fire service has become too risk-av…

Fire departments around the U.S. are approaching a tipping point. At the same time career departments are seeing a drop in applicants, they’re also losing existing firefighters. This is a problem. Once upon a time, not so long ago, it was tough to get a job in the fire department. But now, fewer people line up for those spots. Maybe it’s generation…

There’s a constant battle between firefighters who believe that safety on the fireground precludes aggressive tactics. The opposite is also true. What’s the compromise between the two? It seems as if firefighters don’t believe that it’s possible to be both aggressive and safe. It is, of course, and my guest today is here to offer some suggestions a…

What’s potentially harder to locate victims in than a hoarder house? A stuffed-full self-storage locker. But that’s exactly what can happen. And even if the victim’s not inside at the time of the fire, their activities may have caused it. Those storage spaces are frequently climate-controlled, and they’re cheap…maybe $100 a month for a small one. T…

Are you ready for this? There’s a whole class of hazardous chemicals that can damage your hearing, and they’re by-products of your average structure fire. Yes, that’s right: When you burn home furnishings, you don’t just get carcinogens. You get “ototoxic” chemicals. Now, the PPE you wear routinely for firefighting protects against this. But—just l…

A recent study done at North Carolina State University took a look at PFAS chemicals used in turnout gear and came to some interesting conclusions. PFS layers are what give current turnout coats and pants their oil and water repellency. They're also a known carcinogen, so donning PPE made with PFAS is dangerous even before you step onto your engine…

One of the best ways to learn anything is by experience. A better way, though, is to learn from others’ experiences. That’s why we’re talking with today’s guest—to get some insight from someone who learned the hard way. Captain Jeremiah King has been with the Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority for more than 20 years. But the story of this r…

Anyone who has ever fought a wildland fire knows situational awareness is critical to safety and effectiveness on the fireground. But visibility, a key part of that awareness, is often limited by thick smoke in the wildland fire environment. Call it the fog of war, if you like. No matter what you call it, it’s tough to fight a fire when you can’t s…

The National Fire Protection Association seems like a pretty important organization. For example, Its reports are routinely used by fire departments to justify staffing requests. But not everyone is satisfied with how the NFPA operates. Some members of the fire service believe the standards for equipment service life are too inflexible. And there’s…

If you’ve ever known a firefighter who committed suicide, you know how it can change your life. It may have come as a complete surprise to you. Or maybe you had been worried about the firefighter’s state of mind. There’s been a lot said and written about what we can do for ourselves to prevent suicide. But today, we’re going to talk about a program…

Friday, June 30, 2023, is the 10th anniversary of the deaths of 19 wildland firefighters in Arizona. They were hotshots, the kind of people who really do fight fire with fire. Led by a consummate professional, the team made a move that no one expected and no one can explain. That move caused the deaths of the entire crew except for a lookout, who w…

It’s getting hotter outside, and that traditionally signals the start of wildland fire season in the U.S. Nowadays, of course, there’s no real “season” when wildland fires burn. The season can be all year long in some parts of the country. We won’t argue about the reasons why—suffice it to say, wildland fires are growing bigger and more frequent th…

How fit are you? If you’re newer to the fire service, say two or three years in, you’re probably still in reasonably good shape. After all, you had to meet minimum standards at the fire academy. But unless you’ve kept up with the physical fitness regimen, you may be getting a little soft around the middle. Or losing endurance. My guest today says i…

On this episode, we’re talking with Phil Jose, the expert on reading smoke. As you may know—and as Phil likes to remind us—smoke is fuel. In most cases, it’s just waiting for the right conditions to ignite. We’ll discuss how to keep that from happening. Also on the agenda is a little talk about the relative merits of vertical ventilation. When do y…

We’ve talked several times on this show about PTSD and its effects on firefighters. It’s a serious problem, one that affects nearly 40 percent of first responders. On this edition of Code 3, we’re going to talk about a documentary available on YouTube that brings the problem home in a very impactful way. It's titled, “The Call We Carry: Confronting…

This week, we’re going to make some people angry. We’re talking structure fires, risk, and SLICE-RS. If you’re a probie, that’s an acronym for Size-up, Locate the fire, Isolate the flow path, Cool from a safe distance, Extinguish, Rescue and Salvage at any time in the process. Today’s guest says that, by following those steps in that order, you’ll …

Today’s subject may make you uncomfortable. If it does, that’s not a bad thing—so stick with me. You could save your own career. I am talking about harassment in the fire service, both sexual harassment and other types. Now, look, you know and I know that it goes on. And you know and I know that there have been so-called “sensitivity training” semi…

The fire service is often called a brotherhood…or a sisterhood, these days. But how strong is that bond, really? One of the best places to see the strength of the brotherhood in action is when tragedy occurs. A mayday call on the fireground results in heroic efforts…and, if those efforts should fail…then the observances for a line-of-duty-death are…

There’s a lot of talk in the fire service about the culture. It’s important, which you already know. It’s even celebrated in many cities. But one thing that’s more dependent on the culture of your department than you might think is recruiting. This is especially important if you need to recruit volunteers. Luckily, it’s possible to build the cultur…

Large-city fire departments with multiple PIOs have been showcasing their activities on social media for some time. If you have enough people, it’s no problem. But what if you want to try to engage the community without those resources? Social media can be a direct link with the customers your department serves, so it’s a no-brainer that you’d like…

Just about every area served by fire departments includes a large warehouse or two. If you drive by it, I am sure you wonder how well your department would deal with a fire inside it. But in the last few years, truly massive warehouses have started to appear. These monsters aren’t measured in square feet, they're measured in acres of land covered. …

Earlier this month, about 400 members of the fire service-from more than 20 states—got together for the Phoenix Firefighters Symposium. They were gathered to hear about Mrs. Smith. Back in 1996, Chief Brunacini—Bruno, to his friends—came up with the idea of Mrs. Smith. She represents why the fire service exists—she’s the first priority for firefigh…

If you do enough training evolutions, you will inevitably come up against a trick scenario. You know, the ones where the instructors design something totally implausible into the scenario. They usually fool the firefighters doing the training…and then that allows the instructor to say something that seems wise. Like, “expect the unexpected.” Someti…

As a firefighter, you have probably developed some strong opinions on at least a few topics. Some people call them “the hill you’re willing to die on.” But no matter what you call them, you need to pick your battles when it comes to spouting off about these points of view. My guest today wrote an article about his experiences fighting the smooth bo…

We’re getting close to the end of another year, and this one, like the last few, seems to have been pretty difficult in a lot of ways. Things are looking a little murky as we try to see the future of the fire service. Of course, firefighters in general can be just a bit pessimistic. But is it justified? That’s why I’ve asked today’s guest to give u…

Do you detect a lack of willingness among your firefighters to take risks? Have company officers –or your department policy—made “2-in-2-out” a hard-and-fast rule? Are they lacking passion for the job? Today’s guest has been noticing that trend, and he’s concerned. Now, let’s be clear: no one is advocating that firefighters freelance or even take u…

If you’ve been listening to this show for a while, you’ve probably noticed that I talk a lot about realistic training. It’s because there are fewer actual structure fires these days for younger firefighters to see first-hand. That means they need to learn both skills and understanding in training. And to absorb the concepts well enough that it does…

Today’s episode is going to be a little different. It’s a look back at a major learning event in a firefighter’s career. But, as you’ll hear, the lessons taught weren’t necessarily clear. And years later, the firefighter involved is still trying to sort out all of what she should take from the experience. It's not cut-and-dried by any means. But it…

No matter how large—or small—your fire department may be, it has one house that’s just not as busy as the others. Sometimes, that house is really slow. And it may feel like you’re missing all the action if you’re assigned to it. If you’re new to the fire service career, you may wonder if you’ll ever go on a structure fire run. If you’re an officer,…

On this show, we’re going to explore some of the unique experiences of a firefighter who is in the minority on two fronts: She’s a woman and she’s Black. Jennifer Osborne is a 16-year veteran of the Clark County, Nevada, Fire Department. They cover an area in and around Las Vegas. She first became a paramedic in Colorado in 1999 before heading to t…

If you’re about to promote to company officer, this show is for you. Most firefighters want to move up and take charge of the crew. It’s natural to assume you could do it better, right? And there’s the pay bump. But once you pass the test and are selected, you may find it’s a whole different ballgame than you thought. Especially these days, there i…

I started out today’s interview intending to talk about the conflict between fire officers and lower-ranked—but certified--paramedics. It wasn’t long before I got caught up in a discussion about the “state of the Union” of Fire vs. EMS. It’s a hot button issue, for sure. My guest on this edition of Code 3, Wes Ward, says there’s a “ridiculous gap” …

Usually, I talk with a member of the fire service on this show, but today’s a bit different. Brian McDonald is an author, but not a firefighter. He’s written several books about New York City, and his latest is about the FDNY. Five Floors Up focuses on two firefighting families, and one man specifically. William Feehan worked his way from probie to…

What do you think of your city’s news media? Maybe you think of reporters and photographers as an annoyance. Perhaps you view them as a necessary evil. Or—and this is the best, I think—do you look at them as professionals just doing their jobs, reporting the news? I’ve been a journalist for 30-plus years, and I can tell you that, while reporters so…

If you’re thinking you’d like to try for a company officer or to move up to a chief officer position, I have a question for you: Who has been your example for how you should lead? I ask because the leadership landscape has changed over the last few years. Even in my business, TV news, I was once told that you can’t just tell people to jump and expe…

Some people call it auto-pilot. It’s that ability to arrive at a scene and immediately go to work. That’s a learned skill, and it has a place on the fireground. But another learned skill that may be even more important is the ability to analyze decisions before they’re made. You may know it by a more familiar term, situational awareness. Most firef…

Every firefighter can recall the worst incidents in his or her career—you know, the ones that made a serious impact on their psyche. They may not have realized it at the time, but these are the days that helped shape their philosophy. You might remember that I was a helicopter pilot years ago. In flying, we called these kinds of days the times we “…

I have a question for you today. Why did you become a firefighter? I know, you probably haven’t had to think about it since you were interviewed before hiring. But why did you choose this career? If you’re like most people, you’ll probably mention something, at some point, about saving lives. And that’s great. It’s noble. It’s important. Now, a sec…

Smaller fire departments often work with less personnel than they need. That means there are very few specialists in a volunteer department or a rural agency. One of the specialists you’ll miss right away if you join one is the truckie. While city departments are having (good-natured) arguments over who’s better or more important, small town engine…

Firefighters are athletes. You may be part of the culture that already knows and accepts this truth. But if this is a foreign idea to you, or if you disagree, consider this: Even if you mostly run medical calls, physical conditioning is critical to your career. In fact, you need to be in top condition because you mostly run medical calls. And it is…

Now that the wildland fire season lasts pretty much all year long—and homes continue to be built further from city centers--the focus is turning to homes in the wildland-urban interface. Fires that threaten homes along the edge of cities and towns have turned some metro departments into wildland companies as well. It's not always a comfortable fit …

I have no idea how many times I have heard the old phrase, “Practice makes perfect.” Of course, nowadays, we understand that it’s wrong. If practice is going to be worthwhile, we need to practice the right things the right way. Practicing the wrong things is a waste of time. And practicing doing things incorrectly only leads to learning bad habits.…