All About Truss, Part 2

December 03, 2015 by Nicholas Higgins in Building Construction

In the first part of our mini blog series on truss, we spoke about the 2 basic types of roof truss; Pitched Chord Truss and Parallel Chord Truss. In this part, we will discuss a few other types of roof truss; King Post, Queen Post, Gambrel and Bowstring Truss. So let’s now talk about some truss.

King Post Truss

This is the simplest form of truss construction due to the minimal number of truss members in the system (individual lengths of either wood or metal). It consists of 2 diagonal members that meet at the apex (otherwise known as the peak, tip, or top) of the truss. One horizontal beam serves to tie the bottom end of the diagonal members together and the king post connects the apex the horizontal beam below. In roof truss construction the diagonal members are known as rafters and the horizontal members are known as a ceiling joist.

The king post truss system is limited to how far up it can extend (maximum of 30 feet) and is unsuitable for longer spans. If a larger system is in fact needed, additional diagonal members would be needed to make multiple truss systems. This system was often used in the Medieval, Gothic Revival and Queen Anne Architecture and was originated in the 13th century and commonly used in the 15th century. Today the king post truss system can be found in European churches, barns and bridges.

Queen Post Truss

The queen post is a tension member in a truss designed system to expand longer openings than a king post truss can. As we know a king post truss uses one central supporting post (king post), while the queen post truss uses two. Although it is a tension member and not a compression member, the posts are still commonly referred to as posts. The queen post truss system is used when a larger span is needed to be covered (30-45 feet and possibly up to 60 feet). This system transfers the weight load of the roof to the eave posts, which allow for a clean open space that requires no internal posts that could affect the design of the building. This type of system provides exceptional structural support and can be combined with other types of roof truss systems.

Gambrel Truss

Gambrel Truss is one of the earliest types of roof construction in American architecture. The earliest documented use was in the 1600’s. Gambrel truss, often confused with Hipped Roof, is commonly referred to as “Dutch Colonial” giving the roof a barn like appearance and is often found in Colonial style architecture which makes frequent use of the Gambrel Truss system. This system is a symmetrical, doubled-sided roof with a double slope on each side. The lower slope is known as a steep and has an almost vertical angle. The Gambrel system allows for a maximum amount of storage space in the attic area and do not require interior walls or support posts. Most pitched roofs have sharply angled walls that make for much of the space unusable, except when using the Gambrel Truss system. This is due to the pitch break being in the Gambrel roof itself and allowing for more interior space to be used because of the slope of the ceiling. This allows for more space directly under the roof to be used as living space.

Bowstring Truss

The name of this system is directly related to the look of the truss system. The shape resembles an archery bow, thus how it gets its name. Bowstring Truss was first used for arched truss bridges, which is often confused as tied-arched bridges and are great for spanning large distances. There are many different variations in the arrangement of the members connecting the nodes of the upper arc with those of the lower chord. In some instances, the lower sections go up at a slightly steeper angle than the other sections of the truss, which allow for easier water run-off. In some cases, a roof may be built over the top of an already existing bowstring truss roof. If this has occurred, the ridge at the top of the roof may not have a ridge cap. A ridge cap normally runs along the length of the roof, covering the seam where the materials forming each side of the roof join at the very top of the roof. Since this system is arched, there is no point at the top where the two sets of roofing materials meet.

Bowstring truss was a very popular structural system in the early 20th century, especially in America. Today, large wooden bowstring truss systems are popping up all over. They are refurbished and left exposed as former industrial spaces are being reconstructed for other purposes. Because of this, it is allowing for new uses in the construction industry such as skylights being added to the roof between each truss system. Bowstring trusses are found almost everywhere today, from warehouses and bowling alleys to even coffee shops and modern offices but as in all truss systems, should one fail, they all fail.

In the next part of this series, we will discuss the dangers associated with truss construction on the fire ground.

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

About the Author

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 14 years of 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.

All About Truss, Part 1

November 02, 2015 by Nicholas Higgins in Building Construction

As we all know, building construction has changed drastically over the last 20-25 years especially with the evolution of the increasingly popular use of lightweight construction and its engineered structural components. The reason for its popularity is simple; the load carrying capacity increases in these structures and its cost efficient.

Originally in this post, I said this has changed over the last 20-25 but in reality the changes started to have an impact on the fire service around 50-65 years ago with the development of the first part of the structural component, floor and roof truss construction which were both and to an extent are today held together with glue.

So let’s start off with the basic types wood truss construction.

Trusses are easily identifiable by their triangular framework of multiple structural elements. This is what distinguishes them from other structural products. Due to their structural efficiency this element is a cost-effective solutions for many structures we see all over the world today (bridges & buildings). When talking about residential construction, wood truss held together but metal plates are the primary type used and are fabricated from 2x4 or 2x6 dimension lumber. Any trusses built from larger dimension lumber is usually found in custom built homes and due to the popularity of these type of homes today, this is fairly common in newer suburban developments.

Roof Truss

In roof truss construction the three sides of the triangle are known as “chords” and the pieces connecting the top and bottom chords together are known as the “webs”. The “connectors” that join the chords and webs in the modern truss system together are usually done by metal-toothed plates and is most common in truss roof assembly. In truss roof assembly or otherwise known as pitch chord truss, the top chord is sloped and the bottom chord is typically horizontal because it will directly support the ceiling.

Another type of truss found in roof truss assembly is parallel chord truss but this is normally found to form floor assemblies. In this type of truss assembly, the top and bottom chords run parallel with the top chord in compression and the bottom chord in tension.

In both parallel and pitched chord trusses metal tooth plate connectors (MPC) are used extensively to join the chords and webs together. These connectors are multi-tooth plated and are embedded into the wood fibers using a hydraulic press.

So how do these trusses carry a load?

As we all know from high school geometry, a simple triangle is stable in nature and all 3 sides are equal. Meaning, any force applied to it will be transferred around all three sides with limited movement or change of shape. As previously mentioned, the top chord is in compression and the bottom is under tension when the system is under what is known as gravity loads (i.e. live loads). Live loads are not to be confused with the assembly itself.

Redistributing the load

The performance of wood truss construction, whether exposed to outside forces such as hurricanes, earthquakes or fire can be attributable to 2 factors.

Structural redundancy & load redistribution across the floor or roof

This is found within each truss. When one truss member fails, the load it is carrying will redistribute itself to the remaining truss members. Also, should one of the truss lose its strength or stiffness, the entire assembly – floor or roof – will redistribute the loads through sheathing and/or bracing to the adjacent trusses.

When a single member of a truss is cut, the structural integrity is in fact compromised. However, this alone will not normally cause a catastrophic collapse. In most cases the truss will still carry the most of the normal load that has been originally applied. The cut member of the truss however, will cause a glaring defect that will need inspection. When looking at a total collapse of the system, this is dependent on many factors. These factors will include the amount of the load, span of the truss, & roof and floor integrity all under fire conditions or not.

In the next part of this multi-part series, we will discuss other types of more advanced wood truss construction.

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

About the Author

During a walk through of a building, the concrete structure of an old inground pool was discovered in the basement. New safety regulations decommissioned the use of the pool and this is how it remains today.

Know Your Primary Response Structures

October 07, 2015 by David Wiklanski in Firematics

How often do you take tours of the buildings in your Primary? Is it only when a new building is built that you go through them? Do you even take the time to walk through the new buildings? As Francis Brannigan used to say, “The building is your enemy, Know your enemy.”

While on an Activated Fire Alarm at one of the structures in our primary, we had one of our newer members asking a few questions about the building. Being we had the time, we arranged with the building owner’s representative to be able to wander through and show the new guy around. Junior guys are great for reasons to walk through buildings, and senior guys can’t possibly remember everything about every building in our primary.

While walking through this building, we started discussing how there were some unique features. This particular structure houses a theater which in and of itself creates a slew of hazards with movable walls, increased electrical needs, hidden voids for wiring etc. In addition to that area, the basement of the building contains an old inground pool. Yeah, a pool. It was decommissioned due to new safety regulations and walkway widths but the actual concrete structure remains. Now imagine searching this building and going over the edge of this pool, falling ten feet into the deep end and not being able to get out? What about during a structure fire, giving all of the water that we’re pouring into the structure a place to go which creates a drowning hazard. Rarely do we enter a building and expect there to be a pool in the basement, but this is the benefit of the walk through process.

My challenge to you for the month of October, get into at least one building in your primary that you haven’t been in recently. Yes, you can cheat and do a building that you know well, but then what are we really learning? Get into a building that you aren’t sure about, note the location of exits, the type of construction, FDC/Sprinkler connections if any and actually walk through it. You might be amazed at what you’ll find.

Until then remember, Amateurs train until they get it right, Professionals train until they can’t get it wrong. Stay safe out there.

About the Author

DAVID WIKLANSKI is a Firefighter/EMT for the New Brunswick (NJ) Fire Department. He is a NJ certified Fire Instructor level II and EMT Instructor. He has a Master’s degree in Behavioral Sciences from Kean University where he is on faculty with the Psychology Department. He authored the book Suicide Bombers: Understanding Suicide Terrorism from a Cultural and Memetic Perspective. He is the owner of Alpha Omega Training Solutions.

Understand a Backdraft

September 25, 2015 by Nicholas Higgins in Firematics

In today’s society firefighters are responding to fires during the later stage of the fully developed stage or at beginning of the decaying stage of fire. This is to no fault of our own, in which multiple factors go into this such as time of day, traffic, faulty fire alarms systems or lack thereof, etc., but understanding the risk of responding to fires as this stage and the vital role we play by knowing fire behavior and knowing the effects of what happens at each stage of fire growth. In this stage, we as firefighters are at an inherent risk of responding to confined fires deprived of oxygen and without proper ventilation and coordination, we are adding to the problem rather than making it better. One of the biggest risk we run into is called a backdraft. A backdraft, also known as a smoke explosion NFPA 921: Guide for Fire & Explosion Investigations, 2011 Edition as, “A deflagration resulting from the sudden introduction of air into a confined space containing oxygen-deficient products of incomplete combustion.”

So let’s talk now about the science of a backdraft. In decaying stage burning is incomplete because of the lack of oxygen feeding the fire, causing the fire to smolder or burn out. Nonetheless, the heat released from the fully developed state still remains and all flammable products of combustion are waiting for an introduction to oxygen so they can instantaneously combust in the room. We as trained firefighters can prevent this act from happening through proper ventilation. By doing so properly and in a timely manner, the upper areas in the room will be cleared from smoke and unburned gases which is done at the highest point possible. Coincidentally, if this is improperly done, the same unburned gases and other products of combustion are now at a higher risk to instantaneously combust once oxygen is introduced to the room causing a devastating effect on the structure and those in and around it. It is to be known that it only takes 25% of the space in a room or fire area to cause a backdraft to occur.
With this being said there are certain warning signs that can be seen to indicate if a backdraft appears emanate:

• Black smoke becoming dense, greyish yellow

• Confinement and excessive heat

• Little or no visible flame

• Smoke leaving the building in puffs and being drawn back in

• Smoke stained and/or rattling windows

• Muffled sounds

• Sudden, rapid movement of air and smoke inward when an opening is made
Now that we have discussed the science of a backdraft, let us now discuss how we can safely manage this type of situation.

Ventilation

Vertical ventilation is possibly the best and most effective method of venting a structure showing signs of a backdraft. This will allow for the superheated gases to escape without introducing an excessive amount of oxygen into the structure. Should an explosion still occur during vertical vent, the force will be directed up and away from the vent crew that created the opening (roof cuts, skylight pops, etc.). Should vertical ventilation not be possible for us, horizontal ventilation is a consideration. This could be done using pike poles 6 feet or greater and positioning yourself near the corner of the building and moving all companies out of the “hot zone” or collapse zone.

Quenching

Another method would be to quench the gases. This is done before we enter the room where the superheated gases were present. A few short blasts of water to the ceiling (also known as penciling) will provide enough cooling to stop an explosion from occurring. By doing this, we are controlling the heat release rate (HHR) and if we can control the heat release rate we can control the fire.

Flanking

If vertical vent and quenching not be an option, we could consider flanking the fire. To flank the fire, we should position engine company crews at the sides of the doorway and cool the room (compartment) with their hose streams. When doing this, make sure to not cross hose streams and take note of the windows in the room, if possible. A psi pressure of a mere 0.5 will blow windows out.

Let’s all take this and answer these questions next time we are working on the fire ground.

What do you see upon arrival as the initial Incident Commander or first due Engine Company?

What significance do these observations tell us about the fire conditions?

What's is the smoke telling us?

What would be your actions?

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

About the Author

Where were you on that September day?

September 11, 2015 by Nicholas Higgins in FHTribune Staff

Every generation has a day that they will never forget. For some, it’s December 7th, 1941, the attack on Pearl Harbor. For others, it’s November 22, 1963, the assignation of President John F. Kennedy. For us, it’s September 11, 2001. A day that started out like no other. People off to work, to school or doing their usual daily morning routine as if the day would be like all the rest. Except on this day it wasn’t.

The nation was attacked and forever changed. Thousands of families were affected that day and each in their own way. This was a day everyone put aside their differences and came together for a common good. The good and prosperity of a nation. Race, ethnicity, religion, color, orientation; none of that mattered that day. The only thing that did was helping each other survive so they could go home and see their families one more time. Hundreds made that ultimate sacrifice that day trying to help those who needed help the most.

On this anniversary of the September 11th attacks may we always remember and never forget the brave men and women of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, United 93, the 343 New York City Firefighters, the 23 officers of the NYPD, the 37 of the PAPD and the 8 EMTs of private agencies who sacrificed their lives to save countless people so they can return home to their families. Their sacrifices that day can never be repaid, only honored. Instead of a day mourning, this is a day of remembrance. Let us remember these modern day heroes and honor the decisions they made that day because without them, how would our lives be today? May they rest in peace.

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” - John 15:12-13

About the Author

The Halligan & its Mechanical Advantages for Forcible Entry

September 09, 2015 by Nicholas Higgins in Firematics

The most used and go to tool in the fire service as we all know is the Halligan. The Halligan as we know is used for “everything” from forcing a door to searching a room, making purchase points in vehicle extrication to wall breaches and clearing windows for ventilation or a possible egress. You name it and a Halligan bar will probably be a tool of choice for any job on the fire ground, if not the tool of choice. Every apparatus has one or more on them for a reason, so it’s best we know not only what it’s used for but also know the bar.

Being able to use a Halligan for multiple purposes on the fire ground is wonderful but knowing the dimensions of the Halligan can offer firefighters more of an advantage when using the tool especially during forcible entry.

But first let’s start with the bar’s history.

The Halligan was invented by Deputy Chief Hugh A. Halligan of the FDNY in the 1940s. Hugh Halligan was first appointed chief of the FDNY on June 16, 1916. Prior to the Halligan, the tools of choice or its predecessors as we could call it were the Claw tool and the Kelly tool. The Claw tool was considered one of the FDNY’s first forcible entry tools. The downside to this tool was its weight and the off-centered striking surface that made it dangerous for the firefighter holding the tool as it was being driven into a door.

The next tool was choice was the Kelly tool which was developed by the then captain of Ladder Company 163, John Kelly. Unlike the Claw tool, the Kelly tools striking surface was inline with the bar and had a 90 degree flat surface (adze end). Similarly to Claw tool, the Kelly tool was also welded and still heavy and due to both tools specific advantages, both were to be used during fire ground operations.

This is where Chief Halligan came in and wanted to develop a tool that could be held in one hand, wouldn’t break or crack and would not fatigue a firefighter while using it. This was the birth of the Halligan bar. The bar was made of cross-drop forged from one piece of No. 4140 high carbon content steel. As soon as the tool was available on the market it was a huge success that the Boston Fire Department was one of the first departments to place a Halligan bar on every ladder company in the department.

Today most of us use the modern take on the Halligan or the Pro Bar as it is called, which is the one tool that has stayed most true to original specs of the Halligan bar. It is fabricated from one piece of drop forged steel and measures 30 inches in length. The forks have a tapered V shape of space between them along with a gradual curve for leverage when prying. The adze end and pick also have a gradual curve for more of an advantage as well.

The dimensions of the Halligan bar

A standard Halligan is 30 inches in overall length. It consists of an adze end, a pick and a fork (or claw). The fork is 6 inches in length and the crotch of the fork is 5 inches – this is key for conventional forcible entry. The adze end is also 6 inches in length and 2 inches wide. The pick is 6 inches in length and the adze/pick triangle is 5 inches tall.

Now that we know the dimensions of the Halligan bar, how will this help us in forcible entry?

Using the Adze end

More often than not when dealing with outward swinging doors, we will look to gap, crush or tunnel the door between the door (above the lock) and the jamb using the adze end of the Halligan in doing so and moving the tool up or down offering a 15:1 mechanical advantage with a maximum spread of 2 inches (width of the adze). The 15:1 MA is from the 30 inch Halligan bar and the 2 inch adze end of the bar. When forcing an outward swinging door it is advantageous to pry down on left side opening doors and pry up on right side opening doors. The key is to roll up in the direction opposite the pick to gain maximum leverage.

Forcing inward swinging doors is done in the same fashion as outward swinging doors except the Halligan is used in a different position yet the mechanical advantages will remain the same.

Using the adze end is similar to a class I lever. This is where the fulcrum placed between the effort and load. The movement of the load is in the opposite direction of the movement of the effort and the most typical lever configuration. Fulcrum or pivot point is the point on which an object balances or turns.

Using the Fork

When driving the fork between the door and the frame, the fork should be driven 3 inches past the edge of the door frame creating fulcrum. This will put our load on the Halligan at the 5 inch mark (the length of the crotch of the Halligan) at the door jamb, resulting in a load to fulcrum length of 2 inches. The more we drive our Halligan into the jamb the less we of a mechanical advantage we have when using the tool.

Using the fork is similar to a class II lever. This is where the load is between the effort and the fulcrum. In this, the movement of the load is in the same direction as the effort.

Work hard, stay safe and live inspired.

About the Author

The Importance of Fire Flow in Today's Fire Service

August 27, 2015 by Nicholas Higgins in Engine Company Ops

We have all heard the saying “put the wet stuff on the red stuff” and as true and basic as it sounds there is a lot more that goes into than that. Every firefighter on the fire ground – from the nozzle man, to the company officer making tactical decisions on how to attack the fire, all the way to the chief officer overseeing and defending these operations – should have a basic understanding of fire flow and ways to determine fire flow requirements based on the building they are operating in.

When determining fire flow our main goal is simple; cool the involved combustibles dropping them below the temperature at which they produce ignitable vapors and heat to support fire growth. This as we all know is done by fire suppression and can be accomplished in 2 ways. Directly attacking the fire and indirectly attacking the fire. Without going in to detail on this it is simply put that direct attack is flowing water directly on burning solid materials and indirect is flowing water onto the overhead smoke layer and thermal layer to disrupt the flow of heat and combustible gases.

So with that being said, why do we need to understand the importance of fire flow?

For starters, a lot has changed in the fire service over the last 15-20 years and let’s begin with defining heat release rate. This is the amount of time needed for a given fuel depending on its mass to produce enough energy, also known as heat, to influence combustion. Fifteen to twenty years ago our fire flow was calculated at 95 & 125 GPM (gallons per minute) for a safe and efficient flow. Nowadays due to changes in society a safe an efficient fire flow is now calculated at 150 & 200 GPM. In those years back fires would reach flashover conditions within an estimated 10 minutes of ignition. Today, they are reaching flashovers in less than 4 minutes.

Without talking building construction and the transition from legacy construction into the development of the modern day lightweight construction (truss) as well as hybrid construction, and we can save that discussion for another day, one other reason fire flow is said to be important is due to more plastic products being developed. These have a combustion rate of 3 times of traditional Class-A combustibles. Plastics are derived from petrochemicals (hydrocarbons) and are found in almost every consumer product on the market today. With the creation and advancements in modern computer aided dispatching systems, fire departments are arriving sooner to alarms and at times making entry the same time the fire is reaching flashover conditions.

To determine your ever so important fire flow, these factors come in to play:

Size & type of structure (residential/commercial/industrial)
What and where is your water supply?
Apparatus tank size and pump capacity
Hose and nozzle configuration
What’s your crew size and their average response times?

With that being said remember this, the minimum fire flow must be capable of absorbing the maximum potential heat release rate to immediately prevent the fire from transitioning to the flashover stage.

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

About the Author

Lead from the front or lead from the back? It doesn’t matter as long as there’s a leader

August 11, 2015 by Nicholas Higgins in Leadership

In today’s world, there is a strong need for leaders to emerge. Some will go to work and do their usual 9 to 5, go home, go to sleep and do it all over again wondering if their manager will ever recognize their strengths and honor their accomplishments. Unfortunately that isn’t the case when we speak about managers. Managers will be there to oversee work and make sure the work gets completed but that’s as far as it goes. Why? Because that’s their job and that’s what they are paid to do. They are results driven based on objectives and don’t have time or take the risks to go beyond that. This goes for all professions across the board. Not all professions have leaders in managerial roles and they aren’t expected to because that’s not what managers are there for. This is part of the reason the fire service has been as strong as it has been since its inception in the United States by a great man known as Benjamin Franklin.
It has been known for many decades that the two things that resonate deep in the fire service is family and respect for our fellow firefighters and our customers; in this case the residents of the community we are sworn to protect. Firefighters want leaders to lead them when the bell goes off and the same goes for those outside of the fire service but how does this happen?

Simple!

Be your own leader.

We can all have a manager driving us each day to produce the results they want for their company because in the end all companies have a goal they need to complete. For us in the fire service it’s saving lives and protecting property. For those in the corporate world, it’s producing the numbers to make a profit and working long hours away from family to produce those numbers is what a manger will push their subordinates to do in order to meet those deadlines.

So why do I say be your own leader? I say this because if you can’t lead yourself you’ll never lead anyone else or go beyond your limits of expectation. It shouldn’t matter where you are in the organization, from the newbie to the most experienced, a leader knows how to build a following regardless of title. The following are my 4 traits to being an effective in and out of the firehouse.

1. Be Honest. Nothing says leadership than honesty. Building a solid foundation based on honesty not only builds trust between you and those you work with but also keeps them inspired to want to work with you.

2. Inspire Others. In order to do this you, yourself must be inspired to excel in your role. If you’re not enthused about what you do others won’t be either. This is another way of leading by example.

3. Stay Positive. There will be times things will be tough and throwing your hands in the air swearing sometimes natural happens. That’s ok, stay calm and stay positive. The more positive you look the better off everyone around you is during chaotic times. The best chiefs are the ones who remain calm on the radio despite all the chaos around them. Listen to radio transmissions of other departments and take notes on how each officer speaks on the radio. Take the calm ones and keep them in memory to try and emulate their calmness. Also, do the same for the ones who are frantically screaming and tell yourself to try and avoid that as much as possible. This will all come with experience and many years of practice for most.

4. Be Committed. Be committed to yourself first. Then be committed to your job and your crew. This starts with training. Keeping your skill fresh and sharpened says a lot about you as a person as it does as a leader. People tend to flock to those who are committed to the job and take pride and excellence in it. You don’t need to be the officer to the guy who starts a training session. We are all in this together.

There they are. My four traits to being a leader. Take these and use them in your life to grow and inspire those to work with and meet on a daily basis.

Being a manager comes from a title promotion. Being a leader comes from within.

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

About the Author

Preplan & Size Up Quick Tip

August 09, 2015 by Nicholas Higgins in Firematics

One thing we can do as firefighters is know our enemy. In most aspects, the enemy is the building or buildings we may be working in. Understanding building construction, including fire behavior within different construction types, will greatly help you, your crew and other firefighters on the fire ground. Adding this component into your preplanning and size up considerations is a great way to practice your building construction knowledge along with strategies and tactics. Next time you are in the firehouse, gather your crew, open Google Maps to an address in your primary response area, preplan and even go as far as putting scenarios together to practice ICS, strategies, and tactics. It’ll get you and your crew thinking together and also build conversation and camaraderie.

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.

Respect

August 07, 2015 by Nicholas Higgins in Career Development

As many of you have probably heard the line, “the fire service was here before you and will be here after you.” It doesn’t get much simpler than that now does it? So while we are here, one of the most important things we can do is RESPECT it. When in the firehouse or out, always conduct yourself with respect for your fellow firefighters, the station and the job. Respect and be thankful to those who have been in the service before you because as we all know they are the ones teaching you what you are learning and play a role in your growth and success. Show them you want to follow in their footsteps when it’s time for them to step aside. Make them be confident that you can lead, teach, inspire and make sound fire ground decisions. Show up ready to work and be expected to work hard and get dirty. Be willing to learn as much as you can and become proficient at what you have learned.

Always carry a level of professionalism as well because we are always a direct representation and reflection of not only our department and the fire service as a whole but to our families. Most importantly remember one thing; the name on your helmet represents your department. The name on your coat represents who raised you. Do them both justice.

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

About the Author

I’m a Firefighter, So Now What?

August 02, 2015 by Nicholas Higgins in Career Development

I would first off like to start by welcoming and congratulating you all into a very special family and thank you for making a commitment to protecting and serving others. We all start out as “rookie” firefighters not knowing what to expect when making the decision to enter into such a commitment as the fire service but we all know there’s a reason deep down in each of us that is calling us to this service. Just like anything else we start off as a blank slate ready to learn with a ton of ambition and drive to succeed.

In the beginning we feel scared, our nerves are eating at us and we don’t want to make anyone think we can’t do this while the pressure is mounting but we are determined not to be defeated. Being in this situation is a scary task and feeling as if you are alone is a real experience. Because of this, here is a list of 10 ways to grow as a firefighter, stay motivated and have a great fire service career:

1. Respect and honor the fire service. Guys who were here before you paved the way for you to be in this today. Respect their sacrifices and honor their legacies. Not everyone can follow in the firefighting tradition. Consider it an honor.

2. Stay humble. Egos are only as big as front door and should be left outside the house. Cockiness is a firefighter killer and there is no room for it in the firehouse or on the fire ground.

3. Show respect. The words “please”, “thank you” and addressing chief and company officers as such goes a long way to a long respective career (volunteer or paid). Showing signs of professionalism at all times is a key to success that will leave a lasting impression on the guys you are working with and will ultimately earn you a level of respect. Remember, treat others how you yourself would want to be treated.

4. Strive for excellence. Have a “can do” attitude. Come in each and every day with the attitude of a winner, show initiative, work hard and dedication and you may impress even the most experienced member of your department. Excellence is a habit. Not a goal.

5. Know your crew members. Getting to know the men and women you serve with is a great way to build a working relationship and develop teamwork. Do this through simple conversation, training and on scene teamwork. But remember, what you do on the fire ground will positively or negatively impact your crew and you won’t be judged individually but as a whole. We are a TEAM in and out the firehouse.

6. Know your PPE. You were given the PPE for a reason and shown in the academy how to wear it properly, again for a reason. This isn’t a fashion show and no one cares how silly you look as long as you come home safe and in one piece. We aren’t indestructible.

7. Know your apparatus. The better you know your apparatus, the better you know your skills and know what’s expected of you when assignments are given.

8. Educate yourself. Training and education doesn’t end the day you’re certified through the state as a firefighter. Firefighting, like anything else takes years of dedication to be proficient at. Training doesn’t come just inside the firehouse with your crew. Self-studying, training and continuous education is the key to staying mentally sharp and promotes growth.

9. Complacency Kills. No two fires or alarms are the same and SHOULD NOT be treated as such. Always strive for more and never stop wanting to be better than you were yesterday.

10. Look to the future. Sooner than later the term will go from “rookie” or “probie” or even “FNG” (we can all fill in the blanks on that one) and will become experienced firefighters and for some of us, even have a company officers rank but don’t ever forget how you got there. Always remember you were once the “new guy on the block” and how hard work, discipline and dedication got you to where you are today. Share the experiences and knowledge with the new generations as they come on because one day those boots you grew into will be passed on to the next. The best way to leave your mark is quoted by the Dalai Lama “Share your knowledge. It’s the best way to achieve immorality”.

Speaking from experience, this is a very long and daunting task that takes years of dedication to accomplish and I challenge all firefighters to take these words, step up and complete the lifelong challenge.

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

About the Author

Gone Too Soon

July 31, 2015 by Nicholas Higgins in FHTribune Staff

Working in the fire service has never been as easy task for the ones directly involved as well as our family and friends who watch us do this selfless job each day. We take our work with pride and honor and spend numerous hours and days away from family and friends for the sake of helping others in their time of need. At this time we here at the Firehouse Tribune would like to take the time to honor and remember EMT Hinal Patel.

From all of us here at the Firehouse Tribune we would like send our thoughts, prayers, gratitude and respect to EMT Hinal Patel of Spotswood EMS and with the North Stelton Vol. Fire Company as an EMT, who was killed in the Line of Duty on Saturday, July 25th while responding to a motor vehicle accident in East Brunswick, NJ. May we remember EMT Patel, the Patel family, her EMS partner and all those affected by this tragic loss.

Although we all are shook by this loss and feel the pain and anguish that is has caused, we should all remember the countless lives EMT Patel has helped throughout her time as an EMT and celebrate the life she lived and the lives she has affect during her time here with us. May we never forget them and may she rest in peace.

In a statement released by the North Stelton Volunteer Fire Company, Hinal Patel had served since April of 2012, and “Hinal was a very smart, dedicated member of our family and she will be greatly missed. She had many close friends at North Stelton. The members of the North Stelton Volunteer Fire Company are devastated by her loss and extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends and coworkers.”

As her friend and leader, the North Stelton EMS Captain said “On Saturday morning (July 25th) our lives changed forever. We all lost an amazing, bright, beautiful, fantastic and energetic young lady who was surely going to change the world even more than she already had. She will be missed greatly by everyone who knew her, worked with her, and loved her.”
Funeral Services took place Monday July 27th brining in hundreds upon hundreds of family, friends, and first responders from around the state and neighboring states. The United States Honor Flag made its way to New Jersey from Texas to honor her, and The Governor of New Jersey has ordered that all flags be placed at half-staff on Friday July 31st in honor and remembrance of Hinal.

The EMS Captain said “In tragic times like this, it is nice to know that our brotherhood will always be there to help us through. The amazing outpouring of support from so many people has been incredibly overwhelming and we at North Stelton appreciate it more than anyone will ever know. Hinal was an amazing person who deserved every single minute of what we gave her and then some.”

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

About the Author