As a long time Firefighter/EMT, I've bitten my tongue a few times, and deleted several replies before sending. I'm trying to take his post as written by a 16yo......

I agree about the helmet. The helmets keep the hot stuff, debris, and water out of the back of the coat.

Some fire departments do EMS too, so they have trained EMTs. It's a way for us to make money: The Berlin fire department had a _surplus_ of 21 million euros last year, due to the EMS business. Same at our department. We make it a point to have at least one EMT on scene wherever we go.

Our System is like this:

1 Commander (boss)
1 Engineer (operates vehicle, portable pumps and whatnot)
1 Radioman/Generalist
2 Attack team (the rambos)
2 Water team (responsible for getting the water to the pump. When that's done, second attack team)
2 Hose team (responsible for getting water to the attack team. When that's done, third attack team)

The first engine to arrive operates differently in a fire: the commander and the attack team go in, the radioman and water team go in too immediately. The hose team secures the peremeter (sp?), with the engineer doing what he always does. The commander of the second engine assumes command of the scene when he arrives.

Jim

Until you have fought fire and worn our protective equipment that we use in the US. It is probably safer for you that you don't comment on our equipment and tactics.

20

ThatGermanGuy

You might want to look at some of the rations that are used in life boats (Mainstay Bars). As far as using water from engine's tank, do you have a way to filter that water coming out?

20

I'm not commenting, but compairing the different techniques and equipments used by our and your Fire-Departement.

I've done a lot of work at the fire station, on the engines, done Heat-training and worn al sorts of protective clothing, so I do know what I'm talking about.

About American protective equipment, your right, I haven't tryed it, therefor I'm posting it. To find out what you use and how you fight fires.

And if you don't want to reply on the forum, just send me a PM.

About the helmet: Ironraven said that it doesn't protect the neck. What do you mean by that? Fire-protection or debris-protection?
If it's debris protection: That's true, but if we're in a building, we usually croutch and then the air-cylinder on the fire-fighter's back protects his neck to. So between the air-cylinder and the helm there isn't much space to let debris fall. BTW, you should always look in front of you to see if there're lose pieces of debris.

If it's fire-protection I disargee. On the back there isn't a flap of Nomex, but a flap that also has 2 side-flaps that go next to his face
and have velcro that secures under his chin. So together with his face-mask, the helmet provides full fire-protection. Most also wear a woolen balaclava under it.

(This isn't me)
http://weblog.flippie.nl/images/brandweerman_flip.jpg

Jim,
You have been pissing in a lot of people's cherrio's lately. I rarely come to the long-term forum, but since I had a number of emails and a PM directing me to your response to this thread I figured I'd stop by.

Now, first, Thermal Imagaing Camera's and "Heat Guns" are only so reliable. The chance that you leave hidden fire smoldering is high. While these tools do allow us to do less damage than before they were avalible, sometimes you have to pull some ceiling and open some walls to ensure the fire is out. Destructive, maybe but not as much as another fire.

Second, the european style helmets do offer more protection in some aspects but when tested here in America by a number of departments they failed miserably. Restricting hearing, failing debris and water from getting into coats, and not keeping water off of the SCBA mask restricting visibility.

For a number of reasons the we rely on interior firefighting vs. exterior firefighting causing the difference in our protective clothing as well as our tactics.

For a number of reasons the we rely on interior firefighting vs. exterior firefighting causing the difference in our protective clothing as well as our tactics. Our equipment and tactics would work as well in London as their equipment and vice versa... Even departments on our west coast use quite different equipment and techniques than departments on our east coast.

I'd think more a little more before type your posts, and than again before you send. The only thing your hurting is your reputation.

Oh, and many are thinking it... so I'll say it. You are 16, so you may think you know what your talking about but you really don't Training is not firefighting, anyone who says otherwise hasn't really fought fire.

In some things in my post I probably didn't use the correct words for that I was trying to ask: What are the differences in US and Holland fire fighting techniques and equipment and why are they so?
I also said that I think that there are better helmets then the ones you use.

I have put this as correct and subtile as I could think of in my MODIFYED post.

If some people still have a problem with that : Then don't reply or give me a good reason or explenation of your fire-fighting techniques and equipment.

And some of you think that I don't know enough as a sixteen-year- old on this subject. You can think whatever you want about that.
<img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

This isn't aimed against Romania, of course

Some thoughts -- Do you really want to cook over disel?
Is coffee included in your kit? I'd reccomend both having individual water bottles/ hydration packs ans several ways to filter/purify water. ( a 10-26 l hang bag, if there is such a thing)

Teacher

Uh, Jim...

When I was 16 I knew 75% of the things I know now, 14 years later. I also thought I knew about three times as much as I know I know now. It's called being a teenager.

Don't worry, you'll outgrow it if you outlive it. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />