Table of Contents
- Adopt Strongman Training for Better Fitness
- Take Advantage of Sensor-Enhanced Aircraft
- Drive Root Cause Analysis for Lasting Fixes
- Prioritize Spine Hygiene for Firefighters
- Set Fitness Standards for Optimal Performance
- Plan Structured Transitions for Investigators
- Build Common Operating Platforms for Better Collaboration
- Boost Drone Use for Enhanced Surveillance
- Swap Sit-Ups for Safer Core Workouts
- Create SMART Goals for Your Department
1. Adopt Strongman Training for Better Fitness
From:
Behind The Shield - "Dr Stuart McGill (Overcoming Back Injury, Sleep Deprivation and Movement Assessment) - Episode 95"Listen at: 01:15:15 – 01:16:10
Difficulty: Medium
Application Area: Training & Education
Who is this for?: Case Manager/Supervisor
Operational Impact Score: 9/10
Firefighters often face irregular loads, awkward carries, and sudden bursts of power. Dr. Stuart McGill suggests switching up your regular gym routine with strongman-style moves like sandbag carries, tire flips, and sled drags. These exercises build strength specific to your duties and help cut back on back injuries.
What to do?
Run a weekly "functional strength" block with three stations (sandbag carry, tire flip, sled drag) for four rounds. Pair each firefighter with a coach to work on proper form.
Success Indicator:
A 20% drop in musculoskeletal injury reports and faster scene-task completion within six months.
2. Take Advantage of Sensor-Enhanced Aircraft
From:
The Hotshot Wake Up - "CEO Of Bridger Aerospace, Sam Davis…"Listen at: 00:24:04 – 00:26:21
Difficulty: Medium
Application Area: Technology Integration
Who is this for?: Investigator
Operational Impact Score: 9/10
Imagine having real-time data from IR, multispectral, and gas sensors on your aircraft. This setup gives incident commanders a live overview of [fire behavior](https://blazestack.com/glossary/#fire-behavior). Investigators benefit, too, they can pinpoint where fires start and assess hazards quicker.
What to do?
Coordinate with your aviation units to stream sensor data into your command trailer via a secure API, and make sure to archive the feeds for later analysis.
Success Indicator:
Containment strategy updates come 30% faster and investigation teams spend less time on the scene.
3. Drive Root Cause Analysis for Lasting Fixes
From:
The C.A.N. Report - "Episode 77 with Dr. David Hupp"Listen at: 10:57 – 13:39
Difficulty: Medium
Application Area: Process Improvement
Who is this for?: Investigator
Operational Impact Score: 9/10
Are you tired of seeing the same equipment issues or missed evidence over and over? A structured Root Cause Analysis (RCA) gets to the heart of the problem. Whether you use the Five Whys or a Fishbone Diagram, these tools help you uncover similar problems and fix them permanently.
What to do?
After the next near-miss or issue, hold a 60-minute RCA session. Map out the contributing factors on a whiteboard and assign specific corrective actions with deadlines.
Success Indicator:
Recurrence of the issue drops to under 5% in one operational quarter.
4. Prioritize Spine Hygiene for Firefighters
From:
Behind The Shield - "Dr Stuart McGill (Overcoming Back Injury, Sleep Deprivation and Movement Assessment) - Episode 95"Listen at: 00:17:14 – 00:18:27
Difficulty: Medium
Application Area: Training & Education
Who is this for?: Investigator
Operational Impact Score: 9/10
Small changes in daily movements can have a huge impact on back health. Techniques like hip-hinge lifts and brace-and-move routines help reduce tension in painful tissues and ward off chronic back problems, a major issue that leads to lost investigative days.
What to do?
Add a 15-minute "spine hygiene" session into your morning briefings. Include exercises like cat-camel mobilizations, standing hip hinges, and safe object pickups.
Success Indicator:
Sick days due to low-back pain reduce by 25% within a year.
5. Set Fitness Standards for Optimal Performance
From:
Behind The Shield - "Steve Gowin (Tactical Athlete Fitness…) - Episode 1171"Listen at: 01:28:30 – 01:29:05
Difficulty: High
Application Area: Process Improvement
Who is this for?: Case Manager/Supervisor, Administrative Staff
Operational Impact Score: 9/10
Having formal fitness benchmarks helps ensure every responder is physically ready for any challenge, whether hauling hoses, breaching doors, or handling long investigations. Fitness standards keep everyone up to par and prevent fatigue-related mistakes.
What to do?
Develop a standard based on NFPA 1583, schedule bi-annual fitness assessments, and set up remedial training for anyone who doesn’t meet the mark.
Success Indicator:
Achieve 100% compliance in assessments and cut on-scene injury claims by 15%.
6. Plan Structured Transitions for Investigators
From:
Transition Drill - "Too Many Options Doesn’t Make Transition Easier…"Listen at: 20:06 – 20:33
Difficulty: Medium
Application Area: Career Transition Planning
Who is this for?: Investigator
Operational Impact Score: 9/10
When investigators leave unexpectedly, departments lose valuable experience. A clear roadmap can help retain that knowledge. By mapping out skills, identifying two target careers, and setting milestone dates, you give your team clarity about their future.
What to do?
Hand out a transition worksheet to each investigator and set up quarterly mentoring sessions.
Success Indicator:
80% of personnel report feeling highly confident about their post-service plans on annual surveys.
7. Build Common Operating Platforms for Better Collaboration
From:
The Hotshot Wake Up - "CEO Of Bridger Aerospace, Sam Davis…"Listen at: 00:32:01 – 00:34:38
Difficulty: High
Application Area: Collaboration & Communication
Who is this for?: Multi-Agency Team
Operational Impact Score: 9/10
When data gets stuck in silos, decision-making slows down. A shared dashboard that combines satellite, drone, and ground information helps every agency work off the same page, and the same map.
What to do?
Set up a joint task force to choose an open-standards platform (think ATAK), define data schemas, and run a pilot during your next regional exercise.
Success Indicator:
Inter-agency information requests drop to less than two minutes during live incidents.
8. Boost Drone Use for Enhanced Surveillance
From:
The Hotshot Wake Up - "CEO Of Bridger Aerospace, Sam Davis…"Listen at: 00:39:12 – 00:40:35
Difficulty: Medium
Application Area: Technology Integration
Who is this for?: Investigator
Operational Impact Score: 9/10
Using night-capable drones offers a big advantage. These UAVs can map hotspots, spot new ignitions, and even produce 3-D models of a scene for later review.
What to do?
Get two team members Part 107 certified and invest in a thermal-equipped drone. Then, integrate the flight logs into your evidence chain.
Success Indicator:
You'll see a 40% reduction in the time needed to locate and document fire origin and cause.
9. Swap Sit-Ups for Safer Core Workouts
From:
Behind The Shield - "Dr Stuart McGill (Overcoming Back Injury, Sleep Deprivation and Movement Assessment) - Episode 95"Listen at: 01:11:32 – 01:12:50
Difficulty: Medium
Application Area: Training & Education
Who is this for?: Administrative Staff
Operational Impact Score: 8/10
Traditional sit-ups can strain your spine, increasing the risk of injury. Instead, exercises like front planks and stir-the-pot movements target core endurance without the extra risk.
What to do?
Revise your department’s PT policy by removing sit-ups and adding a 90-second plank challenge with options to ramp up in difficulty.
Success Indicator:
Expect core-related injuries to drop by at least 15% by the next annual review.
10. Create SMART Goals for Your Department
From:
The C.A.N. Report - "Episode 77 with Dr. David Hupp"Listen at: 16:17 – 19:15
Difficulty: Low
Application Area: Case Management
Who is this for?: Case Manager/Supervisor
Operational Impact Score: 8/10
Nothing stalls progress like vague goals. When you set SMART goals, Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound, you turn big ideas into clear, actionable steps that boost accountability.
What to do?
Hold a two-hour workshop where each unit drafts one SMART goal, displays it publicly, and reviews the progress every month.
Success Indicator:
Within 90 days, 90% of these goals should be “on-track.”
Bring These Ideas to Your Fire Investigations
Whether it’s getting physically ready with new training techniques, introducing cutting-edge tech, or refining your processes, every tip here is designed to make fire investigations safer, more efficient, and more accurate. Find the one that fits your current challenge, schedule an implementation date, and keep an eye on the success indicators. Your next investigation could set a new standard for excellence.
