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The ISFSI, George D. Post Fire Instructor of the Year Award 2011

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ISFSI – The Voice: Live from FDIC 2011: Brian Kazmierzak, Fire Instructor of the Year

Brian Kazmierzak

 

 Brian Kazmierzak, ISFSI/Fire Engineering George D Post Instructor of the Year, talks about local training as well as his involvement in firefighterclosecalls.com. HERE

Brian P. Kazmierzak, EFO – has been a member of the fire service since 1991. Since 1994, he has been employed by the Clay Fire Territory, South Bend, Indiana, where he is division chief of training and safety. He is the MABAS Division 201 Tactical Rescue Team Task Force leader and a Plans Team Manager for FEMA’s US&R IN-TF1. He has two fire-service related associate’s degrees and a bachelor’s degree in fire service administration from Southern Illinois University. Brian serves as the Close Calls and Audio Visual Editor for www.firefighterclosecalls.com

 

 

 

From FFCC:

FDIC is a tradition in the fire service and something every FF should experience. FDIC has a number of “traditions” and one of them that has been brought back in recent years is the relationship between ISFSI and FDIC. As some of you may know, FDIC was the ISFSI conference for many, many years, but was purchased by Fire Engineering several years ago. Without giving you a history lesson though, one of the most honored ISFSI traditions is the George D. Post Fire Instructor of the Year Award. Named after an honored ISFSI fire instructor from many years ago, it is THE top award for fire instructors in North America. Now called the Fire Engineering/ISFSI George D. Post Instructor of the Year Award, it recognizes the “best of the best” fire service instructors.
 
On March 24, 2011 the Fire Engineering/ISFSI George D. Post Instructor of the Year Award was presented to Division Chief Brian Kazmierzak from the Clay Fire Territory near South Bend, Indiana. Brian is the Director of Operations for Billy Goldfeder’s  The Secret List and www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com. Day to day, Brian works 24/7/365 with FireFighterCloseCalls.com to insure that literally everything “behind the scenes” in delivering The Secret List as well as FFCC gets done.

According to Chief Billy Goldfeder, in a nutshell, Brian Kazmierzak’s high energy and enthusiasm IS what a veteran firefighter would recognize, and what a probationary firefighter would embrace as “what I want to be.”  In addition to being a Division Chief of the Clay Fire Territory and Director of Operations for www.firefighterclosecalls.com, Brian is the 2006 recipient of the Dana Hannon Instructor of the Year Award (from FOOLS Int’l) and the 2008 The Indiana Fire Chiefs Training Officer of the Year. Brian was also in the original Blue Card Certified Fireground Command Instructor Course (www.bluecardcommand.com ) and serves as a Lead Blue Card Instructor and Train the Trainer Instructor.

Clay Fire Territory Web site, HERE

The Clay Fire Territory is a progressive, full-service combination Department that provides fire protection and emergency services for Clay Township, German Township, Harris Township Indian Village, and the Town of Roseland. Clay Fire Territory is located in northern St. Joseph County (IN). It is bordered by the Michigan state line to the north, Warren Township to the west, the University of Notre Dame, the City of South Bend, & City of Mishawaka to the south, and Elkhart County to the east. The population serviced by Clay Fire Territory is approximately 70,000 residents

The department is a combination department with 60 full time, 40 part time, and on-call firefighters. Firefighters work in 3 shifts with 2 Battalion’s working out of 5 stations. The Fire Chief, Operations Chief, Fire Marshal, Training Officer and Deputy Fire Marshal work Mon. – Fri. at Station #2.

  • More information on the Fire Engineering/ISFSI George D. Post Instructor of the Year Award, HERE and HERE
  • The International Society of Fire Service Instructors- ISFSI, HERE….not a member?…JOIN!
  • ISFSI on FireEngineering.com, HERE
Posted by on March 29, 2011 • Filed under: Buildingsonfire.com, christopher naum, Commandsafety.com, company officer, Mentor, Professional Development, Tradition, training-development • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tactical Operations and the New Rules of Combat Engagement 2011 Seminar

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New for 2011

 

 A New Fire Service Training Seminar Series for National Delivery from Two Nationally Recognized Fire Service Leaders and Highly Acclaimed Fire Service Instructors,  Authors and Fire Officers; Tactical Operations and the Rules of Combat Fire Engagement 2011.

Seminar Topics;

  • The New Rules of Engagement
  • Occupancy Profiling
  • The New Fireground
  • Extreme Fire Behavior
  • Building Construction & Engineered Systems
  • The Company and Command Officer in 2011 and Beyond
  • Tactical Entertainment & Firefighter Safety
  • Tactical Patience & Operational Excellence
  • Command Risk Management
  • Battle Ready
  • Redefining Tactical Readiness  and much more

Information or bookings for 2011 and 2012: buildingsonfire@gmail.com or Christopher.naum@gmail.com

A Buildingsonfire.com Series and Command Institute Production

Posted by on March 27, 2011 • Filed under: Buildingsonfire.com, christopher naum, Commandsafety.com, company officer, Fire Fighter Safety, Fire Fighting, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Casa Grande Fire Fighting

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Casa Grande Mega Mansion Fire

At 2356 hours on Saturday March 19, 2011, the Huntingtown (MD) Volunteer Fire Department was alerted for the reported Chimney Fire in a residential house. The home was not conventional by any accounts as it was a 10,000 Square foot single family dwelling.  While en-route, firefighters received information that the owner was trying to extinguish the fire and believed it had spread to the attic.

The first arriving chief officer arrived to find smoke showing from the second floor eaves of this 10,000 square foot mega-mansion. The first-due Engine laying a supply line, advancing a 400′ pre-connect and began pulling the ceiling within the interior, at which time they found fire in the truss loft concealed attic spreading rapidly. Within seconds, conditions deteriorated rapidly resulting in zero visibility accompanied by intense heat. Command immediately ordered evacuation tones.

Due to high winds off the adjacent river, coupled with water supply issues, response distance times from quarters, and the size of the structure (10,000 square feet), fire spread rapidly resulting in nine firefighter injuries during the rapid egress and bailout from the interior positions. Immediately thereafter, the second floor flashed ,several firefighters took extreme measures such as jumping out of windows and running through walls to evacuate the structure.

A detailed account of the incident with video, photos and pre-fire house images is available on CommandSafety.com, HERE

Additional References:

  • 10,000 SF Residential Fire MD, Commandsafety.com HERE
  • Behind the Ever-Expanding American Dream House, NRP HERE
  • LAFD LODD: Hollywood Hills Mansion Investigating Building Standards, CommandSafety.com HERE

Insights and discussion points;

  • Are you aware of large or mega-sized residential occupancies within your district, greater alarm or mutual/automatic aid response areas?
  • Do you pre-fire plan these occupancies?
  • Have you established special protocols, SOPs or procedure for potential operations at these occupancies?
  • Have you considered augmented first-alarm, supplemental or immediate greater alarm response deployments at these structures?
  • Do you have adequate first-due fire suppression capabilities AND fire flow; (GMP and sustainable water flow and pressure) to implement an offensive tactical IAP?
  • Do you have adequate staffing to support the above?
  • Have you practices operations that require deployment and coordinated actions?
  • Do you treat an 8,000 SF; 9,000 or 10,000 SF SFR occupancy the same as you would a 3,000-4,000 SF residence? Does this matter?
  • Do you think the fire load package within today’s residential (minor or mega-house) settings  has any bearing on fire suppression capabilities and the containment? 
  • What have your past experiences indicating to you?
  • Are your personnel and command staff prepared to address “Wind-Driven fires?”
  • Different Strategies and Tactics?
  • Are you adequatly trained, prepared and resourced to address a working fire in a casa grande, mega-residential occupancy?
  • Do Commercial Fire based tactics have their place at “residential” occupancies?
  • Do you understand the concept of; “Occupancy Risk versus Occupancy Type?
  • How does Fire Dynamics, Fire Load, Occupancy compartmentation and fire suppression capabilities or gaps relate to incident scene operations?
  • Are fires in mega-mansions a special concern? If so, what are you doing about it?
Posted by on March 22, 2011 • Filed under: building construction, Buildingsonfire.com, christopher naum, Fire Dynamics, Fire Fighting, Fire Suppression, firefighting-operations • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Two volunteer firefighters die battling blaze in Southwest Ontario, Canada

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Dollar Store, Main Street West, Listowel, Ontario Canada

Two volunteer firefighters were killed in the line of duty in southwestern Ontario, Canada on Thursday while battling a commercial department-store fire in Listowel, Ont., which is 160 kilometres east of Toronto, Ontario 

Perth OPP were called at 15:30 hours ET, to help the volunteer fire department deal with the structure fire. Published reports are indicating the fire had broken out in the roof of a Dollar Stop store, where roofers had previously been working. 

A short time later, two firefighters were unaccounted for. Firefighters conducted a search of the building and found the two downed firefighters who had succumbed to injuries they suffered while fighting the fire. 

No further details about the victims were available at the present time. The firefighters’ bodies were still in the building at 20:00 hours., ET, Thursday, and the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office had taken over the scene. Fire fighter Line of duty deaths is not common in Canada and having a fire in which there is a double LODD is even more unheard of. 

Additional published reports indicated  flames all along the west side and flames were shooting out of the roof, with a series of pops, like small explosions being reported. 

Four fire stations – Atwood, Listowel, Monkton and Milverton – all responded to the blaze. 

The firefighters were in the process of completing a primary search within the building when the roof collapsed, the QMI Agency has learned. 

Update:  More Photos HERE 

Witnesses said smoke was first spotted coming from the roof of the Dollar Stop store at about 3:30 p.m.

A short time later, two firefighters from the North Perth Fire Department were reported missing inside the single-storey structure. They were later found dead, but their bodies had not been recovered Thursday night. 

Killed were 30-year-old Raymond Walter of Listowel, and 56-year-old Kenneth Rea of Atwood. Rea was the deputy district chief for the Atwood station, one of three serving North Perth. 

    

 

Emergency crews on the scene of a fatal fire in Listowel ON, March 17, 2011. Courtesy AM920 CKNX Listowel, Ont.,

More recent postings: HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE

Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation, HERE

  

CFFF

 

Deputy District Chief Kenneth Rea

 

Firefighter Raymond Walter

Posted by on March 17, 2011 • Filed under: Buildingsonfire.com, christopher naum, Collapse, Fire Suppression, firefighting-operations, fires, line-of-duty, LODD • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Near Miss Reporting and One Captain’s Close Call

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Taking it to the Streets: Near Miss Reporting and One Captain’s Close Call

On Your Street, In Your City, Across the Country, Around the WorldTM

 
 
 Join us on Wednesday night March 16th at 9:00 pm ET for an insightful discussion on the National Near-Miss reporting System with a stellar line-up of fire service leaders.

The line-up of Scheduled guests includes,

  • Lt. Steve Mormino, FDNY (ret),
  • Captain CJ Haberkorn Denver (CO) Fire Department and
  • Special Guest Captain Michael Long, Camp Taylor (KY) Fire Protection District.

 Grab a cup of coffee and sit down for a special two part, two hour program with Taking it to the Streets on Firefighernetcast.com where we’ll be discussing the National Near-Miss Reporting System and the untapped resources that the program and system provides with Christopher Naum and this outstanding group of fire service leaders.

The second part of the program will dedicated to the personal account of Captain Long’s Close Call event from July 25, 2010 (NMR #10-1072) when a catastrophic floor collapse at a residential occupancy plunged him into a fire involved basement.

 

Join in on the live open discussion with other fire service personnel from around the country. Check out the latest downloads of recent programs in the archives by visiting Taking it to the Street’s webpage on Firefighternetcast.com or for program insights at CommandSafety.com.

  • Tune in to the Program Wednesday evening March 16th at 9:00 pm ET, HERE
  • Firefighternetcast.com HERE
  • Taking it to the Streets Radio Programs, HERE and HERE
  • National Near Miss Reporting System, HERE
  • National Near Miss Reporting System Resources, HERE
  • National Near Miss Reporting System, 2011 Calendar and Annual Report, HERE
  • One Captain’s Personal Near Miss Event, HERE
  • Incident Posting from Commandsafety.com from 2010, HERE

Taking it to the StreetsTM is a monthly radio show featured on BlogTalk Radio and is hosted by Christopher Naum and is a Buildingsonfire.com Series and FireFighternetcast.com Production,

© 2011 All Rights Reserved

 

Posted by on March 15, 2011 • Filed under: building construction, Buildingsonfire.com, christopher naum, Commandsafety.com, company officer, Fire Fighter Safety, Fire Suppression, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, Situational Awareness, Strategy and Tactics, Taking it to the Streets, thecompanyofficer.com • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Combat Engagement

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What Defines You?

There are a number of insightful and thought provoking theories, debates, assertions, contentions and positions being postured, promoted or advocated in the realm of fire suppression and firefighter safety.

Some continue to promote with renewed banter and unwavering passion certain attributes that they feel are fundamental to the fire service, just as others promote with similar zeal and passion a different perspective of what the fire service has or should look like in today’s challenging and continually evolving built environment.

Combat fire engagement and it’s alignment to what I define as the Art and Science of Firefighting has numerous facets, components and considerations that must be taken into consideration in today’s context that are evolving, changing and challenging the notions and how we do business in the streets.

Take the time around the kitchen table today or in the day room tonight to talk about what are the evolving parameters that define combat fire engagement today.

Here are a couple of links that provide different perspectives on a common theme. See how each perspective impacts your personal perspectives and those of your organization or department.

  • Rational Aggressiveness, HERE
  • Mission of the Fire Service Warrior, HERE
  • Rules of Engagement, HERE
  • Survivability Profiling, HERE 
  • Tactical Patience, HERE
  • Tactical Entertainment, HERE 

What effect and consequences does the First Due Officer have on Incident Operations?

  • Is the First Due Officer defined by the level of aggressiveness they select and implement in their IAP on a consistent basis?
  • Is there a correlation and parallel between Risk Management, Building Construction, Firefighter Survival and Aggressive Intervention that the First Due Officer must balance?

What is the Role of the First Due Officer?

  • Strategic, Tactical or Task level Operations?
  • Can they truly perform all of the functional facets required or implied by current fire ground operational models and practices?
  • Can Risk Management really be implemented by the First-Due Officer? Is it being done in organization or company? Or is it just getting the “job done”?
  • Company Level Crew Integrity and Safety & Survival
  • Maintaining Fluid Situational Awareness
  • Evolving and Expanding Operational Concerns
  • Company Integrity
  • Having Appropriate Technical Competencies, Knowledge and Skill Sets
  • Confidence Experience and Operational Fortitude
  • Abilities to Predict & Maintain; Focus, Forecast,
  • Command & Leadership Presence in Strategic and/or Tactical deployments and Assignments

If you are an emerging, aspiring or seasoned Company or Command Officer;

  • What are your First-Due Strategic or Tactical Decisions Based Upon?
  • What is the Sum of your Experiences and Training?
  • What Factors formulate your Risk Assessment Process & Action Planning?
  • What is the Basis of your Decision-Making Process?
  • What Do you really Know, Assume or Consider in the Buildings, Occupancies, Events & Incidents you interface with?
  • Do “Fire Service Traditional Expectations” Cloud your Ability to “SEE” the Big Picture?
  • What Defines you:
    • Aggressive, Forceful, Dynamic, Influential, Passive, Conservative, Decisive, Measured,    
    • Leadership, Determination, Fortitude, Skilled, Resilience, Strength, Conviction, temperance, restraint and the courage to be safe  
    • Reckless, Inept, Incompetent, Self-indulging, Careless, Uncontrolled or Dangerous
  • Are your deployments and operations Delineated in the name of Tactical Entertainment or Defined by Tactical Patience?

Remember this; It’s not the uniform, rank or helmet color that defines a person; it’s what you do that defines who you are.

  • We must have the fortitude and courage to be both safety conscious and measured in the performance of our sworn duties while maintaining the appropriate balance of risk and bravery.
  • The demands and requirements of modern firefighting will continue to require the placement of personnel within situations and buildings that carry risk, uncertainty and inherent danger.
  • Adequately and Effectively Prepare yourself for those First-Due Officer responsibilities; you have a tremendous level of responsibilities and obligations, Be all you can be, your companies an personnel are counting on you.   

Check out the latest downloads of recent programs in the archives by visiting Taking it to the Street’s webpage on Firefighternetcast.com or for program insights at CommandSafety.com.

Taking it to the Streets Radio Program, HERE and HERE

Taking it to the StreetsTM is a monthly radio show featured on BlogTalk Radio and is hosted by Christopher Naum and is a Buildingsonfire.com Series and Firefighternetcast.com Production,  © 2011 All Rights Reserved

 

Stay tuned for the upcoming schedule of topics and guests that will address these very issues on future programming on Taking it the Streets on Firefighernetscast.com.

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Posted by on March 4, 2011 • Filed under: Buildingsonfire.com, christopher naum, company officer, Fire Fighting, Fire Suppression, firefighting-operations • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,