October 2009

Photo by: Cover Photo by Jack Calderone

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On the Cover

Firefighters from Finderne and South Bound Brook assisted the Bound Brook, NJ, Fire Department at an attic fire in a semi-attached private dwelling. The fire occurred on August 24, 2008.

Dedication

This month's Firehouse is dedicated to Captain James Harlow, 50, and Probationary Firefighter Damion Hobbs, 29, of Houston, TX, Fire Department; Chief Charles Fletcher Clough Jr., 41, of the Sudlersville, MD, Volunteer Fire Company; and Station Chief/Firefighter Dennis M. Simmons, 63, of the St. John, KS, Fire Department, who died in the line of duty, April 2009.

Fire Department Operations, Cover Story

RECRUITING & RETENTION: You Cannot Leave Them to Chance

There is a crisis in many places today: Too few people are joining local volunteer fire departments and many of those who join do not stay.

Fire Department Operations

Class A Foam and CAFS Briefing: Structural Firefighting, Part 1 — Debate on New Technology

One of the most promising technological advances to occur within the fire service over the last 25 years was the technology associated with Class A foam and compressed air foam systems (CAFS). This technology, which primarily had its beginnings in wildland fire operations, represents a revolutionary breakthrough today for use in structural firefighting.

Incident Report

"Station Fire" Claims Two L.A. County Firefighters

The "Station Fire" is the largest wildland fire in Los Angeles County history and the ninth-largest wildland fire in California since 1933.
On The Job: PENNSYLVANIA

On Friday, Sept. 19, 2008, the Pottstown, PA, Fire Department was faced with heavy fire emitting from two apartment buildings, six occupants needing rescue from the second floor and a jumper who was on the ground, critically injured.

Wildland Firefighting

ICC Spearheads National Effort On Wildland Fire Management

Modern wildfires are no longer contained in just isolated realms of the environmental landscape. Today, many fires are encroaching on the urbanized fringe of countless communities. More specifically, the geographic spaces where urban/residential areas blend into wildfire-prone natural landscapes are referred to as wildland/urban interface (WUI) lands. Year after year, countless homes in the WUI are damaged or destroyed by wildfires. In addition to property loss, civilian and first responder casualties and fatalities are occurring.
Which Factor Is Present In Most Wildland Firefighting Fatalities and Burnovers?

Last month, we discussed using LCES (Lookouts, Communication, Escape routes and Safety zones) combined with making a fire behavior prediction to determine whether firefighters could commit to protect structures in the wildland urban interface (WUI). This month, we will explore the complex task of predicting fire behavior.

This column is intended for the firefighter who occasionally responds to wildland fires with the focus of structure protection in the WUI. The term wildland fire is used here to describe grass/brush, forest/timber or a vegetation fire.

As Firehouse Sees It

Never Forget

Harvey Eisner

Rekindles

Rule 5: Communicate, Communicate, Communicate!

Dennis Rubin
100 Years Ago

Paul Hashagen

Firehouse.com

October 2009

Dedication

Fire Department Operations, Cover Story

Fire Department Operations

Incident Report

Wildland Firefighting

Fire Politics

Safety & Survival

EMS

University of Extrication

Thermal Imaging and Training

Hazmat Studies

Tools & Technologies

As Firehouse Sees It

Rekindles

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