After Action Review

By: Rabbi Howard A Cohen (Deputy Chief, ret.) AFM Virtual Training Coordinator

An important, but often overlooked, training tool is the after-action review, sometimes called a debriefing.  An after-action review (AAR), or debriefing, is a discussion of an event for the purpose of examining what happened, why it happened, what, if any, improvements could be made, and who needs to know what was learned?  

After-action reviews were originally developed by the United States Army and are now used in many different industries, including the fire service, hospitals and sports teams.  Studies demonstrate that AARs have a demonstrable positive impact on the culture of organizations that utilize them.  They increase trust among team members; improve ability to deliver services; and improve safety on the scene.

The AAR is an important component in creating a culture of positive change within a department. AAR debriefs, whether structured and formal (appropriate after a large complex event) or informal, encourage a candid critique and evaluation of a crew’s strengths and areas in need of improvement.  The key to successfully using the AAR is that it is done after every incident, no matter how small or seemingly routine.  As we know, any call, no matter how routine it may seem, has the potential to turn into something life threatening.  Thus, something innocuous learned in one AAR, might very well be instrumental in avoiding something serious in a future incident.

One reason why AAR is so effective is that it takes the ego out of evaluating an incident.  AAR is not about finger pointing, judging, or critiquing individuals. There is no rank and everyone gets to speak.  While there are different ways to organize an AAR, the original model structured around five specific and open-ended questions is arguably still the best.  The five questions of the AAR are: What was our intention;  What went well;  What could have gone better;  What should we have done differently; Who needs to know.  Let’s take a closer look at each of these five questions.

What was our intention with our actions?  Was the call something we could have anticipated and planned for?  Did we have an action plan for this kind of call?  If so, did we follow it?  If not, should we develop one?  What were our expectations and how did we prepare ourselves for this kind of call?  Was what we expected different than what we encountered?

What went well?  What actually happened?  Consider the incident from all the different perspectives.  Who did what?  What tools were involved?  What outcomes were achieved?

What could have gone better?  What additional training do we need?

What should we have done differently?  Any unanticipated problems?  How was our situational awareness?  Were risks and hazards recognized?  Do we need to change our policies and procedures for this kind of call?

Who needs to know?  Who needs to know what was learned from the AAR?  How do you share what was learned?

If you are ready to institute AAR into your department there are six steps to take.  First, write standard operating policies/guidelines (SOPs/Gs) that document the purpose of AAR and how it is to be done. Second, make sure to provide training to department members who will most likely be the ones leading AARs.  Third, support open communication by providing a safe place where the firefighters can talk freely and without fear of judgment.  Fourth, make sure that there is time for an AAR.  Fifth, make sure that there is a process for recommending policy and training updates based on AAR feedback.  And the sixth and final step is to make sure that there is a way for communicating AAR findings to everybody in the organization.  This last step not only shows that the process has positive effects, but that the information gleaned from an AAR might also save someone’s life at the next call.

If your department does not yet have an AAR practice, this is the perfect time to start one.  AARs promote organizational safety and improve performance.  Every incident now becomes a learning opportunity. In the fire service, enhanced performance is measured by lives and property saved and the well being of the first responders.

Recognizing our Volunteers

On October 22, 2022 during our Annual Fundraiser, the Chama, Africa Fire Mission was pleased to honor Judy Johnson and Howard Cohen.

Africa Fire Mission thrives on volunteers.   Volunteers are at the heart of our organization.   We have dozens and dozens of volunteers. We have volunteers from all across the North America, Africa and Europe that help to make AFM run on a daily basis.  These men, women, firefighters, civilians and children are all a vital part of Africa Fire Mission being able to achieve its goals and objectives. 

Judy Johnson – Volunteer of the Year

Judy has been critical to helping developing AFM into the organization that it is today. Judy was the person who introduced Dave and Nancy to Missions of Hope International and she was instrumental in ensuring that we had a solid plan for taking team members to Africa - from training team members to helping to write our application Judy prepared us to do the work we do. As a board member to AFM, Judy has helped to ensure that AFM was connect with other organizations around the world so that we can collaborate with others to do our work.

Thank you Judy for all that you have done for Africa Fire Mission! We hope you’ll continue to enjoy your retirement!

When Africa Fire Mission travels with a team to provide training in Africa or other parts of the world, our team members volunteer their time, talents and treasures to provide world class training to our partners.  Our instructors, undergo training in advance of the trip to prepare of the mission and prepare the lessons that they will teach in our week long fire training events.   We have been fortunate to have many instructors return year after year and continue to build each year on the training that they have been providing as well as to build strong relationships with firefighers and our overseas partners. 

Howard Cohen, Instructor of the Year

Howard has been pivoting and helping to grow AFM since he signed up for his first trip in 2020 - which turned into a virtual trip/training. Howard then went to Kenya with AFM in 2021 and signed up to coordinate our weekly online trainings. With Howard’s leadership and planning, we have grown from an average of 16 participants a week in 2021 to 65 weekly participants in 2022!  Howard is headed back to Kenya with AFM in November 2022 and is looking forward to reconnecting in person with those he has been building relationship with. Check out what Howard has to say about being part of AFM below!

Interested in volunteering with AFM in administrative roles or as one of our international instructors?

Fire Prevention Activities Grow in Kenya

When Dave and Nancy , Co-Founders of Africa Fire Mission, went to Kenya in November 2012. One of the things that surprised them was the lack of knowledge around fire prevention and fire safety. In the US, children start to learn about fire safety in Pre-School and fire prevention messages and what to do in case of fire are integrated into school and work for many Americans. In most of Africa we have learned that there is very little education around fire prevention or fire safety.

As soon as Dave saw the gap he invited the Nairobi Fire Service to come to Missions of Hope International (AFM’s first partner) to teach the teachers a little about fire prevention. Stop, Drop and Roll, Crawling Under Smoke (Get Low and Get Out), how to call the fire department and how to use a fire extinguisher were among the first lessons taught. That first fire prevention session in Nairobi had about 30 participants - since then AFM has been growing our fire prevention program through curriculum and a train the trainer model through CHE (Community Health Education).

This October, Kenya participated in Fire Prevention week - at least 10 counties participated and more than 40,000 individuals received direct training in fire prevention! Children and adults conducted fire drills in their schools and businesses. Firefighters went into their communities and shared safety messages in churches, schools, businesses and anywhere that people gathered!

Indirectly, the impact was pretty great too! There were walks to raise awareness and media campaigns to share the work! Millions were impacted indirectly through these collaborations!

At Africa Fire Mission we are committed to continue to increase the impact of fire prevention and safety to save lives! It is important to our mission just as training firefighters. Our curriculum is available for free on our website - check it out here: Fire Safety Curriculum and we’d love for those using our curriculum to report their training experiences here: Report

To all the firefighters in Kenya that are spreading the message of fire safety - Asante Sana (thank you!) We can’t want to see the multiplication continue in Kenya and across all of Africa!

IHVN Staff Receive Fire Safety Training

Fire wardens participate in a practical session on the use of fire protection equipment.

The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) has partnered with the Africa Fire Mission (AFM) and FCT Fire Service to train its staff on fire prevention, suppression and safety management.

In a two-day training of the Institute’s staff and security personnel to serve as fire wardens at the IHVN Campus, IHVN Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director, Dr Charles Olalekan Mensah stated that, “fire-fighting is an integral part of our daily lives. Let us keep the IHVN campus safe. The more educated we are about fire safety, the more we can protect individuals and the nation as a whole.” Dr Mensah urged staff to take lessons learned at the training to their families and the community.

Over 30 fire wardens were trained to identify fire hazards, handle fire drills as well as emergencies in collaboration with the FCT Fire Service. There were also practical sessions on the use maintenance of fire protection devices.

Executive Director Africa Fire Mission, Mrs Nancy Moore facilitating a training session.

Executive Director of the Africa Fire Mission, Mrs Nancy Moore explained that, “you don’t have to be a fire fighter to prevent fires.” She called on the wardens to be aware of their surroundings and take responsibility to protect themselves and others.

One of the participants, Ms Kyusonn Samuel said that the training has increased the awareness of staff about the fire safety. “We were taught what to do in case of an emergency and are more aware of potential hazards. The good thing about the training is that in one of the sessions, we were told to step-down what we have learned to our colleagues. This has increased staff’s awareness about fire safety,” she said.

Staff from the FCT Fire Service were on hand at the training to provide guidance on emergency response and contacts to call in case of a fire outbreak. They also participated in an inspection of the Institute’s fire protection equipment along with the team from AFM.

Read this article on IHVN website here

Incident Command: Coordinating with limited resources

By: Chief Mike Kull

In a perfect world, every time our Fire Brigade receives a call for service, we will have all the manpower we need and all of the necessary equipment available at a moment’s notice.  Of course, we don’t live in a perfect world and no matter where you are serving as a firefighter, there will be times that you will not have all of the resources you may need to properly respond.  So, what do we do to prepare for those times when we don’t have everything we THINK we NEED?

            The first step is for us to do an HONEST review of our available resources and manpower from our own fire station.  What is the lowest number of firefighters we have available to respond?  What equipment do we have that will be available and in good working order order for EVERY call?  This is where we start our preparation and training.  If we can only expect to have two firefighters available to respond to a call for service, we can make that work!  As we train at our stations, we train with only two firefighters performing tasks that we will be expected to do at an emergency.  We continue training and practicing as a two-person team until EVERYONE can complete all tasks with only two people.  Now, if we respond to an incident and we have more than two firefighters available, it will make the tasks go quicker and easier.  While we are practicing and training, we will be sure to use the equipment that we will have available and in good working order for every call.  We will be sure to properly MAINTAIN that equipment so that it is always available and in good working order.  If we then have other equipment available to us at an incident it will, again, make our jobs quicker and easier.

            Once we have become very good at working with low manpower and minimum equipment, our next step is to become familiar with other resources.  Is there another Fire Station or Brigade near-by that can bring more firefighters or other equipment?  If so, it is important to take the time to visit with those other firefighters and to practice and train with them as well. They may not always be available when you call them for help, but you will be familiar with them and their equipment if they do arrive to help.

            Now that we have become well trained with our own firefighters and our own equipment as well as with the available resources from nearby firefighters, we must look for other places to find the resources we need.  Are there police officers at the incident that can help us control the crowd or traffic nearby?  Are there members of the COMMUNITY that can assist us with tasks that do not put them in danger?  Is there a nearby business that may have tools or equipment that could be useful?  Are there hand tools that are not designed for firefighting that we may be able to use?  Can we build our own tools out of resources available nearby?

            All of this takes place BEFORE we are called to service.  It is important to identify the types of emergencies that we will be called to.  Then we must try to learn what equipment and resources we will need to help out at that emergency. We can PRE-PLAN what we will need so that we can practice those skills with our limited manpower and equipment and learn how to be successful. 

            In order to become a Fire Brigade that can perform well with limited resources we must practice and train often within our own Fire Stations and also those nearby.  We must utilize resources available in our community and we must find ways to use tools and equipment that are available to us to perform our jobs as firefighters. We must know the types of emergencies we will be called to and what resources we will need.  As we practice and train with very limited resources we become very good at our jobs and we can perform even better as more resources are found or arrive to help.

 About the Author:

Chief Mike Kull is a Fire Chief in rural Pennsylvania and successfully deals with limited resources on every call. He has been serving his local community for 25 years. Chief Kull serves as Fire Chief and Administrator of his local volunteer fire department as well as serving as a local elected official and has served in various government roles for his entire career. He is also a Forest Fire Warden with the PA Bureau of Forestry and serves on his church council.

Africa Fire Mission Receives Major Grant from Motorola Solutions Foundation

For Immediate Release

August 29, 2022

Africa Fire Mission Receives Major Grant from Motorola Solutions Foundation

Africa Fire Mission (AFM) is a Cincinnati-based non-profit organization with team members of firefighters from across the United States, Canada and Europe who for ten years have provided fire training and equipment in various parts of Africa.   AFM has announced that they have received a $25,000 grant from the Motorola Solutions Foundation to help continue its training programs and to provide a national Fire and EMS Training Symposium and Competition in Kenya in November 2022.

This grant will support hands-on Fire Training and distribution of firefighter personal protective equipment (PPE).  In November, a team of twenty-two firefighters, paramedics and nurses from the United States and Canada will train over 350 Kenyan firefighters and EMT’s at the Jomo-Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya.

AFM’s training team members volunteer their time and pay their own expenses to travel to Africa to teach their fellow firefighters the latest techniques in firefighting, rescue and emergency medical services.

“Africa Fire Mission is grateful to Motorola Solutions Foundations for its continued support of our programs through this grant.   Through continued partnership, we will be able to continue to impact communities and support firefighters in Africa as they strive to save lives and property” says Nancy Moore, Executive Director for Africa Fire Mission.

The Motorola Solutions Foundation, which has donated $100 million over the past 10 years, focuses its giving on three key areas: first responder programming, technology and engineering education, and programs that blend the two. The Foundation has a long-standing commitment to supporting programs that benefit underrepresented populations and aims to partner with organizations that align to its values of accountability, innovation, impact, diversity and inclusion.

The Motorola Solutions Foundation is proud to partner with organizations like Africa Fire Mission that share our values and passion for driving positive change in the community,” said Karem Perez, Executive Director of the Motorola Solutions Foundation. “We believe in the work that Africa Fire Mission is doing and look forward to seeing their continued impact.

For additional information on the Motorola Solutions Foundation grants program, visit: motorolasolutions.com/foundation-grant-partner.

For additional information regarding Africa Fire Mission visit: www.africafiremission.org  - Contact Nancy Moore at 513-620-4236 or nancy@africafiremission.org

About Africa Fire Mission

Africa Fire Mission is a nonprofit organization committed to increasing the sustainable capacity of Fire Departments in developing communities. We accomplish this through training, empowerment, support and encouragement.

·        Train – We partner with governments, NGO’s, missionaries, schools and corporations to provide education and training to firefighters and local communities. We use Community Health Education to teach firefighters and community members in Africa to protect themselves from the dangers of fire. We provide fire prevention training and fire safety assessments to schools ensuring the students are able to learn in an environment safe from fires.

·        Empower – We work to increase the ability of communities in Africa to respond to disasters and provide relief when disasters occur.

·        Support – We provide personal protective equipment and communication tools to fire services throughout Africa to allow fire departments to operate in a safer and more coordinator manner.

·        Encourage – We build the capacity of African fire services so that local communities are able to provide sustainable public safety and disaster management services.

Where does AFM work?

Africa Fire Mission currently works in 6 countries throughout Africa including: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Zambia. In 2022, we are expanding our consultation work into Nigeria.  In 2018, a request to expand our services into Ukraine has led us outside of Africa and into Europe.

About the Motorola Solutions Foundation

As the charitable and philanthropic arm of Motorola Solutions, the Motorola Solutions Foundation partners with organizations around the globe to create safer cities and equitable, thriving communities. We focus on giving back through strategic grants, employee volunteerism and other community investment initiatives. Our strategic grants program supports organizations that offer first responder programming and technology and engineering education, and align to our values of accountability, innovation, impact, diversity and inclusion. The Foundation is one of the many ways in which the company lives out its purpose of helping people be their best in the moments that matter. For more information on the Foundation, visit: www.motorolasolutions.com/foundation

Basic Troubleshooting for Petrol Powered Engines

By: Chief Mike Kull

Power tools can increase the ability of firefighters to perform their required tasks at emergency incidents and help to protect lives and property. Your petrol powered tools must be properly maintained. They must be started and run until the engine is warm on a regular basis. There will be times that you will not be able to get the engine started. Here are some basics to check when troubleshooting an engine that will not start.

Petrol powered equipment is very similar to the fires that we fight.  A fire requires three things in order to burn: Heat, Fuel and Oxygen.  In the same way, a petrol engine requires those same three things: Spark (Heat), Petrol (Fuel) and Air (Oxygen).  If a petrol engine will not run the first steps to fixing it requires checking those three things.

Spark (Heat):

The first thing to check is if the engine has spark.  To check this, you must remove the spark plug.  A look at the spark plug will tell you something about the engine’s performance.  If the spark plug is wet and black, there may be too much fuel (Rich).  If the spark plug is brown, there may be too much air (Lean).  Clean and dry the spark plug and check the gap of the electrode.  The correct gap is usually about the thickness of a thin coin.  After cleaning and setting the gap, be sure the top of the spark plug is firmly set into the spark plug wire and hold the bottom metal end of the spark plug against the metal of the engine block.  Pull the starting rope of the engine and watch to see if the plug is generating a spark.  If not try cleaning and resetting the gap.  If it still does not spark, replace the plug.  If there is still no spark, this indicates a bigger problem with the engine than we are discussing in this post.  If there is a spark, it is time to move on to the next item to check.

Fuel (Petrol):

The first thing to check is how fresh the fuel is.  It is always a good idea to empty the fuel tank and replace with freshly purchased fuel.  While the fuel tank is empty, look to see if it contains any dirt or debris and clean the tank if necessary.  Next, it is important to check the fuel filter.  Some small engines may not have a fuel filter.  If there is a fuel filter, look at it’s condition.  Is it filled with dirt and debris?  Can the fuel flow through the filter?  If not, the fuel filter must be replaced.  If installing a new fuel filter, be sure to check if there is an arrow indicating the correct direction of fuel flow and install properly.  It is also important to check the condition of the fuel lines (hoses) to make sure there are no leaks or clogs.  A final, more advanced component to check is the carburetor.  Many times, an engine that has not run for a while will have varnish or clogs in the carburetor blocking the fuel jets and preventing fuel from flowing through the carburetor.  If you disassemble the carburetor, be careful not to damage any gaskets and count the number of turns that it takes to remove any components so that you can return them to the same settings when you reassemble.  Also check that the floats inside the carburetor can move freely and are not filled with fuel.

Air (Oxygen):

The final component required for an engine to run is air.  Check the air filter.  You should be able to see a light shining through the air filter.  If the filter is covered in dirt and debris, clean the filter by gently brushing it off, being careful not to damage the filter material.  If necessary, replace the filter.  If the air filter is made of foam and you can not purchase a replacement filter, you may be able to make a new one.  Foam can be cut to the size of the original to use if necessary.  Be sure that the foam is not too dense to allow air to flow through.  Also be sure that the foam you use is not falling apart, allowing pieces of the filter to be drawn into the engine.  The other item to check with air is the choke.  Be sure that the choke lever is connected and working properly to restrict the flow of air when starting a cold engine and opens to allow in more air when the engine is running.

Starting the Engine:

When attempting to start a cold engine, be sure to fully close the choke.  Set the engine’s throttle to the starting position and pull the starting rope.  As soon as you hear the engine try to start or sputter, open the choke.  The engine should start in the next few pulls.

Flooded Engine:

Sometimes when an engine will not start it is because the engine has gotten too much fuel (flooded).  This happens when the choke is left on after the engine first begins to fire.  There are two ways to tell if the engine is flooded.  The first is if you smell petrol.  A flooded engine will have a strong smell of petrol.  The second way to check for a flooded engine is to remove and examine the spark plug.  If the spark plug is wet with petrol, it is most likely flooded.  Dry the plug and try again.  

If the engine does get flooded, it can usually be started by opening the choke fully, opening the throttle all the way and pulling the starter rope until the engine starts.  (This may take many, many pulls.)  Sometimes a flooded engine can be started after sitting for a few hours to allow the excess fuel to evaporate.

Other Simple Causes:

There are two other simple things that should not be overlooked.  If the engine has an On/Off Switch, be sure the switch is set to the On position.  Second, some petrol engine’s have a low oil shut off switch.  Ensure that the engine has the proper amount of oil.

These were some of the most common causes of problems found in petrol powered engines and a quick overview of how to begin to get an engine running.  Proper care and maintenance of an engine will prevent many of these problems in the future. 

About the Author:

Chief Mike Kull has been serving his local community in rural Pennsylvania for 25 years. Chief Kull serves as Fire Chief and Administrator of his local volunteer fire department as well as serving as a local elected official and has served in various government roles for his entire career. He is also a Forest Fire Warden with the PA Bureau of Forestry and serves on his church council.

Five Traits of Good Leadership

by F. R. Montes de Oca, EFO, MESH, CPM

In October I am presenting  two back-to-back lessons simply titled “Leadership”. So, to kick it off, I thought I would submit a few words to give the sessions context and background.  Often we focus on the negatives associated with leadership, especially poor leadership. So here are a few traits that reflect on the positives of leadership for you to ponder.

Recognize People 

Those of us who aspire to be “good” leaders often recognize early on that their team members and direct reports are invaluable in the positive outcomes of almost all professional endeavors we undertake. Have we witnessed a leader thanking his or her members with a simple, hand-written note highlighting an action that exemplifies the “service to others”? I’m not talking about a rescue under adverse conditions or a save at a medical call – just a simple display of actions above and beyond, such as stopping to assist a stranded motorist.  Although the act may not rise to the level of a citation or medal, a short note citing the action written by the chief or commanding officer oftentimes is priceless.  

Respect Employees

I have had the honor of working with volunteer firefighters and support members in three departments throughout my career. Suffice it to say, I learned early on that although we normally can’t offer pay or raises to volunteers the alternative is to provide a healthy dose of respect for their selfless dedication to their community. Recognition and respect are integral in developing a loyal, committed response team. 

Communicate Effectively

My personal communication practice is to over-communicate until I start getting feedback that there is too much communicating.  In my career, I seldom received that feedback. It is often: “I don’t hear anything from the puzzle palace.”, or “We’re never brought into the loop until it’s all over!’ These complaints are present in large and small, volunteer and career organizations alike. The complaints are often based on employees and volunteers who wish to be involved, informed and have some control over their lives. There is no excuse for not keeping everyone informed by utilizing every medium you have at your disposal to the greatest extent possible. Without getting into too many details and notwithstanding the intricacies of departmental policies perhaps consider:

• Placing bulletin boards in all common areas – including bathrooms. 

• Establish and support internal communication committees.

• Open up your calendar for a weekly (monthly?) “Coffee (tea) with the boss”.

• Host a blog with contributions by staff members.

• Establishing shift and crew daily activity dashboards.

• Establishing shift and unit information officers to feed into the department blog.

Possess Integrity

Integrity is like trust.  You deposit into your integrity account regularly until you’ve built up a balance.  But the minute you violate this effort by act or omission, your integrity (and trust) balance drops to zero. Leaders who communicate and act in ways that attempt to undermine or control the rank and file, often possess integrity balances of zero.  Promise one thing and deliver another?  Zero integrity account balance.  Communicate an intention, but fail to deliver?  Zero integrity account balance. Making excuses that don’t add up?  Zero integrity account balance.

Provide Ongoing Feedback

This trait is closely associated with communicating effectively. A good leader would be hard-pressed to provide feedback without effectively communicating.  No matter how high we rise in an organization, as humans we all need and appreciate feedback – especially the positive kind.  But feedback of any flavor helps us to understand if we are accomplishing the wishes or needs of our manager, the community and our subordinates.  Providing feedback helps to highlight the roadmap that has been set out for us.  So, too is the regular, timely feedback we provide members that assists them in staying on track, on schedule and within the boundaries of our unit and/or agency.

I recall working for a manager who spent more time politicking and schmoozing his bosses than leading.  His method of feedback was, “I don’t give ongoing feedback.  I’ll just let you know when you screw-up.  Until then, you can assume you’re doing okay.” The balance of his integrity and trust accounts always ran in the red. Can you imagine running a fire agency that way? It happens more often that not. Often you can see it in the faces of the members and their actions. 

Utilizing the brief, and far from comprehensive list of ideas in the Communicating Effectively section above, providing feedback to all who report to you (and those who you report to) can and should become a ritual that is another tool in your leadership toolbox.

Fire departments are living, breathing organisms made up of those who wish to serve, have meaning in their lives and feel proud of their accomplishments.  Those who lead from a perspective of trust and integrity will witness their organizations becoming a vital and successful asset to their community.  

Go forth and lead!

About the author:
Frank Montes de Oca served as a firefighter/paramedic for over 38 years. Throughout his career he has been involved in training, managing and developing firefighter safety, leadership and organizational change. Chief Montes de Oca He can be reached at frm1@me.com or www.responder1.org.

My Tools

By Edward Collet, Jackson Township Fire Department Firefighter/EMT, Ohio; Ohio Fire Chiefs

In the fire service we use many different types of equipment to carry out our duties of protecting life and property.  It is impossible to know exactly which ones we will need on any given call, meaning every piece of equipment on the apparatus and in the station must be in good working condition. Part of having equipment in good working condition is knowing the important specifications like fuel type and blade speed for saws, lifting capacity for airbags, length of pike poles, and weight of axes just to name a few.  Not only will this level of knowledge allow us to properly maintain our tools but it lets us select the best tool for the job. 

How equipment is kept is a direct reflection of the professionalism and pride of each fire department and firefighter.  One of my favorite examples of keeping equipment in good working condition is the saw.  Saws make firefighters more efficient and effective in serving the community, but only if they work.  Whether ventilating a roof, forcing a roll-up door, or cutting locks to gain entry there are other tools to accomplish the task but they are slower and require more physical exertion than saws.  When I am at work the saws on the truck are my saws.  I do not own the saws, the community provided them to the fire department, but when I am working they are mine to execute the duties the community expects of me.

 I make sure they are clean and in proper working condition.  It does not matter how other firefighters view the tools, I view them as mine and my responsibility for the time I have been trusted with them.  Have I come in to find filthy saws that would not start with blades not capable of cutting a newspaper, absolutely.  Just because someone else left it in poor condition does not give me permission to leave it that way.  It is about having pride in the job and ownership of your tools and actions.   Retired Lewisville, Texas Chief Rick Lasky wrote a book dedicated to having pride and ownership in the job.  For someone to invest the time and effort to produce a book on a topic it must be important.  Back to my saws.  The first thing I check is the fuel, without it the saw will not run.  Then I check the bar oil on the chainsaw and the condition of the blade.  If the blade is damaged I replace it.  Not only will a damaged blade not perform effectively, but it is also dangerous.  After that I clean the saw.  This give me the chance to have a close look at every part and identify damage which was covered by dirt and grime.   Finally, I start the saw to make sure it will run properly.   Over time, doing this has provided me with a great understanding of how the saws operate making me more effective at using them during fireground operations.   Did this take effort, yes.  Did I have to ask a lot of questions to senior firefighters and do research on my own, yes.  Did it take away time from holding down a recliner, again yes.  Most importantly did it increase my knowledge of the saws and ability to use them, absolutely. 

Keeping tools in good working order is not limited to power tools.  Hand tools must be inspected regularly.   Cleaning tools provides an opportunity to make a careful inspection to find damage.   Dirty tools are often broken tools since dirt hides damage.  Having hand tools in good working condition on the apparatus is a critical backup for our power tools.  Even with diligent maintenance and care, sometimes power tools do not start or work properly.  When this happens, it is time to grab the hand tools.  As the saying goes, an ax will always start.  The ax may start, but if the head flies off the handle it does little good at the emergency scene.  Simply making a policy to keep all the tools once a week makes sure they are ready for service and look good. 

Just as important as keeping tools in good repair is knowing when certain maintenance activities are beyond our skills.  I am able to work on a saw or secure an ax head to the handle, but when the heavy hydraulic extrication tools are not working properly I know the factory technical needs to be called.  Some of the tools we carry are very specifically engineered and complex, requiring them to be serviced by a trained technician.  We may have all the good intentions of getting a tool back in service and saving money by attempting repairs but in the end it may cost more to get it repaired properly or buy a replacement if it is not properly repaired.   Losing the use of a tool because it was not serviced by a properly trained technician is a disservice to the community.  It may cost more to get a tool properly serviced but it will save money in the long run and ensure the tool is functioning to serve the community.

A master craftsman would never imagine not having clean tools in perfect working condition.  As firefighters we are masters of our craft and must maintain our tools as such.  The most intelligent, strong, and skilled firefighter cannot proficiently service his or her community if tools are working and on the apparatus.

The Fastest Two Weeks

By: Chief Mike Kull

After months of planning and meetings online, our team arrived in Blantyre, Malawi and it was stunningly beautiful. I’ve worked and traveled in East and Southern Africa but this country stood out to me. We sat down for a meal together to have our first face to face meeting.  Breaking bread together is an important part of what we do here. Most of us knew each other and had worked together before but there was a new member of the team. With such a small team, we were going to be like family before we left. We had two days per city in three major cities while we were there and we were anxious to get going.

Our two days in the first city, Blantyre, flew by. We didn’t really have a plan going into it but our team quickly adapted to teaching together like we had done this a thousand times before.  We tried to jam as much as we could into these two days and it was a real success. How do we know that? As we were having our team debriefing during supper the second day, we got a message that there was a fire reported in a slum area of the city.  A while later we received another message saying that they had successfully extinguished the fire using some of the tactics that we had taught them. What great feedback for our two days of training.

Our travel days allowed us to decompress from the crazy few days of thinking on our feet.  We toured the Namikango Mission, one of the AFM mission partners in Malawi. They are doing some great work in the community with a Maternity Clinic, a Discipleship Training Institute, a plantation, and Coffee Farm and Roastery.  While we weren’t scheduled to visit the Fire Station in Zomba, we stopped in for a quick visit. They were extremely lacking in resources but we were very encouraged by the positive attitudes of the firefighters working there.

Our next two days of training in Zomba go very quickly again with great success. We weren’t planning on doing any medical training but saw a need after arriving to teach some life saving skills in CPR and bleeding control.  We spent some time teaching vehicle extrication with hand tools.  While on a break, we began going over a set of hydraulic extrication tools that had not run for the past thirteen years. With some work, will power, and a few tools we had packed, we got the power unit running and the tools are now on the truck ready to be used out in the community. We left Zomba feeling like we had made a real difference. That was the reason we were all there.

Our next travel day took us to Lake Malawi. The Lake is such an incredible resource for the country and no trip here is complete without a visit. We only had a few hours by the Lake but it was a good chance to recharge our spirits and prepare for our final two days of teaching.

Our last two days of training were in the capital city of Lilongwe. Even in the Capital, they struggle with having the equipment they need to serve the city. There was only one functioning fire truck and it was on loan from the airport. What is so inspiring working in Africa is how dedicated these men and women are to serving their communities despite the lack of resources they have. While we were there we had a unique experience that was not on the schedule. We ended our training early our first day because the Fire Brigade had to standby at an Africa Cup of Nations (football/soccer) qualifier game between Egypt and Ethiopia.  We were invited to come along and we quickly agreed, riding with the firefighters on the Engine to the stadium (with lights and sirens at times).  Once we were there we split up into teams around the stadium.  It gave us a chance to interact with the firefighters and work side by side with them. It was mostly uneventful but still an unforgettable experience. We wrapped up our last day of training with some extrication training and a live fire. 

Our final day in Malawi was spent out in the villages with our mission partners at e3 Partners.  They are doing some great work with sustainable farming and drinking water wells in the rural areas. We even got to do some fire prevention training in a remote village. Our Fire Safety Advocate, Jose, from Kenya did an awesome job engaging everyone in the village.

I am humbled and honored to say that I am a part of Africa Fire Mission. We all did this for different reasons. All of us want to share the knowledge and training that we have learned in the Fire Service with these developing nations. For me, it is also more of a calling.  For me it is a way to carry out the Great Commission that was given to us in Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…”

Working for Africa Fire Mission is a great way for anyone to grow mentally, emotionally and spiritually. You will be inspired as you work side by side with instructors from around the US and the world as well as with these amazing firefighters in developing countries. You will leave with your spirits raised, a new enthusiasm for firefighting and more than anything, a different perspective in life and on the world as a whole.

About the Author:

Chief Mike Kull has been serving his local community in rural Pennsylvania for 25 years. Chief Kull serves as Fire Chief and Administrator of his local volunteer fire department as well as serving as a local elected official and has served in various government roles for his entire career. He is also a Forest Fire Warden with the PA Bureau of Forestry and serves on his church council

Introduction to the Principles of Emergency First Aid

By Howard Cohen

Not all firefighters are emergency medical technicians or paramedics, but often we are the first responders to scenes where it is necessary to provide life saving first aid.  Therefore, it is important for all firefighters to have at least a basic knowledge of first aid.  The purpose of this short article is to provide foundational principles for responding to trauma in situations where immediate life saving medical help is required.  In no way should this article be considered first aid training.  However, with the basic and limited information contained within, and no other training, you may still be able to save someone’s life.

Scene Survey: The First Task

Size up:  Regardless of your level of technical first aid training or medical knowledge, when responding to an incident that involves injuries your first task is to gather as much information as you can about the situation.  This is done through a careful size up.  It is critical that you assess the risks and dangers before rushing in to administer aid. Ask yourself, “What is trying to kill or harm me?”  Is it traffic, wildlife, fire, an unstable building, falling objects, or flooding waters? You do not want to become another casualty or cause further harm to the patient.

Number of patients:  Once you’ve made the scene safe and stable now is the time to determine how people are part of the incident.  It is easy to get fixated on patients who are calling out in pain, overlook those who are unconscious, or miss those who are not visible.  It is also easy to rush to aid a person whose injuries appear more life threatening than they are, for example someone who is bleeding from a superficial head injury, while someone else nearby has stopped breathing.

Primary Survey:  The Second Task

The primary survey is an assessment of the three main life supporting functions.  These are the respiratory, circulatory, and nervous systems, also known as the ABCDs.  Any problems involving one of these systems represents an immediate threat to the life of the patient and must be addressed immediately.   

ABCDs:  Once size up is completed, the scene is safe (or as safe as you can make it), and you have a sense of the number of patients needing aid,  initiate a primary survey of the patients by checking the status of the three conditions which represent an immediate threat to life.

Airway:  Check to be sure that the mouth and airway are cleared and air is actually going and out.

Blood is Circulating:  Check to make sure that blood is not pouring out and that it is circulating.

Disabled:  Check to see if the spine is stable and the central nervous system is operating normally.  Due to the limited scope of this article I will not be saying any more about injuries that involve the head, neck or spine.

Basic Life Support (BLS)

Basic life support is the immediate treatment of one of the three life threatening emergencies found during your primary survey.  The purpose of BLS is to provide temporary support to keep the patient alive while a secondary survey is conducted and/or until advanced treatment is available.

The simplest way to begin a primary survey is to ASK the patient, “How are you?” If he answers then you know that his airway is not obstructed (A), his heart is beating (B & C) and the brain is functioning (D).  If the patient does not respond or responds in an unusual way you will need to look more closely.  

Airway:

Airway problems are a result of an obstruction to the pharynx or larynx.  The obstruction can be complete or partial.  A complete obstruction is rapidly fatal, but can be effectively and dramatically treated by clearing the airway.  There are various ways an airway can become obstructed such as from vomit, a foreign object or swelling caused from trauma, an irritant or allergic reaction.  It is imperative that you clear the airway but you must do so without causing any additional harm to the patient.

Breathing:

It is possible for a person to have an open airway but still have difficulty breathing.  This can be the result of an injury to the brain, spinal cord or diaphragm.  The method for assisting a patient with breathing when more advanced medical care is not available is called positive pressure ventilation or artificial respiration (mouth to mouth).  The rate of inflation should be about 12 breaths per minute or one every 5 seconds.  Breaths should be about 1 to 1.5 seconds.  Faster breaths can force air into the stomach which can lead to vomiting.

Bleeding & Circulation:

Uninterrupted circulation of blood is essential to staying alive.  There are essentially two kinds of disruption to the circulation of blood that you can address as a first responder:  cardiac arrest and bleeding.  Cardiac arrest means the heart has stopped beating.  While doing your primary survey if you discover that the patient has no pulse it means her heart has stopped beating and she is in cardiac arrest.  It is important to note that under adverse situations, or if the patient is in shock, it can be hard to find a pulse.  The carotid pulse is the strongest to feel and easiest to access.  It is found on either side of the larynx in the neck.  If there is no carotid pulse, the heart is not beating. CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is the only treatment for cardiac arrest.  Even with hands-on training, it has limited potential to restore and sustain life.

The second kind of disruption to circulation is caused by a major loss of blood.  Blood loss must be controlled as a part of BLS.  Bleeding can be internal and both hard to identify and stop, or external, but not necessarily obvious.  Addressing internal bleeding is beyond the scope of this article and most first responders in the field.  External bleeding is controlled by direct pressure over the bleeding site with your hand, but preferably with a cloth or bandage.  This is not to absorb the blood.  It is to provide even pressure across the wound.  Expect to apply direct pressure for 10 or more minutes.  If the bleeding is not stopping, remove the bandage and check for the source of blood and then reposition your hand.  

There is no easy rule for deciding when bleeding is severe.  A rule of thumb is that if it looks like a lot of blood, then it probably is.  However, it is worth noting that severe  bleeding can be missed if the patient is wearing a lot of clothing or the blood is absorbed into the ground around the patient.

Conclusion:

When it comes to developing first aid skills, like all skills a firefighter needs to master, training and practice are essential.  At the same time, it is important to read about the principles and theories undergirding these skills.  However, there is no substitute for training and practice.

References:  

The Outward Bound Wilderness First-Aid Handbook; Jeff Isaac & Peter Goth.

The Field Guide of Wilderness & Rescue Medicine; Jim Morrissey & David Johnson.

Opening an Unconscious Patient’s Airway with a Manual Manipulation:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AifzmrpA7ao

https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr

About the Author

Howard retired from the Bennington Fire Dept as a deputy chief.  He spends a lot of time writing and teaching various aspects of firefighting.  He religiously works out every morning, doing a mix of high intensity interval training (HiiT), dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells and cycling. When he is not doing something for the fire service or working out he is the rabbi of two small congregations.

Driving Fire Apparatus to Preserve Life and Property

By Edward Collet, Jackson Township Fire Department Firefighter/EMT, Ohio; Ohio Fire Chiefs

Driving the fire apparatus is a great privilege and responsibility.  It is probably the least considered way firefighters protect lives and property.  Everyone has visions of a firefighter racing to the emergency scene, heroically rescuing victims and bravely dousing the inferno.  That is the way most people see firefighters saving lives and property.  Rarely does the image of a firefighter professionally and respectfully driving to an emergency scene, or anywhere for that matter, come to people’s mind when considering saving lives and preserving property.  In reality, it is driving where the fire service can have the biggest impact on the community. 

Think of how many fires and true emergencies a department responds to compared to the number of kilometers its apparatus drives in a year.  If your department is anything like mine, there are many, many more kilometers traveled than blazes fought. 

Property is preserved whenever a firefighter drives defensively and with due regard.  The fire apparatus entrusted to you by your community may be one of if not the single biggest investment it has made.  You are responsible for it being returned from your care in the same condition it was given to you.  It is possible to give it back in better condition by making sure it is clean, well maintained, and everything is working properly.  Showing the pride you have in the community’s property entrusted to you will help develop the community’s pride in the fire department. 

 Having an accident which damages the property of a community member and prevents the fire department from going to the emergency does not generate goodwill and pride for the fire department. It does just the opposite, the community will be mad at the fire department. Not only did they not do the job expected of them, they caused additional damage to the community.

As a driver you are entrusted with the lives of so many people: your brother and sister firefighter in the apparatus, every member of the community you pass, and your own.  I have talked and written about the responsibility a driver has to get his crew safely to and from an emergency scene and the responsibility not to harm the public as we go down the road on many occasions. We forget about ourselves.  As a driver we are responsible for getting ourselves back and forth to an emergency safely.  How would you feel if you could no longer perform your job and provide for your family because of a career ending injury caused by you driving less than professionally.  Or worse, you do not come home because you became a line of duty death statistic. Driving safely and professionally is a selfish endeavor, I want a long and fruitful career and to go home to my family at the end of every shift.  Unlike most things, everyone benefits from this selfish action. 

There are so many variables at an emergency we have little or no influence over, but getting there and back we have much more control over.  Drive with courtesy, respect, and professionalism and the community will see you are concerned for protecting their lives and property. Remember, if we become an emergency it is impossible to fix the original one we were called to. 

Firefighter Physical Fitness

By: Howard Cohen

I am not fitness trainer.  I am not an athlete.  I have not participated in any sort of organized competitive sport for nearly forty years.  I am just a person who unabashedly believes in the importance of physical fitness for everyone, but especially firefighters.

With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s face it:  firefighting is a dangerous and physically demanding job.  Firefighters operate in harsh and challenging environments, use heavy, hard to handle tools, and wear many kilos of protective gear.  To successfully do our jobs we need to keep ourselves in great shape.  This means that we must take care of ourselves through proper nutrition and hydration, physical exercise, and sufficient rest. This is what is minimally required to properly and safely perform our jobs.

If you stop and think about it, what is the one “tool” every firefighter uses at every call? It’s our body.  We depend on our bodies for all aspects of firefighting.  In this sense, fire fighters are like elite athletes.  While we may not have to jump, sprint or throw a ball, we are, however, often required to crawl, drag or haul awkward shaped heavy objects in extreme heat conditions that greatly tax our cardio vascular systems. But there are important differences too.  Elite athletes generally perform under optimal conditions. Firefighters respond to calls during the worse weather conditions. Elite athletes typically get a good night’s sleep before their big events. First responders are often woken up multiple times during the night.  Elite athletes eat a well balanced meal with regard to their upcoming sporting event.  First responders meals are often rushed, gobbled on the run or interrupted by calls.  However, the biggest difference is that for elite athletes it is all about winning or losing.  For firefighters, what’s on the line is often life or death; your’s, your fellow firefighter’s or a civilian’s.

The good news is that achieving a firefighter operational level of physical fitness is not hard. However, it does require a commitment to exercise regularly.  There are many great ways to hone your fitness level.  If you have access to youtube, search for a type of workout that appeals to you. You will discover many free options to choose from.  Ideally, your workouts will include strength training with weights or whatever heavy objects you have available to you and cardiovascular exercises, such as lunges, jumping jacks, running, climbing stairs, or any activity that gets your heart rate up. You don’t need a specific or fancy program to get in good workouts.  All you need is to make a personal commitment to move your body and get your heart pumping.  Any well rounded program will benefit you in all aspects of fitness.

There are no downsides to exercise and being physically fit, period.  Physical fitness has been shown to prevent or treat many chronic health conditions brought on by unhealthy lifestyles, it even counter acts some of the aging process.  Studies indicate that exercising regularly builds up a stronger heart and along with a healthy diet, can even reduce the risk of cancer and boost one’s immune system.  Being physically fit also helps to reduce injuries that can keep you from working.  Sometimes firefighters forget that physical fitness involves more than just working out. It also includes taking care of your body by eating well, keeping yourself well-hydrated, getting sufficient sleep, and avoiding or limiting ingesting harmful chemicals, such as alcohol, recreational drugs, or tobacco. 

The biggest obstacle to sticking with a fitness plan is boredom.  Therefore it is important for you find or create a routine that holds your interest.  Mix it up too.  Don’t do the same workout day after day.  Workout with a friend or your other brigade crew members.  Make it fun.  To the extent that your schedule permits, it is also helpful to make your fitness program a fixed and regular part of your daily routine.  Some people like to get their workouts in early in the morning.  This way no matter how the rest of the day unfolds it’s a good day because you got your workout in.  Other people like to workout at the end of the day.  This way they figure, no matter what kind of day they had they have something to look forward.  Personally, I get my workout in every morning after having two cups of black tea and reading the headlines in the paper. After my workout I’m ready for whatever is coming my way.

In conclusion, the purpose of this article is to inspire you to find and commit to a personal fitness program that excites and motivates you.  Honor your body.  After all, it is the home of your holy soul.  Now get moving and get your heart pumping!

Bio: Howard retired from the Bennington Fire Dept as a deputy chief.  He spends a lot of time writing and teaching various aspects of firefighting.  He religiously works out every morning, doing a mix of high intensity interval training (HiiT), dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells and cycling. When he is not doing something for the fire service or working out he is the rabbi of two small congregations.

AFM serving in Ukraine

By Nancy Moore

AFM has been serving in Ukraine with our partners Tavriski Christian Institute (TCI) and the State Emergency Services Ukraine since 2019.  Our team that trained in 2019 remembers standing on the front defense lines from Crimea into Kherson and thinking how frightening war would be in that area. While we trained the firefighter we offered encouragement and connection to spiritual and mental health.

The firefighters in Ukraine are kind, giving, creative and brave. We were offered amazing hospitality while we trained alongside them. Firefighters in Ukraine are tasked with not only fighting fire, but also with disarming/recovering undetonated explosives and with providing psychological first aid to their community. Due to these somewhat unique functions, they were uniquely prepared to serve their community during the war in Ukraine. 

Personally, Dave and I have been connected to Ukraine since the mid-90’s. Our church was providing support to churches and Christians in the post-Soviet era and helped to form TCI. TCI is now fully Ukrainian run and is the only accredited Christian College in Ukraine.   

Located in Kherson, TCI’s staff evacuated their campus on the first day of war and staff were dispersed to various locations to continue serving. As a result of the war, TCI immediately began making plans to modify their ministry to serve the current needs of the country and to help churches serve their communities. TCI has 3 focuses right now: 1) Assist with safe evacuations from dangerous areas in Ukraine (both refugees and internally displaced persons) 2) Support churches financially that are serving their communities with resources especially for food and medical resources 3) Provide spiritual and emotional support. TCI is planning strategically for the current crisis, and is also preparing for the long term needs for humanitarian aid, Christian witness and eventual rebuilding of Ukraine.   

TCI is on the front lines of humanitarian aid for Ukraine and many of AFM’s partners are collaborating to support their efforts. Please be praying for their efforts and for Ukraine: You can sign up for daily prayer updates throughout March through IDES > sign up here

If you are looking for an organization to give financially to support the people of Ukraine – I encourage you to give through TCI’s US forwarding agent sign up here.

Firefighters in Ukraine are serving their community during this war.   Search and Rescue, removing explosives, assisting with community evacuations, fighting fires. I know their community is grateful for their service.

AFM is exploring ways to specifically support the firefighters in Ukraine – now and after the war (Equipment was a need before the war and there is still a need for more equipment).   We are also looking into ways that we can support the firefighter’s psychologically and spiritually.   If you are interested in getting involved with AFM’s efforts to serve firefighters in Ukraine please email info@africafiremission.org and we will get in touch with you!   

Here are some pictures from Ukraine as AFM worked there before the war:

Firefighter Mental Health

By Howard Cohen

Fire fighting is one of the best jobs around.  It is also one of the most dangerous.  As firefighters we train and prepare to run into burning buildings, mitigate hazardous materials, work car accidents on busy roads, and deal with angry, hostile citizens.  But we tend to not train or prepare for one of the greatest risks to our physical, emotional, and spiritual health:  Frequent exposure to traumatic events. Studies in North America show how over time the stressors associated with exposure to traumatic events pose a serious challenge to our emotional, mental, and spiritual health.  For example, a study of firefighters in the United States revealed that 46% experienced suicide ideation; 19% participated in suicide planning; and 15% attempted suicide.  In addition, studies conducted in other countries[1], including Kenya[2], also show that post-traumatic stress symptoms and illness rates among emergency services workers are significantly higher than in the general population. Firefighters every where face the same physical dangers and traumatic events.  Therefore, as studies show, firefighters worldwide also suffer higher post-traumatic stress symptoms and illness rates than the general population.  Fortunately, we have the tools to help us, and our brothers and sisters in the fire service, address the stressors that arise from encountering traumatic events.

What is a traumatic event?  A good working definition is that it is an incident that evokes a strong emotional reaction with the potential of interfering in our lives.  Unfortunately, as first responders we often hide our emotional responses to bad calls behind a mask of toughness. This means that sometimes the impact of a tough call unfolds over time.  This can make it harder for us to recognize a connection between what we experience on a call and its emotional, physical and spiritual effects on us.  It is also important to realize that not everyone’s emotional response to a call will be the same.

Stressful events produce a complex interplay of nervous, endocrine, and immune mechanisms responses.  In other words, our normal way of being is disrupted.  The fight or flight or freeze response is an example of this.  How quickly we regain our homeostasis and return to normal or typical functioning depends on how resilient we are.  Resiliency is our key to coping with stressful events.   The good news is that resiliency is a skill we can develop.  It doesn’t require any special equipment or hours of exercises.  In fact, it is the natural outcome of some very enjoyable and healthy activities.  Here are some ways to build your resilience for when you’ll need it. 

          • Eat healthy food

          • Develop hobbies and interests outside of work

          • Cultivate friendships with those whom you can speak openly and honestly

          • Nurture your spiritual life

          • Practice mindfulness such as yoga or meditation

          • Exercise

          • Relax, go on vacations

          • Be kind to yourself

          • Embrace change

          • Remind yourself that you have the most meaningful job in the world

          • Embrace healthy thoughts

          • Be open to getting help if you think you might need it.

There are many signs that we, or someone we know,  may be adversely affected by a traumatic event or an accumulation of unprocessed events.  These signs may include some or all of the following:

        •Fatigue                                            • Grief

    • Chest pains                                                   • Denial    

         • Loss of emotional control                              • Depression

        • Difficulty paying attention                            • Anger

          • Difficult making decisions                     • Change in appetite

          • Nightmares                                                   • Misuse of alcohol or drugs

          • Intrusive images                                            • Anger at God/Crisis of faith

          • Anxiety                                                         • Withdrawing from others

          • Guilt                                                            

When someone you care about is exhibiting some of the above signs gently bring your observations to their attention.  Be sure to let them know that you are coming from a place of love and concern. Though it isn’t always easy to approach a friend and colleague who is hurting, the price to pay for not to doing so could be very high.  As you know, a firefighter not performing at peak levels because of stressors is a potential risk to herself or other firefighters.  Hopefully, if we are ever exhibiting signs of not coping with the stressors in our life well or with a particularly bad call one of our friends and colleagues will let us know.  Awareness of these outward signs, whether as the result of self reflection or because it was brought to our attention, is critical.

Developing situational awareness on the fire ground is a critical skill taught to every firefighter.  Emotional and mental health situational awareness is a critical skill for building resilience; this skill should be taught to every firefighter because traumatic events and bad calls go hand in hand with the job  Whether it is a fatal car crash, burn victim, suicide or the death of a child, these encounters take a toll. It is no surprise that many firefighters are haunted by the tragedies they witness as a part of their job every day.  Fortunately, with increased awareness and resilience building skills firefighters today are better able to cope with the stresses that go with having the best job in the world.

[1] First Responders and PTSD: A Literature Review By Ashley Fitzpatrick, BSN, RN, EMT -

7.28.2020

[2] Rationale for Early Psychological Intervention Among Disaster Actors in Nairobi County, Kenya by Eunice K. Ndulu & Dr. Maragret Iyaya, Journal of Education and Practice; Vol. 10, No 32, 2019.

Firefighter Safety- Using your PPE

By Brad Banz, Retired Chief, Colwich, Kansas Fire Dept. and Retired Captain, Wichita, Kansas Fire Dept.

 Today’s firefighters are asked to do much more than just respond to fires.  In the modern world, we respond to automobile accidents, dangerous goods (haz-mat) incidents, various types of rescue calls, utility emergencies, EMS calls, and now add in terrorism and pandemic to the list, not to mention anything else that may occur.  

    Firefighters are exposed to a spectrum of hazards as a result of the wide variety of incidents that we respond to.  We are exposed to environmental heat from working around fire, as well as the excess heat our bodies produce from extreme exertion.  The fires today we are responding to burn hotter than they did even 30 years ago.  An example is burning a cotton mattress versus a modern sofa made of polyurethane foam and polyester fabric.  The cotton mattress when burned will release heat at a rate of 140-350 kilojoules per second.  The sofa will release heat at a rate of 3,210 kilojoules per second.  Ten times the amount of heat.  We are exposed to cold, falling objects and debris, blood and biohazards, suffocation hazards, and crushing hazards.  We are also exposed to a toxic assortment of chemicals, not only from the dangerous goods incidents we respond to, but from each fire, no matter what the contents.  

   The reason I share this is not to scare anyone from the job, but to hopefully educate everyone on the hazards that are there so they can better equip themselves to more safely do the job.  Because we respond to more incidents and are exposed to a wider variety of hazards, we must do a better job as firefighters of focusing on safety.  One of the most fundamental things firefighters can do is to wear their PPE.  

     Let’s talk a little about how PPE makes us safer.  Coats and pants are made of 3 layers of material.  The outer shell provides a first layer against heat and cold, and some protection against moisture.  The middle layer is the vapor barrier.  As the name implies, it provides a barrier against steam and some chemical vapors.  The inside layer is the thermal barrier.  The layering of it, along with the outer layers, create a stronger barrier against heat.  The level of heat protection is dependent upon the materials the coats and pants are constructed of.  They will give limited protection against some dangerous goods, but are not meant to be the primary PPE for all responses.  In any circumstance, to insure maximum protection, coats and pants should be fastened all the way.  Boots can be constructed of leather or rubber and must have steel toe and foot protection to protect from crushing injuries as well as penetrations.  Gloves are made of leather or other materials.  They are lined to protect our hands from thermal injuries and have wristlets to protect our wrists as well.  Hoods are made of Nomex or carbon fibers.  An adequate hood offers protection to our necks and overlaps down on to the tops of our shoulders, and protects our necks and all exposed skin on our heads from heat.  They should be pulled up whenever operating in a hazardous environment.  A good helmet should have an adequate face shield, chin strap and neck protection.  It should also be clean and not cracked.  The face shield should be in a down position when working in an environment where tools or equipment are being used or blood, biohazards, or other chemicals may be present.  

    Any time we are entering an environment that is filled with products of combustion, heat, fire, or unknown atmosphere we should be wearing a breathing apparatus.  This includes during the overhaul process after the fire is contained.  If your department/brigade does not have BA then you need to structure your firefighting tactics accordingly.  

    As I addressed earlier, one of the biggest hazards we face is responding to medical and trauma related emergencies, and the risk of biohazards.  We need to make sure to protect ourselves by wearing the proper gloves, protective glasses, masks, and if the situation calls for it, gowns and facial protection.

    I have briefly covered the hazards and the PPE we can use to lessen the risks that we face.  Firefighters need to consistently practice an attitude of safety every day, and watch out for each other.  Thank you, and let’s all stay safe out there.

The Importance of Firematics

by Nicholas Higgins

It has been said time and time again, "You can never train too much for a job that can kill you." As we are aware, firefighting has many aspects to it. Many of these are common to every fire department, no matter their location, size, or status (career or volunteer). Other aspects are specialized areas that not all departments focus on or specialize in, such as medical, hazardous materials or technical rescue. In any case, having a sound basis in the area of “firematics” is a stepping stone to success for yourself and for your crew. We will briefly touch on key areas every firefighter should have a sound understanding and strong knowledge of. Many of these areas are touched on briefly in probationary/training school and then oftentimes, pushed aside once graduated. However, these areas are the core foundation for everything we do as firefighters and lay the groundwork for everything else we do on the fire ground. The skills of understanding these concepts, terminology and definitions is in fact, simple in theory. The difficulty is understanding the strategies and tactics behind them in order to implement them. All good leaders and firefighters must understand these core areas of which everything else is built from. 

The areas I would like to briefly touch upon are: building construction, fire behavior, reading smoke and size-up.

Building Construction

In the American Fire Service, there are oftentimes six different types of building construction however this may be different in various parts of the world based on the materials used to build structures. As firefighters, it is imperative that we know our enemy and know everything we can about it. Without having at least an understanding of our enemy, it becomes difficult to defeat it. In almost every one of our cases, the enemy is the building structure. In order to be a successful firefighter in any capacity, on any apparatus, in any area, understanding and having a solid foundation of building construction knowledge is vital. Just as a world-class fighter studies their opponent in the months leading up to a fight, us as firefighters MUST study our buildings in our areas, so we too are prepared to fight…and WIN. 

The most vital piece of information I can provide here is simple. It makes a difference in knowing the different types of structures and how to identify the differences, however, what makes it even more important is the ability to identify the types and how they will react under fire conditions while in the moment! This leads us to fire behavior.

Fire Behavior

Fire behavior is the foundation on which all firefighter knowledge is built upon. Moreover it is our understanding of fire behavior from which we can gain an understanding of fire and how to suppress it properly. The lack of fire behavior knowledge creates an even greater risk for serious injury or death. Understanding fire behavior is truly being able to operate as a firefighter. The understanding of fire behavior is the basis for understanding fire suppression and the understanding how to properly perform other tactics such as ventilation, forcible entry on some occasions and overhaul.

As society changes or in many cases evolves, so does fire behavior. The reasoning behind this is simple - the introduction and presence of synthetic materials (also known as plastics). These materials in their solid form are petroleum- based products, therefore producing an increase in the output of thermal energy. This reasoning alone is a cause for a more rapidly spreading fire regardless of the type of structure it is in. More so than not, it is causing our enemy (the building) to have more fuel to hurt us. To understand fire behavior, it is important to understand the phases that come along with it and it’s attributes – ignition, growth, full development (flashover is present) and decay (back draft is likely). To understand these areas takes years of studying and training to become proficient but having the basic concepts down is a great start to proficiency in fire behavior for firefighters of all levels and experience.

With fire comes smoke.

Reading Smoke

An important aspect on the fireground for many reasons is understanding smoke and smoke behavior. Many clues from the smoke alone can help identify the location and status of the fire. Command and company officers, as well as firefighters, need to be able to read and interpret all of the clues while conducting their size-up upon arrival and throughout the incident. 

Here are some clues to take into consideration: potential fuel, density, color, velocity, and volume.

Smoke is fuel. In today's world and the modern-day fire service, the products of combustion are highly toxic, flammable and potentially explosive. The smoke’s chemical composition is different at each fire due to the different fuel sources yet, one thing remains the same; smoke contains high levels of carbon monoxide.

Density identifies the thickness of the smoke, it’s level of energy and if there is a potential for a flashover or for fire spread.

Color tells you how flammable the smoke is and what is burning.

Velocity tells us how fast or slow the smoke is moving and by doing so helps determine the location and its flow path.

Volume on the other hand doesn’t speak to firefighters about smoke or fire but it does give firefighters the amount of fuel that is burning. By knowing how much fuel is burning, provides insight to the size and intensity of the incident.

Understanding smoke provides the fundamentals for reading and identifying changes in fire and smoke conditions in the interior or exterior of a structure, along with identifying and possibly preventing flashover or fire spread.

Size-Up

The size-up is for all intents and purposes, our game plan or battle plan, if you will, against the structure we are working at. The size-up is where firefighters and fire officers gather information in order to make safe, efficient, and effective fireground decisions. Fireground decision making, as we know, is meant to be quick, but with an emphasis on safety and ensuring the tactics are done efficiently and effectively. This is done in three phases; the pre-incident size-up, the on-scene size-up and the after action review. All three of these have their purposes.

Pre-incident size-up allows firefighters to gather as much information as we can about the structure and contents inside and helps guide our on-scene strategies and tactics.

On-scene size-up is where firefighters utilize our pre-incident size-up and put it to work. This size-up is where more information is provided specific to the incident and can now confirm our findings from the pre-incident size-up. Further, this is where company operations are assigned and take place.

After-action-review is the final stage in the pre-planning process. This is the time for firefighters and officers to discuss and share the information obtained and to discuss the success and failures experienced at the incident. It is also a time to ask a few key questions. 

What did we expect to happen?

• What actually occurred?

• What went well and why?

• What can we improve upon and how?

The benefit of asking these questions allows for strengths to be easily identifiable and make it easier to uncover areas of weakness. By uncovering areas of weakness, you can develop ways to improve them!

In closing, I’d like to leave you with this piece of advice. If we think of firematics as an orchestra and each piece getting broken down into sections, we can identify each area as its own unique piece yet, an integral piece to the orchestra as a whole. With practice, each section sounds in harmony and sync with one another, but without practice or even a section missing, the harmony and synchronization doesn’t happen. This is the same for firematics, you cannot have one without the others.

For further information on these topics, you can refer to my book, “The 5-Tool Firefighter” where these concepts are laid out in greater detail along with other areas of interest to guide all firefighters on their journey to success.

About the author
Nicholas J. Higgins is a firefighter and district training officer for Piscataway Fire District #2 in Piscataway, NJ. He is a New Jersey State Level 2 Fire Instructor, a National Fallen Firefighters Foundation state advocate and a member of the Board of Directors for the 5-Alarm Task Force Corp. a 501 (c) (3), non-profit organization. Nick is the founder and contributor of The Firehouse Tribune website.

Transitioning Leadership

by David A. Moore, Jr.

In late 2012, when I first shared the idea of creating the organization that would become Africa Fire Mission, my wife Nancy's reaction was one of bewildered amusement. 

My how things have changed since that night in 2012!  Africa Fire Mission has grown from an idea into an award-winning, international non-profit organization that has provided life saving training and personal protective equipment to thousands of firefighters on four continents.  When AFM started, all we needed was as small corner of our basement and now we occupy a professional office and storage facility. We have blossomed from a small group of volunteers in Cincinnati to a large, international, group of volunteers. 

Over the years, AFM has adapted to new opportunities and made many changes to best serve others.   January 3rd, 2022 marked a significant change in the leadership of AFM.  On that date, Nancy Moore was named Executive Director of AFM. 

As 2019 came to a close, I recognized that it was time to transition out of the role of Executive Director and we began the search for my replacement.  At this point, Nancy had taken on the role of Director of Programs for AFM and she was leading day-to-day operations.  The Board, along with Nancy and myself, recognized that she was the perfectly suited to be the next executive director. We have worked diligently to ensure a smooth transition. 

Nancy has spent years working in small business and non-profit management, social work, and the fire service. She is deeply committed to empowering our partners to continue their growth while supporting their changing needs. Nancy's diverse background gives her the mastery, leadership and vision to carry AFM into the future. 

As I step back from my role as ED and into my new role on the board of directors, I am excited to see the new places and programs that AFM is able to work in and on under Nancy's leadership.   

Please join me in congratulating Nancy on her new position and encouraging her as she grows AFM into the future.   

Sincerely,

David A. Moore Jr., MPA, CFO, MIFireE 

Founder, Africa Fire Mission

Advocating For The Needs Of Your Fire Service

by Chief Robert R. Rielage

When I was a much younger firefighter, my Chief once said, “He who doesn’t speak up, is never heard”.  These words really sum up the topic of “Advocating for the needs of your Fire Service”.  You need to make others, such as your governing council, know what you need to effectively do your job.

This is certainly not as easy as it sounds, but it is part of the job especially for the Chief and your officers.

First, no one understands your needs better than you. You are the officers and firefighters of your department.  You see every day what you need to make your service better.  The people you serve expect you to respond to countless types of emergencies, give timely safety advice, and perform your duties with dedication, professionalism and without hesitation.  

Basically, that type of department requires four things: people, training, equipment and facilities that are all properly maintained and at the ready for you to respond.

Your job is to make sure that there are an adequate number of properly trained firefighters to handle whatever the emergency; that they have the proper personal equipment to safely perform these tasks; and a budget that provides and maintains the personnel, equipment, vehicles and facilities to support your emergency operations.

Is it easy to ask for all of these things?  No, but once again, no one but you understand better the needs of your department.  So how and who do you contact to express these needs?  

The Chief, especially, must know the “politics” involved.  Note that this word has a small “p” politics in the sense of how your governing council, mayor, trustee or board of supervisors operates, not  the Politics with a capital “P” meaning the dealings of a certain political party affiliation.

We are fortunate in that in the United States, there is a class at the National Fire Academy entitled “Politics and the White Helmet” which clearly teaches the right way to express the needs of your fire department to those individuals or governing body that provides the funding to allow a department to get things done.  But at the same time, I’ve never seen a fire department that got everything it wanted – so the Chief or the officers need to prioritize their needs and requests.

In addition to this, I think it is equally important to have a working relationship with the news media: those newspapers, radio or television reporters who come out when there is a large fire, explosion, or a natural disaster that occurs in your response area.  Standing in front of a camera or a reporter with a microphone may not be comfortable for everyone.  Again, in their absence, the Chief should delegate someone in the department to be a Public Information Officer (PIO).

The PIO is a firefighter or officer authorized to discuss releasable information at the scene of an emergency.  Why is it so important?  Because a picture or a video with a story about the emergency is worth more than 100 requests for new equipment.  There are guidelines that we can discuss in another article or an upcoming training session.

The reporters can also give you some tips on how you should approach an interview, especially when the camera is on.

Some suggestions may include:

: Being in uniform or in your turnout gear – helmet, and coat which tells everyone you are an official representative of the department.

: Having the key points of what you want to say clearly in your mind, e.g. What you saw on arrival (the volume of fire, or the number of vehicles or victims involved) Were there any rescues performed?  

: Keep it brief but let the public know what your department did to make resolve the emergency and how quickly that took to bring the incident under control.

The purpose of my article is not to answer all of your questions on how to be an advocate for the needs of your department, but rather to give you a starting point.  The first lesson being, if you don’t advocate for the needs of your department, who will?

Stay safe!

About the author  Chief Robert R. Rielage, MPA, CFO, EFO, FIFireE, is the former Ohio fire marshal and has been a chief officer in several departments for more than 35 years. A graduate of the Kennedy School's Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University, Rielage holds a master's degree in public administration from Norwich University and is a past-president of the Institution of Fire Engineers – USA Branch. 

Experiencing Kenyan Firefighting First Hand

by Josh Bardwell, Glimer Texas

As an American firefighter, I have always had some level of awareness of how fortunate I have been to have decent equipment, funding, and training provided to me in my volunteer and career fire agencies. With that said, I have oftentimes fallen into the all-to-common quagmire of being jealous of what other departments or agencies have that mine did not and feeling a level of frustration that I now feel guilty of. Sure, my home department and agency could enhance our response capabilities with more funding and training than we have, but after my time in Kenya with Africa Fire Mission (AFM) I realize that I have had it pretty darn good.

I came home from Kenya with a renewed perception of the fire service as a whole and the part I play in it thanks to the camaraderie of my fellow AFM instructors and the selfless students we met.

From walking through the Nairobi slums that are prone to fatal fires, to sitting on a football pitch discussing Wildland Urban Interface issues with our students, it quickly became apparent that many of our Kenyan counterparts are dealing with fire service issues that we rarely encounter in the United States. Pre-trip research prepared me to address typical firefighting issues like unreliable water supplies, staffing deficits, need for pre-planning for incidents, and implementing public outreach programs.

In less than two days in-country conversing with our Kenyan colleagues, I was exposed to the hard truth: that most of those firefighters face more danger from the public than the fire itself. While American firefighters are typically revered as local heroes and ranked as one of the most trusted professions, our Kenyan colleagues are not afforded the same level of public trust. This issue is complex stemming from national politics, creating a public distrust of government employees and a history of fatal fires, with delayed emergency response due to staffing shortages, no timely report of an incident, congested highways, lack of building codes, etc. Despite numerous tales of fire engines being stoned, fire hoses being cut and firefighters being assaulted, these brave Kenyan firefighters show up every day to do their duty.  It was incredibly humbling to see their devotion to the firefighting profession override their fear of harm.  

One of the things every firefighter is told is to never stop learning and refine their craft in the fire service. From structural to wildland, firefighters in the United States should be accustomed to cheap and readily available in-house, regional and virtual courses to build on their current skillset and qualifications. Often times we take for granted the ease of accessibility and cost efficient classes we have at our disposal. Talking to our students at the symposium, we learned that many of them traveled from hundreds of kilometers away on their own dime, cramming into single-cab fire engines or even hitching rides from the public traveling to the capital. Once in Nairobi, some even camped out because they couldn’t afford lodging. Despite the hardships in travel and lodging, many consistently showed up everyday to learn new skills and to take that knowledge back to their fire brigades across the country. From initial introductions to the capstone live-fire exercise five days later, we were inundated with questions and real-world scenario situations from our students looking for more than book answers; they wanted our personal advice and it challenged us to step into their shoes and look at things in a different perspective. These questions ran the gamut of what to do about dangerous wildlife encounters on a wildfire to troubleshooting equipment issues without parts available. They were hungry to learn and open to thinking outside of the box. I found myself redirecting questions back to them to spur discussions, which helped getting these firefighters from different regions to begin collaborating. By the end of it, we were all fellow students learning from each other. I found that I probably learned more from the Kenyans than they learned from me, and that’s ok.

After being home for a few weeks and back on the job, I am recognizing a few personal changes that I can contribute to my AFM journey. The biggest, and probably the most natural one, is recognition that we have too much frivolous stuff compared to people in the developing world. My wife and I have already begun culling out things we do not use or wear, attempting to scale back our purchasing, and reduce eating out as much. Another big change for me has been reevaluating what training we do (or have not been doing) at my local volunteer fire department and state fire agency. From back-to-the-basics fire tactics to trauma response, we have to maximize our efforts refining our craft so we can provide the best service possible to the public, every time. The third big change has been a renewed sense of brotherhood/camaraderie throughout the fire service and recognition that everyone from volunteer to career, structural to wildland, and Kenyan to Kansan has their place in this profession and something to contribute. We are all in this together and hopefully striving with the same sense of duty, respect and integrity to do the job to best of our ability. If we can maintain that, then we might just be able to make some citizen’s worse day just a little bit better when we serve.

I encourage anyone, no matter your years of service, rank, title, or status to consider attending an AFM trip in the future, because you will find that you have something to offer and you will definitely come away better for it.