Defending the Fire Service Culture

By John Salka

From www.firehouse.com

Lots of people, including firefighters, company officers and chiefs, are writing and talking about the need to change our fire service culture. Now let me state right up front that most of these folks are dedicated fire service professionals who are trying to improve the American fire service. I don’t believe that any of them are trying to cause any discord or controversy, but some of that has developed.

A snapshot of our culture

If you read the title of this article you know where I’m going to start. I think the culture of the American fire service today is solid as a rock! This is my opinion, but I do have some supporting evidence. With 40 years in the fire service this year, in four different fire departments (both volunteer and career), I have seen, heard and experienced many different attitudes, habits and behaviors. I must say that a great majority of them are positive, desirable and admired by folks both inside and outside the fire service. So when I hear the words “fire service culture,” I think about:

• 10,000 firefighters showing up at a line-of-duty funeral for a firefighter who they never met, who lived a thousand miles away. These same firefighters travel at their own expense and often swap shifts or take days off from their full-time jobs to attend. These same firefighters dig into their own pockets to donate or support a fundraiser for the deceased firefighter’s family. This is our fire service culture!
• Firefighters who arrive at their firehouse hours before their shift because they love what they do and want to be the best they can be. They also stay late when a brother or sister firefighter is running late for a shift. Those same firefighters attend seminars and training events, very often on their own time and at their own expense. This is our fire service culture!
• Seeing my engine company chauffeur on the apparatus floor at midnight with the probationary firefighter, going over a tool that the new firefighter had a question about. That same chauffeur can also often be found at the workbench on the apparatus floor repairing a tool so the company would not be without it, rather than simply tagging it and sending it out for repairs. This is our fire service culture!
• Firefighters arriving at a working fire in a commercial building and going to work. Teams deploying to the roof, to the fire floor and even to the floor above, per their department’s tactics and procedures. These are well trained, disciplined and experienced firefighters who are risking their lives to some degree. This is our fire service culture!
• A group of firefighters, company officers and chiefs conducting a review of a recent fire where a close call occurred. All of the members in attendance contribute to the discussion. Those who followed procedure described their actions, and those who operated otherwise explain the reasons for their actions. When the discussion concludes, several lessons have been identified and relayed to the entire department via several training initiatives. This is our fire service culture!

Don’t blame culture

A recent report about a serious firefighter injury laid the blame for many of the department’s improper activities and fireground habits in part on its culture. This included issues related to PPE, transfer (or lack thereof) of command, acceptance of predictable injuries, lack of enforcement of safety requirements and more.

Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines culture as “a way of thinking, behaving or working that exists in a place or organization.” So are they saying that everybody there doesn’t wear PPE, accepts predictable injuries and doesn’t enforce the rules? I’ll bet not! So when we refer to fire service culture, we need to be careful not to paint our problems with a broad brush. The fire service culture is something we should be proud of and consciously defend it from being compromised on the basis of an individual or organization’s actions.

I agree with a comment I heard at a USMC officer graduation ceremony that stated, “If you don’t enforce the standards of your organization, you are simply establishing new lower standards.” Instead of blaming culture, I think we all need to spend more time on organizational discipline, effective leadership training and creating job-wide “esprit de corp” to create a feeling of loyalty, enthusiasm and devotion to the department

Not Everyone Makes It Home

By David Rhodes

from www.fireengineering.com

Not Everyone Makes It Home

..... and some get thrown away in the pursuit.

It has been a decade now since the 16 Life Safety Initiatives were developed and dispersed throughout the fire service. Undoubtedly, there has been change as a result as departments, officers, and individual firefighters reexamined a host of cultural, policy, training, design, and other factors contributing to line-of-duty deaths (LODDs). Some say that these efforts didn’t go far enough while others argue that they have gone too far and the safety movement is out of control.

The thought of everyone going home in our profession strikes an emotional reaction in each of us, because we truly want that. No one wants to see a member, or the family of a member, suffer and certainly, barring the few psychotic case studies, no one wants to be injured or killed themselves. So where are we a decade later?

Preventable LODDs

According to the National Fire Protection Association Web site, from 1997-1984 the average number of LODDs was 137, 1985-1994 it was 110, 1995-2004 was 100 (excluding 9/11 deaths), and 2005-2014 was 82. What do these numbers really tell us? Are we looking at the right things when it comes to risks? Those who worked (and are still working) on educating and challenging us are to be commended for the holistic approach. I certainly want to see the decline in numbers continue, and I want to ensure that we remain focused on understanding that the 16 Life Safety Initiatives were developed to eliminate “preventable” deaths.

I recently heard someone using the “Everyone Goes Home” slogan, then making the comment that all firefighter deaths and injuries are preventable. This is not the first time I have heard someone say that but the frequency of hearing it is increasing. Caution: All firefighter injuries and deaths will never be preventable unless we shut the fire service down.

In our admirable course to reduce LODDs, we have to be careful not to create unrealistic expectations or become obsessed with the numbers game. There is no way to know that a person has stored a propane cylinder in a house on fire that will explode and kill one of our members. There is no way to know that someone may lose his footing and fall off a ladder. Risk management is a process to reduce and help eliminate these possibilities-but it is not a guarantee.

Hindsight Bias

If we create a belief that all injuries and deaths are preventable in our profession, then we also create the culture of hindsight bias that immediately places blame on the individual, the officer, or the incident commander. Hindsight bias is the tendency people have to view past events as more predictable than they really were before the events took place. After an event occurs, people often believe they could have predicted the outcome of the event before it actually happened.1 The belief that all are preventable translates to blaming individuals for actions or inactions when we are looking retrospectively with all the information, information that in many cases our member, officer, or incident commander did not have or did not understand in the full context of its importance.

When this type of culture (hindsight bias) emerges, many of our best and brightness will be thrown away and shunned as if they have committed some great crime against humanity, when in fact whoever was working that day would have made the same decisions and had no impact on the outcome. As that happens, the culture of inaction will emerge because any decision to engage in anything will be a risk that most won’t be willing to take. Internal investigations will take on a new mission to seek and destroy anyone who has anything bad happen on their watch so the “cover your butt” culture can thrive. Your people will stop using common sense and wait for you to tell them everything to do.

Mayday-Myth vs Reality

From www.firefighterclosecalls.com

Last week we had a old friend visit our region to do training. Don Abbott is a well respected, retired Chief Officer who is truly one of those “just the facts maa’m” people. You may remember his from Abbottville, Command School, FDIC, Firehouse and so many other programs.

Unfortunately I was out of town spending time with Firefighters in New England, but thanks to some friends, including neighboring Chief StevieP, I want to share with readers of The Secret List WHAT Don spoke about. These are just a few highlights of what Don has discovered as FACT related to Firefighter Maydays-in no particular order (Don reviewed this TSL and we are sending it out with his blessings) and I added a few thoughts as well.

If nothing else, this Secret List is a helpful checklist to determine how “ready” your training and response plans are for a first alarm assignment, and in in the event of a MAYDAY. 

These statistics are from approximately 1,000 significant Mayday events that have been studied and evaluated in-depth across the United States. 

The Ten Percenters

By Joseph Kirtchen

From www.fireengineering.com

“The Ten Percenters; An Exclusive Club but its Doors are Open”

                        The best of the best. The hall of famers. The top performers. The ones you can always count on. The elite. Call them whatever you want, they are our best firefighters. Not only skilled and proficient; they are ethical, they don’t complain, and they unfortunately are often overlooked. Sometimes these guys do such a good job that we don’t even notice. We just expect them to be great. Instead, we focus on the underperforming employees or volunteers. Every department has a few firefighters who are in what I call, “The 10% Club.” As supervisors, we need to not only acknowledge and thank these top performers for their contributions; we need to figure out how to grow this “club” within our organizations. As I have indicated, the club is exclusive, its only filled with our very best, but, any firefighter can join. Here is a self assessment survey for firefighters to determine if they qualify for membership in the “club.”

1. Training is considered an essential part of the job, not chore.
2. “Early” is on time. “On time” is late.
3. Compassion is shown for every fire victim and EMS patient regardless of how tired we are and how “routine” we consider the call.
4. The day is spent checking and maintaining equipment and readying for the next call; not in the recliner.
5. Fitness and nutrition are a normal part of their lifestyle. They recognize that firefighters are athletes.
6. They are focused on teaching and training other firefighters. They serve as department mentors.
7. They have the department’s S.O.G.s and pre-plans memorized.
8. When gossip and negatively is being spewed at the kitchen table; they are nowhere to be found.
9. They believe in the mission and always set a great example.

    10. They love the fire service. They live and breathe this career.

    11. Brotherhood is demonstrated; not just a t-shirt slogan or tattoo.

    12. They are leaders regardless of their rank.

    13. They show up every day with a great attitude.

    14. Operational excellence and an outstanding knowledge of fireground strategy and tactics is the norm.

    15. They are always honest and can be counted on to always make ethical decisions in the best interest of the organization.

    16. They are well read, lifelong learners.

    17. They don’t feel that they are “owed” anything. They work without any sense of entitlement.

    18. They want everyone to be successful and often help others achieve their goals.

    19. They have gratitude for the opportunity to put on the uniform every day.

    20. They understand that it’s all about service.

     So, you want in? You want to join the club? There are no forms to fill out, and no dues to pay. Just show up on your next shift and give it your best. Have bad habits? Change them. Have a poor attitude? Fix it. You are part of the greatest profession on the planet, why not be the very best at it? Start today; and welcome to the club. Chief officers; seek out these “Ten Percenters”, recognize them. Praise them. Thank them. Figure out how to duplicate them. Keep in mind, you can’t expect to have a “Ten Percenter Club” if you aren’t willing to lead it and be a member yourself.

What's In It For Me?

By Jarrod Sergi

From www.fireengineering.com

Over the last few months I have heard some conversations about seeking out additional training/certifications or additional responsibilities in the department. I have heard these conversations lead into statements such as “what’s the department going to give me in return for obtaining these things.” I have heard the “what’s in it for me” statement also thrown around a few times. There are a number of things out there that could potentially infect our fire service in a negative way. To me, the “what’s in it for me” mentality is a potential disease and we need to head it off as soon as possible.

I think sometimes this way of thinking could stem from an organizational leadership problem, but largely falls on the individual. It takes our focus off of the mission of the fire service and in the end hurts the service to our community.

Mostly, people are looking for extrinsic rewards for doing the things mentioned above. Extrinsic rewards could be something tangible or physically given to you for your performance. I am not saying that these rewards aren’t good or even deserved, but they should not be the driving force in our performance.

There have several studies conducted by Psychologist Richard Ryan from the University of Rochester that looked at various types of employees and their work performance. It was found that extrinsic rewards can actually erode intrinsic interest. People who see themselves as working for money, approval or competitive success find their tasks less enjoyable, and therefore do not do them as well.

Mental Poison

From www.ironsandladders.com

This one has been brewing for years, and I think it is time to get it out in the open for everyone to share. I really struggle with this topic and it creates a lot of frustration for me to try and comprehend that this is something we are even talking about. Lets just start it out bluntly.
If you’re already set in your ways, and have long ago decided that not only are you going to just simply gather a paycheck but at the same time hold a deep never ending grudge for the guys that are trying to move forward and make this job better, then go ahead,  hold on to that mediocre mentality, sit back for the ride and finish your career in that state, but by all means KEEP IT TO YOURSELF!

Why We Go Inside

What Does Vacant Mean?

 

What Does Vacant Mean?

by David Rhodes

The word vacant in the fire service has taken on a life of its own. By definition. as it relates to a structure,  it would mean that it is unoccupied (no one in there... for you vocabulary challenged guys). Many departments generalize the term vacant. I have even seen research papers on "vacant" structures and firefighter injuries. Unfortunately this has added to the developing risk aversion culture that tends to generalize the job. I even catch myself misusing the term due a normalization of deviance.

Vacant for the fire service now means several different things. It describes the appearance of the structure to some, it means that no one is currently paying rent or a house payment to others and in some areas it mean an old dilapidated structure that has weeds growing out of the siding.

In many urban areas there is rarely such thing as a vacant structure. Most structures are occupied by someone even if they are not supposed to be there. In many cases these structure are likely to have fires and have individuals trapped. They have no power (unless it’s being stolen) so, how did the fire start?

I propose banning the use of “vacant structure” from fire service terminology prior to a primary and secondary search by the fire department. I am in favor of identifying buildings that may be structurally unsound as “high risk” but not “vacant”. It is the fire departments job to determine if a structure is occupied or not when there is a fire in it. The fire department does not make decisions on when to rescue based on the economic status of the individual. A life is a life. The determination of when to “go or not go” should not be based on a self-imposed classification of building as “vacant”.

The overall victim survivability and structural risk profile is the determining factor for “go or no go” once on scene. Front loading a perception of “vacant” has a harmful side effect of creating a nonchalant, slow, not a big deal “just another vacant structure” mentality. All the while, someone may be inside.

One of my crews rescued a 60+ year old man out a structure that the initial crews took for “vacant” based on appearance and had been operating in the exterior defensive mode for over 25 mins. When we arrived we could see areas of the structure that we determined could be and needed to be searched. So we asked to change from defensive to offensive based on our assessment and sure enough a victim was rescued and he lived. In fact he only spent one night in the hospital and was released.

Please stop front loading the term "vacant" and use another descriptor to identify potential risks. Once you have search the building the declare "all clear". Let's leave the term vacant to the real estate brokers. They are not interested in searching a building and saving anyone. It just means no one is paying right now to them.

Flooded South Carolina Firefighters

South Carolina Firefighters’ AssociationPublished Monday, October 12, 2015

We have been made aware of several firefighters who have either lost their homes or suffered major damages due to the flooding. We fully expect to hear of many more areas of need in the weeks and months ahead.

We have an opportunity to make a difference in those lives and others. Would you consider a donation to the S.C. State Firefighters' Foundation?  Many of you have asked how you can help, and this is one of those ways.  If you are planning a fundraiser, would you consider donating the proceeds to the Foundation?  There are many great organizations working to support relief efforts throughout the state. We are asking that you consider a gift that will go directly to our members. Please share this campaign with as many people and organizations as you see fit.

"What better way for us to assist a brother or sister than to assist them in a time of need when they are protecting our citizens?" - Chief Jamie Caggiano, Foundation Chairman

There are two ways to make a donation:
1.    You can donate online through our website here (select the 2015 Flood Relief option):  https://shop.scfirefighters.org/foundation-donation/
2.    You can mail checks payable to the S.C. Firefighter Foundation to:
           S.C. State Firefighter Foundation
           111 Westpark Boulevard
           Columbia, SC 29210

South Carolina State Firefighters' Association

The firefighters of the state can cooperatively work to find better ways of protecting the lives and property of their fellow citizens from the ravages of fire and disasters. The South Carolina State Firefighters’ Association Endowment is dedicated to the truth that man is at his best when “He’s Helping His Fellow Man.”

** The Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, therefore all donations are tax-deductible.

Mindset

A healthy dose of fear is good. Too much is debilitating

by Dave LebLanc

from www.backstepfirefighter.com

If you read the magazines, social media or take a class, you can’t help but be bombarded by the messages that proclaim this job is dangerous. So much of it is used today to advocate for us being better at our job is safety. Which is a good thing, or is it?

When we preach from a position of fear are we preparing our firefighters correctly to do the job? “Hundreds of firefighters die each year in fires.” “Firefighter safety comes first.” “Life safety priorities start with the firefighter and then the victim.” If we are training our firefighters correctly, we should be training them in such a way that their safety is inherent with their decisions and actions. The lessons of all those that have gone before us should be incorporated into every rookie school, lesson plan, company drill and kitchen table talk. Certainly specific examples will be used, they hold some critical information, but the sensational headlines of “you can die if you do this job” over and over again, sow seeds of fear and doubt into those charged with protecting the public.

Make no mistake, this job is dangerous and you can be killed and that message needs to be conveyed. But as is often the case it isn’t what you say but how you say it, or even more importantly how the message is received.

A Firefighter No More?

from www.hooksandhooligans.com

When do you quit being a firefighter? When was the moment, wherever you are in your journey in the fire service, that you stopped being a firefighter? Was it when you made driver? Made Captain? Made Chief? I remember years ago when I was in some social situation with my wife and after an introduction one of her colleagues would ask, “And what do you do?” My response was, “I’m a fireman.” (I will dive into my thoughts on gender titles some other time.) My supporting spouse added in, “He’s also a Captain and a Paramedic.” While that was true and I was not trying to conceal those facts, my first response was that I am a fireman. 10 years, and a couple promotions later, I still like to say that I’m a firefighter. Do I get to spray water? Force doors? Perform a search? Vent the roof? Rarely, and it is a blessed treat when it comes along. 

  I will admit that I have weaseled my way in on a few extrications here and there with the justification that, “They just needed another pair of hands.” But that’s about all I get these days. Such is life as a chief officer. 

  For me the desire is still there. Regardless of the bugles on my shirt I still want to be a firefighter. Given the choice of sitting in a meeting or training on pump ops? Its pump ops every time. QA reports or drill on setting up a Z-rig? Z-rig wins. File training reports or wash the rigs? Hand me the brush.  

 My point is this. If you can answer that question, if you can point to that spot along your journey that you no longer considered yourself a firefighter, then what are you? The bigger question is, “why are you still here?” Think about all the things that make up being a firefighter, the values and the ideals, the things that drew you into the job. If that isn’t still a part of you and your purpose for serving, then what are you doing it for?  

 In my opinion, we have no other purpose than to serve. We may serve in different ways, operations, support, training, prevention, but we should all have in our hearts that we exist to serve. Hopefully, along the way in our journey we have retained the essence of being a firefighter. We think of service before self. We think of brothers before self. We see what needs to be done and we do it. We solve problems that our within our realm and we make a difference. 

  So my question is, are you a firefighter? And if there is any hesitation in your response, how can you get back to it?  

 – Chief Dave Cline Hooks & Hooligans Senior Correspondent - See more at: http://hooksandhooligans.com/a-fireman-no-more/#sthash.BJ4SCiku.dpuf

Region 5 Update

Fire Instructor I class:  We have one space remaining in a Fire Instructor I class at St. Andrew’s Fire Department 4/24-5/3 (two weekend class).  Registration is available on the portal.

Course Updates:  The following SCFA courses are currently in the update process, with new revisions coming soon: 3330-Auto Extrication, 3224-Arson Detection, 2723-Haz Mat Tech, 4165-Fire & Life Safety Educator, 2100-Fire Officer I, 2102-Fire Officer II, 1210-EVDT, 1220-Pump Ops, 1221-Pump Ops II, and 1250-Aerial Ops.  Instructors will be notified about the update process for each one.

Long Range Planning:   Now is the time to meet with your neighboring departments and coordinate training through the remainder of 2015.  Once you have determined your training needs, coordinated with your neighboring departments, and looked on the portal to see what is already available, please email your in-house and request class needs to Brent Turner at brent.turner@llr.sc.gov    Brent will need the following information via email:

·         Course Name/Course Code

·         Will it be In-House (you will supply the instructors) or Request (SCFA will supply instructors, must meet a minimum student requirement)?

·         If you have a preferred schedule—evening, weekday, weekend, etc.. (if you need us to staff, please do not give us specific dates, let us pick dates based on our instructor availability)

·         Location of class (station name or number)

·         Any SCFA equipment/trailer support needed

Additionally, you can let Brent know if your department would like to host an IFSAC testing/general retesting session at any point after June 30, and some potential dates/times.

Retesting policy:  Be aware that students have up to 120 days from course completion to take their first retest.  If they fail their first retest, then they have up to 210 days from course completion to take a second retest.  Please make sure students schedule their retesting session far in advance, so we are able to accommodate them during their eligibility period.

Reminder: Students cannot register for a class until all the required prereqs for that class are on their transcript.

Available IFSAC testing & general retesting sessions  **To register for any session, please contact the regional office** 

3/25	Wed	9am	Colleton Co Fire/Rescue, Sta 19
4/25	Sat	9am	St. Paul’s Fire Dept HQ
5/27	Wed	6:30pm	Burton Fire Dept, Pinewood Sta
6/24	Wed	9am	Colleton Co Fire/Rescue, Sta 19

Region 5 Update

ProBoard Information/Update:  Please see attachment.

HSO Class:  We have 2 spaces remaining in a Health & Safety Officer class at Jasper Co Fire/Rescue on 4/25 & 4/26.  Registration is available on the portal.   

Evaluations:   When agreeing to evaluate, please make a note which position you have been assigned (lead or skills).   Also, instructors,  please note that evaluations will be conducted per the course schedule.  If you are running ahead and want your evaluation to start earlier in the day, please communicate with the regional office at least 24 hours in advance.

Allendale/Bamberg/Hampton Weed & Feed:   There is some room in the Allendale/Bamberg/Hampton Co Weed & Feed program starting mid-March.  This program will be weekends only and include IOW’s/teach backs for the entire Essentials series (1152/1153/1154), Haz Mat Ops, EVDT and Auto Extrication.   Instructors wishing to attend should have successfully completed these classes as a student and have successfully completed the Fire Instructor I class.  The Weed & Feed program is not available for electronic registration, so please submit paper registrations to this office.

Long Range Planning:   Now is the time to meet with your neighboring departments and coordinate training through the remainder of 2015.  Once you have determined your training needs, coordinated with your neighboring departments, and looked on the portal to see what is already available, please email your in-house and request class needs to Brent Turner at brent.turner@llr.sc.gov    Brent will need the following information via email:

·         Course Name/Course Code

·         Will it be In-House (you will supply the instructors) or Request (SCFA will supply instructors, must meet a minimum student requirement)?

·         If you have a preferred schedule—evening, weekday, weekend, etc.. (if you need us to staff, please do not give us specific dates, let us pick dates based on our instructor availability)

·         Location of class (station name or number)

·         Any SCFA equipment/trailer support needed

Additionally, you can let Brent know if your department would like to host an IFSAC testing/general retesting session at any point after June 30, and some potential dates/times.

Southeastern Fire School:   The brochure for Southeastern can be found at the following: http://www.scfa.state.sc.us/PDF/2015_Southeastern_Brochure.pdf  

Retesting policy:  Be aware that students have up to 120 days from course completion to take their first retest.  If they fail their first retest, then they have up to 210 days from course completion to take a second retest.  Please make sure students schedule their retesting session far in advance, so we are able to accommodate them during their eligibility period.

Reminder: Students cannot register for a class until all the required prereqs for that class are on their transcript.

Available IFSAC testing & general retesting sessions  **To register for any session, please contact the regional office** 

3/25	Wed	9am	Colleton Co Fire/Rescue, Sta 19
4/25	Sat	9am	St. Paul’s Fire Dept HQ
5/27	Wed	6:30pm	Burton Fire Dept, Pinewood Sta
6/24	Wed	9am	Colleton Co Fire/Rescue, Sta 19

Complacency: "It's just a car fire."

Although most car fires go out relatively easily and safely, there are plenty of potential dangers involved. Toxic smoke, exploding bumper struts, air bags, seatbelt pre-tensioners, fuel spills, propane cylinders, combustible metals, and the vehicle suddenly moving are just some of the hidden dangers that may not be readily apparent when we arrive on scene. Remember that no fire is "routine" until it is out. Every fire, regardless of how benign it may seem, could be your last fire if you allow yourself to become complacent. Here are a few general guidelines regarding car fires:

• Always wear full PPE and SCBA. I used to not wear a flash hood to car fires. I thought it wasn't necessary since I wasn't going interior, until one time I directed a narrow fog stream into the passenger compartment of heavily involved car and the steam blew back on me. Steam burns suck. 
• Stage the apparatus in a safe location. Stage uphill and upwind when possible. When it's not possible to stage uphill and upwind, stage further away. If you are within reach of the bumper line on a well-involved vehicle you are probably too close. We have longer hose lines; we don't have fire-proof fire engines. Also, don't stage over or near manholes or sewer drains. Fuel leaking into the sewer system could cause an explosion; you don't want the engine parked over a manhole when that happens.
• Chock the wheels of the burning vehicle when it is safe to do so. At the very least, have a couple pieces of cribbing handy to throw in front of the tires if the vehicle starts rolling. 
• Approach from the corners of the vehicle at a 45 degree angle. Many modern vehicles have pressurized gas struts in the bumpers, hoods, and hatch-backs. When these struts fail they can fire the metal rod just like a bullet. There have been several documented cases of serious firefighter injuries due to this. In at least one case, the rod actually penetrated the firefighter's femur even though he was wearing full turnout gear.
• Use the reach of a straight stream to knock down the bulk of the fire before moving closer. Also remember to deflect the stream off the ground to extinguish fire beneath the vehicle.
• Don't stick your head in the window to extinguish the fire in the passenger compartment. Try to open the doors instead. Air bags can deploy at any time and, once again, steam burns suck. 
• Consider water supply and foam early. Most gasoline now contains ethanol. Ethanol is an alcohol and mixes with water, making it more difficult to extinguish than pure gasoline. I have noticed in recent years that car fires tend to be much more stubborn and sometimes require more than one-thousand gallons of water and the use of foam to extinguish. Don't wait until you run out of water to start thinking about water supply. 
• The engineer is responsible for protecting the apparatus. If there is fuel leaking it may be necessary to pull another line to protect the apparatus from burning fuel running down the road. It may also be a good idea to have a shovel handy to build a small earth berm to deflect runoff away from the apparatus. Also make sure to check ditches for runoff. 

These are just a few basic tips for vehicle fires. Always use solid fundamentals and remember that complacency kills. 

Loss of Skill

By Ray McCormack

from www.fireengineering.com

Many in today's fire service feel that there is resistance to change in regard to extinguishment techniques and other tactics, and they are correct. While resistance is what is felt, the reality is that changes need to be peer-reviewed--not just by a select few, but by departments, as well. Resistance toward change is one thing; resistance to changes is another. However, all of this is a good thing, because changes, especially ones that may go against department policy andextinguishment culture, are critically important and typically require measured acquisition.

The silent component of pushback on many changes is that they reduce the skill levels of firefighters. Some of the biggest centers of resistance to new extinguishment decrees are places where fires occur frequently. This makes sense because those that have developed the skills necessary to attack fires from the interior see little need to change. This is especially true since little science has been produced to prove that they are incorrect in their approach.

Region 5 Update

Evaluations:   On the last day of class, for the written test and practical skills, the lead instructor turns the class over to the lead evaluator.  At that point, theevaluation belongs to the lead evaluator.  We want to make it very clear that the lead evaluator is in charge of all evaluations, and that person is empowered to make decisions that will keep the evaluation running smoothly.  Unless they have been assigned a role in the evaluation prior to that date, the lead instructor, family and friends of students in the class, members of the host department/other agencies, etc… are not to participate or be a distraction during any evaluation. 

Region 5 Staffing:  For the last three years, this region has operated under a staffing shortage.  We are the busiest region, having more classes and training more students than any other, and the staffing issue has been a burden.  We are thrilled to announce that we have now added two new part-time positions to our regional staff:

·         Ron Alexander---most of you know Ron.  He recently retired from St. John’s Fire Department as Chief of Training.  Back in the 1990’s up until 2003, Ron was also the Assistant Coordinator of this Region.  We are happy to have Ron back on our staff.  As of Jan 1, Ron will be working with us one or two days each week.  His duties will include assembling all test boxes for testing sessions and practical skills, as well as proctoring all IFSAC testing/re-testing sessions.

·         Paul Kondor---Paul is a NJ native, but has been in SC for the last few years, and works on shift at Awendaw Fire Department.  As of Dec 1, he will be working with us most of his off shift days.  His duties will include staffing classes, processing completed course packages, course package deliveries/pick ups, etc.  His email address will be paul.kondor@llr.sc.gov and his office number will be 843-552-6217.

Ron and Paul will both be working out of our NCFD satellite office.  Additionally, we are budgeting for a full-time administrative assistant position for FY17.  We are confident these new positions will allow us to better meet our customers’ needs!

NCFD Satellite Office:  We recently had several boxes of IFSTA manuals that were allocated for a class removed from the office after hours.  Be aware that as of Dec 1, the code to the back door of our NCFD satellite office will be changed and not given out.  The good news is that Paul will be a regular fixture in the office, and trips to that office can be pre-arranged for a day that he will be there. 

Instructors on SCFA Payroll:  The State is has been under a hiring freeze for SCFA payroll instructors for several years, but due to the significant training numbers in this region, we were given an exemption and allowed to bring additional instructors on payroll to assist us with training needs.   After an interview process, we are happy to announce the following individuals have recently been brought on payroll as part-time SCFA instructors:

·         Paul Kondor (Awendaw Fire Dept)

·         Anthony Simmons (Jasper Co Fire/Rescue)

·         Chris Garniewicz (Bluffton Fire Dept)

After Dec 1, you will begin seeing them on the road, active and teaching all over the region. 

SCEIS:  For our SCFA instructors who are on payroll, if you have any issues logging on to SCEIS, make errors entering your teaching time/travel, please call the Help Desk number location on the log on page for SCEIS.  Please do not call LLR HR, and SCFA staff is not able to assist.  If you call the Help Desk number, they can resolve all your SCEIS issues.  Thanks for your help with this.

Long-Range Planning:  Now that we no longer have a traditional catalog every six months, many of you have starting planning a lot further in advance.  We are easily able to accommodate this, and we have had great feedback from students, who prefer this as well.  

Retesting Policy:  Be aware with the new retesting policy (as of July 1), students must take their first retest within 120 days of their original exam date.  Previously, we allowed 180 days from the original exam date for their one and only retest.   Now, students who do not take their first retest within 120 days are no longer eligible for any retesting, and must take the class over again.    Remember the new policy is: first retest attempt at least 30 days after the original test date, but not more than 120 days after….second retest attempt, at least 30 days after the original test date, but not more than 210 days after.   Please encourage personnel to schedule their retest ASAP….if they wait until the last minute, we may not be able to accommodate them.

SC State Certification (1700-series): A year or so ago, we announced that the SCFA was going to offer a state certification program, called the 1700-series.  These would be a series of job based certification levels, with a bridge to IFSAC FFI certification (if desired). Although it can be implemented by any fire department, it is geared towards the volunteer and/or rural fire service.  Orangeburg County hosted the first pilot last  year.  Then program was rewritten, and we are currently going through the second pilot in Orangeburg County.   While this program is not completely ready for hand off to fire departments, if you would like more information or are interested in the program, we have a better feel for how it works and can start having those discussions. 

Electronic Registration:  Currently, 3/4 of all SCFA registrations are received electronically via the portal.  In Region 5, 97% of our departments utilize this method of registration.  Be aware that the SCFA does intend to “go paperless”.    Those of you who still use paper registration forms, I would be more than happy to meet with you and go over the advantages of using the Fire Portal and answer any questions that you may have.  

Region 5 IOW Blitz--See information attached Please forward the attached schedule to all instructors in your department!

Available IFSAC testing & general retesting sessions

**To register for any session, please contact the regional office**  **If your department has 7 or more students, we can schedule a testing session at your department specifically for them**

12/9	Tues	7pm	Jasper Co Fire/Rescue
1/31	Sat	9am	Goose Creek Rural Fire Dept
2/25	Wed	6:30pm	Dorchester Co Fire/Rescue, Harleyville Sta
3/25	Wed	9am	Colleton Co Fire/Rescue, Sta 19
4/25	Sat	9am	St. Paul’s Fire Dept HQ
5/27	Wed	6:30pm	Burton Fire Dept, Pinewood Sta
6/24	Wed	9am	Colleton Co Fire/Rescue, Sta 19

We’ve recently added several new classes to the online catalog.  Please visit the following link and select ‘Region 5’:https://fire.llr.sc.gov/Portal/Registration/RegionSearch.aspx