Spring Has Sprung: Some Thoughts From the Editor’s Desk

I would like to take a moment to ask everyone to remember Dennis Smith. Dennis Smith was a retired FDNYfirefighter who wrote Report from Engine Co. 82 and was the founder of Firehouse Magazine, which went into publication in 1976. Firehouse Editor-inChief Peter Matthews said it best; “Dennis had the ability to share life-saving techniques to firefighters across the country and share the stories of firefighters around the world.” He impacted the fire service with his writings and with his hands on experiences as Captain of Engine 82. Dennis served during the “War Years” of the 60s and 70s, which was the busiest time in the FDNY. His writings motivated me to serve the volunteer fire service for almost 30 years and to join the staff of Fire News , which was started in 1973. Almost 50 years later Fire News continues to represent the fire service in a positive light. May Dennis Smith be remembered for his love of the fire service and making it what it is today. Dennis died on January 21, 2022.

Moving along to spring 2022; what are you doing to improve your skills to be a better first responder? Recently, the NYSAFC held the Long Island Metro Fire/EMS Expo at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. I had a smile on my face as I watched many of the attendees pack the seminar room to attend classes that were presented by many of the great names in the fire service. Thank you to those speakers, who spent time talking with our responders well after their classes were finished.

April is the month that our field training reopens at our county and state fire academies. Over the winter, most training facilities have been overhauled and set up to challenge firefighters with new evolutions to test the skills of firefighters throughout our country.

In my firehouse there is a list of the handson classes that responders must attend. The intense training is well received by most members. I encourage our chiefs to share their opinions of the evolution with the staff at the fire academy. Keep in mind that most academies will “tweak” an evolution to better serve a department that comes from a different locale. If you want to see a change in an evolution, discuss it at the firehouse kitchen and bring up your ideas at your town and county fire chiefs council where the suggestions will be brought back to the academy.

Change happens with positive discussions.

In closing, I remember the recent loss of too many firefighters over the past few months. Fire News tries to honor everyone in our newspaper. This cannot happen if departments do not have an active Public Information Officer, who makes sure that Fire News has photos and a write up about the individual who has passed. I have asked many times for departments to make sure their PIOs get the word out to Fire News of all activities they would like to see in your newspaper. Yes, Fire News is your newspaper and represents your department. Please make sure we are kept abreast of what is happening in your department. You can email us with questions. The masthead on page 3 of every edition has an email address, so you can contact the newspaper with questions.

Stay safe and continue to train as if your life depends on it!

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Dennis