Posts Categorized: Politics
Beyond the Academy: Video Training Series – Forcing Slide Bolts & Drop Bars
Here is the latest addition to our Beyond the Academy: Video Training Series. This clip includes some tips and tricks for forcing slide bolts and drop bars on outward opening doors. Feel free to add your comments, questions, or suggestions!&n…
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Operation Hellenic Expedition
Last fall, a group of firefighters from Greece spent a week of training and networking at the Union Fire District in Kingstown, RI. Now, UFD Deputy Chief Kevin Quinn and Greek volunteer firefighter Andrew Georgakopoulos provide their account of this uniq…
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Sound of Clanking Dawgs – Leadership Principles in Action
Recently recieved an email from a former member, "Cap, miss hangin' out with you, these guys don't seem to have any drive to train or get better at the job!"...Not the first time I've gotten a note like that. I responded with encouragement and the beli…
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Another Rex Tool Modification – By: Andrew Brassard
Ever since my first blog on modifying a standard rex tool to be able to carry it in your pocket I have received lots of emails and had lots of questions about which modification (the pipe or the adz bracket). The reason why there is a debate about which …
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Safety and Health Week 2012
The National Volunteer Fire Council has teamed up with the International Association of Fire Chiefs for the 2012 International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week. This event brings together the IAFC’s Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week with the NVF…
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Safety a Priority? Never…
When an officer asks for help who has tools to help defend them self asks for help we don't question it for a second. When an EMT or Paramedic who is in a jam with nothing but maybe a heavy object that we'll get cremated for using in defense asks for help we question them. Why are you asking for police? Why do you need help? Are you still moving? Did you stop? Is this really an emergency? Do we need to make this a priority? Lets waste three more minutes making a phone call.. and when they have no answers we may as well do something about it.
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Slide Bolt Forcible Entry: Part 2
Click on the image to view or download the PDV version.
Slide Bolts - Exterior PDF
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NVFC’s Annual Report Now Online
Check out the National Volunteer Fire Council’s (NVFC) Annual Report for 2011 to find out all of the ways the organization has been working for you over the past year. The report includes a year-end wrap-up including legislative activities, membership,…
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Slide Bolt Forcible Entry
Feel free to print it out and post it in the firehouse.
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Take Part in the NFPA Process
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards have a significant impact on the fire service. Documents such as NFPA 1001 Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications, NFPA 1403 Standard on Live Fire Training Evolutions, NFPA 1500 Sta…
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Forcible Entry – The Bam Bam Tool – By: Paul Hoekema
There are numerous ways to manipulate an American Series 2000 type lock to force entry (hockey puck locks with the key way on the rim of the lock not the face).
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Forcing Doors In Zero Visibility – By: Andrew Brassard
Anyone who has ever forced a challenging door in zero visibility knows it can be one of the most difficult forcible entry challenges a crew will ever face, for those of you that have not... This challenge still awaits you.
Weather it is an apartment doo…
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Tool Modifications 2.0 – The 8 Pound Force Axe – By: Shane Klug
February 2011, I transferred to a ladder company, my first time being assigned to a truck. Detroit ladder trucks typically have 6-pound pick head axes and 8-pound sledge hammers on them. I tried both of them on the roof, and my tool of choice…
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UFD Hosts Greek FF Delegation
The NVFC was pleased to work with the Union Fire District (UFD) to help organize a week-long training session with 16 firefighters from the Union of Hellenic Fire Service Volunteers at the UFD’s training facility, beginning on October 29. The event w…
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Scholarship Winners
The NVFC is pleased to partner with Columbia Southern University to offer scholarships to NVFC members. The two recipients of the 2011 scholarships have now been announced. Congratulations to Chief Peter Rucinski of Reno, NV, and Firefighter Dan Federico…
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Up On the Roof!
A few tours back, the kid and I were on top of a wood frame, two-story residential. Metal roof. Taken there by the City's platform...
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Through the Lock – Pivoting Deadbolt & Hookbolt
Through the lock forcible entry is a quick and easy method of gaining entry into doors locked with pivoting deadbolts and pivoting hookbolts. This skill is easier than many believe. Click on this through the lock info sheet to download a PDF …
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Coordinated Ventilation – Part II by Nate DeMarse
I stumbled upon a couple videos that drive home points made in the earlier Coordinated Ventilation post. These videos clearly show answers to previously asked questions, and bring up some new discussion tips as well. This is precisely how we should …
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Duckbill Lock Breaker – By: Andrew Brassard
Nowadays firefighters tend to become over reliant on saws during forcible entry operations and often forget some of the most basic of fireground tools. The Duckbill Lock Breaker is one such a tool that has become a forgotten tool that tends to sit in a c…
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Tripping at the Hospital – A Teachable Moment for EMS
Have you ever been called to an emergency on the property of a hosptial? A case in Canada provides a teachable moment for our profession.
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Training Webinars On-Demand
The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has made three of its popular training webinars available on-demand to members of the fire and emergency services. The webinars cover grant-writing, recruitment and retention, and transitioning to a combination …
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Electric Roll Up Gates – By: Andrew Brassard
Not all forcible entry has to be forcible, in some cases a little knowledge and some finesse will get the job done quicker than some more traditional methods.
One such instance is Electric Roll Up Doors and Gates. With a little bit of knowledge an…
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Changing Saw Blades – Diamonds are a Firemen’s best friend too – By Grant Light
Over the past few years there have been some big changes in the type of circular saw blades used by fire departments across the country. In the past almost all of the metal and concrete cutting was accomplished with fiber wheels made of a…
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Hit, Hit, Hit Part 2 – By: Andrew Brassard
In the last article we talked about ensuring that the striking firefighter has their top hand at least 6" down from the head of the axe. This is to ensure that any missed strikes don't crush the striking firefighters fingers.
Now we are g…
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Hit, Hit, Hit – By: Andrew Brassard
I have been teaching forcible entry for almost 10 years, in that time I have seen a few injuries. It sometimes comes with the territory: bumps, bruises, and the odd black finger nail have happened when both members of the forcible entry…
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