Remembering Andy Fredericks

As we reflect on the attacks of 9-11 and pay tribute to the brothers we lost that day, it is important to remember that the best way to honor their sacrifice is to learn from them and to carry on the traditions of the fire service. One of the greatest losses to the fire service that day was Lt. Andrew Fredericks. Andy was a regular author for Fire Engineering magazine and was one of few instructors who stayed grounded in basic fundamental engine company operations during a time when the fire service as a whole was focusing more on RIT and EMS.

Below is the keynote address that Andy gave at FDIC in 2000, not long before he was killed at the World Trade Center.





Below is a link to a collection of Andy's articles:

http://nozzleforwarddotcom1.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/the-book-of-andy-gary-lane.pdf

"Never Forget" means that we learn everything that we can from those that have made the ultimate sacrifice. It means that we never let their death be in vain. It means that we study our job, train, and work hard to carry out our fire service tradition of being the best that we can be when our citizens need us.

9-11 Never Forget

The link below is a documentary narrated by actor and former FDNY firefighter Steve Buscemi about the long-term health effects being suffered by the rescue personnel who worked at ground zero.

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/dust-to-dust/

October Promotional Testing

Anyone who is eligible to test for promotion in October must submit a letter of intent and their requirements booklets with all requirements and JPR’s signed no later than 1700 hours September 26. In addition, personnel testing for Senior Firefighter must submit a resume.

Promotional testing will be held on the following dates:

Firefighter I & II- Monday, October 6

Apprentice Engineer & Engineer- Tuesday, October 7

Senior Firefighter- Wednesday, October 8

The written test will begin promptly at 0900 in the Station 24 training room. All personnel testing must be in their Class C uniform. Personnel must bring at least two black ink pens and a calculator. No other items will be permitted in the training room during testing. The practical application test will be held after lunch and all personnel will need their turnout gear. Unexcused absence, tardiness, cheating, or failure to follow any of the directions in this memo will result in disqualification.

Anyone who is unable to make it to the test dates may request an alternative date prior to the deadline (1700 hours September 26 ). If you have any questions regarding the testing process feel free to call or email me.

Captain Earle

Region 5 Course Update

	Course Name	Course Code/Section Nu.	Class Status as of 8/27	Hosted by	Dates	Times	Registration Deadline	Direct Registration Link
	PICO	2118-15-503	CANCELED	Burton Fire Department	9/9-9/10	9am-6pm	8/26	CANCELED
	Pump Ops I	1220-15-501	Low Registrations(close--just need a few more to make it go)	Burton Fire Department	9/22-9/26	9am-6pm	9/1	https://fire.llr.sc.gov/FA-OnlineRegistration/registration.aspx?crsidnt=53042
	Water Rescue	3350-15-504	Really low registrations & Staffing Issues	Hilton Head Island Fire/Rescue	9/27-9/28	9am-6pm	9/5	https://fire.llr.sc.gov/FA-OnlineRegistration/registration.aspx?crsidnt=53059
	Leadership I	2171-15-502		Bluffton Fire Department	11/1-11/2	9am-6pm	10/10	https://fire.llr.sc.gov/FA-OnlineRegistration/registration.aspx?crsidnt=53043
	STICO	2119-15-501		Lady’s Island Fire Department	11/18-11/19	9am-6pm	10/28	https://fire.llr.sc.gov/FA-OnlineRegistration/registration.aspx?crsidnt=53044
	DMICO	2121-15-501		Hilton Head Island Fire/Rescue	1/10-1/11	9am-6pm	12/20	https://fire.llr.sc.gov/FA-OnlineRegistration/registration.aspx?crsidnt=53045

Women and Children First

by Dave LeBlanc

from www.fireengineering.com

What does this mean? Quite simply it means that the less able are supposed to be assisted of the sinking ship before the able body males and the ship’s crew. Maritime law (or operational norm) grew from a sense of responsibility the mariners had for the value of human life, and while we can argue that there are as many able bodied women as there are non-able bodied males, the bigger picture was with the exception t of those needed to operate life boats the crew was the last to leave.

Yes that is right, the passengers came FIRST!

The Fire Service that I grew up in felt the same way about the public, yes those very people you swore to protect (probably with a line like – no mental reservation whatsoever).   The Fire Department was formed out of a need to keep towns and cities from burning to the ground.  They were needed because otherwise massive devastation would occur and countless lives would be lost.

The Public came FIRST!

As the Fire Service evolved from its infancy, firefighting changed.  Firefighters developed new and better way to stop fire.  Firefighting went from ‘save the block’, to ‘save the building’, to ‘save the floor’, to the oft used ‘one room job’.  Firefighters learned how to protect interior exposures, how to get inside and stop it dead in its tracks.  The benefit was twofold.  By going inside, firefighters gave victims a chance to survive and also saved valuable property and contents.  Life and property – you might have heard those words before.

These changes and tactics did not come without risk.  After all ‘inherently dangerous’ had to come from somewhere, right?  Firefighters were injured and killed protecting the Public.  Yet they continued to do it, because it was the oath they took, the profession they choose.

Hump Day SOS - New Culture Puts Customers # 2

• Posted by David Rhodes on August 13, 2014 at 10:05am
• View Blog

"Our customers are #2" Are you kidding me!!!!!!

I had a long conversation with a friend of mine yesterday who is currently working on his fire science degree. He told me one of his professors made the statement that the fire service culture needed to change and that the customer was no longer number one and that the fire fighters were number one. We discussed this for quite some time as I looked for additional cues of intent the professor part.

The statement itself is incorrect by all logical context however I am only assuming that it was used in the context of fire fighter safety. Even used in the context of fire fighter safety the statement is dangerous and whatever context it was presented in seems to fit a new “no risk” approach to all hazards by some fire service members.

If we are teaching our young firefighters that the customers are number two, then we are telling them that no risk is acceptable in the attempt to save a life. I’m all for teaching them how to size up a building to look for potential areas of survivability, to look for situations that are un-survivable, to know the limits of their PPE, to understand fire behavior in various types of building construction all to expand their knowledge in the attempt to help manage risks. However, the customer is always number ONE and having members equipped with knowledge, skills and abilities to make good decisions we manage the risks factors to rescue the customers or each other. This cannot be interpreted as a blank check that supports a philosophy that “we go in every fire no matter what because there might be someone in there”. Instead we need to concentrate our efforts on equipping our firefighters with training and knowledge that allows them to operate smart in a profession built on honor, sacrifice, service and courage.

The Maltese Crosses were intentionally left blank in the poster because a fire service culture purported to place the customer second will ultimately result in the demise of the fire service. A fire service empty of honor, sacrifice, service and courage. Image a restaurant making the statement, “We will serve you what we like” or a store stating, “We will sell you what we want”…….

In the quest to improve the safety of our profession we need to turn our efforts towards perfecting skills, creating opportunities to gain experience with scenario based hands on training, through studying the cause and effects of firefighter injuries and deaths (the real story not the sterile report), from learning from our own mistakes (no one is exempt from them), and designing promotional processes that result in the promotion of good decision makers not just good multiple choice test takers or table top masters or those who attend the most committee meetings. But we should NEVER abandon and relegate our customers to number 2. Doing so is nothing more than a safe way out from dealing with the real problems in the fire service.

Risk nothing to save nothing but have well trained competent members that will risk a lot to save a life as they keep the customers number one.

Privilege

•  by Shea Chwialkowski on July 14, 2014 at 1:12pm
• from www.fireengineering.com
• 
  

priv·i·lege

: a right or benefit that is given to some people and not to others : a special opportunity to do something that makes you proud

It is a privilege to be a firefighter. Do you really believe this statement? Firefighters often talk about feeling privileged when they are first due to a “good” working fire, but does the privilege cease when we are doing the things not pictured on the cover of Fire Engineering magazine? There are literally thousands of people who would love to fill our seat on the engine. They would jump at the chance to get on the truck at two in the morning and go pick up Mr. Jones for the third time in a week; okay maybe not ‘jump’ but they might do it without complaint. Think back to when you applied to be a firefighter. Think about those applicants who were not chosen for the position you now hold.  I bet they view the things we may treat as a nuisance as a privilege.

At one point (and hopefully still) you wanted to be a firefighter more than anything else in the world. Sometimes we need to hit rewind on our fire career DVR to hear the promises we gave in earnest during our interview. Ask yourself honestly - are continuing to make good on those promises? Are you the team player you claimed to be? Do you still have a rock solid work ethic? Are you still a self-starter? Are you still willing to be educated and trained? Are you really the person who can be relied upon to deliver in a time of need? Do you still treat this job as a privilege? Your fellow firefighters, lieutenants, captains and chiefs probably already know the answer, but do you? If you have honored all of these claims, that is impressive, but have you prepared to identify when you no longer are? If you have not fulfilled your promises, or feel yourself slipping, ask yourself, “Where did I go, where is the engaged, more eager version of me?”  

Perform an internal primary search - I bet he or she is still occupying a survivable space, behind a closed door, somewhere inside. Get in there and bring ’em out.