S.A.F.E. Firefighter » health

First Due Friday; Bread & Butter House Fire? (Video)

safefirefighter — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:30:40 +0000

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.

NOTE: This week’s video was recommended by Bill Carey of www.backstepfirefighter.com. Thanks Bill!

First Due Friday; Heavy Fire on 2 Floors (Videos)

safefirefighter — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:30:04 +0000

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!

First Due Friday: Row House Fire

safefirefighter — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 12:30:21 +0000

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: You’re wearing all the hats today! You’re dispatched to a reported “structure” fire. It’s the middle of the week during Christmas vacation and the neighbors don’t know if the kids are there or not.

What is your initial report?
Where is the fire?
Where is it going?
How many lines do you anticipate for this fire?
What size AND length line would you use?
HOW MUCH OF A PRIORITY DO YOU PLACE ON SEARCH?
What search tactics would you use?
What type and where would you vent?
What tactics are a priority?
What are your assignments for YOUR crews?

NOTE: Source of photo unknown

2012 Class and Event Planning In Progress

safefirefighter — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:09:01 +0000

Make training, professionalism and pride part of your New Year’s resolution! We’re in the process of building our 2012 calendar with intense, realistic hands-on training, interactive classroom events and good old-fashioned brotherhood. A couple of events already scheduled include:

Ventilation, Entry & Search Techniques – Southeastern Fire School @ SC Fire Academy – March 10, 11
SC State Firefighters/ Fire Chiefs Conference – Myrtle Beach, SC June 4-9

In the works we’ve got:

S.A.F.E. Firefighter- Smart, Aggressive, Fundamental, Efficient (Interactive Lecture, 2 Hour) – 2 in January – Dates in the Works
First Due Forcible Entry (Hands-On, 8 Hour) – Early February – Dates in the Works
Ventilation, Entry & Search Techniques (Hands-On, 16 Hour) – Mid February – Dates in the Works
First Due Forcible Entry (Hands-On, 8 Hour) – March- Dates TBD
Fireground Rescue (Advanced RIC) (Hands-On, 16 Hour) – April – Date TBD

This is just the beginning. We still have numerous other ENGINE & TRUCK classes available for to match to YOUR NEEDS!

Let us know if you want to SIGN UP for any of these classes OR SCHEDULE YOUR OWN CUSTOM CLASS!

For more information, call (843) 247-6044 or email info@safefirefighter.com.

I Have Always Done Victim Survivability Profiling

safefirefighter — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:00:41 +0000

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.

“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
“Survivability Profiling: Applying What We’ve Learned”, Stephen Marsar, Fire Engineering July 2011
“‘Survivability Profiling’ is Key to Ending Preventable LODDs”, Stephen Marsar, FireRescue Magazine November 2011
“Muliple Rescues in Fatal Lewisdale Fire”, from www.hvfd.com
“…Report Critical of Pasadena Fire Department’s Failure to Find Woman’s Body After Fire”, from Pasadena Star News Online
“Sometimes It’s Not So Simple”, from www.backstepfirefighter.com

RIC Refresher Breakdown

safefirefighter — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 05:39:00 +0000

Saws, irons, ladders and rescues were the flavor of week for our brothers in Bluffton, SC. Safe Firefighter, LLC just wrapped up a RIC Refresher for the Bluffton Township Fire District. Training included calling the Mayday, self-rescue, rapid intervention crew assignments and operations and performing proactive RIC tasks.

Luckily, each company was able to train with their own crew which made the training that much better. As a result of their hard work, the BTFD logged the following stats:

48 training hours
320 staff hours
320 Maydays called
160 “window bars” cut
160 “slide bolts” cut
80 “padlocks” and chain cut
80 hinges cut
80 doors force w/ the irons
80 windows laddered and vented by 1 firefighter
21 RIC deployments
21 downed firefighters rescued

Everyone’s great attitudes and efforts made the last two weeks a blast and an awesome training environment!

Thanks to everyone who participated, to the BTFD Training Division and Command Staff for their help and support. As always we appreciate the feedback we received from everyone and there’s no doubt that future training will be made better from your ideas and observations.

We would also like to thank our partners, Desert Diamond Industries, Leatherhead Tools and Avon Mfg. Their continued support enables to provide the most realistic training with the best equipment, all made in the USA!

If your department is looking for REALISTIC & INTENSE, HANDS-ON BASED TRAINING, check out our CLASSES PAGE or contact us at INFO@SAFEFIREFIGHTER.COM or (843) 247-6044.

Change the Way You Train

safefirefighter — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 14:59:13 +0000

Are you looking for quality, cost-effective Fire Service training options?

I’m excited to be a part of a new training event series that will bring first-rate education and hands-on training to affordable, regional locations. There are two events this fall from Go>Forward Training:

Gateway Midwest in St. Charles, MO, Oct. 21-23

Liberty Regional in King of Prussia, PA, Nov. 4-6

Over the weekend, more than 18 educators will teach 30+ sessions for firefighters, company officers & chiefs. The instructor lineup features a combination of speakers – both big names you’ll recognize and some new faces with fresh perspectives. Pre-conference seminars will start two days before with big fire service names such as Tim Sendelbach, Alan Brunacini, Dennis Rubin and Rich Gasaway.

These unique and fully interactive events will feature hands-on training, conferences and social opportunities all geared towards making you a better firefighter, officer and leader!

The hands-on training includes classes like RIT, Forcible Entry, Man-in-Machine, Engine Co. Officer Development and more – and you can choose two-day progressive classes or combine hands-on and conference sessions. And there’s time for social sessions and 1:1 interaction with peers and instructors, so you can really build your network.

I’m excited to be teaching “S.A.F.E. Firefighter: Smart, Aggressive, Fundamental, Efficient” in both locations, and also “Get Your Head In The Game: Size Up for Every Seat” in Pennsylvania.

“S.A.F.E. Firefighter…Your” This class will compare what we learn in the classroom to working on the street. We will talk about that dirty little word; “aggressive”, how it is perceived and how aggressive mentalities should be applied in the fire service. We will also talk about firehouse and fire ground fundamentals. Finally, we will discuss how to bring all of these concepts together, apply them to your daily life as a firefighter and the impact that it will have on your crew and department.

“Get Your Head in the Game…” This “kitchen table” style training will introduce new ideas for performing en route size ups, initial on scene reports and traditional on-going assessments. Participants will be able to interact during open-forum conservations and tabletop scenarios comparing “old school” and “new school” fire conditions, strategies and tactics. Regardless of experience level, everyone will get great feedback, ideas and drills to take home and share.

To check out these events and register, go to www.goforwardtraining.com.

“Out Of Air”, Great Video for Air Management Program

safefirefighter — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:00:14 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

This video was sent to me by Matt Mokracek via Facebook. It’s a trailer for an air management training program. The message is clear and hard-hitting. CHECK IT OUT & PASS IT ON!

Thanks again to Matt for the link.

Be SAFE

Burn!

safefirefighter — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:05:23 +0000

Think your FD needs help?

Check out this promo for a documentary on Detroit Fire Department. It’s a great video and can really put things into perspective.

Be SAFE

Click here to view the embedded video.

Roll Call for October 9 – October 22

safefirefighter — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 11:55:43 +0000

Roll Call for October 9 through October 22

SAFE Firefighter is going to give an overview of how WE did as a fire service from Saturday to Friday of every week. Please feel free to leave comments or add comments with links to additional information. Thanks and Be SAFE!

Roll Call for the week of October 9 through October 22…

LODD-RFB

William Akin Jr., Fire Police Captain (Ghent, New York)
65 for 2010

Civilian Fire Deaths

58
1468 for 2010

Close Calls

Other News