The Consequences of Complacency

By Author(s): Stephen Marsar [3]
Published Tuesday, June 19, 2012 | From the August 2012 [4] Issue of FireRescue [5]
There’s a danger that accompanies you every time you climb aboard an apparatus and drive out of the firehouse door: complacency. It can kill just as many firefighters as disorientation, burns, structural collapse, hazardous materials or terrorist incidents. At the very least, it can leave you and your company extremely vulnerable.

To prevent complacency, as one busy FDNY engine company in the heart of Harlem likes to say, “All you have to be is ready.” But are you? On every call? If not, why not? Certainly, fire officers have an obligation to say something when they see complacency, or inappropriate or unsafe behavior on the part of their members. If they don’t, their inaction would also be considered complacent.

Fairfax Mayday

Of all of the Mayday transmissions I have listened to this is definitely one of the best from a learning perspective. The mayday was called early and contained all of the critical information, the IC was calm and maintained a strong command presence and quickly took appropriate actions. Communications were clear and concise and accountability was evident throughout the incident. Also, a PAR was conducted after the down firefighter was rescued. Listen to this transmission as it is a great example of how to manage the mayday.

Region 5 Course Update

This is a brief update on some of the upcoming catalog courses in Region 5:

 

·         1152-13-502, Fund of FF, scheduled to start 9/11 at Berkeley Co ESTC will go---this class is full
·         2155-13-502, Command Sim, scheduled to start 9/11 at Colleton Co Fire/Rescue will go
·         2153-13-503, I-300, scheduled to start 9/12 at Ashley River Fire Dept will go
·         2119-13-501, STICO, scheduled to start 9/15 at Ashley River Fire Dept will go
·         2172-13-501, Leadership II, scheduled to start 9/15 at Sheldon Fire Dept will go
·         2728-13-503, Haz Mat Ops, scheduled to start 9/25 at Summerville Fire Dept has been cancelled
·         2117-13-501, Vol Emerg Svcs Mgt, scheduled to start 9/29 at Goose Creek Rural Fire Dept will go
·         2119-13-502, STICO, scheduled to start 9/29 at Bluffton Fire Dept will go
·         1210-13-503, EVDT, scheduled to start 10/1 at Summerville Fire Dept will go
·         1220-13-502, Pump Ops, scheduled to start 10/1 at Hilton Head Island Fire/Rescue will go

 

The following classes are in danger of cancelling (low enrollment):


·         1160-13-502, Truck Co, scheduled to start 9/12 at James Island Fire Dept (need 7 more students)
·         1205-13-502, POV, scheduled to start 9/17 at Berkeley Co ESTC (need 9 more students)
·         2150-13-503, ISO, scheduled to start 9/18 at North Charleston Fire Dept Station 4 (need 1 more student)
·         2132-13-504, Bldg Const: Comb, scheduled to start 9/22 at Bluffton Fire Dept 9need 4 more students)

2 GOOD SAMARITANS ELECTROCUTED AT ACCIDENT SCENE - A FIRM REMINDER FOR PROPER SIZE-UP AT CRASH SCENES

http://www.firefighterclosecalls.com/news/fullstory/newsid/169554

Upcoming Class

Click here to register:

 

http://scfirefighters.org/members/quarterly-training/

Asheville, NC LODD Report

Click here for the NIOSH report:

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face201118.html


Click here for information about "stack effect":

http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/print/volume-158/issue-4/features/size-up-considerations-for-high-rise-fires.html


Full audio of the incident:

This video begins with the Mayday:

Region 5 Update

Retesting:  I have the following retesting sessions available: 

v  Tuesday, Aug 28 @ St John’s Fire Dept

v  Thursday, Sept 6 @ Colleton Co Fire/Rescue

v  Wednesday, September 12 @ Region 5 Office

v  Thursday, Sept 20 @ Lady’s Island Fire Dept

Students needing a retest should call or email me to schedule.  

4703 (Fire Officer I Special Challenge):  Students wishing to take the 4703 as part of the “special challenge” process should be aware that this includes both written and practical portions.  In the future, all 4703 students should submit their registration packets to this office directly, and will be scheduled for the last day of an existing 2100-Fire Officer I class.  

Instructors: 

Ø  When entering your teaching time in SCEIS, please be sure to list the course code/section number of the class you taught in the “details” section.  If you don’t know that information, please put “confined space in whatever department” or “recruit school in Columbia” so that I can approve the time.  I can’t approve time without that information.

Ø  If you need to make copies for your class (exams, quizzes, notes), you do not have to make these at your own expense.  Feel free to drop by my office and use the copy machine to make as many copies as you need.   If you are out of the local area and can’t get here, email me the information that you need copied for your class, and I’ll take care of it and get it to you.

Ø  Lead Evaluators:  Please remember that test boxes should only be opened once you get to class, and should be sealed immediately following your exam.  Students do notice this.

This is an update on some of the upcoming catalog courses in Region 5:

·         2118-13-502, PICO, scheduled to start 9/6 at North Charleston Fire Dept will go---this class is now free through grant funding
·         2130-13-502, Bldg Const: N/C, scheduled to start 9/8 at Caromi Fire Dept will go
·         1154-13-501, FFII, scheduled to start 9/10 at Colleton Co Fire/Rescue will go
·         1152-13-502, Fund of FF, scheduled to start 9/11 at Berkeley Co ESTC will go---this class is full
·         2119-13-501, STICO, scheduled to start 9/15 at Ashley River Fire Dept will go
·         2172-13-501, Leadership II, scheduled to start 9/15 at Sheldon Fire Dept will go
·         2728-13-503, Haz Mat Ops, scheduled to start 9/25 at Summerville Fire Dept has been cancelled (due to scheduling conflicts)
·         2117-13-501, Volunteer Emerg Svcs, scheduled to start 9/29 at Goose Creek Rural Fire Dept will go
·         1210-13-503, EVDT, scheduled to start 10/1 at Summerville Fire Dept will go---there are 4 spaces left in this class
·         1220-13-502, Pump Ops, scheduled to start 10/1 at Hilton Head Island Fire/Rescue will go---there are two spaces left in this class
·         2147-13-502, NIMS ICS, scheduled to start 10/6 at Bluffton Fire Dept will go
·         2173-13-501, Leadership III, scheduled to start 10/13 at Sheldon Fire Dept will go
·         2113-13-501, FSS: Personal, scheduled to start 10/20 at Awendaw Fire Dept will go
·         2176-13-501, Shaping the Future, scheduled to start 10/20 at City of Charleston Fire Dept will go
·         4165-13-501, Fire & Life Safety Educator, scheduled to start 10/22 at Bluffton Fire Dept will go
·         2172-13-502, Leadership II, scheduled to start 11/3 at City of Charleston Fire Dept will go
·         2173-13-502, Leadership III, scheduled to start 11/8 at Isle of Palms Fire Dept will go
·         1250-13-503, Aerial Ops, scheduled to start 11/13 at Summerville Fire Dept will go
·         1160-13-504, Truck Co, scheduled to start 11/17 at Goose Creek Rural Fire Dept will go—there are 4 spaces left in this class
·         2100-13-503, Fire Officer I, scheduled to start 12/3 at City of Charleston Fire Dept will go---there are 4 spaces left in this class
·         3224-13-501, Arson Detection, scheduled to start 12/8 at Sheldon Fire Dept will go
·         2121-13-504, DMICO, scheduled to start 12/15 at City of Charleston Fire Dept will go

The following classes are in danger of cancelling (low enrollment):

·         1177-13-503, Utilities, scheduled to start 9/8 at Awendaw Fire Dept (need 7 more students)
·         2155-13-502, Command Sim, scheduled to start 9/11 at Colleton Co Fire/Rescue (need 1 more student)
·         1160-13-502, Truck Co, scheduled to start 9/12 at James Island Fire Dept (need 6 more students)
·         2153-13-503, I-300, scheduled to start 9/12 at Ashley River Fire Dept (need 3 more students)
·         3350-13-501, Water Rescue, scheduled to start 9/15 at Hampton Co Fire Dept (need 6 more students)
·         1205-13-502, POV, scheduled to start 9/17 at Berkeley Co ESTC (need 9 more students)
·         2150-13-503, ISO, scheduled to start 9/18 at North Charleston Fire Dept, Sta 4 (need 3 more students)

Pain Remains 25 Years after Columbus Line of Duty Death

THEODORE DECKER, The Columbus Dispatch Published Wednesday, August 15, 2012

He remembers every bit of that hot, miserable summer night.

He remembers the chaos on the radios, the blinding smoke, and the hole in the floor that may as well have been bottomless.

He remembers the crushing acceptance, as bricks rained into the alley around him and the Mithoff Building started to come down, that they had failed and his friend was dead.

Twenty-five years later, and the memories are as sharp as razors.

Region 5 Course Update

This is an update on some of the upcoming catalog classes in Region 5:

·         2121-13-501, DMICO, scheduled to start 8/25 at Caromi Fire Dept has been cancelled
·         2130-13-501, Bldg Const: N/C, scheduled to start 8/25 at Bluffton Fire Dept has been cancelled
·         2148-13-501, Unified Command, scheduled to start 8/30 at City of Charleston Fire Dept will go---this class is free through grant funding
·         1176-13-501, Pipeline, scheduled to start 8/31 at Beaufort Fire Dept will go
·         2118-13-502, PICO, scheduled to start 9/6 at North Charleston Fire Dept will go---this class is free through grant funding
·         1154-13-501, FFII, scheduled to start 9/10 at Colleton Co Fire/Rescue will go
·         1152-13-502, Fund of FF, scheduled to start 9/11 at Berkeley Co ESTC will go---this class is full
·         2119-13-501, STICO, scheduled to start 9/15 at Ashley River Fire Dept will go
·         2172-13-501, Leadership II, scheduled to start 9/15 at Sheldon Fire Dept will go
·         2117-13-501, Volunteer Emerg Svcs Mgmt, scheduled to start 9/29 at Goose Creek Rural Fire Dept will go
·         1210-13-503, EVDT, scheduled to start 10/1 at Summerville Fire Dept will go
·         2147-13-502, NIMS ICS, scheduled to start 10/6 at Bluffton Fire Dept will go
·         2173-13-501, Leadership III, scheduled to start 10/13 at Sheldon Fire Dept will go
·         2113-13-501, FSS: Personal, scheduled to start 10/20 at Awendaw Fire Dept will go
·         2176-13-501, Shaping the Future, scheduled to start 10/20 at City of Charleston Fire Dept will go
·         4165-13-501, Fire & Life Safety Educator, scheduled to start 10/22 at Bluffton Fire Dept will go
·         2172-13-502, Leadership II, scheduled to start 11/3 at City of Charleston Fire Dept will go
·         2173-13-502, Leadership III, scheduled to start 11/8 at Isle of Palms Fire Dept will go
·         1250-13-503, Aerial Ops, scheduled to start 11/13 at Summerville Fire Dept will go
·         1160-13-504, Truck Co, scheduled to start 11/17 at Goose Creek Rural Fire Dept will go
·         2100-13-503, Fire Officer, scheduled to start 12/3 at City of Charleston Fire Dept will go
·         2121-13-504, DMICO, scheduled to start 12/15 at City of Charleston Fire Dept will go

The following classes are in danger of cancelling (low enrollment):


·         1177-13-503, Utilities, scheduled to start 9/8 at Awendaw Fire Dept (need 8 more students)
·         2130-13-502, Bldg Const: N/C, scheduled to start 9/8 at Caromi Fire Dept (need 3 more students)
·         2155-13-502, Command Sim, scheduled to start 9/11 at Colleton Co Fire/Rescue (need 2 more students)
·         1160-13-502, Truck Co, scheduled to start 9/12 at James Island Fire Dept (need 5 more students)
·         2153-13-503, I-300, scheduled to start 9/12 at Ashley River Fire Dept (need 4 more students)