Consider for a moment what has happened since 9/11 to fight the “war on terror” — creation of DHS and TSA, hundreds of billions of dollars spent, laws adopted and changed, new training, new equipment, and new ways to do our jobs. With all that and more, we’ve not suffered a single terrorist-related death or injury on United States soil since that day. We have, however, lost a “city” of 30,966 people (total U.S. fire deaths for 2002-2011) in that same period.

One of the primary health threats to the wildland firefighter is heat stress from a high level of physical exertion during hot and dry conditions — and just as often, hot and humid conditions. That's why the protective qualities of structural firefighting PPE make their use less desirable during wildland firefighting operations.

Many time as managers and supervisors we tend to use the terms responsibility, authority, and accountability interchangeably. These words are not synonyms, however, and when we use them as such we can create disharmony for ourselves and the people we work with. Read this piece and learn the power of these three words!

While there are certainly many aspects of this shift that Fire & EMS leaders need to address, I believe one of the most critical is the communication of organizational knowledge from one generation of members to another.

Call it what you like, the most important thing a water transporter can do is function as it's needed — and that comes down to selecting the right vehicle.

Deploying hose and getting water on fire is not solely an engine company function, as many departments use quints and aerials equipped with attack lines. Regardless of the apparatus type, the emphasis needs to be on hose loads that can be quickly placed in service and reloaded.

Many fire departments carry an automated external defibrillator on a first-due rig. These portable electronic device automatically diagnoses the potentially life threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a patient and is able to treat them through defibrillation, the application of electrical therapy which stops the arrhythmia, allowing the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm.

After our pumping apparatus, the fire hose complement carried aboard that apparatus represents a significant financial investment for any department. Though fire hose may be one of the less high-tech pieces of equipment that your department carries and employs, your procedures for handling, care and maintenance has the greatest influence on its performance, reliability and longevity.

A fire truck's tires are both a major safety and financial concern for every fire department. Properly maintained, they will reduce waste and the risk of injury. This is where the rubber meets the road.

Perhaps you've heard this before: A camel is a horse that was designed by committee. I always get a chuckle whenever I hear it — and then spend the rest of the day trying to get those two images out of my head.