Cruising to a New Perspective

We just arrived in port at the Baltimore harbor that morning. As I drink my coffee on the 9th level of the cruise ship, I can see my pickup truck in the parking lot. Looks more like a toy truckin a sea of Match Box cars. With time left before we disembark the cruise ship, I begin to think: "What a different view."

Nine days prior, I made my way to that very parking spot as directed by parking attendants. With my wife, we got our bags and made our way to the passenger terminal. We could barely see pass the sea of other cars and trucks. There was no missing the ship, though. It Looked more like a floating high-rise city. Once inside the terminal, the real boarding process began. We navigate through the maze of zig zag lines, paperwork, and check points until we finally made it to our cabin.

An announcement over the PA brings me back to that morning as I sit sipping coffee. I see a new perspective on the same place I've been before. Our truck is still in the sea of vehicles, but Inow see it on the left of the passenger terminal that we entered the first time. Further left of the ship I can see other ships of varying sizes in port. Straight ahead of the terminal building, the highway is in sight. With a steady increase of cars and decrease in speed, I'm reminded that the Monday morning commute is starting.

All of these were probably visible 9 days earlier, but I had not risen to the 9th story of ship, so I had no awareness of this. Why tell you this? In 2007 I attended the first offering of the Virginia Fire Officer's Academy. Over the course of a week, instructors were brought into the campus of the University of Richmond. Once there, they gave new and aspiring fire service leaders the chance to learn leadership from a different perspective. One of the speakers did a class demonstration using three people. All stood in different parts of the room. The presenter explained that as a person rises in an organization, he or she begins to see the same things in a different perspective. Perhaps, in a perspective that could not be understood at any of the other levels.

As a leader in any fire service organization, how do you go about having the perspective of the levels you are not currently at? How do you get the view from the 9th deck, the parking lot, and everywhere in between? Driver operators in the fire service understandhow to use gallons per minute (GPM) to provide flow for water. The fluid motion of the frame of reference of leaders also requires a GPM:

o Guide

• This is a person at a higher level than you. A person at a level that you aspire to be. He or she gives you a bird's eye view. Helps you to develop the possible visions of future goals. Having regular contact with people ahead of you is vital for achieving goals. You cannot be what you cannot see

o Peer

• This is someone from another organization or area that gives you a different perspective at a similar level. Thisperson lets you know that the grass might lookgreener because it artificial, or better taken care of. You may have arrived on side A of the building, but the peer is giving you a report from side C.

o Mentee

• Remember the version of you at beginning of your career? People say that they do. But their minds tend to play tricks on them. We all sometimes suffer the ‘Curse of Knowledge’. Once we have learned information, we can’t imagine us, or anyone else, not knowing that information already. We need someone that reminds us what life looked like in the beginning. This is how we relate what we know, to the people that need to know it.

Each new day and each new level in life affords us the chancesee and know things we never knew before. But as human beings, we only get to see the perspective of the level we are at. If we are to move us, our organization, or our cause to new destinations, we will need to use GPM to provide the proper prospective to get there. The story of our journey may seem ordinary, but the impact can be extraordinary.

 About the Author

 NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.

International Firefighters Day & the Feast of St. Florian

Today, May 4 is known as International Firefighters’ Day. It is a day to show support for all firefighters worldwide and take the time to remember those who lost their lives or injured while in the line of duty. 

According to the website firefightersday.org you can show support by wearing and displaying red and blue ribbons pinned together; red symbolizing fire and blue for water. These colors are know to represent emergency services internationally. Today we also honor EMTs. 

Today is also the feast day of the patron saint for firefighters, St. Florian. Here is a brief history on St. Florian:

Florian was born in the ancient Roman city of Aelium Cetiumin around 250 AD, which is now present-day Sankt Polten, Austria. He joined the Roman Army and advanced the ranks to commander of the Imperial Army in the Roman province of Noricum. One of his many duties was being responsible for organizing fire brigades. Florian organized and trained this elite group of soldiers in their sole duty of fighting fires.

During the time of the Diocletianic Persecution of Christians, Rome received reports that Florian was not enforcing the persecutionof Christians in his territory and thus was sentenced to death by fire.. While standing on the funeral pyre, Florian is said to have challenged the Roman soldiers to light the fire by saying “if you do, I will climb to heaven on the flames”. Apprehensive to his words, instead of burning Florian, they drowned him. His body was later retrieved by Christians and buried at an Augustinian monastery near Lorch.

Saint Florian was adopted as patron saint of Poland after Pope Lucius III consented to the request of King Casimir to send relics of Florian to that country. Soon after, a person was saved from a fire by invoking Saint Florian’s name. Since then, Florian has been invoked against fire and has generally been regarded in most countries as the patron saint of the fire service.

About the Author

 NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 15 years in the fire service all within departments in Piscataway, NJ. Nick has held the ranks of Lieutenant and Captain as well as being a township elected District Fire Commissioner for 1 term (3 years) in Piscataway, NJ. He is also a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University working in Corporate Taxation and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website

Hip To Be Square

"It's just a picture." I think to myself. But to my 5 year old daughter, baby girl, it is further proof that she is a failure. Her big brown eyes had surveyed the picture in its entirety. "I can't do it! I can never get it right! I'm just no good at making squares!"In her mind, there is an ideal of what perfection looks like. It does not match what she's doing. I assure her that the leaning house that resembles a rhombus instead of a square is fine. Still, it is not close to acceptable in her mind. It is proof that she did not accomplish an art masterpiece.

At times in your life, do you sometimes feel like you have failed miserably? That despite your efforts, you are performing an exercise of futility? All the energy and hard work you put into a task, and the impact is minimal.Whether a small change, or a revolutionary ideal for the world, getting results can be difficult.

Have you heard the phrase "In his/her own little world"? Perhaps the way to successful change in the world, is to change the world of one person. Those people you directly influence, including yourself. Perhaps in changing the world of one person, there is an actually change in the world over all. He or she could be the person who is meant to change the world, He or she needed you to see that it was possible. If my daughter one day becomes a renowned artist, perhaps it was the help I give her in finding the perfect square that helps get her there.

If that is the case, how would we do that?How do we change someone's world, instead of the world as a whole?I could simply say it in one word: inspire. In the fire service, however, we like nifty acronyms.Instead, let HER spell out the steps:

Hope

In the movie "Dumb and Dumber", the character Lloyd asks Mary what are the chances of him dating her. After hearing that it's about 1 out of a million, Lloyd pauses, and then says, "So, you’re saying there is a chance!" I don't know that I have that level of optimism. But for change in happen in anything, you have to actually believe that it can happen. For Baby Girl’s journey to art greatness, she needs me to assure her that she can make a square.

Example

Innovative ideals are generally improvements on what already exist. Could it be that you need to go as far as you can, so someone else can go further?It is akin to a relay race in track and field. One person does the best he or she can to give the next person the chance to improve on that. With that in mind, I show baby girl how I draw square. My artistic abilities were not recognized by my grade school teacher. Perhaps Baby Girl can improve on what I did.

Resources

In my last position in the fire service, I quickly learned that being successful was not about what I know, but where to find what I need to know. Helping individuals to find ways to improve can help them to make meaningful changes. Some people need general theories, others need step-by-step directions. For Baby Girl, we did what makes sense; we watched Sesame Street videos on YouTube about drawing shapes. Know your resources!

I have no idea if Baby Girl will become a high paid artist that changes the art world. I do know that as some point, she will again experience failure. When she does, she can use HER as a way to find Hope, an Example, and Recourses to be successful. The ordinary experience of drawing a circle, may one day lead to extraordinary changes.

 About the Author 

 NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.

Using Your Minds Eye

Ever had trouble looking for the right word?You are in the middle of trying to describe the perfect moment. The word you are looking for, however, is evading your memory. Here is a thought; maybe you shouldn't be looking for words. If not words, what else would you be looking for?

Take a min and think about a great moment in your life. It can be anything. The birth of a child. A wedding. A promotion. Whatever great moment that is tattooed in your mind. Think about the sights and sounds of the moment. Can you remember any of the smells?Can you remember the texture of the things you touched? I'm willing to bet that in the process ofremembering that moment, it did not appear as the text you are reading now. Your memory didn't appear as words being typed on a word document. That memory instead appeared as an experience of the senses.

People can remember words, but nothing compares to anexperience. No wonder we can't find the right word; we are trying to describe an experience. What are the implications of understanding this? Have you ever had an ideal or thought you wanted to convey to someone?

A seed of information, that you are looking to plant into the mind of another individual. A teaching moment. A vision of what could be. Over time, you water the soil and allow the bright, warm rays of enlightenment to beam down. The hope is that thoughts and deeds will sprout up from the soil. It would be as if a tree of wisdom has taken root. If this happens to be what you are trying to do, perhaps you should consider the PPE that you use. Not Personal Protective Equipment. Instead:

P - Paint a Picture

• When explaining something new, from a leadership vision to a new learning point, help your audience see what it is. Describe with detail what it is you are thinking. Use analogies that are relatable for the person. In a class once, I was struggling to wrap my mind around how the heart sends blood through veins and arteries. Then the instructor explained to me that understandinghow the heart pumps blood is similar to how the pump on engine pumps attack lines. I now have a picture in my head of a driver operator on a major fire with fire hose sending and receiving water. Learning has occurred.

P - Produce a Movie

• “Imagine this…” Beginning an explanation like this gets your audience into the mind set of being in the front row of a 3D action movie. It’s like being at Disney World and riding one of the movie rides. The person is there at the event, watching things unfold first hand. How easy is it to remember new ideals when an instructor or leader has helped you feel like you were there when things were being formed?

E - Experience the Moment

• This step takes producing a movie one step further. Instead of being at the event; you have a starring role in the event. Years agoI wrestled for the Air force and practiced at the Olympic Training center. We had a trainer that had us do this thought exercise. Wehad to imagine being in a future wrestling match. In our mind, we had to think of everything we could expect. How exhausted we would be. Being ahead in points. Being behind in points. Feeling the strength of the other competitor and fighting them off. What I understand now is that doing this exercise prepared me for possibilities I had not thought of. If you can imagine the hard times, you can push through to the good times.

When I teach students about hazardous material response, I explain that to be effective, one must have the proper level of skill and proper equipment. Everyone has some ideal worth sharing. Now you have the proper PPE to help ordinary people do extraordinary things.

About the Author  

 NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.

The Importance of Checking the Trucks

As I drive to work every morning a little after 6am, I pass a Fire Station just off the main road. Every morning almost without fail I notice, what I can assume to be, the morning crew just getting started for the day. No matter if you call it a Rig check, truck check, equipment check or something else it is all the same thing; making sure you have the items you need to answer emergency calls for service.

I know everyone, myself included, has done countless of these rig checks and could probably recite the sheet forward and backward just from memory alone. However this poses a question, just how much are we actually checking the truck vs just going through the motions?

These checks are so absolutely important, almost more so than anything else. How many of you have just done half checks, just glanced over the truck and called it good, or skipped rig checks altogether? I'm not proud to say it, but I know I have in the past. You get to the station late, theres a game on, theres a show you want to watch, a store you have to run to, your just tired and want a nap, or the "trucks all good" from the outgoing crew, or any number of other excueses that could come to you. This mindset is downright dangerous!

Say you did all that, now you have an emergency call, maybe the truck wont start, you don't have enough fuel, or the bay door will not even open. If you do get out the door when you get to the scene and now you are missing a vital piece of equipment, or something is broken now what do you do? Not only are you potentially putting the patient in undo distress or delaying a responce that could save life or property, but you are also opening up yourself and your department to unnecessary liability, and you could also be tarnishing the name of first reaponders everywhere.

Think of it from a personal standpoint. You go camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, or even just on a vacation, do you just grab your bags and go? Probably not. If your like me, you make a list of stuff you need and as you pack it you cross it off. This way you know you have all the supplies you need for whatever it is you are doing. Rig checks are the same exact thing.

While they can be tedious, somewhat time consuming, and inconvenient to you at the time, take that time to make sure that you, your truck, and your equipment is ready to go. Being proactive is better than reactive. Once the tones go out theres no time to be second guessing if you have the equipment you need. Take the few extra minutes to do a proper rig check and have the peace of mind knowing you are starting the day as prepared as you can be. 

 About the Author 

 SEAN WALSH is an EMT with North Stelton Fire Company EMS Division in Piscataway NJ for the last 9 years. He is also a Public Safety Telecommunicator with a county based agency in NJ for the last 4 years. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness at Thomas Edison State College (NJ) in 2013.

How To Complete a New Years Resolution

Ladies and gentlemen, I have successfully figured out how to accomplish a New Year's resolution. Every year people make resolutions. So often people fail. We all are aware of this. When I repeat the following statement from the internet, most people would agree: "My 2017 goals are to accomplish the goals of 2016, which I should have done in 2015, because I promised to do them in 2014, after planning them in 2013." No worries. I have you answer to completing your New Year's resolutionssuccessfully: Stop making New Year's resolutions.

Some may be thinking, "Without this time to commit to making a change, how will I improve?" Simple; stop waiting until January first to make a change. The changes you need to make, you knew long before the beginning of the new year. On any given day, you realize that there is some area of your life that you want improvement. Take a minute right now, and you can name a few. My question to you is, why wait for another year?

After reading some books, listening to different speakers, and examining my own successes and failures, I now understand some things about real change. This insight left me SMH. No, not the texting abbreviation for "Shaking My Head", but my own abbreviation for "Spark, Motivation, and Habit."

• Spark - That thing that sets change in motion. It's the initial ideal that things need be different. Who you want to be, and who you are, do not match. When you walk a few flights of stairs, get winded, and said that's the last straw. When you have miss a meal and your stomach doesn't growl, but ‘talks’loud enough for others to hear. What is that thing that makes you stop and say "Change must happen."

• Motivation - Spark may give you the initial ideal, but motivation is where the action starts. Gears start turning. Progress in a direction begins to happen. While planning can be a part of motivation, motivation is about taking action. Starting the diet. Starting the college classes. Starting the new relationship.

• Habit - What you use when motivation is not enough. Trust me, making change happen over long periods of time will not happen without habit. Most people are familiar with the power of bad habits. Bad habits are why we needed to make a change to begin with! Think how hard are they to stop? Why not harness that power for good? People who do well in saving money are not always motivated to save money. They just got used to doing it. After years of wrestling on the All-Air Force wrestling team, I found that my body would automatically lose and gain weight depending on the time of year. My body had gotten into a habit that took years to stop.

One of my favorite sayings is "Test everything. Keep the good; avoid every kind of evil." I encourage you that the next time you feel the spark of change inside you, use motivation and habit to make the change happen. You don't have to wait until January first. Take any ordinary day, and make it extraordinary.

 About the Author 

 NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.

What Homework?

 "But daddy, we haven't done my homework!" Some words you don't expect to hear from a kid. Yet, those are the exact words that exploded from my 5-year-old "Baby Girl" a few months ago. Here I thought that there was a natural repulsion between kids and homework. Guess it's a learned skill.

Unfortunately, the day had used up most of my caffeine energy, and I barely had enough to get her ready for bed. Still, I know the hopes I have for her. I know the importance of learning good habits early in life. And you know that there was no way daddy would say no to his Baby Girl. So, we did it. We wrote letters and added up numbers. Afterwards, I thought, " How did I accomplish something, that I had no energy to do?" How do you do the extraordinary, when you lack the energy to do the ordinary?

For me personally, it is about being the example. Preferably, the right example. I want Baby Girl to see the right example in my actions. The example of getting things done when it's not easy to do. Getting things done when people are depending on you. It's then that I truly understood integrity. Making sure that my thoughts, words, and actions all matched up like the perfectly aligned gig line on a military uniform.

It's officially 2017. The best and worst of 2016 will be recounted for the next few weeks. New Year's resolutions are being started by many. While I did my typical year in review of my life, I won't be making any resolutions. Instead, I will continue to live up to the lesson that Baby Girl has reminded of: Be a person of integrity. And do homework. Can't forget homework.

About the Author  

NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance. 

Oh Christmas Tree

The oversized tree was up and decorated. Bright lights. Colorful Christmas ornaments. The family heirloom from my grandmother place in the middle. Anintricate angle doll sits on the tippy top of the tree. Everything was done with the tree that day around noon. Dec 26th. You read that correctly. The day after the great present explosion, we finally finished getting the tree put up. Why bother completing a task the day after the due date? If we couldn't get the tree ready in 364 days, why still do it? That is where the wisdom of children comes in.

My daughter, baby girl, is a whole 5 yrs. old. Old enough to write a Christmas wish list, make cookies for Santa, and help decorate a tree. Doing the tradition of putting a tree up was on my to-do list, but not really near the top. Two days before Christmas, I finally stayed home long enough to clear out the space and put the tree up. Being that I am a husband and color blind, I opt not to get involved in the details of what goes where on the tree. But despite starting, we never finished. And since baby girl had actually slept over at her aunt's Christmas eve, it seemed like we were facing a year where we missed the Christmas tree standard.

"So, daddy, can I help decorate the Christmas tree tomorrow?" Of all the things I expected to hear her say on Christmas, that wasn't one of them. Has anyone ever asked you to keep going when you already stopped? You set a goal, you missed the mark, and now someone is looking at you saying "Keep going!" As we make our way through life, we stumble and fall at times. It only becomes failure when we don't get back up.

And so, we made time. Amid the hustle and bustle of opening more presents, learning to ride a new bike, and drinking hot coco, the tree was finished. My daughter never stops amazing me. An ordinary day with my kid, reminds me of the extraordinary life lesson of how to keep on, keeping on.

About the Author  

NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.

Remembering the Sandy Hook Tragedy and Thoughts on where we are at Four Years Later

Four years ago, on December 14, 2012 tragedy struck our country, we lost 20 children and 8 adults.Twenty innocent children and seven adults who were going about their day at their elementary school in the small town of Newtown Connecticut. They werekilled by of a psychotic and ruthless murderer.

I remember where I was, what I was doing that day and will always remember hearing the news and live radio audio as to what happened a short 40-minute drive from my college campus. I was a junior in college and assigned to work for the ambulance service of a neighboring town. I had been offered to work that day but had turned it down due to finals being that week and I desperately needed to study. Unfortunately, that day, my colleagues who worked the same BLS service that I did, had to respond to the shooting and help. I couldn’t feel anything but guilt that a new guy had to take that shift on one of his first days working for our company.

The valiant response that day by the school staff and first responders, some of whom I have worked with was honorable and courageous. They saved as many lives as they could. However, the lives of 27 people were lost. Those 27 people will always be remembered for good people that they were, we continue to pray for their families and friends. We also continue to keep our colleagues that were there that tragicday in our thoughts and prayers.

About the Author

 NICHOLAS WITCZAK is the 2nd Assistant Chief of Brookside Engine Co. 1 and volunteer EMT for the Mendham Township First Aid Squad. Additionally he serves as the Mendham Borough OEM Coordinator. Nick has served in a multitude of departments and positions over the last 8 years including Past Captain of Morristown Ambulance Squad, volunteer firefighter/EMT in combination fire departments including the Wallingford and Allingtown Connecticut fire departments. He has wealth of experience working and volunteering in emergency medical services including municipal, commercial, fire based EMS and 911 fire dispatching. He currently holds a B.S. in Fire Administration from the University of New Haven. Nick works full time in the fire protection industry specializing in safety, sales and project management. He works part time as the NJ Client Development Coordinator for Emergency Resource Management.

Perceptions. Life in the Public Eye

The other night on my way home from dinner with my wife, we decided to stop for a quick drink. I don’t know about anyone else, but every time I walk into any type of building or store I always take a quick survey around. I look at the atmosphere, type of clientele, décor, entrances, exits, and even the type of building construction. Shortly after we sat down I noticed a group of firefighters at the bar hanging out, drinking, and having a good time.

I was glad to see that they were getting along so well, and it was nice to see the wide range of ages within the group. Having friendships outside the firehouse is also a very good thing to have as it helps build a stronger connection and a more cohesive group. However, the question that is raised is how did I know they were firefighters? Well, the answer to that is actually simple. The group were all wearing company clothing; t-shirts, job shirts, and a few were even in full station wear uniform.

As the night progressed and I was enjoying my time with my wife I couldn’t help but notice the group of firefighters having beer after beer and shot after shot. They were getting louder and louder and rowdier and rowdier. It was unmistakable as to the fact that they were there and who they were.

The object of this post is not to put anyone down, make me out to be an angel, to rip on anyone. The object of this post is to try to bring the concept of Perception in the Public Eye to light. Hanging out with the guys and enjoying each other’s company and having a good time. There is a point though where you have to be smart about it.

The citizens we are responsible to protect call us in their hour of need. They know that if they need help the fire department will always be there. As public servants, we are often looked at in a different manner and all too often held to a much higher standard in the publics eyes. Anytime we are out in public wearing shirts, hats, jackets, job-shirts, uniforms, or anything related to our department we turn into walking billboards and automatically people start paying more attention to us, weather we know it or not.

As we all know, social media is a huge part of everyday life. Basically everyone has a camera phone and instant access to multiple different forms of social media platforms. By wearing any type of company attire while drinking and carrying on it opens yourself up for a ton of negative publicity. All it would take is one person to take a picture and post it to social media and spin a caption in a negative light. It doesn’t matter if what is posted is exactly what happened or not, what matters is people will see people in uniforms drinking and carrying on. Then every time they see someone in uniform they will remember what they saw.

It is alright to go out and have fun, everyone has to be able to have a good time. You just have to remember to be smart about it. Remember how you act and what you wear reflects not only on you, but your department, and the entire fire service family. Always try to conduct yourself as if someone is always watching, because when you are wearing company attire you are putting yourself under the microscope of public perception.

About the Author

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 15 years in the fire service all within departments in Piscataway, NJ. Nick has held the ranks of Lieutenant and Captain as well as being a township elected District Fire Commissioner for 1 term (3 years) in Piscataway, NJ. He is also a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University working in Corporate Taxation and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website.

The SOGs of Success

And finally, I'm done. Months of studying late into the night, way past my bed time.
Months reading acronyms that seemed to be a language all their own. Months of practicing skills now rooted in my mind ready to activate at a moment’s notice. After all that, I have completed the promotional process. All that I wait for now is the phone call that decides where I go from here. 
 
One part my departments process is an interview. In preparing for interview, I put together a curriculum vitae. "What's that?" is what I asked the person who recommended it. He went on to explain that it is what a person has done throughout his or her career. It's more complete than a resume. Think of it as doing a patient assessment that allows you to get an ideal of how the person is doing. It was in that process of pouring into Microsoft Word the experiences that I had, that the full impact of what other people poured into me sunk in. I have had the chance to be a part of things in my department, in the state, and nationally. No matter how well I did at any of those, I realize how much support I have gotten from others. The mentors and supporters in my life had given me S.O.G.'s to have an impactful life. 
 
Strength

What trying times have you had in your life? Are you there right now? Whether the trouble happened to you, or because of you, we all have trying times. To this day supporters and mentors still help me to persevere through difficult times. In those dark times, not only could I not see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I felt myself walking through knee deep quicksand that I was sinking in. It was the strength that others poured into me that allowed me to see things to completion. 
 
Opportunity

Have you ever been in an awesome situation and say to yourself "How on earth did I get here?!" You weren't the typical number one choice to be in that project or on that team. Yet, you did great work while there. That's what happens when others see your potential, and give you a seat at the table. That is what happens when your supporters and mentors give you an opportunity. 
 
Guidance

"Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there" (Will Rodgers). I looked at this training announcement that said "Safety through Leadership". I am constantly looking for leadership training, but I had doubts about this one. Yet, at the encouragement of one of my many supporters, I applied for it all the same. Since then, the 2007 Virginia Fire Officer's Academy has been one of the best choices I have done in my career. Supporters and mentors provide direction for you to move on down the track. 
 
I have no idea how much success I will have in my life. I'm sure it will be due, in large part, to the mentors and supporters that help me along the way. People who have given me S.O.G.'s. My success comes from people seeing in me what I was unaware of in myself. For as ordinary as I feel most days, my supporters and mentors have a way of finding the extraordinary. 

About the Author

NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.

Understanding Wind Driven Fires

From the beginning of time Mother Nature has presented mankind with all kinds of meteorological phenomenon’s and the one we are going to discuss in this article is wind its effect on us as firefighters. As we know we cannot fight with Mother Nature but instead work with her when the weather-related challenges are presented to us on fire scenes.

It has been estimated that been 2002 and 2010 approximately 24 firefighters were killed in structure fires due to wind as a factor most notably was the April 12, 2009 house fire in Houston, Texas that claimed the lives of two firefighters operating in a ranch style home. More recently was the March 26, 2014 fire in the Back Bay of Boston, MA that claimed the lives of two firefighters operating in a brownstone style home. May these firefighters and all those who lost their lives, rest in peace.

The first thing we should understand is that no matter what type of firefighter we are – structural, wildland, hazmat – what is wind in respect to fire? According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, wind speeds as little as 10 miles per hour can cause rapid fire progression in a structure regardless of the structure. Prevailing winds that enter a fire-vented location of the structure could create a flow path of blowtorch-effect flames and untenable temperatures when a secondary opening is created. 

The next thing we should understand is how to identify and attack wind driven fires because we cannot predict or stop when wind will affect fires.

1.       Understand wind and its effect on fires.

2.       Understand the blowtorch effect

3.       Size up the structure with a complete 360-degree size up. Pressurized wind

4.       If there is a wind-driven condition found, notify all units on the fire ground.

5.       Coordinate and control all vent points.

6.       If possible, avoid advancing through a downwind opening. Determine the wind pattern and adjust your tactics. Advancing through a downwind opening from the unburned side will create a wind trap for firefighters and possible victims involved in a potentially dangerous flow path.

7.       Understand flow path.

8.       Implement LCES

9.       Lastly, consider a transitional attack on the fire. Attack from the involved side to the uninvolved side and if possible conduct search, rescue and additional and final fire control operations from the involved side as well.

Flow Path with no Wind & Flow Path with Wind

First, what is a flow path? A flow path is the area between where the fire is and where the fire wants to go.

To establish a flow path in a structure with no wind, we need to remember two key concepts.

1.       Windows create a bidirectional flow with fresh air coming in through the bottom and exhaust coming out from the top.

2.       Once the ceiling is vented, it will pull the superheated gas, smoke and fire to the vent point creating a flow path.

To establish a flow path in a structure with wind, we need to remember these two key concepts.

1.       The wind in the structure will override the pressure of the outlet in the window creating a unidirectional flow path into the structure instead of out of the structure.

2.       The ceiling vent will provide the only exit for the exhaust. The wind will force all the superheated gases, smoke and fire rapidly through the structure to that single outlet thus causing what is known as the Blowtorch Effect.

Blowtorch Effect

The blowtorch effect is the area of wind driven fires that is sadly and untimely claiming the lives of firefighters entering wind driven affected structures. Like the fire triangle & tetrahedron, the blowtorch effect has a similar shape: The Blowtorch Triangle. This triangle consists of an inlet, out and heat. Just like the fire triangle and tetrahedron if we remove one side we reduce the possibility of the triangle.

Removing the Outlet

To remove the outlet we need to remember door control throughout the exterior and interior openings as fire personnel pass through or encounter during their operations. This reduces the potential flow path and reduces the potential for the blowtorch effect. Also, stay in coordination with the vent team. Any uncoordinated ventilation will create an additional flow path to the vent opening.

Removing Heat

To remove heat, consider using a transitional attack. Begin with an exterior attack prior to entry to extinguish the gases and bring the fire to a contents fire to allow for more ideal conditions for interior crews about to go in.  This is done by a straight stream directed solely at the ceiling through a window opening or door. This will not push the fire, only cool it.

Removing the Inlet

Considering using Wind Control Devices and salvage covers on open windows and doors especially in high rise buildings. The WCD’s will minimize the winds impact on fire spread throughout the structure.

LCES

Lookouts: Command must be aware of changing conditions. Door control firefighter should monitor smoke conditions and location of firefighters inside. RIC should perform a 360 size up and constantly watch for changing conditions. Everyone on scene is considered a lookout.

Communication: Report wind conditions upon arrival, status of doors and windows that are opened/closed and report any changes in conditions.

Escape Routes: Operating from the upwind size can make for easier escape routes and safety zones. It may not be possible to ensure escape routes and safety zones on the downwind side due to the potential of unpredictable fire behavior.

Safety Zones: Closing doors behind you as your advance through the structure can provide as a temporary area of refuge and increase survival time until you can escape or rescue crews get to you.

Understanding wind and wind driven fires can be tricky and cause for a long day at the office but our goal is to go home to our families after it’s all said and done.

Until next time; work hard, stay safe and live inspired. 

About the Author

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 15 years in the service all within departments in Piscataway, NJ. Nick has held the ranks of Lieutenant and Captain as well as being a township elected District Fire Commissioner for 1 term (3 years) in Piscataway, NJ. He is also a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University working in Corporate Taxation and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website.

Driver Training

Driver training is more than getting comfortable behind the wheel of the apparatus you're training on. This is the perfect time to go over apparatus placement in your frequent flyer locations and also your problem buildings (strip malls, apartment complexes, houses pushed back off the road, etc.). Getting practice at apparatus placement during training is helpful for when the call comes in - big or small. Remember placement is key for efficient fire attack and primary search. 

This also helps the chuefer become more accustomed of the streets in your primary response area, more identifiable of hydrant locations for easier access to them, along with your crew putting together initial preplans for the structures. This can prove good kitchen table discussions on strategies and tactics. 

Next time your company officer wants to take you out driver training, pay attention to the buildings you come across, size them up and begin some good kitchen table discussions later at the firehouse. 

Until next time; work hard, stay safe and live inspired. 

About the Author

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 15 years in the service all within departments in Piscataway, NJ. Nick has held the ranks of Lieutenant and Captain as well as being a township elected District Fire Commissioner for 1 term (3 years) in Piscataway, NJ. He is also a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University working in Corporate Taxation and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website.

You're in the Wrong Spot

"Man, that truck sure looks familiar." On a bright, sunny day I had just walked out of an Arlington, VA building. The warm feeling of accomplishment was over me as I had just registering for a charity walk. My daughter, who was about 3 at the time, was bouncing along with me. But that truck. The same grey color. The same kind of wheels. Wait. Is that the same license plate? And why is it on the back of a tow truck?  I had disobeyed a fundamental rule for living in the Washington DC area: There is no such thing as a 'free' parking space. After frantic negations with the driver, I was able to broker a deal to get my truck back on the spot.  
 
I arrived at my second stop of the day, feeling pretty good about not having to walk there. This time we are at a cookout in a park in DC. I park on the side of the road, and cross the street to the cookout. About an hour into my time there, I now see the red and blue lights of the police parked behind the cars near where I had parked. He's out, asking questions, and looking at license plates. Seriously? Twice in one day I'm parked in the wrong spot?  Lucky, this time it was just a request to move somewhere else. Easy fix. 
 
Finally, I made it home to a parking spot that was reserved for me. I knew where I was supposed to be. No tow trucks coming for me. No police officers telling me to move. Nice and safe. I had made it to the right spot. Have you spent some time in your life looking for your right spot? Many times we have periods in life that we feel like we are going place to place and not belonging there. Whether it be a major conflict of priorities, or just the wrong place at the wrong time, we will always find there are places we don’t quite fit. What do you do? Much like my parking lot adventure, put yourself in gear and drive to the next place. Not fitting in at one spot, doesn't mean you can't fit in somewhere else. Everyone has a spot reserved just for them. 

About the Author

NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.

Parapet Walls

Throughout our history in the fire service and since its inception to building construction, parapet walls have injured and killed several firefighters. Many departments respond to buildings with these walls on daily basis and some departments don’t ever encounter these but there’s no such thing as “never” in the fire service.

So with that, what are parapet walls?

For starters, parapet walls are those that extend above the roof level giving the illusion to street viewers that the building is taller than it actually is and could range from inches to several feet above the roof level. Despite its decorative appearance the wall provides protection to the building from the elements as well. Although they are commonly known as an extended wall above the roof level, they serve multiple purposes for the building itself and we will list a few of them for you and then explain each.
1.    Fire Protection
2.    Improve wind-up lift resistance. 
3.    Vapor pressure relief for older masonry buildings
4.    Scupper drains

Fire Protection
Extending the wall above the roof level, these walls prevent fire spread from going up the exterior of a building which would almost immediately ignite any and all roofing membrane. 

Wind-up lift resistance
When wind blows against a building, it produces vortices at the roof edges causing these forces to lift the roof edge and peel back the roofing system. By having a parapet wall in place, this will help prevent any elevated wind pressure from compromising the roof edge.

Vapor Pressure Relief
Older masonry buildings that have a parapet wall also provide vapor pressure relief. Water, as we know cannot pass through the roofing membrane so the vapor pressure relief was designed to have water find its way to the roof edge and exit through back side of the parapet. Usually these are finished with permeable clay bricks. 

Scuppers
Scupper drains are openings in the side walls of an open-air structure, found at the bottom of a parapet wall. They are used to allow rain or other liquids to flow off the side of the structure instead of pooling within the walls or possible collapsing the roof. 

Notice 2 scuppers at the foot of the parapet wall. 

Hazards with parapet walls
During fire operations parapets are prone to failure. Mostly, these walls are exposed to all elements and could possibly fall into disrepair but with regular maintenance of a structure these walls should be checked and maintained as need be. Many of these walls are supported by an horizontal steel I-beam that runs the length of the front of the structure. The hazard that comes along with this is, should fire reach the cockloft, this steel beam can be exposed to high heat and thus expand causing the wall to potentially fail. There is really no one way that these walls will fail. They could fall as one piece or they could crumble and fall in pieces. 

Changing occupancies in the structure is another potential hazard with parapets. The reason behind this is the new owner or renter’s signage that is placed over the existing parapet. Some signs are anchored through the wall itself while others can be mounted from around and over the existing parapet. Either way these add to the load of the wall and increasing its fail potential should it be put under stress in fire or collapse conditions. 

What do look out for and how to work with these walls
When working on a structure with a parapet, here are some tips to keep in mind:

1.    Set up a collapse zone and monitor the walls for signs of cracking or bowing and notify the IC immediately. Keep in mind that these walls could collapse at any given time even after the fire has been under control. 
2.    Check or exposures throughout the interior and exterior making sure no fire as reached the cockloft putting extra stress on the parapet. 
3.    When setting up an aerial device, look for scuppers to determine the height of the parapet with relationship to the scuppers. If you don’t think you can make the roof due it the walls height, try and look for a secondary means on to the roof. Don’t take a chance trying to jump up and grab the ladder from the roof.
4.    Before stepping on to the roof from the ladder, sound the roof with your tool. Usually a 6 foot hook of any kind will work best. 
5.    Lastly, never assume during fire operations that the parapet was engineered to take the weight and forces of the additional dead and live loads being added to the structure. 

Until next time; work hard, stay safe and live inspired.  

About the Author

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 15 years in the fire service all within departments in Piscataway, NJ. Nick has held the ranks of Lieutenant and Captain as well as being a township elected District Fire Commissioner for 1 term (3 years) in Piscataway, NJ. He is also a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University working in Corporate Taxation and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website.

When Help Asks for You

One day, I'm riding in the back of the fire engine, because, when you are in the fire department, that's what you do. Then a guy looks at me and says "so, what are you good at?" "Nothing, really" "Come on, everybody's good at something! That guy, was Marcello Trejo. He was good at plenty of things: Fitness. Compassion. Keeping people laughing. He was the kind of person that when he came to mind, I would wonder what kind of extraordinary impact he would have on the entire fire service. He was not the guy I would have thought would have taken his own life. TD Jakes talks in one of his sermons that some people can be going through turmoil and no one ever know it. Are you one of those folks with turmoil hidden behind a smile? Would you know what to do if someone you knew was that person?

When I take a flight, the flight attendant always has in his or her safety briefing that when we lose cabin pressure, first put your mask, then help the person next to you. In the military and in public safety, we rarely do that. Instead, we fail to see how taking care of ourselves, can be the best things we can do to help others. Instead, like a superhero from the 50's or 60's, we set out to save the world on our own. Not realizing that superheroes of today need, and get, help from ordinary people who care about them. 

For the month of Sep, I've decided that every day, I'll do 22 pushups for the military suicides that happen every day. Then another 13 Burpees to represent initiative 13, the Behavioral Health Initiative from the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives. I started to video the workouts, but then I thought "I'm no star athlete, what's the point in that?" Instead, every day, I'm going post something I learn about mental health or suicide. A story. A fact. Info about an organization. Sometimes it will be a video, sometimes just an encouraging word.

The challenge I have for you, not to do push-ups. Go learn something new about mental health or suicide, and post on my blog at www.helpasks4u.wordpress.com  Whether the help is for you personally, or if the help is for someone you care about, remember this:

"Ask for Help, because help always asks for you." Marcello Trejo

About the Author

NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.

Window Bars & the Set of Irons

Mostly found in urban areas but not uncommon in suburban or rural areas are window bars. These bars are common to private dwellings and often found on basement and first floor windows for security reasons.  

These bars present a multitude of problems for firefighters responding to calls at these locations. 

1. Delay in access to inside the structure.

2. Difficult to perform VEIS (Vent. Enter. Isolate. Search) 

3. Reduces means of egress for firefighters and victim removal should a window need to be used. 

Window bars have the tendency to turn room and content fires into multiple alarm fires and have created havoc for access to victims or down firefighters for reasons mentioned above; so for that reason lets discuss how to remove them quickly and efficiently using the set of irons. 

On type 3 brick buildings the bars are held in by expandable anchors. Holes are first drilled into the brick and the anchors are used to hold the bars in place around the window.

For wood frame structures (type 5) lag screws are usually used to hold the bars in place. 

For either structure, use the set of irons (axe & halligan) and destroy the screws and anchors holding the bars in place by forcing them with the adz end of the halligan driving the halligan with the butt (non blade side) of the axe. 

Should the fastening points be unattainable, split the frame using the halligan and pry the gate from the opening using the fork side of the halligan. 

If the bars are set into the brick, mortar or concrete use a sledge or any type of mauling tool and smash the area encasing the bars into the wall and pry the bars away from the window. Should it be out of reach, hooks are another tool we can use for prying away as well.

Don't let obstacles get in the way of protecting life and property. This was a couple ways we can gain entry to a building should we only have hand tools available to us. Relying heavily on gas and hydraulic tools can be costly and some times cause more damage than it's worth. The more efficient we are using hand tools the quicker we can get to work and get the job done. 

Until next time; work hard, stay safe and live inspired. 

About the Author

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 15 years in the service all within departments in Piscataway, NJ. Nick has held the ranks of Lieutenant and Captain as well as being a township elected District Fire Commissioner for 1 term (3 years) in Piscataway, NJ. He is also a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University working in Corporate Taxation and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website.

Swimming Lesson

You would think that I would know what to expect by now. Four summers in a row, I have taken my kid to swim lessons. The last two summers, I've avoided being the parent who is too involved in his child’s class. Actually, the instructors don't let any parents in during practice, so I had to find something to do while I wait. I have an ordinary routine: 

o    Drop off the kid to her lessons
o    Swim some laps
o    Sit in the whirlpool
o    Shower
o    Pick up the kid

Last week something different happened before swimming. I got an email from the personnel section in my fire department about the next promotional announcement. Just like that, my ordinary swim routine turned into an answer for this question:  How do you to take on your next challenge in life?

•    Get in the water 

o    After checking the water temp with my big toe before swimming, the cold water did not excite me
o    Committing to doing the preparation for a promotional exam made me shiver at the thought of the work that needed to be done
o    Getting motivated to start a challenge can be trying

•    It will warm up…eventually 

o    After forcing my body not to jump out the water, it acclimated
o    It took me some time to get used to the ideal of beginning my prep for a new challenge
o    Once I did, I got comfortable with the taking new action

•    One stoke at a time

o    I didn't start out swimming a lot of laps; I started out being consistent with small movements
o    I am studying little by little. Day by day. Week by week. Until I reach my goal.  One stroke at a time. One lap at a time.
o    Big success comes from small steps. 

Every day, ordinary people, like you and I, do ordinary things. If we pay attention, we may find extraordinary inspiration to take on new challenges. 

About the Author

NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.

A Moment In Time: Remembering Hinal Patel

To quote one of my all-time favorite musicals, RENT, "525,600 minutes - how do you measure, measure a year?" It is absolutely mind blowing that it has been a year since we lost Hinal. 12 months of laughs, 52 weeks of friendship, 365 days of moments, 525,600 minutes of love.

It is still all very surreal to me and I think this is how life is for most of us now. Over the last year we have all experienced highs and lows, good and bad, failures and triumphs, and countless moments that we have shared and countless moments we have kept to ourselves. One thing that is absolutely evident is that we have all missed sharing this crazy ride we call life with Hinal. Even as I sit here and write this I can think of 1,000 different things that I wish I could have shared with her or wish she was a part of this past year. 

As life goes on, we often let little things drift out of our minds. We often take things for granted and that is when we start to miss the little moments in each day. Little moments like just seeing Hinal smile, seeing how passionate she was about the work she did, how a room would light up when she walked in, or her beautiful personality. 

Not a single day has gone by where I haven’t thought of Hinal. Through every single moment, memory, experience and adventure I knew that Hinal was still with us. Her spirit lives on in every single person who was fortunate enough to cross paths with her. The world and our lives are definitely dimmer with her gone; however, the passion she had for life should fuel us all to grow and be the absolute best we can be. 

For every moment we experience I know that she is here watching over us and sharing in our triumphs, standing by us in our failures, and laughing with us (or at us sometimes) every step of the way. 

To answer the question of how do you measure a year, it’s not where you have been, not what has happened, not holidays, birthdays, parties or even in time. The answer is simple: LOVE. Do not let one single moment go by without acknowledging its importance. Do not let one single person who means anything to you go without telling them how you feel because anything can happen. The only time guaranteed is right now so make it count.

To Hinal: I am still in complete disbelief. I look at your pictures and get emotional and then I think of the good times and how I never could resist your beautiful smile. I love you, I miss you, please continue to watch over me as I know you have done for the past year.

Love you forever and always,

Sean

View fullsize

 Photo collage showing some memories of Hinal. Notice her beautiful smile in every one of her pictures.

The vehicle stickers that were designed and printed for members of the North Stelton Volunteer Fire Company, where Hinal was a dedicated member, and family.

A Thin White Line ribbon that I have pinned to my backpack, my lunch box, my work ID, and hanging in my car to always keep Hinal with me and to always keep her spirit and memory alive.

Bulkhead Doors

Some stairs in a bulkhead doors are sloped greater than normal sloped stairways thus causing increasing issues for crews to make entry due to its steeper incline should entry be warranted through such doors. On the other hand, these doors make great use for ventilation sources for below grade fires due to its easier and for the most part safer access when fighting below grade fires. They can be found in both resident and commercial structures.

Until next time; work hard, stay safe and live inspired. 

About the Author

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 15 years in the service all within departments in Piscataway, NJ. Nick has held the ranks of Lieutenant and Captain as well as being a township elected District Fire Commissioner for 1 term (3 years) in Piscataway, NJ. He is also a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University working in Corporate Taxation and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website.