Mark van der Feyst

The Domino Effect

Mark van der Feyst has been in the fire service since 1998, currently serving as a full-time firefighter with the Woodstock Fire Department in Ontario, Canada. He is an international instructor teaching in Canada, the United States and India. van der Feyst is a local-level suppression instructor for the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy and an instructor for the Justice Institute of British Columbia. 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." Connect with van der Feyst on LinkedIn or via email.

Full list of Mark van der Feyst results

Managing the exposure: Vehicle fire threatens apartment complex
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Proper size-up, resource management and quick knock-down kept the fire under control
Set the example for new firefighters: Wear your SCBA and PPE!
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Video shows senior firefighter without gear teaching new firefighter how to extinguish a car fire
Water supply: Procedures must take precedence
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Blocked hydrant incident highlights differences between public opinion and fire service best practices
Hoseline deployment: Avoid the ‘spaghetti’ pile
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Video captures how hoseline kinks and piling can hamper water flow and advancement efforts
Why firefighters grab the wrong hose for the fire
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It's common for firefighters to grab a small hand line in the face of a raging fire; here's why
Fire department response to aircraft emergencies
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Video shows home engulfed in fire after being struck by a Cessna aircraft
Going above and beyond: Extending the ground ladder
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Extra rungs above the roofline provide added ladder visibility, safety
Stop for the red light: Protecting firefighters and the public
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Video of apparatus colliding in intersection underscores need for driver training and intersection policies
Why not using SCBA will kill firefighters
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SCBA is the most important piece of PPE, and the reasons for not using it are no longer valid
Effective engineers do more than drive
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Video shows four ways a driver supported engine and truck crews
SCBA 'short cuts' put firefighters at risk
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Often overlooked, SCBA straps and buckles are an important part of reducing a firefighter's fatigue and entanglement risk
Heeding on-scene evacuation orders
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Following an evacuation order is about saving lives, not concluding interior “play time”
On the Alpha: Positioning fire trucks for operational capacity
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Leave prime real estate – and enough space – for the aerial truck to operate at 100% capacity
Vehicle fire dangers: Burning pickup rolls into fire apparatus
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Video underscores the importance of proper apparatus positioning and wheel chocking
Runaway fire engine: How to avoid endangering firefighters, civilians
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Develop a routine of putting the fire truck in neutral, applying the brakes, then putting the pump in gear
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