There is a darkness in the world and we have the privilege and the burden of bearing witness to it. With our profession and a continual exposure to death, pain, and cruelty, it is natural to sometimes feel traumatized ourselves. This is normal if we are healthy, compassionate beings and not psychopaths. But the feeling […]

One of my mottos since becoming a firefighter is that you can’t have too many flashlights, carabiners, or knives, so I was excited to review the pink Bright Star Right Angle Responder Flashlight in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.   . You can never have too many flashlights, carabiners, or knives.   I’m always a […]

My thoughts for today about my fire company:   Being a female in the volunteer fire service comes with a unique set of challenges; some of which are very real and nearly tangible, and others, I admit, may only exist in our (often self-conscious) imaginations. These challenges present themselves differently for all of us, so […]

Advice for a Girl Joining an all Male Fire Department   This list was given by Kenia Trevino in response to a question posted on Triple F’s group page. I thought it was very wise and so I’m sharing it! Of course, no list is definitive. There’s always more to say or do. What are […]

My Dear First Responders,   If there’s ever any doubt that what we does matters, if you ever wonder if we really have an impact on our society and world, this morning answers that question loud and clear.   Yes. We Matter. The world needs us.   When I heard the news about the Orlando […]

In the last few years Miami Dade Fire Rescue has lost so many firefighters in their prime, it’s hard to fathom. We are still reeling. It’s taken me a few days to process the loss of Maggie Lane, but I’ve come to feel her life defines her far more than her death. It’s Maggie’s life […]

Triple F–A Manifesto   Manifest discipline emotionally, professionally, morally and intellectually. Let your discipline be revealed in the way you dress, speak, walk, work, and comport yourself with co-workers and the public. Develop attention to detail. Start small and work up. Take pride in the little things. Kick ass on the big things.   Embrace compassion […]

The Station Ready Rookie; Firefighter Preparation Beyond the State Skills Test is a slender gem of a book. Simple. Concise. Direct. And yet it is chockfull of wisdom and common sense. It lays out practices essential for anyone who wants to excel in the fire service. If firefighting is just a paycheck and an ego […]

  The fire service abounds in physical courage. Firefighters will walk into burning buildings, dive into frigid waters, and enter crack houses in the dead of night. Courage is a given. The physical kind, that is. We don’t even think about it much; it’s such a day to day part of our job. Toxic spills? […]

At 6 AM on a gorgeous spring day I woke up on the wrong coast in a supremely comfortable hotel bed. I had a private room in a Spanish style hostel just south of Fort Lauderdale. A cool breeze rustled the palms outside my window as it wandered in through the screen. It was my […]