Customer Reviews

Essentials of Fire Fighting

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Buyer beware!!!

IFSTA has published two Essentials of Firefighting 5th Edition text books. One is the standard 5th edition and the other is an "expanded version" which is exactly the same book but, contains an extra 3 chapters and 300 pages! The only difference when looking at the product is the price and if you look very closely, there is a small subtitle "AND FIRE DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS". The word "EDITION" on the standard book is in a silver box, while the word "EDITION" on the "expanded edition" is in a gold box. It seems to me that this significant addition should be made more clear, perhaps it should be the "6th EDITION". The difference in the two covers, especially when viewing on line, is unnoticeable. Because IFSTA markets so many various combination packages of the same products and there are so many different vendors, it's easy to order possibly the wrong book. IFSTA states they do not publish and sell separately the supplemental 300 pages (which is HazMat and EMS material) if you have already purchased the original book. So, if you're trying to get a jump on the competition for a promotional test and the book list for your test hasn't been published yet, you probably should play it safe and buy the "expanded edition" or you'll end up buying 2 ESSENTIALS books if you need that extra material!

Sincerely,

"300 pages/3 chapters short" Mark Kaufhold

As a Fire Service Instructor this book covers everything from protective clothing, handling hoselines, forcible entry, building construction to educating the public. The only real issue I have with it is there are two versions. One includes EMS & Hazmat and the other does not. Unless you know this a head of time you may order the wrong version. I reviewed both and EMS section does a good job at coving moving patients, ABCs, etc., but is not enough for EMT or Medical First Responder. As for the hazmat it covers it pretty well. If you are going to use this book to teach in Illinois I recommend using the standard version and covering hazmat by having The Illinois Fire Service Institue come teach the 8hr hazmat awareness (it is free) and for EMS, do the 48hr IDPH Medical First Responder Class. If you are buying this to get ahead in testing for departments, I recommend doing some research in to the testing procedures for where you are testing as I have not yet come across a test or interview panel that is looking to see if you can answer questions from a book.

This book is easily one of the longest, most overworded books I've ever encountered. I literally fell asleep in the middle of a sentence. I will never use 99% of the material in this book. Unfortunately it was needed for a promotional exam. I'd recommend that the people who collaborated on this book use their "talents" to develop sleep aids.

Terrible transaction process. Seller is very rude and not understanding. Hates to give refund. Seller will blow you off and "play stupid." Seller provides empty promises with returns, making you to have to continue to follow up for a refund even after they recieved the return. Seller very rude over phone I DO NOT recomend.