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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: , , ,

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: , , , , ,

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: , , , , , , , , ,

Bailout Hooks–Your Preference?

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Check out this new blog from Frank Lipski of Engine House Training, LLC.  Visti the site and post your responses and to learn more about Engine House Training, LLC.

 

 

A recurring question that comes up during almost every firefighter escape or bailout class is which anchor hook most people use and why. We like to train firefighters with the equipment they have, but the hook debate always seems to cause some passionate opinions on which is best and why. I feel that it is not as important what hook you have, but whichever you are using… be an expert with it. No matter what system you are using you must know how to use it properly in any and all conditions that you may face as a firefighter.

We have students that ask if they must wear structural firefighting gloves when they take our classes. As you can assume our response is always the same, you should practice as you play. We feel like if you cut corners in training scenarios, you will repeat your training performance when under stress. So we encourage students to put themselves in situations that are realistic to what they will face in real situations.

Having said that, I would like to hear from all of you as to what anchor you use and WHY. Please take the time to leave constructive opinion and discussion as to why you prefer a given device. If you have used and like multiple hooks that fine also. Please try to avoid arguments which really don’t help anyone. I am looking for reasonable reviews of the popular anchors so others can more quickly research and develop an opinion on anchors to test when making an equipment purchase.

Thanks, Frank

Posted by on March 22, 2012 • Filed under: fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, mayday, rescues, RIT, search, self rescue, situational awareness, Training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Get Around

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Here are some more pictures from my A Shift buddies, Jim, Bob and Dave at Florissant Valley Fire Protection District.  These photos show the challenges of just getting into some of our buildings.  It's a lot easier to get a good look at the working mechanisms and traits of these obstacles during daylight and in non-emergent situations.

Take time to know what is behind these doors and grates.  What are they protecting and how secure are they? Is just a matter of prying bolts out of the brick and concrete or are they really seated into the building?  Now is the time to find out.

One note, the pic with the bars is actually a smoking lounge for an adjacent bar. Access is made from inside the building but it looks like a different occupancy.  Don't wait until it's smokey and dark.

Read the doors and try to identify characteristics that can indicate foricible entry challenges.  Do the doors swing out or in? Are the hinges exposed or protected? Is the jamb protected?

These are also important for RIT operations, to read the building and soften it up for interior crews if a company has not already done so.

Stay alert and get out and look around. You'll be surprised what you'll find.

Posted by on March 7, 2012 • Filed under: buildling construction, exits, fire codes, fire-prevention-education, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, forcible entry, inspections, mayday, rescues, RIT, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Training, training-development, Uncategorized, VES • Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Challenges Everywhere—-But We Have to Get In to See Them

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Hey, here are some pictures sent to me by a Brother who is going out the DOING the job. The whole job.  He and his crew are getting out and checking on things.  Bob gets IT and thanks for the pics.  These are in his still area and these are buildlings that get inspected and then they go right back to doing this kind of stuff.   We have to be prepared for everything and anything.  Imagine being the RIT and forcing the back door to make access for a Mayday and dealing with the mattresses?  Look at the pictures and just imagine and discuss the challenges that you would face in those situations.  Not to mention patrons trying to evacuate a smoke filled building.

Stay sharp and get out of that chair.  This is important stuff, don't put it off.  I'm a huge proponent of training on line deployment, search, vent, and all the rest.  This is just as important.  Stay safe and keep training.

Thanks to Bob Tresch for the pics and making a difference by sharing.

Jason

 

Posted by on February 17, 2012 • Filed under: administration-leadership, buildling construction, exits, fire-prevention-education, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, forcible entry, inspections, mayday, RIT, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Judge Not….

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I’ve done it and you’ve done it. It is going to happen again and it’s going to happen soon. With every line of duty death the Monday morning quarterbacks come out and tell us all what they should have or should not have done. We preach and teach to learn from these tragedies by understanding the circumstances surrounding the incident. But, what are we doing to make sure that this doesn’t happen?

Our job is dangerous. Worcester Fire Department is a highly trained department and according to some reports I have gotten, fight these types of fires every year. There are some additional factors like high winds and possibly illegal renovations that compromised the structural integrity of the building. Neither of these two factors can be anticipated or controlled. We have a job to do and when we are told that someone is in a building, we do what we can to get to them. As I write this I have not heard confirmation that there was or was not a victim found.

I have no doubt that we could dissect and scrutinize what happened and we would have done this or that differently. We will hear how simplistic it should have been and others pounding the table that we don’t enter buildings that are compromised. Guess what? As soon as that building catches fire it is compromised!

What frustrates me more is that in the fire service many are real good at solving problems after the fact and few try to identify and solve them before they are actualized. It’s not just judging the YouTube video or a line of duty death, no, it’s many things. “That guy doesn’t know what he’s doing.” “That guideline is outdated and inefficient.” “That small time volunteer fire department doesn’t know what they’re doing.” Of course, most of these “kitchen table experts” have no desire to be proactive or to put themselves out there to take the lead on a project to make a positive change.

Sometimes, and I’m not saying this is the case yet, things are not preventable. Sometimes we are going to lose. We hope not, but we are running into burning, compromised buildings to save lives and property. When someone comes to us and is telling us someone is in the building, if we can make a push, we will and we should. This is what we do and why we are here. There is no time to run down a check list to determine if a certain profile is met. We don’t have time to switch our size up decision making. We have to consider the situation presented to us at the time and use our training and experience to do our best to attempt a rescue.

But, if we do want to be Monday morning quarterbacks I suggest a different approach. Take your expertise and knowledge to some less fortunate departments in regards to resources for training and teach. Share your experience and knowledge with these departments and individuals to keep bad decisions being made on the fire ground. I believe that this is the best way to honor those who have sacrificed their lives for others. Whether there were mistakes or not, we can help to prevent those who don’t have resources to perform appropriately on the fire ground.

We recently did a class in a remote part of our state and had two firefighters arrive with some hand-me down gear and SCBA. Neither had worn the gear before and neither had ever had on an SCBA. They stated they had been fighting fire with self purchased boots, gloves and helmets. That’s it. Nothing more. This is still happening. We had to pull these two firefighters aside and walk them through some basics about gear and SCBA operations. We took extra time with them just to teach them basic firefighter skills. They were more than willing to learn and were eager.

The point is this: let’s put our efforts into training and teaching firefighters to operate safely instead of beating up departments, officers and firefighters after the fact. Can we learn from these tragic events? Absolutely! We should learn lessons in a constructive manner from not just tragic events, but from every call we run. There is always something to learn whether things went well or not so well.

Train, be tolerant and make a difference in a positive way. Stay safe and thanks for reading.
Jason

Posted by on December 11, 2011 • Filed under: administration-leadership, buildling construction, command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, in-the-line-of-duty, line-of-duty, major-incidents, mayday, news, rescues, RIT, scba, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, vacant building fires, ventilation, VES • Tagged: , , , ,

The Purpose

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This is a very simple post but one that I am finding is ever more important. Take a look at the picture and what is the first thing that you think of? What do you see? We've all done this drill or scenario and we have all at one point or another felt the anxiety of being "stuck" in a box, tube or tight spot. Some may have had instructors that guided us through and others may have been screamed at they needed to get out or they were going to die in there.

The main purpose of this post is to find out what we are trying to accomplish. It is more than just getting through the prop. We want to emphasize calm and deliberate actions. I like to point out the small things. Calm breathing and think one step ahead. What is at the other end and how should I prepare my next action accordingly? Is there a drop off? Is there a tighter space? I also like to practice getting to my pockets. Whether I actually need to or not, if I get into a position that I would need them, I have practiced that. I will be confident that I can reach my wire cutters in a tight spot. The same with my flash light; can I turn it on? Do I have an extra one I can get to?

Can I reach my radio? Can I reach my PASS device? I like to feel the space I'm in with one hand and arm to determine what the shape of the space I am in. It may just help me with placing my tank. It's not always on the bottom corners. There could be debris or the opening may be wider at the top. Feel the shapes and contours.

I know this sounds simplistic and time consuming. It is! But, if we do it over and over again, we will be better and faster at it. With these drills it's not always about speed. Creating good habits that will be easy to recall in a crisis situation just may save your life.

 

Posted by on December 5, 2011 • Filed under: administration-leadership, command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, mayday, rescues, RIT, scba, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , ,

One Aspect of the 360

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I understand that all buildings, for various reasons, will not get a 360 performed on it during a fire. But, for those that we do get to job around, we need to understand what we are looking for.

I recently spoke with an acting officer and asked him what he was looking for when performing a 360. His answer was "fire."  I asked what else? The answer came, "ways in."  We need to make sure we are taking advantage of the information being made available to us while we are circling the building.

This post is going to focus on some basement indicators.  The pictures shown below are just examples of things you might see when making the round.  Keep in mind that at night you need to take a hand light.  For example, the wood behind the basement windows below may not be noticeable with shining a light in the windows on the way around.

        

We must pay attention to what we are looking for when conduction the 360. As you can see, we may be faced with some very challenging situations.  Not only do we need to be aware during the initial arrival, but the RIT will need this information as well.

As always, follow you own operational guidelines and train hard.

This and other topics will be discussed during one of my presentations at Fire Rescue International 2011.  I am presenting for the Company Officer Development track and hope to see you there.

Jason

Posted by on August 21, 2011 • Filed under: administration-leadership, buildling construction, command-leadership, exits, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, forcible entry, mayday, rescues, RIT, scba, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

The Door to Nowhere

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We have all been taught to control the door. I have watched countless firefighters try to kick in doors, bulldoze their way through them along with every other tactic that does not include a set of irons.  Here is one reason why control in forcing doors is so important.

This door is in a city hall that my son was practicing in. The area that the door is in used to be a balcony that goes all the way around the gym with two doors that lead to the main floor of city hall.  Over the years, as they ran out of space, they began to make office space on that balcony.  

The door is almost always locked and access to this area is likely to be searched during a fire.  The hazard here is obvious, but the lesson for any situations: control.

By using proper forcible entry techniques with a set of tools, you can control the door and be cautious about what is behind it.  A fall from this door could be disasterous. We have to be ever diligent to master the basics.  A lack of basic forcible entry skills could result in a Mayday and RIT situation which makes a hazardous situation even more so.

Be smart, know your area and train hard. Master those basic skills and require it of your crew if your the boss. Stay safe and thanks for reading.

Jason

Posted by on June 12, 2011 • Filed under: administration-leadership, buildling construction, command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, forcible entry, inspections, mayday, rescues, RIT, self rescue, situational awareness, size up • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

How Many Uses Can You Come Up With?

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It's Sunday and I was just sitting at work and I started thinking about an anchor point that I was taught with webbing. Not having tied it in a while I went out and made sure I remembered how to get it done. Lucky for me my memory is still intact.

The other guys came over and we had a short lesson for it's uses and showed them how to tie it too.  This led into a morning of going over some very simple, but effective, ways to use the webbing that we carry.

Everyone has their own ideas about why they carry a certain length of webbing or rope. But, don't limit yourself to the harnesses and escape systems that utilize webbing. The pieces I keep are for a multitude of "basic" practices that assist me, when needed, in actual firefighting.

We can use them for controlling doors, advancing a large line, searching off of a line and more.  I would like you to all share your webbing stories.  What lengths do you carry? Why? And are there any special tricks you have picked up from some experienced guy in the house?

Take care and remember our troops and their families this Memorial Day.

Posted by on May 29, 2011 • Filed under: command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, forcible entry, mayday, rescues, RIT, search, self rescue, situational awareness, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

What’s Your Take?

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I spend a lot of time looking at buildings and thinking about "how would I do this or that" and what kinds of challenges would exist should a fire happen.  It drives my wife nuts! You know what I mean? You go to an establishment or an event and you are looking around for exits, sprinklers, fire alarms and just the general layout of the building.

It is good for us to identify these different characteristics on a frequent basis. Even if it isn't in your area, I believe it keeps you sharp. It's like practicing all of the things you have learned in your head.  Granted, you aren't manipulating a tool or pulling a line, but you can do all of those things in your head.  What would you do with this type of door? How about this wierd little addition and the ventilation problems that it poses? These are all considerations you can do any time and any where.

Here a few pictures from a recent trip to Nashivelle, TN.  We were walking back from LP Field after the half-marathon and this building was right next to the pedestrian bridge we were on.  I stopped and started taking pictures and thinking. Of course I got behind and my wife had to explain to everyone else in the group that I was a just a wierd firefighter who does this all of the time.

Take a look and share what you see and all of the different considerations and challenges that could be recognized during a fire in this buillding.

Take care and train hard.

Jason

Posted by on May 12, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, forcible entry, inspections, mayday, rescues, RIT, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Type V Construction-Wood Frame

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The next type of construction that we are going to talk about is Type V, or wood frame construction.  This is the most commonly used type of construction in most jurisdictions.  This type of construction is typically associated with residential occupancies, namely single-family dwellings, but many commercial buildings are now built using wood frame construction.

Years ago, wood frame meant real dimensional lumber. A 2×4 was really a two inch by four inch piece of wood.  Roof systems were stick built with rafters of dimensional lumber that were connected with a ridge beam.  We forget that this traditional type of construction is wood frame.  Balloon frame is also a type of wood frame.

We have just gotten so ingrained that wood frame mean light weight, or now commonly known as “low mass” construction.  This “low mass” construction uses engineered products that makes construction faster and cheaper to build. Although these components like engineered I-joists and roof truss systems are very strong for the engineered loads, they fail miserable during fire conditions.

We just need to remember the hazards and myths of this type of construction. One is that if one truss fails they all fail.  I like to ask the classes that I teach if any of them has seen a house constructed with wood truss systems with a part of the roof burnt off and the rest of it still intact?  The answer is always yes.

I am not saying that these truss systems are safe, quite the contrary. All I am saying is that we need to keep our firefighters educated about these systems. I know there are some chiefs and instructors upset with some of this, but we can operate on and under these roofs with some careful size-up and thoughtful tactics. One thing I have learned in the fire service; never use the words never or always.  There is always a circumstance or situation that will challenge both.

Now, characteristics about this type of construction.  There are void spaces everywhere and these components use a lot of glue to help keep them together.  These buildings are getting bigger on the residential side and this construction type is very popular for many commercial buildings like fast food joints, restaurants and strip malls.

Something we need to keep in mind also is that some of these wood frame buildings look like masonry or brick, or type 3 buildings.  These are just veneers and we need to understand the challenges dangers associated with that.  Masonry and brick veneers can easily collapse of the foundation and still kill or seriously injure firefighters.

Pay attention to your area and be familiar with the buildings you may have to operate in. Know the different characteristics of the construction types and the challenges each one poses for us operationally.

Train hard and stay safe.

Posted by on February 17, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, engineered lumber, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, forcible entry, i joists, mayday, RIT, search, situational awareness, size up, trusses, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Never Forget, Honor and Learn

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This marks the 6th anniversary of the Black Sunday fire in New York City. Two brothers, Lt. Curtis Meyran and Lt. John Bellew. Four other firefighters were severely injured after jumping out of the fourth floor of an apartment building, Firefighters Jeff Cool, Lt. Joe DiBernardo, Firefighter Eugene Stolowski and Firefighter Brendan Cawley to escape severe fire conditions.

The Story.

These men’s families and own lives have been forever changed and we need to honor their sacrifices and learn from the events that happen at that fire. This fire could happen to any of us. Train hard, honor the fallen and remember the lives and families left behind.

Stay safe and train hard.

Posted by on January 23, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, fire codes, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, in-the-line-of-duty, line-of-duty, mayday, rescues, RIT, situational awareness, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Basement Self Rescue

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The importance of having a tool with you can’t be stressed enough.  Besides using it for forcible entry and venting windows or other operational functions, it can save your life.

It should be a habit that every time you come off of the truck for an alarm there should be a tool in your hand.  And take a tool that you can do something with.  Some of the most common tools are the Halligan and a flat head ax. You can take a pick headed ax and/or a sledge hammer, depending on what your function or task is.

One thing that you might want to consider is what are going to do with that tool?  Everyone has their favorite, but can you use each tool on your truck efficiently and successfully if needed? You should.  One tool that I am not a big fan of is the closet hook or a short hook.  We have these on our trucks and they are about 2 1/2 to 3 feet long and have a fiberglass handle.

Your not going to be able to force much with that tool. In addition, if you need to start busting stuff up to save your a#$, it has limited potential.  Choose your tool wisely.

One instance that your tool may become very handy is in a situation that you might get jammed up in a basement.  Several scenarios could play out that finds you in a basement on your own and needing to get out.  For those of you that don’t have basements in your jurisdiction, you may need to get through a wall or debris.

Most of the basement windows in our area are above head level.  The exterior of the window is at ground level.  This creates a challenge for us trying to get out of these windows, which are narrow and rectangular in dimension, in full gear and SCBA.  You can use different techniques and you would want to call for help.  But, your tool selection may be very important during this crisis.

A few months back we held a bailout class that included ladder bailouts, window bailouts with personal harnesses and basement bailouts.  One of our deputy chiefs built a prop for the basement bailout that simulated the need to get yourself out of the basement quickly.  (Thanks to Dale Pekel for assistance with the plans for the prop.)

In this drill the firefighter, wearing full PPE, used a halligan to step on to get purchase to lift himself up to the window and pushing through.  It sounded a lot easier to the guys doing it than what it was.  It is not easy to squeeze that tank and self through the small opening.  We emphasized the use of the tool and having the appropriate one for the job.

Some thought that they would be able to pull themselves up like doing a pull up. Well, it became painfully obvious that even the most fit guy would be lucky to do that with full gear on. Even if he got up to the sill, it was impossible to get through the window without losing your grip.  The tool is crucial.

It was a great learning experience and hit home the point about taking a tool every time.  They understood the different roles and functions that one tool can provide, including saving themselves.

This all boils down to mastering the basics.  Take a tool, take a tool.  It is simple, basic firefighting.  When we master the basics it all becomes habit and we don’t have to think about the basic stuff when we need to use some advanced skills.  It just comes naturally.

Stay safe and train hard!

Posted by on January 17, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, forcible entry, mayday, rescues, RIT, scba, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Pass It Forward

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Some training partners and I recently had the opportunity and honor to travel to rural Missouri to help with some safety and survival training.  It was a one day event on a Saturday and the department and area that we were in is staffed solely with volunteers.  We realized very quickly that these men and women were eager and a little anxious at the same time about this series of drills.

My background in the fire service started in a volunteer department and I am still very involved with that agency as a volunteer and as a part-time staff position.  I understand the obstacles that are present in these very small, rural, and underfunded fire departments.  This department covers over 300 square miles with no paid staff and a budget that is a small line item in most urban career departments.

The one thing that I had to remind myself is that this is one of only two days off that these firefighters were getting this weekend and they were spending it at a voluntary training.  There was not a lack of effort or interest on the part of this group of volunteers.  Even coming from a similar background, but not as rural as this department, I had really forgotten “where I came from” in the sense that in both agencies that I represent, we very seldom lack for most things; especially training.

This day we were requested to present and run drills for Mayday and RIT along with some safety and survival techniques.  When we asked how many of the 16 firefighters had had prior Mayday training, only one held up his hand and he mentioned it was limited.  Most had not heard of LUNAR or the parameters for calling a Mayday.  This was an important part of the class that the training officer wanted to make sure we covered.

I have taught free classes for years and have never regretted it.  Those free classes have typically been state sponsored courses that allow us to charge or not.  In my area we border some smaller departments that have small budgets and we try to help those districts and departments by not charging or only charging for materials.  It is something we can do to help our neighboring departments and firefighters.

These larger trainings that are manpower intensive and require some travel and a lot of prep time, we typically charge for.  There is also time away from our families and we like to get some compensation for our time away and efforts.  We are never going to get rich, but it does cost money to put these trainings on.  This weekend we agreed to do this for free, and am I glad we did.

The whole group of us agreed that we felt a sense of having really helped these firefighters and there was a huge feeling of satisfaction. I don’t mean in a “pat me on the back” kind of way. It was the satisfaction of knowing that there are people that need this and just don’t have the resources or even the information to find the resources.  These firefighters will probably not have many opportunities to get to state or regional fire schools and will likely never make it to an event like FDIC.  They are bound to their area by budgets and resources.

By the end of the day everyone had rid themselves of their anxiousness and had been very willing to participate.  The RIT drills we do last and we had teams wanting to go through more than once and were getting very good at them.  They were commenting on the things that they had learned and were asking lots of questions.  It wasn’t because we were good, it was because they were wanting and needing this kind of training and they were taking advantage of the circumstances before them.

Oh, and we were invited to their annual Christmas party/fish fry.  They go gigging and then fry it up that night for their Christmas party.  Brotherhood is alive and well in rural Missouri and we are trying to clear our schedules to make the party.

What I am asking all of us to do is to pay forward the opportunities, experiences and hard work that we have been lucky enough to be on the receiving end of.  I know that you can’t always accommodate all situations, but we, as a fire service cannot forget about the less fortunate in our own profession.  I feel we have a duty and an obligation to find these smaller departments and offer them our help and not wait to be asked.

Here’s my challenge; this upcoming year, for those of you that have the means and resources, go out at least three times to departments that are less fortunate and their areas and host a class.  Find out what they need and give it to them.  If you can’t provide what they need, I’m sure you have the contacts and network to get if for them. If you don’t, let me know and I will assist you in getting them what they need.

This Christmas, let’s remember to be generous and to be kind.  Pass it forward this coming year and for years to come.

As always, thanks for reading and stay safe.

Jason

Posted by on December 9, 2010 • Filed under: administration-leadership, mayday, RIT, search, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , ,

The Reason for the Denver Drill

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I recently had the pleasure to spend some time with Chief Dave McGrail from the Denver Fire Department. Besides discussing high rise and stand pipe operations, we talked about the Denver Drill and the circumstances from which it was derived.

Most have heard the story of Mark Langvardt and the fire that took his life. The following videos show just how difficult it was for Denver firefighters to rescue firefighter Langvardt. You can see the desperation and helplessness on their faces as they work to exhaustion to save their downed Brother. They were doing everything that they could to rescue him and were met with almost impossible conditions and a situation that they were not familiar with.

This is why we need to learn the lessons that our Brothers and Sisters all over the country can teach us about training for situations like this. We must train for and be prepared for bad things to happen. We cannot take a day off from training and we have to take RIT seriously, no matter how “routine” the fire seems to be.

Please remember Mark Langvardt and the Denver Fire Department while watching these videos and all the others who have sacrificed. We owe it to them to train hard and often and to learn from those experiences.

Stay safe and be a Bulldog about training. It makes all the difference in the world.

Posted by on October 20, 2010 • Filed under: fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, in-the-line-of-duty, line-of-duty, mayday, rescues, RIT, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Airbags in the Dark

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How often do you practice with these?

So, we all have these on some piece of our fleet. Most places will have a set of  these on every truck.

The questions that I want to pose are these: How often do you drill with them? What are the instances that you would use them? Do you every practice with gloves and low/zero visibility?

I know that where I am we don’t use these very often but the potential certainly is there.  I have seen many drills where they get aired up and then put away.  It is also important to understand where they are useful other than vehicle rescues.

The main area I am pointing to here is RIT or FAST activities.  If you include this in your RIT cache, do you regularly drill in zero or low visibility. Let  me tell you, it is a totally different experience.

You must understand leverage points and counter points or balances. Whatever terminology you want to use, if you lift from one side, you have to expect the opposite to move as well.

So, when you drill for these, lift something, anything, like pallets with full visibility. Watch what happens to the opposite side of the lift and make notes. When you get into the dark you will have to crib, raise, and lower all by feel. Oh, and up on red and down on blue is difficult at best.

After training, let us know how you identify the difference and how you communicate those instructions.

Keep up the good work and train hard.

Posted by on August 30, 2010 • Filed under: fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, mayday, rescues, RIT, situational awareness, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Which Way is Out?

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This may seem a bit simplistic, but I am always surprised when I ask someone to close their eyes and hand this prop to them. After I hand them the hose I ask which way they would go to get out of a building?

Follow the Male Lugs Out

This is typically with no gloves on and they are just standing or sitting there, so they are not stressed or in a tough situation. But, most get it wrong.  Why?

Well, I say it is because of the lack of fundamentals and not enough training on the simple stuff.  In this instance it is basics of hose, in my humble opinion anyway.

If you are well versed in hose operations and how the hose is deployed and which end of an attack line is at the truck and which end is inside the building, you should have no problem with this “pop quiz.”

Take the time to learn about your hose.  More on hose lays later, but this little drill that can be done anywhere and any time is valuable and a good discussion starter.

By the way, when they tell you which way they would follow, make them tell you “why” so that you know they aren’t just guessing and watch them squirm.

Remember the fundamentals and stay safe.

Posted by on August 27, 2010 • Filed under: command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, mayday, RIT, search, situational awareness, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Changes in Building Features

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Changes in building features.

These pictures show how buildings are altered over the years and with change of ownership and/or occupancy type.

You can see that what used to be windows are now bricked in.

This is very common on older buildings that had numerous windows and in some cases they are not very efficient.  Owners will frame or brick them in just to eliminate the problem all together.

The problem is we don’t know what the inside sill and frame-out of the inside of the window is like.

This is important to note when your doing your 360 or pre-planning.

When firefighters become lost or disoriented we are taught to find a window or door on an outside wall.  The inside of this building may feel like windows to the gloved hand, but in reality it has been blocked up.

A firefighter may spend a great deal of time and energy trying to get out the “window” and not move on to an actual egress point.

Keep these things in mind and get to know your area. We probably all have these buildings with these feature changes in our area and we have an obligation to point these out to our newer firefighters.  Stay prudent and be involved in your jurisdiction’s building construction and occupancy types.

Stay safe and keep cool.

Posted by on July 24, 2010 • Filed under: buildling construction, command-leadership, exits, fire codes, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, mayday, RIT, search, situational awareness, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, vacant building fires • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Removal Up Stairs–Video

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This is a video we did for a company drill. I know that everyone has their favorite method and some will not like using webbing for this. This is just an additional option you have. It really does give a little assistance with lifting. We have found we have a bit more leverage using the webbing.

However, you have to practice and practice with webbing in order to be proficient, otherwise it takes too long.

Stay safe and be careful.

Posted by on July 20, 2010 • Filed under: fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, mayday, rescues, RIT, search, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , ,

NFFF Memorial Weekend

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Please visit this site regularly.

Over the next days and weeks you may see this banner on many of the blog sites that you visit to get your emergency services fix.

We have been asked to support this initiative to bring honor to those that have fallen and for the families that have been left without their loved ones.

Starting this Friday, there will be a feature of one of the 105 fallen firefighters that will be honored and remembered at this years memorial service. Dave Statter writes, “The feature will include a link to something else that is new this year, a virtual version of the Remembrance Banner. The Remembrance Banner is normally available for family and friends to sign while in Emmitsburg for Memorial Weekend. Now there is a way for those who can’t make the trip to be a part of the tribute.”

Please take the time to visit this site and to tell your friends and co-workers about the tribute.  We must never forget these brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Thanks and stay safe.  Never forget.

Posted by on June 15, 2010 • Filed under: administration-leadership, firefighter-safety-health, in-the-line-of-duty, line-of-duty, mayday, RIT • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Lapel Mics vs. No Lapel Mics

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This post comes on the heels of some discussion and training scenarios that we had at work.  We have had the lapel microphones for our radios for a few years now, but it was a bit of a joke.  Depending on who you relieved in the morning depended on whether the lapel mic was on that particular radio or not.

I had some Captains that hated them and would take them off as soon as they got on the truck and others did the exact opposite.  Which, in turn happened with everyone else on the truck and we lost mics and so on an so on.

I personally like the lapel mics for the simple reason that you can get to it and get your “voice” closer to the mic when geared up and on air.  Once you place your radio in a pocket and put your SCBA on, it can be almost impossible to get it out and talk on it.

Of course the argument from our dissenters is that the mic cord gets tangled up and it is a pain in the butt when you don’t need it.  It is also difficult to re-clip the mic onto your coat or SCBA with gloves on.

I maintain that you have a better chance getting to the mic if you get into trouble as compared to the radio in a pocket.

What is the rest of the country and world doing?

Let us know your opinions and experiences.

Stay safe and thanks for reading.

Posted by on June 10, 2010 • Filed under: administration-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, mayday • Tagged: , , , , , ,