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To Go… or Not To Go… (That is the question)

 

During my recent trip to the S.C. Fire Academy for the 2013 Kill the Flashover research fires, I came away with one aspect as to the importance of thermal imaging and the fire attack that rocked my paradigm. It is referred as the GO..NO TEST. This is worthy of reading brothers so don’t stop here..

Typically, most fire service agencies train firefighters on Thermal Imaging Cameras (TIC) for a variety of uses related to fireground operations but few utilize the TIC for fire attack for gaining insight into the hostile environment you are preparing to engage upon.

Most TIC imagers have the capability to determine temperatures by placing a small cross-hair or “dot” onto a surface to determine temperatures. In a high temperature environment (greater than 500 degrees F) the TIC will indicate a red or orange color or numeric value for the surface being surveyed. (In this case, the ceiling)

Normally, this technique is used in overhaul operations but let’s discuss using the TIC in a fire attack mode as a life-saving…better yet.. a firefighter saving technique.

The “dot” or cross-hair on the TIC is aimed to the ceiling to gain a temperature reading of the surface of the ceiling and some particulate matter from combustion. It does not measure the temperature of the smoke.

The GO..or NO GO Test should be used by any fire attack, search, or vent team entering a working fire environment. It begins by the officer of the team directing the crew to prepare for the attack by gathering needed equipment. The officer and the crew should complete a 360 degree look at and into the structure using the TIC to determine hotspots (for possible fire locations), potential exits, other hazards, and close any doors that may be contributing towards fire development or creating a Air /Flow Path in order to slow fire progression and limit fire extension.

Upon completing the 360 walk-around, the officer quickly scans the exterior of the door prior to entry. This provides a quick look at temperatures of the door being used for entry. If a high temperature (above 500 degrees) is identified on the door from the exterior, chances are an eminent flashover is waiting for you on the other side once the doors is opened. This is a “NO GO” situation and the attack should be delayed until a hoseline is in place and can be discharged prior to entering the structure. Why you may ask?

If there are high heat signatures indicated on the exterior of entry point, most likely there are significant amounts of unburned gases (fuels) in the hallway that are too rich to burn. This is also known as a “plug”. When you open the door for entry the environment that was once too rich to burn has now been provided an exhaust point, for which, the environment has changed from a too rich environment into a flammable range and combined with the replenishment of oxygen into this environment and with an ignition source down the hallway can result in a flashover condition seconds into your search or fire attack.

So… back to the TIC…

Prior to opening the door, have the hose crew “condition/cool the door and surrounding area. I know… sounds crazy. This method of pre-wetting provides us with a safe area in the event our attack crew is met with a thermally aggressive fire coming at them and is forced to retreat.

Essentially, we “Wet to Protect”.

So, upon opening the door. Stop the nozzleman. What? Yes. Do another GO.. NO GO…. Entering into a known environment above 500 degrees in a heavily charged smoke condition is like climbing into the barrel of a gun. Why 500 degrees? If you think about it, what does our turnouts to protect us from? Radiant heat. Continuous exposures to thermal temperatures above 500 degrees erodes the protective elements of our turnout gear and limitations of our SCBA. In addition, many UL tests on SCBA’s and turnouts 500 degrees is used as a benchmark for protection for the wearer for only a short time before degradation or failure. So, if obtaining temperatures in a extreme fire condition (500 degrees+) at the door are found how long will crews be exposed to those temperatures while trying to make the hallway? See where I am going with this?

If extreme temperatures (500 degrees+) are encountered during your GO..NO GO test, order the hoseline opened to cool/ condition the environment you are about to enter. Perform another GO…NO GO Test. Temperatures should have dropped after the water application. If so, proceed in the attack. As the officer and crew make their way towards the fire area, slow the crew down and take intermittent GO.. NO GO test and cool and condition as you proceed towards the fire area. This also continues prior to climbing stairs, turning corners, entering adjacent rooms until reaching the fire area.

This GO…NO GO should be applied especially during Vent Enter Search Operations, as well.

“Smoke Showing”:

A term utilize by thousands of brothers on the fireground during the size-up. Well if we truly know how to “Read Smoke” what do we know about it? Survey the members of your agency..ask them what the interior temperature conditions are during light smoke, moderate smoke and heavy smoke. What about grey smoke, brown smoke, black smoke. I bet you get a variety of opinions.

Why not verbally convey via the radio to the IC the temperature findings on the GO..NO GO test? This will give the IC and idea of the potential fire he/she is confronting and can alter the fire attack, vent, and other operations accordingly.

Verbalizing the thermal conditions to the fireground is a more tangible way of describing interior conditions than simply describing smoke color or volume don’t ya think?

I hope this is starting to make sense to you by now…

By verbalizing the GO..NO GO Test, arriving units knows how intense a fire you are encountering and should be making their own plans, as well.

I tried using the GO..NO GO test during my fire attacks and found old habits were hard to break. My mask blacked out and I resulted to Old School firefighting of using my senses to determine the temperature levels. Upon reviewing the thermal data from the test I quickly discovered the environment we were entering was a NO..GO as we had thermal conditions of 800 degrees over our head. Luckily, with the aid of a fire curtain behind us keeping us in a “too rich” area and the fire never flashed over us.

As with any new idea there must be training to get this technique down. Try it in your next live fire training event I think you’ll be surprised at what you will see prior to entering.

By Trey Smith

FRC Instructor / Captain Ladder 1 Charlotte Fire Department

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Posted in administration-leadership, command-leadership, ems-health-safety, Fire Dispatch, fire-prevention-education, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, Kill the flashover, major-incidents, mass-casualty-incident, news, rescues, special-operations, technology-communications, Training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized

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Posted by on 03/05/2013 • No comments

Have we forgotten Tradition in the fire service ?!?!?

First off let me start off by apologizing if this blog offends anyone. If you feel like you are easily offended , please do not read. Other than that, you have been warned. I decided to write this post in response to a Facebook post I saw just moments ago (I plan to keep this short and to the point). While being respectful I will keep the names of the fire department and station private.  But it is on Facebook, so how much privacy is there really? So what I saw was a fire station looking for ideas to replace their traditional “Wetting down ceremony” of their new apparatus . The reason they were looking for new ideas was, they were told that promoting a Wetting down ceremony was a violation of church and state. Correct me if I’m wrong , It states that a Separation of Church and State is the distance in the relationship of organized religion and the nation state. How in the crap is promoting or participating in a wetting down ceremony a organized religion??? It”s no different from our own government smashing a champagne bottle across the bow of a new war ship. Its the same thing and still is a common practice with our government.

Has today fire service changed so much that people forgot where they came from? As soon as they get into an administrative role it sucks the life and common sense out of them. Firefighters need to stand up for them selves and their rights. In the world of budget cuts, budget short falls , and administrative pay increases. Tradition is all we have left to keep the brotherhood! Now they are trying to take that away from all of us. No matter if you are Union or not, we all need to stick together. Do not forget where you came from!!

 

Note: Wetting down a new fire apparatus started many years ago. It is a way christening a new apparatus very much like the government does to its Navy ships. To learn more about how wetting down the new apparatus got started, I suggest you do some research ( I do not give out free history lessons, you have to work to get something you want). By doing so, you can learn for your self and pass it down to the ones beside, below, and above you.

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Posted in administration-leadership, command-leadership, ems-health-safety, ems-topics, Fire Dispatch, Fire Safety, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, funding-staffing, hazmat, in-the-line-of-duty, line-of-duty, major-incidents, mass-casualty-incident, news, patient-management, rescues, special-operations, technology-communications, technology-communications-ems-topics, Uncategorized

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Posted by on 01/25/2013 • 5 comments

Out of Air Emergency (Last Chance Rescue Filter)

Out of Air Emergency The Last Chance Rescue Filter

You are in a dark, heat, smoke filled room, and you are taking your last breath. You think to yourself “now what?”. Your mind quickly goes to a check list of things to do. During this check list, your family comes to mind. “Is this it?” “I’m never going to see them again”. The nervousness and anxiety is starting to overcome your thoughts. “Is it really time for this?”, “I never thought I would use this”. As you grab your pouch, you take a deep breath (your last from your SCBA supply) and tear open the bag and pull out your Last Chance Rescue Filter and exchange your regulator for it. Now you have given yourself a second chance, the last chance.

The Last Chance Rescue Filter is a device designed to give firefighters a last chance effort to escape a smoke filled environment when their air supply runs outs. You may tell yourself that you will never allow yourself to run out of air. I’m sure the past LODD involving out of air emergencies would have loved the chance to use this device in time of need. I personally teach on Out of Air Emergencies and a Firefighter Confidence and Survival course through Fire and Rescue Concepts. But that does not mean that I will never be in a situation where I will run out of air. I personally carry a Last Chance Rescue Filter with me while I’m on duty. I even carry one while I perform live fire training, whether it is an acquired structure or a burn building, because you never know when you may need it. I’d rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.

 

Where did the Last Chance Rescue Filter come from?

 

Eric George, a firefighter in Connecticut, invented a lifesaving concept for firefighters trapped in an out of air emergency. He licensed his technology to Brookdale (a DuPont company in Canada) to bring his idea to market. This was the birth of the” EVAC Pro”. The EVAC Pro was a big hit and highly looked at as a premier escape device. But It was discovered that Brookdale’s packaging design on the “Evac Pro” and related products was fatally flawed, which resulted in a total product recall; this was the end of Brookdale and the “Evac pro”. So if you currently have an Evac Pro, I suggest that you remove it from service immediately. With a huge void left in firefighter survival,  Essex  recognized the importance of keeping Eric George’s concept alive by giving firefighters a new plan for out of air emergencies. Essex Industries  acquired Brookdale’s assets from DuPont along with the license to manufacture Eric George’s patented technology. Essex’s engineering team designed the Last Chance Rescue Filter® using materials that stand up to the rigors of fighting fires and successfully meet the EN403 standard through third party testing. Essex’s teamed up with Yale University to conduct a live burn in Hamden, CT to prove out the efficacy of the Last Chance and prove that there’s enough O2 in a structural fire to sustain life. Each day, firefighters are committing themselves to becoming leaders in the field by utilizing proven technology and solidifying their plan for out of air emergencies.

 

Is the Last Chance Rescue Filter compatible with my SCBA?

Currently the Last Chance Rescue Filter is compatible with the following

SCOTT SCBA MASKS: AV-2000, AV-3000, SCOTT-O-VISTA

DRAEGER SCBA MASKS: PANORAMA NOVA-P, FUTURA P, F2P, FPS 7000

MSA SCBA MASK: FIREHAWK

SPERIAN SCBA MASKS: TWENTY TWENTY PLUS

ISI SCBA MASKS: RDV FACEMASKS

How does it work?

 

Contaminated air is drawn through the Last Chance Rescue Filters three main layers of protection:

• N95 pleated filter (Captures solid matter, soot and particulates)

• Activated Carbon Filter (Scrubs or absorbs the toxic gases)

• Manganese Dioxide/Copper Oxide (hopkalite) (Converts CO to Carbon Dioxide)

 

The makers of the Last Chance Rescue Filter certify their product to filter out the harmful particles and smoke for 15 minutes. This does not mean that you have an extra 15 minutes to allow you to stay in and work longer. But this means that the time needed for your escape or the incoming RIT team is there. Understand that the Last Chance Rescue Filter does not give you more 02. It only filters out the harmful particles in the atmosphere for short amount of time. Individuals wishing to use this product need to undergo training with the training unit in a non-smoke environment before In-service status the Last Chance Rescue Filter. The Last Chance Rescue Filter is encased in a vacuumed sealed moisture barrier and has a shelf life of 5 and ½ years from the date of manufacture. There is also a protective cover designed to carry and protect the filter. The protective cover can be attached to a SCBA waist belt or a bail out belt of some kind. Firefighters must understand that they need to take care of this piece of equipment just like any other piece used for life safety. I suggest that firefighters do a daily and after run check of the device to make sure the filter and or vacuum sealed moisture barrier has been damaged in any way shape or form. Once the filter has been used once or the moisture barrier has been breached, then the used of the filter is now void. Remember the main killer of the EVAC Pro was the fact that moisture was allowed to enter into the filter before use. The makers of the Last Chance Rescue Filter will replace any filter that is used in any firefighter escape in an actual incident.

 

When would you use it?

 

• A firefighter becomes lost and disoriented and is running out of air. There is not enough time to get out.

• With the Last Chance Rescue Filter® , he would be able to take the last breath of supplied air, clip in the Last Chance Rescue Filter® , have 15 minutes to get out and/or continue to update RIT for rescue.

• Also, his mask remains ON, ready for RIT to replace the filter with supplied air versus RIT having to replace the firefighters mask.

• A firefighter’s air pack becomes trapped and he can’t get out of the jam.

• Only in the extreme case should a firefighter remove an air pack. Without the air pack, the firefighter has no PASS device, transfill , or buddy breathing hose.

• By donning the Last Chance Rescue Filter® the firefighter can escape without the air pack!

• A firefighter experiences a sudden SCBA failure and suddenly you’re out of air.

• Don the Last Chance Rescue Filter® and get out!

• RIT team is called in for multiple downed firefighters and there is not enough supplied air.

• Carry additional Last Chance Rescue Filter® in RIT bags for this circumstance.

 

I invite every firefighter to watch to video below and let us know if you have any question.

You can purchase the Last Chance Rescue Filter on our online store or contact Eric Stroud at estroud@fireandrescueconcepts.com

We also have incorporated the Last Chance Rescue Filter with our Firefighter Confidence and Survival Training

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

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Posted by on 01/12/2012 • No comments

Christmas Tree Safety

As we approach another Christmas season, we need to always remember safety. During this time is prime for traffic accidents , fires, falls, and other traumatic incidents. But today we are going to focus on Christmas Tree Safety. It seems every year that the public is so excited that they rush the season by putting their tree in their homes earlier and earlier. I have even heard of people putting out their trees two weeks before the American Thanksgiving Holiday. We are going to cover the hazards of two types of Christmas Trees that are found in homes today, Real and Fake.

 

Real Christmas Tree

There is nothing like the joy and the smell of putting up a real Christmas Tree. According to FEMA real Christmas trees account for roughly 250 fires annually. That may seem like a small number, but out of the 250 fires , roughly 14 people die. Now that is 250 fires too many. Its not even worth one life. Not to mention the 14 million dollars of damage they cause to house holds. NFPA and FEMA offer suggestions when dealing with real trees.

 

What about Fake Christmas Trees?

There are many people that decide to buy a fake tree. Many reason are due to, budget, allergies, and etc. What ever the reason may be, over 10 million fake trees where sold world wide in 2003. Most fake trees that are imported to the United States are from China. Fake trees are typically made from plastic and other synthetic material when exposed to a heat or ignition will catch fire.

Below are some tips to help you during this Christmas Season when dealing with fake and real Christmas trees.

 

1st. Water your Tree!! ( a dry tree is a fire bomb waiting to explode )  all it needs is an ignition source to get it going. Make sure your real tree has a fresh cut of one to two inches, so that it may better absorb the water.

2nd. Never have lit candles near your tree. This provides a ignition source to all trees.

3rd. Placement of the tree is critical. Becareful about placing your tree around vents and fire places. They can dry out your tree faster and can be a ignition source for your tree.

4th. Check your lights. Make sure you are using the newest brand of lights that are on the market. Newer lights are manufactured to a standard of care than older lights were. If you have older lights, it may be time to replace them.

5th. Do not over load your circuits and outlets. Most lights allow you to plug multiple strands together. This it self may cause a short or a spark. Its best to use a power strip with a built in serge protector, drop cords are a no no. We have all seen the movie a Christmas Story, pay special attention to scene of when the old man gets his lamp and he attempts to plug it in to a overloaded outlet.

6th. When your real tree has dried out, it is time to get rid of it. The longer a dry tree stays in your home, the greater the chance you are taking.

"The video clip above from the Building and Fire Research Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and Technology illustrates what happens when fire touches a dry tree. Within three seconds of ignition, the dry Scotch pine is completely ablaze. At five seconds, the fire extends up the tree and black smoke with searing gases streaks across the ceiling. Fresh air near the floor feeds the fire. The sofa, coffee table and the carpet ignite prior to any flame contact. Within 40 seconds "flashover" occurs – that's when an entire room erupts into flames, oxygen is depleted and dense, deadly toxic smoke engulfs the scene." Quoted from FEMA

DISCLAIMER: This post is for informational purposes only. Information and research was taken from NFPA, FEMA, and the Nation Christmas Tree Safety Association. This post was short and to the point. We suggest that everyone to reaserch the dangers of Christmas Trees, real or fake. We help that everyone have a safe and Merry Christmas!!

 

Posted in ems-topics, Fire Safety, fire-prevention-education, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, major-incidents, news, rescues, special-operations, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, videos

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Posted by on 11/28/2011 • No comments

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

Hooks and Hoses, Let’s Work Together

Capt. Trey Smith

So you want to be a truckie, or even a nozzleman? Assuming these roles takes tremendous knowledge of the responsibilities and expectations to be performed which should not be taken lightly. These positions will make or break a good offensive fire attack.

These positions are the workhouses of the fireground and one does not perform or work efficiently without the other. For the moment, let's try to put aside our egos and focus upon the task at hand of getting the wet stuff on the red stuff. Following two large scale incidents in my first due area in recent months, I have had time to reflect upon some of our successes and our shortcomings of two identical fires involving mutli-family occupancies or large scale residences.

I started out my career assigned to several active engine companies and had some great officers and firefighters I have worked with throughout my tenure. I became a truckie after making Captain and enjoy the challenges of truck & rescue work. But in my 30+ years within the fire service, I have grown frustrated at the reality of having lots of nozzlemen and hose jockeys but few ceiling pullers and the lack of coordination between the two functions.

While true, chief and line officers are expected to direct the symphony of crews working to contain a rapidly progressing fire, many firefighters are under the fallacy tactics training is solely for white & gold shields and doesn't apply to the tailboard firefighter. But the reality is, these positions (nozzleman and celing pullers) will work without direct supervision of the line officer. This results in the IC relying upon the decisions of a firefighter to decide upon the appropriate hoseline and to accurately select the placement of a critical position to defend areas of non-fire involvement. During particularly large scale fires where the fire is "running the attic", several key tactics must occur in a timely fashion or our brothers & sisters will inevitably be overrun and will be losing the battle to stop the forward progression of a rapidly developing fire.

To understand fire travel is to fully grasp the concept of fluid travel and smoke reading. Fire is a fluid that will always follow the path of least resistance. Therefore, as the saying goes…" where there is smoke there is fire", and if gone unchecked or reversed the fire will eventually show itself sometimes more than we expect. So, our hooks and hoses must possess the ability to predict the stage of the fire, the level of heat production, and where it is headed based upon reading the color of smoke, the intensity, and the rate it is leaving the structure will impact the success of our attack.

Let's face it… we have all been there during the heat of the engagement… lots of screaming. noise, confusion, darkness, heat, stress… you name it. We open up the ceiling to get the nozzle into to position within the cock-loft or attic only to see the distinguishable signs of heavy fire rolling across the structural members (truss) above our heads. What should this indicate to the nozzleman and truck crews? And what immediate actions should be taken when these cues are indicated?

1. Observe the direction of the fire. Where is coming from and where is it going? Look at the amount of fire, heavy, moderate, or light?

2. Radio back to IC/Command the fire has passed your attack team. The IC continually needs this feedback in order to re-assess his strategy/tactics, his situation and resource status. He/she may prioritize the incident needs based upon your feedback or request/re-direct additional resources.

3. You are standing in a potential collapse area! Get out from underneath such areas! Because the fire is continually attacking the structural members, we lose valuable seconds of integrity trying to breach walls and ceiling only for them to come crashing down on our personnel. Lightweight wood and steel bar joist floors and roofs don't wait for you. They are coming down whether you are ready or not.

4. Re-Position your attack.

Why try to hold an ineffective position when the the fire is burning behind you? Truckies…Make inspection holes along the ceiling until you see no fire in the attic before deciding where to take up your new posture. when you pull the ceiling and see heavy smoke banking down on you, note the color of the smoke. Heavy black smoke indicates "Black Fire" This means you have high heat and are close to the fire which will be in your area in a matter of seconds! Moderate smoke provides some time to open up large areas and allows time to get hoselines in place. Make sure the nozzleman has the tools he/she needs to mount the offensive. Nozzlemen and Hose Jockies…Bring the attic ladder for goodness sake, don't rely on the truck company to bring it, they enough to do already! After all that IS where the fire is located. Have the hooks open up large areas in multiple rooms and hallway where the nozzleman can hit the fire as it advances from the floor. This is critical if using a large caliber stream such as a 2 1/2". Ever tried manipulating a 2 1/2" in an smaller room or attic space? The larger sized lines will not make the turns in a residence and should anticipate working from the floor and in a hallway or open space.

5. Find the seat of the fire and extinguish it! Often times, we forget that while trying to cut the fire off it isn't going to go out until someone cut's the head off the dragon! Get a line on the seat /origin of the fire and things will improve dramatically.

6. Maintain your egress!!! While engaging the forward progression of the fire, we forget the fire we passed may actually be cutting off our ability to evacuate. Get a back-up line in place, knock-down any fire impinging upon your escape route, or order the evacuation of all crews of an impending collapse or flashover of the area. If you are operating in the hot zone always have two or more ways to escape.

7. Listen to the radio! If you hear things being said such as "flowing the aerial", "Master Stream", "Defensive", "Roof Sagging", "partial collapse"… Don't hesitate to get you and your personnel to the hell out of a potentially catastrophic event.

8. Practice "Pro-actionarism" Pro-Actionarism is the act of being pro-active, taking initiative, taking action. Recognize when situations are going bad and make the necessary steps to mitigate them or make the decision to abandon the effort.

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Waxhaw live burn

Posted in command-leadership, fire-prevention-education, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, major-incidents, news, rescues, special-operations, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized, vehicle-operations-apparatus

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Posted by on 04/19/2011 • No comments

Fundamentals of Timber Rigging (Part one)

We will be doing a four part blog series on the “Fundamentals of Timber Rigging” for rope access. Timber rigging can be utilized for High Angle Rescue, Confined Space Rescue, Trench Rescue, and Structural Collapse Rescue.

Timbers used for rescue rigging is nothing new. But with newer equipment and technology, training on how to rig timbers for rescue has greatly diminished. Newer equipment and technology has allowed us to have access to pre-fab anchors, portable anchors, quick deployable struts, and etc. But with new equipment comes cost. With a struggling economy, equipment and training are usually first to go in emergency services. Many smaller departments just don’t have the funding to buy the newest and greatest equipment associated with their job. For departments that can not afford to buy the newest and greatest equipment for rescue rigging, there is a alternative. By using what the Army Core of Engineers started during world war area, departments can still achieve a positive outcome while having minimum impact on their budget.

Using timbers for

Vol. Fire Department sets up a Timber A frame

rescue can be productive for high directional anchors such as, Timber tripod, Timber jib arm, and Timber A frame. Most departments have the necessary equipment needed to preform timber rigging. Timbers needed for this type of work and training can be acquired from your local hardware store. In the next three part blogs we will go over step by step instructions and pictures needed to set up each type of rigging system.

DISCLAIMER: Fire and Rescue Concepts suggest extensive hands on training be completed on Timber rigging before preforming 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-rescue-topics, firefighting-operations, funding-staffing, rescues, special-operations, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized

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Posted by on 04/04/2011 • No comments

Confined Space Rescue Training

We have a great training opportunity!!!! We are conducting confined space training on the WWII USS North Carolina Battleship. This class will be five days in length with night operations. The class is limited to 30 students on a first come first serve basis. We will be sending out a registration and letter to anyone who wishes to take this class, via email. In order to receive the registration, you must email us at estroud@fireandrescueconcepts.com to let us know that you wish to receive the info. The care takers of the Battleship has been so kind to allow us to train on one of the prides of WWII. As a added bonus , the original crew will be on board the ship during the week of our training. So this will be a great time to talk to the men who kept this great ship a float!

FYI USS North Carolina is said to be haunted!! :)

Email us if you wish to receive this flyer and cost.

ATTENTION!!! Due to high demand this class has been rescheduled for September 2011, email us if you would like to attend.

Posted in administration-leadership, Confined Space Training, ems-health-safety, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, hazmat, major-incidents, rescues, special-operations, technology-communications, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics

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Posted by on 12/10/2010 • No comments

Super Heros????

My fiance and I were at our local hardware store looking for ideals for our new kitchen to be, when suddenly out of now where came two superheroes. Being that it was Halloween, it was not an uncommon thing to see.  The two superhero’s happen to be twin 7 year old boys who where disguised as Superman and Batman. Catherine and I talked to the little Superheroes and laughed along with their parents. I was amazed by their bravery by coming up to us ready to fight crime. They were more than willing to show us their muscle and let us know that they had no fear. After there departure, I reflected on the two little superheroes. and I asked myself “would these two little boys have came up to us ( total strangers ) if there true identity had been revealed?” I even took my thoughts one step further. “How often do firefighters have this same mentality?”  How many firefighters believe that with all of their protective gear they are invincible much like a superhero? What I’m getting at is, how often do firefighters get tunnel vision when they put on their PPE and believe that they will not get hurt? There is  no doubt any firefighter wouldn’t hesitate helping out if they came up on a house fire while being off duty. But how many would think twice about going in without PPE? But, lets just say what if ( I know!! ) we happen to have all of our PPE, would most of us think twice about going in to preform a rescue before FD arrives? How many of us firefighters have gotten hurt by thinking they can’t be harm because of our PPE? We often think ( myself included ) that we can’t be harm, or the thought of being harm is not a priority on our list of thoughts during fire ground operations. We all need to remember, that just because our gear allows to do travel deeper into a fire, smoke, and heat  doesn’t mean that we are immune to injury.

I would love to hear everyones thoughts on this?

Stay safe and God Bless.

Posted in command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighting-operations, fires, line-of-duty, rescues, special-operations, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized

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Posted by on 12/02/2010 • No comments

Loading the Barrel of the Shot Gun…. Live Fire Training Comments

Are we teaching students to crawl under fire?

There is a serious concern as to how live fire instructors or departmental officers are ignoring the mental cues that lead to firefighter injuries and deaths during live fire training and signifies a critical problem with today’s fire service training. How many times must it be publicized that crawling under fire is a death trap?

Are we seriously training firefighters that our gear and our equipment is always reliable to protect us from such temperature extremes such as flashover?

Should we really be training firefighters to believe that crawling under fire is a safe practice? Rollover, is the precursor to flashover that can occur in a matter of seconds. These firefighters are kneeling and standing in an area being preheated and ready to light off, which means they are being pre-heated, as well.

Many of my students have heard me say, “The day we respond to a house fire involving wooden pallets will be our moment of glory!”. Are we training today’s firefighter to believe the fire behavior and heat ( British Thermal Unit ;BTU) production in a wooden pallet fire is identical to that of the same magnitude in a fire involving hydrocarbon-based products found in today’s household furnishings? I hope not… but why do our tactics in training not reflect how we should engage the enemy? Today’s fires burn more rapidly and hotter than ever, why are we still allowing firefighters to enter such unpredictable environments?

While our turnouts will provide some element of protection from thermal insult, are we relying upon our equipment and our live fire experience in wooden pallet fires to serve as the measuring stick for when it is time to “un-ass” the area? Understanding the NFPA 1403 standard was developed to protect firefighters during live burns which it has, is it leaving tommorrow’s firefighters with the impression this is as bad as it gets?

What if the nozzle malfunctions? Assume the rookie firefighter doesn’t completely open the bailer of the nozzle, don’t forget about the presence of kinks in our attack lines? Do a little research on wind-driven fires from NIOSH’s live burn’s on Governor’s Island and Chicago and you’ll soon discover such tactics of kneeling under rollover is like “staring down the barrel of a shotgun”.

Posted in administration-leadership, command-leadership, fire-prevention-education, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics

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Posted by on 11/01/2010 • 3 comments