Trending Topics
Avsec_Robert - Globe600x530.jpg

Robert P. Avsec

Fire Officer Safety

Battalion Chief Robert Avsec (ret.) served with the Chesterfield (Virginia) Fire & EMS Department for 26 years. He was an instructor for fire, EMS and hazardous materials courses at the local, state and federal levels, which included more than 10 years with the National Fire Academy. Chief Avsec earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati and his master’s degree in executive fire service leadership from Grand Canyon University. He is a 2001 graduate of the National Fire Academy’s EFO Program. Beyond his writing for FireRescue1.com and FireChief.com, Avsec authors the blog Talking “Shop” 4 Fire & EMS and has published his first book, “Successful Transformational Change in a Fire and EMS Department: How a Focused Team Created a Revenue Recovery Program in Six Months From Scratch.” Connect with Avsec on LinkedIn or via email.

LATEST ARTICLES
Identifying firefighter hazards, response area features and potential operations help in PPE selection
From EMS calls to wildland firefighting, today’s firefighters face more than just structural interior firefighting
Fire officers can model PPE compliance by example and encourage individuals to understand the importance of proper use
Changing the way we approach on-scene firefighter rehab can help protect firefighters from exposure to carcinogens while removing their PPE
Chemical exposure, repeated cleaning and overall wear to firefighter turnout gear needs to be measured and tracked to know when it’s time to retire PPE
Firefighters are selecting lace-to-toe boots to provide better support while fighting wildfires and structure fires
A large-scale event will push everyone, company officers included, outside their comfort zone, but firefighter safety must remain a top priority
While the large societal problems are daunting, company officers can play a role in preventing and mitigating disaster at unauthorized-use sites
Firefighters are especially vulnerable to cancer-causing contamination around the face and neck; there are several ways firefighters can clean that area on scene
New rules governing SCBA and PASS features and testing requirements are set to roll out late this year