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The Creation of a Firefighter

When the Lord was creating Firefighters, he was into his sixth day of overtime when an angel appeared and said, “Your doing a lot of fiddling around on this one.”
And the Lord said “Have you read the specification on this person?
Firefighters have to be able to go for hours fighting fires or tending to a person that the usual every day person would never touch, while putting in the back of their mind the circumstances. They have to be able to move at a second’s notice and not think twice of what they are about to do, no matter what danger. They have to be in top physical condition at all times, running on half-eaten meals, and they must have six pairs of hands.”
The angel shook her head slowly and said, “Six pairs of hands…no way.”
“It’s not the hands that are causing me problems, ” said the Lord, “it’s the three pairs of eyes a Firefighter has to have.”
That’s on the standard model? ” asked the angel.
The Lord nodded. ” One pair that sees through the fire and where they and their fellow Firefighters should fight the fire next. Another pair here in the side of the head to see their fellow Firefighters and keep them safe. And another pair of eyes in the front so that they can look for the victims caught in the fire that need their help.”
“Lord” said the angel, touching his sleeve, ” Rest and work on this tomorrow.”
“I can’t, said the Lord, “I already have a model that can carry a 250 pound man down a flight of stairs and to safety from a burning building, and can feed a family of five on a civil service paycheck.”
The angel circled the model of the Firefighter very slowly, “Can it think?”
“You bet,” said the Lord. It can tell you the elements of a hundred fires; and can recite procedures in their sleep that are needed to care for a person until they reach the hospital. And all the while they have to keep their wits about themselves. This Firefighter also has phenomenal personal control. They can deal with a scene full of pain and hurt, coaxing a child’s mother into letting go of the child so that they can care for the child in need. And still they rarely get the recognition for a job well done from anybody, other than from fellow Firefighters.”
Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the Firefighter. “There’s a leak”, she pronounced.
“Lord, it’s a tear.”
“What’s the tear for?” asked the angel.
“It’s a tear from bottled-up emotions for fallen comrades. A tear for commitment to that funny piece of cloth called the American Flag. It’s a tear for all the pain and suffering they have encountered. And it’s a tear for their commitment to caring for and saving lives of their fellow man!”
“What a wonderful feature Lord, you’re a genius” said the angel.
The Lord looked somber and said “I didn’t put it there.”

Author Unknown

Posted in administration-leadership, command-leadership, Dispatch & Communications, Emergency Communications, EMS Dispatch, ems-health-safety, ems-topics, Fire Dispatch, fire-prevention-education, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, funding-staffing, hazmat, in-the-line-of-duty, line-of-duty, major-incidents, mass-casualty-incident, news, patient-management, rescues, special-operations, technology-communications, Training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized, vehicle-operation-ambulances, vehicle-operations-apparatus, videos, wildland

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Posted by on 11/28/2012 • 1 comment

Fundamentals of Timber Rigging (Part 2)

Setting up the Timber Tripod

With the current economic crisis in the country and other countries, fire departments are cutting cost where the can. Normally the training budget is first to go and then comes the equipment budget. There are various companies that have premanufactured tri-pod systems for example, DBI, Skedco, Arizona Vortex, and the SMC/PMI TerrAdaptor to name just a few. Now, these are all great products and they have their place in the rescue environment. But not every department can come up with the funds to purchase such equipment. So that means we need to go back to the basics of rigging. In this second part of The Fundamentals of Timber Rigging, we are going to go over the process of constructing the Timber Tri-Pod.
The amount of equipment needed to achieve this maybe more that the average pre built commercial tri-pod system. First of you need to decide what size of timbers are going to be needed. Most timbers for the tri-pod are going to be 4x4x12’. You can go with 6×6’s or 8×8’s, but they can be heavy and are normally used in lifting heavy objects during a structural collapse. We are going to be rigging up a Timber tri-pod for use in a confined space environment used to lower or raise rescuers and or victims. Next you will need 30’ of ½ inch life safety, 12’ of 2” webbing, and assortment of carabiners and tech cord, all rated for life safety.

To assemble the legs of the timbers, you need to make sure the tip is elevated to allow you to lash the timbers together (normally this is done with saw horse or the back of the apparatus) using the 30’ section of ½ life safety rope. You start off by placing all 3 4x4s side by side leaving a 1.5” or 2” space in between the timbers (normally with using 2x4x2’ slats to achieve this) to allow the lashing to pass through. Next, you would want to make sure the corners are smooth down (this is done by rubbing the corners with a rod or beating the corners with a 3lb hammer) so as there is no damage done to the rope in the assembly process. Once the corners are smooth down, you need to measure down 36” from the top of the shortest pole. This will be your starting point. (Keep in mind timbers shorter than 12’ will reduce the amount of height need to raise or lower your rescuer/victims). Next take your 30’ lashing and start with a clove hitch on one of the outside legs. Next take the rope over and under the three timbers in a figure-of-eight fashion. Make at least six turns, working upward. (This is called figure of eight lashing). Once the six turns have been completed, then make two frapping turns between the first and second timber, and two frapping turns between the second and third timber. After the frapping turns have been completed, secure the lashing with a clove hitch on the opposing leg from where you started and below the lashing. (If you have excess rope after your lashing is complete, you may coil it and tie it off to one of the legs).

Note: You must make sure your lashing is tight. If not, it could cause failure of the tri pod system.

After completing the entire lashing we can then raise the tripod by raising the center timber and crossing the outer timbers forming an equilateral triangle. Once the tripod is in its upright positions you may begin to attach your web sling. To attach the web sling you start by placing the sling over the outside timbers at the top. Next you take a bight of the sling down through one side of the center timber above the lashing and pull a bight up through the other side of the center timber above the lashing. After this you need to attach your system of choice to both bights of the web sling.
After you have completed this step, something you need to consider is the legs of the tripod can and will kick out or lift up may causing it to tip over. You can choose to picket and lash in place or use a tieback system to make sure the legs are secure. If you chose to lash in place you can also use that leg as a snatch block sling for a COD in your haul/lower system. Keep in mind the setup is best done as close to the incident as possible, timbers can be quite heavy. Once the setup is complete a safety officer needs to monitor the Timber tri-pod in case of sudden failure.

DISCLAIMER: Fire and Rescue Concepts suggest extensive hands on training be completed on Timber rigging before performing these techniques out on the field. This four part series is for informational purposes only. If Departments wish more training on Timber Rigging please contact us at estroud@fireandrescueconcepts.com

Posted in Confined Space Training, fire-prevention-education, fire-rescue-topics, major-incidents, rescues, special-operations, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized

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Posted by on 10/06/2011 • No comments

2011 Higgins & Langley Memorial Awards in Swiftwater Rescue Announced

ASHEVILLE, NC. April 3, 2011—The Higgins & Langley Memorial and Education Fund Awards Committee is proud to announce the 2011 Higgins & Langley Memorial Awards in Swiftwater Rescue, which recognize excellence in the field of flood and swiftwater rescue.

The awards will be presented on Friday, June 3, 2011, at 7:30 PM, at the annual National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR) conference, at John Ascuaga’s Nugget Hotel, 1100 Nugget Avenue, Sparks, NV, 89431. Telephone: 1-800-328-0876.

2011 Higgins & Langley Awards

Outstanding Achievement

Ocoee River Rescue
On October 3, 2010, Dr. Michael McCormick seriously injured his cervical spinal cord in a whitewater kayaking incident on the Ocoee River in Tennessee after being flipped in a hole at the top of Slice and Dice rapid. Paralyzed and unable to move, he was rescued by four kayakers he had met only 45 minutes before—Michael Howard, Kevin Sipe, Neal Carmack, and Bryant Haley. After realizing their new companion was in trouble, the kayakers chased him down though two sets of Class II-III rapids and were able to catch and roll him upright just before entering a larger set of rapids. At that point one of the rescuers (trained as a military medic) immobilized his neck while another paddled ahead to phone medical support. The rest got him into an eddy and with the help of a passing raft company evacuated him to the road side, where he was met by an ambulance and subsequently transported on a helicopter.
Program Development

Breeding Volunteer Fire Department Technical Rescue Team, Columbia, KY
After an incident in 2009 in which a would-be citizen rescuer drowned, the Breeding Fire Department committed to the development of a technical rescue team. Since December of 2009, under the leadership of Captain Chris Taylor and Lieutenant Brandon Harvey, rescuers have put in nearly 1000 man hours of training, consisting of rope rescue and swiftwater technician at the NFPA 1670 and 1006 level. The department has acquired a 26' enclosed trailer, technical rope rescue gear, 2 self-bailing rafts, a Mercury IRB, 10 sets of technician level PPE and 10 sets of operations PPE—altogether nearly an $80,000 investment in technical rescue gear. The team consists of 5 swiftwater rescue technicians and 7 rope rescue technicians, and trains monthly with Taylor and Green Counties.

Killeen Rescue Team, Killeen Fire Department, Killeen, TX
After dealing with prior flooding incidents in Central Texas Lieutenant Beau Arnold and Fire Rescue Officer/Paramedics Justin Todd and Darren Morphis of the Killeen Fire Dept. developed a flood rescue program meant to deliver safe, effective response for multiple rescues and evacuations. The program was put to the test on September 7, 2010 during a flood where water conditions varied from flooded creeks with moderate debris loads rated at Class III to Class IV-V water in creeks and streets contaminated with raw sewage and major debris including trees, household materials and fire ants. Over an 18-hour period the Killeen Fire swiftwater rescue team performed 83 flood rescues and evacuations, including one individual trapped in a tree in rising floodwaters and four dogs rescued by boat.

Team Awards

Travis County STAR Flight, Austin, TX
During the flooding following Tropical Storm Hermine in early September, 2010, Travis County STAR Flight deployed its three hoist-equipped EC-145 Public Safety Helicopters after receiving over 20 requests for search and rescue assistance throughout Central Texas. Thirteen individuals were rescued, including a man clinging to the roof of his submerged vehicle in extremely swift-moving water, three ground-based swift water boat team members whose rescue boat became stranded amongst trees in swift water, a family of four stranded on the second-story of their home, a man stranded on high ground surrounded by flood water, and four individuals trapped in their homes. All were hoisted to the aircraft with an extraction collar by a Helicopter Rescue Specialist (HRS), over half during the hours of darkness using night vision goggles.

Travis County STAR Flight Swiftwater Rescue Team: Glenn Anderson, Lynn Burttschell, Willy Culberson, Bill Derrick, Kristin McLain, Casey Ping, Chuck Spangler, Mike J. Summers, Kenneth M. Thompson

San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Swiftwater Rescue Team, San Diego, CA
On December 21, 2010, the Lifeguard Communications Center received a report from the United States Border Patrol of people trapped by water in the Tijuana River Valley. Lifeguard Swiftwater Rescue Team units responded and rescued three individuals from the Tijuana River. Much of the city was flooded in the most severe event since 1980, the major impact falling on Mission Valley, through which the San Diego River runs. Over the next forty hours, all across the city, the Lifeguard Swiftwater Rescue team rescued a total of seventy-three people and 7 dogs, responded to approximately twenty-three other calls, as well as assisting with the evacuations of some sixty people forced from their homes. Incidents included rescues of numerous persons who became trapped in their vehicles after attempting to cross the river. At the Premier Inn in Mission Valley the Lifeguard Swiftwater Rescue Team, with support from Fire Operations, constructed a tension diagonal rescue system to safely and efficiently evacuate all fifty-one occupants.

San Diego Lifeguard Swiftwater Rescue Team: John Everhart, Robert Albers, Michael Cranston, Troy Keach, John Sandmeyer, Jon Vipond, John Bahl, Jim Birdsell, Marc Brown, David Calder, Timothy Cicchetto, Charles Davey, Robert Eichelberger, Steven Malcolm, Daryl McDonald, Leslie Mendez, Ric Stell

Special Commendation

Matthew S. Peek, Water Entry Team (WET) Assistant Director, Reno Fire Department, Reno NV
On Tuesday, June 8th, 2010 Assistant Water Entry Team Director Matt Peek was instructing WET members on the Truckee River near Mayberry Park in Reno. Because of high water conditions Peek had had the team’s training venue changed to the Truckee that day, making it available for rescues if needed. While the class was in session two tubers, neither wearing PFDs, struck a partially submerged log jutting out from the right bank of the river. Both were flipped out of their tubes and one female became entrapped on the log, barely able to keep her head above water. Peek exited his kayak and reached the victim, keeping her head above water until her leg was freed. Shortly afterward a second group of five tubers came down the river and struck the same log. All went into the water, and a teenage boy with the party became entrapped on the same log. He was also rescued by Peek, who then recommended that the log be immediately removed. This was done shortly afterward with a rescue truck’s winch.

Background

The Higgins & Langley Memorial Awards were established in 1993 by the National Association for Search and Rescue Swiftwater Rescue Committee in honor of Earl Higgins, a writer and filmmaker, who lost his life in 1980 while rescuing a child who was swept down the Los Angeles River, and Los Angeles County Firefighter Paramedic Jeffrey Langley, a pioneer in swiftwater rescue who lost his life in a helicopter incident in 1993.

The Awards have increased awareness about the need for specialized swiftwater and flood rescue training and preparedness. Today, worldwide training certifications have increased and agencies have been inspired to develop viable water rescue programs to protect the public and rescuers alike.

Thanks to our Sponsors

The Higgins & Langley Memorial Awards are sponsored by CFS Press, CMC Rescue, Inc., ESPRIT Whitewater, Fire and Rescue Concepts, LLC, K38 Water Safety, Liquid Militia, Rescue Canada, Rescue 3 International/Rescue Source, Rescue ONE Connector Boats, Sierra Rescue/Rescue 3 West, Whitewater Rescue Institute, and SkyHook Rescue Systems, Inc. Additional support for the awards is provided by the Rudi Schulte Family Foundation, Jon Stephen and Karen Langley Stephen, and the family of John B. and Shirley A. Rigg, as well as contributions from other generous individuals.

For more information: www.higginsandlangley.org
or contact Slim Ray 828-505-2917 (slimray@gmail.com)

Posted in administration-leadership, ems-health-safety, ems-topics, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, funding-staffing, news, patient-management, rescues, special-operations, technology-communications-ems-topics, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized

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Posted by on 05/16/2011 • No comments

Harness Induced Pathology

Harness Induced Pathology is a silent killer in High Angle Rope Rescue, it can also be known as Harness hanging syndrome, Suspension Trauma, Suspension Induced Shock, and Etc. Whatever the title may be, it still poses a problem for rescuers and patients. We will be covering the problems associated, sign/symptoms, and recovery of Harness Induced Pathology.

Harness Induced Pathology occurs when a rescuer or victim is suspended in their harnesses for long periods of time. When the harness is under tension around the body it can constrict around the major arteries and blood vessels thorough out the body, thus not allowing the proper blood flow to the heart, brain, and muscle tissues. When the proper blood flow is interrupted it can cause hypoxia to the brain, causing the rescuer/victim to become unconscious, and in some cases even death. Another problem associated with Harness Induced Pathology is the pooling of blood in extremities. When the harness constricts around the body it can act as a tourniquet cutting off the much needed oxygen to vital organs.  During normal bodily functions, the legs do not pool larger amounts of blood due to the large amounts of muscle tissue surrounding the arteries, thus allowing the heart to pump normally while the leg muscle provides assistants in allowing the blood the travel "uphill". When this process is interrupted by constricting of the harnesses around the legs, the muscle and blood vessels in the legs tend to relax. This can cause the heart to drop in blood pressure when the constriction or tourniquet is released, thus not allowing enough blood to reach the brain. One other problem with pooling blood is septicemia. When blood pools for longs periods of time it can build harmful toxicants. When these toxicants are released, they travel to vital organs causing shock and even cardiac arrest at times. If rescuers understand the sign and symptoms, they can treat and even prevent this from happening to themselves and victims.

 

Signs and Symptoms

Faintness, nausea, hot flushes, sweats, breathlessness, feeling of panic or uneasy, change in pulse rate (suddenly slowing or becoming rapid), cramping of muscles, and or sudden fatigue

 

Preventing Harness Induced Pathology:

Rescuers:

  • Take adequate fluids
  • Keep warm but avoid excess sweating and heat exhaustion
  • Recover before a long assents  or other vigorous exertion
  • Do not push yourself to the point of exhaustion  
  • Avoid prolonged stationary suspension in a harness – take turns at the job, consider a boson’s chair or alternative belay position.
  • If it is necessary to hang in your harness, change position as necessary to keep comfortable and try to regularly tense your calves to maintain circulation
  • Always wear a chest harness so that you can lean back without risk of turning inverted or falling from your harness if consciousness is reduced or lost for any reason
  • When wearing a class two or three harness, make sure your waist strap is tight, but do not over tighten the thigh and buttocks straps. Leave room for adjustment during rescue of training operations
  • If you feel at all faint or unwell at any time, let others know, tense your legs repetitively and try to lower your head and raise your legs.

Treating Harness Induced Pathology:

  • Stabilize the patient as well as possible before a lift
  • Ensure cold patients are adequately insulated with dry and waterproof clothing or a plastic bag and blankets or hypothermia bag if in a stretcher – do not forget to insulate the head.
  • Rehydrate if possible – oral water or sports drinks if conscious, IV fluids if medical or paramedic assistance enables this.
  • If exhausted, provide some easily digestible energy source – glucose sweets etc.
  • Treat any cold or exhausted person as a patient and ensure they are closely monitored and, if possible, hoisted horizontally in a stretcher rather than allowed to climb or be hoisted in a harness only.
  • If a horizontal stretcher hoist is not feasible, consider an under knees strap to hold the patient more horizontally.
  • When vertical hoist is unavoidable, minimize hanging time
  • Accompany patients during raises and lowers wherever possible
  • Monitor vital signs
  • Ask conscious patients to do leg contractions to assist circulation
  • Get the patient horizontal as soon as possible, consistent with safety for rescuers
  • If collapse occurs mid hoist and intervention is not possible on the rope, complete hoist or lower patient rapidly – whichever will get the patient to a stable position with at least one rescuer to provide care.

 

If unable to provide IV therapy from height, wait until to victim is a few feet from the ground, give appropriate fluids and treatment before the patients harness releases tension from the victim’s body. Remember, when working from rope always try and reposition ones self to avoid Harness Induced Pathology.

Information on this article is from Fire and Rescue Concepts Tower Rescue Program and some reference material of DR. Ian Millar, MFESB Medical Officer

DISCLAIMER: This post is for informational purposes only. If Departments wish more training on Rope Access or Tower Rescue Training contact us at estroud@fireandrescueconcepts.com

Posted in Confined Space Training, ems-health-safety, ems-topics, fire-rescue-topics, major-incidents, patient-management, rescues, special-operations, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized

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Posted by on 04/22/2011 • 1 comment