Tom Merrill

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Articles

Winning With the Engine You Have, Not the Engine You Want

Nov 20, 2024 | fireengineering.com | Tom Merrill

In this episode of The Professional Volunteer Fire Department, host Tom Merrill talks with Brandon Fletcher about what departments can do to create a winning mindset and achieve success on the fireground with the engine they do have, not the one they wish they had. Building the perfect engine for your fire department is a challenge that many would love the opportunity to solve! Unfortunately, the opportunity is rarely afforded to the departments that operate in a rural environment.
The Professional Volunteer Fire Department: Corporate Transparency Act

Oct 16, 2024 | fireengineering.com | Tom Merrill

This must-listen episode features renowned fire service attorneys Brad Pinsky and Curt Varone. Pinsky and Varone put the Corporate Transparency Act in the spotlight, discussing its impact on fire and EMS agencies. Changes will be implemented as of January 1, 2025, so tune in if any of the following apply:You believe your agency is tax exempt. You know your agency is tax exempt. You need to learn more.
For some Salt Lake families, less space in the center of the city is more than enough.

Oct 9, 2024 | cityweekly.net | Tom Merrill

I did not make the decision to move into a high-rise lightly. I was worried about all sorts of things: not being able to park just outside my door; not having an enclosed, exclusive backyard; the feeling like we would be living on top of each other; noise from neighbors; not having enough storage space; and the list went on. Thankfully, I was purchasing from a friend who first let me rent for six months to ensure it worked for our family. The truth was, within a week we knew—condo life was for us.
The Professional Volunteer Fire Department: 30 Fires You Must Know!

Sep 18, 2024 | fireengineering.com | Tom Merrill

If the names Hackensack, Keokuk, Yarnell Hill, or Buffalo don’t resonate with you as a firefighter, you need to listen to this podcast. Host Tom Merrill speaks with Billy Goldfeder and Frank Leeb about their book, 30 Fires You Must Know. They are joined by guests Mike Lombardo of the Buffalo (NY) Fire Department; Mark Wessel of the Keokuk (IA) Fire Department; Steve Kalman of the Hackensack (NJ) Fire Department; and Joe Woyjeck of the Los Angeles County (CA) Fire Department.
Small Lake City

Sep 12, 2024 | ourcommunitynow.com | Tom Merrill

ShareIn her 2024 State of the City address, Mayor Erin Mendenhall made a statement that was music to my ears: "Downtown is for families." That simple statement embodied a core theme of her address, acknowledging that—despite the recent explosion in development and investment in our urban core—the number of families living downtown remains relatively small and that needs to change. And depending on who you spoke to afterward, this was either the absolute right focus or an impractical pipe dream.
Raising a family in downtown Salt Lake City is an adventure, but shouldn't be treated like a pipe dream.

Sep 11, 2024 | cityweekly.net | Tom Merrill

In her 2024 State of the City address, Mayor Erin Mendenhall made a statement that was music to my ears: "Downtown is for families."That simple statement embodied a core theme of her address, acknowledging that—despite the recent explosion in development and investment in our urban core—the number of families living downtown remains relatively small and that needs to change. And depending on who you spoke to afterward, this was either the absolute right focus or an impractical pipe dream.
Big Box Warehouse Dangers

Aug 21, 2024 | fireengineering.com | Tom Merrill

Around the country, large, warehouse-type structures are going up on a regular basis to house every type of product imaginable (think Amazon, Walmart). Often, they are built in small-town America and rely on the protection of volunteer fire departments. These structures present a multitude of challenges and there are important steps that need to be taken both before any shovels even hit the ground and continue after the warehouse is operational.
The Professional Volunteer Fire Department: Steve Prziborowski

Jun 19, 2024 | fireengineering.com | Tom Merrill

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The Professional Volunteer Fire Department: Talking OSHA with Dave Denniston

May 22, 2024 | fireengineering.com | Tom Merrill

As many of you are aware, OSHA is working on a complete overhaul to the decades old 29 CFR 1910.156 Fire Brigade Standard. While many of the proposed changes would be helpful and improve the safety of emergency responders, some could prove burdensome, and in some cases impossible, for volunteer fire and emergency service departments to comply with.
The Professional Mindset: Definitions Don’t Matter; Actions and Behavior Do

Mar 1, 2024 | fireengineering.com | Tom Merrill

VOLUNTEERS CORNER | By THOMAS A. MERRILLFor MORE THAN a decade now, I’ve discussed the importance of serving as a professional volunteer firefighter and running our volunteer fire departments in a professional manner. In Fire Engineering, online, on the speaking circuit, and now in a book, I have outlined why it’s so important. I’ve emphasized ways to create and enhance a volunteer member’s professional image and a volunteer department’s professional culture.