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Coffee Break Bulletins for fire and EMS personnel

These short bulletins provide information on training and educational topics to assist the fire and emergency services with professional development.

Fire and emergency medical services personnel with busy daily schedules often don't have time to attend valuable skill-enhancing training sessions, so the U.S. Fire Administration provides Coffee Break Bulletins for you to read and enjoy during your daily break.

photo two firefighters carrying gear and talking
NEW

Situational awareness basics — look and listen (Part 2: mental environment)

  • Health & Safety

Learn how to increase psychological situational awareness for your own and your crew's well-being.

Posted: Nov. 18, 2020
wildland firefighter observing an incident scene

Situational awareness basics — look and listen (Part 1: physical environment)

  • Health & Safety

Firefighters: learn how to identify your own situational awareness deficiencies and open up to a broader view at the scene and around the station.

Posted: Nov. 5, 2020

Explore more Coffee Break Bulletins:

firefighters talking to each other
NEW
Situational awareness basics — look and listen (Part 2: mental environment)
Posted: Nov. 18, 2020
wildland firefighter observing an incident scene
NEW
Situational awareness basics — look and listen (Part 1: physical environment)
Posted: Nov. 5, 2020
community members meeting about wildfire projects
Fire-adapted communities
Posted: Aug. 26, 2020
man wearing a headset in front of a monitor
Virtual reality training may save firefighter lives
Posted: July 8, 2020
photo of wildfire on a hillside with homes in the foreground
How to create a Community Wildfire Protection Plan
Posted: June 24, 2020
photo of a backdraft explosion
Recognizing backdraft conditions can save your life
Posted: May 19, 2020
photo of a flashover in a living room
Recognizing flashover conditions can save your life
Posted: May 5, 2020
park in foreground with wildfire in background
Addressing wildland fire challenges with the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy
Posted: April 21, 2020
firefighters spraying AFFF
The hidden dangers in firefighting foam
Posted: Feb. 11, 2020
firefighters talking
Feedback: why it is critical to your growth as a leader
Posted: Jan. 28, 2020
standpipe
Plan a better fire attack by understanding standpipe systems
Posted: Dec. 11, 2019
fire hydrant cleared of snow
Prepare for winter weather fire protection challenges
Posted: Oct. 31, 2019
firefighter showing smoke alarm to mom holding her daughter
Is your smoke alarm installation program a liability concern?
Posted: Oct. 8, 2019
steel building construction
Inspecting fire-resistive steel construction for damage
Posted: Aug. 15, 2019
propane exchange stand
Required storage distances for LPG cylinder stands
Posted: July 26, 2019
fire engine responding to a car fire
Know the threats before you attack an electric vehicle fire
Posted: June 18, 2019
fire engine with fireworks in the background
Educating the public about safe handling of fireworks
Posted: June 3, 2019
water gauge with out of service sign
Planning for a fire protection system shut down
Posted: May 12, 2019
firefighters talking
Six tips for becoming a great mentor
Posted: April 23, 2019
temporary standpipe
Temporary standpipe systems
Posted: April 2, 2019
building under renovation
Fire prevention at buildings under renovation or construction
Posted: March 19, 2019
firefighters on hose line
Improving on-scene performance
Posted: March 5, 2019
fire station damaged by a disaster
After a disaster: recovery assistance for fire departments
Posted: Feb. 19, 2019
firefighter using a tablet
Improving responder performance using job aids
Posted: Feb. 5, 2019
firefighter testing mask
Evaluating your need for new technology
Posted: Dec. 11, 2018
open hands holding a padlock
Student privacy rights: what training managers need to know
Posted: Nov. 27, 2018
man using a laptop
Online learning opportunities for fire and building code officials
Updated: Jan. 7, 2021
new home construction
Residential fire sprinklers save lives and money
Updated: Jan. 7, 2021
fire at a shopping complex
The Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule
Updated: Jan. 7, 2021
testing laboratory
How to contact a nationally recognized testing laboratory
Updated: Jan. 7, 2021
steel construction
Building construction special inspections: When are they required?
Updated: Jan. 8, 2021
EMAC cover
How to make sure your fire safety messages are accurate
Posted: Feb. 21, 2018
firefighter with a mom and her daughter
NFA course brings community risk reduction to your fire station
Posted: Feb. 6, 2018
caregiver with an older adult
Reaching target populations with fire and life safety messages
Posted: Oct. 31, 2017
firefighter talking to children
The importance of pilot testing your community risk reduction program
Posted: Oct. 10, 2017
child playing with a lighter
YFIRES: Helping communities understand youth firesetting behaviors
Posted: Sept. 5, 2017
firefighter using a computer
When should you update your NFIRS reports?
Posted: Aug. 29, 2017
Native Americans
Want to increase your cultural competence in risk reduction?
Posted: Aug. 22, 2017
firefighter making an escape plan with a family
How to improve your cross-cultural communication for risk reduction
Posted: Aug. 15, 2017
binary data with a question mark
Where’s the data?
Posted: Aug. 3, 2017
fire sprinkler system
Hydraulic system nameplates
Posted: July 31, 2017
table made up of puzzle pieces
Developing integrated plans
Posted: July 27, 2017
Plato
“Why?” — The process of inquiry
Posted: July 24, 2017
man with palms up holding employees represented by icons
The consequences of leadership and decision-making
Posted: July 20, 2017
helicopter dropping water on a fire
Striking while the iron is hot
Posted: July 17, 2017
eye glasses showing a clear cityscape
Eyes wide open! Leadership and situational awareness
Posted: July 13, 2017
car ignition button that reads change, start
Quality management in Emergency Medical Services — Implementing change
Posted: July 11, 2017
business man pointing at a bullseye
Quality management in Emergency Medical Services — Problem statement
Posted: July 6, 2017
DMAIC
Quality management in Emergency Medical Services — DMAIC
Posted: June 29, 2017
checklist with the EMS symbol
Quality management in Emergency Medical Services
Posted: June 26, 2017
magnifying glass on a map pin
Communitywide versus service area risk assessment
Posted: June 21, 2017
incident commander talking with the safety officer
It’s not about being their friend
Posted: June 14, 2017
meeting of public policy makers
Selecting a public policy planning group
Posted: June 7, 2017
firefighter addressing meeting
The public policy development cycle
Posted: May 31, 2017
evacuation diagram
How to create a simple building evacuation diagram
Updated: Jan. 6, 2021