What’s Wrong with Being a Fireman?
I was involved in a fire house conversation, in which I called myself a “Fireman”. The reaction from some was swift and scathing. It was as if I swore during High Mass or shouted fire in the theater or set fire to the Stars and Stripes. I was told that I am not a Fireman but a Firefighter. When I began to defend my position, my argument fell upon death ears. So when did it become a Sin to refer to yourself or a co-worker as a “Fireman”?
I ask you, what is wrong with using the term Fireman? I am sure there are many who would say that it is a passé, sexist throw back to times past and others would ask what the difference is between a firefighter and a fireman. The short answer: attitude. There are many firefighters in the world, all with the same attitude: they have the cookie-cutter hair cut, sun glasses and the “I fight what you fear” tattoo. They have the patch, the tee shirt and the badge but lack the true meaning of what is required to succeed at this job, what it means to be a Fireman.
So what is the real difference is between a Firefighter and a Fireman? Firemen understand not just the how, but the why operations are preformed on the fireground. We have text books and power points that show the how to fight a fire, but it is not until the firefighter takes it upon themselves to understand the why of the operation, that they may then call themselves a fireman. Firemen are street smart and understand the importance of the roots of our job: Hot, dirty, hard work that every generation has done before us. The title Fireman is rooted in these traditions. (Yes I know the real root is from the company member who kept the steamer hot and ready to pump water, but I digress.)
Too many in the fire services, from the probie to chief officer, take fire ground operations for granted; they find themselves tied to an SOP or the “we always do it that way” operating mode. They have not made the investment in themselves and their careers: to go beyond the how-to phase to the understanding why phase, and despite a long tenure on the job, they still find themselves fighting the fire vs. beating the fire. So I guess they are truly Firefighters.
So the only sin committed is not being prepared to do the job and not taking pride in your work. I challenge you to renew your commitment to yourself, our profession and your community and be proud of your commitment to not just doing your job but knowing why you are taking action and be proud to call yourself a FIREMAN.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Lite Duty,Triple duty
I have been on modified duty at work after a stupid injury to my knee. This has slowed me down somewhat. No active firefighting either at work or with Willow Oak. I have had the opportunity to work on my management skills however, whether it as the Station manager for Dixon or as the IC for Willow Oak, and it has given me a renewed perspective on how to better my performance.
On the home front, my Wife (Hi dear) is just barely keeping her head above the ocean of work for nursing school. I have been trying to keep up the house, the family life and parenting. This has given me a renewed appreciation for what Katie has done all those times I have been out "Playing Fireman", and the house still needed to run. I can take from this lessons in time management and multi-tasking from all the new tasks I have to do.
And because my wife is one of the few regular readers I would like to say the her: So Dear despite the fact that I may come out of left field sometimes I do know what you are going through, and thanks for the training opportunity.
On the home front, my Wife (Hi dear) is just barely keeping her head above the ocean of work for nursing school. I have been trying to keep up the house, the family life and parenting. This has given me a renewed appreciation for what Katie has done all those times I have been out "Playing Fireman", and the house still needed to run. I can take from this lessons in time management and multi-tasking from all the new tasks I have to do.
And because my wife is one of the few regular readers I would like to say the her: So Dear despite the fact that I may come out of left field sometimes I do know what you are going through, and thanks for the training opportunity.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Hard Boiled
I had the opportunity to respond to and assist at the recent mutli-causality bus roll-over incident in Wiliams. We provided support and command and control personnel. Seven people died at scene and one other died at the hospital. Challenging does not even begin to describe the scene. I could go on and on about the success and failures that took place, but that could take forever.
When I returned home 10 hours later, my wife was probing me for signs of post incident stress, but I was stress free. The loss of life, the pain and suffering the tragic human cost had no effect on me. I guess all the years of "doing" have made me "Hard Boiled". I guess this is a good thing, because if I let any of the tragedy that I have dealt with in I would not be able to do my job.
When I returned home 10 hours later, my wife was probing me for signs of post incident stress, but I was stress free. The loss of life, the pain and suffering the tragic human cost had no effect on me. I guess all the years of "doing" have made me "Hard Boiled". I guess this is a good thing, because if I let any of the tragedy that I have dealt with in I would not be able to do my job.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
The Lost Art of Firemanship
The views expressed are those of the author, and do not represent my employer, or other members of the fire service although maybe they should…
Let face facts, this job is not rocket science. Those of average intelligence, with common sense and basic mechanical aptitude can excel in the fire service. Then why have we lost the basic knowledge, skills and abilities to perform our jobs?
It can all fall back upon the lost art of firemanship. Yes I used the “man” version, but firemanship is not about gender, rather it refers to the basic skills that that fire service has used for generations.
As a boy scout I studied the basics of firefighting and earned my “Firemanship” merit badge. We learned about the fire triangle and if we took away a leg of the triangle, the fire would go out. We learned hot air rises and fire always looks for the path of least resistance. I learned these things when I was 12 years old. Why is it that this basic information seems to be foreign to most people entering the fire service today?
Yes that was many years ago, but I still use those simple boyhood lessons every day. Not to generation bash, but the kids these days have grown-up in a much different time and culture than I did.
We have the pleasure of hosting a junior college fire academy at our department. This allows me the opportunity to witness the “cream-of-the-crop” and the future of our profession. And what I see makes me worry. Many of the “kids” appear to lack basic life skills: how to clean a toilet; how to press a shirt; how to cook a basic meal or how to follow simple instructions. It is not all their fault. We as a society must take our share of the blame. Our fast food, fast lane, and fast internet world has taken away the need for our youth to learn the skills that it takes to be a good firefighter.
We again fail them in the academy. We have forsaken the must know skills: hoselines, ladder throws, search and rescue and PPE use. As an example I have seen as little as four hours of the fire academy dedicated to SCBA. The students get to don the BA once and maybe do a quick right-hand search, and then they are onto the next topic.
The instructors have spent much more time on topics such as Hazmat, confined space and terrorism. These are all important given the world we live in, but they should not replace the information that the entry level grunt firefighter needs to know. Education should focus on pulling hose, throwing ladders and basic fire behavior--- good basic firemanship. A Firefighter 1 certification should mean more than just being able to recognize a hose or ladder, but the new firefighter must know how to use them, in their sleep!
It is just not the “new kids” that lack the luster and shine of good firemanship, but guys that have been on the job for some time. Just to review a basic tenant of firefighting: Firefighting is inherently dangerous. When did we forget this fact? Fire is hot. There is smoke, dangerous gases, little or no visibility and FIRE. I have been on incidents where we were admonished to avoid going in because it was burning. I ask you if we do not go in to put the fire out then what are we there for? This is where common sense comes into play: We enter the environment knowing that it is dangerous. We are running in, while everyone else is run out, to take actions to make the situation better.
Another example of the loss of Firemanship is demonstrated by a department culture where it is acceptable to sit in the front lawn, surrounded by a pile of water bottles after using your first SCBA bottle rehabbing , all the while the home continues to burn. Firefighting means you are going to get dirty, be hot, tired and just plain get your back side kicked. When did it become ok to abandon your job because you are sweating?
We have also lost the basic knowledge of fire behavior. A neighboring department was working a residential fire, when the radio lit up with anxious traffic reporting an attic fire. They seemed truly surprised that there was fire extension to the attic space. All I could do not to yell at the radio and say “no duh dumb sh**.”
Yes, I have spent a great deal time griping about what is wrong, and I would be remiss if I did not offer any solutions. I am mindful of the old saying admonishing those who live in glass houses not through stones. So I took my 6 foot hook and cleared the glass, sash and all, hopefully letting the stale air out.
First, we cannot change how the next generation is raised. But we can encourage vocational education. It should be ok to take a shop class. People should know how things work and how to fix things and I don’t mean debugging a computer program or how to hard reboot a CPU.
Second, we must not forsake our traditions. Fire has been fought by men and women, crawling down hot, smokey hallways taking a beating to put the fire out. It was dangerous then and remains dangerous now. Let’s not let forget the lessons learned by our predecessors; take the time to teach the New Kid what firemanship is about, what the job is about.
Third, we must continue our professional and personal education. We cannot just learn something and think we know it forever. Our job environment changes too much to remain entrenched in some old technique we learned in drill school. Keep an open mind, but do not forget the basics.
Remember put the wet stuff on the red stuff. We can solve all the fire ground problems by putting the fire out. With no fire, there is no need for a rescue. No exposure problems and no need for the RIC.
As a profession we must return to the basics of our trade: Hot, dirty, hard work that every generation has done before us. Keep yourself educated, in shape and be true to the job. Remember we are the fire service and it is only as good as we make. Do not forget Firemanship, because without it public works could do our job.
Let face facts, this job is not rocket science. Those of average intelligence, with common sense and basic mechanical aptitude can excel in the fire service. Then why have we lost the basic knowledge, skills and abilities to perform our jobs?
It can all fall back upon the lost art of firemanship. Yes I used the “man” version, but firemanship is not about gender, rather it refers to the basic skills that that fire service has used for generations.
As a boy scout I studied the basics of firefighting and earned my “Firemanship” merit badge. We learned about the fire triangle and if we took away a leg of the triangle, the fire would go out. We learned hot air rises and fire always looks for the path of least resistance. I learned these things when I was 12 years old. Why is it that this basic information seems to be foreign to most people entering the fire service today?
Yes that was many years ago, but I still use those simple boyhood lessons every day. Not to generation bash, but the kids these days have grown-up in a much different time and culture than I did.
We have the pleasure of hosting a junior college fire academy at our department. This allows me the opportunity to witness the “cream-of-the-crop” and the future of our profession. And what I see makes me worry. Many of the “kids” appear to lack basic life skills: how to clean a toilet; how to press a shirt; how to cook a basic meal or how to follow simple instructions. It is not all their fault. We as a society must take our share of the blame. Our fast food, fast lane, and fast internet world has taken away the need for our youth to learn the skills that it takes to be a good firefighter.
We again fail them in the academy. We have forsaken the must know skills: hoselines, ladder throws, search and rescue and PPE use. As an example I have seen as little as four hours of the fire academy dedicated to SCBA. The students get to don the BA once and maybe do a quick right-hand search, and then they are onto the next topic.
The instructors have spent much more time on topics such as Hazmat, confined space and terrorism. These are all important given the world we live in, but they should not replace the information that the entry level grunt firefighter needs to know. Education should focus on pulling hose, throwing ladders and basic fire behavior--- good basic firemanship. A Firefighter 1 certification should mean more than just being able to recognize a hose or ladder, but the new firefighter must know how to use them, in their sleep!
It is just not the “new kids” that lack the luster and shine of good firemanship, but guys that have been on the job for some time. Just to review a basic tenant of firefighting: Firefighting is inherently dangerous. When did we forget this fact? Fire is hot. There is smoke, dangerous gases, little or no visibility and FIRE. I have been on incidents where we were admonished to avoid going in because it was burning. I ask you if we do not go in to put the fire out then what are we there for? This is where common sense comes into play: We enter the environment knowing that it is dangerous. We are running in, while everyone else is run out, to take actions to make the situation better.
Another example of the loss of Firemanship is demonstrated by a department culture where it is acceptable to sit in the front lawn, surrounded by a pile of water bottles after using your first SCBA bottle rehabbing , all the while the home continues to burn. Firefighting means you are going to get dirty, be hot, tired and just plain get your back side kicked. When did it become ok to abandon your job because you are sweating?
We have also lost the basic knowledge of fire behavior. A neighboring department was working a residential fire, when the radio lit up with anxious traffic reporting an attic fire. They seemed truly surprised that there was fire extension to the attic space. All I could do not to yell at the radio and say “no duh dumb sh**.”
Yes, I have spent a great deal time griping about what is wrong, and I would be remiss if I did not offer any solutions. I am mindful of the old saying admonishing those who live in glass houses not through stones. So I took my 6 foot hook and cleared the glass, sash and all, hopefully letting the stale air out.
First, we cannot change how the next generation is raised. But we can encourage vocational education. It should be ok to take a shop class. People should know how things work and how to fix things and I don’t mean debugging a computer program or how to hard reboot a CPU.
Second, we must not forsake our traditions. Fire has been fought by men and women, crawling down hot, smokey hallways taking a beating to put the fire out. It was dangerous then and remains dangerous now. Let’s not let forget the lessons learned by our predecessors; take the time to teach the New Kid what firemanship is about, what the job is about.
Third, we must continue our professional and personal education. We cannot just learn something and think we know it forever. Our job environment changes too much to remain entrenched in some old technique we learned in drill school. Keep an open mind, but do not forget the basics.
Remember put the wet stuff on the red stuff. We can solve all the fire ground problems by putting the fire out. With no fire, there is no need for a rescue. No exposure problems and no need for the RIC.
As a profession we must return to the basics of our trade: Hot, dirty, hard work that every generation has done before us. Keep yourself educated, in shape and be true to the job. Remember we are the fire service and it is only as good as we make. Do not forget Firemanship, because without it public works could do our job.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
One Year Later
As I was surfing the net---looking at my own Blog, reading the poem "Reasons" I realized that it has been a year and a day that we lost two brothers from the Contra Costa County FPD in the line of duty.
The report is out and it may be accessed form this link;
http://www.cccfpd.org/press/documents/MICHELE%20LODD%20REPORT%207.17.08.pdf
Rest In Peace Brothers
The report is out and it may be accessed form this link;
http://www.cccfpd.org/press/documents/MICHELE%20LODD%20REPORT%207.17.08.pdf
Rest In Peace Brothers
True Brotherhood
I spent my vacation camping, well sort of, if call climbing up and down mountains with a bunch of firemen camping or a vacation. As fate would have it, I actually took sometime off from work. We (the family) had made some plans to travel to Humboldt County for a camping trip, but that was soon awash in the fallout from sky high gas prices, but I took the time off just the same with plans for some short day trips with the fam. But a freak dry lightening event on June 20-21changed all of those plans. In the wake of the storm northern California was burning with nearly 1500 wildland fires.
Needless to say we were soon out the door to fight mother nature. The irony of it all was that we were dispatched to Humboldt County.
Well to get to the point of the title I became ill-- vomiting and unable to perform--food poisoning I thought. As I sat on a hillside, my brother firemen sat next to me looking out for my well being. It took great fortitude to sit and listen and watch me empty my stomach multiple times, but they never left my side. Instead the took my gear from me and walked with me back up the hill. They were my true brothers and I thank them for looking out for me.
Needless to say we were soon out the door to fight mother nature. The irony of it all was that we were dispatched to Humboldt County.
Well to get to the point of the title I became ill-- vomiting and unable to perform--food poisoning I thought. As I sat on a hillside, my brother firemen sat next to me looking out for my well being. It took great fortitude to sit and listen and watch me empty my stomach multiple times, but they never left my side. Instead the took my gear from me and walked with me back up the hill. They were my true brothers and I thank them for looking out for me.
Big Plans; Small results
Though I started this blog with the best intentions I have not been a a "good" blogger. So to my audience I apologize.
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