By John F. “Skip” Coleman, Technical Editor
Think of all the ways that cell phones have enriched our lives. As with most technological advancements, however, we have to adjust to their existence. Here is a case in point: I remember many aspects of my “life” as operations deputy in Toledo, Ohio. Most of my memories are good—good firefighters, teamwork, camaraderie. So imagine my surprise when I learned that an otherwise well-respected and trusted officer received a call on his new-fangled cell phone while performing chest compressions on an elderly unconscious victim—and stopped to take the call! Even more frustrating and disturbing was the fact that because we had no policy on cell phone use prior to this incident, the union representing the officer got him off the hook.
Roundtable question: Does your department have a policy concerning cell phone usage for on-duty members? To post your comments, go to fireengineering.com/roundtable.html.
FIRE LIFE
Mary Jane Dittmar discusses some new findings related to increasing survival chances for sudden cardiac death (SCD) patients in her column “To Your Health.” She alerts readers to the potential elevated risk of SCD when the “QRS complex” is evident on an electrocardiogram and to the higher risk of SCD for some people who take Zithromax (azithromycin) and other members of the macrolide class of antibacterial drugs. For more, go to www.firelife.com.
WEBCASTS
Monthly Webcasts feature the best from Fire Engineering and FDIC. On August 16, Captain Michael Dugan, Fire Department of New York, presents “Ventilation, Entry, Isolation, and Search.” On September 20, Battalion Chief Larry Collins, Los Angeles County (CA) Fire Department, presents “Managing Rescue Operations.” Webcasts are free, but you must register!
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| PHOTO OF THE DAY: Camden (NJ) Fire Department Engine 1 arrived on location with heavy fire showing. Battalion 2 arrived and reported a two-story end-of-the-row dwelling with heavy fire on the first and second floors with extension. Companies secured water supplies and went into operation with multiple handlines. (Photo by Ted Aurig.) See more photos at http://www.fireengineering.com/photo-of-the-day.html. Send your Photo of the Day submissions to Peter Prochilo (peterp@pennwell.com). |
FEATURED ARTICLES
Ray McCormack, Fire Department of New York lieutenant, writes in “Don’t Blame College Kids”: “Are college kids the problem or a handy scapegoat? Maybe it’s the nouveau educated—the established, older firefighter who discovers college later in life and then decides it’s time to show off his wares. Young college-educated firefighters don’t make sweeping decisions or policy. Senior people do that.” (http://bit.ly/KyMmcP)
Thomas N. Warren, Providence (RI) Fire Department assistant chief (ret.), writes in “NFPA 1582: The Standard for You and Your Family”: “The recently released National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) firefighter fatality report is a must-read for every fire chief and all those in leadership positions in the fire service. The fire service has the ability to lower these statistics through physical exams and physical conditioning, and it is incumbent on every fire service leader to protect firefighters and their families through the standard.” (http://bit.ly/Mnui8N)
Jerry Biggart, Oak Creek (WI) Fire Department lieutenant/paramedic, writes in “National EMS Curriculum Transition: What Are Our Options?”: “Effective January 2012, the National Registry began adding new questions based on the EMS Educational Standards to its test banks. Given the expense involved in developing a stand-alone testing process and lack of financial resources to do so, staying with NR and updating to the current standards is likely a foregone conclusion for most states. Now, how do we make this user-friendly for emergency medical technicians?” (http://bit.ly/OkCFGm)
Gregory Havel, Burlington (WI) Fire Department deputy chief/training officer (ret.), writes in “Special Structures”: “Among the locations to which emergency responders can be called to work are “special structures”—those not designed for human occupancy but which are used for communications, energy transmission, or commodity storage. Although they are not normally occupied, people are employed to maintain them and care for their contents. Tenants or subcontractors may be present at any time.” (http://bit.ly/Q3xjMA)
Charles Swank, Mount Vernon (OH) Fire Department firefighter, writes in “A New Generation of ‘Veteran’ Firefighters”: “Many combat veterans have fulfilled their contracts and returned to the civilian ranks to pursue a career in the fire service. With them they bring a vast knowledge and experience base not seen in many firefighters their own age or even older. These combat veterans are now beginning to reach ‘veteran’ status within the fire service. Recognizing the value of leadership that a combat veteran brings can make for a stronger company and department.” (http://bit.ly/KICBh7)
COMMUNITY MEMBER OF THE MONTH
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Name: Jeff Parsons. Department: Idaho Falls Fire Department. |
