All Entries Tagged With: "thecompanyofficer.com"
Deployment Decisions: Defining Operations on the First-Due
First-due company operations are influenced by a number of parameters and factors; some deliberate and dictated, others prescribed and prearranged and yet others subjective, biased, predisposed or at times accidental, casual and emotional. For many of you riding the seat or arriving assuming command; you understand the connotations and implications I’m making here. Here’s an […]
Remembrance: Waldbaum’s Supermarket Fire and Collapse FDNY 1978 – 2011
The Waldbaum’s Supermarket Fire and Collapse FDNY 1978 – 2011 The Waldbaum Super market fire, Brooklyn, New York occurred on August 2, 1978. Six firefighters died in the line of duty when the roof of a burning Brooklyn supermarket collapsed, plunging 12 firefighters into the flames. The fire began in a hallway near the compressor […]
Near-Miss Report of the Week
As an officer, you need to stay abreast of operational issues and situations in order to be knowledgeable and conversant with the variables that may affect company deployments and subsequent operations. The National Fire Fighter Near Miss Reporting System (FFNMRS) has a vast collection of resources that are a few keystrokes and links away. One […]
National Firefighter Near-Miss Reporting System; Untapped Resource
Have you heard about the National Firefighter Near-Miss Reporting System (NMRS)? Have you used the NMRS Reports, or submitted a near miss event? Did you know there is a wealth of resources available on the NMRS web site or that there is a Report of the week that is published weekly? If not, this is […]
188 Days of Opportunity to make a Difference: Surviving the Fire Ground
During this week, there were on average, over 8,600 structure fires in the United States. According to NFPA statistics the following occur on average in the U.S; A fire department responded to a fire every 23 seconds. One structure fire was reported every 66 seconds. One home structure fire was reported every 87 seconds One […]
Fire Behavior 101; Taking it to the Streets
Fire Behavior Fire Dynamics Fire Dynamics is the study of how chemistry, fire science, material science and the mechanical engineering disciplines of fluid mechanics and heat transfer interact to influence fire behavior. In other words, Fire Dynamics is the study of how fires start, spread and develop. But what exactly is a fire? Defining Fire […]
Albuquerque Fire Department; Learnings from Close Call Collapse and Fire Fighter Injuries
The Albuquerque Fire Department seeks to improve operations from past performance Four firefighters with the Albuquerque (NM) Fire Department were injured during operations at a three-alarm fire that injured raged through the Royal Crown Apartment Complex in southeast Albuquerque on Friday February 4, 2011. The injured firefighters were among four who fell through the floor […]
USFA Releases Restaurant Building Fires Report
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) United States Fire Administration (USFA) has issued a special report examining the characteristics of restaurant building fires. The report, Restaurant Building Fires, was developed by USFA’s National Fire Data Center and is based on 2007 to 2009 data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). Restaurant Building Fires […]
Eleven Minutes to Mayday; What You Need to Know
The Colerain Township (OH) Fire and EMS Department under the leadership of Director and Chief G. Bruce Smith released its final report Investigation Analysis of the Squirrels nest Lane Firefighter Line of Duty Deaths related to the April 4, 2008 Double Line of Duty Death of a Captain and Firefighter in April 2010 coinciding with […]
The ISFSI, George D. Post Fire Instructor of the Year Award 2011
ISFSI – The Voice: Live from FDIC 2011: Brian Kazmierzak, Fire Instructor of the Year Brian Kazmierzak, ISFSI/Fire Engineering George D Post Instructor of the Year, talks about local training as well as his involvement in firefighterclosecalls.com. HERE Brian P. Kazmierzak, EFO – has been a member of the fire service since […]
Provisional 2010 Firefighter LODD Fatality Statistics
Provisional 2010 Firefighter Fatality Statistics The United States Fire Administration (USFA) recently released the Provisional 2010 Firefighter Fatality Statistics. According to the report there were 85 onduty firefighter fatalities in the United States as a result of incidents that occurred in 2010, a 6 percent decrease from the 90 fatalities reported for 2009. The 85 […]
Two volunteer firefighters die battling blaze in Southwest Ontario, Canada
Two volunteer firefighters were killed in the line of duty in southwestern Ontario, Canada on Thursday while battling a commercial department-store fire in Listowel, Ont., which is 160 kilometres east of Toronto, Ontario Perth OPP were called at 15:30 hours ET, to help the volunteer fire department deal with the structure fire. Published reports […]
Engineered Floor I-Joists and Firefigher Safety: Basic Insights
The following videos provide some Basic insights on Engineered Floor I-Joists and Firefigher Safety. The first two video reports are a few years old, but provide some good visual and narrative insights into the current building construction trends, operational limitations and fireground tactical safety considerations. Take the time to review these video clips and gain […]
Thousands Honor Fallen LAFD Firefighter Glenn Allen
Firefighters gather to honor fallen colleague, Glenn Allen, HERE Glenn L. Allen was a Firefighter/Paramedic for over 36 years and last served at Fire Station 97. He is the 61st Los Angeles Firefighter to have died while directly involved in emergency operations during the Department’s 125-year history. The cause of the February 16th fire remains […]
One Meridian Plaza High Rise Fire: Twenty Years Ago
Fire Operations One Meridian Plaza On what began as an uneventful Saturday night twenty years ago, a fire on the 22nd floor of the 38-story Meridian Bank Building, also known as One Meridian Plaza, was reported to the Philadelphia Fire Department on February 23, 1991 at approximately 2040 hours and went on to burned for […]
