3-D firefighting isn't really new. It has been around for quite awhile. It's orgin can be traced back to the Navy, who have been fighting fires in well insulated confined spaces longer than anyone.
It works, most of the time... but again it is only one tool in the tool box. While, the article makes it seem like this is a NEW technique in America... It isn't, I was taught it in both academies I went through... it just didn't have a name 12 years ago.

That article makes it look like most firefighters are ignorant about fire... while I cannot speak for all, I know that most firefighters I know have a great level of knowledge about fire and suppression.

106 firefighters were killed in the US in 2005, 27 at structure fires... most of those were due to medical issues... not trauma.