At the Colorado State Fire Fighters Association’s 2025 Fire College, Chop Shop RX Instructors Randy Wells and Eric Herbst highlighted key ways to limit the exertion on your body when carrying and using extrication tools. Check it out! VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION: How do you operate on a 20 minute cut job when you don’t have relief? The minute you start to …
In this episode, “Training To Perform Under Pressure” instructor, Adam Ritsch provides a quick tip for tying your ladder halyards off on the fireground. VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION: I’ll throw this to the window and the victim reaches out to grab the ladder out of distress if they pull on that at all. In theory, it’s separating just enough that my dog’s …
In this episode, “Training To Perform Under Pressure” instructor, Adam Ritsch provides insight for knowing what angles ladders can be utilized and how to best utilize them as a tool to help you, not hurt you. VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION: What about ladder angles? What angle do we typically want to throw our ground ladders up against the building? So usually one …
In this episode, “Training To Perform Under Pressure” instructor, Adam Ritsch provides insight for knowing what ladders can be married up and how that applies to the fireground. VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION: What about how my ladders marry up to each other, so each extension ladder marries up with a specific straight ladder. What are those sizes that marry up 24 and …
In this episode, “Training To Perform Under Pressure” instructor, Adam Ritsch provides an overview of ground ladders and their limitations, providing firefighters with knowledge of their weapon. VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION: Have y’all seen how they test these things? Typically test it annually. They’ve been the living mess out ’em. They put a giant weight in the middle and they flex this …
In this episode, “Training To Perform Under Pressure” instructor, Adam Ritsch gives an overview of “knowing your weapon” when it comes to the roof ladder. VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION: What’s kind of unique about that straight ladder or the roof ladder? Hooks on both ends, and you’ve got the butt spurs on both ends, right? Really, really nice. It’s, it’s bi-directional at …
In this episode, “Training To Perform Under Pressure” instructor, Adam Ritsch encourages firefighters to set up a drill at their stations to train in their own environment. VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION: Train well with ladders. Don’t just throw to an empty brick wall and be like, yep, we’re good. We covered it for the month. You’ll notice in the fire service is …
In this episode, “Training To Perform Under Pressure” instructor, Adam Ritsch instructs firefighters regarding knowing how your ladders and your district match up. Firefighters in this drill are required to throw six ladders to six different windows in two minutes. VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION: You shouldn’t just be throwing ladders to windows with no rhyme or reason. You should know exactly what …
In this episode, “Training To Perform Under Pressure” instructor, Adam Ritsch, explains the history behind the Paxton Drill, dating back to a fire in Chicago where dozens of victims were rescued from ladders upon arrival. VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION: You shouldn’t just be throwing ladders to windows with no rhyme or reason. You should know exactly what ladders you have and based …
In the final episode of the four-part Thermal Imaging Camera (TIC) training video series, “Training To Perform Under Pressure” instructor, Mike McCarthy, instructs firefighters on how to utilize and read a TIC while in a structure fire environment. VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION: Camera’s on, you’re gonna see that incipient stage quickly transfer to growth, right? Incipient stage. What does that give us? …
