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Mark van der Feyst

The Domino Effect

Mark van der Feyst has been in the fire service since 1998, currently serving as a firefighter with the Fort Gratiot Fire Department in Michigan. He is an international instructor teaching in Canada, the United States and India. He graduated from Seneca College of Applied and Technologies as a fire protection engineering technologist, and received his bachelor’s degree in fire and life safety studies from the Justice Institute of British Columbia and his master’s degree in safety, security and emergency management from Eastern Kentucky University. van der Feyst is the lead author of the book “Residential Fire Rescue” and “The Tactical Firefighter.” Connect with van der Feyst via email.

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To be effective and safe, firefighters need mature, engaged officers who lead by example
Lighter weight, greater capacity SCBA cylinders will change fire and rescue operations
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Improper apparatus positioning can compromise fireground activities
Leave enough room to conduct operations and remove tools needed on the fire scene
Stay alert, things can turn bad fast in foul weather; likewise don’t be lulled by a sunny day
Trying too hard to reduce response time can actually increase it as well as the magnitude of the emergency
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Knowing our SCBA inside and out is vital to the survivability of the individual using it