The Nest — #firefighter

Wine, lemons, and mushrooms flavor this chicken recipe the lower-salt and lower-fat way. INGREDIENTS: 1/8 tsp  black pepper¼ tsp salt¼ cup flour4 chicken breasts, boned, skinless (5 ounces each)1 Tbsp olive oil½ cup Marsala wine½ cup chicken stock (skim fat from top)Juice from ½ fresh lemon½ cup sliced mushrooms1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped  DIRECTIONS: Mix together pepper, salt, and flour. Coat chicken with seasoned flour. In a heavy-bottomed skillet, heat oil. Place chicken breasts in skillet and brown on both sides. Then remove chicken from skillet and set aside. To the skillet, add wine and stir until the wine is heated. Add...

Notice the title is not “How to be a good fire instructor.” There is a distinct difference and the definition of “good” is relative anyway. You may be thinking that as an instructor, you have already taken all the classes and have become a subject matter expert, but have you really?   Let me be clear on something first and foremost; for those of you who believe that because you have achieved a certification in a particular discipline (i.e. technical rescue, hazmat, EMS, etc…) that means  you have nothing to prove to anyone, and because you are certified that makes you...

  Firefighters may not have the physique of pro athletes, but that doesn't mean they're not fit. Take a moment to visualize a firefighter in action. Picture someone carrying a heavy ax with a big coat and large helmet? Did you notice the thick SCBA tank on their back, or the big boots? Well, the ax weighs close to 20 pounds, and the SCBA tank can weigh up to 50 pounds, depending on how full it is. Imagine carrying all of that while sprinting through a fire! Your local firefighters may not step onto a bodybuilding stage anytime soon, but it doesn't mean...

For these six men and women, fitness is a calling, a lifestyle, a sport, and a survival strategy. Learn from people who risk their lives to protect ours. 1. ARMED FOR BATTLE: OFFICER DANIEL BANKS As Officer Daniel Banks tells it, every bar in America is littered with guys who think they're MMA fighters because they watch it on TV while sucking down beers. But the police chief in Tripoli, Iowa, knows all too well that not every adversary is a big-talking wannabe. He takes no one for granted. "Many prison inmates weight train two or three times per day, 365...

By Lorraine Hutchinson The year 2012 was the best of times and it was the worst of times for me. In May 2012, after graduating from National University, it seemed that my busy life           would slow down and I could catch my breath. In addition to going to school I was             managing the Logistics Division of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. As the           Deputy Chief of that Division, it was my responsibility to manage the process of               purchasing,...