Tough Fires

Alex Degnan has been a Jersey City (NJ) firefighter since 2005. He worked his time as a firefighter at Squad Company 4. He was promoted to captain in 2015, and soon returned to his home company. SQ4 is a rescue engine in the city responsible for both engine company response in the immediate battalion and engine or truck task on all working fires throughout the city. The company is also outfitted with technical compliment and fills out a full technical response when called upon with Rescue 1. The primacy of the suppressive effort, efficiency in abating a life hazard, and pragmatism under adversity remain hallmarks of Degnan's focus when training or executing assignment. Degnan grew up in Jersey City where his grandfather, big brother, and cousin were and are Jersey City firefighters. His grandfather retired a Deputy Chief. His brother is the group B Officer of Greenville's Ladder Tower 4, and his cousin is an officer assigned to group C. (Like many in the family, they are all named Nick.) Degnan earned a BS in Criminal Justice in 2004 and a BS in Fire Science in 2010 from New Jersey City University. Many of his articles have been published in Fire Engineering magazine, including:* "Profiling Windows" and "The Water Can" *"Overcoming Short Hose Stretches" (October 2019) * "Pressure and Flow without Numbers" (February 2020) * "Using Guide Ropes When Attacking Fires in Suboptimal Conditions" (Water on the Fire Supplement, February 2020) * "Hydraulic Ventilation in Increasingly Poor Atmospheres" (March 2020) * "Moving Victims Alone Using a 2:1 Mechanical Advantage System" (September 2020) * "A Tough Call: Deploying the Second Line at Arduous Conditions" (Water on the Fire Supplement, February 2021)