My brothers, a bureau chief and battalion chief, have accumulated a wide assortment of "fire stuff" given to them for Christmas and birthdays over the last 30 years. Picked up during my travels around the world, my gifts have ranged from ordinary fire-themed tree ornaments to an actual standpipe -- with hose attached -- from an antique shop in England (airport customs didn't even ask). One year, I gave them flannel sheets and duvets for their beds in the fire station, but they said these comforts only made it harder to get up for calls, so they took the bedding home. Buying two of everything was easy (they're twins). And besides, if I bought different items, each would only want what the other had anyway. (Except for the standpipe -- I could only get one.)

My brothers have declared a moratorium on T-shirts and have gotten very selective about hats, so it's been getting tougher to come up with good presents. But this year, quite a number of really useful items have come on the market for fire service people on your Christmas list. In case you need some ideas, these are worth considering:

• The Pocket Partner:

  A bright red, 3x5", 672-page soft-cover book created for first responders, this covers everything from emergency-related phrases in Spanish to guidelines for Incident Command and Unified Command Systems to a chart for chemical and biological weapons. Almost 120 separate topics, charts and outlines are here for reference. Lots of information in a very small package. The cost varies with quantities. To order, go to www.thepocketpartner.com.

• FIREFIGHTERS:

  This is the biggest coffee table book we've ever seen. It's 10x14" and 360 pages. Created to benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, it compiles a history of the fire service by 15 top fire service writers, including Chief Ronny J. Coleman (Ret.), Chief Billy Goldfeder and Chief Gary Marrs. If you order the book through the NFFF, $20 of the $57.50 price goes directly to the Foundation. Every fire station in America could use one of these books.

• NFFF Memorial Brick:

  The National Fallen Firefighter Foundation continues to offer sponsorships for bricks in the Walk of Honor at the memorial in Emmitsburg, Md. Each brick can be inscribed with a memorial or tribute. Individuals can purchase one for $100, fire departments for $150. It funds a worthwhile organization. Go to www.firehero.org and select Walk of Honor to order one.

• The Fire Chief's Checklist: Proven Tips and Tactics for Career Success:

  By Chief Dick Knopf (Ret.), this pocket-sized, 32-page book is a tightly written checklist of tips and reminders for anyone in a fire service leadership role. Proceeds benefit the IAFC Foundation's Scholarship Fund. To order e-mail: iafcfoun@msn.com or send $5 per copy, plus $2.25 shipping & handling to: IAFC Foundation, P.O. Box 1818, Windermere, Fla. 34786. Tel.: 863-427-2932.

• Fire Chief's Handbook (Sixth Edition)

  : Edited by Robert C. Barr and Chief John Eversole (Ret.) (7x10", hardcover, 1,153 pages). Worth every penny of its price, this is a good basic book for everyone in the department, from firefighters to fire chiefs. With 29 respected authors contributing, the book can definitely be considered a bible of the basics and beyond. (List price is $89.95, but Command Post readers qualify for a 10 percent discount (Discount code: FCMAD03). Call 1-800-752-9768 or order online at www.pennwell-store.com.
  

And yes, I did buy two of something above for my brothers this year. Since they've both announced their retirements in a few months, I guess I need to start thinking about what to buy for retired chiefs. Probably need to switch to Harley-Davidson stuff.

Be Safe and Buckle Up.

Janet Wilmoth, Editor