Fire & EMS Leader Pro The job of old firefighters is to teach young firefighters how to become old firefighters!

One thing we can all agree upon in the world of fire and EMS response is that the scope of our operations has greatly expanded. We also likely agree that the body of knowledge required by our personnel has greatly expanded and continues to do so in quantum leaps.

It is tempting to dismiss thoughts of fire grenades based on our experiences with carbon tetrachloride bombs. But, as we're told to use the technology that works, it is worth revisiting these devices.

Here’s your chance to contribute to the effort. What are the problems or issues or challenges (whatever you want to call them) in your field that need improvements, improvements for which evidence-based research could provide the best solutions?

First off, a faulty PASS device is UNACCEPTABLE on any fire scene. When firefighters and officers hear a PASS sounding it should ONLY mean that a fellow firefighter is in need of assistance.

The most important piece of firefighter safety equipment is the individual firefighter. If the individual inside the turnout gear, wearing the SCBA, working under a command structure, with a portable radio is not in good physical condition he is the weakest link in the firefighter chain-of-survival.

The solution for an inclusive and diverse fire department is NOT just recruiting more women and people of color. The SOLUTION is recruiting the RIGHT people—qualified, inclusive, diverse and safety-conscious. And yes, that includes the RIGHT white males who understand why an inclusive and diverse department increases service and safety. Recruitment is not just getting more people to apply and show up for the test. Successful recruitment is the first level of the screening process.

Many photos and videos of firefighters and officers conducting public education sessions, PSAs, and fire apparatus: the usual stuff that we’ve done for many years. But what has been the impact of all that time and effort? Are we really achieving the meaningful outcome we all desire?

I'm not saying that a more educated officer corps will prevent those kinds of things from happening in a department, but I am saying that I believe that it will reduce the organizational risk to a large degree.

In many cases the most important component of their treatment will involve time. The time to get a diagnosis, get the proper treatment, and recover from that treatment. A caring and empathetic manager and organization can make a world of difference, especially when an illness puts an individual’s life and career in jeopardy.

I certainly support the idea of pursuing accreditation by those organizations that have the resources, e.g., people, time, and money, but what about those who don't? Well, for those departments I'd like to suggest that they use my "homegrown" template for identifying what's important in their service delivery so that they can then collect the data to determine, How are we doing?