In this video we will discuss fundamental fire behavior concepts. If you are a new firefighter or even a seasoned company officer, a good understanding of fire behavior will increase your effectiveness as a firefighter. In Part 1 of this series I wanted to keep the lesson fairly fundamental but we will build on these concepts in future videos. I hope this provides you with a simplistic foundation for understanding the basics of fire behavior.
Hidden Leadership Lesson | With Coffee?
Every once and awhile we all have one of those lightbulb moments. This video discusses one of those moments for me. During the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy you get the chance to listen to some great minds and truly have the time needed to dedicate yourself to some critical thinking processes. In one of those discussions the topic of reading a room came up and how identifying key stakeholders within a room are critically important.
At the firehouse kitchen table you can do this. You can literally push yourself back from the table and look around the room during a conversation, just be observant. You will start to realize the “who’s who” in the room and this will give you the information you need to start building relationships and gaining trust. In the disorganization of a firehouse kitchen table conversation it is easy to lose sight of the big picture. When you want to move forward with new ideas or evaluate current tactics don’t lean in, lean back. You have to be able to observe your surroundings and identify the stakeholders in the room. This gives you the information you need to talk to those stakeholders and ultimately unlock the the progress you are looking to achieve.
Meeting Dixie Firemanship | Michael Taylor
This week I had the chance to chat with a good friend of mine Michael Taylor. Michael is one of the instructors in the Dixie Firemanship Cadre. Dixie Firemanship has been delivering some top notch courses around the southern US. In this video we talk about the origins of Dixie Firemanship and had a little discussion on striking tools. I hope to do more of these videos in the future so if you enjoy please comment and let us know.
The Firefighter's Helmet
I thought I would share a video about my helmet, or “The Firefighter’s Helmet”. I have put out some videos in the past on helmets and firefighter helmet reviews, but wow those are old. I figured it was time to put out a new updated video on my favorite firefighter helmet. If you want to share a picture of your helmet go over to instagram and use the hashtag #BoxAlarmLid to share your helmet picture with us. Also, if you have questions you would like answered in upcoming videos don’t forget to go over to the webcast tab and submit a question. You can Click Here to go to that page.
Answering Your Questions: Preparing to Become a Training Officer?
I received a question a little while back about how to prepare for an upcoming Training Officer position. In the video below I try to give some advice for future training officers and what courses or informal training might help you for that role. If you would like to submit a question go over to the “Webcast” tab and submit a question using the form. I look forward to seeing what all questions you might have.
Why IFSTA? | Box Alarm Training
In this video I wanted to clear up some confusion I have seen online. i go through a few different topics that I believe will help clear up some confusion for several people. One of the biggest misunderstandings I have seen online lately is the tying together of IFSTA and IFSAC. Those are two completely different things. Why is this important? As firefighters, especially those beginning to instruct, we need to understand the differences between publishers, accreditation, and national standards. All of these things intertwine and explaining this to your fellow firefighters might shed some light on some of the misinformation.
If you enjoy these videos don’t forget to go over to the YouTube channel and subscribe. You can CLICK HERE to subscribe. You can also find our information on Facebook at Box Alarm Training.
It's Been 10 Years! | Box Alarm Training
It's hard to believe, but this year marks 10 years since I created my YouTube channel. Strangely, I never intended to create a YouTube channel. I am not sure if you all are aware, but people on the internet are not exactly the nicest when it comes to commenting on publicly available videos... It all started because I was an Adjunct Instructor with the State Fire Academy and wanted to provide students some resources to keep up with their skills. If you told me that 10 years later there would be over 2.5 million views on the channel and that people from around the world would message me about the training videos I would have laughed at you.
I took a break from making videos last year just to catch up on life in general. It takes a lot of time to create YouTube videos and I had a lot of other "creative" projects going on. That being said one of the biggest barriers for me creating new videos has been the thought of "self-promotion". I am just not a fan of trying to promote myself on social media. I know this sounds ridiculous considering I have a YouTube channel, but I enjoy the creative process more than getting the credit for a video. My Dad is a professional photographer and my brother works in Sports Broadcasting so creating content that is enjoyable or makes an impact is something I hold a lot of value in. With all of that being said, when you push aside the negative comments or the thought of self-promotion, I have had some great experiences in the fire service because of the YouTube channel. I have traveled to many places around the country, met a ton of firefighters, and have really enjoyed training alongside some of the best instructors in the country. This year marks a decade for me on YouTube and coincidentally it's the beginning of a new decade. I think it's about time I create some new videos. I have several ideas and if you're interested in joining me in this new decade, go over to YouTube and hit subscribe. Let's see what 2020 has in store.
Black Friday Sales | Firefighter Specials
It’s that time of year and several of our favorite brands are having Black Friday specials. Many of these brands are “Firefighter Owned and Operated” so you can buy a gift and support a fellow brother. Check out the brands below:
Majestic Fire Apparel
Majestic Fire Apparel has a web page dedicated to their Black Friday sales.
CLICK HERE TO VISIT MAJESTIC FIRE APPAREL
Hook and Irons Co.
Hook and Irons Co. has 20% site wide with no coupon code. Once you place an item in your shopping cart you will receive 20% off.
CLICK HERE TO VISIT HOOK AND IRONS CO
BADAXX
BADAXX is giving 10% off to all orders over $100.
FIRE MAUL
Fire Maul is offering 15% off on their tools.
Vent Enter Search
Vent Enter Search is offering 25% off on all merchandise.
CLICK HERE TO VISIT VENT ENTER SEARCH
Into the Smoke
Into the Smoke has offers for $5 off or Free Shipping on orders over $99. Use codes 5OFFor BF19 at checkout.
CLICK HERE TO VISIT INTO THE SMOKE
Get Hosed Apparel
Get Hosed Apparel is offering 20% off site wide with the code TURKEY at checkout.
CLICK HERE TO VISIT GET HOSED APPAREL
Personalized Helmet Shield Key-Rings
You can get free shipping with the purchase of three or more.
Tennessee River Training Weekend
This past weekend we were invited by Dixie Firemanship to join up for an Engine course at the Tennessee River Training Weekend. It was a great event and our class in particular worked on many facets of a successful engine company. This is the second time I have worked side-by-side with Dixie Firemanship and I really enjoyed sharing the firemanship skills that have been passed down through many instructors.
The course not only focuses on individual skill sets but also department wide strategies and tactical decision making. Dixie Firemanship’s own Jake Chappell began the program with a short presentation of a close call he experienced and the reasons behind understanding engine operations. We continued the course with many hands-on skill stations for the rest of the day and then picked up the second day at an abandoned school for scenario based evolutions.
Thanks to everyone who attended the event and I look forward to seeing you all again!
Remembering 9/11
This summer I took a trip to NYC and was able to visit the 9/11 memorial and museum. It was an incredible experience as I was able to visit the site where so many of my mentors went to work that morning. It is a day we will never forget and I am grateful for their service, and the selflessness they demonstrated to the world.
Pushing Fire Revisited
In my opinion the topic of “Pushing fire with water” is the single greatest piece of fire attack research which has been communicated poorly or misunderstood. UL is elaborating greatly and providing much better context/more clearly stated material for us to understand the early studies. If you have heard the phrase “you can’t push fire with water” don’t stop at this result or statement. There is much more to the story.
Do not take a snippet of information and tailor your training programs to provide the “latest fire attack research and recommendations”. Firefighters have a habit of taking research results (from multiple disciplines) and applying them to training exercises without context. That being said UL is also to blame for this miscommunication. Firefighters typically do not separate their discussions of water application and air entrainment during training. For many firefighters these are one in the same. Even though different patterns yield different results, some create more air entrainment and others much mess, there is no on/off switch to turn the air off at the nozzle.
Firefighters need to understand context, they need to understand the background and significance of these research projects. Reading the first and last paragraph of a 100 page research paper doesn’t provide you with a good foundation. It gives you results without context. To communicate as an instructor you need context and to translate that information into training and drills you need to understand the background and significance of these processes. Without context your drill becomes a training exercise prepped to fail. Adult learning typically happens in phases. 1. Rite, 2. Understanding, 3. Application, and 4. Correlation. Students participating in a drill need to get to the application phase and instructors need to live in the correlation phase. At the beginning of basic training we learn through Rite or memorization. We don’t quite grasp where or why and we have a hard time applying the skills during the initial phases of training. Once a student understands the skills we can apply those skills which provides a much better outcome. Skipping steps will only lead to confusion in the training process. Aaron Fields and I had a discussion one time and he provided me with a great teaching tool. He said, “If you have a student that says [I don’t see where this fits] you have missed the application phase of learning.” The student doesn’t understand how to apply the skill.
Lastly, just because you read it, watch it, or listen to it doesn’t mean it isn’t flawed. Research projects are very difficult to construct without some flaws. Most applied research projects literally have a section in the paper which explains the problems or flaws that might’ve occurred during the process. Make your drills purposeful, give them context, and your crews will perform at a much higher level. Follow the link below to understand this topic in much more detail.
Night on Fire | MS State Fire Academy
During each recruit course at the Mississippi State Fire Academy a “Night Burn” training session is conducted. During this night burn family and friends are welcomed to see the recruits in action and it signifies a large step of completion within their training process. This is the moment the recruits get “passed the hump” of their training to receive the NFPA 1011-I-II Certification in the state of Mississippi.
Training at the Crossroads | HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
We had a great time in Corinth, MS at the 2019 Training at the Crossroads. I teamed up with the guys from Dixie Firemanship to deliver an Engine Ops course over the weekend. The event provided Engine Ops Training, Truck Ops Training, and even Hazardous Materials Training. We had a great group of attendees and I hope to see everyone again. If you’re interested in hosting an event yourself fell free to contact me or the guys at Dixie Firemanship to schedule the next Engine and Truck Ops training event.
Training at the Crossroads
For those of you that have signed up for the “Training at the Crossroads” event, get ready for some great training. The Corinth Fire Department in conjunction with Dixie Firemanship will be hosting the event in Corinth, MS on March 15-17th. I will be attending this event and also joining in on the Engine Ops Track as an instructor.
The weekend rundown is listed below:
Friday 3/15
Check in starts at 0800hrs at
Northeast at Corinth
2759 S Harper Rd, Corinth, MS 38834
(662) 696-2352
https://maps.app.goo.gl/2tWgT
- Lunch is on your own.
- Dinner is provided to you at the Corinth Elks Lodge locates at 1521 Robertson Drive, Corinth, MS starting at 1800hrs.
Saturday 3/16 and Sunday 3/17:
Check in starts at 0800hrs at the Corinth Fire Department Training Field locates at 5 Manpower Rd, Corinth, MS (Across from the college).
Fire Track needs Structural Firefighting Gear and SCBA with at least 1 spare bottle is required for both Saturday and Sunday.
Hazmat Track need SCBA and at least 1 spare bottle for both Saturday and Sunday.
- Lunch is provided both days
- Dinner will be provided Saturday night at Smiths Downtown located at 603 N. Fillmore, Corinth, MS starting at 1800hrs.
For those that still need lodging, contact the Hampton Inn Corinth directly at (662) 286-5949 and let them know you’re with The Training at The Crossroads event.
Deep South Fire Conference | Birmingham, AL
If you are a southern firefighter that cares about mastering your craft this conference is for you. The list of instructors shows that the Deep South Firefighter Conference is going to be a great event. The conference will take place in Birmingham, AL on March 28-30, 2019. You can CLICK HERE for more info and tickets for each track.
Engine Company Operations Instructors
Laddering With A Purpose Instructors
Fire Flows from High Pressure to Low Pressure
Great fundamental fire behavior concepts from the Firefighter Safety Research Institute (FSRI). Understanding how fire and gases travel from areas of high pressure towards low pressure will enable you to make better decisions on the fire-ground. The video above is provided by the FSRI. If you would like more information from them you can click here to visit their website or click here to visit their YouTube channel.
Heat Release Rate vs. Temperature
A topic I discuss very often in classes is the difference between Heat Release Rate and Temperature. This is a fundamental concept all firefighters need to understand in order to make sound decisions on the fireground. We all seem to grasp the reference of temperature very quickly because of how much we rely on temperatures in daily life. However, a candle on fire and a room on fire are two completely different things even if they are burning at the same temperature. The video above offers a very good introduction to the basics of heat release rate and temperature. This video is produced by the Firefighter Safety Research Institute (FSRI) and they have many more videos and resources available for you to learn about fire research and science. You can click here to visit the FSRI website or you can click here to visit their YouTube Channel.
FDIC 2018 Highlight Video
FDIC 2018 did not disappoint. I always enjoy traveling to Indy and meeting up with the world's greatest firefighters. Firefighters that are like minded, share the same passion, and are enthusiastic about the jobs we all do. More videos will come out soon but until then you can see our highlight video below.
5 Fundamental Plays for the Engine Company
Early in my career the fire scene felt like a chaotic place. Every fire looked different and offered unique challenges. As I developed more skills and learned more about incident management and fire attack concepts I realized that the vast majority of the fires we respond to are much more similar than they are different. In order to more effectively evaluate the engine company and the types of attacks we perform let us take a look at 5 fundamental plays for the Engine Company.
1. The Pre-Connected Attack
The Pre-Connected Attack is the most used line on our Engines. This line is a predetermined length and size hose-line that is connected to a discharge. Most of the time these lines are setup for your department's most common occupancy types. The most common pre-connected attack line I see is the 200' 1.75" hand-line. The pre-connected attack line offers many advantages including a predetermined flow requirement and length. The pre-connected line provides firefighters with a quick solution for the majority of fires they will fight. However, the pre-connected line can also develop bad habits. Many firefighters pull the pre-connect on every fire regardless if the fire is large or more complex.
2. The Extended Attack
The extended attack is something every engine should have the ability to perform. In the simplest form, the extended attack is simply for attacking fires that are out of reach of your pre-connected lines. The extended attack is very good for long set-backs, apartment complexes, narrow alleys, and providing you with a flexible solution for a multitude of fires.
3. The Big Line
The big line is for fires with heavier fire loads. This style of attack comes typically in the form of a 2.5" hand-line. This attack method increases the flow rate for fires with more energy.
4. The Blitz Attack
A blitz attack can be defined in two different ways. In some parts of the country a blitz attack would be a 2.5" hand-line but in others it may be a rapid attack style monitor. Regardless of the tool used, this method is designed to "Blitz" a fire with a lot of water during the initial stages of fire attack. Many crews will perform a blitz attack with larger lines and then transition to smaller attack lines like the 1.75".
5. The Master Stream Attack
Often viewed as a defensive operation, the master stream attack is for throwing a lot of water at a fire very quickly. This method of fire attack works really well for building that have a detached section with heavy fire. For example, a detached garage may produce a tremendous amount of heat energy that a smaller attack line simply cannot handle. A master stream can flow around 500 gallons of water at a fire in only 30 seconds. This can knock down a lot of heat energy for you to transition to your smaller attack lines. Detroit performs this attack method very often and they refer to it as "dumping the monitor".
Take a look at the video and evaluate your ability as an engine company to perform these styles of fire attack. This is a great time to sit with your crew and discuss your ability to perform these plays.
MSA G1 with iTIC at FDIC 2017
We took a look at the MSA G1 with iTIC (Integrated Thermal Imaging Camera) at the MSA booth during FDIC 2017. Sean Meigs from MSA gave us a quick overview of the features included with the G1 and the iTIC. If you haven't seen this iTIC I highly recommend getting a demo of the unit. I do not feel that this replaces a handheld imager but it is really nice to have integrated into your SCBA. It is very well designed and really does not create any more clutter on the SCBA. I really like the way the unit is powered from one central power source. You do not need to check and change batteries from multiple places. If you want more information about the iTIC or the G1 you can visit their website at http://msafire.com/breathe/