The First-Due: We predicate with certain expectations that fire will travel in a defined manner in a building.

If you don’t understand the building, the occupancy risk and align tactics with the fire dynamics and compartment, then you’re not doing your job.

Taking it to the Streets The dynamics and time compression of the first-due with varied concurrent tactical assignments demands a well trained and coordinated assignment. The fire compartment, it’s rate of growth and degree of extension, the building’s structural system, resiliency, structural integrity and occupancy risk must be recognized in a timely manner and processed […]

What at the Projected Operational Risks? Do they Matter? Photo:CJ Naum, 2013 Taking it to the Streets Vacant, unoccupied, abandoned and derelict buildings continue to challenge emergency response companies at incidents. It’s the buildings of Heritage – masonry construction with Heavy Timber, Mill, Semi-Mill or Ordinary Construction systems of three to six to eight story […]

The fact that at times, our surroundings do become a blur and fade into the background…

    Taking it to the Streets: Your Street on any given Day At times, our surroundings become a blur and fade into the fabric that defines our response district, our first-due, our neighborhood, community, city or town. We tend to focus on thos…e areas that have an immediacy or frequency that defines day-to –day […]

Two firefighters were killed in Chesapeake, Virginia when they became trapped by a rapidly spreading fire in an auto parts store and a pre-engineered wood truss roof assembly collapsed on them.

  Taking it to the Streets and Reading the Building: Side by SideToday’s Street view and Reading the Building opportunity is focused on a large building complex. At first glance it looks like one BIG building. However, closer scrutiny reveals there are three (3) building occupancies sharing common party walls. What gives you the first […]

Here’s a new Building to Read. What do think the Structural System and assemblies are compromised of? What does the building envelope look like. What type of structural systems might be present? What would the least favorable system be? Projected occupancy load: Operational concerns for a major floor fire? Fire Extension probability? Occupancy Type? Occupancy […]

An interactive and thought provoking training seminar exploreing leading edge theories and fire service discussion points from across the American Fire Service profession.