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The roles and responsibilities of a firefighter aren’t easy. The ever-increasing demands on our knowledge, skills, and abilities can cause us to feel as if we must know everything, be prepared for anything, and can never take a breath. Although we are passionate, dedicated,...

“Nobody really cares if you’re miserable, so you might as well be happy.” — Anonymous Tip #6 – Get Away Who hasn’t felt like throwing in the towel and giving up the fight? The human body is very adaptable, but it needs to be recharged regularly and a short or extended...

Many people, especially firefighters, struggle with being hungry all the time, making it really hard to lose or maintain a healthy weight. Luckily, there is one thing you can do to ward off those nagging hunger pains that’s not only easy, it will also feel great. This feel-good...

The Scenario Let us consider each part of this scenario as one who has become lost in the ‘fires of life’: A sudden and unexpected calamity occurs in our life and we rush in to prevent any further harm without thought of a back-up plan.  Then the situation takes a turn for the...

It’s easy to lead when everything is going our way, but the honeymoon generally has a time frame and then those unforeseen challenges seem to pop up when we least expect it. — Fire Chief Les Karpluk (Ret.) Tip #8 – Build A Support Network As a chief officer it is...

Responding To The Call The call comes in and you respond, ready and able because you have prepared for the call.  As you respond, you have already begun your size-up and have referenced the greatest tactical hard-drive ever created: your mind. As you arrive on scene, you assess...

https://traffic.libsyn.com/davidsoler/037-Dr_Tells_5_Exercises_Firefighers_Must_Not_Do_01.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadFirefighter Training Episode 37: In this firefighter training episode, I talk with Dr. Karlie Moore of Fit For Duty Consulting and a Contributor with...

The first arriving officer (whether a chief, engine company or ladder company officer) at the scene of a working fire is tasked with many responsibilities. They must convey a variety of information over the radio, essentially make sense out of an often chaotic scene and direct...

Have we lost our way? The call goes out for a possible structure fire with people trapped. It’s three in the morning and the tones jolt your tired body out of bed. You quickly move from R.E.M to R.P.D. onto a fully staffed engine company with a truck company following. As you...

We will all face challenging times, now and in the future. If you want to succeed especially during challenging times, I want you to have something I never had: these steps. This information when implemented will help you as it did me. Tip #10 – Possess A Strong Desire To...