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If you are a regular follower of FirefighterToolbox you know that each day of the week features a specific topic. As 2013 comes to a close we are going to post the top 5 articles in each of those topics as determined by you the reader. These are what you have read the most. If...

If you can read this you must be second due. That phrase was painted on the back of an engine I saw one day and have to admit it made me laugh but at the same time got me thinking. We spend the majority if not all our time training as the first to arrive engine company. As we all...

A firefighter’s understanding of standpipe systems is valuable part of their firefighting toolbox. In the last article we reviewed the Class 1 system. This system provides firefighters a tactical point of refuge for firefighting crews. A crew needing to find their way out would...

In Part 1 of our series we discussed that the engine company’s main duty is to establish a water supply, stretch the hose line and extinguish the fire but sometimes things don’t always go as planned, even if you train and plan repeatedly. Today we will...

In part 1 of this series we reviewed the basic principals of sprinklers and standpipes. In part 2 we will be discussing the specific types of systems and our approach to them. A firefighter’s knowledge of standpipe and sprinkler systems are an important part of their firefighting...

The engine company’s main duty is to establish a water supply, stretch the hose line and extinguish the fire. Members train so this process goes like a well choreographed dance. Watching a well-trained company stretch in and go to work is a thing of beauty. More often than...

As I ride to work, I often take note of the buildings under construction. It seems that all the old construction is either being torn down or renovated to bring them up to today’s fire protection standards. As a firefighter, I believe that this breeds a false sense of security...

Most of us have been there, and if you have not you will be before your career is done. The moment I am talking about is when you arrive on scene and everywhere you look there is fire. Most of us dream of rolling up on something like that, but in reality when it happens you...

One of the most important positions on the fire ground belongs to the firefighter assigned to the nozzle. Being responsible for directly putting water on the fire is a big responsibility, in essence they are solving our main problem…the fire itself. Although the job can...

In my last installment on the subject of fire flow we will be discussing the physical challenges created by the need for  increased fire flow rates. In order for an engine company to achieve its primary mission on the fire ground the firefighters  who ride the engine will be...