FireRescue1 Topic Directory

Risk management is the practice of keeping firefighters safe, well trained and out of trouble.

FireRescue1 How-to-Buy guides feature guidance for purchasing fire products, of all types, from our columnists as well as industry analysts, educators, and other noted specialists in their fields.

Fire department call volumes reflect far more EMS responses than fully-involved fires. Today’s fire chiefs face unique challenges in staffing, equipping, housing, transporting and training the right crews for the job with the myriad of incidents they respond to. Incorporating new training modules and deployment models can help fire departments minimize response times, recover costs and optimize crew and apparatus deployment.

Despite national recognition, widespread access to naloxone, and millions allocated to grants to combat the opioid epidemic, drug overdoses are the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, killing an estimated 60,000 people in 2016.

This series seeks to explore why the fire service is on the front lines of the opioid epidemic, strategies to help protect first responders from fentanyl, empathy and progress in the opioid epidemic and more.

As firefighters and leaders find themselves embracing new technology, from in-mask thermal imaging, to CAD and GPS-enabled firefighter tracking systems, to drone-based size-ups, we’re collecting a wealth of information about fire behavior and fire service response.

The next steps are translating all this data to actionable steps to improve fire attack strategies, increase situational awareness, optimally direct fire response and maximize firefighter safety.