January 2019

The January issue of Firehouse includes feature stories on Incident Command & Size-Up, Company Officer Expectations, and Fire & Emergency Apparatus. This issue also includes a special Firehouse supplement, SMARTER: Advancing Health-Related Technology.
Firefighters face myriad risks on the fireground, heat stress and carcinogens being among the deadliest.
Tech & Comm

Technology to Aid the Fire Service

Oct. 29, 2020
Denise L. Smith and Craig A. Haigh explain how technology can help the fire service, particularly related to key areas that have the biggest impact on firefighter injuries and...
John Salkav3
Leadership

Fire Scene: The Unit Commander

Jan. 2, 2019
John Salka underscores that a single commander creates a single unit.
Photo by Aaron Zamzow
Consistent workouts that incorporate mobility, core strength and cardiovascular exercises can reduce the chances of injury and help maintain a healthy weight, and the endorphins released can rid the body of toxins and help manage stress.
Health & Fitness

Health & Wellness: 6 Tips to Being a Fit Firefighter in 2019

Jan. 1, 2019
Aaron Zamzow offers six ideas for being the change you want to see in the fire service as it relates to firefighter health.
Smarter Jan19 1
Health & Fitness

SMARTER: Advancing Health-Related Technology

Jan. 1, 2019
The special supplement shares how the SMARTER project seeks to develop and advance technologies in key areas of health and safety.
Peter Matthews
Leadership

As Firehouse Sees It: Your Slate for 2019

Jan. 1, 2019
Peter Matthews offers ideas for starting the New Year on the right foot.

More content from January 2019

Heat stress is familiar to all firefighters, but perhaps it is so familiar that we fail to recognize the devastating consequences that accompany heat stress.
Tech & Comm

Heat Stress Algorithm

Jan. 1, 2019
Dr. Mark Buller and Dr. Denise Smith address working with the military to develop a better means of measuring core temperature.
Experiments were conducted with c-Air during several structural burns with the objective of monitoring particulate matter distribution and morphology during an extended post-suppression period.
Tech & Comm

Particulate Monitoring

Jan. 1, 2019
Yichen Wu, Maxim Batalin and Aydogan Ozcan explain how c-Air shows elevated particulates in air during test overhaul operations.
Zephyr has partnered with Globe to integrate its PSM into a fire-resistant base layer shirt.
Tech & Comm

Physiological Status Monitoring in Training

Jan. 1, 2019
Jeff King discusses how to use technology to identify a problem before it becomes an emergency, specifically related to physiological status monitoring.
Investigation into the feasibility of using existing wearable devices to monitor heart rate and rhythm identified several significant challenges.
Tech & Comm

ECG Monitoring During Fireground Operations

Jan. 1, 2019
Andrea Wilkinson and John Ames review the challenges associated with ECG monitoring—and what’s ahead.
Gary Ludwig
Safety & Health

EMS: Get Ready for Flakka

Jan. 1, 2019
Gary Ludwig offers a warning about the new street drug wave, Flakka, which is highly addictive and causes erratic behavior.
Barry Fureyv2
Tech & Comm

Fire Dispatch: In Their Own Words: Dispatchers Clear the Air

Jan. 1, 2019
In Part 2 of his two-part series on dispatchers, Barry Furey shares dispatchers' concerns, lessons and what they need to ease the job.
David Griffin
Leadership

Leadership Lessons: 99 Questions for Reflection

Jan. 1, 2019
David Griffin explains why self-reflection is a key way to identify growth—or lack thereof.
Curt Varone
Careers & Education

Fire Law: Garrity Update: A Firefighter’s Right to Remain Silent

Jan. 1, 2019
Curt Varone explains what constitutes job-related questions an employer can ask and an employee must answer.
Photo courtesy of Glick Fire Equipment Company
The department’s apparatus committee should plan for two days to conduct a final inspection on the new apparatus to include both static and operational testing.
Apparatus

Apparatus Architect: Delivery Details & Schedules

Jan. 1, 2019
Tom Shand and Mike Wilbur explain what department fleet managers need to know about apparatus delivery time frames.
Photo by Susan Deloach Photography
Education involves not just teaching the process of combustion, but rather instructing it in a manner where the student can smell the smoke. Because they can see and feel such an event happening to them, the chances increase that they will make changes to behaviors.
Community Risk Reduction

Fire Prevention: Are We Teaching or Educating?

Jan. 1, 2019
Dan Byrne explains that teaching transfers information, but educating changes behaviors.
Shane Ray
Community Risk

Fire Politics: Let’s Not Be “Poles Apart”

Jan. 1, 2019
Shane Ray explains how labels and biases can polarize our politics at all levels of government.
Photo by Glenn Duda
The IC should be removed from the incident, as far as practical but close enough to sense the scene and consider the need for their aide to act as a runner if needed.
Incident Command

Incident Command & Size-Up

Jan. 1, 2019
Chris DelBello offers tips and tools for assuming a formal command.
Cathy (center) had many supporters during her cancer journey, including Kyrene Resel (left) and Megan Frye, both volunteer members at the Purcellville Fire Station where Cathy was assigned.
Cancer Prevention

Close Calls: The Far-Reaching Impact of Cancer

Jan. 1, 2019
Loudoun County, VA, Firefighter-Technician Cathy McCray's colleagues and family members share the effects of her cancer diagnosis.
Photo by Keith D. Cullom
Malibu, CA, Nov. 9, 2018
Operations & Training

Hot Shots 01/19

Jan. 1, 2019
Firehouse presents recent fires from around the country.
Ron Moore
A ratchet unit with 2-inch-wide webbing is placed in a test bed and prepared for the Standard Hand Force test. Photos by Ron Moore
Vehicle Extrication

University of Extrication: The Ratchet Strap Device

Jan. 1, 2019
Ron Moore reviews vehicle rescue ratchet straps and determines the minimum breaking strength rating of the webbing and the working load limit for the entire assembly.
Jarrod Sergi
Leadership

4 Expectations Every Company Officer Should Set for Their Crew

Sept. 9, 2018
Jarrod Sergi offers important expectations that company officers should set for their crews to help encourage a strong working unit.