Firefighter Behavior
 

We have lots of classes on fire behavior and related subjects like flashover training and all of the stuff we teach. I am working on a brand new class. It is called "Firefighter Behavior"

 

I am becoming more and more convinced that the only way we can affect the 100 firefighter fatalities per year is by working on this problem. We need to address it in our entry level training, or recruitment, and have our officers enforce behaviors on the fire ground. Now while all of those were easy to identify on paper they are going to be a hell of a lot harder to make happen. I am becoming more and more convinced that I am a lone wolf crying in the darkness here on this issue.

 

Firefighters must be told upon entry that they shall not die or be injured in the line of duty. That should be a primary mission as opposed to telling them that it will happen and showing them firefighter funeral footage. ( Sure I know it can and could happen but we should not enforce this side what we should enforce is survival and returning home from every alarm)

 

The first duty of a firefighter is to serve the length of the working career and return from every alarm safely.

 

Do not ever have your firefighters turn off their PASS devices because it is only a drill today. What is the real message you send. If the device sounding will affect the instructor;s ability to teach then indicate that point and reinforce that. If it absolutely is a problem then take them off the packs and turn them in at the start of the drill and re-issue them at the end. No firefighter shall wear any PASS device that is not in the ARM position. That is a message.

 

Create drills and force recruit firefighters to call for help, communicate their problem to the other members and learn that calling for help is not an embarassment it is encouraged, trained and practiced for. Do this repeatedly not just once.

 

Force recruit firefighters at any given time that they are wearing an airpack, they should be able to tell you how much air that they have at any time. Make them read their gage constantly so they will not "run out of air". I am personally tired of the run out of air NIOSH reports. It is a thirty minute cylinder, it really lasts 20, you should work for ten and use ten to escape with. Any questions? ( I am fully aware that some members are trapped and deplete air supply. I am speaking about those that overextend air supply and do not allow for unanticipated emergencies while trying to escape)

 

If your firefighters do not wear seatbelts while on duty they need to be disciplined. On the volunteer or call side of the house if your volunteers are speeding to calls or the station in their personal vehicles, handle that problem immediately and discipline them or dismiss them from service. reckless people that will endanger others and themselves should not be working in this profession. If you are an officer deal with it now, or practice your eulogy reading technique.

 

We know what the problems are. The textbook of problems is written with the blood of our brothers and sisters. For chrissake have the intestinal fortitude to step in correct it and prevent it or turn in your bugles. Leaders protect their people.

 

We study fire behavior so we can be familiar with the enemy. I am suggesting we study firefighter behavior because I have seen the enemy.....

 

It is us.