In December 2024 and January 2025, we examined the four attributes of smoke: velocity, volume, density, and color. Understanding each attribute is important, but firefighters must also know how to combine those observations into a quick, repeatable size-up.

   Last month, we explored the concept of reading smoke and focused on one critical attribute: velocity.

   Greetings Fellow Firefighters - I hope you all have had a great holiday season. The time spent with family and friends is truly a blessing.

   A little more than 80 firefighters from three states spent a weekend with two fire service legends on November 16 and 17.

   Well, here it is. Remember when we thought that 2024 would never get over.

   You may not enjoy reading books, but reading smoke is a must for all firefighters.

   Members of the Alpena and Town and Country Fire Departments responded to a car fire early on October 24. The fire was a result of a car vs. deer collision. No injuries were reported.