Greg Timinsky

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

🚨 CERTIFY YOUR INCIDENT COMMANDERS 🚨

Every fire department trains firefighters to perform in the hazard zone. Why wouldn't we train and certify the people responsible for managing it?

The difference between a successful incident and a near miss often comes down to command performance. Clear size-ups. Effective strategy. Strong communication. Accountability. Risk management. These are not talents—they are skills that can be trained, measured, and improved.

Blue Card provides a standardized command system built on best practices, real-world fireground experience, and performance-based certification. It gives your command officers a common language, a repeatable process, and the confidence to make critical decisions when conditions are changing rapidly.

Your firefighters deserve more than good intentions. They deserve trained, certified incident commanders.

Learn more about certifying your department's incident commanders at https://t.co/mkyHOVAgyC.

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

🚨 Yesterday we wrapped up a two-day Blue Card Mayday Management Workshop in West Fargo, North Dakota. 🚨

Command officers and firefighters from the West Fargo Fire Department, Dickinson Fire Department, and Moorhead Fire Department (MN) spent two days sharpening their skills in managing firefighter emergencies, Mayday communications, accountability, and strategic command decision-making.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to our hosts for a great workshop focused on improving firefighter safety and performance.

#BlueCardCommand #MaydayManagement #FirefighterSafety #IncidentCommand #HazardZoneManagement

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

🔥 Blue Card Simulation of the Week 🔥

Commercial #5 – Dollar Store Attic Fire

It looks like "just a dollar store"—but the real hazard is hidden above the ceiling.

This week's simulation challenges Incident Commanders to manage a concealed attic fire in an 11,000-square-foot commercial occupancy featuring lightweight parallel chord wood truss construction, limited access points, and fire extension from an exterior electrical panel into the attic space.

As crews investigate extension, command must answer critical questions about strategy, risk, building construction, and firefighter safety.

Log in, size it up, and put your command decision-making to the test.

#BlueCardCommand #SimulationOfTheWeek #IncidentCommand #FireCommand #HazardZoneManagement #CommandTraining #FirefighterSafety

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

👕 NEW AT B SHIFTER 👕

B Shifters know there’s a time to be serious—and a time to celebrate the stories, traditions, and characters that make firehouse life unforgettable.

Introducing the Ladder 11 "Raging Queen" Shirt.

The legend. The nickname. The truck nobody could tame.

For years, Ladder 11 rolled through Phoenix with a nameplate that made people laugh, shake their heads, and secretly wish they were assigned there:

🔥 THE RAGING QUEEN 🔥

Part pirate ship. Part firehouse rebellion. All attitude.

What started as a joke from an old Saturday Night Live sketch became one of the most legendary ladder company nicknames in the fire service. Generations of firefighters fought to keep the name alive—while others did everything they could to get rid of it.

This was the crew that cut roofs harder, played better pranks, stole attack lines, used way too much cling gauze, and somehow turned station life into an art form.

The Raging Queen colored outside the lines.

It wasn’t polished.
It definitely wasn’t subtle.
But it was family.
If you know, you know.
Get yours here:
🛒 https://t.co/6Cwm9b1tlt

#Firefighter #FirehouseTraditions #Ladder11 #RagingQueen #BShifter #FireServiceCulture #FirehouseLife #IfYouKnowYouKnow

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

🏭🚒 THE ONLY BIG BOX WORKSHOP AT THE ALAN V. BRUNACINI COMMAND TRAINING CENTER IN 2026 🚒🏭 October 19 & 20, 2026
Today's warehouses, fulfillment centers, and distribution hubs are larger, more complex, and more challenging than ever before. Many now exceed 600,000 to 1 million square feet, creating unique command and hazard-zone management challenges that demand a different level of preparation.

Join Blue Card and Shane Ray, President of the National Fire Sprinkler Association, for an intensive two-day workshop focused on:

✅ Big box fire behavior and operational challenges
✅ Risk-based strategic decision-making
✅ Fire protection systems & sprinkler operations
✅ Hazard-zone management and command strategy
✅ Lessons learned from major incidents across North America
✅ Hands-on big box command simulations
If your department protects warehouses, fulfillment centers, distribution facilities, or large commercial occupancies, this workshop is a must.
Train at the home of modern hazard-zone management and prepare your command team for the next generation of big box incidents.
🎯 Seats are limited. Register today and secure your spot: https://t.co/5kagERjniy

#BlueCardCommand #BigBoxWorkshop #FireCommand #HazardZoneManagement #IncidentCommand #FireServiceLeadership @NFSAorg

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

🔥 "The Fire Doesn't Care About Your Plan." 🔥

In this clip from the latest B Shifter Podcast, UL FSRI’s Dr. Dan Madrzykowski breaks down the lessons learned from the LaGrange incident and why firefighters must understand the relationship between ventilation, fire growth, and water application.

When fire extends from the exterior and re-enters a structure, conditions can change rapidly. The answer isn't more ventilation — it's understanding the fire dynamics at play and getting effective water on the fire.

As Dan explains, sometimes the best tactic is simple:

➡️ Flow water.
➡️ Keep moving.
➡️ Let the fire tell you what's working.
This is a powerful reminder that fire dynamics isn't just a classroom topic — it directly impacts command decisions and firefighter survival.
🎧 Watch the clip and then listen to the full episode for more insights on exterior fires, EV incidents, warehouse fires, and command decision-making.

Podcast: https://t.co/q145iON03F

#BShifter #FireDynamics #ULFSRI #DanMadrzykowski #FireCommand #BlueCard #IncidentCommand #FirefighterTraining #CommandTraining #SizeUp #FiregroundOperations

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

Today, we remember the five Houston firefighters who lost their lives in the Southwest Inn fire on May 31, 2013.

Captain Matthew Renaud, Engineer Operator Robert Bebee, Firefighter Robert Garner, and Firefighter Anne Sullivan made the ultimate sacrifice while operating at a rapidly deteriorating commercial structure fire. Captain William Dowling suffered catastrophic injuries during the collapse and later passed away from those injuries in 2017.

The Southwest Inn fire remains one of the most significant line-of-duty death incidents of the modern fire service. A fire that had been burning undetected for hours, wind-driven fire conditions, lightweight construction, communication challenges, accountability issues, and a rapidly changing hazard zone combined to create a tragic outcome.

Read the NIOSH report here: https://t.co/FNOAHQLbZf

#HoustonFireDepartment #SouthwestInn #NeverForget #FirefighterSafety #FireCommand #BShifter #LODD #FireServiceHistory

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

🚨 NEW FROM BLUE CARD 🚨

Successful fireground operations depend on more than good command decisions — they require alignment between the strategic, tactical, and task levels of the incident.

The NEW Blue Card® Firefighter / First Responder (Non-IC) Program is designed specifically for firefighters, apparatus operators, EMS personnel, and recruits operating in the hazard zone.

This 4–5 hour module helps personnel understand:
🔥 Blue Card terminology and operational language
🔥 Effective radio communications
🔥 Accountability and On-Deck responsibilities
🔥 Task Location Objectives (TLOs)
🔥 CAN Reports and assignment management
🔥 How command decisions drive fireground operations

When everyone operates from the same framework and speaks the same language, communication improves, assignments become clearer, accountability is strengthened, and operations become safer and more effective.

Most importantly, firefighters learn not just WHAT they are being asked to do — but WHY.
Build a common operating picture from the command post to the hazard zone.
👉 Learn more and get started today: https://t.co/wsIz8NnSmj

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

🔥 NEW B Shifter Podcast Episode 🔥

We sit down with UL FSRI’s Dr. Dan Madrzykowski to discuss how fire dynamics drives outcomes at outside fires, vehicle fires, and “container” incidents just as much as it does in residential structures. This episode connects real-world case studies to practical command decisions so crews stop feeding the fire with ventilation and start controlling conditions with effective water application and better size-up.

🎧 Listen now and sharpen your command decision-making: https://t.co/q145iON03F

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

🔥 Blue Card Simulation of the Week 🔥
Residential 6A, Sim A — Garage Fire

A vehicle fire inside an attached garage is one of the most dangerous and fast-moving residential fire scenarios crews face. With the garage door already open on arrival, the fire has all the air it needs to rapidly extend into concealed spaces, upper floors, and exterior siding.

This week’s simulation reinforces a critical operational principle:
💧 Put water on the fire as quickly and safely as possible.

Instead of delaying extinguishment by advancing through the unburned living space, crews should use the garage’s built-in fire separation to their advantage:
✔️ Keep the interior garage door closed
✔️ Make a quick exterior attack from the Alpha side
✔️ Confine the fire to the garage compartment
✔️ Reduce extension and overall property loss

Key Operational Considerations:
• Life safety
• Quick-hit garage fire attack
• Maintaining compartmentation
• Limited water supply / no hydrants
• Resource management
• Concealed space extension

Modern fire dynamics punish delayed water application. Train the decision-making process before the call comes in.

👉 Log in and run the simulation this week.

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

🚨 Blue Card Train-the-Trainer | Portsmouth, NH 🚨
June 8–12, 2026
There are still a few seats remaining for this five-day instructor development program designed to certify department trainers to deliver the Blue Card Incident Command Training & Certification Program within their organizations.
Built on more than 40 years of fireground command training and refinement, the Blue Card system provides a standardized, performance-based approach focused on firefighter safety, strategic decision-making, and hazard zone management.

Instructor Certification Package Includes:
• Full access to Blue Card training modules & instructional materials
• Instructor guides and support documents
• Tactical PowerPoints and command templates
• Residential, commercial, strip mall & big box simulations
• After Action Review (AAR) System access
• Complete Hazardous Materials IC curriculum
• Instructional MP4 videos covering Fire Command, Critical Factors, MAYDAY Management, On-Deck, Recycle, 3 Deep, SDG Operations & more

If your department is ready to build a standardized command system based on command performance — not theory — now is the time to secure your seat.

View the full 2026 schedule & claim your seat today: https://t.co/5kagERjniy

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

🚨 PRE-ORDER NOW: Fire Command – Third Edition 🚨

Built on the principles of Alan V. Brunacini and updated for today’s fire service, Fire Command Third Edition continues to provide a practical, street-level approach to managing everyday incidents safely and effectively. From strategy and tactics to firefighter safety and command performance, this seminal textbook remains a foundational resource for company officers and incident commanders alike.

📘 Learn more about the fire service’s go-to command textbook and secure your copy today: https://t.co/9qTP5pfAYQ

#FireCommand #BlueCard #IncidentCommand #FireServiceLeadership #CommandTraining #HazardZoneManagement #FirefighterSafety #FireOfficer #BShifter #AlanBrunaci

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

On the latest B Shifter Podcast — Firefighter safety is not one person standing outside the hazard zone trying to play catch-up.

This episode dives into why safety officers must be part of a built-in command safety system — connected to supervision, accountability, communications and strategic decision-making from the very beginning of the incident.
🔥 Topics include:
• Embedded safety vs. reactive safety
• Residential and commercial fireground threats
• Division boss & support officer accountability
• NIOSH contributing factors to firefighter injuries & LODDs
• Why command owns the safety system
🎧 Listen now and share with your crew.
Listen Here: https://t.co/aXxdW4BlLl

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

A huge thank you to Cottage Grove, Minnesota Fire Department for hosting another two day Blue Card MAYDAY Management Workshop this week.

Over two days, firefighters and command officers worked through MAYDAY prevention, managing firefighter rescue operations, strategic decision-making, and command simulations designed to improve firefighter survival and hazard-zone management.

Departments represented included:
• Burnsville Fire Department
• Chaska Fire Department
• Roseville Fire Department
• Cottage Grove Fire Department
• Inver Grove Heights Fire Department
• Lake Johanna Fire Department
• MSP Airport Fire Department
• Maplewood Fire Department
• Minnetonka Fire Department
• Rogers Fire Department
• Saint Paul Fire Department
• Savage Fire Department
• Shakopee Fire Department
• Mdewakanton Public Safety
• South Metro Fire Department
• St. Paul Park Fire Department
• St. Cloud Fire Department
• St. Louis Park Fire Department
• Vadnais Heights Fire Department
Thank you to everyone who attended and invested in improving MAYDAY management and command performance.
View upcoming Blue Card Workshops & events here: Blue Card Events & Workshops: https://t.co/5kagERjV86

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

🚨 NOW OPEN! 🚨

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program has helped fund command training programs across the country for more than a decade—and we can help your department build a strong, competitive narrative for your application.
📍 Application Deadline: June 22, 2026
🔥 AFG Grant Programs Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO):
https://t.co/RX7v8xrciU

If your department is considering funding command training through AFG, reach out to Josh for assistance with grant planning and narrative development. 📧 [email protected]

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

A huge thank you to everyone who attended the first Blue Card Mayday Management Workshop in Cottage Grove, Minnesota. We appreciate the commitment to improving firefighter safety, command performance, and MAYDAY management inside the hazard zone.

We trained with leaders from Cottage Grove Fire Department, Saint Paul Fire Department, Oakdale Fire Department, Newport Fire Department, North Saint Paul Fire, Maplewood Fire Department, Hastings Fire Department, Chanhassen Fire Department, and Lake Elmo Fire Department.

Interested in sharpening your command and MAYDAY management skills? Check out upcoming Blue Card workshops here: https://t.co/5kagERjniy

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

Today is Day 2 of two Blue Card Mayday Management Workshops in Cottage Grove, Minnesota.

Over the past two days, leaders from Cottage Grove Fire Department, Saint Paul Fire Department, Oakdale Fire Department, Newport Fire Department, North Saint Paul Fire, Maplewood Fire Department, Hastings Fire Department, Chanhassen Fire Department, and Lake Elmo Fire Department have been taking a deep dive into why MAYDAYs happen, how we prevent them, and when they do occur—how we manage them effectively inside the hazard zone.

Hey Upper Midwest — we’re bringing Blue Card Mayday Management to Fargo, North Dakota June 2-3. Come sharpen your command and MAYDAY management skills with us. Learn more here: https://t.co/5kagERjniy,

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

Today, @NFSAorg President Shane Ray is kicking off the Blue Card Big Box Workshop in Hall County, Georgia.

Over the next two days, students will take a deep dive into the challenges of commanding fires in modern large commercial and warehouse occupancies, including risk-based decision making, built-in fire protection systems, strategic command functions, and real-world case studies from across North America.

Big box fires continue to challenge the modern fire service — and this workshop is designed to give incident commanders the tools and decision-making framework needed to manage these high-risk incidents safely and effectively.

Interested in bringing a Blue Card Big Box Workshop to your region or attending an upcoming session? Learn more here: https://t.co/5kagERjniy

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

This week’s Blue Card Simulation of the Week tackles one of the most dangerous incidents in the fire service: natural gas emergencies.

NG Simulation #1 challenges the IC to manage a rapidly escalating gas leak inside a single-family dwelling that quickly transitions from an offensive investigation to a defensive operation with a 25-home evacuation after crews encounter a 10% LEL reading.

This simulation reinforces strategic transitions, natural gas SOPs, evacuation decision-making, and risk management during low-frequency/high-consequence incidents. Log in and check it out.

[BShifter @BlueCardHZ]

Today kicks off Session 1 of the Blue Card Mayday Management Workshop in Cottage Grove, Minnesota.

Over the next two days, leaders from Cottage Grove Fire Department, Saint Paul Fire Department, Oakdale Fire Department, Newport Fire Department, North Saint Paul Fire, Maplewood Fire Department, Hastings Fire Department, Chanhassen Fire Department, and Lake Elmo Fire Department will take a deep dive into why MAYDAYs happen, how we prevent them, and when they do occur—how we manage them effectively inside the hazard zone.

Interested in sharpening your command and MAYDAY management skills? Check out upcoming Blue Card workshops here: https://t.co/5kagERjniy