Host Joe Pronesti talks to Jason Hoevelmann, chief of the Florissant Valley (MO) Fire Protection District, about the latter's recent article, "First Due: Preparation Is Key."
The more information you have prior to arriving at a fire scene, the better the odds of making the right decisions the first time, writes Jason Hoevelmann.
The interior exposures can be adjacent spaces, stairs, foyers, and corridors for alternate egress - and all must be protected while initial companies are operating in the fire building. JASON HOEVELMANN
Real-life incidents in which firefighters had to bail out of a building has shown some of the “unbelievers” that perhaps the need for knowing the skill should be reassessed.
Jason Hoevelmann has been fortunate to have had great mentors and friends who provided me with great advice about being a fire officer.
Jason Hoevelmann provides some basic ideas and methods to add to your size-up arsenal that can help you and your crew make better decisions and eliminate tunnel vision when you first arrive.
YOU MUST USE THE aerial device, like any other piece of equipment, regularly to be proficient with it.
One day while on duty, I was throwing away some newspapers in the recyclables container when I noticed four five-gallon containers that once contained foam. One of our engines had had a vehicle fire with fuel burning; the fire was stubborn, so they eventually used some foam.
The fire service does a lot of talking about fire prevention but does a minimal job as a whole in walking the walk. Take a look at our trade publications, and you will see little in the way of articles about fire prevention. I don’t blame the publications or those not writing about it; it just isn’t a “sexy” topic. As a profession, though, we need to better use our budgets, personnel, and training in the direction of prevention to reduce not only the loss of civilian life and property but also firefighters’ lives.
Recently, members of the Sullivan (MO) Fire Protection District discussed training ideas at the firehouse. The topic eventually turned to training concerns that we felt had either not been addressed in a long time or were new and never before presented to many of our members. Out of all our concerns, the training issues that stood out the most to us were the cost and quality of Mayday training.