Firehouse Magazine

In This Issue: May 2012

Cover photo by Keith D. Cullom/www.fire-image.com

On the Cover: Three people were saved in a horrific wreck in Santa Barbara County, CA, on Jan. 12, 2012. Firefighters worked to remove the people from the crushed vehicle hanging off the highway in an extensive and difficult extrication.

Dedication

This month’s Firehouse® is dedicated to Chief David M. Flint, 49, of the Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Department in Edinboro, PA; Firefighter Zachary Whitacre, 21, of Gore, VA, Volunteer Fire & Rescue; Firefighter Jeremy Tighe, 18, of the McCutchanville Fire Department in Evansville, IN; Firefighter/EMT Matt Waller, 47, of the Memphis, TX, Fire Department; and Firefighter/EMT Gerald “Jerry” R. Wetherell, 74, of the Denton Township Fire Department in Prudenville, MI, who died in the line of duty, February 2012.

FIRE CHIEF MARC S. BASHOOR Prince George’s County, MD, Fire/EMS Department

by Harvey Eisner
Created: May 1, 2012

MARC S. BASHOOR rejoined the Prince George’s County, MD, Fire/Emergency Medical Services Department (PGFD) in December 2010, when he was selected by County Executive Rushern Baker as the 11th...
The Apparatus Architect

by Tom Shand and Michael Wilbur
Created: May 1, 2012

There have been many stories over the past few years regarding attempts by fire departments to replace aging vehicles only to be told by higher authorities “there’s no money in the budget for...
WORST-CASE SCENARIO

by Keith Cullom
Created: May 1, 2012

Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012, began as just another day at the office, other than a Safety Officer’s Training Class, for members of the Santa Barbara County, CA, Fire Department, but would result with...
On The Job California: Three-Day Fire Destroys Watsonville Cold-Storage Building

by Jay K. Bradish
Created: May 1, 2012

A fire that started on Wednesday, April 20, 2011, and burned for three days destroyed a cold-storage building in Watsonville, CA. Extensive mutual aid was used during the operations. Damage was...
20 Tough Questions For the Fire Chief: Are You Prepared To Answer Them?

by Dr. Richard Gasaway
Created: May 1, 2012

Before answering this question, it may be beneficial to work with your city administrator and elected officials to determine which performance benchmarks are important to them. As the chief fire...

A Line-of-Duty Death Saved My Life

by William Goldfeder
Created: May 1, 2012

On Sept. 25, 2011, Lieutenant Keith Rankin, 38, of the Lancaster Township Fire Department in Lancaster County, PA, suffered a fatal cardiac emergency while participating in a live-burn exercise at the...
Better Data Can Result in Better Policy and Operational Decisions

by Dennis Compton
Created: May 1, 2012

It’s been interesting to read about the recent publicity major fire departments from the East Coast to the West Coast have been receiving concerning the reliability of their response data. There...
Seatbelt Laws For Emergency Vehicles

by Steve Blackistone
Created: May 1, 2012

We’re constantly seeing reminders around the station and in the fire service media about the importance of properly wearing safety belts whenever riding any apparatus that is in motion. The National...
How to Manage A Public-Perception Crisis:

by Kimberly Alyn
Created: May 1, 2012

Last year, public outrage ensued after firefighters and police officers stood on a beach in California and watched a man drown because budget cuts prevented the department from recertifying the...
Responding to Emergencies Involving Bariatric Patients

by Gary Ludwig
Created: May 1, 2012

It must be a sign of the times. More and more fire departments are implementing bariatric ambulances to accommodate the ever-increasing number of morbidly obese patients. According to the U.S...
University of Extrication: Thermal Events – Part 2

by Ron Moore
Created: May 1, 2012

SUBJECT: High-Voltage Lithium-Ion Vehicle Batteries TOPIC: Thermal Events OBJECTIVE: Upon the conclusion of this series, the fire service responder will have a better understanding of the...
Thermal Imaging For the Fire Instructor

by Brad Harvey
Created: May 1, 2012

The job of a fire instructor is often a thankless one. Juggling the various standards of minimum skills assessments while attempting to provide relevant, in-depth training spanning the gamut of...
The Thermal Stability of Your Structural Turnout Ensemble

by Paul Dacey
Created: May 1, 2012

Thermal stability of structural turnout gear’s component materials is an important factor when selecting new gear. In general, thermal stability describes a material’s ability to remain...
Riding the Right-Front Seat: Can I Stop This Fire?

by Dr. Harry Carter
Created: May 1, 2012

Here’s a question for you, the initial incident commander: “What resources do I have to attack and extinguish this fire?” After you answer that question, here’s another one: “Can they get...
Putting the Search Team Ahead of the Hoseline

by John J. Salka, Jr.
Created: May 1, 2012

We’ve all been to structure fires and we all also know that there are a lot of jobs that must be conducted to get a handle on a burning building. Of course, we need water supply, we need forcible...
NMR and MRI Medical Scanners: Surviving the "Invisible Force"

by Robert Burke
Created: May 1, 2012

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a test that uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to make pictures of organs and structures inside the body. MRI and nuclear magnetic resonance...
Can't They Let Them Rest in Peace?

by Harvey Eisner
Created: May 1, 2012

Two firefighters were killed and several others were injured following a wall collapse after a five-alarm fire in Philadelphia, PA, last month. Fire Politics Contributing Editor and retired Fire Chief...

New Products 5/12

by Firehouse Staff
Created: May 1, 2012

Fire Pump W.S. DARLEY & CO. has introduced the PSD Silent Pak pump, which allows for a 1,500-gpm NFPA-rated pump without a pump transmission. After working with Chelsea and Allison, Darley...
Hot Shots 5/12

by Firehouse Staff
Created: May 1, 2012

HOBOKEN, NJ, FEB. 19, 2012 – A five-alarm fire in Hoboken burned as a five-alarm fire was burning in neighboring Jersey City. On arrival, heavy smoke was visible from a ground-floor grocery store in...
Scuttlebutt 5-12

by Steven Shaw
Created: May 1, 2012

Firehouse Wins Prestigious Journalism Award Firehouse ® was named a Neal Award winner by American Business Media (ABM) during the recent 58 th Annual Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism...
For The Record 5/12

by Firehouse Staff
Created: May 1, 2012

March Line-of-Duty Deaths Seven firefighters died in March. Three volunteer firefighters and four career firefighters died in seven separate incidents. Five deaths were health related, one death was...
Product Showcase 5/12

by Firehouse Staff
Created: May 1, 2012

All-American Hose Snap-tite TPX from All-American Hose offers a unique three-ply construction – a tough ribbed outer cover, smooth nitrile liner and reinforced tightly woven jacket for maximum...
Industry News 5/12

by Firehouse Staff
Created: May 1, 2012

SPARTAN MOTORS INC. has announced the major building blocks of a global emergency response (ER) strategy. “Emergency response is over one-third of our business and the second largest market we...
Rekindles 5/12

by Paul Hashagen
Created: May 1, 2012

CLEVELAND, OH: MAY, 1, 1912 – Five men were killed when Standard Oil Barge 88 exploded while docked at Jefferson Avenue. Barge 88 was being filled with gasoline from a 10,000-gallon tank on the bank...
The Fire PIO: Why Every Department Needs A Public Information Policy

by Timothy Szymanski
Created: May 1, 2012

Things happen every day. They can happen almost anywhere on the planet – a major air disaster, train derailment, hazardous materials incident, natural or man-made disaster, terrorism attack or...

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Firehouse Magazine Insider

Firehouse Managing Editor Elizabeth Neroulas talks with Strasburg, PA, Fire Chief Robert Devonshire about his recent health scare in " Close Calls " which appears in the May 2012 issue of Firehouse Magazine . Listen as the two discuss the impact another firefighter's death had on Chief Devonshire and how it affected his life in a way that just may have saved him from the same fate. For More: Read: Close Calls View: The May issue of Firehouse Magazine Subscribe to...

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Heroism & Commmunity Service Awards

Nominate a department member for heroic acts and extraordinary community service that occurred between January 1 and December 31, 2012. This annual program is the largest of its kind in the United States.

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DEADLINE: Jan. 25, 2013

Annual Run Surveys

Each year, Firehouse publishes three surveys to help fire departments compare statistics including personnel, budgets and response data. In the spring, the Combination Run Survey focuses on combination fire departments. Over several issues in the summer, career departments compare statistics through the National Run Survey. In the fall, the Volunteer Run Survey shares details of the largest segment of the fire service. Take part in the next Firehouse Run Survey by downloading the proper form below.

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