Rick Lasky and John Salka are two of the most dynamic and inspirational leaders in the fire service. Their book, Five Alarm Leadership, is a compilation of leadership lessons learned, situations handled, decisions made, and problems solved during their combined 60-plus years of fire service experience. Also included is a special introduction by Chief (ret.) Bobby Halton, Editor-in-Chief of Fire Engineering magazine, outlining the nature of transformational leadership and its power to inspire excellence in the fire service.

Drive to Survive: The Art of Wheeling the Rig provides an in-depth examination of fire apparatus vehicle dynamics. This is not your average “driver training” textbook. Fire apparatus operators must understand how a vehicle maneuvers at roadway speed, and more importantly…why does it crash? Just as a doctor cannot heal the human body without a thorough understanding of anatomy and physiology, an emergency vehicle operator cannot safely drive a fire apparatus without an in-depth knowledge of vehicle dynamics. Drive to Survive goes beyond talking about pump operations, aerial operations, and preventative maintenance; it fills in the gaps between vehicle dynamics and crash causation. After 15 years of training and research, Chris Daly developed a training program combining his fire service and crash reconstruction training experience. This book provides an in-depth knowledge of topics required in the following NFPA standards: --NFPA 1002 “Standard for Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator Professional Qualifications” --NFPA 1451 “Standard for Fire and Emergency Service Vehicle Operations Training Programs” --NFPA 1500 “Standard on Fire Department Occupational Health and Safety Program” Fire apparatus operators will learn the limits of driving an emergency vehicle and will understand that no matter how long they have been driving or how good they think they are, at some point physics will take over and the vehicle will lose control. We can reduce the number of emergency vehicle crashes throughout the world by addressing key issues and providing emergency vehicle operations course (EVOC) instructors with methods to convey these concepts. Concepts you learn in this book relate to more than just driving a fire apparatus. These principles apply to anyone who drives a vehicle, including your family members and loved ones.

An expanded and updated edition of the 2002 book that has become required reading for policymakers, students, and active citizens.

"Published in cooperation with the Association County Commissioners of Georgia."

The federal government is running huge budget deficits, spending too much, and heading toward a financial crisis. Federal spending soared under President George W. Bush, and the costs of programs for the elderly are set to balloon in coming years. Hurricane Katrina has made the federal budget situation even more desperate. In Downsizing the Federal Government Cato Institute budget expert Chris Edwards provides policymakers with solutions to the growing federal budget mess. Edwards identifies more than 100 federal programs that should be terminated, transferred to the states, or privatized in order to balance the budget and save hundreds of billions of dollars. Edwards proposes a balanced reform package of cuts to entitlements, domestic programs, and excess defense spending. He argues that these cuts would not only eliminate the deficit, but also strengthen the economy, enlarge personal freedom, and leave a positive fiscal legacy for the next generation. Downsizing the Federal Government discusses the systematic causes of wasteful spending, and it overflows with examples of federal programs that are obsolete and mismanaged. The book examines the budget process and shows how policymakers act contrary to the interests of average Americans by favoring special interests.