Art of Reading Buildings

The Art of Reading Buildings focuses on the practical art of reading a building and applying itspositive and negative attributes in developing a size-up for fireground operations that center onstructure fires. First-due company officers, incident commanders, and safety officers will appreciatethe practical “street-wise” lessons captured in the book. Chief officers, training officers, engineers,firefighters, and fire science degree candidates will benefit from the wide range of buildingconstruction topics covered in this text.

Dave Dodson is a 34-year fire service veteran—25 years on the street—startinghis fire service career with the US Air Force. After the USAF, Dave spentalmost seven years as a fire officer and training/safety officer for the ParkerFire District in Parker, Colorado. He became the first career training officer forLoveland Fire & Rescue (CO) and spent time as an engine officer, hazmat technician,duty safety officer, and emergency manager for the city. He accepted ashift battalion chief position for the Eagle River Fire District in Colorado beforestarting his current company, Response Solutions, which is dedicated to teachingsafe and practical incident handling.Dave is the author of Delmar’s Fire Department Incident Safety Officer andFire Engineering’s Training DVD series The Art of Reading Smoke. He continuesto develop and deliver classes on firefighter safety and survival issues and firstdueofficer procedures.Chief Dodson has served as the chairman of the NFPA 1521 Task Group (FireDepartment Safety Officer) and served on the Fire Service Occupational Safetyand Health Technical Committee for NFPA. Dave is also a past president of theFire Department Safety Officer’s Association. In 1997, Dave was chosen as theISFSI George D. Post Fire Instructor of the Year.