You arrived fire showing, Alpha, Bravo Second story .
Often times firefighters miss the opportunity to get it right on the drill ground by failing to work on steps in small segments. In order to be able to gain proficiency we must start at understanding why we are using the hose load we are using and the pros/cons when stretching in your response area. What are the streets like? What are the dwelling sizes? What are the building types? Are you prepared for extended stretch?
Posted in Drills, Engine Tips, training-development
Often times fire departments will arrive on the scene of a building or dwelling fire and have to over come the obstacle of a long stretch when trying to reach the front door, not even including making it to the fire.
Note: Hose lines should be setup to reflect your response area and departmental policies, and not because that is what we have always done
If any has any drills or tips they use feel
We want you to Identify basic functions by putting yourself in the position of our brother and sisters in the videos. Remember these are videos and you could be the next week. We want to learn and grow not critcize.
Five basic points to consider.
•Size-Up
•Command
•Hose Lines ( Deployment, Number )
•Truck Functions
•Water Supply
Generally, emergency responders expect to happen upon hazardous materials when responding to transportation or fixed facility incidents. Sometimes, haz mats (or potential haz mats) may be found in unexpected locations. Familiarity with haz mat container shapes and colors can be important clues indicating the presence of haz mats.
Crews responded to a grass fire on a cold day. The fire was running through some overgrown back yards; the fuels were light and about 18-24 inches high. A slight breeze was blowing, keeping the moderate smoke condition low to the ground. While pulling a hose line toward the fire, a long, cylindrical object with round ends was spotted! What’s a pressure container doing in a back yard?? The Incident Commander was informed of the finding. Flames around the cylinder were knocked down, the cylinder was removed from the burn area, and crews were able to determine the object didn’t pose a hazard.
Photo: author
This object wasn’t the only potentially hazardous item found. A 1.5 gallon, plastic gasoline container and a portable shop air tank were found in the burn area. Several tires were burning, requiring staff to remain clear of the tire smoke while extinguishing the fire.
Always be on the lookout for potentially hazardous items. Sometimes, hazardous items will be found in unexpected locations. For a quick drill at the kitchen table, discuss this subject with your crew. What unusual conditions has your crew found? What examples can you bring to the table (pun intended) for this drill?
Posted in Education/Training, hazmat, training-development
We want you to Identify basic functions by putting yourself in the position of our brother and sisters in the videos. Remember these are videos and you could be the next week. We want to learn and grow not critcize.
Five basic points to consider.
•Size-Up
•Command
•Hose Lines ( Deployment, Number )
•Truck Functions
•Water Supply
We want you to Identify basic functions by putting yourself in the position of our brother and sisters in the videos. Remember these are videos and you could be the next week. We want to learn and grow not critcize.
Five basic points to consider.
•Size-Up
•Command
•Hose Lines ( Deployment, Number )
•Truck Functions
•Water Supply
Often times we look for drills that will get the crew going and makes everyone say great job I would have never thought of that, but this site is geared towards the basics so we will offer some simple tips.
General tips for all apparatus
1. Get a general impression of the apparatus- Do a complete 360 looking at the tires, body, and any external equipment for damage and wear ( i.e. spotlights, telescoping lights, hand tools)
2. Check all fluids possible that need to be checked before the apparatus is started.
3. Check all signaling equipment to include warning devices
Engines
1. Start with the above points
2. Check all nozzles ensuring they are turned to the right and set to the gallonage your department or officer requires them to flow. If using smoothbore ( Great Choice ) make sure that your handles and ball valve inside are good to go. If using automatic or selectable gallonage ensure that you have all your teeth and the bumper is in good shape also.
3. Ensure your hose is packed properly and will deploy without any hang ups
4. visually check your water level and foam if you have it. We know guages would never lie or break
5.Before engaging the pump operate and lubricant if necessary all valves and drains before placing it in pump
6. Engage the pump and make sure all controls with the exception of the valves are working ( i.e. transfer valve, pressure relief valve, manual overrides for pumps, or master control valves.
7. Be sure to check all lighting equipment, generators, and etc. ensure they run properly and properly serviced before being secured
Aerial Apparatus
1. Start with general tips above
2. Check aerial ladder for damage, check the welds and if you have a pinnable waterway, ensure it has a pin and it is placed correctly.
3. Check your hydraulic fluid and ensure there are no leaks
4. Check the outriggers and ensure there are no damage and they are operating properly.
5. Raise the Aerial ladder and place it in every angle, extended it fully, rotate it 360 degrees. ensure all safety alarms are working
6. Inspect your ground ladders and hand tools to ensure they are operating smoothly and don’t require matainance
Rescue/Squad Units
Have fun all of the above apply to you!
After being apart of some conversations, emails, and training I found that firefighters do not have an understanding that fire ground survival skills and Rapid Intervention are two separate disciplines. Fire Ground survival skills such as low profile maneuvers, ladder bails, and entanglement training provided the skills need to rescue a fellow firefighter who may encounter a fire ground emergency. Survival skills and Rapid Intervention get used everyday interchangeably but deserve their own time to develop these skills. Think of it like this we learn in school how to add and subtract, and those two alone are the foundation and survival skills you need later on for advanced mathematics such as Algebra. The reason we should know the difference is often firefighters on the fire ground are asked to be a RIT on the fire ground, but have no survival skills training to base RIT operations off of. When departments are creating training programs, trainers need to make sure members understand and are not getting burnt out on RIT training as many will say. Explanation will be required for members to understand how regular training allows for the proper default to learn skills when faced with emergencies. In the future we will post individual survival skills and rit drills. For success and more information on fire ground survival and rit I use the Fire Department Traininig Network. The Network has Fire Notes easy to read books that are practical and to the point as well as joining and receiving the monthly newsletter, and drill packages can be purchased check it out.
Posted in Education/Training, hazmat, Training
We want you to Identify basic functions by putting yourself in the position of our brother and sisters in the videos. Remember these are videos and you could be the next week. We want to learn and grow not critcize. Five basic points to consider.
•Size-Up
•Command
•Hose Lines ( Deployment, Number )
•Truck Functions
•Water Supply
We want you to Identify basic functions by putting yourself in the position of our brother and sisters in the videos. Remember these are videos and you could be the next week. We want to learn and grow not critcize. Five basic points to consider. This is three videos that need to be viewed altogehter. Learn all you can. Found this video at Statter911.com.
Hey everyone, I’m back like a really bad habit! How often in your next tour will you as a fireman or a company officer hear the word “Why” come out of a members mouth? This word can be good, bad, or just downright insubordinate. This is my getting back in the grove, so this will be short, but for anyone that knows me at all, much more is coming on this issue! Drillmaster’s challenge is simple. Count the “Why’s” your next tour, keep track positive or negative. Let me know and we are off to the races! I’m back, more opinionated as ever Brothers! Always remember those who came before us on this Memorial Day Weekend! we are our Brothers Keepers!
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!
The discussion of Rapid Intervention continued to come up among various groups. So from my vantage point R.I.T is both a Crutch and a Foe. I see as I go on vacation and travel for departments who have a solid grasp on training dictates the outcome of your operations where RIT is truly a service provided for when an incident happens the IC has his Spec Ops team to ensure everyone goes home. Now my problem is the department who leans on RIT as a crutch when providing poor fire ground operations, and/or not wanting to address reckless behavior on the fire ground. So my question are we so focused now on saving our own that we now don’t see training on the basics as the prevention needed to successfully make rapid intervention the most boring job on the fire ground?
Ok, so this doesn’t have anything to do with cooking Mexican food, but it does deal with paying attention the next time you are at a Mexican restaurant. When you sit down and look at the menu, take a few minutes and look around. Notice how they are all laughing and carrying on having a good time. They don’t fight over who’s table is who’s or who is going to do what. They all work together and get the job done. One waiter brings you your chips and salsa, another takes your order, another brings you your drinks and yet another brings you your dinner. The point I am trying to make is that you could learn a few things from watching these guys work. Proficient and fluent work, with little talking among them. They know what each other is going to do and know that if one person misses something, there is going to be another right behind them grabbing it. One guy can carry four plates on one arm from his wrist to his shoulder, and still carry one to two more plates on the other.
If these guys can do these things with small plates, why is it that we have firefighters that can’t even carry one tool? Why is it that some firefighters on the fire ground, have to be told what to do? There should be very little talking about what to do on the fire ground. The officer should be able to tell the crew what he wants done before they even get off the truck and not worry about checking behind their guys to make sure they do the job right.
Posted in Thoughts, training-development, Uncategorized
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