Firefighters

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Firefighters Safety

• Uh! Yeh!, Sometimes!!

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Content provided by FirefighterCloseCalls.com...
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Personal Protective Equipment

• WEAR YOUR PPE
• -The Better Chance We Have To DO The Job THEY
  EXPECT US to Do.
• DON'T WEAR YOUR PPE
• The Better Chance We Have In NOT Doing The Job
  Successfully And Ending Up In The Burn Unit.

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Sure Chief, but its..
"Partial" PPE?....yep, it's hot out and whatever
other excuses we have. But we gotta take care of
"us" before we take care of "them"....
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The Big Picture

• Sure, like ALL of us, this FD has the best
  intentions in the world...but SOMEONE isn't
  looking at the BIG PICTURE! As you can see, one
  firefighter is on the ladder with a "booster
  line" WITHOUT BUNKER PANTS, and the crew below
  him just opened up the window directly below the
  ladder. SO... DO WE HAVE A PREDICTABLE OUTCOME?
  Yeah! And what is predictable
• The fire will roll out that window, burn his ass
  and then once again, a firefighter, one of "our
  own" is admitted to THE BURN UNIT. "Chestnuts
  roasting on an open fire" is a great song and
  wonderful for the holidays-but NOT on the
  fireground.
• BOOSTER line? WHY do we even HAVE booster lines
  anymore?... high cost to the apparatus and
  low water flow capability makes it worth strongly
  reconsidering when specing apparatus.
• His "brother and sister" firefighters are flowing
  THEIR handline into the vented area, predictably
  pushing the fire right back in, spreading it into
  the house, endangering any interior firefighters
  and maybe even pushing it out the window-back
  onto our "slacks wearing" friend at that window.
• A few things to CONSIDER
• All firefighters wearing ALL of their gear and
  SCBA.
• Ladder placement-this ladder is right in front of
  the window which blocks the window as well as
  potentially placing a firefighter (gear or no
  gear) directly in line with the venting fire.
• Strict line management to insure the use of our
  lines does NOT work AGAINST US.
• Strict Command and Control so fire operations are
  coordinated to benefit our SAFETY and our ABILITY
  to do what the public expects us to do.

AVOID "CHESTNUTS ROASTING ON AN OPEN FIRE!!"
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SCBA Does Not Stand For
Shit!!! Can I Breathe this Air ?.....
..........WEAR YOUR MASK !
YES! WEAR SCBA's... but wear your BUNKER GEAR AS
WELL to insure that YOU are as well cared for as
the people you are trying to help.
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How many firefighters does it take???

• BE SURE TO ASK AND/OR KNOW
• WHERE ARE YOU POSITIONED?....
• WHY ARE YOU POSITIONED THERE?...
• WHAT IS SUPPORTING YOU?........AND
• WHAT ARE YOUR STRATEGIC OR TACTICAL REASONS FOR
  BEING WHERE YOU ARE?
• HOW WILL YOU ESCAPE THE AREA YOU ARE OPERATING IN?

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Ladder Placement.....

• Firefighters are reminded in this photo of the
  importance of the seeing the "BIG PICTURE"...Roof
  operations require a way up...and also a way
  down!
• Just from a FIREFIGHTER PROTECTION STANDPOINT, it
  is important for the OIC to make sure the members
  have a way OFF the roof...as well as making sure
  that there are enough-or perhaps too many-members
  operating on the roof.
• Safety Officers, Ops Chiefs or Sector Officers
  must be assigned to insure that the members on
  the roof have someone looking out for them while
  they work their tasks. Someone who can see THE
  BIG PICTURE.

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Look Up...
BEWARE OF WHAT IS ABOVE YOU! This is a structure
fire involving this house and an 88 year old
woman who perished in the fire. My guys were
doing an interior attack when I (as the IC)
noticed the roof failing. They were backing out,
due to conditions changing inside and we sounded
the air horn evacuation order also. After the
"smoke began to clear" we noticed this
interesting flue on this home. We can only guess
the builder/owner had it constructed like that
for looks. It's stability was checked with a VERY
LONG pike pole and I stationed a safety officer
to keep watch on it during overhaul as well as to
watch over the police investigators safety during
their work. I thought is was a neat picture that
shows hidden dangers in some construction and
maybe you could use it also.
TAKING CARE OF "OUR OWN" WHILE OPERATING...
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and Down!

• Ladder placement is critical-be sure to look and
  see "what might happen" prior to, or following
  the placement of, your ladder.
• Keep in mind the questions of...where IS the
  fire, where WAS the fire and where WILL the fire
  be going....and use that info to determine your
  most effective, safest actions.
• Also A firefighter footing the ladder, in
  addition to stabilizing, also provides us
  w/another set of EYES and EARS to protect those
  operating on the ladder...and helps us all see
  "the BIG picture"...

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Off the Roof
FIREFIGHTER FALLS FROM ROOF - 4/28/04

• FFCC.Com Notes Although this firefighter ended
  up with no injuries-the results could have been
  tragic.
• This FF was performing ventilation.
• Members operating on roofs are reminded at ALL
  TIMES to use extreme caution and insure a SAFE
  means of egress.

Our Sincere Thanks to Thomas Bishop of Fire Photo
News.
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Vent is a Vent
A VENT IS TO ALLOW THE FIRE, HEAT AND GASES TO
ESCAPE... so WE or the VICTIMS have a better
chance.
FFCC.Com Notes Although there are some VERY RARE
circumstances where a hose line may be directed
by the IC into a vent hole... (such as to protect
a firefighter stuck in that specific area or when
we "write the building off")... but it is VERY
rare. Why? We vent to let "the bad stuff out". So
when a hose line is directed into that hole we
are interfering with the VENTING process as well
as causing potential DANGER to our crews
operating inside. We may get away with it a few
times but eventually, like all "Close Calls or
worse..." it will bite us in the ass. Let the
interior crews knock the fire after the roof
crews open up... with strong COMMAND, CONTROL and
Accountability by the bosses.
ADDITIONALLY WHAT IS coming out of your vent
hole? Nasty shit. Wear your mask so you don't
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Ventilation

• IC's - LOOK at the big picture.
• Where are your people?...
• Where is the fire?...
• Where is it going?...
• Whats under them?...
• Whats holding them up and
• How are they getting out-safely?

• ?No question that ROOF (vertical) ventilation
  plays a critical role in the job we do.
• BUT-how many firefighters do we need to send up
  to the roof on a SFD? (Single family dwelling).
• What about a roof ladder for those up there?
• How many DOES it take? LOOK at the dwellings in
  YOUR community and pre-think (thats like
  pre-planning-only it doesn't take fancy forms or
  expensive computers) how many YOU need to put a
  good sized hole (4 x4 or larger).
• DRILL for that task...and once the hole is
  made--get off the roof!

The Roof Is a Popular Place!
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The Roof
SOMETIMES WE JUST SHAKE OUR HEADS... Someone
wrote us a few weeks ago and said to light'n up
on some of this stuff. Yeah-OK, we'll get right
on it. We are glad that letters like that are
very, very rare. As long as this kinda stuff
keeps going on-we'll be busy on this site for a
long time to come. Almost everyone knows that
this site is dedicated to the PREVENTION of
FIREFIGHTER INJURY AND DEATH. The stuff we write
and the photos we use are here to LEARN FROM.
Often, we write a CAPTION so these shots can be
used for training-and to make specific points
about FIREFIGHTER SAFETY. And then there are
times when we don't have to write ANY caption.
This would be one of those cases. WHAT THE _at_
!?!! WHO is looking out for the BIG picture here?
And what do you suppose the firefighter BEHIND
him, fully bunkered and SCBA'd up is thinking?
Yeah-thats what we thought too.
Part 2 - In one moment...things can turn UGLY...
So keep your gear on until out of the danger
zone!!
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Working Fire (1 of 3)
FFCC.Com Notes Here is a recent working fire.
USE these photos for discussion TRAINING at
your FD to determine how your FD would handle
this fire.
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Working Fire (2 of 3)
Some considerations include

• What type of Construction is involved?
• What is the Occupancy and where are the
  occupants? What is the Life Hazard (along
  w/occupancy)....Where are the people who live
  here? How will you find them and how will you get
  them out? Who will TREAT any injuries?
• What is the Apparatus and Staffing that is
  responding. It is always MUCH easier to return
  companies not needed than needing them "NOW" and
  having to wait! HOW QUICK can you get the needed
  companies? MATCH the reported fire with
  appropriate response, staffing and apparatus thru
  pre-plans and dispatch procedures.
  PREDETERMINE  the tasks needed (before the
  fire)! and then apply the amount of firefighters
  (and apparatus) needed for each task... THAT'S a
  good start to help plan your needed STAFFING
  which directly contributes to firefighter SAFETY
  and SURVIVAL!
• What Assignments would the companies be given?
  What Sectors would be established?
• Water Supply...What Flows are available? What
  size lines will be used for supply and attack?
  Will your lines reach the fire? What master
  streams are ready and easily usable?

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Working Fire (3 of 3)
Some additional considerations

• Are there any Auxiliary Appliances available such
  as standpipes and sprinkler system?
• What's the Structural Condition prior due the
  fire-and due to the fire. Where IS the fire
  now?...Where WAS the fire (deterioration) and
  where IS the fire GOING to be in 1 minute, 5
  minutes or 15 minutes?
• Are there any Weather Conditions effecting fire
  operations?
• What are the Exposures to the fire?
• What Area Size of the area involved in or
  effected by the fire?
• What is the Height of the building and do you
  have MORE THAN Appropriate Apparatus and Crews on
  the scene or on the way to deal with that
  consideration?
• What about REHAB and Additional Firefighters that
  may be needed?

• THE ABOVE ARE AMONGST SEVERAL CRITICAL TACTICAL
  COMMAND AND CONTROL CONSIDERATIONS THAT MUST BE
  MADE IN ORDER TO EFFECTIVELY AND SAFELY OPERATE. 
  IT'S EASY TO JUST LOOK AT (these or any)
  PICTURES....BUT THE BETTER ACTION TO TAKE IS TO
  LOOK AT PICTURES AND APPLY WHAT YOU SEE TO HOW
  YOUR FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL HANDLE THE FIRE.

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Overhaul

• Some of the WORST smoke is present during
  overhaul.....Wearing PPE...INCLUDING SCBA can
  allow firefighters to be around long enough to
  enjoy grandchildren.
• Yeah, Its just overhaul but wear your gear!
• Sure - After a working fire, we all wanna take
  the stuff OFF. But we can't let our guard down
  and by taking it off--we do! And we then GET
  HURT.
• If it takes extra crews coming in to relieve the
  FF's, so be it. But do WHATEVER IT TAKES to make
  sure everyone is properly protected while
  operating.

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Electricity
After all, how do we justify this to a
firefighters family....
After all, how do we justify this to a
firefighters family....
Firemen pull a power line Monday from Jared
Johnson's new Mazda on Washington Avenue in
downtown. Johnson said he saw a transformer
sparking, then a power line whipped onto his car.
He waited in the car about 45 minutes before his
rescuers cleared the line. Owen Riley Jr./Staff
USE EXTREME CAUTION.....AND WEIGH THE RISK VS.
THE BENEFIT OF FIREFIGHTERS ACTIONS....
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Vehicle Fires
This was a car fire on the side of the road. The
car was pretty much fully involved, and the
people were out already. It was in July 2005,
during the day, and apparently manpower is a
problem in this area. The gentleman in the green
shirt worked for the town DOT and drove the truck
to the scene and didn't even have bunker gear.
The guy in the gear came in his own car, and the
flip flop guy wasn't even in an active department
(x-air force firefighter).
Steve Pekar Photo

• Chief? Company Officer? Firefighter?Your status
  and rank doesn't mean crap in the burn
  unit....so....
• Use caution and protect yourself.. No matter how
  hot the weather may be!
• ...So wear all of your PPE to maintain your
  status!

WHY TAKE THE CHANCE?
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Construction

• WHAT YOU SEE MAY NOT BE WHAT YOU GET!
• Sure-this building appears to be a "standard"
  commercial building... NO SUCH THING!
  SURPRISE!!!!! NOW look what we would be dealing
  with! WITHOUT preplanning and building walk
  thru's by the FIREFIGHTERS and OFFICERS who will
  actually responding, NO ONE would have a clue as
  to what was above them while fighting a fire at
  this building... until it is possibly too late!
  Information and knowledge AHEAD OF TIME is one of
  the KEY INGREDIENTS to "EVERYONE GOING HOME"
  after the run.

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Learn your areas

• When is the last time YOU took your crews out-and
  LOOKED and LEARNED about the construction types
  that are designed with everyone... BUT
  FIREFIGHTERS in mind? Don't think for second that
  builders actually give a damn about FIREFIGHTER
  safety... that's your problem. They could care
  less... yeah pal, it's ALL up to you! So...
  whatcha gonna do?
• Get out there now... yeah, right now! Take your
  inexperienced firefighters and educate them on
  BUILDING CONSTRUCTION by looking and reading the
  articles as well as Chief Frank Brannigans book!
  You don't have his book? E-mail us and we'll tell
  you HOW to get it.

When Firefighters don't think, or don't know...
WHO is watching the BIG picture to look out for
them? That's why COMMAND is established... but it
must be taken seriously-and that means after the
fire is declared "under control" as well. THE BIG
picture IS all our responsibilty-but "the buck
stops" with whoever is running the fire.
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360 Walk Arounds
WHY DO A 360 WALK-A-ROUND?

• Whats up front may not be around back!If you
  were to see only one side of this building, and
  had F/F's lost, which1st floor are they really
  lost on (SIDE 'A' or SIDE 'C'), and why can't we
  seem to find them? Planning ahead is the best way
  to manage this
• Pre-Plans that are simple and easy to access-and
  understand.
• A 360 walk around so you have a clear idea of
  what you are dealing with.
• Identify on the radio what is SIDE A, (and the
  related sides) so it is CLEAR to all on the
  fireground... and everyone is reading off the
  "same sheet of music".

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Training

• Require PPE....Even When Training.

As one reader recently suggested maybe we should
just start a "wear your PPE" gallery....and then
she wrote "Why Is It So Hard To Get FF's To
Just WEAR IT"?
Photos by Stephen Takacs
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Training

• FIREFIGHTER PPE....ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHY IT
  MATTERS
• On 6/17/2005, these firefighters were at a drill
  on the roof prop. This firefighter was rolling
  rafters when the chain saw hit a nail that must
  have been only in the sheeting. He was in full
  PPE with eye protection when the nail slid by the
  goggles and was embedded 1/2" into the bridge of
  his nose right between the eye...see photos
  below.
• They took him to the hospital and they took a CT
  and found that the nail was into the bone
  fracturing it ....but no other problem. The nail
  was removed and he was sent home. He worked the
  next day. Our thanks to the Montebello, CA FD for
  this information.

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WHY WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE PLENTY TO DO IN THIS
BUSINESS...
ROOKIE ON THE HYDRANT
WHY ROADWAY BARRIERS SHOULDN'T BE IGNORED