A Perfect TIN

My choice of title may have you question my high school diploma. It may also have you question if I understand the difference between self-confidence and being self-absorbed.  Rest assured, my diploma is valid, and many of life's lessonshave kept me humble.After spending just over a year on an ambulance as a probationary supervisor, I learned a number of things. Three of those things that come to mind can be put together in the acronym TIN:

• Theory

• This is the starting place, not the ending place. When I left home after high school, I thought to myself "Now I get to show my mom I know what I'm talking about!" like so many folks leaving home, I knew the answers that I came up with would carry me though life. Most of those answers didn't last the first year. Life as a new supervisor was no different. I already had 10 years of supervisory experience from the military. Yet, this first year I found myself tweaking and adjusting how I thought things would go. As the military saying goes, "No plan survives contact with the enemy." What theories do you have that are awaiting contact with real life situations?

• Information

• When I prepared for the promotional process, there was an exercise where I interactedwith role players to show my interpersonal skills. I knew that the role player may have info that I needed. If I didn't ask for it, however, Iwasn’t going to get it. So, when it was brought to me that there was a difference between what I thought was happening my first year, and what was actually happening, I realized I didn't have all the info I needed. After talking it over with my boss, I completed a 360-degree survey at my station. I gotfeedback from my boss, other supervisors, and the firefighters there. I found where my Theory was working, and I found where it wasn't. I didn't make all the changes recommended, but I did change my approach on a number of things. Sometimes, you won't get information unless you ask for information. When is the last time you asked for more info?

• Network

• Having a network is huge! You've used your Theory. You've gotten Information you didn't have before. Still coming up short on leadership answers? No problem. Phone a friend from your Network. Your Network is a grouping of people you respect and depend on to be the best version of yourself. Getting the insight and perspective of another person can be just what you need to get on the right track. Who gets to be in your network? Your mentors to start with. Getting advice from someone who cleared the path of wilderness before you can help greatly. Respected peers are some others. I was lucky enough to be at a station with 6 other supervisors that I interacted with. Each person was able to provide me with an angle I may not have considered. Don't have 6 supervisors where you work? Connect with others in your organization. Join professional groups. Attend local conferences and trainings to network with people. Finally, don't forget about the people you know, that know nothing about your job. One of the best relationships I've had thus far, is the older gentleman I used to ride with to the men's prayer breakfast. As we rode, I would just soak in all the life wisdom he was nice enough to bestow on me. Who are you calling in your Network to be a million-dollar supervisor?

Are there more lessons that I learned I that year? You bet! I’m still digesting some of them. Luckily, being a good supervisor is a process. One that I hope to get better at every day. All with the hope that one day, I’ll be an ordinary person, who had an extraordinary impact.

About the Author

 NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.

Change & the Evolving Fire Service

Change is difficult. Nothing about the word sounds uplifting. It’s so frowned upon, people don’t like hearing the word “change” in life, at work, in daily activities, to the majority it’s a bad word. What if I said, instead of the word change, we use the word evolve? How would it then appear to you?

Change happens every day and it’s all around us. We are creatures of habit and an object in motion prefers to stay in motion. To interrupt this takes energy and intention for our brain to pause and think about doing things differently than it has been doing it.

This is true in the fire service. The fire service without a doubt has changed. Within the last 20-25 years the evolution of the modern building construction from the legacy construction, to the heat release rate in the byproducts of combustion found in residential homes alone is defining a change in the service.

Well, what about the evolution of technology? That certainly has changed or better yet evolved.

Self-contained breathing apparatus was nonexistent 30 years ago and now it’s a staple of our PPE. Thermal imaging and Personal Alert Safety Systems were stand-alone pieces of equipment and yet rarely used, that are now available to be built in to the SCBA. I can go on and on with the changes in technology but it can go on for days.

What if I said the fire service community has changed? Would you agree? Would you disagree? Or would you say it has evolved?

I get it. We all have that small group in our firehouse that doesn’t agree to change or evolve with the times. It’s part of life and part of how the world goes around but it’s also part of how we evolve. The older generation of firefighters have a lot of knowledge and wisdom behind them, take that and learn from it. How they fought fires has changed from how we today are even thinking about fighting fires and there’s nothing wrong with that. The generations of today are starting off with more equipment, more safety and more in depth training from the start. The risk awareness today is more prevalent than it was prior to the turn of the century and has been growing since. Fitness, cancer, modern fire behavior, modern building construction are all areas that are on the forefront of the new wave of the fire service community.

When the world has advancements in medical science, health & wellness and engineering the fire service is affected and plays a part in it. Although change is in fact difficult and setbacks will be inevitable, pathways for thinking differently and behaving can happen. This is created and strengthened over time with the intention to do so and the effort to do so. Only repetition will make the new change become the new normal.

This is how the fire service has grown and evolved. This is how the fire service has change. It changed by the way of the world.

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

About the Author  

 NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 16 years in the fire service in Piscataway, NJ as well as NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor and currently a State of New Jersey Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation. A martial arts practitioner in Taekwondo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai as well as a former collegiate athlete in baseball, Nick is also a National Exercise & Sports Trainer Association Battle Ropes Instructor and studying for the Functional Fitness Instructor certification.  He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website.

Benefits of the Bosu Ball

Functional fitness, strength training and cardiovascular training along with HIIT are essential for athletes of all kinds especially us as firefighters.

Want to add an inexpensive tool to your fitness regime in the gym, at home, on the go and even in the firehouse? Then get on the Bosu Ball.

The Bosu Ball provides a versatile way for functional athletes to get in a full body workout, improve postural stability, as well as static and dynamic balance, thereby reducing the risk of falling. A key aspect to firefighters on the fire ground in many aspects of the job.

There’s multiple ways we can use the ball and multiple purposes for the ball.

Some purposes for the Bosu Ball are:

1. Balance training

2. Flexibility

3. Cardio

4. Strength training

5. Core training

6. Kinesthetic awareness (an 7. awareness of how your body is positioned, which often declines with age)

8. Proprioception (sensing the relative position of neighboring parts of your body)

8. Increased endurance training

One way to use the ball is to keep the domed side up and utilize it much like a Swiss ball which can help with stability, stretching and performing core workouts.

Stretches especially for your calves can be performed by placing the domed side down and stepping on the rim of the platform.

Strength training exercises we can do include:

1. Lunges

2. Squats with overhead press

3. Pushups and planks

4. Plyometric moves

Core exercises we can do include:

1. Crunches

2. Planks

3. Side planks

A balanced body and a strong core are key areas with respect to functional fitness and us, the functional athlete. Between our PPE, SCBA all while performing hose advancements, searching rooms, forcible entry and overhaul just to name a few, our core strength dictates our performance, progress and capability to work more efficiently on the fire ground and in the firehouse.

Don’t be negligent to your body, physically and mentally because in the end you only have one.

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

About the Author  

 NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 16 years in the fire service in Piscataway, NJ as well as NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor and currently a State of New Jersey Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation. A martial arts practitioner in Taekwondo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai as well as a former collegiate athlete in baseball, Nick is also a National Exercise & Sports Trainer Association Battle Ropes Instructor and studying for the Functional Fitness Instructor certification.  He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website.

Unexpected Wisdom

 "Ah, nothing like the smell of propane to wake you up in the morning!" That's what I tell myself riding on the back of the hazardous material unit. We are off to a propane gas leak at a home. Some of you may only be familiar with propane containers used for home grills. Trust me, that is not what we are going to. Imagine a container the size of 4 of those entire grills put together. If that not's big enough of a problem, have that container buried underground. Grab a Snickers bar, we are going to be here awhile.

As expected, we ride down the road with red lights turning and the siren yelling. Once there, we make sure we have on all our fire department gear. Our hand-held meter for detecting propane is turned on and working. Someone has laid out and charged a hose line just in case the gas finds a spark and goes boom just like the YouTube videos. With some specialized training, and some not so specialized items found at the local hardware store, we stop the leak. So now we wait for the expert to come fix the problem: the guy from the gas company.

A white van moseys on up to the scene. The side has the gas company's logo on it. One guy steps out with the usual attire for an event like this: jeans, t-shirt, and work boots. To make sure he meets the right level of safety, he puts on a helmet and some gloves. Don't worry, I am pretty sure these come from the same local hardware store we got our hazmat stuff. We sit there, with structural firefighting gear on, ready to save anyone in a 50 ft radius. Meanwhile, the gas company expert is dressed the same way I dress when I mow my lawn, minus the helmet.

I then hear a voice say "This is what an expert looks like?" That voice, was just me thinking really loud. Have you ever done that? Looked a person and said, "Where is the REAL expert? You can't be it." If you have, then you now know what it is to be bias. When we talk about it in regards to ethnicity, or gender, or religion, people get real nervous or defensive about being called bias. Truth is, we are all bias about something. Bias works the same way no matter what yours happens to be. The question is, what are you doing with yours?

I decided to go talk to this so-called expert. I asked questions. And I listened, and listened, and listened. I learned a lot about underground propane tanks worked. The gas guy really was an expert. And I really was self-righteous for thinking otherwise based on a look. It's really a pretty simple concept: Asking questions gets you information. Not just about propane, but about people as well. You never know when an ordinary question will have an extraordinary answer.   

About the Author

 NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.

The Deadlift & Firefighters

Being an avid fitness enthusiast along with multiple fitness certifications, I tend to train numerous times a week with a focus of challenging my body and mind each workout. I tend to focus on overall strength so I’m prepared for the demands of the job at any given notice and also be in the best shape I can be in the process. One of the best overall tests of core strength is the deadlift. We will talk more about what the core consists of and way it is vital to keep this area strong and healthy especially as firefighters.

As firefighters, wearing added pounds of PPE, an SCBA and carrying tools or stretching a hose line are all part of the job. As functional athletes, good posture is important for us to maintain effective and physically strong in the firehouse allowing us to complete our tasks. Unfortunately, the weight of our gear, tools and airpack put a strain on our back, shoulders and affect our posture which could develop into long term issues down the road.

One way we can maintain a good, healthy posture and strength our core, body and maintain proper balance is by focusing on deadlifting. I know what you’re probably thinking, “I’m not a power lifter. I don’t need to do deadlifts”. On the contrary, deadlifts are not just for power lifters.

Deadlifting plays a great role in developing core strength and practical enough to help in your everyday life especially as functional athletes on the fire ground.

As mentioned deadlifting are effective for strengthening your core muscles, which are made up of the central muscles of your body. The muscles that make up the core are your lower back, glutes and abdominal region. All of these muscles in unison will engaged when performing a deadlift.

As a functional athlete and in order to generate maximum power due to the physicality of the job, mostly all movements require the stabilization of your core muscles. In order for your extremities to generate maximum force, you must have stable core muscles.

As firefighters we are frequently required to perform physical labor, from stretching hose lines, raising ground ladders, forcing doors and pulling ceilings. All aspects of using our core muscles. By performing deadlifts, this will develop the muscles and the movements involved in many forms of firefighting.

Normally deadlifting involves lifting heavy weights and therefore they help you develop a strong grip, which is also associated with many physical tasks of firefighting.

When executing a deadlift it is imperative to know your glutes, hamstring and spinal erectors are the primary muscles engaged. However, should you do a knee-bent deadlift I will now engage in using your quadriceps. All the more reason to deadlifts.

It is to be noted deadlifts are intense and require the use your entire body. As such, it is vitally important to warm up thoroughly before engaging in heavier weight lifting. To avoid injury, keep your back straight as you lift, and push with your thighs. Always consult with your physician before getting into physical activities while recovering from any injury or surgery. It may not be the best treatment option after an injury or surgery or may be limited to particular modalities.

​Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

About the Author​

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 16 years in the fire service in Piscataway, NJ as well as NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor and currently a State of New Jersey Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation. A martial arts practitioner in Taekwondo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai as well as a former collegiate athlete in baseball, Nick is also a National Exercise & Sports Trainer Association Battle Ropes Instructor and studying for the Functional Fitness Instructor certification. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website.

Farmers are Servant Leaders

Baby Girl is anxious to go to a farm. Considering we are city living people, I suppose it's the novelty of it all. This started at a holiday dinner that one of my supervisors invited us to. He doesn’t have a farm, per se. But he has chickens, and goats and other animals. That is close enough for Baby Girl.

Me, I really respect farmers. I'm a city kid. I know more about ant farms versus a real farm. Here's what I do know. Farmers wake up at a time that military people refer to as "O Dark 30". They spend countless hours taking care of animals and crops. Season after season, they put seeds in the ground. Those seedsturn into fruit, or veggies, or whatever else. From their section of the ground, they send out things to every section of the world. All of this, without ever meeting the people they help. I never met the farmer that grows the apples that Baby Girl and I use tomake apple pie. But because of those apples, baby girl and I have shared full tummies and special memories. What an impact.

Alan Brunacini and Carl Holmes are very much farmers. Not that they grow apples, at least, I don't think so. I never met Brunacini, the famous inspirational fire chief from Phoenix, AZ. I only met Dr. Holmes, an African-American trailblazer in the fire service, once. I don't have the pictures that others have posted with them. I don't have stories of long conversations we had. But I have benefited from the fruit of their work.

My first promotional test in the fire service had Brunacini's Fire Command book as one of the study items. Many of the people who have attended the Carl Holmes Executive Development Institute (EDI) continue to guide me in my fire service career. In both cases, my life and career are improved from a distance. What an impact.

It is in 2017 that both of these men passed away. One could say that they went on to oversee the fire service from a different vantage point. A new command post. And just like an emergency incident, Bruno and Holmes will still have their impact felt into 2018, and beyond without us seeing them. From the leaders that have been nourished by their work. From the organizations that still stand to continue to provide a harvest.I hope to have that kind of impact for people I may never met. I am hopeful that I am planting seeds that will provide others with the guidance they need. At one time they may have seemed to be ordinary people, but fire service history will show Alan Brunacini and Carl Holmes had an extraordinary impact.

The Motto of the Carl Holmes Executive Development Institute: “All that I am I Owe, I am Eternally in the Red”

 About the Author 

NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance. 

The 10 Minute Workout

One of our biggest excuses for lack of exercise is simple, it’s lack of time. Most of our time is spent working, sleeping, family obligations and friends. Very rarely do people say they have or make time for exercise, which in our profession is very unfortunate since as we’ve said in numerous posts thus far, we are “functional athletes” and need to behave, think and train like one; mentality and physically. 

In order to enjoy our life, our family, friends, combat the stress of the job and continue to feel healthy for the long haul, exercise is essential to this and what I am sharing with you all today is the 10 min work out you can do at home, in the gym, on the go and even in the firehouse alone or with your crew.

Why am I saying all of this?
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, it is recommended to have at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic pace exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. Depending on how hard you work out that will equate to 21 minutes per day of moderate aerobic pace exercise or 11 minutes per day of vigorous exercise.

So here are a few options of the 10 minute workout:

1.    Jogging: This is great for cardiovascular health, lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol and is known to decrease the risk of osteoporosis. The American Council on Exercise states that an individual weighing 180lbs can burn up to 170 calories by taking a 10min jog.
2.    High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): This is my personal favorite and although it burns calories and fat quickly, it is not recommended for beginners. HIIT is a form of interval training and cardiovascular exercise training alternating short periods of intense anaerobic exercise with less intense recovery periods. This type of workout will challenge your cardiovascular system more than jogging along with added benefits such as increasing your metabolism, improves cholesterol profile and increases insulin sensitivity. A bodyweight HIIT Workout would look something like this: 50 sit-ups, 40 jump squats (or body squats), 30 pushups, 20 split jumps, 10 triceps dips, as many burpees as possible in 30 seconds. You will take a 30 second rest between each exercise in order to perform each exercise with 100% effort. 
3.    Circuit Training: This a great strength training workout due to strength training .Generally strength training requires rest periods between sets for muscle recovery however with circuit training uses antagonistic muscles (when one muscle contracts, the other relaxes, i.e. biceps and triceps) allowing for shorter rest periods An example of this would be as follows: 3 sets of 10 reps.
a.    Pushups
b.    Hollow body hold
c.    Squats
d.    Glute bridges
e.    Bench dips
f.    Plank hold (30-60 sec holds)
4.    Jump Rope: Jumping rope can burn more than 10 calories in a minute and a great way for overall body toning. Here is a quick jump rope workout you can do anywhere. 60 seconds regular jump, 60 seconds rope side to side, 60 seconds single leg (left), 60 seconds single leg (right). The goal is to do this routine non-stop for 2 rounds. If you are new to this, do regular jumps for 60 seconds for 4 rounds with 30 second rests. For the single leg jumps, start with the weaker or less dominant side first. 

So, there you have it. Four different workouts we can do any time, any where for overall health. Incorporate these into your daily life will have you feeling healthier, stronger and battle ready to perform when the alarm goes off.  

Please note: Always consult with your physician before getting into physical activities while recovering from any injury or surgery. It may not be the best treatment option after an injury or surgery or may be limited to particular modalities.

Until next time: work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

About the Author

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 16 years in the fire service in Piscataway, NJ as well as NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor and currently a State of New Jersey Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation. He has also been elected as a township elected District Fire Commissioner for 1 term (3 years) in Piscataway, NJ from 2008-2011. A blue belt in taekwondo and former collegiate athlete, Nick is currently studying to complete his certification as a TRX Instructor and a Battle Ropes Instructor. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website.

Sleep and Firefighters

One thing firefighters have been known to lack, is lack of sleep. Generally, not something that is talked about or brought up in conversation, but lack of sleep has links to firefighter injury and death. Think about it, emergency service personnel live off shift work and interrupted sleep patterns which are out of their control since alarms can happen any time of any day.

According to The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, sleep or interrupted sleep patterns could be a major factor in more than 60 percent of firefighter deaths. The majority of these are caused by heart attacks and traffic accidents. Research has shown that approximately 7,000 firefighters have reported to suffer from numerous sleep disorders such as obstructed sleep apnea, insomnia and shift-work disorder which was reported by the New York Times.

They also reported firefighters are also more likely to develop serious health problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression and anxiety because of sleep disorders. In addition to these health problems, firefighters are also likely to report an increase in kidney disease, high blood pressure, stroke and obesity.

NYTHEALTH RESEARCH

Firefighter Deaths Could be Linked to Poor Sleep

Helen Regan Nov. 14, 2014

Sleep plays an integral role in physical health and especially of one of a functional athlete.

The human body is built with an internal clock and changing to our sleep patterns at any time can disrupt or alter the internal clock which is built on routine – something we don’t have much of as firefighters. While sleeping our bodies are healing and repairing our heart, blood vessels, muscles and allowing our bodies to heal. In addition, sleep with repair and consolidate memory. 

So what could we do to ensure we get a sufficient amount of sleep off duty so we are recharged and energized for our next shift?

Here are a few tips to try while off duty:

1. Routine. This is important. Stick to a sleep schedule while home.

2. Power Down. Turn off or avoid all electronic devices 30-60 minutes prior to bed.

3. Keep Cool. Try to keep the bedroom cooler than other areas of the house. Majority of people sleep more soundly in a cooler bedroom.

4. No alcohol or caffeine. Both are known to disrupt sleep patterns either by unexpected wake ups or restless sleep.

5. Comfort. Invest in a pillow and/or mattress that’s comforting to you. This also helps eliminate muscle, nerve and joint pains especially headaches.

6. FAST. Try hard to avoid large meals close to bedtime as much as possible.

Proper training, proper nutrition and proper recovery (along with sleep) are all vital to our success as firefighters on the job and off. 

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & life inspired.

About the Author

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 16 years in the fire service all within departments in Piscataway, NJ. Nick has held the ranks of Lieutenant and Captain as well as being a township elected District Fire Commissioner for 1 term (3 years) in Piscataway, NJ. He is also a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor and currently a State of New Jersey Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University working in Corporate Taxation and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website.

Embrace the Burpee

As we know and as we said in numerous blogs thus far, we are functional athletes and because of this, we place a significant emphasis on core stability and strength. This is one of the main purposes of functional fitness.

So where am I going with this? Well, what do elite athletes and military forces have i common?? They EMBRACE THE BURPEE!!

So what exactly is a burpee? A burpee is a calorie-torching, strength-building, full body exercise that can also be done anytime anywhere. The best part, it’s all about speed.

Tip: don’t start off fast, start slow and gradually build up a good pace.

Now why should us as firefighters embrace the burpee? Here are a number of reasons to embrace the burpee.

1. Total body fat torching exercise that burn up to 50% more body fat than moderate exercise.

2. Speeds up your metabolism. This will help burn calories even after the workout is finished.

3. It is the ultimate example of functional fitness and a total body workout. Burpees will hit your chest, back, biceps, triceps, gluteus, quads, hamstrings and abs.

4. This is a great way to condition your body for overall health. Conditioning and endurance training is key for all firefighters to keep your body healthy and ready. Also, this will get your heart rate up quickly for conditioning and endurance.

We spoke about why burpees are a good addition to firefighter fitness so now here are a few burpee exercises we can do:

1. 21-15-9-6-3
burpees, body squats, plyo-pushups.
This is a 5set workout starting with 21 reps (in order) with a min rest then 15 reps and so forth and so on until all 5 sets are complete.

2. Burpee-pull-up
Do a burpee in front of a pull up bar, then do a (jumping) pull up. As many as you can for time (time limit: 3min).

3. Burpee-push-up
Do a burpee and upon completion of the burpee do 1 push-up. Continue that sequence for 2min.

4. 100 burpee challenge. Aim for 100 burpees in 15min. Do as many as possible before taking a break then continue.

5. Burpee-sprint
Do 1 burpee then sprint 50yds and do another burpee. That’s one set. Do this for 5 sets. Rest 1 min between sets.

Take these workouts to your firehouse, your home, anywhere and have fun with them. These workouts can also be a great team building exercise as well with multiple benefits all in one. 

Please note: Always consult with your physician before getting into physical activities while recovering from any injury or surgery. It may not be the best treatment option after an injury or surgery or may be limited to particular modalities. 

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

 About the Author

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 15 years in the fire service all within departments in Piscataway, NJ. Nick has held the ranks of Lieutenant and Captain as well as being a township elected District Fire Commissioner for 1 term (3 years) in Piscataway, NJ. He is also a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor and currently a State of New Jersey Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University working in Corporate Taxation and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website. 

Benefits of Yoga in the Fire Service

As humans, regularly or daily exercise is important to our overall health. Studies have shown, it helps your improve the immune system, decreases stress levels and helps reduce the risk of developing several diseases like type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease. Overall, physical activity and exercise can have and improve immediate and long-term health benefits but most importantly, it can improve your quality of life.

With all that said, I would like to talk about yoga and it's benefits on us as firefighters and how it could improve our performance on the job, our health and general wellness.

According to the NFPA's "U.S. Firefighter Injuries - 2015", there were 68,085 reported injuries in the fire service in 2015. I would have used 2016 statistics but the report hasn't been released yet. So what does our health, exercise and NFPA injuries report have to do with yoga in the fire service?

Well the majority of the injuries in the report both fire ground and training were strains, sprains and muscle pains. Granted some injuries cannot be prevented, however we do have a chance at keeping our bodies healthy and fit for when it's time to do the job because let's face it, we are athletes. Function athletes at that. Our bodies could take a beating during training and on runs. It's up to you how well you prepare yourself. No one said 50lbs of gear including carrying tools would be easy to wear and operate in and  all in a functional manner.

With that being said, I would like to discuss the benefits of yoga and how incorporating this into your fitness regime could help benefit you as a firefighter also known as a function athlete. Mind you, I am not an expert and do not claim to be. I am only sharing my experiences with the exercise and how it can help us as firefighters on the job and off.

For thousands of centuries, people throughout the world have practiced yoga poses and techniques for health and well-being. Yoga brings together the mind and body in a combination of physical postures, breathing techniques and meditation. These have been shown to reduce heart rate and blood pressure, relieve anxiety and depression, and improve chronic low-back pain. All of these have been found in firefighters at a high rate due to the stressors and physical and mental nature of the job while on duty or off.

Yoga itself is a form of healing exercise that can be very beneficial for improving function and flexibility. As mentioned throughout this article, we are functional athletes. Benefits of yoga for us as functional athletes can provide the following:

Raises heart rate - making it both a great cardio and fat burning workout

Works the muscles fully, but in a low impact way that doesn’t stress the joints as much as weight training

Increases cognitive function, coordination, and balance

Greater flexibility, reduced tension, and stress

With that said, this can improve our duration to work under tension as well as how we maneuver in our PPE and SCBA for long durations in and out of IDLH environments.

The intense styles of yoga, could also strengthen muscles throughout the body through various poses. By practicing yoga it is also a chance for you to give back to yourself with time spent in relaxation, contemplation, and reflection to energize your mind and soul. Mentality this is a great way to relief the stressors of the job and have a long, healthy career for yourself, your family and your crew.

Practicing yoga is generally safe for healthy individuals. However, if you have a health condition that can be exacerbated by heat or deep stretching it is advisable to consult your healthcare provider before starting yoga or trying more intense styles. It is also important to find an instructor who will be mindful of your limitations and restrictions.

Here are a few poses you could try at home, on duty with your crew or at the gym:

Whether you're a beginner or a well-practiced yogi, these poses will stretch your body, open your mind, and bring you back to your center. Hold each pose for three - five breaths, or combine the postures into a routine, moving from one pose to another and repeating several times.

Balasana aka Child's pose

A restorative, forward bend pose. Aligning at the spine and stretching the hips, low back, and middle back, balasana is used as a resting position between more difficult poses.

1.Start on your hands and knees.

2.Sit back so that your hips are over the top of your ankles.

3.Allow your body to completely relax with your head on the floor.

4.Your arms can be lying back by your feet or outstretched above your head. Your knees can either be close together or spread apart.

5.Find what is most comfortable for you.

Bhujangasana aka Cobra pose

This position used to strengthen the vertebral column and to stretch the abdominal and shoulder muscles.

1.Start in a high plank (top of push-up).

2.Lower your body to the floor before pressing your upper body back up.

3.Straighten arms and arch your back while keeping your knees on the floor and squeezing your glutes.

4.Be mindful of any tension in your lower back and stop if you feel discomfort.

Adho Mukh Svanasana aka Downward Dog pose

A forward bend pose strengthening arms and legs, while stretching shoulders, hands, hamstrings, calves and arches of your feet.

1.Start in high plank (top of push-up).

2.Lift your hips to the ceiling, drop your heels to the floor, and push your chest back toward your knees.

Ardha Matsyendrasana aka Half Lord of Fishes pose

This is a seated, twisting, hip-opener that realigns and lengthens the spine. It also stretches the shoulders, hips, and neck.

1.In a seated position, bend your left knee and pull your left foot up to the outside of your right hip.

2.At the same time, cross your right foot over your left knee with the right knee pointing up.

3.Twist gently to your right by placing your left elbow outside your right knee and your right hand behind you on the floor.

4.Make sure to maintain a tall, straight spine.

5.Inhale and exhale as you twist as far as you are able without discomfort.

6.Repeat on the other side.

Virabhadrasana I aka Warrior One pose

A hip-opener as well as chest-opener pose, strengthening legs while stretching arms and legs.

1.Start in a high plank (top of push-up).

2.Step your right foot forward into a deep lunge.

3.Lifting your upper body straight up, continue lunging forward onto your right knee while tilting your upper body further back.

4.Raise arms above your head and sink your hips low, striving to maintain a straight back leg.

5.Repeat on the other side.

References:

NFPA - National Fire Protection Association 

Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine

National Institute of Health

CDC National Health Statistics Report

Yoga Journal

 About the Author

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 16 years in the fire service all within departments in Piscataway, NJ. Nick has held the ranks of Lieutenant and Captain as well as being a township elected District Fire Commissioner for 1 term (3 years) in Piscataway, NJ. He is also a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor and currently a State of New Jersey Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University working in Corporate Taxation and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website. 

Benefits of Massage Therapy for Firefighters

As we are already aware, firefighting is inherently dangerous. It is a profession that requires us to put our bodies on the line at any given moment. According to the NFPA, in 2015 alone, 68,085 firefighters injuries were reported in the United States. Out of the total reporter number of firefighter injuries, 29,130 (43%) were fire ground related and 7,560 (11%) were training related.

Sometimes we walk away unscathed, while other times we come back with a few bumps and bruises to say the least. But let's be honest, are we always working at 100% health? Maybe, maybe not.

Everything from the weight of our PPE, to the addition of our SCBA, to the tools and other accessories we may carry with us add weight which also weighs us down and causes our bodies extra physical stress as well as mental stress than our bodies are already under while performing our tasks.

Everything from physical fitness training, hands on fire ground training and any other type of training we may take part in adds loads of stress on us and let's not forget the daily routines of family and outside activities we are all apart of in our personal lives.

With that, one way we as emergency service personnel can reduce these stressors is through massage therapy. This can be done 1-2 times a month and based on your activity level, goals, lifestyle and general health, the frequency could change.

On a personal level and without getting into details, being in the fire service and an athlete of various levels I've had my share of injuries and a few surgeries and found massage therapy to be a beneficial way to reduce soreness and recover from minor injuries I've incurred along the way.

Here are a list of reasons (broken into 2 categories) why massage therapy is beneficial for us to add to our toolbox of physical and mental gains on and off the fire ground.

Overall Health & Wellness

• It aligns the spine and reduces pressure on nerves
• It relaxes your muscles and helps you to maintain good posture
• It relieves stress
• It improves your circulation
• It stimulates the body's secretion of endorphins
•Calming the central nervous system
•Elongating tight muscles
•Loosening toxins from the tissues for elimination

Injury & Surgery Recovery

•Reduce pain, minimizing the need for pain medication
•Inhibit swelling by moving lymph
•Break up scar tissue
•Hasten the healing process by increasing the flow of blood and oxygen

**Please note: Always consult with your physician before getting a massage while recovering from any injury or surgery. It may not be the best treatment option after an injury or surgery or may be limited to particular modalities.

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

About the Author  

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 15 years in the fire service all within departments in Piscataway, NJ. Nick has held the ranks of Lieutenant and Captain as well as being a township elected District Fire Commissioner for 1 term (3 years) in Piscataway, NJ. He is also a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University working in Corporate Taxation and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website. 

Playground Lessons

Today I got to do something I don't normally get to do: Sleep beyond the sound of my alarm clock. Really, I could do that on any other day. To do so, however, would mean missingclass or work. Neither are good options. Even without an alarm clock, I still wake up at 6 am.

Like most people in public safety, that IS what sleeping in looks like. The morning is a bright summer day. Yet, it’s not hot and sticky yet. A perfect day for taking my 5-year-old daughter, Baby Girl, to the playground. The playgrounds I went to as a kid hadscorching, metal slides that could cook an egg in the summer time. The swing sets normally had 4swings, with 3 missing or broken. These days, my kid gets to enjoy playgrounds that really are an amusement parks without the admission price.

At the playground we go to today, it’s amazing. It’s really 4 – 5 large playgrounds within 20 feet of each other. They have themes like pirate ships and dinosaurs. Never mind slides. One of them actually has a zip line that allows my kid to travel between the monkey bars and some other contraption I can’t describe. Most importantly, there are swings. A whole row of them. They are on the outer edge of the playground. And they all work!

Swings are one of Baby Girl’s favorite parts of the playground. Still, using swings is a new concept. She says, “Can you just push me?” and I explain “Big Girl, I want you to do it all by yourself. You’ll have more fun that way.” I talk her through the motions. Feet forward, then back. Lean in and back. We spend about 10 mins of swinging sideways and turning in circles. After some good laughs,I finally get in the swing next to her and show her how it's done. Watching me, she mimics what I'm doing and starts to get the hang of it. She's not necessarily on her way to the Olympic trials in playground swings. But she should be able to have fun at the playground. 

How often are you the example of how to do something? The reason the phrase “Actions speak louder than words” is so true, is because people don’t think in words. They think in pictures and movies. Getting a mental picture or mental movie into a person’s mind is key to getting understanding. At times, this can be done with words. Other times, you just have to get on the swings. Make being an example apart of your ordinary day, and watch it have an extraordinary impact.

 About the Author

NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance. 

Things Have Changed

 "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but…"There are few ways to get a group of firefighters to be quiet. This one works pretty well. I was doing some training with a group of firefighters recently. In the mist of training, one of our department’s retirees stops by. He’s a well-respected firefighter. He retired as an officer and is known to be a great on the fire ground. When this guy spoke of how to handle an incident, knowledge just oozed out of his words. The way he started out this story made it even easier to listen. He goes on to say, "Back when we got acquired structures to burn in, we would use a live victim for rescue. That probably would not go over too well these days."Boy is he right! Anyone who knows current safety standards, or has read Line of Duty Death (LODD) reports in recent history realizes the danger those people were put in.   

As I soaked in the words he said, it made me think. The retired guy realized that even though what was done in that era was commonplace, it is now known to be extremely dangerous. Learning has occurred for him, and hopefully, for the entire fire service. For those of you that can’t fathom how anyone would have ever done this practice, consider this question: What common place things have you done that you later you found out could be the worst thing to do?

I am just beginning to teach my youngest kid, baby girl, to ride a bike.She has a helmet, and knee pads, and elbow pads. All of which matches her bike, by the way. What did I have when I learned to ride a bike? An afro. That's what protected me. My afro.My mom wasn't a bad parent for it. That was acceptable. Just like the retired firefighter, I realize that times have changed for the better. It may take more effort and resources to accomplish training in the fire service or training on the playground, but it's worth it.Change for the best often requires more work. But before change can happen, one must realize the need for change. If you don't see something wrong with what you are doing, why do something different?That retired firefighter understood the need for the change in training. What changes do you see a need to make?In yourself?Your organization?Your profession?Change is inventible, why not make it a change for the good. It takes ordinary people to make a change to have an extraordinary impact.

About the Author 

NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance. 

Cruising to a New Perspective

We just arrived in port at the Baltimore harbor that morning. As I drink my coffee on the 9th level of the cruise ship, I can see my pickup truck in the parking lot. Looks more like a toy truckin a sea of Match Box cars. With time left before we disembark the cruise ship, I begin to think: "What a different view."

Nine days prior, I made my way to that very parking spot as directed by parking attendants. With my wife, we got our bags and made our way to the passenger terminal. We could barely see pass the sea of other cars and trucks. There was no missing the ship, though. It Looked more like a floating high-rise city. Once inside the terminal, the real boarding process began. We navigate through the maze of zig zag lines, paperwork, and check points until we finally made it to our cabin.

An announcement over the PA brings me back to that morning as I sit sipping coffee. I see a new perspective on the same place I've been before. Our truck is still in the sea of vehicles, but Inow see it on the left of the passenger terminal that we entered the first time. Further left of the ship I can see other ships of varying sizes in port. Straight ahead of the terminal building, the highway is in sight. With a steady increase of cars and decrease in speed, I'm reminded that the Monday morning commute is starting.

All of these were probably visible 9 days earlier, but I had not risen to the 9th story of ship, so I had no awareness of this. Why tell you this? In 2007 I attended the first offering of the Virginia Fire Officer's Academy. Over the course of a week, instructors were brought into the campus of the University of Richmond. Once there, they gave new and aspiring fire service leaders the chance to learn leadership from a different perspective. One of the speakers did a class demonstration using three people. All stood in different parts of the room. The presenter explained that as a person rises in an organization, he or she begins to see the same things in a different perspective. Perhaps, in a perspective that could not be understood at any of the other levels.

As a leader in any fire service organization, how do you go about having the perspective of the levels you are not currently at? How do you get the view from the 9th deck, the parking lot, and everywhere in between? Driver operators in the fire service understandhow to use gallons per minute (GPM) to provide flow for water. The fluid motion of the frame of reference of leaders also requires a GPM:

o Guide

• This is a person at a higher level than you. A person at a level that you aspire to be. He or she gives you a bird's eye view. Helps you to develop the possible visions of future goals. Having regular contact with people ahead of you is vital for achieving goals. You cannot be what you cannot see

o Peer

• This is someone from another organization or area that gives you a different perspective at a similar level. Thisperson lets you know that the grass might lookgreener because it artificial, or better taken care of. You may have arrived on side A of the building, but the peer is giving you a report from side C.

o Mentee

• Remember the version of you at beginning of your career? People say that they do. But their minds tend to play tricks on them. We all sometimes suffer the ‘Curse of Knowledge’. Once we have learned information, we can’t imagine us, or anyone else, not knowing that information already. We need someone that reminds us what life looked like in the beginning. This is how we relate what we know, to the people that need to know it.

Each new day and each new level in life affords us the chancesee and know things we never knew before. But as human beings, we only get to see the perspective of the level we are at. If we are to move us, our organization, or our cause to new destinations, we will need to use GPM to provide the proper prospective to get there. The story of our journey may seem ordinary, but the impact can be extraordinary.

 About the Author

 NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.

International Firefighters Day & the Feast of St. Florian

Today, May 4 is known as International Firefighters’ Day. It is a day to show support for all firefighters worldwide and take the time to remember those who lost their lives or injured while in the line of duty. 

According to the website firefightersday.org you can show support by wearing and displaying red and blue ribbons pinned together; red symbolizing fire and blue for water. These colors are know to represent emergency services internationally. Today we also honor EMTs. 

Today is also the feast day of the patron saint for firefighters, St. Florian. Here is a brief history on St. Florian:

Florian was born in the ancient Roman city of Aelium Cetiumin around 250 AD, which is now present-day Sankt Polten, Austria. He joined the Roman Army and advanced the ranks to commander of the Imperial Army in the Roman province of Noricum. One of his many duties was being responsible for organizing fire brigades. Florian organized and trained this elite group of soldiers in their sole duty of fighting fires.

During the time of the Diocletianic Persecution of Christians, Rome received reports that Florian was not enforcing the persecutionof Christians in his territory and thus was sentenced to death by fire.. While standing on the funeral pyre, Florian is said to have challenged the Roman soldiers to light the fire by saying “if you do, I will climb to heaven on the flames”. Apprehensive to his words, instead of burning Florian, they drowned him. His body was later retrieved by Christians and buried at an Augustinian monastery near Lorch.

Saint Florian was adopted as patron saint of Poland after Pope Lucius III consented to the request of King Casimir to send relics of Florian to that country. Soon after, a person was saved from a fire by invoking Saint Florian’s name. Since then, Florian has been invoked against fire and has generally been regarded in most countries as the patron saint of the fire service.

About the Author

 NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 15 years in the fire service all within departments in Piscataway, NJ. Nick has held the ranks of Lieutenant and Captain as well as being a township elected District Fire Commissioner for 1 term (3 years) in Piscataway, NJ. He is also a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University working in Corporate Taxation and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website

Hip To Be Square

"It's just a picture." I think to myself. But to my 5 year old daughter, baby girl, it is further proof that she is a failure. Her big brown eyes had surveyed the picture in its entirety. "I can't do it! I can never get it right! I'm just no good at making squares!"In her mind, there is an ideal of what perfection looks like. It does not match what she's doing. I assure her that the leaning house that resembles a rhombus instead of a square is fine. Still, it is not close to acceptable in her mind. It is proof that she did not accomplish an art masterpiece.

At times in your life, do you sometimes feel like you have failed miserably? That despite your efforts, you are performing an exercise of futility? All the energy and hard work you put into a task, and the impact is minimal.Whether a small change, or a revolutionary ideal for the world, getting results can be difficult.

Have you heard the phrase "In his/her own little world"? Perhaps the way to successful change in the world, is to change the world of one person. Those people you directly influence, including yourself. Perhaps in changing the world of one person, there is an actually change in the world over all. He or she could be the person who is meant to change the world, He or she needed you to see that it was possible. If my daughter one day becomes a renowned artist, perhaps it was the help I give her in finding the perfect square that helps get her there.

If that is the case, how would we do that?How do we change someone's world, instead of the world as a whole?I could simply say it in one word: inspire. In the fire service, however, we like nifty acronyms.Instead, let HER spell out the steps:

Hope

In the movie "Dumb and Dumber", the character Lloyd asks Mary what are the chances of him dating her. After hearing that it's about 1 out of a million, Lloyd pauses, and then says, "So, you’re saying there is a chance!" I don't know that I have that level of optimism. But for change in happen in anything, you have to actually believe that it can happen. For Baby Girl’s journey to art greatness, she needs me to assure her that she can make a square.

Example

Innovative ideals are generally improvements on what already exist. Could it be that you need to go as far as you can, so someone else can go further?It is akin to a relay race in track and field. One person does the best he or she can to give the next person the chance to improve on that. With that in mind, I show baby girl how I draw square. My artistic abilities were not recognized by my grade school teacher. Perhaps Baby Girl can improve on what I did.

Resources

In my last position in the fire service, I quickly learned that being successful was not about what I know, but where to find what I need to know. Helping individuals to find ways to improve can help them to make meaningful changes. Some people need general theories, others need step-by-step directions. For Baby Girl, we did what makes sense; we watched Sesame Street videos on YouTube about drawing shapes. Know your resources!

I have no idea if Baby Girl will become a high paid artist that changes the art world. I do know that as some point, she will again experience failure. When she does, she can use HER as a way to find Hope, an Example, and Recourses to be successful. The ordinary experience of drawing a circle, may one day lead to extraordinary changes.

 About the Author 

 NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.

Using Your Minds Eye

Ever had trouble looking for the right word?You are in the middle of trying to describe the perfect moment. The word you are looking for, however, is evading your memory. Here is a thought; maybe you shouldn't be looking for words. If not words, what else would you be looking for?

Take a min and think about a great moment in your life. It can be anything. The birth of a child. A wedding. A promotion. Whatever great moment that is tattooed in your mind. Think about the sights and sounds of the moment. Can you remember any of the smells?Can you remember the texture of the things you touched? I'm willing to bet that in the process ofremembering that moment, it did not appear as the text you are reading now. Your memory didn't appear as words being typed on a word document. That memory instead appeared as an experience of the senses.

People can remember words, but nothing compares to anexperience. No wonder we can't find the right word; we are trying to describe an experience. What are the implications of understanding this? Have you ever had an ideal or thought you wanted to convey to someone?

A seed of information, that you are looking to plant into the mind of another individual. A teaching moment. A vision of what could be. Over time, you water the soil and allow the bright, warm rays of enlightenment to beam down. The hope is that thoughts and deeds will sprout up from the soil. It would be as if a tree of wisdom has taken root. If this happens to be what you are trying to do, perhaps you should consider the PPE that you use. Not Personal Protective Equipment. Instead:

P - Paint a Picture

• When explaining something new, from a leadership vision to a new learning point, help your audience see what it is. Describe with detail what it is you are thinking. Use analogies that are relatable for the person. In a class once, I was struggling to wrap my mind around how the heart sends blood through veins and arteries. Then the instructor explained to me that understandinghow the heart pumps blood is similar to how the pump on engine pumps attack lines. I now have a picture in my head of a driver operator on a major fire with fire hose sending and receiving water. Learning has occurred.

P - Produce a Movie

• “Imagine this…” Beginning an explanation like this gets your audience into the mind set of being in the front row of a 3D action movie. It’s like being at Disney World and riding one of the movie rides. The person is there at the event, watching things unfold first hand. How easy is it to remember new ideals when an instructor or leader has helped you feel like you were there when things were being formed?

E - Experience the Moment

• This step takes producing a movie one step further. Instead of being at the event; you have a starring role in the event. Years agoI wrestled for the Air force and practiced at the Olympic Training center. We had a trainer that had us do this thought exercise. Wehad to imagine being in a future wrestling match. In our mind, we had to think of everything we could expect. How exhausted we would be. Being ahead in points. Being behind in points. Feeling the strength of the other competitor and fighting them off. What I understand now is that doing this exercise prepared me for possibilities I had not thought of. If you can imagine the hard times, you can push through to the good times.

When I teach students about hazardous material response, I explain that to be effective, one must have the proper level of skill and proper equipment. Everyone has some ideal worth sharing. Now you have the proper PPE to help ordinary people do extraordinary things.

About the Author  

 NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.

The Importance of Checking the Trucks

As I drive to work every morning a little after 6am, I pass a Fire Station just off the main road. Every morning almost without fail I notice, what I can assume to be, the morning crew just getting started for the day. No matter if you call it a Rig check, truck check, equipment check or something else it is all the same thing; making sure you have the items you need to answer emergency calls for service.

I know everyone, myself included, has done countless of these rig checks and could probably recite the sheet forward and backward just from memory alone. However this poses a question, just how much are we actually checking the truck vs just going through the motions?

These checks are so absolutely important, almost more so than anything else. How many of you have just done half checks, just glanced over the truck and called it good, or skipped rig checks altogether? I'm not proud to say it, but I know I have in the past. You get to the station late, theres a game on, theres a show you want to watch, a store you have to run to, your just tired and want a nap, or the "trucks all good" from the outgoing crew, or any number of other excueses that could come to you. This mindset is downright dangerous!

Say you did all that, now you have an emergency call, maybe the truck wont start, you don't have enough fuel, or the bay door will not even open. If you do get out the door when you get to the scene and now you are missing a vital piece of equipment, or something is broken now what do you do? Not only are you potentially putting the patient in undo distress or delaying a responce that could save life or property, but you are also opening up yourself and your department to unnecessary liability, and you could also be tarnishing the name of first reaponders everywhere.

Think of it from a personal standpoint. You go camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, or even just on a vacation, do you just grab your bags and go? Probably not. If your like me, you make a list of stuff you need and as you pack it you cross it off. This way you know you have all the supplies you need for whatever it is you are doing. Rig checks are the same exact thing.

While they can be tedious, somewhat time consuming, and inconvenient to you at the time, take that time to make sure that you, your truck, and your equipment is ready to go. Being proactive is better than reactive. Once the tones go out theres no time to be second guessing if you have the equipment you need. Take the few extra minutes to do a proper rig check and have the peace of mind knowing you are starting the day as prepared as you can be. 

 About the Author 

 SEAN WALSH is an EMT with North Stelton Fire Company EMS Division in Piscataway NJ for the last 9 years. He is also a Public Safety Telecommunicator with a county based agency in NJ for the last 4 years. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness at Thomas Edison State College (NJ) in 2013.

How To Complete a New Years Resolution

Ladies and gentlemen, I have successfully figured out how to accomplish a New Year's resolution. Every year people make resolutions. So often people fail. We all are aware of this. When I repeat the following statement from the internet, most people would agree: "My 2017 goals are to accomplish the goals of 2016, which I should have done in 2015, because I promised to do them in 2014, after planning them in 2013." No worries. I have you answer to completing your New Year's resolutionssuccessfully: Stop making New Year's resolutions.

Some may be thinking, "Without this time to commit to making a change, how will I improve?" Simple; stop waiting until January first to make a change. The changes you need to make, you knew long before the beginning of the new year. On any given day, you realize that there is some area of your life that you want improvement. Take a minute right now, and you can name a few. My question to you is, why wait for another year?

After reading some books, listening to different speakers, and examining my own successes and failures, I now understand some things about real change. This insight left me SMH. No, not the texting abbreviation for "Shaking My Head", but my own abbreviation for "Spark, Motivation, and Habit."

• Spark - That thing that sets change in motion. It's the initial ideal that things need be different. Who you want to be, and who you are, do not match. When you walk a few flights of stairs, get winded, and said that's the last straw. When you have miss a meal and your stomach doesn't growl, but ‘talks’loud enough for others to hear. What is that thing that makes you stop and say "Change must happen."

• Motivation - Spark may give you the initial ideal, but motivation is where the action starts. Gears start turning. Progress in a direction begins to happen. While planning can be a part of motivation, motivation is about taking action. Starting the diet. Starting the college classes. Starting the new relationship.

• Habit - What you use when motivation is not enough. Trust me, making change happen over long periods of time will not happen without habit. Most people are familiar with the power of bad habits. Bad habits are why we needed to make a change to begin with! Think how hard are they to stop? Why not harness that power for good? People who do well in saving money are not always motivated to save money. They just got used to doing it. After years of wrestling on the All-Air Force wrestling team, I found that my body would automatically lose and gain weight depending on the time of year. My body had gotten into a habit that took years to stop.

One of my favorite sayings is "Test everything. Keep the good; avoid every kind of evil." I encourage you that the next time you feel the spark of change inside you, use motivation and habit to make the change happen. You don't have to wait until January first. Take any ordinary day, and make it extraordinary.

 About the Author 

 NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.

What Homework?

 "But daddy, we haven't done my homework!" Some words you don't expect to hear from a kid. Yet, those are the exact words that exploded from my 5-year-old "Baby Girl" a few months ago. Here I thought that there was a natural repulsion between kids and homework. Guess it's a learned skill.

Unfortunately, the day had used up most of my caffeine energy, and I barely had enough to get her ready for bed. Still, I know the hopes I have for her. I know the importance of learning good habits early in life. And you know that there was no way daddy would say no to his Baby Girl. So, we did it. We wrote letters and added up numbers. Afterwards, I thought, " How did I accomplish something, that I had no energy to do?" How do you do the extraordinary, when you lack the energy to do the ordinary?

For me personally, it is about being the example. Preferably, the right example. I want Baby Girl to see the right example in my actions. The example of getting things done when it's not easy to do. Getting things done when people are depending on you. It's then that I truly understood integrity. Making sure that my thoughts, words, and actions all matched up like the perfectly aligned gig line on a military uniform.

It's officially 2017. The best and worst of 2016 will be recounted for the next few weeks. New Year's resolutions are being started by many. While I did my typical year in review of my life, I won't be making any resolutions. Instead, I will continue to live up to the lesson that Baby Girl has reminded of: Be a person of integrity. And do homework. Can't forget homework.

About the Author  

NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.