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Archive for the ‘commentary articles’ Category
The Good Old Days (what was so good about them?)
Tuesday, May 17th, 2011
by Jack McLoughlin
The fire service has progressed tremendously in the years that I have had the pleasure to serve. I think my department, which I love, is typical of many suburban departments in North America. The changes in training, apparatus, the ability to perform tasks in a professional manner, and leadership is nothing short of incredible. I clearly remember my first day in the fire service. I was asked if I could drive a truck. I said sure. They had me drive the truck around the fire district, stopping to pump the truck two or three times. When we got back to the station, they told me I was qualified to be a driver and a pump operator. I was amazed because I knew that I knew nothing about fire fighting and pumping. But that was the level of training in
those days.
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commentary articlesAn Inside Look at Pump Testing
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010
by Allan Burnham
In most communities the first truck out the door to a reported incident is an engine. These engines are equipped with pumps, hose, water and an assortment of specialized tools necessary to perform a host of emergency functions. Should a pumper be required to supply large quantities of water, it will need to hook up to a municipal hydrant system or draft from a nearby water source. To insure these pumpers perform from year to year at their rated capacity, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has developed definitive pump testing standards along with step-by-step procedures on how to perform these specified tests and interpret the results. These results are then subject to review by insurance rating agencies, such as the Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO), a private organization that provides services to insurance companies by rating the fire suppression capability of a community. This is done on a 100 point system, of which 50 points is fire department related. All this determines the classification of the department, which can affect the insurance rates for the community.
Big Brother: 60 Years Later
Monday, May 24th, 2010
by Robert Tutterow
In 1949, George Orwell’s infamous book 1984 was published. The novel was based on a totalitarian state where the ruling party had total power over the governed. One of the key characters of that novel was “Big Brother”, the dictator of Oceania. The society described in Orwell’s book is one that is under constant surveillance by the authorities. It is from this infamous book that the phrase “Big Brother is watching you” originated.
Sixty years later an interesting parallel has developed. While our society has not exactly evolved into a totalitarian state with constant surveillance by Big Brother, we have evolved into a society where, to a significant degree, “we” have each other under surveillance. Foremost in the area of monitoring and data capture is the popularity of security cameras. When we drive into the parking lot or walk through the door of a business, there is a good chance that our actions are being captured by video cameras. Traffic monitoring cameras are also very common. Most urban areas now have traffic monitoring cameras mounted at major intersections and along multi-lane traffic arteries.
EMS Needs Help
Thursday, March 11th, 2010
by Jack McLoughlin
Over the past 40 years, there have been vast improvements in fire apparatus!! I’m an old timer, who rode on the tail board of a ’53 FWD, getting an air pack on while barely hanging on. (Talk about dumb)!!
Just take a moment and think about the apparatus changes that affect our safety – closed cabs – secured equipment – seat belts – better pump – aerial and driving controls – communications – lighting – warnings. I’m sure you could add a few more.
These changes were demanded by the fire fighting community because of the needless deaths and injuries to our brothers. There has been some hard in-fighting because of both the dollars involved in the upgrade, and the macho attitude of a few (it’s definitely more manly and tougher looking to be hanging on the back step than sitting down inside with a seat belt on).
These changes have been required on all apparatus that meet NFPA 1901. It is hard to say how many lives have been helped or saved by these changes – but you know in your gut, – it has been many.
The next area that is crying out for help is the EMS arena. Take a look at some of the following videos and you will see what happens to both patients and EMS personnel in a crash. It’s not pretty – as a matter of fact you can almost hear the bagpipes playing Amazing Grace for everyone in the back of the bus.
(Click the link below for more video links and the rest of the article)
Bridge Collapse After Thoughts
Tuesday, July 21st, 2009
by Walt Lee
Minneapolis Fire Department (MFD) covers 59.7 square miles with a population of 382,618. It has a budget of 50 million, 424 sworn members, and 19 stations that consists of 19 engines, 5 ladders and 2 heavy rescues trucks.
The function of the MFD Engineering Officer is to be a liaison between city departments. One of these departments is the Minneapolis Public Works where the Fire Repair Shop is staffed. The facility is located near downtown. It has five bays for fire with five full time mechanics, one travels station to station to perform quick repairs while the other four work at the shop on longer term repairs and major Preventive Maintenance (PM) work. The shop is managed by an Equipment Repair Foreman. The Engineering Officer position involves working with the Fire Shop Foreman on such things as rig specifications and acceptance of new rigs, modifications, installation of tools, officer vehicle build, repairs, maintenance, etc. The two different city departments work well together.
What makes this relationship work so well is that the Engineering Officer relies on the Shop Foreman to know not only the maintenance of the rigs, but also the operation of the equipment and the department. In turn the Shop Foreman relies on the Engineering Officer to know the shop functions and have a keen understanding of the operation, maintenance and repairs of the fire equipment. Minneapolis Public Works, Fleet Services Division views Fire, Police and support of snow removal equipment as their main functions and responsibilities; and in that order.
This relationship proved itself the evening that the 35W Bridge collapsed…..