We will add to this drill in the coming weeks. 
You will need your deluge gun and Two Hundred feet of hose. Take the deluge gun off the truck or out of the compartment. Practice setting it up for exterior or defensive operations however you term it. Practice the options you have on securing these monitors while on the ground. The minimum PPE needed are your helmet and gloves.
This fire started in the garage and quickly moved interior. The fire was caused by a leaking fuel line on a truck. The house was a near total loss. Give your size up and tactics you would use for this fire
Based off of what you see. Give your size-up as the first arriving engine officer. Describe the strategies and tactics you may use to combat this fire.
For this drill you will need your apparatus and copies of your check off sheet. Members will go to the apparatus and each member will go compartment
SAFD Eng 2
by compartment naming the equipment and will be checked off on the sheet. The person who get the most correct gets a night off from chores or what ever the group comes up with as a surprise. The kicker is if the Officer does not win He or She will buy everyone Ice Cream. No excuse for an Officer not to keep up with his or her apparatus.
At some point we have all been asked or will be asked to cut the electric , when it is necessary, from anything from a structure fire to water endangering electric, just to name a few. When was the last time you thought of how you were going to shut that panel down correctly? The power companies frown on pulling meters or cutting loops and this may not completely accomplish this task, depending on many factors, feel free to add your own.
Correctly shutting a panel box down is really easy, by throwing the main breaker, right? Wrong! Correctly shutting this panel down is easy, but throwing the main breaker is not the answer, if you want to be sure an avoid an arc.
When shutting a panel box down, whether breakers or fuses, goes as follows: Turn off all of the individual breakers, or take out the fuses, then trip the main breaker or pull the main fuses. Practice this in gloves, not as easy as it sounds.
To restore power, do this drill in reverse order, however, I’m not sure how many of us are tasked with the restoration of power, doesn’t happen in the Midwest.
Stay Safe and Train to Survive!
Engine Captain Missouri
For the longest time firefighters had to fight to be given portable radios while on the fire ground. SO today’s drill ask you, do you know how to fully use your radio? Can you switch to the different zones, and use the different functions it has? Can you activate your emergency escape button or change channels with a gloved hand? All of these are taken lightly but it is not funny when your asked to be on a channel and you did not know it was there, let alone know how to change to it. Also read through your policy on radio communications. If you think of any other drills post them here.
If you can’t tie a knot, tie a lot.
Sage advice my good sir, but I think I’d rather tie a knot. There is a list of knots that every firefighter is supposed to know. The list includes Bowline, Clove hitch, assorted Eights, A bend of some type, Overhand safety, Half hitch.
I’m not going to lecture about the virtues of one knot over the other or that one doesn’t go here or there. There are many knots and variations, too many to have in the front of your mind at 3AM on an icy embankment.
KISS- Keep It Simple Stupid
Find a knot you like and bend it to your will. I’d recommend mastering the family of 8′s because you can fill most needs with variations of the same basic shape. Having a solid knot in a less than ideal situation is better than having a pile of spaghetti anywhere. It looks professional and it looks like you know what you’re doing (even if you don’t). If you are a one trick pony when it comes to knots, that’s fine, you’ll have a knot that you can trust. When someone ties the Confused Worm knot to the apparatus so you can make your way to a rolled over car in a ditch, that knot is going to be another thing you have to worry about.
Do yourself a favor, go to http://www.animatedknots.com/ pick your pony and practice it. Practice with a 6′ piece of rope. Then when you think you’ve got it mastered bring that rope on a call at 3AM and see if you can do it then. If you can congratulations, you’re halfway there. Now tie it blindfolded, then teach someone else. Drill it into your head, muscle memory is the best type. Practice, practice or you will lose the ability to tie it.
All to often firefighters take for granted that the hoseline selected to put out the right choice for putting out the fire. Firefighters are not able to read the signs that are presented in front of them. This is due to a lack of training and its has been said that fires are down. Here is Powerpoint presentation that was found on the internet on several different sites that Chief Dave Dodson has allowed for use. ReadSmoke. Information was found on firefighterclosecalls.com if you have any questions you can contact Dave Dodson @ davedodson@q.com
Today’s drill is a simple Bailout. I use the word “Simple” because of the equipment involved. There are countless options available for bailout from manufactured systems to throwing things out the window at firefighters on the ground. I have tested many systems and firmly believe low tech will always win. Whatever your plan is make sure you have it and practice it.
For this evolution you will need 2 instructors, Kevlar rope and carabiner, a belay system with someone minding it, SCBA and structural firefighting gear. Secure Belay to the top of the SCBA or a separate harness before beginning.
1. Have the student attach the carabiner to a suitable anchor point. We aren’t looking for anything bomb proof, just something that will get you out the window. This is self rescue, not perfect scenario.
2. Throw the rope out the window.
3. Run the rope around your back and hold both sides of the rope in front of you.
4. Put your hands out the window past the sill to prevent you from crushing them, and take up the slack back to the anchor.
5. Stick your head out the window and then the legs, pretty standard part. This is so you can hang out the window.
6. Slide lazily away from a burning, fiery death. Squeeze the ropes together to control speed. There is so much friction in this system that you will be barely squeezing the ropes together in order to stop.
Maybe you need to go to the ground, maybe you just need to reach a ladder or lower roof. Bailout should be the LAST option. But, last option or not, when you are concerned for your life is not the right time to learn your equipment. Be safe
.
OK, more fun with pictures. Occupancies change, and they can be deceiving from the from the outside. Preplan, Preplan, Preplan. These are just a couple examples of why you should check out what’s going on in your district.
Step 1, select the pictures that are from the same house 1a, 2b etc… Step 2, guess how many units or the specific occupancy. Some are easy and some are hard. I’ll describe them individually in a later post.
What are your priorities based on the front view? How do your priorities change when you see the rear, or the secret?
These are easy because I have the front and rear pics. Next time, front view only. Plenty more where these came from so enjoy.
A few weeks ago some of our guys had the opportunity to attend a class by Chief John Coleman that was titled “Incident Command for the Street Smart Fire Officer.” One of the topics Chief Coleman talked about, was the “Oriented Method of Search.” This method can be used to perform a big box search.There are several different methods of performing a big box search. One method, that Chief Coleman discussed, was using a 2 ½ hand line. We performed this drill and it worked well. We did the drill three times and had two successful finds of the “victim.”
To perform the drill you will need a large area. We used our apparatus bay and it worked just fine. A water source, enough 2 ½ to reach from one end of the structure to the other, smoke trainers or something to “black out” your face pieces, full PPE with SCBA, tools, a TIC and a “Rescue Randy” type figure.
A team of 3 is ideal. You will need two personnel to perform the search and one to be the “oriented” man. Start by giving your crew a size up and assignment. They will drag the 2 ½ uncharged into the structure until they come to a wall. Personnel will call for the line to be charged. Once at the wall and with a charged line, personnel will turn around and face the way they came from. The oriented man will stay on the line and the other two will perform the search from each side of the line.
The search personnel must maintain a forward stance and stay facing the direction of the exit. Moving in a sideways motion, move 2-3 paces and then do a sweep of the area. Move 2-3 more and sweep. Keep doing this until you come to a wall. When at a wall move 2-3 paces forward, then repeat the 2-3 paces sideways and sweep till you reach the hose and the oriented man. Perform this the same way keeping your orientation towards the entry point till you either reach the other end or find the victim. Maintaining communications between crew members and maintaining a forward orientation is paramount to performing this type of search.
We found that it is best to put the “oriented” man with the TIC, as the second person on the line going in so that he can scan with the TIC as you are going along. Also the Firefighter that is 3rd, along with assisting with the advancing of the line, can sweep and do a basic search as they go. Following is a video of one of our crews as they performed this drill.
I would like to thank all the guys on my crew for bringing this training to the table and performing it as a real world scenario. If anyone has a different way of doing this type of search or sees anything that can be added to this, please let me know. Pass it along and perform the drill. Let us know how it goes. Train hard and stay safe.
Go out in your district and stop at different buildings. Look for muilt-story, L-shaped U Shaped buildings in your district. Also go through your residential communities and practice sizing up different styles and sizes of homes. Key Points to emphasize when doing size-up
1. What side are you on ( Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta )
2. How many Stories
3. Occupancy type ( Single Family, commercial )
4. Where is the water supply? Have you secured a water supply?
5. CAN report ( Conditions, Actions, Needs )
Practice this in non stressful situations and you will find it’s not so easy to do. Just imagine if you don’t practice what it will sound like when the heat is on.
Aerial operations are an often neglected skill in the fire service. Frequently, a newer firefighter will hear, “Put the stick up and cut the roof.” The veteran firefighter will point to the outriggers, point to the controls and then point to the roof and say, “Make it happen.” It sounds easy enough, but it is more complicated than that. Is just slamming the aerial into Grandma’s gutters really the minimum requirement operators should have? Or should aerial operators actually try to perform this action with skill?
All firefighters should have the ability to throw an extension ladder by themselves and know how to vent the windows if necessary.
In the Photo above the firefighter was preparing to don there SCBA and it became entangled around there head. In the drill below the intent is for firefighters to become familiar with the parts of the SCBA and Don it with zero visibility.
Drill instructions:
The firefighters will need to be in full protective clothing and mask. The mask is to be blacked out and they are to be lead in to a dark area where the SCBA can be taken apart, straps tighten down, or wrapped together. You come up with it. Just make it realistic. This will go hand and hand with your practice of Donning the SCBA and how you conduct your daily check off.
For This drill you will need your apparatus and your turnout gear. Keep your turnout gear in the position you normally would for a response. Get a stopwatch or use the one on your phone. Simulate being toned for a call and then have the time keeper start the clock. Put on your turnout gear and then get in the apparatus put on your SCBA and then seat belt. After your seat belt is fastened the time will stop. You will probably find with this drill you are not turning out as fast as you think. If you are congratulations. Next is all PPE being worn correctly. If the answer to the second question is yes keep up the good work. See how fast you can get.
The next time you go out on your apparatus to the grocery store or just sitting around the fire station take out your TIC and start learning to read the contrast in the pictures. Take one hot and one cold item and sit them in a room of a different ambient temperature. While at the grocery store scan the store learn to make out shapes and sizes as oppose to temperatures. You will be amazed at how much better you become reading the picture on your TIC. This drill was inspired by the instructors from Safe-IR who conducted a Thermal Imaging Class for my department last year. Thanks to Bob Knabbe, and Tom Decker.
The next time you’re at the firehouse take your SCBA and name all the parts and how they function. Find out all the ways they could fail. If they failed how would you overcome them? It’s your life and you depend on that SCBA in a fire. How well do you know it?
This is a simple drill that I learned a while back. I find it useful when we get new guys to acclimate them to the SCBA. It is also useful for the guys that have been around for a while and has the ability to humble some of the “Veterans” who think they have it all and are “good to go.” There are a few different versions that I have come up with over the last few years. Please feel free to comment on your likes, and dislikes for the drill and I will post the other versions over the next few weeks.
Equipment needed:
100 Ft. of 1 3/4 hose
1 1 3/4 combination nozzle
1 Complete SCBA
1 Male and 1 Female coupling (either 1 section of hose connected to itself or an old set of couplings.)
Full PPE and something to cover the face piece.
Hand Tool of choice
Drill:
Lay the hose out and make a maze. Use your imagination. There are almost no limits to how you can set this drill up. Dis-assemble the SCBA and place the cylinder in one spot along the hose and the harness in another.
“Black out” the face piece. We used a commercial smoke trainer but you can use wax paper, press-and-seal or another type of material. I do not recommend using your flash hood turned backward due to it potentially getting in the way on the later parts of the drill. Have the Firefighter put on full PPE. Starting at the open female coupling, have the firefighter follow the hand line until they find either the cylinder or harness, whichever you put inline first.
When found they must continue on till they find the other piece.
Once they have found both the cylinder and harness, have them assemble both pieces. This is the part that messes up most people cause they get frustrated when they try to place the connection on the cylinder.
Once they get the SCBA assembled they will go on air and continue to the end. Once at the end they must be able to tell if the nozzle is open or closed and on fog or straight stream.
They can now come off air but stay on the ground. Hand them the attached couplings. Explain to them that they got separated from the handline but have found it again. They are not sure which way to go to get out. They have found the coupling and they must tell which way is out.
This is a relatively simple drill that doesn’t take much time at all to set up and involves a minimal amount of equipment. Thank you to Firefighters Greene, Johnston and Sorenson for their assistance in setting up and performing this drill. I hope everyone can get some use out of the drill. Let me know what you think once you have tried it. Give me some feed back about what you liked or disliked and if you have anything to add to the drill. Take care and be safe.
 This blog is part of the Emergency Services Ad Network. For marketing opportunities, please click here |
I wrote a non-EMS related blog. It's about my vagina, and who doesn't want to read about my… (more)
FORCE MORE DOORS IN A DAY THAN YOU HAVE IN YEARS! The Bluffton Twp. Fire District will be hosting… (more)
There was a "life lesson" or some sort of Fire Department training in every task. They worked hard… (more)
Retired Norfolk (VA) firefighter Sara Jones "Jonesy" needs your help in her battle with cancer.… (more)
Recent Comments