Every day, firefighters not only face new challenges, they receive new learning opportunities. New information and new fire/rescue tools and techniques become available almost on a daily basis. Only a dedication to lifelong learning and skills development can keep a firefighter ready and up to the task of modern emergency response. What timeless firefighting truths do we hold onto? What practices have become obsolete as we learn better ways of doing our job? What tools and techniques are right for your department and what lessons can be learned from outside agencies? Five critical thinking skills can help us answer these questions and are the key to lifelong learning and effective firefighter professional development.