Mike Perrone's Christmas Present to You...

Mike Perrone is back with another video... just in time for Christmas! Watch it, learn from it and go try it out on your next run!

Slowing down and speeding up...

Been a little crazy around here lately. The blog has taken a back seat to my wife and I having our first baby and I have been given the opportunity to do some work over at the Fire Service Warriror. Thanks to everyone that has checked out the blog, sent me emails or text messages and even a few old fashioned phone calls! If you get the chance to check out Fire Service Warrior, I would suggest you take it. There is a ton of good information on the site and not just about training stuff. Anybody interested in learning more could also check into the Fire Service Warrior Fundamentals Seminar that is going to take place in the Chicago area on March 24th and 25th. Also, if anybody is going to FDIC in April and wants to meet up, let me know! I'll be there for most of the week as well as many of the other FSW team, so come join us if you can! In the mean time stay safe and keep training!

Farewell to Firefighter Don Beckett

Yesterday, Monday October 24th, 2011, the City of Kent Fire Department laid to rest Firefighter Don Beckett. Don had over twenty years on the fire department and was well known for his compassion and empathy during medical runs. He fought for nearly a year with cancer, but unfortunately lost that battle this past Wednesday. He was surrounded by friends and family right to the end. He will be missed. Although gone, he will be remembered in our thoughts and our hearts forever. His fight has been deemed in the line of duty by the State of Ohio... as it should be. Thank you to everyone that showed so much love and support to Don and his family during the last year.

SCBA fun...

Next time you are looking to change up what is usually considered a boring and mundane drill... try this. Its called the "SCBA Scramble".

Instead of the usual timed donning and doffing/fire academy style SCBA drill, the "Scramble" involves several airpacks disassembled and on the floor with PASS alarms going off. Have the members crawl into the pile and sort out their own pack frame and air bottle. They should do it in "zero viz" and with gloves on. You can increase the level of difficulty by adding extra SCBA to the pile (more SCBAs than participants), disconnecting mask mounted regulators, and even throwing the facepieces in to mix. The drill is great at reinforcing some basic skills including: Hand/eye coordination, Muscle memory, Communication, Staying calm and working through a frustrating problem, and of course... knowing your SCBA inside and out. Let members make mistakes and allow others to witness it happening. In the end go over what happened (in a positive way!) and how to do it better next time. ABT...Always Be Training!

Cancer Sucks.

This posting is from someone named David Haas that contacted me about getting some more information about cancer out to the masses (still not sure how my blog will do that!) and considering that I have had family, friends and co-workers affected by cancer, I just figured it was appropriate. Thank you to David(and everyone else) for visiting the site and good luck to you and your research... Here it is:


Physical Fitness: Preparing For The Battle With Cancer

Associating the words “healthy body” with “cancer” can seem like an oxymoron. Cancer is an ugly beast; nothing healthy about it, and fighting cancer is usually an uphill battle. Yet, maintaining a physically fit and healthy body --before and during cancer -- is great battle preparation. Moderate exercise helps patients cope not only with the enemy that is cancer, but also with the side effects of the aggressive cancer treatments.

Inappropriate exercise can do more harm than good, so cancer patients should never start a physical fitness program without their doctor’s knowledge and consent. But research shows that, for most patients, exercise is safe and effective for combating fatigue, muscle weakness, depression, and lack of sleep. This goes for patients with prostate or breast cancers, skin or bone malignancies, and even more serious illnesses like pancreatic cancer and mesothelioma.

The Cancer-Fighting Benefits

According to reports on the Australian government’s Better Health Channel, exercise has a number of cancer-fighting benefits. First, it boosts the body's immune system and encourages white blood cell production, which helps defend against disease. Second, it reduces cancer recovery time, including time spent in the hospital. Third, exercise even improves cancer survival rates in some cases.

The Cancer Treatment Benefits

In addition to fighting cancer, exercise helps cancer patients better cope with their treatment. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and other treatment methods typically cause fatigue and depression. Exercise reduces fatigue, increases energy, and improves mood. It also improves a number of body functions, including those associated with the heart, lungs, and digestion. And exercise increases the appetite and encourages sleep, something all cancer patients welcome.

The Best Exercise Choices

Some exercises are more appropriate than others for people with cancer. Most patients can enjoy almost any form of moderate exercise, from walking and swimming, to yoga and dancing. Others can only manage gentle movements and stretching. Exercise may be impossible for some, such as those undergoing mesothelioma treatment, whom may be unable to breathe without the use of machines.

Cancer patients should always turn to the guidance of medical professionals before embarking on any exercise regimen. Family doctors, oncologists, occupational therapists, and cancer support personnel can recommend the best exercise for their patients. Short walks are generally a good place to start, before progressing to a full-fledged fitness program.

By: David Haas

http://haasblaag.blogspot.com/
http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/

Red Rocks Stair Climb

When 3000 people show up to climb 110 flights worth of stairs to honor those lost on September 11th, 2001... Well, you just know its gonna be a good day! A humbling event and I'm honored to have been a participant in it.

10th Anniversary

Just wanted to drop in a quick post to remember those fallen brothers of the New York City Fire Department. Please take a moment to think about those that were lost and keep their spirit alive. Thank you.

Write up on search...

Recently I was humbled (been happening a lot lately) when I spoke with a fireman from Colorado named Brian Brush. We got to talking shop and before I knew it I was in the middle of a series of articles he's been working on for the Fire Service Warrior website. I'm still not quite sure how I weaseled my way into it, but last week I had an article posted up about search. It is called "Search: Practicalities or Problems?" Hopefully some people will check it out and let me know what they think. I got a few nice comments and it really made my day to know that there are others out there doing or thinking the same thing I am. The guys at FSW are really doing a great job of breaking this job down and diving deeper into the mindset of what we do and why we do it. Please check 'em out! A big thank you to Brian Brush and Chris Brennan for giving me the opportunity to contribute!

Riding for 9/11

On August 30th, that's this coming Wednesday, the City of Kent will be welcoming firefighters from California as they ride across the country to honor the victims of 9/11. They will also be raising money for two great causes- The Leary Firefighters Foundation and the Wounded Warriors Project. They are riding bicycles from LA to NYC and have already been on the road for a month! One of the riders is a graduate of Kent Roosevelt and currently a Captain with the Fullerton Fire Department! They will be rolling into Kent around 4pm on the 30th, so if you are in the area, drop on by! Please stop by to donate to the cause or just to say hello and show your support. They will be coming in from the West on S.R.59 and then left into downtown on S.Water St. to the Home Savings Plaza. Hoping to see a lot of people out and showing that they have not forgotten!

Thank You

Just wanted to give a shout out to some of the guys that participated in the recent drills at a vacant dorm at Kent State University. Great effort in hot weather by all! From Left to Right: Jeff Coffee, Todd Gavriloff, me(the little guy!), Lt.Bill Myers, Tony West, Vince Yost, Jason Peters and Brock Murphy.

Training with Mantua-Shalersville

The last several weeks, Ive been lucky to spend my Thursday evenings with a bunch of great people from the Mantua-Shalersville Fire Department. They bring their own rig and equipment and drive 30 minutes down to get here... in the heat... in the humidity...sometimes missing dinner(4-8pm)... and they have worked their butts off! Hats off to them for making an effort and going at it with a great attitude! Thanks to them for lifting my spirits with their hard work! ...and as a side note, the tiny girl in the picture above can seriously work circles around most guys I know... She has a never give up attitude. Just sayin'...

When Men Were Men.

My union was fortunate enough to "pick up" an original truck that belonged to The City many years ago. The truck is a 1938 LaFrance and still has the original wooden ladders on it! The 50' actually has a hand crank to get the fly sections up! Without going off on a long rant... What kind of person did it take to do the job back then? Where are those people today? What happened to all the "men" in this profession? Anyone else think we have been on the road to a more pansified fire service recently? Is Pansy Road a one way, or can we turn around and make it back?

Good Week...

...Reduced profile through a hole, onto a down hill ramp, then a cramped half landing into a set of stairs with entanglement... Great start to the week! Vacant building on campus with our own take on the "obstacle course"... This was just the second obstacle of 12. Good job by everyone!

Look Ma'...No Hands!

Really I just thought this picture was funny... Thanks Brock... This was a shot from this weeks drill on the 2 1/2" hoseline. We've been training just about everyday on different stuff... some new and some old... for the most part it has been great. I have personally learned quite a bit, even though Im supposed to be the one "teaching"... Lots of guys from different departments with a wide range of experience and time on the job has really been a great thing for a younger guy like myself. Thanks to all those that have been coming out the last couple of weeks and "playing" with us! Next week is our big self survival/RIT day... looking forward to getting beat up a little bit!

Training in vacant dorm.

This is a video shot by reporter Matt Fredmonsky from the Kent Patch. He filmed a few of the guys going through a search & rescue drill. We had a wide range of experience among those participating, as well as members from other departments that joined us.
The scenario was that an engine company of 4 responds to an "odor of smoke" at 1:30am and when they get on scene, there is heavy smoke and fire coming out the second floor soffits. Behind the eight ball with no additional help initially called, 2 guys stretch a line, officer does his 360, and the chauffeur is getting water...then there is a loud crashing sound from inside. Just as the officer gets back to the "A-side" front door, one of the firemen comes running out and says there was a collapse and he was cut off from his partner on the nozzle. He could hear him yelling for help and that his ankles were broke. Now with only 3 guys on scene and no help for atleast another 7-8 minutes(you have been on scene for 3 minutes).... What do you do? You are not "RIT equipped", just a basic engine company with no special RIT pack or air supply.



...and yes I have a nasally girl voice... and a sinus infection.... so what!!!

Oriented Search?

Do you practice the "oriented search"? If so, do you stay in the hallway or go into the room? Shut the door or leave it open? How do you communicate with the searching fireman? Tapping a tool? Constant verbal cues? A single verbal cue every 10 seconds or so?

Here are some things to ponder... If you are tapping a tool and constantly talking and asking questions or shouting out "door", are you going to miss radio traffic or miss something that another fireman is shouting out from elsewhere on the floor? Communication is great, but sometimes too much is just downright confusing.

Closing the door seems like a no brainer to most guys, right? But do we understand the science behind it? Are you familiar with the term "flowpath" and "ventilation induced flashover"?

Is there a thermal imager in the mix? If so, who has it?... the oriented guy at the door, or the one doing the search?

Just some food for thought after finishing up a week of drilling in a vacant at the university... Stay safe everyone!

Smooth and Steady...

Trust me... just stick it out past the first 30 seconds or so...

Angle Iron? Not a Problem!

FDNY's Mike Perrone is back with another Firehouse Innovations training tip. This time Mike walks us through some angle iron issues... Not alot of this in my area, but it sure is nice knowing the technique ahead of time so you dont have any issues should this ever come up. 175 Truck represent!

A. B. T.

ALWAYS BE TRAINING.

How's it goin'?

Been busy here... I'll be trying to get some new stuff up soon. Until then... here's some stuff thats been going on here...

Firefighter with cancer needs your help.

The Kent FireFighters Association has been given an opportunity to help one of their own. On May 13th we will be hosting a reverse raffle to raise funds for the Don Beckett Be Well Fund. Please allow us to share Don's story with you and to assist us in helping him with his battle.

Esophageal cancer affects roughly 14,250 people annually within the United States. Each year 14,000 of those diagnosed with this cancer lose their battle. Esophageal cancer forms in the tissues that line the esophagus or the hollow tube that runs from your throat to your stomach. Historically, esophageal cancer has a very dismal prognosis. An overall survival rate is typically 2-5 years. Fighting this type of cancer is financially overwhelming as numerous treatments, tests and medications are needed.

The City of Kent has been hit with the devastating news that one of their firefighters, Don Beckett, has been diagnosed with this type of cancer. Don has been a loving and devoted husband to his wife Heidi for the last 29 years. He is also a proud and supportive father of their two children, Christy and Ryan. Don has loyally served his community as a firefighter and paramedic for over 22 years. During his career, Don has become highly respected for his professionalism and caring touch when dealing with patients on their worst days. When I think of Don as a paramedic, I see him gently holding the hand of a scared patient and easily comforting their fears by giving them calm reassurance. We have witnessed this too many times to count! Now it is our turn to help Don in his time of need.

Don was first diagnosed with esophageal cancer on December 15, 2010. It wasn't five days later, when we learned the cancer had already spread to his lymph nodes. On January 7, 2011, Don underwent his first chemotherapy session and only one month later, he received the devastating news that his cancer was inoperable. As you can see, even with his health insurance this is financially crippling with costs of medications, daily trips to the Cleveland Clinic and numerous other doctor and hospital visits. Don has been fighting to keep his white blood cell count at a respectable level. Your white blood cells are the cells that help fight off infections. Due to his counts being so low, the probability of him getting an infection is high. At this time he is unable to do the job he truly loves and has been so loyal at- serving his community in time of need.

We hope you are deeply touched by this tremendously brave firefighter and help him in his time of need. Can we count on your help? No donation to the Don Beckett Be Well Fund will go unnoticed, as we will showcse the support our community has given. Our event will include a silent auction and raffle prizes will be awarded throughout the night. We appreciate any and all donations as we continue to help lift the financial burdens off the shoulders of this courageous family as they focus on caring for Don.

Any questions may be directed to Firefighter Brock Murphy, (330)348-5646 or email brocmurphy@gmail.com You can also contact the donation committee chair, Paula Baughman, at (330)697-8892. Again, we appreciate your support.

Andy, We Are Still Listening! Preach On Brother!

"Even with a heavy fire condition on the first floor at the front of this house, the initial attack handline is being readied for its advance through the front door and not from the "unburned" side as recommended in many texts on firefighting tactics. The front door leads directly to the interior stairs, and protecting the integrity of these stairs is vital to the life safety of anyone trapped above the fire AND the firefighters searching to find them. The front door is also the easiest entrance to reach, and a shorter hose stretch is involved. This means faster water on the fire. If a straight or solid stream is used and the volume of flow is adequate, the fire will be quickly knocked down with little danger of "pushing" fire into uninvolved areas."

The quote above was taken from an article that the late, great Andy Frederick's wrote in the April,1998 issue of Fire Engineering magazine titled "Observations on the Engine Company". Most of us never got the chance to meet Andy or speak with him on fire service topics. We never got the chance to pour him a cup of coffee in the hopes of gaining some insight into the job while sitting around the kitchen table. You see, Andy, like so many others, was taken from us on September 11, 2001. However, his writings and teachings live on. You just have to look and find them.

One way is to look into events like Andy Frederick's Training Days. This 3 day event is held in Alexandria, Virginia and is a fantastic opportunity to learn from and speak to some of the best in the business! The group of people that host and put this together are top notch and real examples of the "brotherhood" we always talk about.


Train every day and never forget those that laid the foundation of the road we travel.

Tell us how you really feel, Capt.!

FDIC 2011 Speech by Capt. Bill Gustin of the Miami-Dade Fire Department. Thank God someone finally said this stuff on the "world stage" for all to hear! Too many great things said here... Like I really needed to get fired up right before I go back to work after a Kelly Day! Ha! Thank you Capt. Gustin!

Here's to the "One Percent"

FDIC was this week... to all those that made it there, I'm jealous... Here is Captain Mike Dugan giving his keynote speech.

Doom, Gloom and Scare Tactics

While many people are concerned over the fight to take away and/or reduce our collective bargaining rights, contracts, salaries and benefits these days (and rightfully so!), we should also be at least a little concerned with how we're going to stay in the fight on another level...

Above props built with items from dumpster

No matter what happens, we must still be able to do the job... People will still be counting on us regardless of pay or insurance costs...

Above items free from locksmith and construction site

There will still be emergencies of every type... There will still be folks who call us out in the middle of the night for a boo-boo and a band-aid...

Materials paid for by our firemen, not our city

There will be recessions and lay-offs... Zero percents and increased out of pockets...

Above built with a little labor&love

...and there will be fires. And there will be people trapped. And we will still be the ONLY ONES COMING FOR THEM. Please dont forget that we are here for those people. Please dont forget that we are here for each other.

3rd Due... Better than nothing!

We had several fires the last week or so... only problem was that none of them were in our first due area! Bummer! Thats OK. Nice to see some of the boys get a little work and gives me time to take a couple photos. The house pictured above was going pretty good when the first due engine got there, and they had it completely out( I think I saw one ember float by...) by the time we got there. Nice job fellas! Snow, ice and freezing temperatures are just about done with around here... finally. Looking forward to some good ol'fashion college "spring cleaning" coming up... AKA, lots of fires after dark! Come on Freshmen, dont let me down!

Halligan Bar...

Rescue 3 thinks it's important... Do you?

FDNY Academy Memorial

I just got back from a recent trip to New Jersey and New York. ...Got to attend a great class put on by folks in NJ to raise money for FF Jason Fazio of the Asbury Park FD... There were around 500 people in attendance! Awesome. I followed that up with a visit to an old friend in NY. I was given the red carpet treatment and taken all over the city to different firehouses and met a bunch of great guys... more on that next time...

Today, I just wanted to share this photo from their fire academy on Randalls Island. Its at the end of the hallway when you walk in. Cant miss it! The whole place is filled with memorials, pictures and plaques reminding us of the sacrifices of the men that came before us. Lets not forget these in the hustle and bustle of our daily routine.

343 Brothers Gone But Never Forgotten.

Captain Terry Hatton

Please take the time to look up some information about this man. Never forget. Seriously.

Brothers Helping Brothers in New Jersey

The following class/seminar is being put on to help out a fireman in New Jersey... Please read it and pass it on to others. I'll be going, so if any one from Ohio wants to carpool, get a hold of me(email- ohiofire1@gmail.com). Probably leave Friday afternoon, get a hotel and then drive straight back after the class Saturday night... Possible side trip to NYC for a days worth of "buffing" and visiting some friends Sunday? at FDNY.

Brothers Helping Brothers
FF Jason Fazio
of the Asbury Park Fire Department Local 384

Firefighter Jason Fazio remains in critical condition at St. Barnabas Burn Center after sustaining injuries on January 10, 2011 at a three-alarm blaze on Main Street. FF Fazio, a 17-year veteran of the Department, was performing a search for victims when he was caught in a flashover that forced him to save himself by jumping out of a second floor window. His injuries include fractures and burns as a result of the incident.


Benefit Training Seminar
Fireground Operations
Saturday, February 12, 2011 • 0900 to 1600 hrs
(Doors Open at 0800)
Anacon Hall - Monmouth University
400 Cedar Ave - West Long Branch, NJ 07764
Hosted by West Long Branch Fire Dept. in Coordination with Asbury Park Professional Firefighters Local 384

-Primary Search in Small & Large Square Footage Private Dwellings
City of Camden, Captain Brian Emenecker - Squad Co.7

-Incident Scene Management for Private Dwelling Fires
City of Trenton, Fire Director Leonard Carmichael

-Forcible Entry Tips and Tricks for Commercial Building Fires
City-Wide Tour Commander, Newark Deputy Chief John Riker

-Fire Spread & Collapse Concerns for Taxpayer, Strip Mall & Store Fires
City-Wide Tour Commander, Jersey City Deputy Chief Mike Terpak

Registration Information
Individual……………...........$50.00
Group (10 or More)………...$40.00

Mail Registration and Payment to:
Borough Chemical & Truck Co. #1
P.O. Box 85
West Long Branch, NJ 07764
Attn: Seminar Registration

Make Checks Payable to: Borough Chemical & Truck Co. # 1

Registration Includes:
Refreshments, Lunch, Handout Materials & Certificate of Completion

For More Information:
Rich Cooper
Cell: (732) 496-1427
E-Mail: truckefire@aol.com
Borough Chemical & Truck Co. # 1


Link to FireEngineering post/article