Engine 33-Buffalo Fire Dept.

07/20/2023

Keeping our brothers & sisters of Memphis in our prayers 🙏🏼🙏🏾

08/08/2022

It is with deep regret that we forward the sad news that former Engine 33-Lieutenant Jim Minor has past away. A big man with a bigger heart he will be missed…

07/03/2022

Tomorrow the members of the BFD, their families and friends take some time out of their holiday sched to remember E-33 FF Mike Seguin. Mike made the ultimate sacrifice 25 years ago tomorrow. We will be hosting a small ceremony at our firehouse (1720 Fillmore). All are welcome. Starts at 0930 hrs.

07/02/2022

A newly promoted officer asked me for some advice the other day. Here’s what I got. Some of this I have learned through failure.

Be yourself. Your credibility as a firefighter will help as an officer.

Look out for your crew! The right way. Their morale, their development. Look out for them, but don’t be afraid to hold them accountable.

Address problems when they are small. Most big issues started as small ones and people ignored them.

Speak the truth even if your voice shakes when you do it. Have the difficult conversations about difficult topics.

Work on building relationships and establish some trust. Without trust, there is no team. They have to trust you with EVERYTHING.

Set expectations! What you expect on the rig, around the station, and on calls. You can’t hold them accountable to expectations you haven’t set.

Be quick to listen and slow to react. Always be in control of your emotions.

Train them and hold them to high standards. Teach them how to be good firefighters. You owe it to your crews to hold them to high standards which are for their benefit, even though they may not be popular at the time. (Military quote)

Don’t pre-judge people. Give everyone a chance. Give them the resources and help them get better, but don’t sacrifice your values and where you want to take your team. We can’t save em all and some you just have to cut loose.

You must be willing to accept loss. It lets people know how committed you are to your team and your vision. Sometimes dead weight just needs to go.

Don’t coddle people. Be empathetic, but don’t coddle.

Don’t forget where you came from and be humble.

Don’t be afraid to say I don’t know.

Be approachable

Be a good manager of your time and theirs.

Give a s**t even when others won’t. Someone has to.

You’re still a firefighter. Don’t let the office get more comfy than the drill ground.

Above all else lead by example. You are a walking talking officer development program and they will be watching.

05/25/2022

05/24/2022

You may treat this profession as just a job and that mindset will get you by for some time. It may even get you through a career in a slower environment. You may get very good at hiding and avoiding work. However, one day you are going to be confronted with a situation where the oath you took is going to be tested.

The promise to serve others and protect their lives and property.

The promise to conduct yourself in a professional manner with honor and integrity.

The promise to be respectful and to protect the people to whom you serve’s dignity.

The promise to take care of the people that serve beside you.

The promise to go to people’s sides on the worst day of their lives and do everything in your power to make their situation better.

The promise to lay your life down as collateral for the lives of those you serve.

The promise to hold yourself and those you serve with accountable to the fulfillment of our mission.

Simply put….we must UPHOLD THE OATH. It is the only reason that we exist. We are here to serve and to prepare to serve. There are plenty of other professions that need people. The Fire Service does not need you if you are not willing to fulfill the mission. UPHOLD THE OATH. It is that simple. That is it. That is all.



📸: Colleton County Fire Rescue

04/30/2022

🐾🦴😍🔥😍🦴🐾
The ability to sit down as grown adults, LISTEN, be open minded, and have difficult conversations WITHOUT INSULTING each other is absolutely CRUCIAL to a strong team

The most effective teams have regular, intense debates. The ability to disagree without causing offense is a crucial precondition for good communication and problem-solving, according to Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton. Great leaders don’t encourage their team members to come to agreements quickly; as a matter of fact, they help their teams disagree–productively.

No one will ever have all the correct answers, and ultimately, you will make better decisions as a leader by having diverse people and views on your team. When teammates have an opportunity to challenge each other, as long as the discussions are respectful and everyone gets a chance to contribute equally, most people thrive on this kind of debate, finding it intellectually stimulating and helpful for unearthing the best solutions.

Building a team with conflicting world views or differing opinions of your industry will push you to think critically – even more so than you may have in the past. If you want to build a great company, permit your team to disagree with you, listen to their feedback because it’s not about you; it’s all about providing the best service and products that make a difference in the lives of the people you are entrusted to serve.

Check out more here: https://lnkd.in/ewvwKhu

04/26/2022

The late FF Tim Klein speaking at a fallen firefighters funeral. A firefighter that truly understood what the job is all about. Rest easy brother..

04/25/2022

Rest easy brother…

04/19/2022

🔨 the fundamentals…
🐾🦴🔥🦴🐾

Anthony Rowett discusses tactical considerations for using the second hoseline as a backup line or second attack line.

04/04/2022

Rest easy brother. Taken way too soon. We remember the sacrifice you made (so that others could enjoy the freedoms our country enjoys daily) not just today, but everyday..

On April 4th, 2005 , Firefighter Christopher W. Dill of Engine Co. 21, an Army Staff Sgt. assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 390th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade , 98th Division, was Killed in Action in Balad Ruz, Iraq.

Staff Sgt. Dill who was training security forces was shot when his patrol was attacked by enemy forces using small arms fire. Sgt. 1st Class Stephen C. Kennedy was also killed in the attack.

Dill was posthumously​ awarded a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his actions on April 4th, 2005.

Dill was previously awarded a Bronze Star for Valor in 2004 following a mission in Fallujah with Iraqi troops he had trained.

Dill also received a Good Conduct Medal, The Army Achievement Medal, The Southeast Asia Service Medal and The Kuwait Liberation Medal.

Dill was 32 years old at the time of his death and a 7 year veteran of the Buffalo Fire Department. FF Dill was a member of Recruit Class 98-01.

Dill was survived by his wife. His father William Dill was a Lieutenant in the Buffalo Fire Department.

Buffalo Fire Department LODD Memorial Page Ut Vivant Alii

03/29/2022

🙌🏻💪🏼🔥💪🏼🙌🏻

*Women of the BFD*

As we close out March and move into Easter with better weather we'd like to look back. In September of 2021 Erie County held it's first ever Women's Firefighter Training Series. It was a night for those to learn not just from instructors but about each other. A night of crafting skills and on the job scenarios. At that series our current Firefighters helped and participated with other woman from surrounding departments.



Lt. Anna Ventresca (E1)
FF Rhiannon Maguire (E3)
FF Beth Piecynski (E22)
FF Marlena Edwards (E3)
FF Tanika Mack (E34)
FF Lydia Monin (E3)
FF Trisha John (E22)
Capt. Aimee Kinsley (TB)
Battlion Chief Wendy Majtyka Hartman (B43)
Lt. Meg Keane (E33)
FF Ebony Kuzmierski (E36)

03/23/2022

One of the best….missed throughout the department by all that knew him…

"Fir Na Tine"

🍀Captain Patrick "PJ" Stanton🍀
21 years of service
(Retired 6/5/2017)
(R.I.P LODD 8/26/2019)

Captain Stanton was a Founding Member and Current President of Fir' dóitéan, the Irish Professional Firefighters of WNY at the time of his passing. He was also the proud Captain of Engine Co. 19. Have a toast this parade weekend in his honor, his family and friends, to those we've also lost and to your own.

"I will fight you, no matter how insurmountable it may seem, and to the death of need be in order that it may never be said I am not a warrior" - One Warriors Creed

03/22/2022

He will be missed…

03/08/2022

With March being Women's History Month we would like to recognize former Deputy Commissioner Margaret Keane. (Center). Not only was DC Keane one of the first group of female firefighters hired by the Buffalo Fire Department, she was also Buffalo’s first (and only) female Arson Investigator, and first (and only) Deputy Commissioner! Here she is seen with her two daughters (Katie (left) currently an EMS Lieutenant & Margaret “Meg” (right) currently a lieutenant at our very own Engine 33). DC Keane enjoyed a long and very well respected career which included a long stay at Engine 2 on Buffalo’s West Side (consistently one of The BFD’s busiest companies for runs). Here is to you Deputy!!

ADDITIONAL INFO (Shared by retired ff Ellen Pauletta Peoples)

Even Before Her daughters came aboard the Buffalo Fire Department Deputy then Firefighter Margret Cecilia Keane Established a Women’s training program with UB and the YWCA that helped women to prepare for the physical agility test. Margret was inspirational well before she became an officer. As she climb the ranks she reached back to insure women in Buffalo NY was ready. To take the physical agility and written exam. Thirty women graduated the program and ALL MADE THE City of Buffalo’s Fire Department LIST.
Margret was Co Founder of New York State Women Firefighters where she was on the Board of Directors where The Women’s Training Weekend at The New York State Fire Academy was born. From the Women’s Weekend Phoenix FireCamp for teenage girls was born. Women Firefighters of all ranks from all over the country volunteer a week to host the camp in Utica New York.
Deputy / Fire Investigator/ Lieutenant Margret Margaret Cecilia Keane from South Buffalo made sure that Western New York was inclusive for ALL Women. True Grit strong determined Awesome Firefighter Mentor and friend Thank You Margret for everything. God Speed to both Katie and Meg both just as Awesome as their Mom.
Love and respect to you all.

03/06/2022

🐾🦴🔥💪🏼🔥🦴🐾

02/07/2022

Congrats to Atlanta Falcons defensive end Steven Means (Son of Retired “OG” Big Dog Steve Means)on being named the recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award for the Falcons. The award is given to select NFL players who are voted by their teammates as role models of inspiration, courage, and sportsmanship. You know what they say…🍎🌴.
Strong work!
🐾🦴💪🏼🏈💪🏼🦴🐾

02/06/2022

02/01/2022

January 31, 2022 - LODD
Captain Videl “Max” Fortuna, 47 of Engine 2
Stockton Fire Department. Stockton, CA
Firefighters were responding to reports of a dumpster fire in the area of Aurora Street and Washington Street. While extinguishing the fire, gunshots were heard and Fortuna was struck. He was taken to a nearby hospital shortly after the shooting where he died. Captain Fortuna was a 21 year member of the department.

01/30/2022

Get your tickets before Feb 1st to be entered in the “early bird” raffle!!

01/19/2022

Truck 7 Roof Rat Captain Sean Eagen has had an article published on “Committing to the Mayday”. Give it a read! 🐀💪🏼🔥🐀

Sean Eagen urges firefighters to reject the stigma that's associated with requesting help via a mayday.

01/13/2022

A St. Louis firefighter died today after part of a roof collapsed during a fire. The members of Engine 33 would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to our brothers & sisters in the St. Louis fire dept as well as the family of their fallen firefighter.
🐾🦴🙏🏻🦴🐾

01/10/2022

Just going to leave this right here…….. 🐾🦴🙌🏻🦴🐾

01/10/2022

I wonder who we are rooting for tonight!!!

01/01/2022

Happy New Year from the crews at Engine 33! May you have an even better 2022!!! 🐾🦴🥳🦴🐾