Instructor
Capitol Fire Training LLC
Bethesda, MD
Robert James (RJ) is a 24-year veteran of the fire service. He began his career as a volunteer firefighter with the Cromwell Volunteer Fire Department in Cromwell, Connecticut. After relocating to Maryland, he joined the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department in Montgomery County. He is currently employed by the Frederick County Fire Department in Frederick, Maryland, where he serves as a Lieutenant assigned to Engine Company 1 on the city's west side. Robert has received numerous citations and awards from the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department, Frederick County Fire Rescue, and the State of Maryland.
RJ has served as a lead instructor for numerous fire department training programs and is an instructor with the Frederick County Fire Department Training Academy. He is also the founder of Capitol Fire Training LLC. In addition, he has written articles for several well-established fire service publications, including Firehouse magazine and Fire Engineering. RJ has presented on numerous national fire service platforms and at conferences across the country.
The most important task—and the one that gives our citizens the best chance of survival on the fireground—is the ability to quickly and efficiently search for them and remove them from the threat.
Although search is a tactic that can be discussed for days on end, this class is designed to provide students with an abbreviated version of the essential information needed for aggressive searches, victim rescues, and removals.
Through interactive discussions covering good and bad calls, along with pictures and point-of-view videos from the fireground, this class is designed to prepare you for the next box alarm when you are responsible for the search.
Much like any organized sport, the starting players’ moves are rehearsed, consistently evaluated, and reviewed by coaches to improve performance—all with one goal: to win. The fireground really shouldn’t be any different, except everyone working on the scene is a key player in the game.
As professional members trusted by the public—whether career or volunteer—when we arrive on the fireground, we should bring a team that has rehearsed the moves, evaluated previous plays, and is committed to performing better than the last time.
Every fire we respond to should have members assigned to a specific position, with clearly defined responsibilities to carry out while in that role. In theory, if each player trains to know their role, works hard during practice for the good of the team, and strives toward a common goal of winning, then the team succeeds.
This presentation is designed to take that same concept and apply it to firefighter movements on the fireground. During the session, we will examine common types of structural fires, breaking down where firefighters need to be, what tools they should have in their hands, and the methodology behind their actions—all with the goal of achieving a successful outcome and winning on the fireground.
