Fundamentals of Fire Fighter Skills

1
Fire Fighter Survival
2
Objectives (1 of 2)
17

• Describe the procedure for making an appropriate
  risk-benefit analysis.
• Describe the procedures for the personnel
  accountability system.
• Describe the role of the rapid intervention crew
  (RIC).

3
Objectives (2 of 2)
17

• Define self-rescue techniques.
• Describe how to conserve SCBA air supply.
• Describe the critical incident stress management
  process.

4
Introduction
17

• Fire fighter survival is the primary objective.
• Survival depends on making the right decisions
  and performing the right actions.
• Learn to recognize dangerous situations and to
  take appropriate actions.

5
Risk-Benefit Analysis (1 of 7)
17

• Approach to emergency operations can limit the
  risk of fire fighter deaths and injuries.
• Based upon comparing the positive results that
  can be achieved with the probability and severity
  of potential negative consequences

6
Risk-Benefit Analysis (2 of 7)
17

• Practiced at several different levels
• IC
• Responsible for the high-level risk-benefit
  analysis
• Assesses the risks and benefits before committing
  crews to an interior attack
• Reassess the risks and benefits during the
  operation

7
Risk-Benefit Analysis (3 of 7)
17

• Company officer
• Processes risk and benefits to ensure the safety
  of a group of fire fighters
• Involved in continuous risk analysis
• Fire fighter
• Makes a risk-benefit analysis from his or her
  perspective

8
Risk-Benefit Analysis (4 of 7)
17

• Philosophy
• We will not risk our lives at all for persons or
  property that are already lost.
• We will accept a limited level risk, under
  measured and controlled conditions, to save
  property of value.
• We will accept a higher level of risk only where
  there is a reasonable and realistic possibility
  of saving lives.

9
Risk-Benefit Analysis (5 of 7)
17

• Do not risk fire fighters lives by entering a
  burning building if
• Unoccupied
• Occupants could not survive
• No property of value can be saved
• Property has no value

10
Risk-Benefit Analysis (6 of 7)
17

• If there is a reasonable possibility that
  property can be saved, but no lives are at stake,
  fire fighters can be committed to an interior
  attack.
• Combination of PPE, training, and SOPs designed
  to allow fire fighters to work safely
• No property is worth the life of a fire fighter.

11
Risk-Benefit Analysis (7 of 7)
17

• Only permissible to risk fire fighters life when
  there is a real possibility of saving a life
• Actions must be conducted in as safe a manner as
  possible.
• Determination that risk is acceptable does not
  justify taking unsafe actions.

12
Hazard Indicators (1 of 4)
17

• Fire fighters must be capable of working safely
  in a hazardous environment.
• Danger of firefighting should never be thought of
  as routine.
• Learn to routinely follow safe SOPs.

13
Hazard Indicators (2 of 4)
17

• Recognize many different types of hazards and act
  appropriately.
• Example of a common hazard is the presence of
  smoke inside a structure.
• Proper response to the hazard is to wear SCBA.
• Obvious hazard is recognized and a standard
  solution is applied.

14
Hazard Indicators (3 of 4)
17

• Many hazards easy to recognize
• Smoke
• Other hazards require further study and
  experience.
• Building construction
• Weather conditions
• Occupancy

15
Hazard Indicators (4 of 4)
17

• Building construction
• Predict fire behavior and collapse potential
• Weather conditions
• Can create hazards
• Occupancy
• A warning placard

16
Safe Operating Procedures
17

• Define how operations are conducted.
• Many based on fire fighter health and safety
• Consistently follow safe operating procedures.
• Must be learned and practiced
• When under pressure, people will revert to habits.

17
Team Integrity (1 of 2)
17

• Teamwork is essential.
• Standard team is a company.
• Standard company is 3-5 fire fighters and a
  company officer.

18
Team Integrity (2 of 2)
17

• Team integrity means that a company arrives at a
  fire together, works together, and leaves
  together.
• Always use a buddy system.
• Follow the two-in/two-out rule.

19
Personnel Accountability System (1 of 3)
17

• Systematic method to track everyones location
  and function
• Responsibility of the IC
• Track from arrival to release
• Track each member of a company

20
Personnel Accountability System (2 of 3)
17

• Can take many forms
• Written roster or computer database
• List of assigned company members is carried on
  each piece of apparatus.
• Tags for all members are affixed to a special
  board called a passport carried in the cab.

21
Personnel Accountability System (3 of 3)
17

• Passport given to command post or at point of
  entry
• Picked up upon exiting

22
Personnel Accountability Report
17

• Personnel accountability report (PAR)
• Roll call taken by each supervisor
• Company officer verifies presence of members.
• Occurs every 10 minutes, tactical benchmarks, and
  after unusual events
• Any time a fire fighter cannot be accounted for,
  he or she is considered missing until proven
  otherwise.

23
Emergency Communication (1 of 2)
17

• Breakdown is a major cause of deaths and injuries
  to fire fighters.
• Ensure message is stated clearly.
• Repeat message back as confirmation.

24
Emergency Communication (2 of 2)
17

• Reserved phrases, sounds, and signals for
  emergency messages should be a part of your
  departments SOPs.
• Phrases should be known and practiced by everyone
  in the department.
• In many areas, these procedures are coordinated
  regionally.

25
Mayday
17

• Used if a fire fighter is in danger
• A fire fighter can call Mayday to request help.
• Another fire fighter can use to report team
  member missing or in trouble.
• Mayday takes precedence over all other radio
  communications.

26
Emergency Traffic
17

• Used to indicate imminent fire ground hazard
• Potential explosion or structural collapse
• Used to order fire fighters to immediately
  withdraw from interior
• Takes precedence over all other radio
  communications
• Except Mayday

27
Special Tones
17

• Communications centers can emit a special tone
  over the radio to alert all members.
• Information is repeated to be certain it is heard
  correctly by all.
• All imminent hazards and emergency instructions
  should capture the attention of everyone at the
  incident scene.

28
Initiating a Mayday (1 of 2)
17

• Analysis shows that fire fighters often wait
  until its too late to call for help.
• Failure to act promptly can be fatal in many
  situations.
• Do not hesitate to call for help when you think
  you need it.

29
Initiating a Mayday (2 of 2)
17

• Transmit Mayday-Mayday-Mayday over radio.
• Clearly state
• Name
• Nature of problem
• Location
• Activate PASS.
• Activate emergency button on radio

30
Rapid Intervention Crew (1 of 3)
17

• Established solely to rescue fire fighters
• Stands by fully dressed and equipped
• An extension of the two-in/two-out rule
• Minimum of two fire fighters is required to
  establish an entry team.
• Minimum of two additional fire fighters is
  required to remain outside the hazardous area.

31
Rapid Intervention Crew (2 of 3)
17

• Outside fire fighters can perform other duties.
• Must be ready to assist at all times
• The two fire fighters who remain outside are the
  first stage of RIC.
• The dedicated RIC team is the second stage.

32
Rapid Intervention Crew (3 of 3)
17

• RIC should be in place when fire fighters are
  operating in IDLH conditions.
• IC should immediately deploy the RIC to any
  situation where a fire fighter needs immediate
  assistance.
• Lost or missing fire fighter
• Injured fire fighter who has to be removed from a
  hazardous location
• A trapped fire fighter

33
Fire Fighter Survival Procedures
17

• Your personal safety could depend on learning,
  practicing, and consistently following fire
  fighter survival procedures.

34
Maintaining Orientation (1 of 3)
17

• Very easy to become disoriented in a dark,
  smoke-filled building
• Extremely important to stay oriented
• If you get lost, you could run out of air.

35
Maintaining Orientation (2 of 3)
17

• Several methods can be used to stay oriented
  inside a smoke-filled building.
• Before entering, look at building from the
  outside to get an idea of the size, shape,
  arrangement, and number of stories.
• After entering, follow walls and pay attention to
  where you go.
• Always stay in contact with a hose line.

36
Maintaining Orientation (3 of 3)
17

• Team integrity is an important factor in
  maintaining orientation.
• Everyone works together to stay oriented.
• When team members cannot see each other, stay in
  direct physical contact or within verbal contact.

37
Guideline
17

• A rope attached to an object on the exterior or a
  known fixed location
• Used for orientation when inside a structure
• Stretched out as a crew enters the structure
• Guideline technique requires intense practice.

38
Self-Rescue (1 of 5)
17

• Immediately call for assistance.
• Do not wait.
• Initiate the process as soon as you think you are
  in trouble.

39
Self-Rescue (2 of 5)
17

• If you are simply separated from your crew
• Follow a hose line back to an open doorway.
• Descend a ladder.
• Climb out through a ground floor window.
• Notify IC that you are safe.

40
Self-Rescue (3 of 5)
17

• There are complicated techniques that fire
  fighters can use to escape from dangerous
  predicaments.
• Include some standard methods
• Breaching a wall
• Using a rescue line and harness to rappel down to
  the ground

41
Self-Rescue (4 of 5)
17

• Disentanglement
• Important skill that needs to be learned and
  practiced
• Many fire fighters carry small tools to cut
  through wires or small cables.
• Can be very difficult if visibility does not
  allow the entangling material to be seen and
  identified

42
Self-Rescue (5 of 5)
17

• Some self-rescue methods involve using tools and
  equipment in manners for which they were not
  designed.
• These are considered last resort methods.
• Should only be taught by instructors and
  practiced with strict safety measures in place
• Very controversial

43
Safe Havens (1 of 3)
17

• Temporary location that provides refuge while
  awaiting rescue or finding a method of
  self-rescue
• Safety is relativeless dangerous than the
  alternative
• Important when situations become critical
• Know where to look for and how to recognize one.

44
Safe Havens (2 of 3)
17

• A room with a door and a window could be a safe
  haven.
• Safe haven provides time for rescue team to reach
  fire fighters.
• A roof or floor collapse often leaves a void
  adjacent to an exterior wall.
• Maintaining team integrity is important.

45
Safe Havens (3 of 3)
17

• These activities require good instruction and
  practice.
• Follow your departments operating guidelines.

46
Air Management (1 of 5)
17

• Air equals time.
• Time in a hazardous atmosphere must include entry
  and exit time.
• Time rating on an SCBA is for low exertion.
• Often a 30-minute supply is used in 10-12 minutes.

47
Air Management (2 of 5)
17

• Rate of consumption varies among fire fighters.
• Also depends on activities being performed
• Air management is a team effort as well as an
  individual effort.
• Team member who uses the air supply most rapidly
  determines the working time for the team.

48
Air Management (3 of 5)
17

• Determine your personal air usage rate by
  participating in an SCBA consumption exercise .
• Knowing team members physical conditions and
  workload can help keep them safe.
• Team member could use up his of her air supply
  much faster without realizing it.

49
Air Management (4 of 5)
17

• Be aware of the SCBA limitations.
• Do not enter a hazardous area unless your air
  cylinder is full.
• Know your air supply.
• Do not wait until the low-pressure alarm sounds
  to start thinking about leaving the hazardous
  area.

50
Air Management (5 of 5)
17

• Emergency situations can occur.
• SCBA can malfunction.
• Fire fighters can be trapped.
• Remain calm.
• Know how to use all of the SCBA emergency
  features.

51
Rescuing a Downed Fire Fighter (1 of 4)
17

• One of the most critical and demanding situations
  
• Air management has to be considered for the
  rescuers as well as the fire fighter who is in
  trouble.

52
Rescuing a Downed Fire Fighter (2 of 4)
17

• Assess the fire fighters condition.
• Is the fire fighter conscious and breathing?
• Does the fire fighter have a pulse?
• Is the fire fighter trapped or injured?
• Make a rapid assessment.
• Notify IC of your situation and location.
• Have the RIC deployed to your location.

53
Rescuing a Downed Fire Fighter (3 of 4)
17

• Can the fire fighter be moved quickly and easily?
• Air supply will be an important consideration.
• A fire fighter who is breathing and has an
  adequate air supply is not in immediate,
  life-threatening danger.

54
Rescuing a Downed Fire Fighter (4 of 4)
17

• If there is very little air or no air in the
  SCBA, this is a critical priority.
• Move the fire fighter out of the hazardous area
  immediately or provide an additional air supply.
• Many newer SCBA units are designed with an
  additional hose or hose connections for buddy
  breathing.

55
Rehabilitation (1 of 3)
17

• Reduces the effects of fatigue during an
  emergency operation
• Firefighting involves very demanding physical
  labor.
• Can challenge fire fighters when combined with
  the extremes of weather and the mental stresses

56
Rehabilitation (2 of 3)
17

• Helps fire fighters retain ability to perform and
  restores capacity to work
• At small incidents, can be set up on tailboard
  with a water cooler
• At larger incidents, complete operation
  established
• Personnel monitor vital signs and provide first
  aid.

57
Rehabilitation (3 of 3)
17

• Rehabilitation is integral to fire fighter safety
  and survival.
• Personnel accountability system must continue to
  track fire fighters who report to and are
  released from rehabilitation.

58
Critical Incident Stress (1 of 5)
17

• Critical incidents challenge the capacity of
  individuals to deal with stress.
• Examples of critical incidents include
• Line-of-duty deaths (police, fire/rescue, EMS)
• Suicide of a colleague
• Serious injury to a colleague

59
Critical Incident Stress (2 of 5)
17

• Situations that involve a high level of personal
  risk
• Events in which the victim is known
• Multicasualty/disaster/terrorism incidents
• Events involving death or life-threatening
  injury/illness
• Events that are prolonged or end with a negative
  or unexpected outcome

60
Critical Incident Stress (3 of 5)
17

• Normal coping mechanisms help many fire fighters.
  
• Exercise
• Talking to family and friends
• Religious beliefs

61
Critical Incident Stress (4 of 5)
17

• Sometimes fire fighters react to critical
  incidents negatively.
• Alcohol abuse
• Depression
• Inability to function normally
• Negative attitude towards life and work
• Symptoms can occur in anyone.

62
Critical Incident Stress (5 of 5)
17

• A routine incident can trigger negative reactions
  from a past incident.
• Critical incident stress can also be cumulative.
• Sometimes it is called burnout.
• Cannot be traced to any one incident

63
Critical Incident Stress Management (1 of 7)
17

• Designed to prevent reactions from having a
  negative impact on the fire fighters work and
  life
• Understand CISM and how to access it.
• Important part of fire fighter survival

64
Critical Incident Stress Management (2 of 7)
17

• Emotional reaction experienced by fire fighters
  can include
• Anxiety
• Denial/disbelief
• Frustration/anger
• Inability to function logically
• Remorse
• Grief
• Reconciliation/acceptance

65
Critical Incident Stress Management (3 of 7)
17

• Stages occur within minutes, hours, days, or even
  months.
• Not all steps will occur and will not always
  occur in order.

66
Critical Incident Stress Management (4 of 7)
17

• CISM helps fire fighters recognize and deal with
  these reactions in the most positive manner
  possible.
• There are some variations in the way this is
  accomplished.
• In-house, peer-driven programs guided and
  assisted by mental health care professionals are
  a proven method for CISM.

67
Critical Incident Stress Management (5 of 7)
17

• Most CISM programs operate in a similar manner.
• First, there is an informal process where a
  trained CISM team member will have a conversation
  with an individual.

68
Critical Incident Stress Management (6 of 7)
17

• If an incident requires further intervention, a
  series of steps might follow.
• Range from a semi-formal group discussion of the
  incident to the inclusion of health care
  professionals
• Most common form of CISM is peer defusing.
• Purpose of a debriefing is to allow an open
  discussion of feelings, fears, and reactions to
  the situation that occurred.

69
Critical Incident Stress Management (7 of 7)
17

• A debriefing is not an investigation or an
  interrogation.
• Usually held within 24 to 72 hours after a major
  incident
• Leaders offer suggestions and information on
  overcoming stress.
• Fire fighters should realize that emotional and
  mental health must be protected, just as much as
  physical health and safety.

70
Summary (1 of 2)
17

• Risk-benefit analysis
• Hazard indicators
• Safe operating procedures
• Fire fighter survival procedures
• Team integrity
• Personnel accountability system
• Emergency Communications
• Mayday
• RIC

71
Summary (2 of 2)
17

• Fire fighter survival procedures
• Safe havens
• Air management
• Rehabilitation
• Critical incident stress management