Presented by Paul LeSage and Jeff Dyar

Paul and Jeff came to our region March 30, as part of the series of presentations around the state hosted by the Washington Fire Chiefs. Our session fell on a warm, sunny Saturday at the start of Spring Break in our area. We only mustered a dozen attendees.  Many of us were not clear exactly what we were going to be presented, which didn’t help attendance either. Those of us who made it there experienced an excellent introduction into High Reliability Organizations and Just Culture concepts, with an emphasis on event investigation through deconstruction and the application of algorithms that promote consistent, transparent decisions about coaching and discipline by administrators. Decisions that recognize human fallibility, promote the understanding and recognition of at-risk behavior, and the appropriate use of discipline for reckless behavior, in an open learning environment...

The Washington Fire Chiefs EVIP Program is changing.  As most of you know, the EVIP program is due for re-accreditation in 2013.  Rather than update the existing program, the EVIP committee elected to go in a different direction. 

We have attempted to update the materials to make both the instructors' and students' jobs easier.  This new program has a section which spells out the annual continuing education requirements, such as:  Accident Case Reviews, Rodeo, Road Course, etc.  It also has an Instructor re-certification requirement whereby instructors must attend a Train-the-Trainer course once every five years...

Accurate information is not only important on the fire ground and the pre-hospital setting; it is paramount to the timely and safe repair of fire department vehicles. For that reason it is important to discuss this topic in detail explaining some of the common issues fire department mechanics face. The security of our careers as mechanics in the fire service relies on the ability to provide confident repairs that follow the manufacturer specification.  With so much riding on our work, we must be able to access the information we seek in a timely manner...

On September 10, 2001, my wife and I started moving into our new home. Two months late getting the house completed, we had grown impatient and were glad to finally be moving in. Our plan was to get all the furniture and “big stuff” in on the 10th and then get all the “other stuff” in on the 11th. As we got started early on the morning of the 11th, we did not yet have our cable TV hooked up and our radio was still packed away, since it was “small stuff.” My wife ...

Fire Department apparatus have weight problems; they are ever changing to meet departmental needs and those of the communities they serve. Over time operational equipment changes and this equipment will move from one side to the other or be transferred between several units. Most often, functionality and fit win the battle on relocating tools, but vehicle weight can be a very important factor effecting the handling and safety of the apparatus. Vehicles will display a ...

Recently, I read an article about seven rules for a successful NFL team; as I read, I couldn't help applying the rules to fire departments and firefighters. One of the primary reasons for the IAFC/IAFF Labor-Management Initiative (LMI) is to encourage strong relationships with and trust and respect for each other. When we work together, we have a better team, we have better results and the community receives better services. I thought about similarities between the ...

With winter now in full swing, it should be a high priority of all Fire Departments to enact their own form of property conservation. Washington State is one of many states that utilize de-icing and anti-icing products on the roadways to increase the safety of our roads. We have been warned many times of the negative effects of these products on our vehicles, and some of us have experienced these effects already, but this subject should be re-visited on an annual ...

After nearly 20 years, fire officials were finally successful in getting residential fire sprinkler requirements into the body of the 2009 International Residential Code. The immediate impact it had on Washington state was that It removed the road block requirement that adoption of a residential sprinkler ordinance by any jurisdiction be first approved by the building industry controlled State Building Codes Council, (SBCC).    But since that ...

Revenues are down and budgets are being stripped. It always seems the first reaction is “effective immediately, no outside training.” We limit our personnel’s ability to network with others and gain knowledge. A valuable part of this networking is often asking others “what is your organization doing to minimize the impacts.” I would challenge people to look at the bang for the buck we receive when we do send somebody to attend training at a conference or ...

​Do you know how long it takes for a Christmas tree to burn?  The State Fire Marshal’s Office will hold a press conference demonstrating the catastrophic dangers posed by indoor Christmas trees, along with a fire prevention presentation highlighting safety tips for the holiday season.  The press conference will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 4, at 1:00 p.m. at the State Fire Training Academy in North Bend. Representatives from the State Fire Marshal’s Office ...