"Warm Bodies" Won't Suffice

After a busy, and extremely fun, past week teaching at my career department’s “Rescue Engine School”, I finally have a few moments to get back to the blog.  As I’ve stated in a previous post, we are a small department that operates within a larger fire and rescue system.  With that said, on the suppression side we operate with an Engine, Truck, Rescue Engine, and Battalion Chief.  The Rescue Engine runs as an Engine Company or a Rescue Company depending on the nature of the call and our location in the run order.  This is determined at the transmission of the alarm and there is no confusing what our role is at any point during the incident.  I believe this procedure and our equipment compliment greatly assist us in effectively operating a dual-purpose rig.  However, I believe these two things are only half of the equation.  The people on the rig make up the other half of the equation of operating effectively with a dual-purpose rig.  I became inspired to write this after a well-known fire service acquaintance saw some photos of Rescue Engine School and complimented our department for having qualifications to ride the rig, instead of just putting “warm bodies” in seats.

If you read this blog, then you know my stance on mediocrity and the lowering of standards within the fire service: it’s detrimental and has a negative impact on our efficiency and effectiveness.  My department has done an excellent job of ensuring that our folks are certified AND qualified to ride the Rescue Engine.  When operating a dual-purpose rig, members must be efficient and effective in multiple company operations.  Literally we can run a box alarm or pin job as a Rescue Company and be returning to quarters from those incidents when we are alerted to respond to a first-due box alarm or gas leak as an Engine Company.  To operate effectively, there can be no stumbling or excuses for lack of proficiency in either Engine or Rescue Company operations.  Simply allowing “warm bodies” to sit in the seats on your rigs is one of the quickest ways to set your department up for failure.

So how do you prevent “warm bodies” from occupying the seats on your rigs?  Ensure your members are certified AND qualified.  Simply attending training and getting a certification does not mean you are qualified.  Displaying competency with the rig’s equipment and performing tasks associated with your respective company responsibilities are essential. Continuously strive to improve performance and gain knowledge.  The fire service and the environments we operate within our dynamic.  It’s essential that we adapt to the conditions we may encounter.  Not to discredit “old school” methods or training, but just because you attended a vehicle extrication or fire behavior class in 1990 doesn’t mean you will be efficient or effective in 2012.  Conversely, new members of the fire service should learn the “old school” methods as they still may prove to be applicable in today’s fire service.  Be “Into” The Job.  While we can’t, and shouldn’t try to, control what members are doing outside of the firehouse.  We should ensure that the fire service is a priority to them while they are at the firehouse.  Too often folks are in the firehouse focusing way too much of their time and attention to their part-time jobs, fantasy football, sports scores, or other non-fire service items.  Sure, folks need time to tend to things outside of the fire service but it shouldn’t be the majority of their time.  It’s our responsibility to show these members why being “into” the job is beneficial to themselves, to their fellow firefighters, and to the citizens we serve.  Create “thinking” firefighters and encourage innovation.  Lay the groundwork for the members by impressing the “principles” of what we do, but don’t necessarily bind their hands with procedures.  Teach them to apply the principles when making decisions and carrying out tasks.  This is how new methods are developed.  Some work, some don’t.  As much as some folks try to “dumb” this job down and remove decision-making from it, there simply isn’t a manual or procedure for every incident we will respond to.  We need folks that can think and make solid decisions at all levels within the fire service.  You don’t wake up one morning, get promoted, and all of the sudden become a good decision maker. 

While I led this post off talking specifically about our Rescue Engine, the principles of this post can be applied to any rig.  No rig should simply have “warm bodies” in the seats.  It’s up to you and your department to determine which course of action you take.  However, simply putting the “warm bodies” on the rig will do nothing for your efficiency or effectiveness.  I'll leave you with some photos of various evolutions we conducted during our Rescue Engine School to ensure our members operate in an efficient and effective manner.  

Members utilize the First Responder Hi Lift Jack to "pop" a door from the latch side at the "no hydraulics" station

The end result

Members utilize the Harrington Chain Hoist to perform a column pull at the "no hydraulics" station

No big deal right?

Members utilized the Paratech 10 ton lifting rams to lift the pole and facilitate roof removal

"Victim's" leg pinned between the pole and the headliner of the vehicle

Final extrication scenario

Principles applied

Assistance from Redman's Heavy Wrecker

Stokes litter evacuation from the 5th floor

"Mountain Biker" injured in Mosby Woods National Forest

**Update**

Life has been pretty crazy lately, hence the lack of updates to my blog.  Unfortunately for those who don’t like the message I’m helping to spread, I still have a lot of stuff I’d like to write about to help ensure our fire service remains efficient and effective.  Last weekend I was in Philadelphia for the “Leadership Under Fire” seminar.  It was an excellent seminar with great information that definitely stimulates the mind of the “thinking” firefighter.  After the seminar, one of the local bars had an area set aside for seminar attendees, which proved to be a good time too.  It was great to be able to interact with like-minded, and well-known, members of the service.  Anyways, “Leadership Under Fire” is hosting additional events and I strongly recommend checking them out.  Their website is: www.leadershipunderfire.com.  This past week was busy with work and a 3 day Rope Rescue class in Lynchburg.  With that said, hopefully next week I have a little more time on my hands to put some more thought-generating posts on here.

Until then, I have posted photos of 2 methods of evacuating patients from a roof top.  There are obviously numerous other ways to make this happen.  With that said, how can your department effectively and efficiently carry out this task?  Consider the resources your department has available.  Also, consider the pros and cons of various methods that may be used to accomplish this.

Fire Behavior: A Tale Of Two Fires

I recently posted about flashover training and the importance of having a strong knowledge of fire behavior.  Fire is predictable.  We know what is required for fire to occur and we know what it requires to sustain.  Fortunately, the 21^st century fire service has been provided more information than ever before on fire behavior.  Technologic advances, scientific studies, real world experience, and some very intelligent folks have come together to produce and distribute this great information. While we have known much of this information for a long time from our real-world experiences, the science behind it reaffirms our observations and provides us with information on the “how and why” of what we’ve seen.  In November 2007 and February 2008 I ran two nearly identical fires and was able to observe many of the things that UL would reaffirm a few years later.

November 2007 Fire

We had three crews at the firehouse on this particular evening and I was the Wagon OIC.  We were eating dinner at a restaurant that sat near the end of our first due when the alarm was transmitted for “Smell Of Smoke In A Structure” and we were dispatched as the second-due Engine.  At the time, an incident of this nature received a full box alarm.  As usual, we turned out quickly and I knew it would be a tight run between us and the first-due Engine.  The information we received was that the homeowner had come home and found smoke in the house.  We arrived first with a 2 story detached SFD with nothing evident from the street.  We secured our own water supply one house up from the address and I made my way to Side A of the house while my crew was stretching a hoseline.  As I approached Side A, fire had begun to show itself from the top of an upstairs window.  Our department’s Assistant Chief had now arrived, established command, and provided the update of “fire showing”.  The homeowner met me at the front of the house and said everyone was outside.  My company and I advanced in the front door and stretched dry to the second floor landing.  We stopped to don our face pieces at the top of the stairs and I could tell we had a fire in the growth stage in the first room to our left.  I figured this was a “home run” for us and we’d make quick work of the fire without incident.  I called for the chauffeur to charge the line and I advanced into the room ahead of the line, completing a quick search and clearing the bottom portion of the window before crawling back to the hallway.  I was a bit surprised when I got back to the hallway and the hoseline still hadn’t been charged.  Once again I called the chauffeur and told him to charge the line.  Predictably, the fire in the room was transitioning from the growth stage to the flashover stage.  It didn’t take us long to figure out that we probably needed to hang out around the corner at the top of the stairs until we got water.  Soon the room flashed over, which was a great “real world” fire behavior class from the refuge of the hallway.  However, we still didn’t have water and the smoke and heat was starting to come down on us in the hallway.  I called the chauffeur one more time and told him to charge the line to which he replied “it’s coming”.  Seconds later we had water in the line and pushed in quickly knocking the room out.  After all was said and done, the room of origin and a small section of the hallway had sustained fire damage.  However, smoke had banked down to be about 2’ throughout the hallway walls.  We put a knock on the fire quickly and nobody other than us knew what had happened on the second floor, however there were lessons learned.

February 2008 Fire

We had two crews at the firehouse, it was Super Bowl Sunday night, and I was the Truck OIC.  The alarm was transmitted for a “House Fire” in our first due.  The address was right up the street from the firehouse and we would be there pretty quickly.  As the Wagon stopped to lay out, we proceeded past them in and took position on Side A.  We had a 2 story, end-of-the row townhouse with fire showing from the top of an upstairs window again.  We only had 3 personnel on the Truck, so the Irons FF and myself proceeded to the front door while the Truck Driver handled the outside duties.  We were met at the front door by an adult female and child who were exiting the home.  The adult female said everyone was out of the home, however she was in a panicked state and the kid was only wearing underwear so I wasn’t certain she was completely cognizant of what was going on.  These townhouses are not very big and we were able to perform a primary search of the first floor in about 20 seconds before heading upstairs.  The Wagon was just pulling up to the front as we headed up the stairs.  The Irons FF went to the rooms on the left and I went to the rooms on the right, to include the fire room.  When I entered the fire room, it was still in the growth stage and I crawled through it quickly performing a search and finished breaking the bottom portion of the window before retreating to the hallway to await the hoseline’s arrival.  This time when I left the room, I pulled the door closed.  Conditions in the hallway and other rooms were very tenable as the Wagon made their way to the second floor.  The SCFR career DFC-operations arrived and established the command.  I communicated the results of our search and that the hoseline was getting in position on the second floor now, shortly thereafter he struck the second alarm.  In my head I was thinking, “What the hell did he do that for?” and then I began to wonder if he’d seen something we couldn’t.  In the hallway, we popped the attic scuttle and didn’t have any fire above our heads.  I met the Wagon OIC on the stairs and told him where the fire was and that it was confined to the room.  He called for water and got nothing.  He again called for water and got nothing.  He walked the short distance out the front door to see what was going on and found a kink right next to the Wagon and saw the impressive sight of fire out of the second floor window.  As soon as he freed the kink, water filled the line and I was crouched down in front of the lineman.  It was his first fire on the pipe and I told him as soon as I open this door fire is going to meet us.  “Are you ready?” He said yes and we pushed in making quick work again of this fire.  The door held for at least 3-4 minutes with a good fire going behind it and the conditions in the hallway and adjacent rooms were completely tenable until we opened the door to complete extinguishment.  The second alarm was quickly cancelled and the alarm was held with “2 and 1”.

These two fires were quick, easy, and uneventful jobs.  So why would I tell their stories?  While they were quick, easy, and uneventful, a lot can be learned from these two stories.  These were “real-world”, not in a laboratory and yet they reaffirm much of the information that UL disseminated.  Fires in rooms furnished with synthetics reach flashover very quickly and even quicker when we introduce air.  It’s pretty common sense stuff if you think about it, yet every day there are fire departments across the country that can’t grasp the concept or dismiss it because it’s just a bunch of “nerds trying to reinvent the fire service”.  It’s not.  It happens in the real world and I bet if you truly look at fires you’ve operated at, you’ll see that it happens.  Of course, that means you have to be paying attention to what’s going on around you, which also seems to be a challenge for many.  If you aren’t truly paying attention and aren’t able to read the conditions, you’re likely going to find yourself in a bad spot.  If I had taken a second to close the door at the first fire, I would have been able to isolate the fire compartment.  This would have kept the fire and products of combustion within the compartment and not made the entire second floor untenable for anyone not wearing SCBA.  I assumed since the hoseline was right behind me, we’d have water and knock the fire out before it ever reached flashover.  I was wrong and the pump wouldn’t go into gear until the third try.  Not closing the door and clearing the window in the room provided the fire with as much oxygen as it wanted.  If we hadn’t got water, there’s a good chance we would have burned the piss out of the second floor for a fire that was in the growth stage upon our arrival.  Unacceptable!  It was a great learning experience and hopefully someone reading this is able to learn something and apply it on the fireground.  Again, having a strong knowledge of fire behavior will help to maximize your efficiency and effectiveness on the fireground.   

Backing-Up and Supplementing The Long Line

In a previous post I discussed additional hoselines, specifically the difference between a “back-up” line and a “second” line.  For further information on this topic, reference this link: Previous Post On Additional Hoselines Since we have already identified the differences in these hoselines, I’m going to talk about how to put these hoselines in service.  I know, simple right?  Unfortunately, real life experience has shown me this is easier said than done for some folks.  Fortunately, as with many of our job skills, a little training of the muscles and brain will improve your efficiency and effectiveness when performing this task.

As I’ve stated previously, the majority of Engine companies in the Metropolitan Washington D.C. area utilize preconnected hoselines.  Generally, the preconnected hoseline deploys quickly and water is on the fire in a timely manner.  However, as I’ve also stated, I believe many folks have become too reliant on preconnected hoselines.  With that said, they lack the ability to operate efficiently and effectively in the instance that a preconnected hoseline won’t reach the fire.  This doesn’t only apply to the initial hoseline stretched and, in fact, may apply in more instances to additional hoselines that are stretched.

Hopefully the preconnected hoselines on an Engine company reflect the needs of their response district and facilitate efficient and effective operations.  With that said, many folks have a preconnected “long line”.  In most instances, preconnected hoselines are 300’-400’ in length.  Some folks use a leader line, some use a long 1.75” line, and some are using 2”.  With that said, I’ve yet to see an Engine company that has two preconnected long lines.  I’m not saying there isn’t an Engine somewhere that does, however I am saying the majority of Engine companies do not.  Generally more than one hoseline should be stretched at a structural fire.  If the first Engine company leads off with their long line, are you ready to back them up or provide an additional hoseline?

An Engine company may lead off with their long line for a variety of reasons including: setback, access, apparatus positioning, size of the structure, or incident nature(it’s good practice to position further back on a gas leak than a house fire, however it’s good practice to stretch a protective hoseline too in the instance that the gas leak ignites thus creating a house fire).  Regardless of why the first due Engine led off with their long line, subsequent Engine companies must be prepared to back-up the long line or supplement it.  In most instances, the hoseline used to back-up or supplement the first hoseline needs to be at least the same length as the first hoseline.  If the first due Engine stretched their long line, additional hoselines will likely need to be “made up” to make this happen.  Waiting until the task needs to be performed is not the time to figure out if your company can efficiently and effectively carry it out.

Training on this skill before an incident occurs will allow an Engine company the opportunity to perform with maximum efficiency and effectiveness.  Get out and identify the hose loads and nozzles on the Engine companies you run calls with.  Figure out how long the hose loads are, how the hose loads pull, and what the nozzles will flow.  This information will allow educated decisions to be made when your company is tasked with “making up” a hoseline to back-up or supplement the initial hoseline.  After gathering this information, put your gear on and start putting some hose in the street.  Simulate that “Company XYZ” has led off with their 400’ leader line and your company needs to stretch an additional 400’ line capable of flowing 185 GPM’s.  There are probably numerous options to make this happen, figure out which one is the most efficient and effective.  Ensure the firefighters understand the decision making part of the process too.  After all, they are the future fire service leaders and it’s your responsibility to ensure they are educated and prepared to make good decisions.

As I stated above, for some folks this task is much easier said than done.  It’s not because these folks aren’t smart enough to figure out what needs to be done, in most instances it’s because these folks have never actually practiced the task.  Practicing the task numerous times in varying situations will allow the Recognition Primed Decision Making to occur when it’s the “real deal”.  My company at work has many areas in our first due that require long stretches.  One of these areas is a large, courtyard-style townhouse plaza that is surrounded by three high-rise buildings.  Access is extremely limited and some of the stretches are 400’ to the front door of the occupancies.  One morning a few years ago we went as the first due Engine for a townhouse fire in one of the plaza units.  We arrived first with smoke showing and led off with our 350’ 1.75” hoseline.  The second engine arrived and secured our water supply.  When their officer, a 30 year Captain, got to the back of our rig and saw the long line deployed, he stumbled a bit as to how his company was going to back-up our line.  It was simple: put two 200’ 1.75” hoselines together.  As soon as I said this to him, he directed his firefighters to make it happen and they did with no problems.  This officer was a smart guy but this slightly “different than the norm” situation caused him to stumble.  As I said, he was a smart guy and probably would’ve figured out a solution eventually.  However, training and preparation beforehand would’ve probably facilitated a much quicker decision and, in turn, allowed for a more efficient and effective operation.

With a few exceptions, most departments do not operate at a fire with every Engine pulling a line off of their own rig.  However every department must be prepared to back-up or supplement any line that is deployed off of a rig.  As I’ve previously stated, in my world, hooking into the wye of a leader line does not constitute a “back-up” line as there is no redundancy.  We must be prepared to think outside the box and complete our stretches in an efficient and effective manner.  Preparing for these stretches beforehand and familiarizing yourselves with the rigs that surround you will help to maximize your company’s efficiency and effectiveness. 

            

  

    

5 Years Later....Remembering Our Brother, Jason Mooney

October 19, 2007 was a Friday as it is today, five years later.  My day was spent in Fairfax finishing up the last day of the rope component of the City of Fairfax Fire Department’s Rescue Engine School.  My initial plan was to stay up in Fairfax as I worked a normal shift the next day and didn’t want to contend with the traffic I-95 southbound produces on a Friday.  However, we finished class at a decent hour and I decided to head south to Stafford.  Thankfully, deciding to head home to Stafford unknowingly provided me with an opportunity that I was fortunate enough to get.  The opportunity to hang out with a friend one last time.

I made good time on the trip home and arrived at “the 2080”, the old Company 2 firehouse, around 1600 hrs.  The usual crowd of “live-ins” and “regulars” were hanging out and we had the Engine and Truck staffed.  Rain was in the forecast, however it had yet to arrive and we were all hanging out in front of the firehouse with the bay doors open (as they were almost always kept, we didn’t want the bay doors slowing down our turnout!).  Jason Mooney, a good friend to many of us and one of our “regulars”, was a Stafford Sheriff’s Deputy and that afternoon he did as he did many times before: he stopped by the firehouse prior to his night shift with the Sheriff’s Office.

We did as we often did and gave Jason a hard time about being a cop since he showed up to the firehouse with his cruiser, decked out in his Sheriff’s Deputy uniform.  It was all in fun and Jason gave it right back to us.  We decided to mess with him a little more and turn on the emergency lights and sirens in his cruiser while it was parked in front of the firehouse.  This would get him all worked up since the Sheriff’s Office was in very close proximity to the firehouse and being the new guy there, he didn’t want to risk getting in trouble for having his siren blaring for no reason.  We also decided to put another one of our buddies, Daniel “The Hamburglar” Davis, in the back seat of his cruiser and get a bunch of pictures (yes, there is a story behind the nickname which was the whole reason for the pictures).  I know, stupid right? Oh well, it was funny to a bunch of easily amused firemen.  After we decided we’d goofed off enough (for the time being anyways), we sat on the front bumpers of the rigs talking about whatever.  After a while Jason had to go to roll call across the street at the Sheriff’s Office and told us he’d swing back by the firehouse later that night as he was working in a “North End” zone for the night.

Shortly thereafter, a few of the guys headed out and we dropped back to only one crew.  The night seemed like any other Friday night as we checked the rigs, ate dinner, and planned on doing a drill.  A pretty steady rain had begun to fall and soon we were dispatched for an “Auto Accident-Vehicle Overturned” on I-95 Northbound.  This type of call is a fairly common occurrence, especially in foul weather, for our company due to our proximity to the interstate.  The Engine Company was stacked with people and since I was an officer, I responded with the Engine Company in a support vehicle.  In addition to our company’s response, another Engine, Rescue Squad, and EMS resources responded to this incident.  The other Engine, Engine 9, ran the southbound assignment from Rt. 610.  I followed behind our Engine during the response and we were coming out of an “Emergency Vehicle Only” cross over at the 140 mile marker when Engine 9’s officer transmitted a message I will never forget.  Engine 9’s officer, a good friend of mine, stated that a Sheriff’s Deputy had wrecked in front of them at the 142 southbound, to start a Rescue Squad, and that the Deputy was hurt.  Seconds after this transmission was made, we arrived on the scene of the originally dispatched accident.  Engine 2’s officer advised there were two occupants trapped and I established the “I-95 Northbound Command” and asked for another operations channel since both accidents were now on the same channel.  Early on in the incident, I monitored both radio channels to get an idea of what was going on and to see if I’d need to divert any resources to the other incident.  Since our county didn’t have the fire and rescue resources we do now, I ended up holding our incident with Engine 2, Rescue Squad 1, and the EMS resources and diverted the Engine that had been added to replace Engine 9 to assist on Engine 9’s incident.  Engine 2 and Rescue Squad 1 had the extrication completed in about fifteen minutes and due to the weather, both patients were ground transported.  As the patients were being packaged I began to listen to the other incident again to hear what the situation report was.  I didn’t hear much other than a request for a Medevac, which was going to be tough due to the weather.  Shortly thereafter I heard a Medic unit on the other incident’s channel go enroute to MWH with “CPR in progress”.

Our incident was deescalating, the suppression companies were cleaning up and the EMS units were ready for transport.  I ran over to Engine 2 to check the notes of the other incident on Engine 2’s MCT, since the vehicle I was in did not have one.  The only information in the notes I could gather was that the Sheriff’s Deputy was from the same zone Jason was working in and that the Medic unit had gone enroute to the hospital with CPR in progress.  I immediately pulled out my cell phone and called Jason’s phone.  It rang a few times and went to voicemail.  I figured he was probably at the other accident and busy there.  However, I still wanted to know it wasn’t him so I called right back hoping that back-to-back calls may help to convey that I urgently wanted to talk to him.  Again the phone rang, playing the ringback tone that I’ll never forget: “Here I Go Again” by Whitesnake.  Again, it went to voicemail.  Now concerned, I called communications on my cell phone and told them who I was and that I knew they were extremely busy but could they tell me one thing: Was Jason the Deputy in the accident?  The dispatched told me “Yes” and I hung up.  I was shocked and don’t remember exactly what I was thinking but I called Engine 2’s officer over to me as the rest of the crew was still picking up.  I told Engine 2’s officer, John Wehr, the news and told him we needed to get to the hospital ASAP.  The majority of the crew riding in the back of Engine 2 was pretty young and we chose not to tell them all of the details, other than the fact that Jason had been in an accident.  We went back to the firehouse, since it was on the way, and put the company out of service.  Another officer at Company 2, Shawn Dunstan, met us at the firehouse and we headed to MWH in the Engine and Utility.  Having done this for a little bit, I knew when the Medic unit went enroute with “CPR in progress” that things were not looking promising.

When we got to MWH, as expected, the ER was a mad house.  We made our way inside and the County Fire Chief, Rob Brown, was one of the first people I saw.  He said they were still working Jason.  While the rest of our crew waited in the EMS restock area, Shawn and I wandered down the hall and waited outside the room they were working Jason in.  Shortly thereafter, nurses began to file out and they all had tears in their eyes.  I knew what the tears meant and it was only seconds later that the doctor came out and confirmed that resuscitative efforts had been unsuccessful.  I have no shame in saying it, I cried like a baby.  While I knew it was very real, the next few hours seemed surreal.  How could this have happened?  We had all just hung out with him hours before.  That was one of the roughest nights I’ve had at the firehouse and it’s something I’ll never forget.  As sad and tragic as that evening was, the brotherhood really shined in the days that followed.  Additionally, the folks that worked at Jason's accident performed extraordinarily in the face of adversity that evening and should be commended for their efforts.

So here we are five years later and I look back on this rough time and realize there are lessons to be learned from Jason and from this event.  Jason knew what it meant to serve.  He was a US Marine, a volunteer firefighter, and a Sheriff’s Deputy.  Too often in this day and age, folks forget what it means to serve.  All too often people ask “What’s in it for me?” before they commit to doing something.  Jason didn’t.  Jason would also go the extra mile to help someone out even if it didn’t convenience him.  Whether it meant he drove from Prince William to Stafford to keep our apparatus staffed or you’d been out on the town while he was working and needed a safe ride home, Jason would make it happen.  One of my favorite, and funniest, memories of Jason’s dedication to service took place at an apartment complex in our first due.  Jason was with his fiancée, Cat, and Matt, another Company 2 member, looking for a new apartment when a bad thunderstorm rolled through.  Lightning hit one of the buildings in the complex and started a fire.  I was the Truck officer and we arrived quickly with our Engine to find fire showing.  The fire was located on the exterior of the building and in the ceiling between the second and third floor apartments.  I made my way up the stairs and entered the second floor apartment to begin opening up, when I look to my left and see some clown in a Deputy uniform hooking ceiling with a broom or mop handle.  I quickly realized it was Jason, had a good laugh with him and “politely” asked him to go outside.  

Jason was also motivated to continue to better himself.  In addition to being a member at our firehouse, he was a member at a volunteer department in Prince William County.  We’d often give him a hard time about this and he’d assure us he was dedicated to our department.  As I said above, on more than one occasion he’d make the journey from there to our firehouse to ensure we kept the rigs staffed.  Shortly before his death, he’d begun his driver’s training on the Rescue Squad at his other volunteer department.  As soon I found this out, I had a field day with him.  I’d ask him various questions about the equipment on the rig and he wouldn’t have a clue about it.  I’d jump his case about it and tell him that anybody worthy of being a Rescue Squad driver should know this information.  Sure enough he’d come back to me a few days later and provide me with the answers to the questions I’d asked.  He’d beam with pride only to have me ask him something else that he’d stumble on.  Jason knew I was doing it for his own good and would always come back to tell me he’d been working on learning all of the information I was asking him about.  I remember one of the last times I quizzed him about something, he proudly expanded upon one of his answers and proceeded to tell me about the different types of vehicle construction he’d recently learned in a class.  This moment sticks out in my mind because I remember being happy that Jason had become self-motivated and was becoming a better fireman because of it.  He got “it”, something that some folks will never have.

The days following Jason’s death truly showed the strength of the brotherhood and how far the reach of the fire service extends.  It’s unfortunate it sometimes takes tragedy to realize these things.  When everyone participates and dedicates to the fire service, it’s amazing what can be accomplished.  Within a five day period I observed a firehouse get damn-near renovated, fire apparatus got cleaner than it had ever been, a whole department got outfitted in Class A uniforms, numerous logistical items were handled, and our service to the citizens never got interrupted.  All of this happened due to unselfish dedication to the brotherhood from members of our own department, members of our own families, career members of Stafford County Fire and Rescue, other volunteer departments within Stafford County, Manassas Volunteer Fire Company, the City of Fairfax Fire Department, Prince William County Department of Fire Rescue, and Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department.

Five years has gone by very quickly and it seems like just yesterday I was goofing off with Jason.  While he is gone, his memory remains and the good times that people had with him will last forever.  Jason’s positive contributions to the fire service and society continue to live on too, with his service and dedication serving as a model and motivator.  Those who serve in public safety or the armed forces have dangerous jobs and tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, nor is it for anyone else but our level of risk is exponentially higher than the average citizen.  With that said, take a moment to make sure you’re making the most of everyday and living life to the fullest.  Don’t let the petty things get you down and don’t let stupid things overshadow the important things in life.  Thanks for letting me take a few moments to remember our brother, Jason Mooney.

      

Northern Virginia Training Opportunity

The City of Fairfax Fire Department is hosting an excellent training opportunity on December 6, 2012. Chief Peter Van Dorpe of the Chicago Fire Department will be presenting "The New Firefight: Intelligent Interior Attack For Lightweight Constructed Buildings" at Company 3 in the City of Fairfax.  This is sure to be a very informative and interactive presentation and, with a $40 registration fee, is extremely cost effective.  Please see the flyer below for further information.  I look forward to seeing many of you there.....Thanks!

Take Note...It's More Than Just An Oven

Last night, at work, my shift had the opportunity to visit our surrounding jurisdiction’s training facility.  We are fortunate to have an excellent, and seemingly seamless, working relationship with the surrounding jurisdiction.  This allows us to regularly train together which allows for more efficient and effective incident operations.  The topic of last night’s training was “Flashover”, which involved a one-hour lecture followed by practical evolutions in their flashover simulator.  Eight years ago, during recruit school for my previous employer, I had the opportunity to go to Montgomery County, MD’s flashover simulator.  Montgomery County conducted their training in a similar fashion as our surrounding jurisdiction, utilizing a lecture followed by practical evolutions.  Little did I know, the training I received at Montgomery County’s academy would prove it’s worth to me a few months later.  Though the fire was almost eight years ago, my experiences from this fire will stick with me throughout my career.  No, there’s no life altering or tragic stories associated with this fire.  However, there are real world lessons that can be used by any of us who engage in interior firefighting operations.

The fire occurred in the middle of a weekend day.  The weekend happened to be the same as a VDFP regional fire school in our area, which impacted staffing levels.  We were dispatched as the third-due Engine Company and the address was just around the corner from the first-due company’s quarters.  However, the first-due company was at the far end of their area procuring a meal and their arrival was delayed.  A member from that company was in quarters at the time of the alarm and responded in a support vehicle, arriving very quickly to confirm a working fire.  In the meantime, an additional Engine Company responded “driver only” and would be arriving before us as they were closer.  The trip up Route 1 seemed to take forever and it seemed even longer once the first-due Engine arrived with “heavy smoke showing”.  The “driver-only” Engine arrived a short time later and secured the water supply for the first-due Engine.

As we crested the hill prior to the first-due company’s firehouse, I could see gray smoke billowing over the tree line a short distance away.  Though we were dispatched as the third-due Engine, we arrived as the second fully staffed Engine Company.  I directed my driver to secure a secondary water supply and the remainder of my crew and I jogged up the street to the first-due Engine.  The two guys riding behind me were a little bit slower than me, so I pulled the back-up line to the front door and waited for them to make their way up to the house.  On my approach to the house, I observed an early 20^th century, 2-story house with a tin roof and smoke pushing from the entire second floor.  At the front door, I observed the first-due Engine’s line running up the stairs to the second floor.  As I was donning my face piece, 2 members of the first-due Engine came tumbling down the stairs and landed right in front of me.  I asked them what happened and they told me they were knocked off the second floor.  I asked them if anyone was still up there and they told me a newer firefighter was still upstairs by himself.  The two firefighters riding behind me had now made their way to the front porch and I told them to meet me on the second floor once they donned their face pieces, as I was going in to find the lone firefighter on the second floor.

I still had not seen any visible fire from the exterior, however the smoke was pushing with pretty good intensity from the entire second floor.  I followed the hoseline up the stairs to the second floor and quickly found the firefighter on the nozzle.  He was sitting at the top of the stairs and was unharmed, just looking for a little bit of direction.  I asked if he knew where the fire was and he told me no and that he hadn’t made it any further than our current position.  I quickly realized the second floor was filled with junk and our progress was going to be hindered due to the  “Collyer’s Mansion” conditions.  While I was getting my bearings on the second floor and formulating a game plan, things started getting pretty warm.  Visibility had been zero from the beginning but it was getting hotter and hotter.  Soon I was “eating the carpet” as some would say and we still hadn’t seen any fire but it was getting to the point where we needed to shit or get off the pot.  I told the nozzle firefighter to open the line at the ceiling and when he did, nothing came back down on us.  I had learned this little trick a few months before at the MCDFRS Flashover class.  When nothing came back down on us, I knew we were in a tight spot and if we didn’t start doing something to the fire, it was going to do something to us.  I told the nozzle firefighter to put the nozzle on straight stream and open it overhead and to keep it open.  It got a bit warmer for a moment, but shortly thereafter the heat wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been.  Since the second floor was so cluttered, I told the nozzle firefighter to wait for me in our current position and I would push in further to find the fire.  After working my way through the cluttered mess for a moment or two, I rounded a corner and saw the beautiful dark orange glow that we love to see.  I found a fully developed fire involving the back rooms on the second floor.  Visibility was still non-existent, aside from the fire rooms, and when I went to go back to get the nozzle firefighter, I became disoriented.  Fortunately, I was able to keep my wits and get my head together to work my way through the cluttered mess back to the nozzle firefighter.

The two firefighters who were riding my Engine had now joined us on the second floor and we started to push in towards the fire when the IC sounded the evacuation tones.  The IC had received a report from the rear that fire was showing from all of the rear windows and decided to pull the plug.  Unfortunately he didn’t realize how much better it was inside once the fire had decided to show itself.  Anyways, we backed out and I conferred with him to try to convince him to let us regroup and push in as we knew where the fire was and should be able to knock it out quickly.  He allowed us back in and we put the second floor out, but the attic was now involved and we were working to get to that when we were withdrawn again.  This time the master streams went in service and knocked the majority of the fire down.  Due to the construction of the house, we chased fire through voids for the next 2 hours.

I apologize for the lengthiness of the account, however I feel shortening it would have taken away from some of the necessary details.  I felt it necessary to tell this account as it is “real world” reaffirmation and utilization of skills I picked up from my trip to a flashover simulator.  The flashover simulator should be more than just an “oven” we sit in for a few moments to feel a little bit of heat.  There is a ton of useful and applicable knowledge that can be picked up from an informative flashover lecture and practical evolutions in the flashover simulator.  When I took my volunteer Firefighter 1 class as a high schooler, being able to provide a definition of flashover was about the extent of my knowledge on the topic.  I was not very well educated on the signs of flashover or the techniques to prevent flashover until I went to the flashover simulator during my career recruit school.  I truly believe application of the knowledge presented to me during my trip to the flashover simulator prevented a flashover from occurring during the fire I recounted above.  Obviously the rooms in the rear of the second floor reached flashover and became a fully developed fire.  I believe the area we were operating in was well on its’ way to doing the same.  As I’ve discussed in a previous post, coming up in the fire service I was taught not to open the line until I saw fire.  I firmly believe if I hadn’t received the information on how to prevent a flashover, I would have told the nozzle firefighter to hold off on opening the pipe until we saw fire.  With the conditions we encountered during this fire, it very well may have been too late if we waited until we saw the fire.  It was later learned through pictures of the incident that companies on the exterior were taking the front windows while we were on the second floor.  Hopefully with all of the information available and presented in recent years, you are able to figure out why this is a bad thing and may have contributed to the conditions we encountered.  Nobody had malicious intent while they were doing this, however it could have led to disastrous results.

In closing, I challenge you to take a stronger interest in fire behavior.  While I won’t argue that it’s not as fun as some of the other things we do, I will argue that it’s as important, if not more important, than anything else we do.  Try to find a way to get to a flashover simulator and take full advantage of the information presented.  Watch what the fire does and when it does it.  Observe what happens when the instructors introduce or remove air tracks.  Watch what the smoke does.  If you’re an instructor, take the time to explain to the students what is happening and why it is happening.  All of these observations will help you perform more efficiently and effectively on the fireground.  I’d like to extend a special thanks to the FCFRD folks involved with the flashover training.  You have a great program that's delivering solid information which is sure to have a positive impact on the fireground.

     

    

The Opportunities Presented By Chimney Fires

It’s that time of year again here in the mid-Atlantic region.  The time of year where the temperatures begin to dip down and folks begin to light their fireplaces to provide supplemental heat. Unfortunately many folks underestimate the importance of having their chimney cleaned and inspected annually.  Sometimes this underestimation leads to folks getting the experience of a fire department response at their residence for a “chimney fire”.  The response to “chimney fire” incidents provides us, the fire service, with many opportunities.  I am going to discuss a few of the opportunities these incidents provide us with and how we can utilize them to maximize our efficiency and effectiveness.  However, before I discuss the opportunities provided by a “chimney fire”, I’m going to spend a few moments identifying a “chimney fire”.

As discussed above, chimney fires often originate because chimney cleanings or inspections were neglected.  A chimney fire is caused by the build-up of creosote on the lining of the flue.  Creosote is highly combustible and will combust when exposed to the high temperature produced by the contents burning within the firebox.  Chimney fires are often characterized by flames shooting from the top of a chimney or by a roaring noise within the chimney.  Chimney fires may extend to the main structure, thus becoming a structural fire, through previous damage to the flue or chimney, damage caused by the current chimney fire, or poor construction.  There are several tactics utilized by the fire service to combat chimney fires usually involving dry chemical application to the burning creosote.  With that said, different methods are utilized throughout the country and it’s up to you and you department to determine which method works best for you.

The first opportunity chimney fires provide us with is the opportunity to perform the actions we utilize for structural fires in a real world environment.  When confined to the flue, a chimney fire is usually handled rather quickly however it’s good practice to assume the fire has extended until proven otherwise.  Response algorithms for chimney fires will vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.  For example: at work a chimney fire gets 2 Engines and 1 Truck/Tower Ladder, at my volunteer firehouse a chimney fire gets a full box alarm of 4 Engines, 2 Trucks, and a Rescue.  The actions taken by specific companies operating at chimney fires will vary based on the resources allocated to a chimney fire by your respective jurisdiction.  With that said, there are a few things companies can do regardless of how many resources they get: A water supply should be established and can be accomplished by performing a layout, securing your own hydrant, or by initiating a rural water supply plan.  Apparatus should be positioned, not parked.  A hoseline should be stretched by the first Engine Company.  The first arriving officer should give an on-scene report.  Somebody should give a proper Side Charlie report.  A company needs to go to the firebox and attempt to confirm the presence of a fire from the inside.  The interior walls that follow the path of the chimney should be checked for heat by hand and utilizing a TIC.  A company, the Truck’s inside team in a perfect world, needs to gain access to the attic as quickly as possible to check for extension.  Ladders need to go up on the building’s exterior and a company, the Truck’s exterior team in a perfect world, needs to go to the roof to attempt to confirm the presence of a fire from the top of the chimney.  These are actions that should be taken on every chimney fire event and will assist in maximizing your company’s efficiency and effectiveness.  If your jurisdiction sends multiple companies on chimney fires, an officer can establish command and appropriately track resources using your respective department’s method.  If the fire is confined to the flue, performing the actions served as “real-world” practice.  If the fire has extended, performing the actions will allow you to operate proactively instead of reactively.

The second opportunity chimney fires present us with is positive interaction with the citizens.  For many folks, a chimney fire will be the first “personal” interaction they have with the fire department.  There are things we can do to ensure this interaction is a positive one, therefore making a great first impression.  With the state of the economy, now is as important a time than ever for the fire service to gain advocates within the community.  Operating professionally and having positive interactions with the citizens will likely allow you to gain advocates.  When responding to chimney fires, take extra care not to cause unnecessary damage to the house.  As stated above, there are many actions we need to perform on chimney fires and some of these actions can cause damage if not done in a careful manner.  Extinguish the fire in the firebox and use a metal salvage bin to remove the contents.  While doing this, utilize hall runners to avoid dropping hot ashes on the carpet.  Keep track of the screws for the chimney cap on the roof so that it can be properly reinstalled.  Use care to avoid beating up the walls with our PPE, SCBA, and equipment.  Clean up insulation that drops down when you enter the attic to check for extension and any other messes you may make.  Keep the homeowner informed of your actions and the reasons you are taking these actions(most don’t understand why we would do all the things we do for a “simple” chimney fire).  Thoroughly check for extension and ensure extinguishment is complete before taking up.  Explain to the citizen the conditions you found, the actions you took, and the actions they need to take(call a chimney sweep before utilizing the fireplace again).  Taking advantage of the opportunity to have a positive interaction with the citizens will go a long way and help to ensure your department is viewed as professionals. FYI, it has nothing to do with getting pay check.

The third opportunity chimney fires present us with is something that every incident presents: the opportunity to look foolish and/or get hurt/killed.  Every incident we respond to involves some level of risk.  It’s our job to manage these risks by performing our job in the proper manner, which allows us to remain effective.  I’m going to talk about a few things I’ve seen or done that made someone, or myself, look foolish or could have caused injury:

One night about ten years ago, a chimney fire occurred on a cold, wet evening in the neighborhood I grew up in.  I responded on the Truck and was sent to the roof.  The roof was about an 8/12 pitch and was extremely slick due to the weather.  The run of the roof was longer than the 16’ roof ladder we were attempting to utilize, so I had to traverse part of the roof to get the roof ladder to the peak.  It was slick, but I made it.  I checked the chimney and found a small fire which was extinguished utilizing PPV and a dry chemical extinguisher from below.  As I was operating on the roof, I noticed my parents had shown up in the street as they were tuned in to the scanner at home and decided to take in the run.  I’m certain this doesn’t surprise anyone who knows my father and if anybody wonders where I get it from, I guess you don’t have to wonder anymore.  Anyways, after we confirmed the fire was out we start the trek down the roof.  While attempting to get the roof ladder off of the peak, I started sliding down the slick roof.  I tried to dig in to the roof and stop myself but couldn’t.  I slid until I flipped over and laid flat on the roof.  Another firefighter assisted me by serving as a foot-hold, which allowed me to get the ladder down.  Nonetheless I looked foolish in front of my parents and nearly slid off a roof because I didn’t take the time to get the 20’ roof ladder.

I have seen somebody check the chimney from the roof by placing their face over the chimney instead of using a mirror.  They were extremely lucky and didn’t receive burns.

I have seen a firefighter fall through the attic while checking for extension.  Fortunately they were not injured, unfortunately they caused a lot of damage to the home.

I have used a dry chemical extinguisher that did not have the hose clamped tightly to the extinguisher which resulted in my involuntary inhalation and consumption of dry chemical.  Needless to say, I now check to make sure the hoses on extinguishers are properly secured before I use them.

I have seen a company put the burning contents of the firebox in a salvage bin while PPV was taking place, which resulted in embers being blown throughout the lower level of the house.  Fortunately they didn’t burn the house down, though they did burn holes in the carpet.

Hopefully this post helps you to take advantage of the positive opportunities, and avoid the negative opportunities, that chimney fires present the fire service.  Every incident we respond to provides us with opportunities, it’s up to us to determine what we do with these opportunities.  Efficient and effective fire companies are able to identify, and take full advantage of, good opportunities they are presented with.

Controlled Lower Of A Side-Resting Vehicle

I previously did a post on the “Controlled Lower” technique of a side-resting vehicle, however it was lost during some revisions I did to the blog about a month ago.  With that said, I am posting the video and information on the technique again.  Before diving too deep into the topic, let me reiterate that this technique IS NOT and DOES NOT need to be utilized on all side-resting vehicles.  I want to ensure nobody walks away from viewing this blog perceiving this to be the “Plan A” tactic on all side-resting vehicles.

With that said, the Controlled Lower can be a very useful technique in specific side-resting vehicle situations.  Situations where the passenger compartment of a side-resting vehicle becomes wrapped around an object or is severely damaged and/or obstructed may dictate the use of the Controlled Lower.  The objective is to extricate the patient in the most efficient and effective manner possible.  We could spend 30 minutes or longer messing with a vehicle that has very little passenger compartment access or we can take 5 minutes or less to rig the vehicle and lower it.  Once the vehicle is on all 4 wheels, conventional vehicle extrication techniques may be employed to free the patient.

There are some folks who lose a lot of sleep over the concept of moving a vehicle with a patient in it.  I’d agree there is cause for concern if the vehicle isn’t being moved in a controlled manner.  However, the Controlled Lower is just that, controlled.  A device is needed to apply tension and a device is needed to provide friction or resistance.  The video demonstrates the use of a TU-28 grip hoist to apply tension and the use of a Warn XD9000 winch run through a COD and used in a 2:1 configuration to provide resistance.  The 2:1 configuration cuts the winch speed in half thus allowing it to better operate simultaneously with the grip hoist.  I believe using 2 grip hoists is the best way to complete the Controlled Lower as they can be taken anywhere, are designed with the necessary WLL, smoothly operate in either direction, and operate at the same speed.  However if you don’t have grip hoists you can utilize a cable come-along, chain hoist, winches, OOS or dedicated(to use with vehicles, not people) life safety rope with dedicated hardware.  These are all options and they operate with the same principle.

The only way to effectively apply the Controlled Lower technique is to train on it before having to use it in the real world.  Train with different vehicles on different terrain.  All of these variables play a factor in the Controlled Lower and working out the kinks during training will afford you the best opportunity to perform in an efficient and effective manner on the emergency scene.  The crew in the video had never performed this task prior to the video and were easily able to grasp the concept in a matter of minutes.  However, if you watch closely during the video you will see one of the attachments on the “dirty side” of the vehicle moves suddenly.  The crew did not ensure all of the attachment points were loaded properly prior to taking the full load of the vehicle.  Fortunately the attachment loaded properly with the full weight of the vehicle and no harm was done.  However, attention to minor details such as this are paramount during the operations we perform.

Stabilization Photo

Vehicle stabilization is an art that many neglect or do a half-assed job at.  Don't be that guy(or gal)! Vehicles land where they want after a crash, regardless of how convenient it may or may not be for us.  Nonetheless we must stabilize the vehicle to facilitate patient removal.  As you approach an accident scene in the Rescue or Squad Company, take a moment to find the most tactically advantageous positioning for the rig.  Consider stabilization, tool, and lighting needs while doing this.  Also take a look at the surrounding area and look for objects that may be used to assist in vehicle stabilization.