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Down South Trucking!

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Often times fire ground operations dictate aggressive engine work and the situation will get better for everyone, but who is looking out for the firefighters making the push. We are condition to make excuses or rely on the Fast/RIT teams to do basics fire gorund functions such as placing ground ladders for egress for operations such as VES or even emergency escapes when conditions change. Chief Ed Hadfield and a number of others out there have ask the question WHERE HAVE THE LADDERS GONE? So I ask you when operating at a dwelling or building fire does your fire ground look like this and why not?

No Excuses Get it done!

Posted by on May 11, 2012 • Filed under: Education/Training, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, Training, training-development, Truck Tips • Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Size up this fire.

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The point of view in this video shows almost everything that is happening so you have to imagine yourself showing up at street level and the limited view you would have had.  The first arriving companies thought it was a fire in the rear porches.  They were right, but, the fire was already inside the second building when they arrived.  

 I spoke with the officers on scene and from their point of view upon arrival they thought it was back porches and they thought they may have inadvertently pushed the fire into the second building.  The officer on the first line to the rear was wondering why the fire was going to 3 alarms, let alone 4.   It was obvious to command what was going on, but from the rear it was a different story.  You can see the rear was a floor lower than the front. 

I wish we could just get a couple second video from the front when the first arriving companies got on scene, but that’s not going to happen.  Too often when someone posts a video the commenter gets to watch the whole thing and then decide what they would have done.  It would be better to just get a few seconds and then watch the comments, to keep everyone honest.  But comment away. 

Was going to the rear with the first line a good choice?

Would going in from the front then making a basement attack have worked?

What size line are you going to bring?

Are there any other issues that should be brought up?

I may sometimes sound like a stickler for rules because a firefighter should at least know the procedures that way if they do something that isn’t in line with the procedures they have to provide reason instead of “I didn’t know”.  My only critique is that at least one of the trucks arriving on the subsequent alarms should have looked at the roof instead of just putting the stick up.  This would have minimized the chance of a guy alone on the roof, especially a relatively new guy.  That’s just my opinion and I have had that opinion since this video was taped almost 9 years ago.

Stay safe.

Posted by on September 22, 2011 • Filed under: command-leadership, Drills, Education/Training, Engine Tips, firefighting-operations, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Truck Tips • Tagged: , , ,

Hello VPS!

17 comments

I heard these were coming to my city.  The department said they would be put on some vacant properties in the “less desireable” areas of the city.  Imagine my surprise to see it 2 blocks from my house.

Moving on.  Cruising the neighborhood DOES count as training.  I let a few truckies in the area know about this and now my street looks like a parade route.  Either they are interested in the VPS security system or someone is giving away free lunch.

These are not easily defeated.  They do not help with ventilation.  They do not help with access or egress for us.  The properties involved are arson targets and as you can see in one of these pictures the rear porch doesn’t have decking on it. What does that imply about the rest of the building?

My thought is exterior ops, then send minimal crews in for overhaul.  Your life safety should not be risked for an obviously vacant building.   Get in touch with the company that is managing the property and take a tour, figure out how to defeat these things.  I’ve heard they have steel cross bars inside just like the wooden models that board up companies put up.  If that is the case you’d need a diamond blade on the demo saw.  I would recommend the standard abrasive blade but I think that would dissolve quickly and you might only get 1-2 cuts at the needed depth.

Let me know if you have a trick to getting these off safely.

Stay Safe, and good luck with these.

www.vacantpropertysecurity.com

Posted by on November 11, 2010 • Filed under: Building Construction, Drills, Education/Training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Truck Tips • Tagged: ,

Fire Ground Search

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When you first began to study the fire service and its history, one of the first statements you learn is the mission statement. In this mission statement, it states that our top priority is to save lives and then property. When you are attending, your BASIC fire class one of the skills continually repeated is search and rescue. You are taught to get in and search for life whether you are apart of a hose team or just a crew for search and rescue. When operating in a dwelling or building fire you should be conducting search for life if the conditions allow. The reason we are here is to save lives. The Building is secondary. When you are on scene if you are the IC make, sure this basic but critical task is done. If you are a company officer, ask the IC for the assignment if it is not pre-determined. It is never acceptable to find out after the fire has been extinguished that there was a victim inside. When conducting primary searches firefighters must still stick to the basics of right and left hand search patterns; using the tools such as the Halligan, Axe, Hook, and Thermal Imagers to aid finding a trapped occupant. Practice searching as often as you can! I promise you will learn something new all the time. Get the searches done! It is your job!

Posted by on November 4, 2010 • Filed under: Education/Training, Thoughts, Truck Tips • Tagged:

Primary and Secondary Searches: Are they Done yet?

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Here is a video by Lou that really brings the title to light, but you have to commit to getting the searches done.

Posted by on November 1, 2010 • Filed under: Thoughts, Truck Tips, Videos • Tagged: ,

Finally Folks the Ridge Cut

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Posted by on October 7, 2010 • Filed under: training-development, Truck Tips, videos • Tagged: ,

Elevated Master Streams

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Sooooo, my mouth got me into some trouble the other day.  Again.  I was working at one of the Tower units in my city and they started talking crap about how they get called into all the big fires because the towers have the “Master” of Master streams.  I noticed that the tip on their monitor didn’t look very “Master of Masters”.  Nope, 1 3/4″ smooth bore.  What is the discharge on that?  Right  800-ish GPM.  Wow, impressive.  NOT.  The Captain of the company had decided that a solid stream is better than an adjustable nozzle for surround and drown operations.  And I full heartedly agree.

But if you are being called to the scene because your apparatus is equipped to deliver 2x the elevated stream punch as any ladder pipe, why, oh why, would you put the same tip on your elevated stream as every other one in the city?  Dunno.

“But, But, But!!!  We have a 5″ waterway.  We need an engine dedicated to us at a fire.  But we can just increase the pressure to get more water.  But all those reducers we had to put on the monitor to get the pipe down to size does not restrict the amount of water that can go through it.  But, fog nozzles need 100psi at the tip, sometimes it’s hard enough getting 80psi up there.”

Oh I’m going to need to do some work  here, or just drop the whole thing all together.  Yeah right, I can’t let this go unchallenged.

So I ask them for the fog nozzle that they had removed.  They had it nearby.  Good for them.

Written right on it “1000gpm @ 50psi, 2000gpm @ 80psi”.   That was 1 “but” out of the way.

The average pump in our city is rated at 1250gpm @ 150psi.  Generally we need just under that to get the 80 at the tip.  If you raise the psi anymore the GPM’s go down.  “You mean to tell me MORE psi means LESS water?” Yes, but that’s a discussion for another day.  Look at the chart on the pump. Dammit, another “but” off the list.

I asked them where the reducers and tip came from. “An old ladder pipe” was the answer.  Really?  you’re using the same equipment as everybody else and expect it to do something different for you?  You have a 5″ waterway and you squeeze it down to a 2 1/2″ so the tip will fit.   I think that “but” took care of it’s self.

I’m no master of hydraulics, and I may have told them some outright lies.  But the idea that command staff believed the towers have a large capacity to deliver water to hard to reach areas, and they do.  To handicap your ability to perform that function is a great disservice to everyone on the scene.

After that little drill and associated research(5 hours) all of us have a better understanding of the capabilities of the tower and now they are looking for a siamese for their intake and starting to tell co-workers that 1 pumper just isn’t enough for their “Master, Master Stream”.

Tip of the day; Don’t arbitrarily change something because that’s the way it used to be.  New technologies can make some pretty cool things a reality.

Posted by on September 16, 2010 • Filed under: Aerial Operations, Engine Tips

Forcible Entry Training Video

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Posted by on September 2, 2010 • Filed under: Education/Training, Truck Tips

RIT and a little challenge tossed in.

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Ok  folks, here we go. We all or most have been hit by less manpower, because we all know we can do more with less. For those of that run with a 3 person company, (Driver, Boss, and a Firefighter) no real challenge here. For those who have 5 or 6 member teams here is the challenge. My company just went through this, we had an acquired structure, through a neighboring FD, but be creative! Three member company as RIT, now take one out to be the victim, two out right? Mayday called, the two member team, equipped with a TIC, RIT bag, and at least a tool, goes in after the downed FF, this downed FF is on the second floor or basement, ours was on the second floor. Drill and Challenge Time!!

1. Do your members know how to call a Mayday and When to call? You might be surprised.

2. Building construction and layout of the structure, confusing?

3. Can two members handle this job?

4. Composure, think about it

5. Radio Traffic

Bosses need not be a victim! Train your folks, show some leadership ability or don’t see what happens. Brothers will more than two members, try this with two, as they say, see how the other half-lives!

Enjoy, can’t wait to hear from all ranks, Be Safe, this is to make us think, not get us hurt!

Posted by on September 1, 2010 • Filed under: Building Construction, Drills, Education/Training, Engine Tips, Truck Tips

Large Area Search Drill

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My department and my company were involved in a large area search drill our last shift. This was a multi- company, multi -department event in an old automotive plant in a neighboring district. I urge everyone reading this to go to Urban Firefighter Magazine, volume 1 for the whole background on this drill, the Brothers on the West side of my State came up with this after the loss of one of their own, there is your background, Drill Time!

Large area can even be the engine room, if needed. Two teams, a search and a rescue team, of two members. First team, Officer leads in both members tethered together. Tools needed, TIC, tool, and a rope bag. The rope is secure outside the door to the search area. The first guy in sweeps the area for a downed member. The officer needs to take a look at the ceiling to check the temperature of the ceiling, if it’s up about 600 degrees are we going in? In a large area, big box store, automotive plant, etc, are we dealing with a basement? Normally walking in is acceptable. Officer take your time with the camera, use it correctly.

Second in on the search team is the “mule” this member is carrying the RIT/RIC bag. the search is performed while always being aware of air management and situational awareness. Stay in constant contact with command advising your status. When the Search team finds the downed member, advise command, give a situation report, and request the second team.

When the Rescue team is activated and making their way in, the Officer moves to position the downed member for removal, the “mule” holds the downed member in a sitting position if possible.

When the rescue team arrives, the second on the rescue team moves to assist the “mule” each grabbing a shoulder strap of the downed member. The Rescue Officer, turns while maintaining contact with the rope. The #2′s of both search and rescue grab a strap of the rescue officers SCBA, with the Search officer following a keeping the rope tight, it’s time to get out. The rescue officer leads both crews out with the downed member.

This takes practice and research on preparing ourselves to do this. Please read the article on LAST in UFM. This is a taxing drill, our drill area was smoked up very well and tested our skills, it truly was a rewarding experience. Just to be clear, the rescue officer is responsible for the downed members air, obviously with his second team member. If anyone does this different or has questions, please don’t hesitate to comment. Be Safe Everyone!

Posted by on August 23, 2010 • Filed under: Drills, Truck Tips

Truck Company Daily Checks

4 comments

Like always, I’m not here to tell you your job.  Do what’s in your SOP’s and what you’re told to do by your bosses.  I’ve been bouncing around the city in my half a$$ promotional status and I’ve had the pleasure and displeasure of working with a variety of crews.  I just want to review your apparatus operational checks that you do every day.  Again, this isn’t a safety check or anything else, just thoughts.

1.  Safety check, walk around, brakes etc…. DOCUMENT ALL ISSUES and send the report to the proper place.

2. Check the jacks for operation, and range of motion before setting them to throw the aerial.  Do you know any override procedures and how the override affects the aerial operation?  When you throw the aerial don’t just spin it and drop it in the bed.  Throw it to the roof and climb it, one fire house I was at had a garden on the roof and it was the truck operator’s job to water it.

3. Saws need to be warmed up or they will gum up and won’t run properly.  RUN them.  Run the generators and hook up a load, flood lights, fans, whatever they should be loaded to get to full operating temperature just like the saws.  If you’re allowed to, clean out the air filters.

4. Sharpen your tools.  “Salty” tools look pathetic and unprofessional.  Grind the burrs off, wire brush them smooth, and then a LIGHT coat of oil.  They don’t have to be super sharp or you’ll just damage them worse the first time you use it.  You’ll get the hang of it.

5.  Check the jaws and open and close them, don’t forget to leave them open just a little.  We have had issues where the motor ran fine but the pump wouldn’t work or a line was leaking.  Unless you have a new style tool that can be connected and disconnected under pressure make sure you go back after you shut it down and operate all the valves to balance/release pressure.

6. A quick look at the ladders to see if they look right and make sure to operate any pencil/little giant that you have, they get sticky.

7. Finally; check on all those odd ball tools that never get used.  They might be in that rusty compartment that no one knows about.  Give a quick look and identify their uses.  They all exist for a reason so make sure you know it.  You might get to use them once in your career but that one time you’ll be glad you had it.

Let me know what I missed and Be Safe

Posted by on August 19, 2010 • Filed under: Drills, Education/Training, Truck Tips

Thursday Truckin: Inspection Cuts

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Video provides a demonstration of how to make an inspection cut

Posted by on July 8, 2010 • Filed under: Truck Tips

Truck Company Operations Class For Thursday Truckin

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A look at another Truck Ops Class.

more about “Truck Company Operations Class“, posted with vodpod

Posted by on June 10, 2010 • Filed under: Education/Training, Truck Tips

Thursday Truckin

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I found this video while trying to learn a little more of how others are training on Truck Work. Hope you enjoy

more about “Truck Work“, posted with vodpod

 

Posted by on June 3, 2010 • Filed under: Truck Tips, videos

A little something for Truckie Tuesday

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more about “A little something for Truckie Tuesday“, posted with vodpod
Posted by on April 13, 2010 • Filed under: Drills, Truck Tips

Basic alarm response.

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Well, since this is a site about basics, let’s have a quick discussion about responding to alarms.  I’m not talking about confirmed fires or medical, or car collisions.  Just responding to the “alarms sounding in a building”  or central station, hooked boxes type responses.  Just a quick primer for Engine and Truck ops, make sure to follow your SOP/SOG’s and drive like a professional.

For both company types, responding to alarms should not be at the same speed or urgency as a “confirmed fire” or “working arrest”, or other confirmed emergency.  Yes, the condition at the scene is unknown and there could be something horrible going on there, but, alarm calls are high frequency and low rate of true emergency.   One of the greatest hazards on these calls is the streets en route to the call.  Distracted drivers, more sound deadening in cars, kids and TV’s people are going to have a hard time hearing you no matter how loud you think you’re being.  With that in mind drive with extreme caution, like usual, and think about how it’s going to look in the paper if you get into an accident en route to kids fighting with dry Chem extinguishers.  It doesn’t matter how fast you go if you end up in an accident, any little scratch or ding and you’re out of the game.

For hooked box or a call for alarms in the area, start looking for the building in question a block or 2 away.  Remember, people are just concerned enough to call from their cell phone, not concerned enough to waste their time and stop, so they may see the intersection a block away and use that in the call.  Also look down the side streets before passing them.  You don’t want to have to back up to make a turn, reversing is dangerous, and if you drive past it and the company behind you sees the call they are going to jump on it.   Rightfully so.

So, congratulations.  You drove like a professional and made it to the scene with the apparatus and crew in one piece.  Now park like you would if it was a fire, gear up like it’s a fire, and for god sakes act like you’ve seen whatever it is before.

Posted by on April 12, 2010 • Filed under: Engine Tips, Truck Tips

Thirsty Thursday: Forcible Entry Demo

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What proper training and technique can do. This is just to wet your appetite as we are going into the weekend.

more about “Thirsty Thursday“, posted with vodpod
Posted by on March 18, 2010 • Filed under: Education/Training, Truck Tips, Uncategorized

Ventilation Using an Axe

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This is a great drill to practice on a training prop or an acquired structure. We all know saws work all the time on the roof.

more about “Ventilation Using an Axe“, posted with vodpod
Posted by on March 15, 2010 • Filed under: Truck Tips

Aerial Operations: Cone Drill by Anchor Point

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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?

I was taught to treat that ladder as if it was all that kept me from falling to the ground when you were on it.  When I see firefighters slam the aerial around, rattling it, banging it, I cringe.  When they try to place the aerial to the firehouse roof and hit the building and then blame the piece, it makes me cringe.  Who’s to say I won’t be on that ladder some day?  Anything is possible in the fire service.
Here are some things to keep in mind while checking the aerial:
What is the maximum limit of operations I can reach?
How far up and down can I go?
How close can I get to the cars next to me and still throw the outriggers?
If I put the ladder truck parallel to an engine, will I be able to use the aerial?
What else can I do with the aerial SAFELY?
The best start you can have with the aerial is to be smooth, efficient and precise.  Everything else will build off of these skills.  To practice this, we have a short drill that can help:
1. Get a collection of similar traffic cones.
2. Disperse the cones around a training area or the area where you normally check the piece.
3. Put the cones high, low, near and far so you will have as large a part of the aerial’s range as you can.
4. Hang another cone from the tip of the aerial. Use a carbiner so you can drop it off if you get a call during the drill.
5. Play “stack the cone”.  Try to stack the cone hanging from the aerial on top of the other cones, one at a time.
The people with the smoothest control will do the best.  The next step should be a timed event.
The drill can be made more difficult by extending the rope, but the focus may move away from smooth control due to the cone swinging.  Rope length around 5′ should be good  we found 10′ to be a bit challenging.  Thanks to Vententersearch.com  They also have a list of variations also.
Good luck, be safe.
Posted by on March 11, 2010 • Filed under: Drills, Truck Tips

Venting a window with a ladder

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All firefighters should have the ability to throw an extension ladder by themselves and know how to vent the windows if necessary.

more about “Venting a window with a ladder“, posted with vodpod

Posted by on March 9, 2010 • Filed under: Drills, Truck Tips

Quick Drill: Thermal Imaging

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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.

Posted by on February 22, 2010 • Filed under: Drills, Engine Tips, Truck Tips