Frank R. Myers

Frank R. Myers is a retired lieutenant with the City of Miami (Florida) Fire Rescue, where he served for 32 years. He works as a consultant for PSTrax.com, a technology service that helps fire departments across the country automate their apparatus, equipment and inventory checks.

Articles by Frank R. Myers

• Changing positions at your work helps you grow and mature

  While I was a firefighter in the Emergency Response Division for my former department, I sincerely looked…

  Thursday, February 28, 2019

• ‘Tuning in’ to people’s feelings, body language and voice tones

  I do not claim to be an expert, psychologist or therapy worker; however, I do believe I have a knack…

  Thursday, January 24, 2019

• How much pride do you have about your profession?

  Most of us take great pride in what we do for living — especially those who are in sworn, uniformed…

  Friday, January 11, 2019

• Logistics in the fire department

  When I first signed up to be on my department’s USAR (Urban Search and Rescue), FEMA Florida Task Force…

  Tuesday, December 04, 2018

• Is camaraderie a tradition we’re losing?

  With the advent of the digital age, we have become our own private islands and become immersed in looking…

  Wednesday, November 14, 2018

• Wheel chock placement for pumper and aerial apparatus

  I remember when I first started going through the procedures for becoming a driver engineer in my former…

  Wednesday, October 31, 2018

• Keeping your uniform in order says a lot

  Your uniform says a lot about you and your organization. Personal appearance and hygiene always need…

  Wednesday, October 10, 2018

• Is honesty the best policy?

  Every department operates with policies, standard operating procedures, guidelines, etc. However, no…

  Tuesday, September 18, 2018

• Maintaining your hand and power tools

  During morning checks of your apparatus, it is important to not only check the power tools on your truck,…

  Tuesday, September 04, 2018

• Are you prepared for retirement? What can you expect?

  Everyone at some point in their life looks forward to retiring. The issue facing some is what we do with…

  Wednesday, August 22, 2018

• Are you an opportunist or a contributor?

  Throughout a career, you will encounter many different types of individuals, each with unique personalities.…

  Monday, August 13, 2018

• What impression do you want to leave where you live?

  Most firefighters take great pride in their work and what they do. The decals on personal vehicles and…

  Tuesday, July 24, 2018

• What is the most important resource in your fire department?

  Shortly after I was promoted to lieutenant, a questionnaire was given out to several newly promoted personnel.…

  Wednesday, July 11, 2018

• Is entering all information needed if it isn’t critical? Absolutely

  If you have a job task that requires you to fill out and process forms, do you really need to complete…

  Wednesday, June 27, 2018

• Dealing with changes in management styles

  Everyone at some point in their careers will have to deal with the change of a supervisor. In the fire…

  Wednesday, June 13, 2018

• Then and now: Apparatus changes over the years

  As many of us have experienced over many years in a career, there are always trends and changes. Besides…

  Thursday, May 31, 2018

• An assortment of forgotten equipment and tools for firefighters

  One of the tasks assigned to a new firefighter was to learn the inventory on the trucks in the fire station.…

  Thursday, May 17, 2018

• Coping with the working blues

  ​If anyone has served for many years with a fire department, there will be times when a person will…

  Thursday, April 26, 2018

• Do you have a protocol for the death of a fellow firefighter?

  ​At some point in everyone's career, there will be a colleague who will die from accidental or natural…

  Thursday, April 12, 2018

• Interacting with other municipal agencies at work

  When I worked for the fire department, there were many instances and opportunities to interact with members…

  Thursday, March 29, 2018

• Pros and cons of a driver always staying with the truck

  Depending on the manning for your department and/or your area of response, is it a good idea to have…

  Thursday, March 15, 2018

• What you do off-duty is just as important as what you do on-duty

  ​One day my wife started getting rid of some old T-shirts of mine (without me knowing) to give away…

  Thursday, March 01, 2018

• Do you have people willing to do research and development?

  In the fire service, we always had the opportunity to try new equipment, gear, tools, uniforms, turnout…

  Wednesday, February 14, 2018

• Pay attention to more than just apparatus gauges and components

  ​With the inherent nature of firefighting, there are always changing events. It is a dynamic and ever-changing…

  Friday, January 26, 2018

• Is teaching theory necessary if it’s never used?

  ​After instructing aspiring driver engineers at my former department, there were many days of lecture…

  Thursday, January 11, 2018

• Better resources today for firefighters at major working fires

  At some point, a firefighter will experience a "major working fire." These types of fires are usually…

  Thursday, December 14, 2017

• Accomplish more by keeping structure and organization in your day

  Time seemed to go by quickly when employed by the fire service, but I can still recall the first day…

  Thursday, November 30, 2017

• Sometimes taking no action is a big mistake

  With the recent firing of six City of Miami firefighters, many have taken notice. Anytime there is a…

  Thursday, November 09, 2017

• Paying attention to the smaller items in your inventory goes a long way

  ​One of the things "old school" senior firefighters passed on to me was making sure the everyday hand…

  Thursday, October 26, 2017

• The psychology of becoming a firefighter

  My lifelong dream was to become a pilot, either military or commercial. However, the financial situation…

  Thursday, September 28, 2017

• Don’t let technology take your eyes off the big picture

  ​Now more than ever, we must be more diligent about keeping our eyes on other drivers. This is obvious…

  Wednesday, September 13, 2017

• How well are you performing proper chassis and fluid checks?

  ​Believe or not, there is a lot in common with the chassis of a fire apparatus and the different components…

  Thursday, August 24, 2017

• Take the extra steps to secure your station from terrorism

  ​With the ever-imposing threat of terrorism, it would be a good idea to remind your employees about…

  Thursday, August 10, 2017

• Your spare fleet is just as important as your front-line apparatus

  Maintaining and keeping your spare apparatus fleet functioning and assuring that it stays cosmetically…

  Thursday, July 27, 2017

• Troubleshoot placing your apparatus into pump gear

  Several times during my career I had been called out to evaluate a driver engineer/chauffeur having an…

  Thursday, July 13, 2017

• Surround yourself with motivated, knowledgeable people to improve opportunities

  I recently had the privilege to be invited to participate in a military exercise as a role player/subject…

  Thursday, June 22, 2017

• Know the basics when using a large-diameter hose

  Back in the day — before the introduction of the large-diameter hose (LDH) — we would use two lines…

  Friday, June 09, 2017

• Get to know your SCBA — it may save your life

  Besides our protective firefighting/turnout/bunker gear, our SCBAs are probably our most important piece…

  Thursday, May 11, 2017

• Advantages of doing hydrant maintenance in public

  ​If your department does hydrant maintenance such as flushing, testing, painting, etc., take advantage…

  Thursday, April 20, 2017

• Take the extra steps for your SCBAs to protect your members

  Departments, their SOPs and Air Program personnel need to assure that all safety precautions, fit tests…

  Thursday, April 06, 2017

• Sensors do not replace your senses when setting up aerial devices

  As technology continues to advance in the fire service, certain safety precautions still need to take…

  Thursday, February 23, 2017

• Keep your home, family and loved ones a priority in your career

  ​Most firefighters are gung-ho by nature. We run at 110 percent and thrive on the adrenaline. Even…

  Thursday, January 26, 2017

• Millennials still need to grasp the old-school ways in the fire service

  Technology has advanced tremendously in the past decade or more. There is no doubt it has changed our…

  Thursday, January 12, 2017

• Holidays bring a new set of skills we don’t usually practice

  The holiday season usually sees a spike in fire department alarms. There is no doubt some calls are the…

  Thursday, December 08, 2016

• Just how busy is the driver at a fire scene?

  The driver of a fire suppression emergency apparatus can become quite the busy little bee when arriving…

  Thursday, December 01, 2016

• Changing unwanted driver behavior and attitude

  There are times when a driver can begin to display bad habits when driving the apparatus. This can occur…

  Thursday, November 10, 2016

• New firefighters need to know their department’s vehicles

  My former department recently had many firefighters retire. Because of this, there was a need to train…

  Thursday, October 27, 2016

• Take advantage of fire department certification opportunities

  Many fire departments offer some type of education and/or certification policy or reimbursement program.…

  Wednesday, October 12, 2016

• Be prepared for when a civil disturbance occurs

  Recent events across the nation have raised awareness about a civil disturbance that could happen in…

  Wednesday, September 28, 2016

• Advance your career by working in different areas of your department

  ​One way to get a profound understanding of your career is to work in different interdepartmental areas.…

  Wednesday, September 14, 2016

• What you should do when new equipment arrives

  There are few feelings in a firefighter's career better than when you get new equipment either issued…

  Thursday, August 25, 2016

• How ready are you to do a public demonstration in an instant?

  I recall on many occasions being contacted by our district chief or other official fire department entity…

  Thursday, August 11, 2016

• What the driver can do to maintain the service life of a pump

  To help maintain a pump in good working order and extend its service life, a driver can keep pressure…

  Thursday, July 28, 2016

• Think vertical when operating fire apparatus

  Different from normal passenger vehicles, fire apparatus are taller from ground to roof line or highest…

  Wednesday, July 13, 2016

• Pros and cons of lower-friction hoses and lower-psi nozzles

  Several years ago, the fire department I worked at made a change to lower-friction hoses and lower-psi…

  Thursday, June 30, 2016

• Don’t let apparatus ‘tail whip’ catch you by surprise

  "Tail whip" refers to the area of the truck extending backwards from the rear or rearmost wheels to the…

  Thursday, June 16, 2016

• Truck steering and air brakes: Making them work in harmony

  ​One of the toughest adjustments for new apparatus drivers is knowing proper large vehicle operation…

  Thursday, May 26, 2016

• The best safety tip for driving emergency vehicles? Slow down

  The common reality for emergency vehicle drivers is a duty to respond. The people we serve want us to…

  Thursday, May 12, 2016

• During your morning checkout, don’t overlook the small details

  When it comes to routines, it's easy to miss the small details. I mean the little things you don't feel…

  Thursday, April 28, 2016

• Knowing where to look when driving fire apparatus

  ​Instructing many new firefighters on driving larger vehicles, I observed that one of the crucial items…

  Wednesday, April 13, 2016

• What items do you carry in your apparatus cab?

  I remember working on new apparatus specifications and debating the best place to keep our reference…

  Thursday, March 31, 2016

• Protecting your crew at an accident or emergency scene

  A substantial number of fire department alarms involve accident scenes. These emergencies can involve…

  Thursday, March 10, 2016

• Using electronic backup cameras

  New technology — and advancements to existing technology — floods the fire service year after year.…

  Thursday, February 25, 2016

• When technology fails, it pays to know your hydraulics

  ​Since teaching fire service hydraulics to aspiring driver engineers a few years ago, several new trends…

  Thursday, February 11, 2016

• Getting back to basics in fire truck specifications

  When you respond to an extensive number of calls, apparatus breakdowns are bound to occur. With technology…

  Thursday, January 21, 2016

• Have you considered a legacy, contingency or backfill plans?

  ​I remember the supervision books I read when studying for promotional exams always seemed to have…

  Thursday, January 07, 2016

• Color adjustment: Is red the right choice for fire trucks?

  I recently had a discussion with a colleague about the different colors fire trucks are these days. One…

  Thursday, December 03, 2015

• Leadership lesson: Giving driver candidates a second chance

  There is no doubt one of the most difficult tasks as a firefighter is operating at the pump panel of…

  Thursday, November 19, 2015

• Driver beware: You never know who is watching

  Video recording is everywhere — from personal cellphones to highway and street cameras that record…

  Thursday, October 01, 2015

• Do you support your members after a vehicle accident?

  Recently, an unfortunate event occurred in my former department. Two of our vehicles — an ALS unit…

  Wednesday, September 16, 2015

• How quickly can you set up a foam operation?

  How quickly can your crew set up a foam operation? For this article, I am talking about trucks (standard…

  Thursday, August 20, 2015

• Maintaining a great public impression

  Fire departments — and the firefighters that operate them — are pillars of the community. People…

  Wednesday, August 05, 2015

• Is your fire truck operation-ready 24/7/365?

  Despite why you chose a career in the fire service — to help people, excitement, tradition, opportunity,…

  Thursday, July 16, 2015

• Does your department have an Accident Review Committee?

  Depending on your department's accident rate, an Accident Review Committee may not be a bad idea. There…

  Wednesday, June 24, 2015

• How ready is your department when liability issues occur?

  Sooner or later, your department will face litigation from the private sector when an apparatus accident…

  Wednesday, May 20, 2015