Technology has advanced tremendously in the past decade or more. There is no doubt it has changed our lives and the way we do things. However, technology cannot replace certain knowledge, skills and abilities — especially when it comes to the fire department.

One of many skills that has gone by the wayside is driving a manual (stick-shift) vehicle. My first car was a stick-shift. When I was hired as a firefighter, most trucks at the time were manual transmissions.

There were synced and unsynced gears. The unsynced were much harder to master since it required technique and feel. These required knowing the "revs" and when to shift along with double-clutching and revving when downshifting. It was necessary to downshift since brake technology was not like it is today. Downshifting kept your brakes from heating up and experiencing brake fade or drift.

I recall my fellow co-worker, who had come on the job about the same time as me, stating that the senior drivers would not allow him to drive the pumper until he proved he could shift the gears without "grinding" them.

Some departments today may still have manual transmission trucks in their fleet. If a change-out occurs or a firefighter gets a driving position on a stick-shift apparatus and he doesn't know how to drive it, he has a steep learning curve to master in a hurry, especially if responding with lights and siren.

Even though technology can assist us with immediately taking pictures and sending information to people instantaneously via email or text message, we still need to know the different components of our trucks and how to inspect them. We need to grab, shake and visually inspect the different parts to assure that they are functionally sound.

For example, check the power steering box for leaks, the pitman arm for excessive play or cracks, the tie rods and tie rod ends, the drag link. Visually inspect the leaf spring stack, the spring hangers, the U-bolts. Check for excessive steering wheel play; examine the tires (both inside and out), the disk brakes and rotors for unusual wear patterns or discoloration. Check the rims for cracks, welds or rust, the hub seal for leaking oil, and the lug nuts to assure they are not backing off or are damaged.

By doing this, we can give a detailed explanation to maintenance personnel of the problem at hand, rather than just taking a picture and sending it.

Every station should have a mechanic creeper to be able to get under the truck to perform visual inspections of those other components that are not readily visible while simply parked at the station and doing a walkaround.

Know the inventory of the truck — intimately piece by piece, compartment by compartment, box by box, kit by kit, without having to look at a tablet or phone to figure out where it is. We also need to identify the different components of the pump panel or aerial controls. Basically, know the proper terminology and locations for all.

Identify the different types of fluids, their color and texture to determine what is leaking and relay it to the mechanics. Observe all the gauges and know the proper readings and ranges that they are supposed to be at.

In other words, process all information in the best computer we have our brain. It is sometimes easier to make a phone call or have a face-to-face conversation and explain it to another person rather than texting or emailing.

Yes, there are advantages to having technology when it comes to inventory management, apparatus inspections and checkouts, PPE monitoring, station supplies and going paperless with the use of the virtual world and cloud. But it should not replace those basic skills necessary to do our job well especially when lives are at stake.

We cannot expect to do tabletop training and watch a video, for example, on advancing a hose line or placing a truck into pump gear. What needs to occur is performing these functions with hands-on training so we can execute decisively as if it were second nature. The time to watch a video on how to do a procedure is not at the fire or emergency scene.

The old-school techniques still have a valid place in the fire service. There is no doubt millennials are more up to speed with the latest and greatest technology available. However, as we have heard before, there is nothing that can replace experience and time on the job.

Just when you think something won't happen, it will. It may present a unique situation you have never experienced before. But the "old-timer" on the job probably has. Learn from and respect the senior firefighters and gather all the information you can from them before they retire and are gone.