Loss Control (Salvage and Overhaul) Introduction Loss

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Loss Control (Salvage and Overhaul)
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Introduction

• Loss Control is an important part of the service
  we provide
• Promotes goodwill within the community

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Salvage

• Consists of those methods and operating
  procedures associated with fire fighting that aid
  in reducing primary and secondary damage during
  firefighting operations.
• Primary damage Damage caused by the fire
• Secondary damage Damage caused by fire
  suppression activities.
• Both of these can be minimized by salvage efforts.

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Salvage

• Starts as soon as adequate personnel are
  available and may be done simultaneously with the
  fire attack.
• Coordinate this effort through the incident
  commander and operations section

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Overhaul

• Operations consist of searching for and
  extinguishing hidden or remaining fires.
• Protecting the scene after the fire and
  preserving evidence of the fires origin and
  cause are components of overhaul.
• Overhaul operations are not normally started
  until the fire is under control.

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Salvage

• Proper salvage involve early planning, knowing
  the procedures necessary to do the job, and being
  familiar with the various covers and equipment
  used.
• A final part of salvage is protecting the
  remaining property from the weather.

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Salvage Planning

• Efficient salvage operations require planning and
  training for fire officers and firefighters.
• SOPs should be developed to address early and
  well coordinated salvage operations
• Special preplans may be needed for buildings with
  high-value contents that are especially
  susceptible to heat and smoke damage

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Salvage Planning Cont

• Fire depts can facilitate salvage efforts before
  the fire by working with the loss control
  representatives of local businesses to identify
  high value, critical operational components of
  that business.

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Salvage Procedures

• Can be done at same time as fire suppression
• Floor below a fire can be salvaged while
  firefighting operations are carried on in the
  room above.
• Gather and cover room contents before pulling
  ceilings.
• Catching debris with cover also saves time and
  effort in cleanup and leaves a more professional
  appearance.

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Salvage Planning

• When possible contents should be arranged into
  close piles that can be covered with a minimum
  number of salvage covers.
• When arranging household furnishings, group the
  furniture in an area of the room away from the
  wall.
• If the floor covering is removable, slip the rug
  out from under the furniture as each piece is
  moved, and roll the rug to make it easier to
  move.
• Try to raise items off floor if possible to avoid
  water absorbtion.

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Salvage Planning (commercial properties)

• Arranging of items may be hard to achieve due to
  large amount of stock
• Display shelves are usually built into wall and
  are not easily moved
• Items may be stacked to close to ceiling or wall
  to easily salvage.
• Stock should be stored on pallets to prevent
  water damage underneath
• Be cautious of high piled stock such as boxed
  materials or rolled paper that has become wet on
  the bottom.

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Salvage Planning

• Large quantities of water may be moved simply by
  locating and cleaning clogged floor drains,
  removing toilet fixtures, creating scuppers,
  making use of existing sanitary piping systems,
  or affixing chutes made of salvage covers,
  plastic, or other available materials.

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Salvage Covers Equipment

• Made of waterproof canvas materials or vinyl and
  are found in various sizes.
• Have reinforced corners and edge hems into which
  grommets are placed for hanging or draping.
• Synthetic covers are lightweight, easy to handle,
  economical, and practical for both indoor and
• Many departments use plastic disposable tarps
• A variety of equipment is used in conjunction
  with salvage covers and you should know them and
  how they work with the cover to provide salvage
  operations.

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Salvage Cover Maintenance

• Proper cleaning, drying, and repairing of
  reusable covers increases their span of service.
• Usually, the only cleaning is wetting or rinsing
  with a hose stream and scrubbing with a broom.
• Covers that are extremely dirty and stained may
  be scrubbed with a detergent solution and then
  thoroughly rinsed

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Salvage Cover Maintenance

• Permitting canvas salvage covers to dry dirty is
  not a good practice
• They will dry rot from a chemical reaction
  between carbon and ash and the dirt.
• Canvas covers should be completely dry before
  they are folded and placed in service.

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Salvage Cover Maintenance

• Synthetic salvage covers do not require as much
  maintenance as canvas ones.
• These can be folded wet, but it is better to let
  them dry so as to not mildew
• After any covers are dry they should be inspected
  for damage.
• Holes should be marked with chalk to identify
  them at repair time.
• Holes can be repaired by tape or iron or sew on
  patches.

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Salvage Equipment

• Should be located in readily accessible places on
  the apparatus
• Individual SOPs will dictate the location of
  these items.
• Smaller tools and equipment should be kept in a
  specially designated salvage toolbox or other
  container to make them easier to carry..
• Loss control materials and supplies may be kept
  in a plastic tub and brought into the structure
  early in the event.

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Read page 592 and get to know the list of salvage
equipment items recommended to be carried by fire
departments
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Automatic Sprinkler Kit

• The tools in this kit are to stop the flow of
  water from sprinkler heads.
• Sprinkler tongs or stops and a sprinkler wedge
  are recommended.
• Your SOPs will dictate what you will carry

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Carry-All Debris Bag

• Used to carry debris, catch falling debris, and
  provide a water basin for immersing small burning
  objects

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Floor Runner

• Can be unrolled from entrance to almost any part
  of building minimizing actual foot contact on
  carpeted areas.

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De-Watering Devices

• Used to remove water from basements, elevator
  shafts, and sumps
• Trash type pumps are better suited for this.
  Pumpers should never be used for this purpose
  because of the grit and dirt in these areas.
• Water vacuums (shop vacs) are great for water
  removal on small scale

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Overhaul

• The practice of searching a fire scene to detect
  hidden fires or sparks that may rekindle and to
  identify the possible point of origin and cause
  of fire.

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Overhaul

• Salvage operations performed during firefighting
  will directly affect any overhaul work that may
  be needed later.
• Many tools and equipment used for overhaul are
  the same as those used for other fire fighting
  operations.

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Overhaul

• Read page 596 for a list of overhaul tools you
  should carry on apparatus.

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Overhaul

• It is essential for firefighters to wear proper
  protective clothing including their SCBA while
  performing overhaul and extinguishing hidden
  fires unless the atmosphere has been proven safe
  for a lower level of protection by a reliable
  testing method.

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Overhaul

• Charged hoselines should always be available for
  the extinguishment of hidden fires however the
  same size lines used to bring the fire under
  control are not always necessary.

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Overhaul

• Before starting a search for a hidden fire it is
  important to evaluate the structural integrity of
  the area. Water and fire damage may make the
  area to hazardous to operate in.

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Dangerous Building Conditions to Consider

• Weakened floors due to floor joists being burned
  away.
• Concrete that has spalled due to heat
• Weakened steel roof members
• Walls offset because of elongation of steel roof
  supports
• Weakened roof trusses due to burn-through of key
  members.
• Mortar in wall joints opened due to excessive
  heat
• Wall ties holding veneer walls melted from heat

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Detection of Hidden Fires

• Sight
• Discoloration of materials
• Peeling paint
• Smoke emissions from cracks
• Cracked plaster
• Rippled Wallpaper
• Burned Areas

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Detection of Hidden Fires

• Touch
• Feel walls and floors for heat with the back of
  the hand

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Detection of Hidden Fires

• Sound
• Popping and cracking of fire burning
• Hissing of Steam

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Detection of Hidden Fires

• Electronic Sensors
• Thermal (heat) signature detection
• Infared signature detection

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Overhaul

• Typically overhaul begins in the area of actual
  fire involvement
• Should begin as soon as possible after the fire
  has been declared under control

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