(fireengineering.com)

By John F. “Skip” Coleman, Technical Editor

From when I was a student in the State of Ohio Fire Service Instructor class, I remember one important point 28 years later: “Seventy-five percent of what you learn is forgotten if it isn’t reinforced (practiced) within two weeks.” This is particularly true of manipulative or tactile skills or evolutions.

Now, to be fair, some skills are pretty simple. I remember learning in drill school how to throw a roof ladder by myself. However, we have been taught other, more “life-saving” manipulative tasks such as the ladder bail. Not only must you reinforce the skill, you have to practice it often.

I predict an upswing in the number of firefighters with broken necks and backs from falling off ladders doing the ladder bail in a real-life situation simply because they “forgot” exactly how to perform the maneuver. There has been documented evidence of this already.

This month’s Roundtable question is, Do you continually (on some repeating schedule) train on activating your PASS device, or do you train to wait the 45 seconds till it self-activates? Do you practice on it in a blacked-out face piece and with gloves on?

PHOTO OF THE DAY: In April, the Uniondale (NY) Fire Department responded to the report of a heavy fire condition in a new luxury apartment complex under construction. Fed by a veritable lumberyard of wood-frame and truss beams, the fire quickly spiraled out of control. Tower ladders were immediately set up and a defensive attack was initiated, as the collapse potential was extremely high. At least 15 units were totally destroyed. See more of these photos at http://www.fireengineering.com/photo-of-the-day.html. (Photo by Lou Minutoli.) Send your Photo of the Day submissions to Peter Prochilo ([email protected]).

WEBCASTS

Join us for monthly Webcasts featuring the best of Fire Engineering authors and FDIC speakers. On June 22, Robert Raheb presents “Roadway Command and Intersection Analysis.” On July 19, Deputy Chief Rudy Horist, McHenry Township (IL) Fire Protection District, presents “Officer Development Programs: Making a Difference for the Future.” Webcasts are free, but you must register!

FIRE LIFE

Are you looking to spend more time with your kids and impart important fire safety messages? Go to www.firelife.com and read about Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog and Firefighter Dan, two columns that entertain AND teach.

FEATURED ARTICLES

Christopher B. Carver, supervising dispatcher/training coordinator with the Fire Department of New York, writes in “Fire Department Storm-Response Management: “Over the past year, fire departments across the United States have responded to such large-scale disasters as tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and blizzards that are often perceived to be once-in-a-lifetime tests of local response capabilities. These types of incidents, although devastating in scale and scope, may become even more frequent challenges to emergency response agencies as severe weather phenomena increase in frequency.” (http://bit.ly/IiMEVv)

Division Chief Edward Hadfield writes in “Crossfit 4 Fire: Forging the Craft of Firefighter Fitness”: “The United States fire service is facing an epidemic of such grand proportions it will haunt us for years to come. The enemy has subtly entered into the fire service in a stealthy fashion without making as much as a single sound. It is prolific in its attack on our personnel and has spread its veil of darkness from one side of the country to the other. If we don’t join together in arms now, many will die.” ( http://bit.ly/JIUjfS)

Eddie Buchanan, past president of the International Society of Fire Service Instructors, writes in “New School Fire Research and Old School Tactics: Who Do You Believe?”: “I recently spent a weekend in a big city. One of the highlights was walking into the local fire department during an alarm activation. Their arrival was quite impressive: one minute hearing distant sirens and the next standing in the middle of fire apparatus and an army of firefighters. We should all be so lucky when it comes to staffing.” (http://bit.ly/KmtYD5)

Mark Waters, a lieutenant in the New London (CT) Fire Department, writes in “Everyday Calls Involving Oil-Fired Furnaces”: “Everyday calls are plentiful; handling them safely often requires a strong background and experience in each particular type of incident.” (http://bit.ly/Kq4HbJ)

COMMUNITY MEMBER OF THE MONTH

Name: Erwin Iyas. Department: Loyola Heights Fire Rescue, Manila, Philippines. Title/rank: fire marshal. Years of public service: 5. Agency structure: volunteer department. Top issues in your department: gathering more information about fire safety, hazmat. Areas of expertise: engine operations.