Pete,
Good explinations. I'll add two things to what you said.

Defensive firefighting typically means you are writing off the structure. We have a saying in the US; "when tha ladder pipes go up, buildings come down". It is safer for the firefighters, and who wants to risk their life for a structure that is likely lost anyway. However you can't find and rescue a victim if your outside.

While offensive firefighting doesn't always = a saved structure it does allow search and rescue to be performed and belongings to be saved. Many times saving a few photo albums, heirlooms and personel papers is much more important to a person than a house or apartment.

We have a risk managment profile to use when making this decision:

• We will risk our lives alot in a calculated maner to save SAVABLE LIVES
• We will risk our lives a little in a caculated maner to save SAVABLE PROPERTY
• We will not risk our lives at all for what is ALREADY LOST

No one wants to make a parking lot, but everyone whats to go home tomarrow.

Since the initial post, I had a friend bring down a few of the helmets that his company tested. He brought three "European" style helmets and I stand by my former statement. I can see the merit of these helmets in a non-fire, rescue senerio they just don't offer thelevel of protection our style of firefighting requires. I plan on bringing them to the academy in the next few weeks to see how they do in heat.

The Fire Service has our traditions, as many have said, some good, some bad but I believe mostly good. Many of our self destructive traditions are going by the way of pullup boots, demand SCBAs (thank good... those really sucked) and wool coats treated with carbon tetrachloride(luckily way before my time). My "Traditional" Helmet today is half the weight my "New Yorker" that is hanging on my wall. Useless facesheilds that easily melt have been replaced by Googles and Boorke Eyesheilds that withstand 1200 deg, My helmet may look old, but it is state of the art protection.

But... I will stand by the traditions of honor, duty and sacrifice that the fire service world wide has held since the Romans formed the first fire brigades!

And the following traditions should also be followed without questions:

• [color:"red"] FIRE TRUCKS ARE RED [/color] ... the only exception to this rule is the forest service (because they don't know any better) and the Jack Daniels Distilery (becuase their Black and Gold engines are way cool).
• [color:"red"] ALL FIRE TRUCKS SHOULD HAVE A WIND-UP SIREN! [/color] Call them what you like "Q", "Federal Q", GRINDER but you know the way a fire truck is supposed to sould like, not these watered down ambulance or police car sirens. Sure they are loud, and annoying... but not as annoying as getting T-boned by a 50,000lbs Engine! People don't pull out in front of use as much anymore since we got our Wind-up... even the idiots talking on their cell phones, while drinking coffee and using their PDA see us now... amazing!
• [color:"red"] FIRE HELMETS SHOULD BE BLACK! [/color] At least for firefighters, Cheifs need their white ones so they can be seen coming and avoided. Company Officers probably should have their own color too... so everyone can keep an eye on them, you never know where they'll wonder to. But Fire Helmets should be BLACK!