Have You Seen These

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Ditch The Kit! Save a Twinkie!

“Ditch The Kit”.  For years, disaster prepper companies have hawked kits designed to help you “prepare” to survive for three days or more after a disaster.  For the past twenty years, I’ve looked on in amusement at the ads selling ...

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Rock On Emily!

Hurricane Sandy brought New York and New Jersey to their knees earlier this week. This anticipated “mega-storm” whupped butt on the “Big Apple” and surrounding cities.  As everyone starts picking up the pieces, stories of heroism and alturism are beginning ...

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Are You Freakin’ Kiddin’ Me?

Over the past couple of weeks the #SMEM Twitter world has been noodling with the question of the changing role of the Public Information Officer (PIO) in crisis.  Some even wondered aloud if this function is now obsolete with the ...

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RIP Boss Hawg

Last week a well-respected retired battalion chief from my department passed. He had been struggling with various medical issues , and after visiting him over the last month I know he is now in a much better place. His nickname ...

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What A Ride

Today I formally announced my retirement from the fire service; Pretty historic occasion in the Boyd household. After 30 years of public service in helping others during their worst day, I am turning in my badge and moving on. I ...

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“Command and Control”… Really?

The top down crisis management philosophy called “Command and Control” needs to go.  Yep, you read it right.  This statement is likely going to cause consternation among fellow Incident Commanders.  But, what the heck, I’m in the twilight of my ...

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A Really Dark Knight

Columbine, Fort Hood, and now Aurora, Colorado. Another bizarre and seemingly random shooting of the innocent by warped and sick criminals.  I’ll leave it to the attorneys, terrorist experts and mental health professionals to weigh in on why.  I want ...

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Its Just How We Roll

A couple of days ago, Dave Statter of Statter911 fame posted a link to a video that should warm your heart.  For those who think firefighters and police officers are only in the job for a “fat pension” and other ...

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Phases SMhases

Having suffered through four years of study and research paper production required to complete the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy, I swore I would never read another research paper, abstract, study or comic book related to ...

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