Here is a post from a very good friend and very wise fireman, Lance Peeples.  Lance is a firefighter/paramedic with the Webster Groves Fire Department in St. Louis County.  Check it out and give some feed back.

Review the following video and consider how YOUR fire department operates when answering the following questions:

1.  Is VES indicated if PPV is used by your department?  What safety precaution should the operator of a PPV fan perform before starting the fan?

2.  Notice how the VES firefighter enters head first.  Very experienced instructors often recommend grasping the window frame with the head and upper body protected by the wall and then entering with the opposite foot.  This permits the firefighter to make an emergency ladder slide if necessary.

What is another advantage of this technique?

3.  On your first alarm assignment who is the firefighter assigned the responsibility for VES.  Who is the firefighter that will assist him in this technique?

4.  If the assisting firefighter ascends the ladder to orient the searching firefighter how can the ladder be butted?  Does it always need to be butted?  Could a tool be driven into the grounds at the butt of the ladder to prevent it from sliding?

5.  Are the tools (hook and halligan) needed for VES mounted near the riding position of the member who is responsible for this function or are they mounted on the other side of the apparatus underneath the water rescue rope and drinking cups?

6.  Notice how the roof ladder projects into the window slightly.  However, the ladder is already at a very low angle that could result in the butt kicking out.  Should the ladder tip be removed from the window to allow for easier emergency exit/victim removal or does the angle of the ladder preclude this?  What are possible solutions?

7.  Some of the commentators below the video are critical of opening the door upon preparing to leave the room…what say you? 

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As with most departments, and mine is no different,  trying to get guys in the habit of throwing ground ladders takes a lot of work.  We know the benefits of doing this and there is a great article in the most current issue of Urban Firefighter Magazine that gives some great direction on how and when to use these valuable tools.

Typically, those throwing the ladders are the firefighters and officers  riding on the trucks and not those that are driving them. There are some exceptions to this rule depending on how your department operates.  In the area that I work, the apparatus driver is tasked with water supply and support.

Any time we have multiple stories we want ladders thrown. Any time we have people on the roof, we want ladders thrown.  It is an important task and one that must be trained on and made a permanent part of your operations.  However, this post is not about the actual act of throwing the ladder, but how we can make this job easier for those that do.

As apparatus drivers when we pull up to the scene of a working fire we are thinking about charging the appropriate line, getting the right gallons per minute to your interior crews and finding a water supply source before the tank water is exhausted.  That is a lot to do and you normally do it all on your own.  Well, there is one more thing I would like you to add to your list.

Depending on what type of configuration you have on your apparatus, the ladders on today’s engines and trucks are not convenient to get to.  We have them on the top of the truck so that they have to be lowered to get to them. They are placed “through the tank” with an access panel on the rear of the apparatus which if you lay line can make them impossible to remove because they are blocked by charged lines coming off of the truck from a rear discharge.  There aren’t many traditional stowed ladder configurations on apparatus anymore.

As operators we have to keep this mind. The photo I have posted shows the lowering arm that the ladders are stowed on.  This arm is lowered for firefighters to gain access. One of the downfalls to this is that the access to compartment space is limited, but not entirely blocked.

Once we get water to our crew and have established a water supply, take a second to check overhead and on the side for obstructions and lower the ladder arm.  If ladders are needed they are ready for deployment and easy to get to.  The RIT crew can use them for preventative measures by throwing ladders to create an egress point for firefighters and rescue teams can use them to make quick access to upper floors for search and rescue.

What about the compartments?  Before you lower the rack, take out the equipment that is most commonly used that must be deployed fast and have it ready to go.  On this particular truck, the PPV fan, the RIT bag and some spare SCBA bottles would be removed prior to lowering the rack.

Get familiar with your ladders and how they are removed. Know what obstacles you might face in placing the ladders in operation based on your apparatus configuration.  Be prepared and train on these facts.

As always, follow your local guidelines for operating on the fireground.  We must continue to train and do the simple things perfect. Master the basics and don’t forget to use your ground ladders.

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Here is a pretty good, basic video on VES (vent, enter and search).  It has good demonstration points from the beginning of the operation to the complete search of one room.  The thing I like about this video is the use of two persons for the VES.

Although this can be done with one person, you must weigh the risk vs. benefit, it is ideal to do this with two people.  However your department chooses to perform this function, you must train regularly.

One thing that is not mentioned in the video is the fact that personnel performing VES must be highly trained and experienced. Knowing how to read changing conditions, fire behavior and building construction is a must.

Keep on training and stay safe out there.

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This is a video I found on The Bravest Online. This website has some great content and very current fire related videos that can be used for information and training ideas.

This video is from the Salt Lake City area and shows what can happen when you have hidden fire and use a positive pressure fan with crews inside the building.

Find more videos like this on firevideo.net

There are many thoughts on this tactic and you should follow your local SOP or guideline.

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What would you do at this point?

There is a lot already taking place here.  A hose crew is at the door or inside.  A guy is taking out a window or something to that effect on the D side.  And someone is on a ladder.

There is some nasty smoke pushing out of this structure.  It definitely is under pressure.

Time is running out for keeping this in check and an interior attack.  We’ve all been here and we know how this can go.

At this point in the fire, what ventilation tactic would you use and why?

If you need to, redirect these crews and put them where you think they will make the most progress and explain your actions.

Share with your crew and post your discussion points.  We always get great feedback and we know you have some goo ideas, so, let’s hear them.

Stay safe and be careful.  Get yourself healthy and stay healthy.

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Ladder Bailout from Vent, Enter Search.

 Take a look at this video and watch and listen to the communications.  There is a lot to learn here and these guys were under a lot of pressure. You can just feel it how they are talking and acting on the fire ground.

Use this as a training tool and learn from the experiences of others.  If you have already seen this, well, then watch it again.

Stay safe and be good to each other.  : )

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Check out the link to this video of a backdraft that injured one firefighter.   I don’t know that there is a lot that could have been done because it is such a short clip.

But, it is important to look for the signs and read the signs of smoke conditions that could indicate a backdraft.

Let me know what you think and stay safe out there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTQWNCeCBvQ

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Have a second means of escape when operating on the roof.

When operating on the roof, make sure as the crew operating on it, and/or the officer on the ground, that there is a secondary means of escape.

As we can see in this picture, the primary means could get cut off by fire.

It is prudent and appropriate to put an additional ladder on the opposite side of this building for the crews to exit from.

When this crew made the roof that fire over the front stoop may not have been there nor suspected.  While making the cut they could have lost their primary escape route.

Speak up if you see things like this, it could make all the difference in the world.  This has to be done to keep everyone safe.

Is there anything else you see that might need to be addressed?

Most importantly, this is to illustrate the need for a secondary escape.

Take care, think, and stay safe.

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Lock in when working off a ladder.

I know this is really basic stuff, but we forget very quickly about these basics.

When working off of a ladder use leg locks or a ladder belt.  Don’t forget that ladder belts are not just for aerial trucks.  They are very effective on any ladder.  Well, maybe not an attic ladder.

With some of the new harnesses being integrated into gear, some have ladder belts built into them, so use them.

Bottom line; stay safe and operate safely.  Sometimes it is easy to forget these basic skills.  We teach them in the academies and rookie schools, and we need to refresh every once in a while.

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This building looks to be a very large residential home, or more likely a mutli-family dwelling.

It appears that the majority of fire is on the second floor.

It is night time and the chance that it is occupied is good.

This could be a good time to use interior crews to start an aggressive search with a hose line since we really can’t see any fire.

At the same time, we can have some outside vent guys laddering these windows and performing vent, enter, search tactics since the building appears to be large.

Now, this is somewhat controversial in some parts, like mine, but I think it is an effective tactic.  The key here is to have adequately trained personnel who have experience and can make good decisions in the risk vs. benefit area.

Additionally, there needs to be coordination with the interior crew. And, hey, if you have enough on scene to send in an attack line and a search crew, good for you.  That just isn’t always the case.

Just remember, if you are performing VES, know where you are, have a tool. You may only be able to sweep the room with a tool because of heat.  If you do get in a room, your first bit of business is to shut the door to the adjoining spaces. Oh, make sure you have got  a radio.

What do you think out there?  Any other ideas?  Let us know and share your knowledge.

As always, thanks for stopping by train everyday.

Photo by: http://www.eurekafirerescue.org/2010Pictures.html

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