Fire Policies
Policies are the foundation for all operations in the fire service. From apparatus backing to anti-retaliation, policies set expectations, provide guidance, and protect firefighters and fire departments. This section highlights how fire department policies play out in the real world, while also connecting you with best practices for drafting, updating and ensuring accountability with policies.
Upskill your staff so you’re ready to deploy AI tools for everything from training plans to fire detection and post-incident analysis
An “attaboy” photo of a burned home spotlights a lesson in fireground humility
When elected or appointed officials make decisions without the proper context, they have the potential to endanger public safety
Cell phone photos taken by law enforcement officers after the Route 91 Harvest music festival shooting were being spread the same night
In this tip, risk management expert Gordon Graham encourages first responders to be smart about their use of cell phones while on duty
The public shouldn’t have to roll the dice about their emergency services, wondering who’s going to show up
In this tip from risk expert Gordon Graham, he explains the community benefits of an active fire department social media presence
Chesterfield Fire and EMS released findings from its internal investigation, and NIOSH is continuing its inquiry
It all comes down to proper fit and use, post-incident reviews, and policies and procedures
Even if we haven’t done so ourselves, we certainly know someone who has – and yet we ignore this blatantly obvious issue
Listen and watch as Gordon Graham underlines the importance of first responders seeking early treatment as soon as mental health symptoms appear
Greg Zimmerman says fellow firefighters said he should not have worn Wentworth gear in Ukraine, but the chief says that’s not the problem
The poll of nearly 700 FireRescue1 readers addressed opinions on medical marijuana use in states where it is already legal
The best way to avoid analysis-paralysis during an MCI is to ‘get some of your thinking out of the way’ beforehand
The patient had recently moved to an address that was flagged as a threat due to a previous resident, the lawsuit claims
Fire service leaders must learn to articulate clarity with rules and nuance with standards
The firefighters’ union pushed for the exemption in recent contract negotiations
It’s one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs in the fire service
The proposal was put forth in the wake of the deadly January fire that killed three city firefighters
A new lactation policy and a change in shift options were among initiatives proposed to Santa Fe’s Community Health and Safety Task Force to address the FD’s diversity issues
Gordon Graham reminds fire service leaders that policies and procedures are in place to help produce the best results for members
Technology, NFPA standards and a visionary leader drove key changes to help extinguish antiquated operations
The residency requirement for city police officers was lifted four years ago
Qualified immunity protection varies from state to state. Do you know yours?
New Mexico’s firefighters lost qualified immunity: Is your state next?
Key questions to help determine if your department has the documentation needed – and whether your members are prepared
It’s time for some tough love: They signed up to be a firefighter, and now they have to follow a ‘Behavioral Rental Agreement’
When are you within your legal right to ask a citizen to stop filming and in what context?
In this video, Gordon Graham highlights the danger of adding unauthorized accessories to personal protective equipment
The Bellevue Fire Department is accused of negligence in allowing a patient’s medical information to be shared and failing to notify the patient about the confidentiality breach
A reader states: “We can’t even get our members to wear their PPE, SCBA or even seatbelts? I see pictures online of guys in jeans with coats wide open.”
“A vaccination ensures that our personnel ‘do no harm’ to those who call upon us,” reads the association’s position statement
Knowing how to intervene when a firefighter is going off the rails could save their career and protect the department’s reputation
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