Sorry about the lack of posts lately, I've just been busy trying to catch up with life. Anyways, I should have some new stuff up this week. Until then I will leave you with some photos of a fireground I was on that reiterate the importance of a company giving a report of conditions in the rear.
The fire was on an early June morning in 2009. My company responded as the 3rd due Engine on the box with 3 personnel. The first due Engine Company went on the scene about 1 minute ahead of us and reported a fully involved dwelling. Since we were the 3rd due Engine, we came in from the opposite direction and laid a supply line from a secondary water supply. We led off with a 2.5" hoseline and stretched from the "Delta" side of the house. I directed my nozzle firefighter to set up and begin flowing at the "Alpha/Delta" corner with the 2.5" and I took a lap to give a report from the rear. When I got to the rear I saw a 2 story addition that had smoke pushing from both floors but no fire showing. I reported this to Command and returned to our Engine to stretch a 1.75" hoseline to the "Delta" side, so that we could transition inside as soon as Command would allow.
Conditions upon arrival
Photo Courtesy of Paul Lof, retired FFX Co. FF
After about 3 minutes of operating, we had dumped our tank water on the fire and had made significant progress on the main body of fire. The 4th due Engine arrived, picked up our line, and supplied us shortly thereafter and we were only without water for less than a minute. As soon as the water supply was established, Command allowed our company and 2 special service companies to enter from the "Delta" side door. We went from room to room making quick work of the remaining fire in the front portion of the house and the special services completed the searches which proved to be negative.
Transitional point
Photo Courtesy of Paul Lof, retired FFX Co. FF
Miraculously, all 18 occupants made it out safely prior to the fire department's arrival. There were a few "take-home" points from the fire: obviously the importance of getting a company in the rear as conditions may differ greatly from the front, 2.5" hoselines can extinguish large volumes of water if applied correctly (the first due Engine led off with a 2.5" but the nozzle firefighter was operating the hoseline with the nozzle only partially open which was hampering their extinguishment efforts), a solid fire stream extinguished the fire versus "pushing" it (some would lead you to believe applying water from the burned side will always push the fire into the unburned side. The wider the pattern, the more CFM's of air are moved thus increasing your odds of "pushing" by-products of combustion. A solid or straight stream doesn't move a large amount of air and, when properly applied, will extinguish fire. Science and firegrounds have proved this, improper and improperly applied fire streams are probably the cause of "pushed" fire incidents.)
After extinguishment
Photo Courtesy of Paul Lof, retired FFX Co. FF
The next day, the addition still very much intact and definitely tenable had there been trapped occupants
Photo Courtesy of Paul Lof, retired FFX Co. FF
I am extremely pleased that, as of late, the majority of the
fire service has seemingly reached consensus in support of utilizing SCBA and
not breathing smoke.Some big
names, from big departments that preach aggressive operations, have begun
publically speaking in support of SCBA use and explaining why it’s absolutely
necessary in today’s fires.When I
joined the fire service, there were still plenty of guys who viewed taking in
smoke as a macho act.In fact, as
a young gung-ho firefighter out to prove my worth, there were instances where I
neglected wearing my SCBA when I should have been. Stupid!That’s the only word to describe my
actions.Anyways, we’ll discuss
that topic further later.So now
that we’re on board with wearing SCBA, when do we put our face piece and
regulator on?As with most things
in the fire service, there are many schools of thought on this.
I am a proponent of putting your face piece on outside the
rig, just before entering an IDLH atmosphere.One time, and only one time, have I ever put my face piece
on in the back of the rig and our initial actions were a giant disaster.I was 17 years old and had just cleaned
up from a working fire when we were dispatched first-due for a house fire.I was running the line and the back-up
firefighter was a DC firefighter.The information Communications gave us indicated they were receiving
multiple calls and this would probably be a working fire.Once he heard this, the “experienced”
DC firefighter excitedly told me to put my face piece on (without clicking in
the regulator).Being young and
dumb I listened to him, despite the fact I had never done this nor had I ever
seen any other members of my company do this.So when the wagon driver stops to layout from the hydrant,
this dude bolts from the rig sporting his face piece.Once again, being young and dumb, I follow thinking I’ve
missed something that he hadn’t.Wrong
again!So there we are, face
pieces on and running down the street beside the rig waiting for it to stop
near the reported address.There’s
nothing evident from the front, which comes as a surprise based on the
information Communications gave us, regardless I run the line as that’s company
policy.We get to the front door
and the back-up firefighter goes to work on the front door in true professional
fashion with his size 12 boot.At
this point my face piece is fogged up beyond belief as it’s the middle of
summer in Virginia.Finally this
guy gets the door open, and I advance up the stairs with a dry line bouncing
off the walls because I can hardly see through my fogged up face piece.We get to the second floor of a
three-story townhome and still have no smoke conditions. I’m beginning to
wonder if we’re even at the right address and my vision is completely obscured
from the fogged up face piece.Finally, the officer grabs my SCBA shoulder strap and leads me to the
sliding glass door, which leads to a deck.There is a small fire involving the fuel line on a propane
gas grill.The officer directs me
to “cover” him with my now-charged hoseline as he secures the propane at the
cylinder, which extinguishes the fire.I “cover” him, without actually being able to see a thing because I
still have a fogged up face piece on.Obviously, not a very effective technique.Anyways, I finally take my face piece off and realize what a
bunch of clowns we just looked like.The poor people’s walls were dinged up from me bouncing off of them and
their door was absolutely destroyed by the “Jackie Chan” forcible entry
techniques that were employed.Needless to say, prematurely donning my face piece contributed to a
large part of this clown show.With that said, I’ve never done it again.
Prematurely donning your face piece while still on the rig
can be dangerous, lead to implementation of improper tactics, cause important
visual indicators to be missed, or contribute to “tunnel vision” type
behavior.The face piece may
obscure or obstruct vision, which could lead the user to run in front of a
moving vehicle, run into a stationary object, or fall into a hole or
ditch.The face piece may also
prevent the user from getting a good look at the fire building, which could be
disastrous.Some of the disastrous
consequences may include failure to identify the fire area, failure to identify
victims, failure to note areas of potential refuge, or failure to identify any
special hazards on or around the fire building.Anyone who’s been the first arriving officer at a couple of
good fires can probably agree that there is a lot of information to be gathered
rapidly, using all of your senses.It’s almost like the world momentarily stops and you rapidly process all
of the information your senses are telling you about the fire to put a plan in
to action.This may involve seeing
things, smelling things, hearing things, and touching things.Prematurely donning your face piece can
impact your ability to use many of these senses and, in turn, cause you to miss
important information.Additionally, the ability to effectively communicate may be hindered by
prematurely donning your face piece.Your orders may not be clearly understood by those who have prematurely
donned their face piece and hood or your voice may be muffled due to the face
piece.
Conversely, donning your face piece and regulator too late
can be detrimental to an operation for obvious reasons.I responded one night as the Rescue
Company OIC to a fire alarm in a house.We’d been responding for about 30 seconds when Communications filled the
box for the house fire.We were
responding to our second due area and the Engine Company whose first due it
was, weren’t known to be very quick or aggressive.Needless to say we arrived about 30 seconds behind them and
had smoke issuing from the entire second floor.They were just finishing their stretch and donning their
face pieces and regulators in the front yard and my goal was to get to the
second floor before the Engine Company to start my search.As I said before, this Company wasn’t
too quick or aggressive so I knew they would come to a near standstill once
they hit the smoke and I certainly didn’t want to get caught behind that.So being the “21 year old bad ass
Rescue Company dude” I thought I was, I bolted to the second floor and planned
on donning my face piece and regulator up there.The smoke from the synthetic materials burning quickly
showed me who had the upper hand.I looked cool running through the front yard and up the stairs, but
looked like a complete chump as I rolled right back down the stairs.I hit the top of the stairs and took
two gulps of smoke, which took the breath right out of me.I’ve never wanted air so bad in my fire
service career and literally dove right back down the steps to an area of
refuge so I could don my face piece and regulator.I quickly got myself back together and donned my face piece
and regulator, however it was now too late and the Engine Company had made the
stairs.As projected, I got stuck
behind their slow advance and it hindered my ability to do a rapid primary
search of the fire floor.If I’d
taken a few seconds inside the first floor to don my face piece and regulator,
I probably could have had the primary search of the majority of the fire floor
done before the Engine Company even made the stairs.
So when is the right time to don the face piece and
regulator?Every incident you
respond to is unique and there are many potential places or times to don the
face piece and regulator.Your
tactical assignment, fire and smoke conditions, and the building are all
factors that influence where and when to don the face piece and regulator.Some folks feel that you don’t need to
don the face piece and regulator until the smoke conditions are too much to
breathe without it.The problems
with this mindset are numerous and the reality is that you’re taking in
unnecessary smoke.Some basic
rules I use to determine when and where I don my face piece and regulator are
just prior to entering an IDLH area, when working directly above an IDLH area,
and when working directly below an IDLH area.This may mean before walking in the front door, on the floor
below the fire, before heading to the roof, or before entering the top floor of
an attic fire.
But doesn’t waiting to don your face piece and regulator
delay implementation of tactics?I
say no.One of my major
operational pet peeves is folks that take way too long donning their face piece
and regulator.This is simply a
training and motivation issue.I’ve observed this trend from very early on in my fire service career
and being the competitor that I am, have always made it a point to be quick
when donning my face piece and regulator.Back before we utilized riding assignments at my VFD, this allowed me to
take the hoseline many times from folks slower than I was.This served as a great motivator for a
young gung-ho firefighter.However
now that I’m a little older and sometimes wiser, efficiency and effectiveness
serve as my motivators for quickly donning my face piece and regulator.It’s an easy skill that can be
practiced by yourself at any time.As long as you have a firefighting PPE ensemble and a face piece, the
skill can be practiced.I average
about 15 seconds from the time I begin to don my face piece until I am
breathing air and ready to operate in an IDLH.A couple things I do that have helped me become quick are
coming off of the rig with my gloves on, developing a system that works for me,
and utilizing the same system every time.I also take my face piece off of my regulator when donning the face
piece which prevents me from wasting any of my precious air and ensures my chin
strap is in the proper position.These are two frequent detail-items I see people getting wrong on a
frequent basis.I have included a
video of a guy I know donning his face piece in about 10 seconds and regulator
in about 15 seconds.Anyways, like
everything else with this job, a little bit of hard work and perfect practice
will probably improve your performance.
As I stated at the beginning of this post, this is one of
the great debates within the fire service.Obviously this blog is my point of view.With that said, that doesn’t mean
everything I have to say is the only way to do things.Robby from Average Jake Firefighter
blog, is a big proponent of coming off the rig with your face piece on.A few years ago he did a blog post that
explains his point of view and the reasons behind it.The guy cares a great deal about the fire service and is
obviously very dedicated to helping the fire service progress.With that said, just because we have
differing view points on this issue doesn’t mean I think he’s an idiot or
useless to the fire service.He
has his way that works for him and I have mine that works for me.At the end of the day, you have to do
what works best for you and maximizes your efficiency and effectiveness.So consider the pro’s and con’s from
both methods and get out and train to figure out what works best for you.
Take a look at the photo and share your thoughts on what is going on here, and why it's going on. If I've told you about this photo, don't cheat, let the other folks take a guess. And no, I'm not inquiring about the water spraying from the 4.5" to 4".
Most members of the fire service are aware of the importance
of effective communication on the fireground.However, as discussed in previous posts, sometimes we come
up short in our fireground communications.One area where I continuously note deficiency is the ability
to effectively and consistently communicate fireground geography.Fireground geography should be
communicated effectively and consistently for a variety of reasons, as it may
greatly influence strategic and tactical decision-making.
When I became a chief officer at my volunteer firehouse, one
of the first classes I took focused on managing a Mayday event.I travelled to Indianapolis, IN to take
the FDTN(the Fire Department Training Network, a very squared away training
company run by Lt. Jim McCormack of the IFD) course, “Commanding RIT
Operations”.The practical portion
of our class ran concurrently with the practical session of a “RIT Operations”
class and we were tasked with managing their scenarios.During the first scenario, I asked the
RIT companies for a progress report and their location.The answer I received was that they
were about 20’ from the front door and had located the trapped firefighter but
needed further assistance.The
initial RIT company had not deployed with a search rope, so the only
information I had on their location was that it was about 20’ from the front
door.Hopefully by now you’ve
realized that this didn’t tell me a whole lot about their actual location.With some prompting, I was able to
gather enough information to determine the company was operating in the ”Bravo
Quadrant” of the first floor and subsequently deploy companies to assist with
removing the trapped firefighter.After the scenario was complete, we shared our thoughts on the things
that went well and the things that needed improvement.I explained to the company that simply
telling me the distance you think you are from the front door doesn’t really
give me a good pinpoint on your actual location.Instead, utilizing building quadrants would give me a much
better idea of their location.I
was astonished when nobody in the class had any idea what I was talking about
and I had to draw out the building quadrants on a piece of paper and explain the
concept.After a few minutes of
explanation, the concept seemed to make a little more sense to the folks in the
class and quadrants were successfully used in the remainder of the scenarios I
managed.
By the middle part of the last decade, many fire departments
across the country switched the way they designated the sides of a building
from numbers to letters.Instead
of sides 1,2,3, and 4, they became sides Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta.As is the case with most changes in the
fire service, there was an initial resistance to the change from many
folks.It was soon realized that simply
stating the letter of the side could cause some confusion, as the letters “B”
and “D” can sound very similar.The
solution was to utilize a phonetic alphabet to overcome this problem.However, more problems arose as some
departments wanted to use their own variations of a phonetic alphabet (Adam,
Baker, Charlie, Delta, Edward, Frank, George, etc.).Obviously, this somewhat defeats the purpose of using common
language and terminology.Recognizing this, most departments soon adopted use of the NATO phonetic
alphabet (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, etc.).The changes also apply to designating
exposures and, in cases of attached exposures or multiple exposures on a
specific side, a number will be designated after the letter (i.e. Bravo 1
Exposure).Listen to fireground
audio and you’ll quickly realize the importance of effectively and consistently
designating sides of buildings and exposures.If you listen to enough fireground audio, you will also
quickly realize that folks often have a hard time getting this right.When I say getting it right, I mean
consistently using the system that your department has in place.Just because my jurisdiction uses
letters, doesn’t mean your jurisdiction has to.Would it be nice if everybody did? Sure.But reality tells us otherwise.The bottom line is effective and
consistent fireground communication will allow for efficient and effective
fireground operations.
The last topic of fireground geography I am going to talk
about deals with the number of floors in a building.This is a huge pet peeve of mine and an area that we, the
fire service, often come up short.Anyone who’s been on a few incidents or done a few walk-throughs, can
tell you that building isn’t always as it appears from the front. Areas that
have significant grade changes, garden apartments, and townhouses are prime for
having a different number of floors than what appears from the front.Ideally, as quickly as possible
somebody needs to determine how many floors the building is and communicate how
they will be designated.As a
chief officer at my volunteer firehouse, when I was running a box alarm, odor
of smoke, or gas leak, I tried to always obtain the number of floors and
announce their designation to all responding units.For instance, a 2-story in the front, 3-story in the rear
townhouse would have: a basement, first floor, and second floor.Identifying these designations early on
will prevent confusion that may persist for the duration of the incident.One-story houses that sit on a
basement, also seem to cause great confusion.I recently listened to a fire at work involving a one-story
house on a basement.The initial
size-up called it a one-story house and it was later called a two story house
by a chief officer.During
fireground operations, several different geographical terms were being used
interchangeably to describe where companies were operating, none of which were
consistent.Thankfully it was a
relatively small fire and the companies made quick work of it without
incident.However, had a Mayday
been declared on the fireground, significant confusion may have occurred due to
the inconsistent geographical designations being used on the fireground.Several widely publicized fires have
occurred within the US fire service that should drive home the importance of
identifying the number of floors in a building and establishing consistent
designations for the respective floors.
Effectively communicating fireground geography and keeping
it consistent will allow us to operate more efficiently and effectively.It allows for better accountability, may
help you in maintaining orientation on the fireground, and assists in strategic
and tactical decision-making.
I have tossed the idea around for a while about doing a post
on this topic, as I’m sure there are some folks who will take exception with
it.However, I feel the message
needs to be communicated for the betterment of the fire service.You see, there is an epidemic that
seems to becoming widespread throughout the fire service: the acceptance of
mediocrity and subpar performance.This epidemic undermines many core values the fire service has been
built upon, compromises the fire service’s effectiveness, and is
dangerous.It’s dangerous to
firefighters and citizens, alike.However, it’s not too late to stop this epidemic and steer the fire
service back on course.Failure to
do so will result in further compromise to the 21st century fire
service’s effectiveness.
So when did this epidemic begin?I’m not really sure when it began nor is it really all that
important to know when it began.However, it is important to realize that it exists and will continue to
exist until the fire service takes a stand to stop it in its’ tracks.Too many folks have gotten on board
with the mindset of: as long as nobody from the fire service gets hurt, the
operation was a success.One
hundred things could have gone wrong, but as long as no fire service members
were hurt then we did something right. Yes, you did one thing right but you also did one hundred things wrong.I’ll go out on a limb and say an operation where this takes place is far
from one I’d consider a success.Every operation we do should be reviewed to determine what actions
worked out well and what actions could be done differently to improve our
operations.With that said, in
almost every instance, some actions could be done differently improve
operations.
Why does this epidemic continue to occur?It continues to occur because the fire
service allows it to.It’s easier
for many folks to turn a blind eye to subpar performance than it is to address,
and correct, it.Often, it’s
because folks don’t want to hurt somebody’s feeling by bringing these concerns to
light.Here’s a news flash to the
folks who subscribe to this mindset: fires don’t care about our feelings, class
C soil doesn’t care about our feelings, methyl ethyl bad stuff doesn’t care
about our feelings, and water that has turned a street into a raging river
doesn’t care about our feelings.I’m not advocating hurting feelings, however I am advocating the fact
that we have to outperform the elements we face in the course of our duties if
we want to perform effectively.Failure to outperform these elements compromises our effectiveness, our
safety, and the safety of those we serve.Accepting mediocrity and subpar performance will not help us in any way,
shape, or form in our quest to outperform the elements and challenges we face.
Many folks in today’s fire service like to throw around the
phrase “Everyone Goes Home”.Often the folks who throw this phrase
around are the same folks accepting mediocrity and subpar performance.Accepting mediocrity and subpar
performance is actually contradictory to the very phrase these folks throw
around because it seems like the right thing to say.The fireground and emergency scenes are actually more
dangerous when folks are performing in a mediocre manner.In order to operate as safely as
possible, while remaining effective, the fire service needs folks who perform
in a superior manner, not in a mediocre manner.Do you want to operate on the fireground that has a RIT
staffed with folks who perform in a mediocre manner? Probably not.I want to operate on the fireground
that has a RIT staffed with folks who take pride in doing the job well and
operating in a superior manner.Your families and the people who care about you probably also want that,
as that gives us a much better chance at coming home at the end of the shift
versus the result of operating amongst mediocrity and subpar performance.
While it may be easier to turn a blind eye to subpar
performance, it’s not the right thing to do.Part of being a firefighter is doing the right thing.Acknowledge and correct subpar or
mediocre performance, but do not accept it!Company officers, challenge yourselves and your people daily.Strive to always perform as efficiently
and effectively as possible.As
Captain Dan McMaster, of the Alexandria Fire Department, stated at AFTD ’12, “operational concerns and deficiencies need
to be corrected through training, not discipline”.Get your folks out to the apparatus bay
and in your response district to train.You may think you’re being nice by sparing one’s feelings and not
acknowledging subpar performance, however you are doing an injustice to your
people, yourself, and the citizens by accepting mediocrity or subpar
performance.The 21st century
fire service’s effectiveness is dependant upon folks striving for superior
performance, not mediocre or subpar performance.
Having pride in your department, and its operations, are a
good thing.However, when pride
gets in the way of progression, it can begin to effect operational
effectiveness.I think many
firefighters and fire departments are coming up short because they fail to look
at how other departments are doing business.Often firefighters, or fire departments, get in to a
“comfort zone” within their department and forget there are lots of other
firefighters and fire departments out there doing good things.Realizing there generally isn’t a “one
size fits all” approach to firefighting, we can draw from many other
department’s experiences and procedures to possibly improve our own efficiency
and effectiveness.
Some departments preach from day one: “we don’t care how you
did it somewhere else, we have our way and that’s how it will be done”.I respect and agree with this mindset
while training new members, as it ensures everyone is getting the same, and
consistent, baseline training.However after a member is proficient with the basics, allowing them to
fall back upon the basics should all else fail, it behooves them to seek out other
ways of performing tasks.The more
methods you know to perform a task, the less likely you are to fail at
performing the task.
The 21st century fire service offers us so many
opportunities to see how other departments are conducting business.The internet provides a ton of avenues
to learn new methods as there as a ton of fire service websites and blogs,
Facebook or Twitter pages, and fire service YouTube videos.Your ability to seek these things out
is truly only limited by the amount of time you want to spend doing it.I, like many others, have my list of
fire service websites and blogs that I check out on a daily basis.I also have “friends” on Facebook or
people I follow on Twitter who are affiliated with many different fire
departments across the country.Routinely these folks are putting up photos or other information that
can be used as quick training material and you don’t have to leave the comfort
of your own home to get this information.With that said, you must leave the comfort of your home to get out and
apply this information.Simply
looking at how another firefighter or department operates won’t always work,
you actually have to go out and try it to see if it will work for you and/or
your department.Limiting factors
may include apparatus, equipment, or personnel.However, you will never know until you actually get out and
try this stuff.
Formalized training events are also seemingly more popular
than ever.This is an excellent
thing!It may be due to the fact
folks are able to widely advertise via the internet or it may because
firefighters are doing a better job of networking.Regardless of why it’s occurring, we need to ensure it keeps
occurring.These are great ways to
learn the “how and why” of different methods and also apply the different
methods in a controlled environment.As I eluded to earlier, there isn’t a “one size fits all” approach to
the fire service.With that said,
just because you’ve been 20 classes on forcible entry doesn’t mean you aren’t
going to learn something new by taking your 21st class.If nothing else, taking “hands-on”
classes will allow you more opportunities to practice skills you already
have.Earlier this week I attended
a swiftwater rescue class hosted by Richmond Fire and Emergency Services in
Richmond, VA.A few acquaintances
of mine asked why I would go to this class as I have already taken a few
different swiftwater classes.It
was simple for me to answer.Richmond does a lot more swiftwater calls than most in my area so they
probably have some “battle proven” techniques, it’s a different location than
where I’m accustomed to training, and I don’t get a ton of opportunities beyond
our required CE hours to swim in moving water.It was a no-brainer and I’m glad I went as it was excellent
training.
Too often I see firefighters or fire departments operating
with outdated practices or equipment simply because they won’t go out and look
at how others are doing things.This is unfortunate because the fire service is evolving around them and
it’s often very hard to play “catch-up” when you’re so far behind.As I stated earlier, there are lots of
great firefighters and departments across the country doing things that may
improve your own efficiency or effectiveness.There are folks from Charlottesville(VA), South Carolina,
Ohio, North Carolina, and Michigan doing great stuff with vehicle extrication.There are folks from Washington D.C.,
Florida, Washington State, and Pennsylvania doing great stuff with Engine
Company operations.There are
folks from the FDNY, Indiana, Michigan, Massachusetts, and California doing
great stuff with Truck Company operations.There are folks from Arizona and Oregon doing great stuff
with Rope Operations.My point is
that there are tons of folks out there showing different ways to remain
efficient and effective.You may
find this information via the internet, word of mouth, or through training.
Regardless, it’s your responsibility to go out and find the information to
determine if it will improve your efficiency and effectiveness.
I was first introduced to the 400’ 1.75” preconnected
hoseline in early 2004 when the Falmouth VFD began utilizing it as their “long
line”.My company, the Stafford
VFD, ran a traditional leader line consisting of 200’ 1.75” wyed off of 200’ of
2.5” as our “long line” and this “new” variation of a “long line” fascinated
me.Little did I know that I would
spend countless hours working to master this hoseline, attempting to make it as
efficient and effective as possible.You see, deploying “the 400” isn’t as simple as deploying a 200’ cross
lay.The teamwork and discipline
required for proper deployment of “the 400” are in a class of their own.However after training with "the 400", when it all comes together,
it’s a beautiful act of efficiency and effectiveness.Unfortunately, not everyone feels the same about the
hoseline and many folks are quick to denounce the 400’ 1.75” hoseline.As long as folks reading this have an
open mind, I think I can convince them that the 400’ 1.75” hoseline is a great
tool to have in our arsenal.
The 400' 1.75" Hoseline On The Left
Many folks feel that the 400’ 1.75” hoseline is
inappropriate due to it’s pump discharge pressure.To these folks I offer the following: it’s the 21st
century, get with the times.While
that may seem a little brash, it’s the truth.For years we’ve been living with myths or misconceptions
simply because “that’s how we’ve always done it”.Captain Dan Shaw, of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue
Department, has led the charge in Northern Virginia by challenging this mindset
and disproving these myths.Technology has evolved, as have fire hose and nozzles.Higher flows can be achieved with lower
pump discharge pressures thanks to technological advances in fire hose and
nozzles.Apparatus plumbing has
also been improved to facilitate efficiency in delivering water to the
discharge.Our 400’ 1.75” hoseline
has an Elkhart Fire Chief 75/150 nozzle with a 15/16” tip in the shut-off.According to the equation used in IFSTA
PADO handbook, the PDP’s should be 215 PSI and 260 PSI to achieve appropriate
flows.However, after using a
calibrated flow meter, we found 215 PSI produced a flow of 185 GPM for the
75/150 nozzle and 225 PSI produced a flow of 200 GPM with the 15/16” tip.I think it’s safe to say this proved
400’ of 1.75” hose can produce proper flow at a very reasonable PDP.
Experience and science have shown us that today’s fires grow
at an exponential rate and water needs to be applied to the fire as quickly as
possible.The 400’ 1.75” hoseline
affords us the opportunity to place a “long line” in service, and on the fire,
in a very short amount of time.The
current economic state of the country has also left many fire departments short-staffed
and operating with less than ideal amounts of members on the rigs.The 400’ 1.75” hoseline, while ideally
deployed by three members, can easily be deployed by 2 members.The video below shows two members
deploying the 400’ hoseline in one minute with water reaching the nozzle about
ten seconds later.Having deployed
a leader line many times on incidents and during training, I assure you it’s
quicker to place the 400’ 1.75” hoseline in service.As stated at the top of this paragraph, the quicker you get
water on the fire, the more successful you are likely to be.
After the last paragraph I’m sure there are some folks
saying that getting the proper amount
of water on the fire is the key to success.You are correct.However, the quicker we get a line on the fire, the less water we are
likely to need to get the proper
amount of water on the fire.A
“one-line fire” may rapidly grow to a “two or more line fire” if the stretch
isn’t as efficient as possible.Recently a department in my area removed their 400’ 1.75” hoseline
because their Fire Chief felt it was being deployed inappropriately.Their members had stretched the 400’
hoseline on box alarms at a Wal-Mart and grocery store.While I certainly understand the
Chief’s mindset towards the required fire flows in these occupancies, I believe
the solution they’ve chosen to combat this problem is inefficient and
impractical.The good news for me
is that it’s not my company and I don’t have to like it.With that said, they are still a very
good fire company and I agree with many of their practices, just not this one. According to the Chief, their
solution is to stretch their “Detroit Load”(150’ of 1.75” shoulder load
connected via a gated wye to a static bed of 3” hose) through these occupancies.Since the 3” hose is a static bed,
deployment of this hose is time and personnel intensive.Sure, the gated wye provides the
ability to supply another attack line.However I’m fairly confident my company can combine two 200’ preconnects
to back-up, or supplement, the first line in a very short amount of time
without worrying about the problems a gated wye may present.Anytime a gated wye is used, companies
need to ensure the gate is secured open and does not accidently close at any point
during the operation.Additionally, connecting to a gated wye in limited visibility can prove
to be challenging to firefighters and connecting the back-up line to the gated
wye provides no redundancy as the entire operation is dependant on the 3” hose
not failing.If high volume flows
are required to successfully combat a fire in a larger occupancy, consider
using a larger line such as a 2 ½” line with a 1 ¼” tip pumped at 80 PSI which
will deliver 400 GPM’s.While not
the norm(the NP), this can be utilized to rapidly suppress a large amount of
fire.With that said, conduct
drills on extending the larger lines too, you may be surprised at what you
find.
100' on the nozzle FF's shoulder
150' on the back-up FF's shoulder
150' drag load
The 400’ 1.75” has a variety of uses on the fireground
including the initial line, the back-up line, or an additional line.It can be used in a variety of
occupancies and to accomplish a variety of stretches.It is particularly useful in garden apartments as there are
often significant set-backs and it allows the prime real estate to be left open
for the Truck companies.The 400’
hoseline can be very useful at townhouse fires as it can easily be stretched to
the rear for suppression of basement fires or exterior fires in “2 in the
front/3 in the rear” units.Depending on your response district, you may find multi-story buildings
without standpipe systems, the 400’ hoseline can often be quickly deployed to
upper floors via stairwells.Like
many parts of Northern Virginia, my firehouses have “McMansions” in our box
alarm areas.The 400’ hoseline may
be needed to reach fires in these homes as they are very large and
complex.There are many instances
where I have utilized the 400’ 1.75” hoseline and it has certainly proved to be
very efficient and very effective.
While you may not currently utilize a 400’ 1.75” hoseline, I
encourage you to try it out and see if it benefits your company.It may or it may not.However, the only way to find out is to
train with it, deploy it in real world environments, and put a flow meter on
it.With a little practice, the
400’ 1.75” hoseline can be deployed very efficiently and very effectively.If you currently use a leader line, use
a stop watch to calculate the time it takes to stretch your current line vs.
the 400’ 1.75” hoseline.As stated
above, the 400’ 1.75” is pumped at a very manageable PDP and can easily be
extended to take you further than 400’.As the old adage states: “as the first line goes, so goes the
fire”.Getting the first line in
service quickly will likely set the tone for the duration of the incident and
may knock out the fire before any additional lines are needed to assist in
suppression efforts.Today’s heat
release rates, coupled with modern building construction, necessitate that
hoselines be deployed as efficiently and effectively as possible.The 400’ 1.75” may be the tool you need
to make this happen.
Communicating.I think most would agree the fire service often comes up short when it
comes to communicating.In many
instances, after action reports cite communicating as an area where improvement
is needed.As I’ve stated in
previous posts, I’m a huge proponent of self-evaluation.Doing a little self-evaluation about
six years ago, I realized I needed to make some significant improvements to my
communication skills.While many
folks have issues or deficiencies communicating on emergency incidents, my
deficiencies were largely centered on communicating while not on emergency
incidents.For all intents and
purposes, I personified the definition of “smart ass”.My
messages, while often correct and well intentioned, were overshadowed by my
delivery.
All members of the fire service serve as communicators in
the firehouse and on the street.With that said, not all members of the fire service are effective
communicators.Effective
communicators send messages that are successfully received.In addition to sending messages,
effective communicators are able to receive messages.Ineffective communicators often send messages that are
ignored or misinterpreted and they often have a hard time receiving messages.We need effective communicators to keep
the fire service focused and moving in a forward direction.Proper delivery of messages will
allow positive changes to be made and improve performance.
As I stated in the introductory paragraph, about six years
ago I did some self-evaluation after realizing I was causing myself unnecessary
headaches and problematic experiences.If you follow this blog, then you know I’m obviously very much “in to
the job”.For a long time, I
couldn’t grasp the concept that not everybody shares my enthusiasm or
motivation towards the fire service.Additionally, I definitely had trouble grasping the concept that some
folks need somebody to reach out to them and bring out their enthusiasm and
motivation.Instead, I was very
blunt and matter-of-fact about my feelings towards these folks and their
actions.This proved to be
anything but positive for me and didn’t do anything to improve the fire
service.All it did was make me
look like a jackass and it completely turned people off to anything that came
out of my mouth.I was “that guy”,
the guy folks viewed as a good fireman but a complete jackass of a human
being.All of this stemmed from
the methods in which I chose to deliver my messages.It didn’t matter if what I said was right, all of that went
out the window when I chose to deliver the message wrong.
Having served in various leadership capacities, I’ve had the
opportunity to manage many different people.Different people have different personalities and consequently,
have different things that motivate them.Part of being a leader is learning your people.Learning your people goes beyond just
knowing who they are, it means finding a way to reach them and maximize their
performance.I hate to sound like
a cheerleader here because, unfortunately, the reality is there are some folks
you will never reach.However, to
achieve the results you desire from your people, you have to be able to reach
them.If the message you are
sending never reaches them because you chose the wrong delivery method, your
efforts will prove to be futile.Instead take the time to figure out what makes your people “tick”(like a
clock, not a derogatory volunteer term) and employ a method that will
effectively deliver your messages.I guarantee you will see positive results and performance from most of your people.
Some instances and situations, like during an emergency
incident, require immediate and direct delivery of messages.We can worry about feelings later,
there are pressing issues that require mitigation during emergency
incidents.I’m not advocating
being rude or mean, but I am advocating not delaying effective service delivery
because we are “beating around the bush” or worried about saying something that
may misinterpreted as being rude.In non-emergent situations such as: during training, around the
firehouse, or after an emergency incident; take a moment to ensure the messages
you are sending aren’t lost in the delivery method.Unfortunately, it took me a long time to overcome the stigma
I created by choosing bad delivery methods.Hopefully somebody reading this is able to learn from my
mistakes and prevent, or correct, poor delivery methods.There are a lot of smart, aggressive,
and forward-thinking fire service members with good ideas and they will able to
effectively communicate their ideas and messages with proper delivery.
The 21st century fire service, like the fire
service of previous generations, is full of opinions and mindsets on what the
fire service should be.There are
hundreds of publications and blogs, including mine, with firefighters sharing
their thoughts and opinions on various matters.Since it’s Labor Day, I decided it would be a good time to
share some thoughts on a topic that has become more prevalent and debated in
today’s fire service: Is the fire service a white-collar or blue-collar
profession?I believe the fire
service is a blue collared profession with essential white-collar aspects.When you mix the colors blue and white,
light blue is created.Therefore,
the fire service is probably bettered classified as a light blue-collar profession.
Stronger emphasis has been placed on higher education in
today’s fire service than in previous generations.This fact, coupled with the expansion of services the fire
service provides, has led to a whole new group of fire service members.Often it seems as if more folks feel the
fire service is, or should be, a white-collar profession.The reality of the situation is that an
effective fire service will never be
a white-collar profession.To
remain effective, the fire service will always need members who are willing to
“get their hands dirty” through proficient and technically skilled task
performance.
However, after doing this job for a little bit and serving
in various leadership roles, I’ve learned that an effective fire service cannot
be a completely blue-collar profession.Unfortunately, the fire service consists of more than just responding
to, and mitigating, emergencies.Believe me, I would love it if that were what we did.But, that’s not reality.There are a lot of “behind the scenes”
things going on that allow a fire department to operate efficiently and
effectively.Often times, the
folks on the floor “getting their hands dirty” do not realize how much “behind
the scenes” work is going on.Much
of this “behind the scenes” work is more white-collar work than it is blue
collar.
As stated above and as you’ve probably gathered from reading
this blog, I am an operationally driven guy.I love anything that pertains to doing the job and learning
to do the job better.When I
became Fire Chief, I really had to focus on doing more of the “behind the
scenes” things.If these items are
neglected, an organization will rapidly lose its effectiveness.Submitting budgets, working within a
budget, making requisitions, establishing relationships with political figures
and other department heads, intra- and inter- departmental communication, and
managing people and programs are all examples of white collar work that’s
essential for an organization to run effectively.
An organization can have the most technically skilled folks
but if nobody provides these folks with the equipment to perform their tasks,
their effectiveness will be extremely limited.The fire service needs folks who can look at a budget to
find funds for this equipment, establish contact with vendors who sell this
equipment, make a legal purchase within purchasing guidelines, and establish
implementation of this equipment once it arrives.Just because you are good at riding up and down the road on
a fire truck, doesn’t mean you will be good at doing all of this.Conversely, just because you’re good at
doing the white-collar work, doesn’t mean you’re going to be good at riding up
and down the road on fire trucks.
While most of what I write about deals with the blue-collar
aspects of our job, there are many essential white-collar aspects to the fire
service.If all members of the
fire service are able to better understand their roles and the roles of others,
mutual respect and understanding amongst fire service members will likely
result.In order to remain
efficient and effective, the fire service needs folks who do the blue-collar work by “getting their hands
dirty” as well as folks who do the white-collar,
“behind the scenes” work.The next
time you think about denouncing the folks who carry out different duties than
yours within the fire service, consider the fact that their work might actually
help yours.Efficiency and
effectiveness will be better maintained if we embrace the light blue-collar concept.
Technological advances in tools and equipment used by the
fire service have helped to improve efficiency in our service delivery.In many instances, the advances have
improved our effectiveness too.However, in some in instances I believe it has negatively impacted our
effectiveness.As is the case with
any tool or equipment, technologically advanced tools and equipment are subject
to failure.With that said, many
folks in the fire service have become too reliant on technology and are ill
prepared in the instance our tools or equipment fail.Regardless if failure occurs with our technologically
advanced tools or equipment, it is our responsibility to remain efficient and
effective in our service delivery.
I became motivated to write on this topic after a discussion
I had with my grandfather this morning.It is very apparent that society has become too reliant on technology
and many folks lack basic problem solving skills or abilities.Unfortunately, my generation is leading
the charge in this category.In
fact, I have made the statement “as long as I have my cell phone and check
card, I can get myself out of any situation”.While this statement is obviously an exaggeration, it’s
indicative of where society is.Technology, while very helpful, may be helping to lead future
generations further down the path of laziness or complacency.
However, all hope should not be lost.Like any other problem or concern, the
first step to fixing it is recognizing it.While society as a whole may continue with this trend, the
fire service can manage this trend within our own ranks.The fire service should continue to use
technologically advanced tools and equipment to improve our efficiency and
effectiveness.However, we must
train our folks to operate in the instance of failure or absence of the
technologically advanced tools or equipment.Problems were solved, emergencies were mitigated, and fires
went out long before the advent of many technologically advanced tools or
equipment.Some of these methods
are still the most efficient and effective ways to carry out our duties, while
other methods have been improved with technologically advanced tools or
equipment.Even though the methods
employed by previous generations to accomplish tasks may not be “plan A”, they
certainly shouldn’t be discarded or forgotten.
Why do I feel the fire service has become too reliant on
technology?I’ve observed too many
instances of folks using technological advances as a crutch, instances where
folks cannot function the moment technological advances have been removed, and
instances where folks ignore their senses or observations due to reliance on
technological advances.
I know folks who feel that area familiarization and
memorization is unnecessary due to us having GPS or Google Map access.Yes, we do have those tools and yes, we
should use them if it will improve our efficiency or effectiveness.Is it rare that both of these items
will fail?Probably.However, it can happen and if it does,
are you prepared?The night of
June 29, 2012 proved to be an interesting one for us in Northern Virginia.We experienced a strong storm known as
a “Derecho” and chaos ensued.Widespread power outages and
destruction occurred as a result of the storm.There was very little visibility while responding to
emergency incidents and many street signs were gone, damaged, or unable to be
seen.Additionally, numerous roads
were blocked with trees and power lines and alternate access routes were
required to be taken.Solely
relying on GPS or Google Maps would have been far from efficient and locating
some streets would have been nearly impossible due to debris and darkness.However, our efficiency and
effectiveness was maintained because we place a lot of emphasis on area
familiarization.Encountering low
hanging wires while en route to a “tree on fire” may contribute to missing a
first due apartment fire, but it’s not like I would know how that feels or
anything!Anyways, the take home
point is area familiarization is very important.While technology can certainly assist us in choosing our
running routes, it is susceptible to failure or may prove to be inferior due to
other variables such as an extreme weather event.
As I’ve stated in previous posts, I am fortunate that I work
for a focused and progressive fire department.One of the newer technologically advanced tools the
department purchased is the Scott Pak Tracker.This device is comparable to a “sniffer” for PASS
devices.Much like a “sniffer”
detects the presence of combustible gasses and alerts users to their presence,
the Pak Tracker detects PASS activations and emits an audible and visual
indicator as indication of proximity to the activated PASS device.While the Pak Tracker is a great tool,
it should not cause the user to ignore their senses and observations.A few years ago when the department was
testing the Pak Tracker, all members of our department and a surrounding
department took part in a large-scale RIT drill at a vacant commercial
building.There were numerous
“lost” firefighters and a company was activated as part of the Level 2 RIT
response (our region has a 3 tiered RIT response depending on conditions at the
fireground).All four members of
the company deployed to the interior of the building, one of which was
utilizing the Pak Tracker.Shortly
thereafter, the Pak Tracker started to pick up the PASS activation of the
missing member this particular company was searching for.The building was “smoked” up and
visibility was extremely low.The
firefighter with the Pak Tracker focused on the noise the Pak Tracker was
making, however seemed to tune out everything else that was going on around
them to include the audible sound of the PASS activation.At one point, the member utilizing the
Pak Tracker was within feet of the missing member but failed to realize this
due to the attention devoted to the Pak Tracker.Focusing solely on the technologically advanced tool led the
firefighter to ignore their senses.Stopping and listening to the actual PASS device for a moment may have
led the firefighter to the missing member in a timelier manner.I have seen the same thing occur with
thermal imaging cameras.Firefighters
ignore what their senses are telling them in a fire because it contradicts what
they see on the camera screen.Remember, the camera only sees what you point it at.Your sense of feel, for objects or
heat, may tell you something different is going on than what is seen in the
TIC.Conversely, the TIC may alert
you to something you cannot yet see or feel.They are good tools but should not replace a firefighter’s
senses or observations but rather supplement them.
I have given detailed accounts of two instances above where
too much reliance on technologically advanced tools or equipment may lead to
inefficiency or ineffectiveness.However there are numerous other examples including: folks that can’t
open a roof if the saw fails to start, folks that can’t force a door with a
halligan bar and striking tool when their HFT fails, folks that can’t extricate
a trapped vehicle occupant when the hydraulic rescue tools fail, folks that
can’t construct a belay when the MPD or 540 fail, folks that can’t shore a
trench when all of the air shores have been exhausted, or folks that can’t get
pressure on hoselines if the “preset” button at the pump panel fails. Alternate
methods, used in the event that technologically advanced tools or equipment
fail or are not applicable, should be incorporated during training.Sometimes I feel that the “older” or “conventional”
methods should be taught during initial training so that members will be able
to fall back to these methods and build upon them.In my opinion, it’s easier for a member to learn to force a
door with a halligan bar and striking tool.After the conventional method has been mastered, incorporate
the HFT into training.The member
will better understand what they are accomplishing with the HFT and will be
able to function in the event the HFT fails.When I took the 80 hour FEMA SCT course, the first day we
were shown, and used, the Paslode Nailer.However, after that we never used a powered nail gun again.All of our shores were constructed
using hammers and 16d or 8d nails.There was a method to this madness, as it ensured “carpentry deficient”
folks like myself became capable of building shores with hammers and nails.
Technological advances have helped us immensely but should
not cause us to become ineffective the moment we don’t have them.Hopefully the fire service recognizes
this behavioral trend and will take action to ensure we do not become
ineffective.Use technology, it
makes our job easier, but do so with a plan to carry out our duties in the
event the technology fails or is inaccessible.Also, do not ignore the obvious events going on around you
simply because you have a technologically advanced tool in your hand.The efficient and effective firefighter
will be able to perform regardless if the technologically advanced equipment is
available for use.
Since I don’t work in Detroit, Buffalo, Baltimore or Camden,
unfortunately I don’t get to go to a fire everyday.With that said, second to fireground operations, I greatly
enjoy rescue operations.The
challenge, complexity, and technical skills involved with rescue operations
make them very appealing to me.Rescue operations also require a great deal of teamwork due to the
tactics that must be employed to overcome the challenges a rescue operation
presents.I have found that there
are usually two types of people
interested in rescue operations: go getters with “Type A” personalities and
folks that like to wear a T-shirt that says they are part of something special.Typically, the latter will be exposed as you can only hide
for so long in this job. However, that’s another topic for another day.Anyways, when there are multiple “Type
A” personalities operating together, very good things can occur.However, there can also be instances
where egos and opinions detract from the mission.“Rescue By Committee” is one such instance and this post
will identify this behavior and give you tools to prevent it’s occurrence.
I was first introduced to the term “Rescue By Committee” by
Chief Willie Rice while we observed an operation at a rope rescue class a few
years ago.Though this was my
first introduction to the term, it certainly wasn’t my introduction to the
behavior.I had observed the
behavior, and the operational hindrance it can cause, many times during drills
and emergency incidents.“Rescue
By Committee” is when a committee of folks are implementing a rescue plan,
however none of the committee members are on the same sheet of music.The efforts of the committee members,
while well intentioned, are usually not very productive and, in some instances,
counteract the efforts of other committee members.Rescue operations should be carried out by a team rather than a committee.Teamwork allows folks to work together
to accomplish the common goal.
To prevent “Rescue By Committee”, we must understand how and
why it occurs.As I said above,
there are many folks with “Type A” personalities involved with rescue
operations.In many instances, at
least in their own mind, everyone seems to have a better idea or method than
the next person.It’s okay to have
ideas or opinions, the problem begins when the ideas or opinions prevent
implementation, and progress, of an effective rescue plan.
Development of the rescue plan can be a team effort. There
are many instances where an officer or the Rescue supervisor are not the most
knowledgeable members in the respective discipline that the rescue operation
falls into.This is a key part to
teamwork and leadership.Good leaders
will be able to call upon the resources within their team to develop and
implement the rescue plan.While
the officer may not be the member who developed the rescue plan, it is their
responsibility to manage the implementation of the rescue plan.Strong leadership is essential to
ensure the rescue plan is effectively put in to action.If “Rescue By Committee” starts to
occur, the officer must immediately intervene and communicate the implemented
rescue plan to ensure folks are adhering to it.
Generally, the rescue plan that has been implemented should
be kept intact unless it is failing to be effective, is going to injure the
rescuers or patient, or incident conditions change.With that said, any member of the team can bring attention
to these items. Contingency
plans should be established in the instance that the rescue plan needs to be
modified or changed.However,
implementation of the contingency plans does not occur until the officer or
Rescue supervisor deems the implementation appropriate.This may be occur as the result of
their own observations or after consulting with team members.Regardless of their own feelings,
rescue team members should not stray from the rescue plan simply because they
feel their plan is better.As
stated above, actions such as this are often counterproductive and may
counteract progress being made.
As this post has emphasized, rescue teamwork is more
effective than “Rescue By Committee”.A rescue team will operate effectively during rescue operations due to
strong leadership and discipline amongst team members.Egos are able to be put aside as focus
is placed on accomplishing the mission rather than ego fulfillment.A rescue plan is established,
implemented, evaluated, and accomplished in an efficient and effective manner
by rescue teams.“Rescue By
Committee” does not establish a common plan, involves unorganized
implementation, and involves plans that are not objectively evaluated.The results of “Rescue By Committee”
are inefficiency and ineffectiveness.
As I’ve stated numerous times, I’m a huge proponent of
training.Aside from actually
performing the job(in the proper manner), training is the next best way tobecome good at the job.One of the great things about the fire
service is that there is always something to learn and nobody will ever know
everything.With that said,
training should be continuous through your fire service career regardless of
your length of service or rank.There’s an old adage that my father preached to me soon after I joined
the fire service, “the day you stop learning is the day you need to hang it
up”.Now, I’m not telling anybody
they need to “hang it up” or quit the fire service, but I think the message speaks
for itself.The day you allow
complacency to set in, you become a danger to yourself and to everyone you come
into contact with via the job.However, attending all of the training in the world will be purposeless
if the end user doesn’t use, and retain, the skills and information gained from
the training.
So you went out and attended training?Excellent.However, that’s only part of the equation.I know many folks who have taken tons
of classes and attended a lot of training, but struggle to perform our basic
job duties such as stretching hoselines, deploying portable ladders, or forcing
doors.On that same note, I know
many folks who have attended training on technical aspects of our job for no
apparent reason other than to say they attended the training.The moment the training is over, the
skills and information are no longer on their priority list.Why would you waste your time, and the
instructor’s, if you have no interest in retaining the skills and
information?
The purpose of training is to increase the proficiency level
of our job duties.Simply put,
it’s to be better at what we do.Training should occur on any skills, or information, used to carry out our
job duties.Failure to retain the
skills and information will result in negative consequences.On the low end of the consequence
scale, you may look foolish and your pride will be hurt.On the high end of the consequence
scale, you may get yourself, or someone else, injured or killed.Hopefully nobody operates with the
intention of performing their job duties subpar, but it happens.In many instances it happens due to a
lack of training, or a lack of retention of training received.
Through my fire service career, I have seen too members of
the fire service who fail to retain skills or information they gained through
training.In most instances this
can be attributed to laziness, complacency, lack of focus, lack of initiative,
or lack of pride.Folks who strive
to be good firefighters do not display these traits or behaviors.It’s often those who are comfortable
doing the bare minimum, those who do not want to be taken out of their comfort
zone, or those who enjoy “talking the talk” but don’t “walk the walk”.If you’re reading this, you probably
don’t fall into any of those categories.However, you probably know folks who do.Before giving up on these folks, we owe it to them to reach
out and attempt to make them better.Ultimately, a change must come from within themselves, however you may
be able to serve as a catalyst for the change.
So how do we retain the skills and information gained
through training?We practice
pyscomotor until they become second nature and can be performed at any time, in
any condition.Depending on the
skill, this may take hours or it may take months.Regardless, motivation and focus must be maintained to
achieve maximum operational readiness.Some of these skills require the whole company to drill and some only
require one motivated individual.Some examples of psycomotor skills that a motivated individual can
practice are: donning your PPE as if you’re at the front door of the fire
building, setting anchors and constructing rope systems, hooking up to a
hydrant, or assembling the grip hoist or high pressure air bag system.Some pyscomotor skills that a motivated
company can practice are: deploying and repacking hoselines, deploying portable
ladders, packaging a downed firefighter, stabilizing side or roof resting
vehicles, constructing a movable control point rope system for a boat, or
performing a pick-off.The skills
your company is responsible to carry out should be practiced until they are
mastered, and then some.Just
because you performed a skill once in a brightly lit, 75 degree firehouse bay,
doesn’t mean you will perform the skill proficiently at 0200 hrs. on a rainy
hillside.Regularly performing
these pyscomotor skills will give you the best chance of retaining the skills.Sometimes it just takes one motivated
member to get the ball rolling for your whole company.That member could be you.
Information, or cognitive, retention can also be performed
by the individual or company.Companies
or individuals can do street drills, review tool specifications, review operational
procedural manuals, or calculate hydraulics equations.These are just a few of the
informational items gained through training that need to be retained.The job duties your company performs
will dictate what information needs to be retained.Information retention can take place during any downtime and
does not require many resources.Generally, a brain and an information source are all that’s
required.With that said, this is
an area where folks usually struggle.I believe the struggles are because folks would rather sit around, watch
TV, talk about non-fire service related items, or conduct other
activities.I’m not trying to say
that 100% of your time needs to be spent doing fire service training, that’s
unrealistic and not healthy.However, at least put forth some effort to make yourself the best you
can be and make the most of the training you receive.
Our days are becoming busier and many fire departments are
providing additional services.These factors reinforce the fact that the fire service needs motivated
and focused members to ensure training is occurring and to ensure folks are
retaining the skills and information they were taught.You, and your company, are responsible
for proficiency in all areas of service that you provide.If there are areas you’re weak on, put
forth effort to overcome the weakness.Attending training is good, but it’s only half the battle.Receiving the training, using the
training, and retaining the training will likely make you a more efficient and
effective firefighter.
On the topic of training, I’m going to a heavy vehicle
extrication class for the next 3 days so my next post probably will not occur
until after the class.
