Every response to an emergency incident requires the appropriate personnel and equipment. On structural incidents, the first alarm assignment consists of three engine companies, one or two truck companies, an ambulance, the tactical safety officer and two battalion chiefs. There is also an additional engine that is dispatched once the incident is determined to be a working incident. In most cases, the initial alarm assignment will be adequate to safely manage the incident. However, some incidents require more personnel or equipment. In this instance, the Incident Commander, requests a second alarm assignment. This assignment may vary from one to two…

I had a lady call me one night at Fire Station 1 and say, “Do you respond to the smell of something burning in a home?” I told her, “Yes ma’am, sometimes several times in the same day.”As we were going down the steps, I commented; “Quite the aromatic polecat.” What we would come to find out was that her smell of something burning was the same aromatic polecat that had sprayed her dog, which then went through her house. This is not the point of this article, but it started as the smell of something burning. Every piece of leather,…

As much as I hate to say it, we are still in the midst of winter. This could mean cold temperatures, cold wind, snow, freezing rain, or sleet. We have had a relatively mild winter, to this point, but I remember snow in Aprils past. Being ready could mean different things. I am ready for spring, but we need to be reminded that it is still winter. Very cold temperatures for extended periods of time could cause frozen pipes or extreme taxing of your home’s primary heating system. Frozen pipes will usually bust, showing the problem once thawing occurs. Do…

Cooking-related fires remain the leading cause of residential fires in America. The fire tetrahedron shows the four components necessary for a fire to occur: heat, fuel, oxygen, and a chemical chain reaction that brings them together. Take any of the four components away and a fire cannot occur. The problem is that in the kitchen, the components are brought together more frequently than most other activities in the home. Whatever distracts people causes them to either forget that they are cooking altogetheror delays them long enough for a problem to occur. Cooking-related fires are heavily influenced by the human factor,…

Bumper cars was a ride that I first remember riding at the fair. The problem is that people drive on highways the same way that we used to drive bumper cars. I drove home on 288, during rush hour. A whole lot of traffic, with some people in an extreme hurry or who just like to drive fast. Whether 288, I-95, I-295, I-64, or Chippenham Parkway, you take your life in your own hands when you drive on these roadways. To some, the speed limit is more of a suggestion than the law. So what must we do to share…

This article will be dated December 25, 2019, but you might be reading this on Christmas Eve. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of fire safety every day of your life. Fires at Christmas seem to hit a bit harder, but if you lose a loved one to a fire in August, it is just as painful. I remember a house fire that occurred a few years back, on Christmas Eve. I know that I may sound like a broken record, but the message is worth repeating, if you change one thing that makes your family safer. The narrative went…

As this is the time of the year when folks set out to decorate their homes for Christmas, I thought that I would share a few reminders to keep you and your home safe. Every year, a tragic accident or fire occurs during this time of the year. My goal with this article is to provoke you to think about every step you take, in adorning your home with the sights of the season.  I will start with lights that you may put up on the outside. The first thing that you want to ensure is that the lights work…

There have been three apartment fires in our area in about 72 hours. An apartment building is built to house multiple families. Most apartment buildings are outfitted with a sprinkler system, designed to extinguish or keep the fire in check, while building occupants have the opportunity to escape. The problem with an apartment fire is that a fire in one apartment can affect many different families. I have written many times about the absolute necessity for those living in an apartment to have renters insurance. Many times, people have escaped from these fires with nothing but the clothes on their…

I recently heard that a friend of mine was dealing with the aftermath of a fire in his home. The fire involved a sofa that caught fire, as a result of a child playing with a lighter or matches. I have written about this subject, on numerous occasions. My expertise on this subject is tied to two years, 2004-2006, where I re-wrote and managed the Juvenile Firesetter Program for Chesterfield Fire & EMS. You may say, “That’s too long to know what is happening in 2019 concerning children and fire setting.” The fact of the matter is that every child…