The Nest

When it comes to professional fireworks displays, there are some important things firefighters need to know to keep themselves and the public they are sworn to protect safe. "Time, distance and shielding are firefighters' best friends when it comes to fireworks," said Shawn Allison, a career fire captain and licensed pyrotechnician who has developed a fireworks safety course explicitly for firefighters. To prove his point, Allison fired a three-inch shell in a mortar at the Rochester, NH, fairgrounds. A thunderous boom rang out and shards of high-density plastic pipe and wood flew across the track infield, chased by a searing...

Independence Day Fireworks Safety (Fireworks Account for Most Fires) According to the National Fire Protection Administration (NFPA), far more fires are reported on July 4 than on any other day, and fireworks account for more than half of those fires, more than any other cause of fires. In 2011, fireworks caused an estimated 17,800 reported fires. These fires resulted in an estimated 40 civilian injuries, and $32 million in direct property damage. Over 9,600 fireworks related injuries were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms. According to the NFPA, the risk of fire death relative to time used shows fireworks as...

Cancer-causing agents can reach a firefighter, even one in full PPE; here are simple steps to reduce your risk There was a time when dirty bunker gear was a badge of honor. In fact, firefighters often complained when they were forced to clean their gear and sometimes even became creative in finding ways to avoid having PPE appear newer. Similarly, many firefighters delayed wearing SCBA during a structure fire and removed their facepieces as soon as they could get away with it. Fortunately, these practices have diminished significantly. Yet, the dangers of firefighter exposure to carcinogens and other hazardous materials...

Hey Mom!, he called from the attic door,What's these old heavy boots and helmet for? With a lump in her throat and a tear stained cheek,His mother swallowed and started to speak. Come here my son, his mother said,There's things to tell when I clear my head The past raced madly through her mind.She searched her heart for words to find. At last she signed and rubbed his hair.And the words that followed I like to share. Those boots and helmet, she said with pride,Were worn by a man with grit inside. He wore them to help people in need,Though...

You know what IFSTA, IAFF, SCBA, WSFTA, and ARFF stand for.Your spouse's wardrobe looks like this: non-descript bottoms paired with any navy blue shirt/sweatshirt with a fire department logo on it.You've eaten more gas-producing foods in a 24 hour period than any sane person should (unless they're a firefighter).You know the difference between a police siren and a fire siren.Your kids think the fire station is "Daddy's/Mommy's house".You know where EVERYTHING is on their department's trucks. You come to realize that the trucks at their station are their "babies" and they'll spend more time washing them and cleaning them than they do cleaning your house.You've received...