When firefighters practice the operations they may not encounter at every incident, they help maintaining the sharp edge that makes for a superior engine company, David DeStefano writes.
As communities move from semi-rural suburbia to urban, firefighters may experience not only an increased volume of incidents, but a widening variety of problems to mitigate, Dave DeStefano writes.
David Destefano suggests that firefighters put together an easy-to-carry "bag of tricks" that contains critical small tools and gear that you can't carry with you otherwise.
Even as firefighters plan for the large-impact incidents that happen only sporadically, they must remember to plan for the hazards we face on the job each day that may be just as dangerous on a smaller scale, Dave DeStefano writes.
Prepositioning equipment in large structures in your response district can help your firefighters operate more efficiently and safely during emergency incidents at these locations.
By virtue of the Mayday being a high-impact fireground incident, firefighters must make Mayday transmittal and response our sharpest fireground evolution, David DeStefano writes.
Preassigning tools and equipment for responses to typical occupancies in your district will ensure that firefighters don’t enter a building empty handed, David DeStefano writes.
Depending on the fireground situation, firefighters may need to control doors in either the open or closed position to facilitate firefighting operations. David DeStefano shares some tips for controlling doors.