Latest

December 1, 2012

The Crucial Role of Fire Prevention

There is a misconception that the Bureau of Fire Prevention is a separate and distinct entity, with no relationship to the day-to-day fire prevention, inspection and life safety activities of units in the field. This illusion has been entrenched in the minds of Firefighters and Officers. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. […]

December 1, 2012

Understanding Oxygen in Your Atmosphere

Recently on a trip to Colorado Springs, the author had an opportunity to visit Pikes Peak. At 14,110 feet above sea level, it is the 31st tallest mountain in Colorado. In comparison, many parts of Manhattan are only about five feet above sea level. The tallest building, the soon-to-be-completed 1 World Trade Center (the Freedom […]

September 30, 2012

FDNY Fire Family Transport — Here to Help You!

FF Eugene Stolowski was introduced to the FDNY Fire Family Transport (FFT) Foundation in the most dramatic of ways. It began at 0755 hours on January 23, 2005, a bitter-cold winter day, when the run came in. He was finishing up his 24-hour shift in Ladder 27. Members turned out to respond to an odor […]

September 30, 2012

NFPA 1403 — Standard on Live Fire Training Evolutions, 2007 Edition (sidebar to above)

Once the approval was given to proceed with the training, safety concerns became the number one priority. Previous knowledge of other fire department tragedies at live burn training evolutions led FDNY to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1403. Following a tragic accident in 1982, which resulted in the deaths of two Firefighters, the NFPA was […]

September 30, 2012

Governors Island Live Burn Drills

Among the numerous and varied training methods implemented within the Department–including written publications, evolutions performed either at the company level or the Fire Academy, simulators used in Special Operations training, as well as tabletop and full-scale exercises–it probably would be surprising to most members of the FDNY that live burn exercises are very rare. Although […]

September 30, 2012

What Firefighters Should Know About Pressure Tanks

Besides gravity tanks, another early storage container used to supply water to sprinkler and standpipe systems for large-dimensional structures is the pressure tank. Typically, these vessels are installed at or above the top level of buildings with fire protection systems. Pressure tanks are filled with water to approximately two-thirds capacity. Air is injected into them […]

September 30, 2012

FDNY Foundation Awards College Scholarships to FDNY Members

For the school year of 2012/2013, another 200 FDNY members will receive scholarships to further their college education, thanks to the FDNY Foundation. Once again, the Foundation will fund this very popular Firefighter scholarship program at John Jay College. FDNY members rely on the assistance from these scholarships to pay for the college credits they […]

September 30, 2012

Floor Collapse

You are assigned on a third alarm to a fire in a five-story, H-type building with heavy fire on the third floor and extension to the fourth floor. There are two lines operating on the third floor and a third line operating on the fourth floor above the fire. When you arrive, you report to […]

December 1, 2012

The Crucial Role of Fire Prevention

There is a misconception that the Bureau of Fire Prevention is a separate and distinct entity, with no relationship to the day-to-day fire prevention, inspection and life safety activities of units in the field. This illusion has been entrenched in the minds of Firefighters and Officers. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. […]

December 1, 2012

Understanding Oxygen in Your Atmosphere

Recently on a trip to Colorado Springs, the author had an opportunity to visit Pikes Peak. At 14,110 feet above sea level, it is the 31st tallest mountain in Colorado. In comparison, many parts of Manhattan are only about five feet above sea level. The tallest building, the soon-to-be-completed 1 World Trade Center (the Freedom […]

September 30, 2012

FDNY Fire Family Transport — Here to Help You!

FF Eugene Stolowski was introduced to the FDNY Fire Family Transport (FFT) Foundation in the most dramatic of ways. It began at 0755 hours on January 23, 2005, a bitter-cold winter day, when the run came in. He was finishing up his 24-hour shift in Ladder 27. Members turned out to respond to an odor […]

September 30, 2012

NFPA 1403 — Standard on Live Fire Training Evolutions, 2007 Edition (sidebar to above)

Once the approval was given to proceed with the training, safety concerns became the number one priority. Previous knowledge of other fire department tragedies at live burn training evolutions led FDNY to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1403. Following a tragic accident in 1982, which resulted in the deaths of two Firefighters, the NFPA was […]

September 30, 2012

Governors Island Live Burn Drills

Among the numerous and varied training methods implemented within the Department–including written publications, evolutions performed either at the company level or the Fire Academy, simulators used in Special Operations training, as well as tabletop and full-scale exercises–it probably would be surprising to most members of the FDNY that live burn exercises are very rare. Although […]

September 30, 2012

What Firefighters Should Know About Pressure Tanks

Besides gravity tanks, another early storage container used to supply water to sprinkler and standpipe systems for large-dimensional structures is the pressure tank. Typically, these vessels are installed at or above the top level of buildings with fire protection systems. Pressure tanks are filled with water to approximately two-thirds capacity. Air is injected into them […]

September 30, 2012

FDNY Foundation Awards College Scholarships to FDNY Members

For the school year of 2012/2013, another 200 FDNY members will receive scholarships to further their college education, thanks to the FDNY Foundation. Once again, the Foundation will fund this very popular Firefighter scholarship program at John Jay College. FDNY members rely on the assistance from these scholarships to pay for the college credits they […]

September 30, 2012

Floor Collapse

You are assigned on a third alarm to a fire in a five-story, H-type building with heavy fire on the third floor and extension to the fourth floor. There are two lines operating on the third floor and a third line operating on the fourth floor above the fire. When you arrive, you report to […]