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The Fire Engineering Advisory Board is comprised of recognized leaders in the U.S. fire service who help maintain the high editorial standards our magazine is known for. In this blog, our board members share their timely insights on issues, trends, and policies in the fire service. Readers are encouraged to submit comments and help move the discussion forward.

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Traveling? Visit the Local Fire Museum

This time of year many of us are on the road and after a few visits with Aunt Tilly and a few cigars on Pop's porch we get restless. There is no better thing for a firefighter to do then visit the local Fire Service museum in the town where you may be visiting. After a visit to the local museum you can go back and hear all about Mrs Fishburns latest husband one more time.

When I travel I always take my copy of The Visiting Fireman. They have a website but you want the book for all the information. To get some information the site is The Visiting Fireman, here is the link to the home page where you can buy the book: http://www.visitingfireman.com/vfpage1.html

For a free listing of museums by state use this link, then use the phone book for contacts http://www.visitingfireman.com/vfmuseum.html

The information in these shrines is important please take the time to visit and support these museums and find out where we came from. If you want to contact other firefighters who truly love the job check out the buff site also at http://www.visitingfireman.com/vf-organization.html

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posted by Bobby Halton
12/27/2007 09:52:00 AM

2 Comments:

David said...: Mr Halton --

I commend your thoughts, but wanted to add another (more complete) resource of fire museums -- the Fire Museum Network's online directory of fire museums which can be found at

www.FireMuseumNetwork.org; Tue Jan 01, 10:53:00 PM EST
Bobby Halton said...: David
Thank you and what a great site! We will the FireMuseumNetwork for a link! This is an incredible site! Thanks again, oh and please it's Bobby, unless you are under 21!; Wed Jan 02, 01:02:00 PM EST

Ray Downey Award Nominate A True Hero Today

The Ray Downey Award is special to the Fire Service for many reasons; it is the singular national award which recognizes the life and extraordinary accomplishments of one our generations most influential and admired leaders. It also memorializes the courage and valor of 343 of FDNY's bravest on the darkest day in the history of American firefighting. A day when lesser men would have hesitated, a day when the most noble character was commonly uniform, a day when 343 died saving thousands.

This award is also special to the Downey family and as our fund raising efforts continue to progress the cash award accompanying this decoration has increased. Pennwell / Fire Engineering's CEO Robert F. Biolchini has announced that the cash award this year is Thirty Five Thousand dollars.

It is important that we recognize those among us whose actions mirror what Chief Ray Downey would have done. We need to recognize the real heroes amongst us. Listen to Ray's sons FDNY Battalion Chiefs Chuck and Joe Downey describe how much this award means to them. http://www.fireengineering.com/display_article/314689/25/none/none/BRNIS/Video:-Nominate-a-Hero-Today

Then send us your nomination for the 2008 Ray Downey Courage and Valor Award to be presented at FDIC 2008. Here's a link to the nomination form http://downloads.pennnet.com/fe/fdic2008/fdic08_raydowneycnv.pdf

To learn more about The Courage and Valor Foundation and how you can help support this very important foundation got to http://www.courageandvalor.com/ . If you are interested in hosting a Fire Service speaker for your next educational or social event who will donate the entire speaking fee to The Courage and Valor Foundation contact [email protected]

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posted by Bobby Halton
12/26/2007 01:21:00 PM

0 Comments:

Fire Engineering Radio: Rick Lasky and The Professor

We all remember how tough it is to be on duty Christmas Eve or Christmas Day; we thank you for your service. Everyone at Fire Engineering hopes you all have a quiet and wonderful holiday and great new year. We posted a holiday treat--Rick and Glen share thoughts on tradition as only these two Fire Engineering classics's can. Look for more Fire Engineering Radio Shows as our board begins broadcasting soon exclusively at Fire Engineering Radio.

Here is Ricks second show with Glen Corbet http://www.fireengineering.com/podcasts/podcastDetails.html?id=559

We are taping part two of traditions this week so you can look for it soon.

Merry Christmas
Bobby

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posted by Bobby Halton
12/24/2007 02:43:00 PM

0 Comments:

A short Holiday Message from Fire Engineering

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posted by Bobby Halton
12/20/2007 09:23:00 AM

2 Comments:

Brian Schaeffer said...: Great annual summary and it appears that there are lots things going on in 2008. We're all looking forward to it. Keep the Blogging going and have a great holiday -Brian Schaeffer

PS. Nice Sgt Phil Esterhaus quote!; Thu Dec 20, 11:09:00 PM EST
Bobby Halton said...: Brian
I am thrilled you got the Sgt. Phil Esterhaus quote! I love that line from "Hill Street Blues" It is the perfect end to any roll call "Hey remember be careful out there" I heard he died a few years back cancer as I recall.

Hey Brian please send all the best to everyone in Spokane FD, keep up the good work and we are looking to doing a Fire Engineering Weekend up there with you in 2008!
Merry Christmas
Bobby; Mon Dec 24, 02:00:00 PM EST

Company officer traits

I'm on vacation untill my official retirement date of January 17th. For now though, I have been working on some Round Table questions and began to think about what makes not only a good, but a great company officer. Initial thoughts include:

A Solid tactician
Someone trusted by both administration and crew (think of that balancing act!)
One that strives for the benefit of the group (team - assigned members of the company) above himself

I'm not sure it is any of the above or a combination of those and more. I do know that Chester (if you don't know who Chester is by now - don't worry about it!) told me when I came on the job, to always watch your officers and to copy what they do that you like and don't copy or do the thinks you don't like.

I had an officer when I first came on who was good inside a fire building but had a small-mans complex and would intentionally put recruits in tough spots (not at fires but more around the station) like when drilling to embarrass them. I didn't really like that. (Hence Chesters' comment.)

In my mind, in defining what it takes to be a good officer, leading by example comes to mind. That's a good place to start. What do you believe are the best qualities for a great officer?

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posted by Skip Coleman
12/19/2007 05:03:00 PM

1 Comments:

J. Rodriguez said...: I find this subject very interesting and challenging especially in todays fire sevice. We can write a book on this but to keep it short, I believe that to be a great company officer we need to be competent, open minded, flexible and disiplined. Ultimately being able to bring the reality of the job to surface in every aspect, from the atmosphere you creat in the firehouse to the training ground to the fire ground. It all starts when you step foot in the firehouse with the attitude you bring to the job. When I talk about bringing the reality of the job to suface I'm basically talking about reminding the people you interact with why we are really here! That this is about peoples lives at stake not just the lives of those that call upon us at a time of need but our own lives! If we can bring the reality of the job to surface in every aspect of the job, I believe we will have personnel under our command, as a company officers, working for us for the right reasons, firefighters that are motivated, enthusiastic and passionate about the job. With those ingridients I believe we can bring out the best in our people. We all look to be challenged, that's why I think many of us chose to do this line of work. As company officers we must undrstand the needs and know how to satisfy those needs. We need to have expectations on our personnel as well as us meet the expectations that our personnel have on us. In todays fire sevice, being that as a whole we are going through such a transition where we are loosing many of our veteran expirienced firefighter/officers we need to more than ever be able to bring the reality of the job to surface that at one point was obvious. We need to do that by trying to keep many of the traditions of the job and creating the right attitudes that I mentioned earlier because all of that is contagious and with that a lot of other things will just fall into place. I guess in short its all about having the right attitude to bring out the best in people and keep it real!; Tue Dec 25, 11:46:00 PM EST

Mapped out: Sprinkler saves, catastrophic fires

Ed Comeau of Campus Firewatch forwarded some interesting online maps he's creating. One features the locations of recent sprinkler saves around the country, the other of catastrophic, multi-fatality fires (of which we've seen too many lately). Check them out.

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posted by Peter Prochilo
12/17/2007 04:35:00 PM

2 Comments:

boulderboy said...: Why the lack (relative) of deaths in the west?; Wed Dec 19, 04:08:00 PM EST
Bobby Halton said...: That is a good question and this is just conjecture but we could look at the population being lower as one factor. I would also submit the density and types of housing would also be a possible factor. I will ask some of our real experts to comment as well.; Thu Dec 20, 08:26:00 AM EST

Firefighters' Kids are Firefighters' Kids

I am often asked what firefighters in other parts of he world are like. I think this short video says it all. The kids of Bahraini firefighters are just like our kids. The profession of firefighting is done best by family ties. The conference is going well and the training is fantastic. The exchange of ideas is really something when there are 20-something countries in one classroom.

Labels: FDIC Bahrain

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posted by Bobby Halton
12/12/2007 04:47:00 AM

0 Comments:

H.E. Sheikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa on the Floor at FDIC Bahrain

The Minister of Interior of the Kingdom of Bahrain visited booths at FDIC Bahrain. The floor is crowded with the finest firefighting equipment in the Middle East and, just like home, this is where the serious firefighters are. The minister is a highly educated man who speaks as passionately about firefighting and one of us.

Labels: FDIC Bahrain

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posted by Bobby Halton
12/12/2007 04:30:00 AM

0 Comments:

Leadership Supervision Training Video at FDIC Middle East

At FDIC Bahrain, Geoff Williams (UK) give some straightforward, practical instruction in how to lead. Geoff doesn't do slogans or stories. He is an old-fashioned, hands-on leader with direct and solid lessons for real world officers. Here, a group from the UAE demonstrates one of Geoff's field techniques for when the team is tired and fatigue could be a potential safety issue.

And remember, be careful out there ... Bobby

Labels: FDIC Bahrain

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posted by Bobby Halton
12/10/2007 02:46:00 PM

0 Comments:

HOT Bahrain Safety Briefing Video

At FDIC Bahrain, HOT safety briefings are held continiously. Unique issues are commonplace regarding language and transportation. In this brief video, Alf Wilson gives the lead instructors an overview of the comprehensive communications plan for safety. The HOT sessions were very successful and well-attended with no injuries.

Be careful out there ... Bobby

Labels: FDIC Bahrain

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posted by Bobby Halton
12/10/2007 02:24:00 PM

0 Comments:

Jack Murphy FDIC Bahrain Video

Jack Murphy lectures on high-rise buildings in Bahrain. Jack was one of several American instructors. The pre-conference instructors included Leo Cox and Tom Lynch of Chicago, Clyde Pfisterer of Indianapolis, Eric Laverge of Williams Fire and Hazard Control Texas, Geoffrey Wiliams Scotland, David White Texas, and Randy Morton of Canada.

Labels: FDIC Bahrain

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posted by Bobby Halton
12/10/2007 02:00:00 PM

0 Comments:

Video from FDIC Bahrain

Here is a video from FDIC Bahrain of the high-rise HOT building.

Bobby

Labels: FDIC Bahrain

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posted by Bobby Halton
12/10/2007 01:12:00 PM

0 Comments:

FDIC Middle East HOT Instructors Meeting

Everything is going smoothly here as we continue to prepare for tomorrow's opening of FDIC Middle East in Bahrain. We hold nightly HOT safety meeting to review the sites any issues and share stories of the day. After we stayed a while and did a little podcasting, here are some photos of the instructors during the meeting. The podcasts are pretty interesting as there are guys from all over the world training here.

The podcasts (which we are now calling Fire Engineering Radio, so us older firefighters can relate) are here on the homepage under podcasts (http://www.fireengineering.com/index.html ) or either of the links below.

Also be sure to check out Rick Lasky's new Fire Engineering Radio series, Pride & Ownership, in which Rick shares his continuing experiences and insights on life in America's fire service.

Here are your HOT instructor radio links:

http://www.fireengineering.com/podcasts/podcastDetails.html?id=552

http://www.fireengineering.com/podcasts/podcastDetails.html?id=553

I will continue to post as I can here from the beautiful Kingdom of Bahrain and FDIC Middle East. And remember be careful out there.

Bobby

Labels: FDIC Bahrain

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posted by Bobby Halton
12/08/2007 12:15:00 PM

1 Comments:

Firefighter Christopher Huston said...: I love the line from the the first PODCAST..."One thing you can never do as a professional is think you know it all...thats one of the most dangerous things."

Its exactly why we need great resources like Fire Engineering...Never stop learning!!; Sat Dec 08, 01:33:00 PM EST

Listen in: Pride & Ownership with Rick Lasky

Chief Lasky is doing a radio show for Fire Engineering. Take a listen to the inaugural show HERE with your mp3 player or on your computer. The Pride & Ownership program will air every two weeks on our site.

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posted by Peter Prochilo
12/08/2007 11:49:00 AM

0 Comments:

Bobby's notes from FDIC Middle East

Just a short note. We are in Bahrain this week doing our annual FDIC Middle East show. This morning I checked out the hands-on sites and saw some very interesting things. They have a lot of British crossover products on their rigs and some U.S. stuff.

I had some coffee with a few of the Bahrain firefighters this morning, and they were telling me they are short staffed, need more training, and the chief is ... well you get the idea, firefighters are firefighters the world over. We all complain but none of us leave! The guys are really good people. They had a fourth alarm supermarket fire yesterday and we shot the bull about how that went. Here is an interesting rig. It is a range rover and, believe it or not, it is a Bahrain brush truck. Now all they need is some brush (the place is a desert!)

This part of world is in a major building boom, and it is all straight up. Here is the high-rise under construction where Sean Nelson and a group of FDNY guys are doing high-rise training.

The classes start on Sunday, which is their Monday, so right now it is all set up and prop drills. I am going to grab a few of our international instructors for some short podcasts so they can tell you how the training here is conducted. Here is a link to the show: http://fdicb07.events.pennnet.com/fl//index.cfm

If you are thinking about coming next year, it is about a 20-hour flight, but it is really worth it if you haven't been to the Middle East yet. Ask your training officer if it is in the budget; that should get a laugh. Check back later for a podcast. I am going to try to get some done now. If you have any requests, let me know. I will try to speak to as many of the instructors as possible.

Your brother,
Bobby

Labels: FDIC Bahrain

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posted by Bobby Halton
12/07/2007 07:59:00 AM

0 Comments:

Letters to the Editor: Holiday fires, NIMS

The Fire Engineering board gets e-mail. Rather, Chief Halton gets e-mail, but since he's off traveling to FDIC Bahrain, I get to share it with you all...

As you can read [in a recent U.S. Fire Administration release] there were 15 fatalities at residential fires in the U.S. during the first 3 days of December. Unfortunately the deadly pattern of home fires during the holiday season continues and even more disturbing is the fact that the public still doesn't get the message about smoke detectors and the dangerous use of candles! Please inform everyone you can about this. I hope you and your loved ones have enjoyable, safe holidays this year.

Sincerely,

Neil Rosenberger
Battalion Chief
Red, White & Blue Fire-Rescue
Breckenridge, Colorado

I just forwarded Mark Cotter's editorial on NIMS from your Web site to a class I am taking. I'm working on a master's degree in homeland security at Penn State and we talk about NIMS a whole lot in this first class. The disconcerting thing is that it treats the fire service and EMS in general as more of an afterthought, no more important to homeland security than the sanitation or water departments. Of course this program focuses on public health aspects, so biochem terrorism is a major topic, but I am still surprised at the lack of thought given to the fire service. Unsurprisingly, I am the only career firefighter in the class.

Patrick Mahoney

Labels: Letters to the Editor

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posted by Peter Prochilo
12/04/2007 03:55:00 PM

1 Comments:

Firefighter Christopher Huston said...: I have something that ties in with this.
Please visit:
http://www.flashpointfiresafety.net

Thanks
Firefighter Christopher Huston; Tue Dec 04, 08:30:00 PM EST

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