Bob Leonard

®	February-March 2005

Have A SAFE New Year!

By Bob Leonard

Every year we say to each other “Have a Happy and Safe New Year.” Let’s see if this year we can back that statement up so everyone goes home safe. With 2005’s arrival, it seems that the emphasis in training is on “Back to the Basics” and “Firefighter Survival.” This is appropriate, considering that in 2004 we lost 107 firefighters. These 107 were fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters and someone’s child or friend. The topics and ideas in this article are not new; this is a “refresher” of items sometimes we forget to do or over look. The purpose of Back to Basic and Firefighter Survival is to help insure that everyone goes home safely. Hopefully, this article will help to insure the same.

Let’s start with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), since we all have it and it is something that is, usually, ours alone. Let’s wear the correct costume (ensemble) for the task at hand.

On EMS, wear your gloves and eye protection on every call. Those two items will do more to insure your safety than any vaccination or shot out there. Be aware that sometimes both you and the patient need a mask. Remember to fill out your exposure forms when the situation warrants the need, and wash your hands.

For wildland fires, if you have the option of wearing wildland PPE, wear it. Turnouts are just too heavy and cause you to overheat when on an extended wildland operation. Remember to stay hydrated, cool down and open up when rehabbing; stay informed of the local weather forecast , fire conditions and the area's fire history.

For structural firefighting, the key is to be intimately familiar with your gear. We teach recruits to don their turnouts the same way every time, so they don’t forget any steps or equipment. We also teach them to store their turnouts in anticipation of a fire not for the convenience of riding on the rig. When was the last time you checked your turnout pockets to inventory your personal tools. When was the last time you tried to access your tools with a gloved hand without looking. Maybe some tool changes or tool location changes need to take place in order for you to be prepared to go to work. Remember to wear the appropriate PPE on every call, every time, because the next smells and bells or frequent flyer could be the real deal. Will you be prepared?

Attitudes — we all have them. Have you checked yours lately? The thing about attitudes is they are contagious. They can be positive, negative, "I just don’t care," or "every other Friday is payday." Whatever your attitude is, most of your peers know it and deal with you according to their perception of your attitude. Are you someone people have to work with or someone people want to work with? Remember your oral board: “Why do you want to be a firefighter?” Most of us want to help people and save them from the “ravages of fire.” With that in mind, take every advantage to prepare for your next fire. Spot the rig as you would for a fire on those frequent EMS calls. While inside on the EMScall, look at the layout of the residence: Is it common for that area? Are you beginning to see patterns in floor plans, room locations? Before taking up from an EMS call, do a size-up or two, talk tactics, line placement, life-safety concerns, and any hazards you might notice. This will help keep the firefighting morale up and help crews to stay focused, especially between those all-too-random fires. Another way to stay focused on your local fire problem is to critique others’ fires. If possible, go to the scene; talk about what they did and what you might do differently. It's easy to start bashing others at this point; don’t let that happen. Remember, you’re there to improve your operation for future fires. Consider getting a copy of the dispatch tapes, including the command and tactical channels. This will help to paint a picture as to how the incident evolved, especially the who, what, where, when, why, and how of the operation.

Lastly, stay abreast with the current trends and training happening within the fire service. This can be accomplished within your own department or outside. On the outside, there are various Hands-On Training (HOT), lectures, community colleges, magazines, and Internet sites. All are helping to keep you abreast of the current trends in your fire service.

It is hoped that this refresher is a good starting point for all of us to reflect on our own personal operation and think of ways to prepare for our next incident. Remember, the basics are what everything else is built upon and the basics will help to insure that we all go home safe. Hopefully this year will be as safe as possible. Until next time, be prepared, be professional, and be safe.

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