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Quick Drill: Apparatus Drill for Appliances

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So, sometimes we need a change of pace or we've had a busy day on shift, but we still need to drill. Or, maybe your at your volunteer department and you have some guys just hanging out waiting for the next call.

 

 Here is a quick drill that, in many cases, will turn into a great discussion and even progress into some flowing of water or advancing of lines.

 

As the company officer we are tasked with drilling our company and personnel. It doesn't matter whether your paid or volunteer, the task is the same.  For this drill make a list of the hose appliances and equipment you have on your apparatus.

 

 

 

 

–Give each member the correct name or lable for one piece of equipment.

–Make them correctly retrieve it and identify it and to hook it up or depoly it.

–They have to give a little presentation on what it is for, how your organization uses it and a scenario that would require its use.  This should include flow rates, friction loss, limitations, capabilities, etc.

 

 

This creates some great discussion and is excellent for reviewing items that are infrequently used but could be critical for our success if needed.

 

This same format can be used in relation to other tools and pieces of equipment as well.  Hand tools, forcible entry tools, hose loads, specific parts on your SCBA, RIT bags and so on. You should get the point by now.

 

The idea is to get intimate with all of the equipment on your apparatus and to do it as a team.

 

Another method is to have the crew inventory the entire apparatus. Write each piece of equipment on a piece of paper and tear it off and place into a hat or empty coffee can.  Have each firefighter draw a slip of paper and have them write down what compartment its in.  After everyone has drawn and written down the compartments, go out and see how you did and explain each piece of equipment you drew.

 

This is a great familiarity drill and works really well during inclimate weather.

 

Whatever you do, get out and drill.

 

Posted by on May 17, 2013 • Filed under: Uncategorized

The First Due Rural Engine: Laying the Line

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I recently have had a lot of suggestions and requests to post on some volunteer, rural, combination issues that the fire service faces. I started and am still a member of a mostly rural volunteer, now combination, department. My earliest exposure to the fire service was at this mostly rural department.





 We had a large majority of our fires outside of our public water area and our staffing was limited, just like it is today. Most of our trucks were single cab trucks that would seat two or three, depending on if the seats were buckets or benches. This was the fire service I was raised in. As time went on this department has become a functioning combination department.





But, it still has the same demographics of a large rural response area with the challenge of staffing after the first arriving unit gets on scene. In some cases those first firefighters will have to wait for over 20 minutes for the nearest mutual aid company. This, of course, causes issues with water supply, interior attack and other critical firefighting functions.





These are issues that the American fire service is facing all over this country. Along with the posts that I will be posting in the coming weeks, there is another great resource for rural to suburban tactics at County Fire Tactics. Be sure to check them out on their web site and on Facebook. This post will highlight some first due engine ops for water supply in the rural setting.





 Some of you may not agree with all of these suggestions, but these have worked and have been tested. But, if you have a better way, feel free to share.





 One of the biggest challenges for the first due engine, besides staffing, is securing a water supply. There are no hydrants and we don't always know when the first tanker will arrive. (In the Midwest we use the term tanker as a ground apparatus that carries at least 1000 gallons of water.) When operating in a response area that has public water, it is not uncommon for the second arriving unit to lay into the first apparatus from the hydrant. Our additional units are usually quicker to arrive and the fire has not progressed as far because our response times are faster. In the rural setting our response times are longer due to proximity and road miles allowing the fire to grow longer, thus consuming more of the structure.





 So, we will need big water sooner than what might be required in a hydranted area. We have to prepare for this situation before the call comes in. How we carry and load our supply lines is critical. So many times our hose and the loads we use are set up for our hydranted areas; because its easy and there is a lot of information out there on how to lay into and from a hydrant. Additionally, we usually don't have to got too far to get to a hydrant. This is not usually the case when we get into the rural setting. I'm not going to tell you what you should or shouldn't do, your department has specific needs. But, I will offer some examples that have worked. When setting up your hose bed, you need to know what appliances will be used to distribute water to multiple apparatus. Have those appliances readily available and ready for deployment. Don't hide them away in the twilight zone that requires a heavy mover to get to. Make them accessible. This will speed your hose deployment and get you water faster. You need to have a good familiarity with your rural response area. Laying 900 feet of hose and still having 400 feet to the fire can cause a delay in getting water. Ideally, we want to be able to get to the fire building as the first due engine. So, you may have to be deliberate in where you lay your line. In doing that, laying away from an intersection or half way up a road or drive, leave a cone at the coupling for visibility. Have enough hose! As the first due engine dropping line can be a very smart move, if done right. When laying your line the first issue is to not take up the road or drive. Get to one side of the road or drive and lay it out on that side to allow other apparatus access. It might be worth having a firefighter follow the truck to guide the hose to one side of the road. This will pay dividends later. Doing this also gives you a guide to how much hose your laying and can relay that to the next in unit or your water supply tanker. You need to communicate to your next arriving unit what side of the road your laying, how much hose and if you reached the fire building or not. This will determine if the second unit will be your relay or if it needs to finish the lay. Depending on your department's capabilities, you may choose to lay a 3" supply line, dual 3" lines or large diameter hose. We typically will lay dual 3" lines. This takes preparation for you hose loads and can shorten your lay.  





Additionally, if using LDH, a good rule of thumb to remember is that every foot of LDH holds one gallon of water. So, you see how this might be a problem in filling the line initially depending on how much water your supply truck carries. Finally, the first arriving engine needs to try to place their apparatus in a position that is conducive for additional units, access to the fire and possibly room for tankers to maneuver in and out of.  





This post is very basic and only outlines an option for the first arriving engine or apparatus. We will cover more rural topics in the coming weeks. In the meantime, let us know what you want to read about. Also, share if you have tactics that you have found to be beneficial. Thanks and train hard.

Posted by on May 7, 2013 • Filed under: administration-leadership, command-leadership, firefighting-operations, fires, rescues, Training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics

HexArmor Glove Review

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We were visited by a sales rep from HexArmor who wanted show us their new line of extrication gloves.  He agreed to leave a few pairs for us to use during some extrication training.  We utilized four different pairs of gloves and all performed very well.  A quick note, these are do not carry the tag of meeting NFPA standards yet.  They are being used by some fire deparments for rescue and extrication ONLY. These are not firefighting gloves.  

Here is the review of the gloves.

 

 

A HexArmor sales rep stopped by the fire house one day last week while on way to another fire department.  He wanted a few minutes of our time to show a product that we have never used before.  He showed us the different styles of Extrication gloves that they sell.  We were then given a few pairs of gloves to demo and write a review on.  We then set up an extrication day with our local tow company to work the gloves through the test. 

  We had 4 different pairs of gloves on 4 different firefighters.  We then swapped with each other to see and compare the differences.  We also had another crew from a different house use the different styles of gloves.  4 pairs of gloves 10 different views and opinions. 

One of the neatest options that we shown by the sales rep was the super fabric lining.  Immediately our captain brought out his pocket knife and with a few passes  of the blade the  sample material remained intact with absolutely no signs of damage.

With all of the styles of gloves we tested we all agreed that the protection was excellent.  That was not based off of any cut rating or knife demonstration it was based off of pure use. The gloves feel strongly made and comfortable.  The dexterity and movement was great.  Grips on all models were great  whether wet or dry.  

We were able to move and turn the ball bearings collars on our hydraulic hoses easily.  There were only a few downfalls that we identified one of which was not being currently NFPA compliant.  To our understanding they are working on that.  

The other downfall was  when worn with PPE / turn out gear the models 4011 and the 4013 they could not be worn with our wristlets built into our coats. However, the model 4012 worked fine with the wristlets in our gear.

 

Thanks

Andrew, Glen, Steve

 

Different Views of gloves broken down

 

Gloves 4011 i used immediately after getting them on i noticed the dexterity. Usually with gloves with great dexterity you suffer with protection. That was not the case here.  These gloves have the leather palms and grips that did not slip at all.  The outer shell of the gloves has alot of the rubber which did not affect any of the dexterity as well.   My only downfall of the 4011 was that when used with my PPE my wristletts in my gear did not fit under the coat and could not be used.

 This problem was also the same problem Steve had with the 4013 style gloves.  Overall our opinions of the 4011 was a great overall glove with great support and protection that did not affect dexterity.

 

Glen started with the model 4012 he liked them alot and they worked well with his wristlets in the PPE. He felt that he put them to good use.  He got them wet, oiled, and never lost grip.  He felt protected and did not feel any of the sharp edges when removing glass was removed or any of the sharp edges.   The dexterity was excellent.

 

Steve was using the 4013 model gloves.  He felt just like we did the dexterity was great and even with hydraulic fluid, gas and water on the gloves the grip was excellent. 

Posted by on April 15, 2013 • Filed under: Uncategorized • Tagged: ,

Coast Knife Review

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I had one of our firefighters use the Coast Knife DX330 during some extrication training. My own use of the knife was excellent in functionality. It was sharp, felt good in my hand and was durable. The only negative I would say is that the locking mechanism did not always lock the blade. This could be an isolated problem and it wasn't an issue when using because there is a secondary, manual lock that kept the blade locked. Here is the review from the training.

Knife Review

Today during our extrication demonstration my crew and I put the knife to use. We broke windows cut seat belts and really put it to the test. Initially with the knife you notice the overall look and appeal. The belt clip is strong and when opened you notice the straight and serrated blade. Upon my first couple of times opening the knife i did not like how un stable it felt open when you do not use the secondary lock. It felt like it wanted to close on me but when i used the secondary lock it was fine. I don't know if every time i open the knife that i would like the extra work.

During the extrication we used the punch to break out the windows. It took a few swings to understand the strength needed to punch the windows. I hit the corners like needed but it took a few hard swings to break the window. Others that used the knife did not use as many swings and grasped the idea faster than me. It was an effective tool and i would carry this knife for a punch before i carried a window punch.

During the removal of the seat belt I was skeptical but with very little ease the belt was cut clean. We did notice that it was harder to cut when there was no tension on the belt. As long as there was tension and belt held straight the belt cutter razor worked like a dream.

Overall it was a great tool to have and carry daily or leave in your turn out gear just for car extrication minus the looseness of the primary lock.

Andrew Krato

Posted by on April 15, 2013 • Filed under: Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Not All Things Change

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I read a lot of books. Some fire service related and others aren’t. I typically prefer historical or biographies of influential characters of our history. I also really enjoy the fire service books that share stories and experiences that are easy to relate to. Relativity is a good thing!

While teaching some of my classes the topic of today’s fire service being so much different than from years ago always comes up. There is no doubt that we are fighting fires in a much different environment than in years past. But, how different is what we are doing on the fireground from the way we did it 20 years ago?

Now I understand that we have to make changes and improvements and I am usually one of the biggest advocates if it is something that makes sense. But, change for the sake change is not good and usually causes more problems than not.

The real reason for this blog post is to encourage all of you to obtain a copy of and read and re-read Tom Brennan’s “Random Thoughts.” I keep this book with me just about all of the time and it is crazy good stuff. I marvel over and over again at the timely material and tactical suggestions that are from 1991! Yes, they are still relevant!

I never knew Mr. Brennan, but his ‘random thoughts’ are timeless. Just the most basic of topics like using a roof ladder is made interesting and is still very applicable today. How to stretch a hose line and how to search. It’s all in there.

I am not one for plugging products or materials, but I feel if ‘we’ in the fire service would follow the advice in this book and learn and share from these nuggets of knowledge, we would all be much better served, and safe.

Take some time to get back to the basics of firefighting and read this book. Just pick a page or two a day, and keep doing that for your career. You and the firefighters that you share with will be much better for it and so will the people you protect.

Thanks for reading and take care,
Jason

Posted by on February 18, 2013 • Filed under: Uncategorized

Quick Roof Lesson

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This is a quick drill for you company officers and acting officers. So much of what we do is coach and mentor our younger firefighters. When we are out and about we need to take the time point out things that might be obvious to us, but maybe not so much to others on our crew.

Use these photos to explain the challenges, dangers, benefits and tactical oppportunities with this roof. Share what you see and pass it on. You might pick up on something that someone else does not. But, maybe we can reach a firefighter with this drill that we don’t have on our crew. Maybe we can reach a volunteer that doesn’t have that daily mentor.

Clark Street Shoe Building 028

Clark Street Shoe Building 025

Clark Street Shoe Building 026

Clark Street Shoe Building 027

Share and thanks for reading.

Jason

Posted by on January 7, 2013 • Filed under: buildling construction, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, heavy timber, rescues, RIT, situational awareness

Simple Low Profiling Clip for SCBA

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The attached vidoe is a very short and simple clip about how teach firefighters to low profile. As we tell firefighters in our classes, removing your SCBA should be a last resort, but a skill that you must be proficient at. Being prepared is as much about mastering the basics as it is about being able to perform in the event that conditions dictate survival skills must be used.
Some quick pointers about low profile SCBA use:
–Know your air supply and that of your partner
–Never lose contact with your SCBA, it is highly suggested that you never lose contact with the SCBA strap that holds your regulator hose.
–Don’t over extend your arm when you push the SCBA ahead of you.
–Sound the floor before you enter the space as best you can
–If you have a hemet light, use it
–Stay in verbal contact with your partner
–If your in a situation that you must low profile or remove your SCBA, your probably in trouble, call the Mayday prior to removing your SCBA and entering a confined area reduced area.
–Conserve air and make sure you can access your radion at all times. Adjust your radio prior to low profiling.
As always, you must train on these techniques. Incorporate them into other SCBA training and become proficient in the capabilities and limitations of your equipment.
Take care and train hard, Jason.

Posted by on January 4, 2013 • Filed under: fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, RIT, scba, search, self rescue, situational awareness

Progressive Drills

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This past Fall we were doing a Survival class and one of the drills we do is the “following the coupling” drill. It is one of the most basic of drills and is well known throughout the fire service. We have posted on this drill before on using a cut piece of hose to hand to your firefighters and have them tell you which way would be back to the truck.

We get comment about how basic this drill this and some like to try and shrug it off. Well, as we all know, we must master the basics. Like in athletics, we building the fundamentals and gradually move to more advance skills that expand on those fundamental skills. On the surface these skills are very basic but look a little harder; we can make these advanced drills easily that will incorporate the basic skill and more advanced techniques.

This is true for any drills, start with the most basic and when mastery is achieved, add to the drill and make it more advanced. Do this in steps and before you know it you have an expanded drill that will challenge the most seasoned firefighter.

So, for this example of drill progression we will use the “follow the coupling” drill. We start wtih one firefighter on a charged hose line. Black them out or in a smoked room, put them on the line somewhere in the middle. Have them find the coupling and make their way out. Easy enough.

Now, we want to build in the parameters for calling a Mayday, so we have them call the Mayday using LUNAR and they must communicate with command as they find their way out by “following the coupling.” Now they have to think about more than just following the coupling but the basic skill is still being used.

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You get the idea. Here is how this drill can progress:

-One firefighter lost off of the line, one on the line. The one on the line verbally leads the lost firefighter to the line and they follow the coupling out.

-One firefighter has an air issue, they can buddy breath on the way out following the coupling.

-A downed firefighter on the line and his crew packages, fixes the air and removes him following the coupling out.

So, you can see that we can expand on this drill. Your only limited by your imagination and creativeness. Use caution not to make so unrealistic that it frustrates your firefighters though. It doesn’t take much to make a drill challenging; keep it simple.

Have a Blessed and Safe New Year and thanks for all of the support this year.
Jason

Posted by on January 2, 2013 • Filed under: Uncategorized

Buddy Breathing Hose Practice

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Just a quick tip for practicing with your Buddy Breathing Hose. In our classes one of the skills that we notice to be week is the ability of firefighters to manage their Buddy Breathing Hose with gloves on. Although Buddy Breathing is not in the current SCBA standard, it is in the upcoming 2013 standard. Obviously, drilling with your SCBA and using the Buddy Breathing Hose will increase your confidence and skill level. Getting out and using the SCBA and practicing during evolutions is always optimal. But, repetition can take place off of the drill ground.

To increase the amount of frequency that you get to connect and disconnect your Buddy Breathing Hose all you need to do is ride in your apparatus.

For most of us, not all, but the majority of us we have our SCBA in seat mounts so that when we mount the apparatus and buckle in we have the packs in our back. They are in the position they would be in if we were wearing them. This makes the ability to get to our straps fairly easy.

While riding around town, going to a non-urgent call, wear you gloves and find your Buddy Breathing Hose. As you ride, practice disconnecting it and connecting it over and over again. Try not to look while you do it. This will create muscle memory and confidence when we get on the drill ground.

Use your time wisely and be productive as often as you can. Be creative and you can practice other skills like knots while riding the apparatus.

Thanks for reading and train hard. As always, expect fire.

Posted by on December 11, 2012 • Filed under: Uncategorized

Company Drill: Standpipe Operations

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This is a great drill from a great Brother and friend, Lance Peeples of the Webster Groves Fire Department in St. Louis County.  Look for more great material from Lance in the future.

 

 

Daily Drill 1: Standpipe Operations

 

“The Daily Drill” is designed to spark discussion about operational issues in YOUR fire department.  To do this we use photographs or videos depicting fire operations in other fire departments.  We do not know the exact circumstances in which our Brothers in these fire departments are operating.  Photos or videos are not intended to embarrass our BROTHERS and SISTERS but rather are intended to provide US with learning opportunities relevant to OUR specific operational framework.  DON’TFOCUSONWHAT THEY’RE DOING…FOCUS ON WHAT YOU WOULD DO!  Stay safe!

 

Watch the video below and answer the following questions:

 

 

1.  Using the National Fire Academy Fire Flow Formula, what gpm would be required to extinguish a completely involved 500 square foot apartment fire?

How large of an undivided floor area is often found in high rise office buildings and what fire flow would be required there?

 

2.  Under previous editions of NFPA 14 what was the minimum psi required to flow 500 gpm at the most remote riser?

 

3.  What is the target gpm you are attempting to flow from your standpipe hose and nozzle combination?  What psi must be available at the standpipe operation to supply that hose and nozzle combination in order to flow your desired attack flow?

 

4.  The operation depicted showed using 4” supply line into the fire department connection.  What is the working pressure limit of LDH used in your department?  What is the elevation head pressure in a 30 story building?  Are standpipe operations usually high flow or high pressure operations?  Is using large diameter hose in FD standpipe connections a good idea?

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.  What is the diameter of hose used in your standpipe pack?  Is it an automatic/constant flow fog/smooth bore tip?  What nozzle psi is required for its designed flow?

 

6.  Will rust, scale, and other debris commonly found in standpipe systems pass through an automatic fog nozzle?  Will rust, scale and other debris usually pass through an 1 1/8” smooth bore tip?

 

7.  Can fire department pumpers ALWAYS be used to increase available pressure on the fire floor?  What about damaged or missing FD connections?  Pressure reducing and restricting valves?  Missing piping or excessive head pressures?

 

8.  At the One Merdian fire in Philladelphia on February 23, 1991 what was the length, diameter, and nozzle type (including psi/flow requirements) of the standpipe kits used by the fire department?  Did this setup work?  Why or why not?

 

9.  What were the names of the Brothers that died at One Merdian that tragic day?

 

Posted by on November 29, 2012 • Filed under: buildling construction, fire sprinklers, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, high rise, historic fires, in-the-line-of-duty, line-of-duty, major-incidents, mayday, RIT, scba, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Training, training-development • Tagged: , , ,

Simulation Software

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I have been using this simulation software with great results. It more than meets our needs and is very economical. Check it out and see if it works for you. 

 

 

 

Posted by on November 16, 2012 • Filed under: Uncategorized

The Glove Friendly RIT Mask

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This photo shows a way to make an SCBA face piece for your RIT bag/kit glove friendly. You can use a garden hose or any kind of rubber tubing or hose that would be easy to grab with a gloved hand. We used a small bungee cord and ran it through the bonnet and attached both ends to the hose. This allows for easy feeling and grabbing the back of the mask with gloved hands.

We also attached large key rings to the pull tabs for the face piece bonnet to pull it tight. These rings can be any size you want, but make sure they are easily accessed and grabbed with glove hands.

These two methods have worked very well for us and during training evolutions has stood up to the pulling and tugging.

Let us know if you have other methods that work well for your department.

Thanks and keep training hard.

Jason

Posted by on November 12, 2012 • Filed under: fire-rescue-topics, firefighting-operations, line-of-duty, mayday, rescues, RIT, scba, self rescue, situational awareness, Training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , ,

Are We Honest Enough?

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One of the most challenging aspects of being an officer, leader or instructor is providing honest feedback to our crews. It sounds simplistic and most will say in response to reading that, “I am.” Well, as easy as it sounds, skimming over the “bad” stuff is easier to do because we are Brothers and Sisters and we hang out off duty or whatever.

We’re going to address this problem specifically as it relates to the training ground.

We try to involve our company officers in most all drills. The idea is that the company officer will be directing their crews on the emergency scene, making critical, real-time decisions and we want them to use drills and exercises to practice and refine those skills.

Recently we drilled on a new operational guideline that included some new equipment. We provided a video showing and explaining the new guideline and discussed the new operational guideline. The company officers were supposed to sit with their crews to watch the video, discuss the guideline then go out and get familiar with the equipment that would be used during the training evolution.

Some officers are more driven than others and some think they already know everything, and as you might guess, change is not embraced by everyone.

Ours has not always been an environment where honest, constructive feedback was accepted. Like many departments, we got by and used tactics that were taught 20-30 years old, they worked back then so why change them now?

This new guideline addressed a low frequency/high risk event and is something we haven’t historically trained on in the past. The simple fact that we were making this drill as realistic as possible was already causing some grumbling and not everyone was in favor of the new equipment and tactics associated with the new guideline.

I knew we were going to have deficiencies, after all, we want to find them during drills and training as compared to when the real thing happens.

The first two days we had to make some corrections, as was expected, and in one case the attack line had to be redeployed to make sure it was done correctly. There was constructive advise and recommendations made and good questions as to “why” we were making some of the changes. It was a positive learning experience and each person understood the correct way to operate under that guideline with the new equipment at the end of the day.

The third day was not as positive. It became apparent that one company officer spent no time with the video or his crew in preparing of the drill. This particular day I was involved in the drill and a chief officer was running the exercise.

During the drill many deficiencies were noted by assistant instructors and the guideline was not adhered to. When the drill ended, one small deficiency was noted, but everyone was told they had done a good job. Not good. I only found out about the larger, very significant problem later that day as input from the assistant instructors started debriefing me on the events.

We had to pull the deficient company officer in and explain what he did wrong and why. Since there was not an honest evaluation of the drill, he was under the impression that he did okay. This creates huge problems with credibility and trust between the trainer, officer and/or leader and crews or students.

It all worked out in the end. If we are not honest about performance and allow our firefighters and officers to believe that deficient behaviors and performances are acceptable, we are training them to fail. We must provide honest feedback, even when it’s not the popular thing to do or there is push back.

In all aspects of training, I see this regularly in the classroom and on the drill ground. When a task or skill is performed wrong or not to an optimum level, it must be addressed with respect to why and the importance of doing it right the way. However, when addressing these issues, it should be done in a constructive way as not to degrade or minimize that firefighter or officer.

Whether your in the engine house, on the fire ground or on the drilling ground, we have to be honest about our performance. Even though this can cause friction with some, it builds trust among your team because they know that your intentions are to make the team better. Don’t fail your people by letting things go, make them do it right before they leave the training ground and go back to the engine house on a positive note.

Thanks for reading and train hard. I appreciate everything that each one of you do for our fire service.
Jason

Posted by on November 8, 2012 • Filed under: administration-leadership, command-leadership, Training, training-development

Command and Size Up “Memory Joggers”

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Here is a great "memory jogger" for Command Functions and Size Up from one of our instructors, Scott Hulsey.

 

Size-up Matrix

 

Command Sequence Cycle

 

 

Click the link for each and feel free to use how you wish. If you have additions and suggestions, please share.

 

Thanks for reading and keep training.

Posted by on October 24, 2012 • Filed under: administration-leadership, command-leadership • Tagged: , , , ,

Don’t Forget the Obvious: Basement Self Rescue

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In our classes we spend a lot of time showing firefighters how to stay out of and how to get out of bad situations. Our fire service is seeing an increase in firefighters who are falling through floors into basements or sub-levels.

This is large part due to the engineered flooring systems that do not perform well in fire conditions. Fires are growing more intense much faster than in the past and the structural members of these buildings are under attack before we arrive in some cases. The importance of knowing our response areas, getting an accurate size-up, doing a 360 evaluation of the building and choosing an appropriate tactic are more critical than ever.

We teach different methods of removing ones self from a basement and removing a downed firefighter from basements. There are several techniques for removing a firefighter including using an attic ladder, using the hose, rope, or webbing to lift them out of the hole. We can also cut the floor away from the exterior making a window a door to remove someone. These are just a few examples.

For self rescue we teach using a hand tool as a step or as a recent post by Chris Huston discusses, using the drywall as a ladder to get yourself out. We also teach using webbing as a stepping device with the assistance of firefighters on the outside. All of these techniques are good and and should be practiced. However, we know that if we fall through a floor we may lose our tools and it is going to be very bad down there. Speed is of the essence.

When go over the teaching points of basement rescues, we always talk about things to do to avoid this from happening in the first place. Doing a good 360, sound the floors, descend stairs feet first, know your still area and building construction are good places to start. I also like to point out that the hazards we discuss in regards to basements, junk and clutter, can also be our friend.

If you find yourself in a situation in a basement or an area with a high window for egress, use the stuff in that space as steps. Pile it up under that window and climb out. Don’t forget to use the obvious. I have done training in acquired structures where we put firefighters in the basement and they are free to use whatever is available. You would be surprised how many limit their resources to only what is in their hands or pockets.

Train hard and sometimes thinking outside the box is as simple as looking around at the “stuff” that is right at your feet. Thanks for reading and expect fire! Jason

Posted by on September 25, 2012 • Filed under: buildling construction, engineered lumber, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, rescues, RIT, self rescue, situational awareness, size up • Tagged: , , , ,

Remembering With Our Actions

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Today is a solemn day. Eleven years ago this country was attacked by terrorists and changed us forever. That day is remembered not only for the horrific events of the attacks, but also for the heroes of that day. We lost 343 of the bravest our profession has known and some of the most influential fire service leaders and instructors we have seen.

Today will be filled with ceremonies, Facebook posts, blog post like this one, speeches and news coverage of events remembering this day all over the country. There will be a lot of Brotherhood going around and a lot of drinks raised to honor our fallen, all as it should be. There will be flags lowered, memorials opened and black bunting hung in memory and honor of those that sacrificed. These things make me reflect on what those that gave the ultimate sacrifice would think and how they would want us to remember them. With all of the ceremonies and events being wonderful tributes, I believe as firefighters we must do more to truly honor their legacy.

Here’s my list:

Don’t just call each other Brother, act like one every day
Be physically and mentally fit
Be engaged everyday in our profession, don’t just act proud, show your pride by engaging
Learn something about our profession every day no matter how small or large the task
Pass on the lessons of those that taught us, share and give much to those who come after you
Stand up for what is right even when it goes against what’s “popular”
Be excellent at whatever you do; not all firefighters will be officers, but whatever you aspire to, be the best at it–everyday!
Encourage and teach those younger than you, don’t degrade them-they are our future
Be involved–see a problem, be a part of the solution
Leave our fire service better than it was when you entered it
These are just a few thoughts that I had. They are nothing that haven’t been said before, but things that I try to remember everyday. I feel very fortunate to be able to be a part of this fire service and to have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives that I serve and work with.

As we take time to remember today, carry the feelings from today with you everyday. Carry the pride and the honor with you knowing that that is what those 343 firefighters would want. They expect that we will carry the torches left behind by them. Be courageous ambassadors of the this noble profession on a daily basis and pass that on to those that are younger and new to our job.

God Bless those families left behind and those that were lost. Take care and Never Forget!

Posted by on September 11, 2012 • Filed under: 911 coin

Behind the Back and Thru the Legs

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I always loved sports. I played just about every sport I could and eventually settled in with basketball and baseball. The coaches I had were always preaching the fundamentals and basics explaining that as players, we had to master the basics to the point that things like dribbling and passing were second nature. When those basics were mastered we were able to ascend our skill sets to seeing an open player before he is open and making moves on the fly, avoiding the defender with moves that were more challenging because we had a “feel” for the game.

The “feel” for the game allowed us to improvise and do things on the court that weren’t necessarily practiced. A defender stepping in front of us quickly, obstructing our passing lane may force us to make a behind-the-back pass. This is improvising with an advanced skill based on our most basic of skills: passing. Does the player get punished for this advanced skill? Probably not, especially if the outcome is a positive one.

When we get to an advanced level of skill sets, it typically comes from past experiences and hours upon hours of training. With that training and experience also comes the ability to recognize situations that are not typical. These non-typical situations will require us, if trained appropriately, to make the best possible decision for the best possible outcome. The mantra of always use two hands to pass and catch the ball with thumbs turned down may not work or be appropriate in a certain situation because the desired outcome is not going to be achieved.

The same can be said in the fire service. In recent weeks a Philadelphia firefighter made a heroic save and was faced with a decision to give the fire victim his air. There has been a great debate over the actions. I was recently asked by Eric Rhoden on his and Ray McCormack’s radio show what I thought about the incident and the reaction that followed. What came to me was a baseball situation.

We teach our kids to get square to the ball, get our glove to the ground, field the ball in the middle of our body/stance and to turn toward our target and so on. You get the point. But that doesn’t always get the out. Sometimes the fielder has to dive for the ball, getting dirty and bruised and maybe tossing the ball behind his back to get the out. Is there less margin for error? Yes. Is it taught that way? Not usually. Is it effective in certain situations? Absolutely!

There is one important variable however. You must be highly skilled and practice daily to make plays like that. You can’t just walk out onto the field and expect to perform at that level. I don’t know the firefighter in Philly that made the save, but my guess is that he is very competent with his SCBA and has mastered the basic skills surrounding his air supply. I would also guess that he is one that takes his craft very seriously and wants to perform at a high level for incidents just like the one he performed so heroically for.

I always teach that in the fire service there are no “always” and no ” nevers” because right when you think you have every situation covered, a call comes along that you never thought about. Ask yourself every day when you walk onto that engine bay floor, “Am I ready for the worst call of my career?” The conclusion I always come to is “No.” But, I train, drill or engage myself into the fire service every chance I get, just in case that call or situation comes along that requires something a little extra of me. Hopefully I will be ready to dive for that ball to make the play.

Finally, thanks to Ray and Erich for having me on and thanks again to Fire Engineering and everyone on the site, you all keep me engaged and excited about the fire service. Take care and stay cool during this hot summer. Be ready to dive for that ball.

Posted by on July 16, 2012 • Filed under: administration-leadership, command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, mayday, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Drywall Ladder Escape

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Here is a post from our good friend Chris Huston of EngineCo22.  Check out the post and visit him at EngineCo22.net.

 

Options. On the fireground, the more the better. When talking Firefighter Survival, presenting viable options will lead to success. Over the last few years, many great methods of self-rescuing have been taught to the Fire Service. The most important, is staying out of situations that lead to needing them, which is quality performance of the basics. However, after you still did everything right, it can still go bad. Having several techniques to self-rescue is critical to ensure success.

 

One such technique is what I call the Drywall Ladder. This method is performed by kicking and punching holes into the drywall to create a ladder. You would perform this to escape out of high window.

 

The standard residential window is 18”- 44” off the floor, if it meets fire code for escape. Windows higher than 44” are not for egress and are used for lighting and ventilation. To use these windows for self-rescue you have an option or two. The first option if you just need a little “boost”, use your hand-tool to create a step. Halligans work great for this task. Once you are over and out, just make sure to reach back in and grab your tool. If the window is too high, this option may not be feasible.

 

Another option, create a ladder in the drywall. The first step is to determine where the window goes and if refuge can be made. Next, kick a hole into the drywall about 8 inches off the ground then another about knee high. Make sure you create these holes approximately the same width apart as your legs. After the first two holes are created, punch two more holes several inches above the first two with your gloved hand. Think about the distance between two rungs on a ladder. Please use caution when using your body as a tool, consider where the studs are. Can you see the pattern? This method is a distance relative of rock climbing. Be sure to keep your weight on your feet to decrease effort.

 

Other considerations:

  • Call the mayday first and get help coming.
  • Where is the window relative to fire conditions?
  • Will you and your partner physically fit through the window?
  • What type of glass/construction is the window?
  • Will taking the window draw fire towards you?

       

 

Next time you are performing self-rescue maneuvers in training consider trying this method. The more options you have and can quickly utilize one in a self-rescue the better.

Posted by on June 18, 2012 • Filed under: buildling construction, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, forcible entry, mayday, rescues, RIT, self rescue, situational awareness, size up • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Simple Webbing Tips: Storage

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Here is one of our instructors from Engine House Training,LLC on some simple webbing techniques. He will be running a series on different webbing uses, so stay tuned!

Posted by on June 15, 2012 • Filed under: fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, mayday, patient-management, rescues, RIT, scba, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Training, training-development, VES • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

VES with Ladder Bail

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This is a video of a drill we do. It starts as a VES drill with the firefighter ascending the ladder and then clearing a window. The space is smoked up and the fierfighter enters, starting his search for the door. While he’s searching we throw a rug or piece of plywood ontop of them to demonstrate conditions deteriorating and making them exit fast to the window.

The intent is to force quick recognition to exit and to perform the ladder bail fast. We do this drill after evolutions of just ladder bail practice. This let’s them put their practice into real life type situations and to do it at full speed.

We have a new YouTube channel and we hope to start posting new videos.

Posted by on May 22, 2012 • Filed under: enter, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, forcible entry, ladders, rescues, RIT, scba, search, situational awareness, size up, Training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, VES • Tagged: , , , ,

Always Preplanning

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This is a blog post by one of our instructors, Andrew Krato.

 

While in Indy at FDIC my first night on the town I was looking out of my hotel window and I came across this building. What I saw was just a reminder of how important it is to get out and do your building preplans in your district.

What I found was a multi story commercial brick building just like many of theothers in down town Indianapolis and so many other s in my district in Missouri.

Like many other building they all have fire escapes, this building was different because it was missing. This building is setup for the escape and if you look closer at the pictures you can see that at one time one was there. The holes from the mounts can still be seen in the brick and the rust marks from over the years of weather have left its impression on the building. Unfortunately, I was unable to make my way into the building and see what it looked like from the inside. What I can see from the outside is each level has a full size door that exits to the platform.

As in the pictures the platforms and stairs are gone but the doors remain there. From the outside nothing is labeled as do not enter, not an exit or is blocked off from the inside no bars or boards as such. I would hope that from the inside it is labeled or marked or at least secured shut.

As we all know in the smoke or dark a door feels like a door and whether or not it goes toanother room or outside and down 10 floors we need to make sure we have control of the doors, andwe sound before we enter into another room.

Thanks and be safe doing your preplans.

Posted by on May 16, 2012 • Filed under: buildling construction, FDIC 2012, firefighter-safety-health, situational awareness, size up • Tagged: , , , , ,

Two Questions for Future Officers

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I get asked frequently by up and coming firefighters all of the time about what they
should concentrate on in order to be prepared for promotion. Of course, there are the
typical replies about certain types of training and education along with career
development paths. Most are enthusiastic and really into the job and others want an
easy way to a gold badge
.
In recent months I have started to offer some new suggestions after witnessing
firefighters jockeying for a new officer's position and I am sometimes met with quizzical
looks. It is somewhat simplistic, but I really wanted to break down the promotional
questioning to make the candidate take some reflection of his/her career. In many
cases, the candidate will know when he tries to answer what his odds are of being
chosen.
 
Before some of you go on a rant about how promotions are more complex than what I
am about to offer, just humor me for a moment. This is not the ONLY questions that
need to be posed. However, by asking them you will see and hear most of what you
need to know. If you are the candidate, you too will find yourself either prepared for the
questions or you will be fishing for an answer that sounds good.
 
If you are a potential candidate ask yourself these two questions on a regular basis to
determine where you are in your career. This is not competition with others, it's about
you and how you develop yourself. If you are already an officer, these questions should
be a time of introspection. If you are the interviewer you will likely know the answer to
these questions before they are answered, and that's okay. It disallows a lot of BS from
the candidate.
 
So, here they are:
1. What have you done in the past 90 days to improve yourself, the department and
those around you in respect to the profession of firefighting?
2. What have you done over the last three to five years to prepare yourself to take on a
formal leadership position that separates you from the other candidates?
 
Okay, let's start with number one. Why would we ask the 90 day question first?
What do most officer candidates do as soon as a promotion is posted or an officer
retirement is announced? That's right, the race is on to take on new projects, kick up
the training and enroll in classes. They will start "acting" like a leader and they are a
little more friendly. We know what's going on, come on!
 
For those that train everyday, that treat people with respect, that go out of their way to
help and that offer to take on projects, all for the right reasons, this is easy. Others that
don't do this on a daily basis will sound real good and will have this confident smile
because they just nailed it! Wooo hoooo, they have just given the best answer to a
candidate interview and they feel invincible. But, we know it all started just weeks ago
and that the motivation is just for the badge. Now comes the decider and it will separate
those that love the job and those that are employees.
 
Now we ask the second question and the employee just looks at you for a moment, a
bit perplexed. There are some "uhs" and "ums" and they are trying to figure out what
you want to hear. They, in my experiences, will start to replay what they did over the
last 90 days. Most of these folks have not performed or strived to make himself better
over the years, much less worried about those around him. It will become obvious that
his track record is to perform when there is something in it for him, but only then. The
spaces in between are spent doing other things, if anything at all.
 
The candidate that is prepared will have a list of classes, trainings, ideas, projects
and conferences that he has shared with his fellow firefighters. This will be a consistent
trend that will very likely transfer over to his career as an officer. In addition, as a formal
leader, he will very likely encourage his crew and/or shift to do the same and he will
have high expectations for performance. This is the guy you want to promote.
I understand that you are not going to promote based solely on these two questions
nor am I condoning that. There is much more to a promotional process than two
questions. But, what I do believe is that when the candidates are interviewed, these two
questions can be a strong indicator of who is just an employee and who is a firefighter.
 
Asking yourself these questions on a regular basis will not only prepare you for
possible promotion opportunities, but they will build a strong foundation for who and
what you are in the fire service. Be a firefighter with integrity, respect, honor, tradition
and pride. If you can't answer these questions with pride and conviction, then you might
be in the wrong profession.
Posted by on May 10, 2012 • Filed under: administration-leadership, command-leadership

The Long Stretch and Push

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Take a look at the pictures and think about getting water on the fire to the upper floor and/or making rescues. This building is one that is old and not sprinklered. It sits off of the road and aerial access is extremely limited, almost ineffective.

When looking at this type of building we need to consider the construction type, occupancy, access and egress points and any special hazards. What are our initial resources and what should we have coming on the way? This building is four stories and is a dormartory at a college. The corridor length is 225 from stairwell to stairwell. As you look at the building in the picture, the stairwell on the right is more remote from a parking surface than the one on the left. The elevation that you see in the picture from this side is the same on the opposite side.

There is a basement under this building with tunnels that lead to other campus buildings with limited access and egress where kids sneak away to do what kids sneak away to do. There is a great deal of combustible storage in these basements and tunnels.

Type 3 construction is the type of building we are dealing with and the interior has been altered over the years. There is an automatic alarm system but no standpipes. Water supply is limited; the closest hydrant is approximately 300 feet from where you would likely place first in companies and that hydrant, if laid from, would severely hinder access by other units because of only one access to the campus.

So, here we go……..what are your tactics and why? Watch the video and let everyone know what you would do and why. Use this for discussion purposes and relate it to buildings that you might have in your jurisdiction. Share your thoughts and ideas.

Train hard and we hope to see most of you at FDIC 2012 next week.

 

 

Posted by on April 9, 2012 • Filed under: administration-leadership, buildling construction, FDIC 2012, fire stopping, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, ladder truck/aerial devices, rescues, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Training, training-development, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

EngineCo22 and Green Maltese–Training Module on Basement Fires

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You need to check out this training module done by Chris Huston and John Schafer. They did a fantastic job and it is full of great information.

 

Posted by on April 3, 2012 • Filed under: Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , ,

Jason Hoevelmann presenting “A Firefighter’s Own Worst Enemy” at FDIC 2012

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A Firefighter’s Own Worst Enemy: A Synopsis

When I created this class it was in response to my own attitudes and behaviors that I had developed over a period of time. During those 18 months of “darkness” I allowed outside influences to dictate my perception of the fire service, what my job is and should be and the direction of my future. Luckily, I had other influences around me that recognized I was drifting and helped to set me back on course.

After I was re-calibrated I realized that most of my problems were of my own doing. I was allowing other’s attitudes and perceptions to affect my own. It was easy for me to buy in to the negative influences because that was popular. It is always easy to swim with the current in that regard. Instead of standing up for what I truly believed in I allowed my values and principles to be altered by the peer pressure to act and react in an appropriate manner.

When asked what my class is about, I struggle sometimes to fully explain it to others. It isn’t just about peer pressure or about keeping a positive attitude. It’s about more than getting up out of the chair and working out and training. It is about more than being a positive example to others and to not fall into the easy way out.

This topic is not a typical firefighter related class. We cannot deny that our egos and perception of what a firefighter is does not include introspection on our thoughts and attitudes and how they can affect our team. In that regard just teaching this class is sometimes a challenge knowing that many will not “get it.”

My first career firefighter job was in a small suburban department in St. Louis County. There was a battalion chief there who was an old Navy guy and had an old timer attitude but understood very well that the fire service had to progress and was a supporter of training, physical fitness and higher education. He was also an old farmer who always had a saying or euphemism for just about every occasion. As a young firefighter I didn’t truly understand those sayings nor did I try to attach them to any real meaning.

One of his favorite sayings was that “a firefighter is his own worst enemy.” He would say this frequently and I never really put too much thought into it until many years later after I had moved on to a different department. He never elaborated and never really preached, he just threw out these little nuggets of advice and would go about his business. Well, it finally struck me what he was trying to say.

In just about every aspect of our job we create our attitude. That attitude will dictate our course in the fire service. Those that have an attitude that the only PR we need is running calls will have to live with the results of that attitude. For those that refuse to train and do not place any emphasis on continued improvement in our skills and tactics will be forced to live with the results of those attitudes. The problem is that these individual attitudes not only have a direct impact on them, but also on those they work with and the organization.
We have to understand that our actions, behaviors and attitudes do affect more than just ourselves on a personal level. This is probably the most difficult thing to get firefighters to understand. If a guy doesn’t want to train and is not made to train, he will be inefficient and will then be the weakest link of the team. If one or more members of the team are grossly out of shape and can’t perform, then they become a liability to the team if things go bad or they go down in a fire. Your health is not only your business, it can directly affect those you work with.

Being part of the fire service is not the same as the majority of other jobs. The plumber that fixes the pipes will probably not contribute to the loss of his own life or others if he screws something up. Could there be some water damage and cost him some money? Sure! But nobody is going to die because of his lack of training or commitment to his profession. (Nothing against plumbers.)

The fire service does not have that luxury. It is cliche and to some the extreme, but if we screw up, our citizens we swore to protect, our Brother and Sister firefighters and/or ourselves may not live to see the next day. This is a fact and is one we must wrap our heads around. We need to understand that not only does every action have a reaction, but every inaction has a reaction as well and typically it’s not positive.

A lack of fitness can and will result in health problems and poor performance leading to the rest of the team having to pick up the slack; which we are good at. A lack of training will result in inadequate skills and the completion of sound tactics which, again, will put others at risk. These are real game changers and during the class we discuss some hypothetical situations where we show how this can happen.

Finally, we pass on to others what we display. If the prevailing attitude is one of working hard to get out of work then that will be what the rookie firefighter becomes. He doesn’t know any better and the circle remains unbroken. We have to break that circle and create a new environment. There is no easy way to change the culture of a company much less an entire department.

We owe it to ourselves, the citizens we protect, our fellow firefighters and our families to be the best we can be. I had a senior firefighter who has coached his kid’s athletics for years tell me we don’t need to train because we “know what to do.” I asked him how many times a week he had practice for his teams? He stated two to three times a week. I then asked if he did the same drills and concentrated on the same basic skills at every practice? The answer was “yes.” Did he make his team run or were they allowed to walk during the practices and scrimmages? Of course they had to run to build endurance and get in “game” shape. Then I asked how we were any different from those teams? Well, you can probably guess what he said……”That is different.”

That’s right, it is different. That team may lose a game if they don’t practice. We may lose a firefighter, a citizen, a building or a block of buildings if we don’t practice. It’s time to be different. It’s time to not cave into negative peer pressure and to create our own positive peer pressure that makes it “wrong” to be on the side of “inaction.” It’s time we hold what we do and love to a high standard and expect the best of ourselves and of those around us. Do the job and do it better than well. Encourage others with our actions and show the next generation what being a firefighter is about. Don’t let them be their own worst enemy.

Join me at FDIC 2012 on Friday @ 8:30 for “A Firefighter’s Own Worst Enemy.”
Room 103-104

Posted by on March 27, 2012 • Filed under: administration-leadership, FDIC 2012 • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,