Why Training Props Are Essential for Firefighter Training
A firefighter can ace a written test on forcible entry technique and still freeze the first time a real door fights back. Knowing the steps and performing them under resistance are not the same skill,
Common Ladder Operation Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
A firefighter arrives at the 3rd floor window and swings a leg over the sill and feels the ladder move under his foot. Only does 1 inch.
Top Ladder Safety Tips Every Firefighter Should Know
Imagine it’s 0200 hours and it’s a residential structure fire with heavy smoke coming out of the second floor. A crew enters the building through the front door with a handline and a truck company
How to Build a High-Performance Fire Training Program
If you ask ten fire officers about their training program, you’ll get ten different answers, all of which have been wrapped in ten different words: “We drill when we can.”
Why On-Site Firefighter Training Is More Effective
A volunteer crew once drilled forcible entry into a shined-up steel prop for an entire weekend at a regional academy. Each rep was a clean rep. Two weeks later,
How Fire Departments Can Improve Training Effectiveness
Spend an hour at any fire department training ground in the country, and within minutes, you can tell whether the crew is actually training or just going through the motions.
How Training Props Improve Forcible Entry Skills
Forcible entry looks easy until you’ve tried it. Anyone can swing an axe. Very few can swing one cleanly while wearing full PPE, breathing off an SCBA, watching smoke roll out of a doorway,
Real Fireground Problems and Proven Solutions
Every firefighter who works long enough hits the same realization: the textbook fire and the actual fire are two different animals. On paper, the engine pulls up, water flows,
Step-by-Step Guide to Forcible Entry on the Fireground
In situations where time is of the essence, fire crews need to move rapidly to the scene, with as few delays as possible, and stay safe. This Step-by-Step Guide to Forcible
Best Tools for Forcible Entry in Firefighting
Forcible entry is one of the most important skills a firefighter can learn and the proper equipment will mean the difference between success and failure on the job.