fire

rescue

This RescueCast discusses regulations and standards and how they have influenced the speed vs safety culture in technical rescue.  As well we talk about confined space tactics including bash kits and austere rigging anchors.

PodCast3 Regs, Standards, Risk Aversion And CS Tactics

Rope rescue has had more changes in the past 10 years then the previous 30 prior.  Is that a good thing?  Here we discuss some of the influences in rope rescue.

PodCast 10 - Influences In Rope Rescue - 2018 - 01 - 31, 8.37 PM

District Chief Peter 'Zeus' Reid was born and raised and continues to live in the city he has served for the 35 years.

A Hazmat Officer for 8 years and a member of his Department's Peer Support Team, he brings knowledge, experience, passion, and compassion to the Fireground and the station.

He Captained his Department’s Combat Challenge / Firefit Team to 5 Canadian Championships and 3 World Championships and completed his competitive career as the over 40 individual world champion with a world record time. He continues to Ref and coach in support of the sport and was honoured and recognized by Firefit for his dedication with the creation of the Peter ‘Zeus’ Reid Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Sport.

Photo Credit: John A. Ryan
https://www.flickr.com/photos/insightimaging/

Episode 2 - Peter Reid

A born and raised East-Coaster, Jeff Clayton is a third generation Firefighter and a 24-year student of the fire service. He has had the privilege of teaching fire-ground operations internationally and throughout Canada. Jeff holds numerous certificates from the Ontario Fire College and a certificate in Fire Service Leadership from Dalhousie University. He currently holds the rank of Captain and is assigned to a Technical Rescue Firehouse that runs approximately 3300 calls annually.

Episode 3 - Jeff Clayton

You may believe in fate or chance, but by Chris's take on it, he fell into this line of work by accident; regardless, I'm glad that he did. 
I highly doubt that he would admit it but he's been fearless in his endeavours. From my perspective, he's always impressed me as someone who says yes to paths that open up and embraces and learns from the experiences that result. 
His positive attitude, perspective, and strong work ethic have garnered him a varied and respectable journey from pre-fire service to the back-step.

Episode 4 - Chris Vanderburg

Information on a rope access job inside of a grain silo.  Rigging and hazards are discussed.

RescueCast 14 - Silo Work

Ever wonder what the AHJ means to you?  This rescuecast is a quick discussion on the AHJ (authority having jurisdiction) as listed in the NFPA standards and what it means to us and you.

RescueCast 17 The NFPA AHJ - 2019 - 01 - 10, 11.53 AM

An interview with Luc who just completed a week with AERT on the battleship course.  We discuss strategies and tactics of confined space rescue.

Podcast 18 - Confined Space Rescue Tactics

Find out what Firefighters are made of!

This podcast pulls back the curtain and shows you what goes into the making of a Firefighter. 

We talk about the how and why of each guest's journey to the job, what challenges they have faced overall and how they made it through them, the struggles they see for our service and their ideas on how each of us can help progress in the job, as well as what keeps them inspired and motivated. You will be getting to know your family better. 

'Multiple Calls' is a phrase that catches a Firefighter's attention because it signifies that there is a strong possibility that what we are responding to is legitimate and will require us to be at our best. It is also what experience is made of. We're going to be at our best to capture your attention with legitimate stories and enrich our experience of this unique and amazing job.

I'm a 25-year second-generation Firefighter working for a Department in Southern Ontario, Canada, with around 400 suppression personnel, 13 stations and 26 apparatus. I spent the first half of my career at a Technical Rescue station, six years working as a primary care medic, 3 years instructing as a Fire Training Officer, and had the honour and pleasure of co-leading our Peer Support Team for over a decade.

When I first joined, we were a lot smaller and the Senior Firefighter on the truck with me for my first shift had been on longer than I had been alive. Outside of what he and many others taught me about the job, he recommended that I start a journal of all the calls and happenings around the hall so that one day I'd have the makings of a book. He was right, but unfortunately, of all the things I heeded and applied, that wasn't one of them. The point being, there are stories to tell and we all carry them; about us as individuals, as crews, as platoons, and as a Department. The wisdom and instruction about how to do the job are crucial, but the experiences and stories also help to shape our character and our Fire Family as a whole. Stories are important. Through story-telling, we find comfort in what connects us and expand our minds through our differences. 

I've come late to the party when it comes to podcasts. A move in the summer of 2017 that involves an hour plus commute, opened up the opportunity to fill that time with some quality content. I've been inspired by a number of podcasts and listed the fire-related ones on the Multiple Calls Website in the Resources section along with books, Facebook pages, websites, literature, and videos. You can also find a running list of those in the Fire Service at large that deserve our respect and acknowledgment for their efforts to keep us grounded and progressing, in the Credits section. Please message me if you want me to add someone. 

We get to know each other very well in this line of work. From all that we experience together, we create strong bonds, and we use deeply meaningful words like Family and Brotherhood to describe them. As shift schedules, generations, where we choose to live, our societal norms, and the size of our departments change, our view of the importance and tradition of the Fire Service Family and Brotherhood can be challenged, strained and at risk of being lost. This would be incredibly sad, tragic, and detrimental. We need to continue to invest in each other and learn and participate in each other's stories. 

Much Love,

Scott

Episode 2 - Peter Reid

Multiple Calls Podcast