Fire Men by Gary R. Ryman

Gary Talks Grocery Store Fires at Central PA Bravest

2012-03-02T09:30:00.001-08:00

Central PA Bravest
March 1, 2012

Grocery Store Fires - Not Just Bread, Butter and Beans
by Gary R. Ryman

Milk, eggs, coffee; the next time you visit the local grocery store, look up from your list at this common occupancy and the fire suppression issues presented. Grocery stores are carrying a wider variety of merchandise in bigger quantities than every before. Beyond food items, there is lighter fluid, motor oil, Styrofoam cups and plates, and other high fire challenge commodities. In larger stores, stock values exceeding ten million dollars are not unusual. Generally in a fully sprinklered grocery store, a fire would be expected to be quickly controlled by sprinklers, usually five heads or less. There are, however, a few areas of these stores which can cause some interesting challenges for firefighters.

Rear stockrooms are becoming smaller and more congested. The trend toward increased sales space and smaller support areas increases the density of storage and fire challenge in these areas, and periods right after a delivery will be the worst. This can make reaching the seat of a stock room fire far more difficult. In addition, it could result in delays in controlling utilities, as electrical panels and access to the switchgear which are typically located here may be obstructed.

The front canopy of many stores appears like an innocuous cover for shopping carts and sale flyers and a place to display a large sign or insignia for the store brand. In many cases, the interior is plywood, resulting in a sizeable combustible concealed space attached to the main store. The strip center stores in which many grocery stores are present, have similarly constructed canopies. Few of these are provided with sprinkler protection. Fires can be ignited by lights, signs, or other electrical ignition sources, and are not uncommon. If there are openings between the rear of the canopy and the main store, fire can and will spread into the main store. Even if cut off by a rated separation, extensive smoke can be expected in areas of the store. Extensive opening up of the canopy front, and from below is critical for water application along with interior crews to check the extension of fire into the store.

Reaching this area inside the store can be difficult, particularly in smoky conditions. Most stores have not easily located stairwells to this level. Offices, break rooms, and similar support areas are usually present along a corridor adjacent to the canopy. Some older stores have walkways or catwalks with observation posts for Security personnel. Others have extensive storage of seasonal displays and similar items, increasing access difficulties. At a minimum, an Engine and Truck company should be assigned to this area and a thermal imaging camera can be invaluable. The on duty store manager can provide timely assistance in locating the stairway, and providing some information on the layout which will be encountered.

As with many public occupancies, search can be challenging. Each aisle should be quickly covered. Don’t forget restrooms; not easily located in many stores, which you know if you’ve ever needed to use one while shopping. Food preparation areas around the perimeter walls such as bakeries, deli, and the like also need to be checked along with the rear stock area.

As in any commercial structure, the sprinkler protection is your best friend. Ensure that one of the first arriving engines ties into the fire department connection to supplement the system. Make sure sprinkler control valves are open and don’t close them prematurely.

Smoke removal by the standard methods is important. Beyond the life safety implications, overall damage can be reduced by prompt ventilation.

If power needs to be cut for an extended period, refrigeration will be down. Salvage covers or tarps over the open case freezers commonly found in stores can help reduce the temperature increases in these units and improve salvage potential.

Grocery store fires can present some interesting challenges. The layout can differ from store to store even within the same chain, so don’t assume one is identical to another. Familiarity increases the likelihood of a safe and successful operation. Pre-incident knowledge of your first due grocery stores can help make a fire there into a bread and butter incident.

Firefighting Zoology

2012-02-25T11:14:00.002-08:00

Mixing animals and firefighters usually results in a memorable incident.

The house was going good with fire in the basement and on the first floor. On the line in the basement, we made quick work of the fire there, much less than on the floor above. Exiting, we dragged the line over to go in and help on the first floor. On of the chiefs tapped me on the shoulder.

“Did you see a snake down there?” That got my attention.

“No, if I had you wouldn’t see me now. What kind of snake?” Snakes are not my favorite creature.

“One of those big fat South American types. Apparently it’s missing from its container.”

The fire instantly became a defensive exterior attack, at least for me. I had no desire to assist the brothers on the first floor any longer. Luckily they had things well under control. Overhaul was out of the question as well, and Rehab was looking good—it was well away from the house. Luckily the owner quickly located the missing reptile, which I learned while contently sipping coffee with the EMS folks.

EMS calls are not exempt. We had just started to examine a man experiencing chest pains when his dog decided to make an appearance. This was not our typical friendly pet lap dog. This was Cujo’s twin; a snapping snarling beast with dog goo dripping from his snout as he growled at us. We backed slowly away, and the animal herded us like the sheep we were away from his owner. Making it through an opening into an adjacent room, we slammed the door and then opened it just a crack to see what was happening. There sat our patient while the $5000 (in those days) Life Pak we had abandoned was being turned into an expensive chew toy. Our dog mace was in its normal spot, secured to the visor in the front of the rig—located on the opposite side of our captor. We had little choice but to wait until the victim’s wife took the now docile mutt from the room. It made us wish for a hand line. As nasty as Cujo looked, there was no way he could’ve swallowed 150 gallons per minute.

Larger animals can be less frightening, but troublesome in different ways. At a silo fire, we needed to get the cows out of the attached barn in case of extension. A slap on the ass got most of them moving, but one was a bit stubborn. Jim and I each took an end—which didn’t matter as there is no really desirable end to a cow—and began pulling and pushing. While you would think two chief officers would be smarter than and able to direct a simple cow, you would be wrong. We had as much influence on the bovine creature as we did over department dinosaurs (another interesting species). Eventually the cow tired of our attempts and decided on her own to join her cohorts in the pasture.

Animals and emergencies—such a fun combination.

Gary talks Rural Water 101 at Central PA Bravest

2012-02-24T07:21:00.002-08:00

Central PA Bravest
February 24, 2012

Rural Water 101
by Gary R. Ryman

Rural water supply operations can be successfully conducted in a variety of ways and much depends on the equipment available in a particular area. Different jurisdictions use tanker task forces, rural box alarms, and for some, these operations are part of their every day bread and butter.

Innovation and ingenuity are the catch words for these operations, but these are useless without knowledge and training. Knowing the accessible water sources, static or otherwise in your first due area is critical. Every fill site is different and setting up for the best access and maximum flexibility is always a challenge. Pre-planning and training at these sites helps to establish the most efficient positioning and fill site set-up configuration. Conducting these sessions with the neighboring departments, who will most likely be assigned this responsibility, and doing the same in their areas, makes the system work.

The rules of thumb I have found successful are based on the use of large tankers, defined as 3000 gallon and up; all designed to both fill and dump quickly. A differing equipment mix could change the equation. Committing the first due tanker or “burying” it with the first due engine has some advantages. With both pieces in close proximity, a cheater can supply and supplement the attack engine tank water. Realistically, on a one or two room fire, this should be sufficient for a knock down. Murphy, however, works everywhere.

If the situation is such that a shuttle is implemented, the utilization of the first tanker in this manner allows it to act as a safety or reserve. Once the shuttle supply has been established, re-filling the first tanker is a priority. Over the course of an extended incident, something inevitably will interrupt the operation. Losing prime, a mechanical breakdown, or any other number of things can impair the supply. With the first tanker full, operations can continue and if an interior attack is underway, allow time to affect a controlled withdrawal if the gremlins cannot be promptly corrected.

While distance, flow requirements, and tanker size, can all be used to calculate specific needs, standard rules of thumb are usually easier. For example, a separate fill and dump site for every five tankers in use is typically desirable. Stacking tankers up at either end is inefficient, and two or three tankers waiting to fill means water is not moving. Dump sites can be entirely separate or simply additional drop tanks in tandem. Such situations are tailor made for jet siphons between tanks. Having one or two extra tankers in the mix helps minimize interruptions for breakdowns. The same goes for engines.

The officer with the overall water supply assignment should coordinate closely with the incident commander on the desired flow requirements. This will help determine the number of tankers, fill and dump sites, etc. Knowing secondary and tertiary sources is important in case of problems with the primary or a larger flow is needed. Getting the water supply operation onto a separate radio channel will help keep the increasingly crowded airway clearer for fire ground personnel. Given the choice of a pumper relay from a static source or a shuttle, the relay is the default choice if distances are manageable. It takes less moving parts and hence is inherently more reliable. This is another area where training is important. Trying to set up a relay operation without having trained on it previously is a recipe for disaster. What sounds easy to do in the book is anything but at three in the morning; particularly trying to get three or four engine companies who haven’t worked together to lay and pump an extended line in a timely manner.

Dry hydrants are a big plus, but need to be installed correctly and maintained afterward with annual back flushing. Sources other than ponds and creeks should not be forgotten. Swimming pools are a great possibility. Even if not apparatus accessible, a portable pump and five minutes work can provide a nice supplementary supply. Field expedient drop tanks can be put together with ladder and salvage covers. Run off from the incident, if channeled and dammed can be collected and sent back into the fray via a portable pump. You can’t get much more efficient on the fire ground than by using the same water more than once.

Even if you only have small non hydranted areas or seldom conduct these operations, they are entirely manageable with some forethought and training.

No Porta Pond - No Problem!

Secure 3 roof ladders with their hooks and some rope and throw a salvage cover over top.

Country Firefighting Physical Fitness or....You Might Be A Redneck if...

2012-02-19T14:16:00.000-08:00

The increased emphasis on firefighter fitness is certainly a positive and something we could all wish to emulate. The firefighter combat challenge and various local events and in-house tests include items such as rescue drags, stretching hose lines up stairwells and the like. These are good simulations of fire ground activities.

Out in the country, however, sometimes things are a little different. I’ve come up with a few physical and dexterity tests from my own experience that might form the basis for a new challenge.

Ladder Throws: This isn’t your standard carry the ladder to the building and put it up. Mine requires the weather complexities regularly seen in the northern portions of the country. The contestant must carry, place, and extend a 24 ft. ground ladder to a building, but….must do it through two feet of snow, around three pick up trucks and an old tractor with four foot drifts in pitch black darkness. Try to avoid stepping in the forgotten child’s plastic swimming pool now filled with snow and ice.

Find the O2 Wrench: This test of dexterity is conducted in the back of a dimly lit ambulance going over a pot hole filled one lane dirt road at considerable velocity. The contestant must locate, pick up, and utilize an O2 wrench from the floor of the bouncing rig which is slick from melted snow, ice and other unmentionable liquids commonly found with nauseous patients. Hands will naturally be sheathed in latex gloves…..a minimum of one size too large—‘cause the ambulance captain figures one size fits all.

The Brush Fire Jog: This is done with boots, bunker pants, helmet, gloves, and a full five gallon metal Indian tank. Contestants will compete over a two mile smoke filled course with burning stumps and logs, along with ground hog holes and the ubiquitous cow pies; up hill (both ways). Weather conditions for this will include high 90s in both temperature and humidity. The contestant who holds the nozzle low to allow the tank to drain out may not win, but is definitely the smartest.

Country Hose Load: Pack 1000 feet of semi frozen 5 inch supply line in the back of a pick-up truck to take back to the station to thaw and reload. Gloves and bunker gear will be frozen and the pick-up driver will be sure to mention how warm it is in the cab every three minutes or so. The contestant will be judged on how quickly the mass of spaghetti can be piled into the truck. Points will be deducted for lengths lost while returning to the station. Needless to say this is another night time event.

I’m sure any “seasoned” country firefighter could add to this list, and hopefully new and more challenging (and evil) tests will arise. If you’ve experienced any or all of the above….you might be a redneck firefighter.

Educating the Public...Or the Local Pastor Meets the Live-ins

2012-02-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

The fire department board of directors had a position available for a public representative. This gave the board members the benefit of some outside civilian advice and simultaneously provided the opportunity for non-affiliated community members to gain an understanding and education of the work of the emergency responders.

The new year brought a new community member to the board, the pastor of a local church. The lady minister was enthusiastic about her new responsibilities and appreciative of the services the firefighters provided.

On Valentines Day, she decided to show this appreciation by giving each of the live-in firefighters small goody bags. Rather than leave the bags in the kitchen or at the watch desk, she wanted to deliver them herself, and so proceeded into the bunk room. She walked through the open portion, already vacated earlier that morning, to a row of individual rooms assigned to some of the live-in firefighters.

She began hanging the bags on the knob of each door. One of the items in the goody bags was a container of silly string, not a great selection for a group of mischievous young firefighters. As she proceeded, one young bleary eyed live-in opened his door, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, to find the bag. Watching the good lady, he saw one of his fellow live-ins exit his room as well. The underwear clad firefighter stunned the pastor, her eyes opening wide. Her education had begun…….

Want Good Food? Follow an Ambulance....

2012-02-05T08:11:00.000-08:00

Driving through a neighboring town on a Friday evening, I spotted the local ambulance parked in front of a small restaurant. “They must have great food, and probably cheap,” I told my wife.

“How do you know that?” She asked.

“EMS people don’t eat anywhere bad, or expensive,” I told her. “It’s like the old cliché on how cops know where the best coffee and doughnuts are.”

We always ate good back in the day when I did my time on an ambulance. The group of us that typically covered the Saturday 11-7 shift in the late 1970s were all young guys, growing boys with healthy appetites. Down the block from our squad room was a bar called Kelly’s that also made fantastic pizza. Occasionally, someone would place a takeout order and fail to pick it up. When that happened, our phone would ring. Upon answering, a deep guttural voice would immediately begin talking with no pleasantries or discussion. “It’s Kelly. Got a pie for you. Come get it.” We’d jump in the rig and run down and he would give us whatever pizza had not been picked up. You never knew what it would be, what toppings, etc. But we got it for free. You couldn’t beat it.

Along with the Saturday 11-7 shift, we would regularly take the 7 a.m. to 12 noon shift on Sunday morning so we could sleep in if we didn’t get a run. When we finally got up at 9:30 or 10 a.m., we’d take the ambulance and go to breakfast at a nearby Friendly’s restaurant where they liked us. We’d take our time and enjoy a nice leisurely breakfast. There was an ulterior motive to this beyond good food. If we got a run while eating breakfast, obviously we would have to leave. When we returned, they would give us a new breakfast, but we’d only be charged for one. We didn’t get the two for one every week, since we couldn’t predict our calls, but we got it often enough that we made sure we were regulars there. Cops like donut shops. We liked just about anything.

Response Challenges...Or What To Do When Your Ladder Truck Catches Fire

2012-01-27T11:11:00.000-08:00

A recent story was a great reminder of the never quit attitude of most firefighters, especially truckies. The box alarm had the ladder truck assigned first due on the reported building fire. The response was normal until the cab began filling with smoke. Not a light mist, but nasty, banking down from the ceiling stuff. The driver and officer quickly determined it was emanating from the mobile radio, but the off switch didn’t help. There was no plug to pull as it was hardwired. The response continued. A burning radio wasn’t going to stop them on a first due structure.

The officer rolled down his window, attempting some ventilation with only marginal success. Over the now extra loud screams of the siren, the driver yelled over.

“I’m starting to have a hard time seeing.”

“Well roll your fucking window down,” the officer yelled back. More ventilation couldn’t hurt. The small dash mounted fan was turned on with no effect; this wasn’t to be a PPV fire. The officer began blowing on the radio like a birthday candle, trying to extinguish the fire burning within.

The truck continued, the crew refusing to cancel. Eventually, it went out; whether from the efforts of the truck officer or the circuit protection operating, we don’t know, a knock is a knock. Finally, the smoke began to lift.

A few minutes later, the truck arrived on scene to find a fire on a deck; likely less smoke than they had battled just getting there.

Let a fire in the rig keep you from getting there? Not a true truck company.

Interior or Exterior, The Debate Continues...

2012-01-22T06:55:00.000-08:00

There is a continuing debate on the offensive fire attack, particularly with the spread of lightweight construction. The volume and animosity between sides at times resembles our current political spectrum. One extreme argues that other than in highly limited circumstances, attacks should be initiated and conducted from the exterior until the bulk of the fire is extinguished in order to better ensure firefighter safety. The other extreme advocates interior attacks unless structural collapse has begun or is imminent in order to ensure that a primary search is completed for unknown victims.The safety extreme seems to see the other side as dinosaurs. The interior attack proponents view the safety side as radical (to be kind). This is not an age issue; there are younger and “seasoned,” firefighters as I prefer to refer to them, on both sides.

I’ve looked carefully at the arguments on both sides and after careful consideration, I agree with…..neither.

I’m all for safety in an inherently dangerous job, but a common sense middle ground needs to be struck. The question needs to be asked are conditions tenable in areas of the structure that a live victim could survive. If not, then initiation of the attack from the exterior may be warranted; especially as if conditions are not survivable for people, there is also likely little property to save. Conversely, if the answer is yes, an interior attack and search should be started.

There is a significant flaw in the extreme safety position. In their scenario, they allow for entry for rescue of a known victim. The problem is this: where will the entry teams obtain the experience and more importantly, judgment to understand the interior conditions they will be facing in such a high stress and challenge situation if it is as rare as the perfect diamond. In reality, such a process increases the potential for injury or death because such crews would be inherently inexperienced and lacking in situational awareness and—that word again—judgment; something which they can only attain through repetition.

The flaw on the other side is obvious. If conditions are such that the presence of a survivable victim is not possible, and granted, this too is a judgment call, why take the risk? The argument that such a decision can’t be made accurately is ludicrous.

Are there buildings today we go into which we shouldn’t? Absolutely. Is the reverse true? I’ve frustratingly seen more than a few of these as well.

What I would suggest at this juncture is that the rhetoric on this question be dialed back and that we remember we’re all on the same team with the identical desired outcome. That we are talking about these things is good. However, a little common sense and restraint could go a long way in these debates.

Turning Back the Clock

2012-01-08T11:36:00.000-08:00

Before Thanksgiving, I had the opportunity to turn the clock back; seeing Michael and doing a ride-along at the station he lives in. It was a marvelous experience; not just to see him again, but the entire visit.

The battalion chief working that day had been a young firefighter at Station 24 when I was a college live-in there, and Mike had mentioned my visit to him. He stopped by the station and we told more than a few stories which seemed to enthrall our small audience, both career and volunteers. The hug we exchanged as he left caught them by surprise. I suspect they saw a little different side of the Chief.

The runs started about 5:00 PM and for the next ninety minutes were non-stop. We never made it back to the building. Another would come in just as we were clearing the previous. These rush hour calls were all medical assists. I rode in the back of the squad, a large walk-in rescue, and Mike had the seat. Recently promoted to Firefighter III on the county integrated command list and with no officers or Master firefighters available to ride as the officer; it put him in the seat.

Later that evening, we took the ladder truck, a 100 ft. rear mount straight stick, down to a local restaurant which was sponsoring a fund raiser for the station. Luckily, but unusually, we were able to finish eating before the next call came in. A box in Prince Georges County was sounded with us as the second due ladder truck. Starting up Route 29, power call yelping, Mike hammered the Q and air horn. The traffic took me back, six and eight cars deep in all lanes at intersections. The Master driving skillfully “encouraged” drivers to move. They scattered like ants, some straight through the light, some left, a few right. Shortly before arrival, command placed all units in service, the source of the smoke at the apartment complex having been located and mitigated.

Back at the station while we were shooting the breeze, the station alert sounded for an adaptive response. More than an investigation but less than a full box, two engines and a truck were dispatched for the odor of smoke. The ladder truck with Mike in the seat again, was first arriving and positioned on Side A while the engine laid out from the closest hydrant. Seconds after I had exited the truck, two ladders were up on the A side of the house and the engine company was beginning to stretch an attack line, the four inch supply line trailing back to the plug. The second due engine from PG came in and stood by the hydrant. It was wonderful to watch; poetry in motion. It wasn’t anything special, but it was fabulous to watch the basics perfectly executed with no conversation or orders. With only a burned up electrical socket to deal with, we were back in service in just a short time.

Our last run of the night was about 1:00 AM; a nice night for the truck crew. That doesn’t mean I slept. Unfamiliar with the station alerts, I woke up for every engine, ambulance, and medic run the balance of the night, of which there were several.

It was a great visit and one I hope to repeat in the spring……with a hotel room waiting for me to sleep in.

New Years Eve

2011-12-30T11:07:00.000-08:00

With New Years Eve upon us, thoughts turn to previous ones. They can be action packed nights filled with wrecks, EMS calls, and fires. There is also the "contest" to see which unit catches the first call after the ball drops, and who the "winner" will be.

I remember running nasty wrecks with entrapment, fires, and loads of drunks. It's a night which brings out the best and worst in people. Many years ago, we pulled a teenage girl out of a tiny bathroom. She was face down, and so intoxicated she had stopped breathing. We got her going again, and she survived to see the sunrise, and hopefully many more.

I now hope for a calm and boring night in which as much time as possible passes before someone is injured or property is damaged or destroyed. A night without roaring diesel engines and in which the only flashing lights are on the remaining Christmas decorations.

So here's a toast to a quiet night of reasoned revelry and a safe New Year.......

1st Responder News review of "Fire Men"

2011-12-23T15:06:00.001-08:00

1st Responder News
December 23, 2011

Fire Men: Three Stories from Three Generations of a Firefighting Family
by John Malecky

ON THE BOOK SHELF

By John M. Malecky February, 2012

Fire Men
Stories from three generations of a
firefighting family
By Gary R. Ryman

Available from:

Price: $10.95

This is a soft cover book measuring 5 ½ inches by 8 ½ inches and has 279 pages. It is the stories of three generations of firefighters spanning a 30 year period of service. The author is the second generation. He served in three states, New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Currently he is a fire protection engineer. These stories, which take up 20 chapters take place in the volunteer ranks, although for a time, while attending the University of Maryland, he rode with career firefighters in a “live-In” program. The stories begin with the author being young and tagging along with his father who was a volunteer fire chief in New York State. I must say he is a man of my own heart because it was at the ago of 10 that I had decided I wanted to be a fireman. It came from reading a merit badge book on the Firemanship merit badge and successful testing to achieve it. The author had the advantage of being able to respond with his father. My father was not a firefighter although my uncle was but we both lived in cities with career firefighters and riding with my uncle to fires was not possible. Anyway I identify with the author and throughout his 20 chapters he writes with a professional technique that even though they were volunteers, you would think that he was reminiscing on fires and emergency calls in big cities with career departments (although as mentioned earlier he did ride with career firefighters in Maryland.) The imagery of his writing puts you there with him especially if you are in emergency services. While many of the incidents are fires, many others are vehicle accidents including where life is lost. Having been a battalion chief and knowing what has to be assessed on the fireground, he leaves no question in my mind that he’s “on the money” when it comes to incident command. Of course, not every call goes well. Mistakes are made and things happen when we have no control over them. But the author write in a honest way and points these things out when stuff goes bad, making this book realistic, not portraying the players as heroes that always win! It has been said that volunteers do not always enter burning buildings, some say because they are not being paid to do it, but in this book they do and the details of their operating under adverse conditions leaves little to the imagination! From structure fires to rural tanker shuttles to operating the Jaws at a car accident, there isn’t a moment of “ho hum” when reading this book! The chapters are generally 10 to 15 pages long and the rapidity in which you go through this book is strictly based on how much time you have to spend reading. In some incidents you have what the news media would describe as “graphic” but as emergency workers we know that these things are always a possibility when we answer a call. When we wear the uniform of helping others we must condition ourselves to keep calm so we can plan strategy and tactics. This is what is expected of us!

Christmas Memories Part 2....Doing Santa's Work

2011-12-20T15:47:00.000-08:00

Christmas was always special when I was growing up. We were always up before dawn to see what Santa had brought us. I truly believed in him. Once, I even thought I heard the hooves of reindeer tapping on the roof of our house while Santa was making his delivery.

One year, one of the presents I received was a multiple level gas station/ parking garage in which you could drive and park and pretend to work on your matchbox cars. My sister was receiving something called the “Imagination Dollhouse”. Both had “some assembly required,” somewhere in excess of a gazillion pieces.

My sister and I were sound asleep in bed, which we knew was important, because Santa wouldn’t come if we were awake. Mom and Dad were getting out the hidden presents and the toys that needed assembly when the Grinch decided to pay a visit in the form of a house fire. The Plectron went off and so did my father, leaving Mom to finish putting the presents under the tree, and more importantly, begin the toy assembly.

Dad barely made it back before we woke up that Christmas morning. As usual, we were wide-eyed and thrilled with everything Santa had brought.

Years later, in the post-Santa period, Mom would regularly retell the story of that Christmas Eve, complete with uproarious laughter as she described the “millions of pieces necessary” to assemble the toys that year. She stayed up all night, the elf completing Santa’s work.

An excerpt from Fire Men: Stories From Three Generations of a Firefighting Family

You Might be a Firefighter if....Christmas Memories Part 1

2011-12-17T06:52:00.000-08:00

A memory of Christmas or....you might be a firefighter if you wear the needles off the Christmas tree making sure the lights haven't overheated and dried out the branches....

I smile this time of year recalling Dad's compulsion with regards to our Christmas tree. The tree stand was topped off with water more frequently than a cup of coffee in a diner. The amount of time the lights were on was carefully managed during the evening; and he regularly bounced from his chair to check the temperature of the branches exposed by the colorful bulbs.

With the amount of time he spent feeling the tree, it was a wonder it retained any needles at all by Christmas Day. No one was happier about the acquisition of an artificial tree than Mom as she could finally leave the lights on for more than fifteen minutes at a time....

Food on the Stove: Not Always "Routine"

2011-12-11T06:49:00.000-08:00

A visit to the high-rise was not unusual, but the 3:00 AM hour was. Such nocturnal visits were usually for a serious fire, so we were actually a bit relieved as we made our way onto the reported fire floor and the unmistakable odor of food on the stove assaulted our noses.

Reaching the doorway of the offending apartment, we prepared to force it when it opened on its own accord. Actually it was an occupant that opened it and the confusion began.

The female resident greeted us, clad only in panties and a bra. She seemed entirely comfortable greeting two companies of firefighters in such dress. Behind her, a poker game was underway; a group of four or five men around a kitchen table. All were oblivious to the smoke, banked three foot down from the ceiling, now pouring from the apartment into the hallway.

The engine officer, not normally known for his tact, performed a Kissingeresque negotiation to allow a couple of us to enter, turn off the stove, douse the offending pan in the sink, and open a couple of windows to achieve some semblance of ventilation. The poker players studiously ignored us and the woman professed complete ignorance as to the need for our presence. We completed the necessary actions as quickly and unobtrusively as possible and then left, still unacknowledged by the poker players.

We wondered on the ride back to the station if our panty clad hostess was aware of the presence of the poker players and vice versa, based on the volume of empty beer cans observed. Obviously no one in the apartment would be getting their late night snack. It was an interesting evening.

Shared Terms From Our Military Heritage And Words of Today

2011-12-04T05:38:00.000-08:00

Any writer will acknowledge a fondness for words, and I am no exception. Recently, I started reading a great book on military education, America’s School For War, by Peter Schifferle, and was struck by an obvious point on how firefighters use military terminology. We regularly use words such as offensive, defensive, strategy, tactics, attack, commander; the list seems endless.

Change just a couple words from a quote in this book from 1919, and it sounds like something from any fire officer training class today.

“A commander on the battlefield (fire ground) confronted with an emergency or special situation, or an officer given a tactical problem to solve in the classroom, in order to arrive at a sound tactical decision and to initiate the necessary steps to carry that decision into effect, must go through a certain well defined mental process, which includes a consideration of his task, the obstacles to be overcome, and the means at his disposal for overcoming these obstacles.”

This history geek in me enjoys things like this, and closing in on the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor is a good time to reflect on the phraseology used in our para-military structure.

These are by far, not the only words we use as our own colloquialisms have been developed. Slang terminology, some well known and others more regional, such as job, bus, stick, nob, probie, johnny, Loo, Cap, and wagon; this list goes on and on as well. These are fun and special, and give tradition and soul to a department. One component of the wonderful world of NIMS was designed to standardize terminology, a worthwhile goal in some respects, but I hope it never steals the soul from the business.

Opening Day Blues

2011-11-27T09:03:00.000-08:00

The opening day of deer season being upon us reminded me of some experiences with out-of-town hunters. At the far end of our district, near the interstate, we had would could be generously called a “gentleman’s club.” Strip joint was the common parlance. It was a well known establishment to most of our members. Jack, the guy who owned it, typically took good care of us.

We didn’t run too many calls there. Jack ran a pretty tight ship, and trouble didn’t get real far out of hand. The worst time of year, surprisingly, was hunting season.

Jersey hunters as we called them would come into town, hunting primarily state game lands; staying in nearby motels. They could be from anywhere, not necessarily New Jersey, but any non local hunter was tagged with the sobriquet. At night, they needed entertainment, hence their visits to our well known establishment.

Once they had a few beers in them, opinions would start to fly which would occasionally offend their Pennsylvania brethren. Attitude adjustment would ensue.

Following this, our ambulance would be needed for a ride to a local emergency room. On arrival, we would typically find the offending hunter lying in the parking lot in front of the building. They would intone on how they had been assaulted or had other criminal acts committed upon their person. We would enlighten them.

“You fell down the front steps,” we would explain to them. They would disagree, and we would repeat the explanation.

“If you had kept your mouth shut, you wouldn’t have fallen down the front steps,” we would explain. Eventually they would give up, or at least decide it wasn’t worth the argument.

It was always fun to see the grins on the Pennsylvania hunters as we explained the malady that caused the injury to the out-of-town boys.

If We Bought Our Personal Cars Like We Buy Fire Apparatus...

2011-11-21T08:54:00.000-08:00

I have mentioned previously the excessive interlocks and safeties increasing the now astronomical cost of fire apparatus. This, however, is only part of the problem. In the other portion, we are our own worst enemy.

A military term for it is gold plating. Disingenuously, we call it meeting our needs. Custom hose bed arrangements, specialized compartments, light packages rivaling the Radio City Christmas tree, and that is before we get to pumps and tanks. “Custom” engines costing in the $400,000 range are unsustainable for all but a very few departments.

This picture makes me think about what it would be like if we purchased our personal cars using the same methods we use for fire apparatus. The typical sedan, SUV, or pick-up has three levels; a basic, intermediate, and luxury level. Each step up seems to add a half dozen options, but it’s not an ala carte menu. As bad as new car costs are, I can see what would happen…..

Chief B enters the local Ford dealership.
“I’d like to spec out one of those new Taurus’s you have,” the Chief says.

“Great Chief, step right over to my desk.”

“I like your base model, but I need a special trunk, as I only load my suitcases one way.”

“Can do, Chief.”

“Also, I need four head lights instead of two, and these special brake lights. The hazard flashers will have to be moved because of the special trunk.”

“No problem, Chief.”

“The sun roof needs to double in size. I like lots of upward visibility.”

“That will entail special reinforcement and a re-design of the roof, but I’m sure our engineers are up to the challenge.”

“Great, then I’m sure the fifty gallon windshield washer reservoir won’t be a problem for them.”

“We’ll make it work, Chief.”

“Okay, then, how much do you think my new Taurus will run?”

“We should be able to do that for around $350K and have it to you in 18 months...”

Please vote for Gary for Best Local Author

2011-11-15T09:46:00.000-08:00

Please vote for Gary Ryman in the Electric City Best Local Author 2011 poll at:

http://varsity570.upickem.net/engine/Welcome.aspx?contestid=39856

Voting ends Wednesday, November 23 at 11:59 p.m.

Keeping Township Officials Aware of FD Operations: An Alternative Approach

2011-11-13T15:17:00.000-08:00

The Chairman of the Board of the township supervisors lived down the street from me. While I always suspected, I never asked him if he was happy when I took my white helmet off. His sleep likely improved.

I suspect this because of a little habit I developed following his election as supervisor. While he was always supportive of the fire department, he didn’t really understand a lot of what was involved, particularly the time commitment. I therefore developed a method by which to increase his understanding in this area; perhaps one which was a bit unorthodox.

There is typically not much traffic out here in the country, particularly in the middle of the night. Directly in front of his house, however, it was the Capital Belt way at rush hour. If I had to get out of bed, I thought he should know, and be aware that we were up protecting the fine citizens of the township. As I approached his house, regardless of the time and actual traffic, the siren would be switched on to yelp, and as I passed, back off, clearing that magical traffic that always seemed to be present in front of his home.

Yes, I suspect he noticed a difference in his sleep habits when I got out a year or so before he did. Maybe someday I’ll ask him.

Life Shield Security & Fire Safety

2011-11-11T08:17:00.000-08:00

LifeShield.com
November 10, 2011

Fire Safety Tips from a Lifelong Firefighter: Infographic

October kicked off National Fire Prevention Week. The week long observance was started in 1920 to commemorate the devastation of the Great Chicago Fire and educate families about fire safety. Although National Fire Prevention Week is always held during the week of October 9^th, fire safety is a year-round concern.

One of our home security writers had the opportunity to chat with Gary Ryman, a lifelong firefighter and author of Fire Men: Stories From Three Generations of a Firefighting Family. Ryman began his career as an EMS at 16-years-old. After two years, he transitioned into the fire department and has been fighting fires ever since. As part of October’s fire safety initiative we asked Ryman to share his best fire safety tips with us.

Heidi Ruby Miller reviews "Fire Men"

2011-11-08T07:56:00.000-08:00

GoodReads
November 7, 2011

Fire Men review
by Heidi Ruby Miller

This fast-paced memoir reads like a novel. Gary Ryman draws in his readers with storytelling that is as captivating as a five-alarm blaze. His attention to historical facts and details makes you feel like a member of his family and his company. There were moments of fist-clenching tension countered by misty-eyed sadness and heart-warming anecdotes. I not only learned something from Fire Men: Stories from Three Generations of a Firefighting Family, I felt something, too.

http://www.fire-men-book.com

Brush Fire Surprise

2011-11-06T05:57:00.000-08:00

One of the first brush fires Mike went on when he was a fourteen year old cadet held an interesting surprise. The fire was just over the line in Greenfield, but both companies were working it. I was not—following my personal rule against Indian tanks based on “Ryman’s Law,” my contribution to the world of physics, which states that water weight in an Indian tank increases one pound per gallon for ever year over forty. Observing and functioning as a quasi safety officer—mainly for my son, was perfectly fine by me.

Mike had donned his Indian tank and was working the perimeter, mindful of my admonitions to stay in the black as he knocked down flames at the head of the fire. Concentrating on the fire, he didn’t see an unusual visitor until feeling something unusual at boot level. He looked down to see a copperhead crawl over the toe and ankle of one of his rubber bunker boots and continue slithering away. A few squirts from the Indian tank encouraged the snake to continue and perhaps expedite its journey elsewhere, location unknown, as Mike certainly didn’t go looking for him. It was certainly an interesting way for him to learn that fires are always full or surprises.

Connections Magazine feature

2011-10-31T09:33:00.000-07:00

Connections Magazine
November 2011

Local Author Book Debut
Fire Men: Stories from Three Generations of a Firefighting Family

The debut book by a local author has recently been published. Fire Men: Stories from Three Generations of a Firefighting Family by Gary Ryman, a Connections Magazine contributing writer, was recently released by Tribute Books.

This book tells the stories and experiences of three generations of firefighters of which Gary is the second. It relates the good, bad, ugly and funny aspects of firefighting and how those experiences affect firefighters. Being both the son and father of firefighters gives Ryman an unusual perspective. From the suburban areas of upstate New York to the fast paced suburbs of Washington, D.C. to the rural hills of northeastern Pennsylvania, the stories range from the tragic to the comic. Many of the stories involve incidents in northeastern Pennsylvania where the second generation ended up holding ranks from firefighter to Chief of Department, and the third generation began as a firefighter. The book is available in both paperback and ebook versions from Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. For more information, visit www.fire-men-book.com.

"Follow 'Fire Men' as they crawl down a hot, smoke filled hallway, rescue the trapped and injured, and carry you through a legacy of three generations of hometown heroes. It's filled with stories of courage, compassion, community, and the camaraderie that is forged only between those who have fought fire - and lived to tell about it."

What People Are Saying:

“This guy caught a lot of fire. Fire Men is a must-read around the firehouse. Gary Ryman is a master storyteller."
-Tiger Schmittendorf, Chief Storyteller, RuntotheCurb.com

“I think the book shows the true meaning of learning, sharing, devotion and motivation. I really think it should be on every probies list, as it shows the good, the bad and the ugly of what emergency responders go through, and like anything, we remember the good times and the good friendships more than the bad...Congrats on a winner....A great book....What I liked best was remembering a lot of those incidents, by either the war stories shortly afterward or seeing it on the news. A lot of those were back in the Good Days, when men were men and probies understood they didn't know everything. All in all, it tops my lists of the many fire books I have read over the years."
-Dave CHICO Richards, Pa. State Fire Inst. Emeritus, 43fire.com

“As someone who also comes from a multi-generation fire service family, I appreciate how well Gary Ryman captures his family’s dedication and commitment to their fire department and community. Fire service families everywhere will relate to Gary’s stories.”
-Gary Keith, Vice President of Field Operations, National Fire Protection Association

“From the first page, Ryman hits the nail on the head. He provides a riveting look at the fire service as a whole, and the evolution of the business over the last three decades. Every fire fighter should read this. Old ones to reminisce, young ones to appreciate where we came from.”
-Fred Bales, CFPS, CFI, Pennsylvania Senior Fire and Public Safety Instructor & Past Chief, Greenfield Fire Company, Greenfield, PA

AFG: Where Do We Go From Here?

2011-10-28T13:28:00.000-07:00

The NFPA recently released a fire service needs assessment; the third iteration following previous assessments conducted in 2001 and 2005. The goal was to look for gaps in fire service needs and to evaluate how the AFG program is helping to fill the needs of departments. There were some interesting results.

• 46% of fire departments have not formally trained all their personnel in structural firefighting. This is down from 55% in 2001 and 53 % in 2005.

• 70% of departments have no program to maintain firefighter health and fitness, down from 80% in 2001 and 76% in 2005.

• 46% of fire department engines were 15 or more years old, down from 51% in 2001 and 50% in 2005.

Some of the conclusions included:
• Needs have declined considerably in areas such as personal protective and firefighting equipment, two types of resources that received the largest shares of funding from the AFG programs.

• Declines in needs have been more modest in some other important areas, such as training, which have received much smaller shares of AFG funds.

• Fire prevention and code enforcement needs have shown no clear improvement over the past decade.

• There has been little change in the ability of departments, using only local resources, to handle certain types of unusually challenging incidents, including two types of homeland security scenarios (structural collapse and chem/bio agent attack) and two types of large-scale emergency responses (a wildland/urban interface fire and a developing major flood).

The AFG program has attempted to supplement local resources and fill gaps across a wide spectrum of needs. While there is no argument that there has been positive movement, even a generous assessment of these results and conclusions would be that the successes have been modest. Based on this, I’m wondering if it might be time to try something different.

It is no secret that federal resources are under a microscope, and if anyone thinks the amount dedicated to the fire service will increase, please let me know as I have a large bridge for sale. The obvious conclusion is that the broad brush approach used over the past decade will not work across the entire spectrum of issues. Note that where a large percentage of the resources went; namely personal protective and firefighting equipment, is where there has been more success.

Instead of continuing down this path and seeing marginal improvement over the next ten years with the limited resources available, why not take a hard look and establish one or two priorities and for the next five years, focus all the available funding there in order to produce a major impact. Whether it should be training, fire prevention, health & safety, or another area, is a topic for another day. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to look at these numbers; consider the billions of dollars spent to obtain modest improvements overall, and not think that there has to be a better way.

Fire Service Leadership

2011-10-24T07:19:00.001-07:00

I recently was copied on an e-mail from a dear friend and a great fire service instructor and leader. We have spent more years than we care to admit fighting fire together. He had recently completed teaching a Fire Instructor I class. His thoughts are well worth reading:

"I am offering this message to the Fire Service Instructor I Candidates and have copied a few select like-minded professionals, because I feel your hard work should not go un-noted.

You have just completed 40 hours in the class and 40 to 60 hours in study. There were 12 terminal objectives in the program, and as you have come to know each terminal objective typically has 3 or more enabling objectives to aide you in reaching the final goal.

You may have learned things about computers that you never knew, like how to do headers and footers, make power point do ticks, or overcome “404 file” not found. You were forced to read a very difficult text, which did not talk about Snap tite, KME, and Akron, rather presented Blum, Hawthorn, and Maslow. You learned the difference between affirmative action and Title VII. Your learned what ADA really means, and who Buckley was. I AM CERTAIN YOU LEARNED, PREPARATION, PRESENTATION, APPLICATION, AND EVALUATION. In addition, with some trepidation, you discovered the difference between a difficulty index and a discrimination index.

While I have a high degree of confidence in your ability to pass both the written and skills exam, that is of little importance to me. What I know is that each of your traveled a road from some place in your life to a new place as a fire service leader. I watched you drop the issues of the past that may have existed with your sister departments, and take up a mantle for fire service professionalism. I saw the petty differences of generations of grandfathered animosity; flake off as if dead skin, to reveal a new fire service, focused on teamwork; and pride not in self, but each other.

I watched you stand guard over your fellow class mates, like a herd of elephants protecting a hurt (of heart not body), member of the herd. You bore your classmates during their weak times and likewise they bore you.
I have had the pleasure and honor to stand before more than 14,000 students, including this class. So let me offer how I feel about you as a group.

You came to the program with your own thoughts about your own strengths and weaknesses. Some of you thought that you knew everything. I suspect that all of you leave feeling as if you know very little.

“The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand” Frank Herbert US science fiction novelist (1920 - 1986).

So let’s cut to the chase, several of you offered that you did not do as well as you wanted to, one person apologized for letting me down. Know this; you did not let me down. There was an objective 13. You may not have realized it was an objective, but it was. It dealt with the affective domain of leaning. “Fire and emergency service instructors can positively affect learner self-esteem and create a desire to learn and a determination to succeed. An instructor’s influence – that good or bad impression that affects learner’s attitudes and actions – is lasting.”

I saw a change in you. I saw the change from a fire service position of “I” to a fire service position of “WE”. That is the single thing that you needed to get from this program. That the success of the fire service lies in a focus on serving the public, learning, and professionalism. It lies in TEAM WORK. That is a what being a leader is about; and that is what a FIRE DEPARTMENT is. I am proud to have been a part of it. Good Luck on your testing!"

“Nothing happens by accident”
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