Firehouse.com

An "On the Job" feature should tell the whole story of a fire from beginning to end. It should include the following information:

• How was the fire discovered and reported?
• How many companies were initially dispatched?
• Detailed information about the fire department: How many firefighters are on staff?
• How many engines, ladders and other pieces of equipment does the department possess?
• The area, in square miles, that the fire department protects and the population of that area.
• Information about the involved building and nearby exposures: kind of occupancy (residential, commercial, industrial), construction (brick, wood, etc.), height and dimensions.
• A description of conditions upon arrival of first-in fire companies. Use quotes from first-arriving personnel, if possible.
• Quotes from the officer in charge of the incident.
• What was the firefighting strategy?
• What problems confronted firefighters?
• How were these problems solved?
• How were apparatus positioned?
• Was the incident command system implemented? Was a command post established?
• Did the fire spread to exposures?
• Were any other agencies-police, EMS, gas or electric companies-needed at the scene?
• Was mutual aid (or multiple alarms) necessary?
• Was anyone injured? How much damage (estimated) was done?
• Had the fire department ever responded to the same location for other fires or similar incidents?
• What was the cause of the fire, if known?
• What lessons, if any, were learned or reinforced by firefighters?
• A diagram of the fire building, exposures, firespread and apparatus placement, including hose lines.
• Newspaper clips of the incident.

We would appreciate receiving manuscripts that are submitted on computer disk or via e-mail accompanied by a printed copy. Firehouse® uses PC computers systems and prefers the work to be saved as a Microsoft Word document. However, we can convert almost any format and application. Please indicate the system (MS-DOS, Macintosh, etc.), program used (Word Perfect, MS Word, etc.) and how it was saved (ASCII, text, etc.). For those writers who do not yet have word processing capability, clean, original typewritten pages are required. Please use a Courier 10-point typeface (the standard issue of typewriters) or comparable with one-inch margins throughout the document. If you make corrections, apply White-Out and retype. Do not handwrite corrections on typewritten copy, as our electronic scanning equipment cannot read it. Handwritten, dot matrix-printed (without floppy disk) or Xeroxed manuscripts will be returned.

Please keep in mind that you are writing a magazine article. Most magazine readers, including those of Firehouse®, want to be able to learn the important aspects of a given topic without having to read through numerous pages of background information. The average "On the Job" feature runs three pages, including visuals. In the past, we have received manuscripts that would be suitable for the first chapter of a book. Making these stories fit in the allocated space requires a great deal of editing on our part. More importantly, we may be cutting material that you would rather have included. A good rule of thumb is that one typeset page in Firehouse® is equal to approximately four, double-spaced, typewritten pages.

Firehouse® is a visually-oriented publication. Please include color photographs that support your "On the Job" manuscript. To give the most vivid, graphic and exciting account possible, we need high-quality photographs of the fire scene and firefighters in action. Dark, out-of-focus or no-action photos will not be considered. Photographs are as important to a good "On the Job" feature as the copy itself.

The highest priority is given to those submissions that are received as a complete package. Please keep a copy of all your material, including visuals. Firehouse® cannot guarantee return of materials. Enclose a stamped, self addressed envelope with all submissions.

Please include your current mailing address as well as a daytime telephone, cell phone and fax number (if available). If we have any questions regarding copy or additional information is needed, we will contact you directly. If you have any stories ready to send prior to deadline dates, please send them along. We appreciate early arrivals.

Firehouse® makes payment only upon publication of written and photographic material. Once accepted, articles are published depending on timeliness and space availability. We cannot guarantee a publication date. Please include your social security number so that payment is not delayed.

If you have any story ideas, questions, hints, tips, etc., please do not hesitate to call. We appreciate and thank you for your assistance, enthusiasm and promptness.

Firehouse® Contact Information:

3 Huntington Quadrangle - Suite 301 North

Melville, New York 11747

Harvey Eisner, Editor-in-Chief

Jeff Barrington, Associate Publisher