Side Alpha Leadership Side Alpha Leadership

Tactical Considerations for Garden Apartment Fires
 
One of the more complex fires we are faced with is fires in garden apartments. This month I welcome back Capt. Bobby Eckert of the Camden New Jersey Fire Department. Bobby and I dig deep into the subject.
 
Garden Apartments are in all areas of the country. Firefighters must be proactive and preplan these structures before the alarm is ever answered. Take advantage of running non fire calls in these buildings and get the layout of the complex and the individual apartment units. This preplan will pay dividends when you pull up to a job at 3am.
 
Bobby and I discuss:
·      Pulling long lines ·      Laddering the building ·      Apparatus placement ·      Command considerations ·      Building construction ·      Fire spread  
Small fire can grow and spread quickly if engine and truck companies are not aggressive with their tactics.

This month I ask the questions, why are people reluctant to make decisions? How do we overcome the fear of making a decision on the fireground? what tools can we use to help people to make quick decisions with less than perfect information.
I enlist the help of Deputy Chief Shane Darwick. Shane is a longtime friend, mentor, and teacher. Shane can keep calm, filter out the external noise and distraction on chaotic emergency incident and instill command presence. Shane offers over 40 years of experiences in the fire service to answer my questions on the art of decision making.

This month I sit down with my boys RJ and Sam. we talk tactics, learning new things, keeping your emotions in check and dealing with the dreaded word, change! It was great to just freestyle the conversation.

This month I speak with Steve Jones. Steve retired from Montgomery County MD as the Operations Deputy Chief. Steve and I have known each other for many years. We both started as High School Cadets for the fire department. Steve talks about his career in the fire service and what he learned along the way. He used what he learned as he progressed through the ranks to the number 2 spot in the county. 

Steve has the old school mentality when it comes to firefighting and lives by the simple philosophy, treat people how you want to be treated. 

Steve shows no signs of slowing down. He accepted the position, Fire Administrative Manager in Dover Delaware. Steve will be the first career leader in this new combination system.

In this episode I talk with Battalion Chief Rafael Gibson. Chief Gibson is  assigned to the Training Academy in Montgomery County Maryland.
As chiefs we demand our people to train every day and be the best. Your people expect you to be equally trained to be the best.
Chief Gibson discusses the new line officers training program, the advancements in command officers command competency program and continuing professional development. 
For more information on these programs contact Chief Gibson at Rafael.gibson@montgomerycountymd.gov 

In this episode I sit down with my dad Mike Kerr. We discuss the fire service back in the day and how it has changed. My dad tells his story about his love of the fire service as a kid and how he got started as a volunteer in Prince Georges County in Greenbelt, to becoming a career firefighter with the DCFD as a Tillerman at T12. 
Our family moved from Prince Georges County to Montgomery County, where he became a volunteer with the Burtonsville Vol. Fire Dept. He moved through the volunteer ranks and eventually became the longest serving chief. He honed his leadership skills and became a respected Chief through the county.