Share your strategies, tactics and experience!  Every Friday we’ll post a picture or video and want to get your take on the situation.

THE SCENARIO:  What would do you do for this heavily involved attached garage fire?  Does the split-level layout change your strategies/tactics?  Give us the report and your RECEO VS considerations.  Have fun!

• What is your initial report?
• Rescue considerations?
• Exposures?
• Confinement issues?
• Extinguishment strategies and tactics?
• Overhaul, what areas will you focus initial searches for extension?
• Rig placement?

Click here to view the embedded video.

Share your strategies, tactics and experience!  Every Friday we’ll post a picture or video and want to get your take on the situation.

THE SCENARIO:  Check out the video and let us know how you would handle it.  Ready…Go!

• What is your initial report?
• Offensive or Defensive?
• Search type?
• What type of attack lines would you use, how many & where would they go?
• Ventilation considerations?
• How many resources would you have/want for this fire?

Click here to view the embedded video.

Enjoy & Be Safe!

Share your strategies, tactics and experience!  Every Friday we’ll post a picture or video and want to get your take on the situation.

THE SCENARIO:  Watch the video of this heavily involved 2-story balloon frame house.  Note the wind and the exposures.  Give us your RECEO breakdown, initial actions and initial rig placement.  Have fun…

• What is your initial report?
• Rescue considerations?
• Exposures?
• Confinement issues?
• Extinguishment strategies and tactics?
• Overhaul, what areas will you focus initial searches for extension?
• Rig placement?

As seen on YouTube and Facebook…

Click here to view the embedded video.

NOTE:

• The Command presence
• Notice the professionalism of the operating crews
• Notice the window A/C unit falling to the street (around :40)
• Notice the Outside Vent crew stopping floor below as the Engine starts getting a knock on the fire

Go to the Facebook conversation to get full details, accounts and reactions from brothers in cyberspace as well brother who were at the fire and know the area and operations… http://www.facebook.com/NateDeMarse/posts/292471494132640

Thanks and be safe!

VSP is one of the hottest topics of conversation in the fire service today.  Captain Marsar’s research has taken the fire service by storm and has created an interesting “new” flavor of the month for those who feed on “firefighter safety through spectatorship”.  Maybe it was because of my animosity for the “let it burn” folks within our profession that I was initially against the concept of deciding if a building is searchable from the front yard and was unfairly biased.  However, the more I read about and discuss it the more I realize that I HAVE ALWAYS PERFORMED VSP!

• What conditions do I have, where are they and where are they going?
• What time is it and where are the people inside?
• Where and how can I get in to this building?
• How do I get out of this building?
• Do I have enough resources to do what I need to do now?
• What can I do now?
• Is this an offensive or defensive fire?

Is this a size-up or Victim Survivability Profiling (VSP)?

Our priorities of life safety, incident stabilization and property conservation (LIP) are one of the first things that you learn when you get into this job.  As our training continues, we learn about phases of fire, flashover and how to “read” smoke.  Then, hopefully, someone taught you about Lloyd Layman’s tactical considerations of RECEO VS (rescue, exposures, confinement, extinguishment, overhaul… vent and salvage… in that order).  What is supposed to happen is, you take all this knowledge, fight a few fires, learn from them, reapply as necessary then repeat.

As this process continues over years, you hone your skills, learn from your misreads, mistakes and close calls (or better yet someone else’s) and get better and smarter.  After time, you become the “senior man” or the officer in charge and get to use that knowledge and experience.  YOU decide mode of operation, where and how to position the first line and where/how to start a search.  NOW YOU GET TO DECIDE WHO LIVES AND WHO DIES.  If a civilian dies at one of “your” fires, DID YOU AND YOUR CREW (as an extension of you) DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER TO PROTECT THEIR LIFE in the manner you were taught your first week of fire training?

TENABLE versus VIABLE, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.  Tenable may depend on smoke, heat, flame and interior layout of the occupancy or any combination.  Things are NOT always as they appear from the exterior.  Viability MAY be related to tenability, however occupant age, health and relative location to the fire all impact how long someone may be “viable”.  For that matter, our actions may directly impact tenability and how long someone may be viable.

How efficiently the first line gets stretched, advanced and water gets on the fire will have the greatest impact on tenability.  The time it takes us to get the smoke out of the building will also directly and greatly drive how long someone may be viable.  However, the only location on the fireground that is the most tenable AND protects viability is OUTSIDE.  Getting IN, searching tenable areas and pulling people OUT of the buildings is the only true way of holding up our end of the deal.

One of my favorite quotes from Chief John Salka is “You don’t know what you don’t know.”  We live and work in the unknown and OUR REALITY is making decision based on limited or unknown information.  Sometimes a situation leads us into some dangerous areas based on conditions, information and YOUR gut feeling.  These factors may lead you through or around “untenable” areas into those “voids” where panicked civilians seek refuge when faced with no exit and certain death.  They are not condemned to death; they are just waiting for us to come in a get them.  That’s where our training, experience, discipline and professionalism are put to the test.  It is not our job to decide who lives and who dies.  It is our job to do our job by getting water on the fire, letting the smoke and heat out and helping the helpless.

1. “Can They Be Saved? Utilizing Civilian Survivability Profiling to Enhance Size-Up and Reduce Firefighter Fatalities in the Fire Department, City of New York.”  , Stephen Marsar
2. “Survivability Profiling: Applying What We’ve Learned”, Stephen Marsar, Fire Engineering July 2011
3. “‘Survivability Profiling’ is Key to Ending Preventable LODDs”, Stephen Marsar, FireRescue Magazine November 2011
4. “Muliple Rescues in Fatal Lewisdale Fire”, from www.hvfd.com
5. “…Report Critical of Pasadena Fire Department’s Failure to Find Woman’s Body After Fire”, from Pasadena Star News Online
6. “Sometimes It’s Not So Simple”, from www.backstepfirefighter.com

Below is a great video of bread and butter firefighting at a DC house fire.  I originally caught this video on www.backstepfirefighter.com.  Over there, Bill Carey pointed out how efficiently the engine crews got the lines to the Charlie side.

Typically, the Charlie side of a structure is an after thought (or an uh-oh thought) until something back their grabs our attention.  Always remember there are six sides to every fire.

Speaking of which, also notice the number and placement of ground ladders (all visible sides are laddered).

Enough of the blabber, enjoy the video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Safe Firefighter, LLC is proud to announce it’s newest sponsor/ partner Desert Diamond Industries.  DDI began manufacturing cutting blades for the construction industry and has found a new, and growing home, in the fire service.

Their key fire/rescue products include the “Safety Blade”, the new industry standard in multipurpose diamond blades currently in use by some the largest and busiest department’s in the U.S. and endorsed by Brotherhood Instructors.  Some of their other FD products include the 12 and 24 tooth carbide tip blades, the ideal option for  vertical ventilation operations, the multipurpose “Chunk” blade and countless other tools  for rescue/ US&R applications.

Backed by a “Lifetime Operator Error Warranty”… “When lives are on the line, the last thing you need to worry about is your blade!”

To see their full line of products click here: Desert Diamond Industries

You can see these products in action during any of our Truck Company and/or Forcible Entry Classes!

Contact Safe Firefighter, LLC @ info@safefirefighter.com for more information

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Found this 2-part video of a serious fire in Detroit.  This fire originated in the obvious dwelling, then spread to the neighboring duplex.

Some background of this incident and some of the things people will notice:

• According to the description, this was the 9th arson fire in THIS NEIGHBORHOOD in ONE HOUR.
• The minimal use of SCBA.  According to the comments, these crews had run FOUR fires continuously and their was no more air available when this fire was dispatched.
• The Officer at the exposure performing “Das Boot” forcible entry.  Remember, bringing a tool (especially a Halligan or set of irons) can accomplish in one try what his boot took four.  This will hold true in MOST residential setting barring any security “surprises”.

Some of the interesting points about this operation:

I recently updated the through-the-lock setup that I carry in my gear (see pics below).  For years I had used a modified set of locking pliers (ViseGrip style) with separate key tools and shove knife. This setup has proven extremely effective at both alarm runs and working fires.

I’ve decided to change my setup to a modified “Channelok” setup.  It’s going to allow me merge 2 tools into 1 and I’ll be able to store it in a smaller pocket.  I am actually using an Irwin/ Vise Grip brand plier that slide-locks into place (no more finding the right notch) that is modified to match the Kerry Key from Fire Hooks Unlimited (see pic).

Though I was taught early in my career the importance of door and lock knowledge and “alternate” means of gaining access, it is apparent that this is a lost art in the fire service.

Below are some links to great articles, videos and pics.

Happy training and Be SAFE.

Photo by author

Photo by author

Photo by author

ARTICLES:

“History of Lock Pulling Tools”, www.midwesternfirefighter.com

“Through the Lock Forcible Entry: Key in the Knob Locks”, www.blog.brotherhoodinstructors.com

Video of Brotherhood Instructors, LLC via YouTube

Video of Brotherhood Instructors, LLC via YouTube

Video from Wichita FD via www.VentEnterSearch.com

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here is a terrific and detailed video of ways to accomplish fundamental, yet critical, truck tactics with one firefighter.

I took some classes with Trey (and some other huge, knuckle-dragging guy from 3 Truck) roughly 10 years ago in Indy.  He’s a firemen’s fireman and loves to share ideas (obviously).

Enjoy and Be SAFE!