We had an opportunity to cut through 12 roll-up doors in a building slated for demolition.  The crews had their pick of which methods they wanted to use on the doors they were assigned.  Some of the methods we discussed in the safety briefing included the following cuts; triangle, inverted triangle, two-cut rectangle, and the single vertical cut with slat ...

David Walsh (Dutchess Community College Fire Science Program Chair, NY) forwarded this video to me this morning.  By-stander video of a car fire with a magnesium explosion in CA on August 20, 2011.  Some good stuff along with a few other points that could/might/should generate some discussion in your training room or at the firehouse kitchen table. [wpvideo SXUcNIR3] Pass ...

A man-lift rescue / extrication scenario was set-up at a former mill facility slated for demolition.  Jamie Morelock (Toledo firefighter, NWOH Region 1 USAR team member, and instructor for Brotherhood Instructors) came to help instruct a crew of Huron firefighters on the technical aspects of this machinery rescue. The scenario: a victim fell from one of the steps on the vertical ...

I was invited to train with Sandusky (OH) firefighters.  Lt. Matt Lesch saw an opportunity to review basic auto extrication techniques with a hands-on drill for his crews.  Kudos to Lt. Lesch for making it happen and the firefighters that worked to perfect their trade. We performed a few techniques that will be familiar, but they are worth passing on. ...

The Northwest Ohio Region 1 USAR team and area firefighters trained in a retired mill facility that is slated for demolition. We used an electric jackhammer on block walls and poured / rebar reinforced 5″ thick walls during several stations.  The following are a few ways members of the team found to make life easier when using the tool.

The following farm rescue options were learned and passed on to a group of about 70 firefighters in Wakeman, Ohio at the 2nd Annual Farm Rescue course hosted by the Northern Ohio Fools & the Ehove Fire Academy.