Firewhirl: March 2006 Archives

Taking a Long Weekend

I'm starting to wear out on blogging, so I'm taking an extra day plus the weekend to recuperate.

Here is what you can do in the mean time:

1. Check out the blogs and other links on the sidebar.
2. Look through the Firewhirl archives.
3. Search Firewhirl using the Search box in the sidebar.

Have a good weekend!

Near Miss: Runaway Engine

Have you ever had an engine's parking brake fail? This week's Near Miss report covers this type of incident.

On Tuesday, December 27, 2005, the (name deleted) Fire Department experienced its worst wildland/urban interface fire in recent history. Early into the incident, I was attempting to set up a command post in a residential area, where houses were being lost to fire. I was located near an intersection, with a fire department engine operating about a half-block away, uphill from me. Visibility was poor due to heavy smoke conditions. The operator of the engine, a 30+ year captain was alone due to reassignment of his crew on another rig. As I was directing incoming units and standing outside the driver’s door of my command vehicle, near the middle of the street, the engine's parking brake failed, allowing the engine to roll, unmanned, downhill toward my location. As the engine picked up speed, it veered off the roadway, rolled into a ditch, and hit a culvert, causing the front wheels of the apparatus to turn to the left. This caused the apparatus to change direction, cross over the roadway, and come to rest after hitting a residential structure located near my location. I never saw or heard the runaway apparatus coming my way. There is no doubt in my mind that I would have been injured, or worse, had the apparatus not turned when it did.

Whew! That would have been a wild thing to witness. What could have been done to prevent this from happening? The person that filed this near miss report hits the nail right on the head:

Personnel must be aware of their surroundings, regardless of how busy they may be. A maintenance program for equipment and apparatus is extremely important. NEVER assume it is okay. Check it out. When splitting personnel into different crews, be sure to maintain the appropriate number of personnel on each rig. Never allow someone to work alone.

Could this happen in your department?

Court Rules on Junior Firefighter Death

A judge has ruled that a junior firefighter that was killed while responding to a fire call was legally a firefighter (from The Philadelphia Inquirer via FireFightingNews.com).

Christopher Kangas' mother can say that now and have it mean something - legally.

Until this week, the U.S. Justice Department had denied the 14-year-old junior firefighter that proud title, literally devaluing the life of the Brookhaven boy who was struck and killed four years ago by a car while riding his bicycle to answer a fire alarm.

Without the title, he was not eligible for federal death benefits, and, most important to his mother and his fellow firefighters, not eligible to have his name inscribed on the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial.

But Monday, after years of hearings and appeals, U.S. Court of Federal Claims Judge Marian Blank Horn said, in effect, he deserved to be treated better.

"Christopher Kangas died 'in the line of duty' and was a 'firefighter' authorized to be at a fire scene and perform duties as part of a team engaged in the 'suppression of fires' at the time of his death," she wrote in Washington.

This was the right thing to do. Trainee, junior firefighter, full-time firefighter, volunteer firefighter - it doesn't matter what your "title" is. If you are part of the department, then you are a firefighter.

Firefighters Rescue Horse

Florida firefighters show how versatile the fire service is by rescuing a horse that was stuck in the mud (from nbc-2.com).

PALM BEACH COUNTY: It took nearly a dozen firefighters and heavy equipment to get a horse back on its feet. A 32 year old Palomino was pulled from the mud after a two hour rescue effort in western Lake Worth. The animal is doing fine after a long day and few tense hours.

Great article with a video news report.

Twelve Die in South African Fire

Twelve people died in a workshop that was illegally converted to living quarters in South Africa (from the Mail & Guardian Online).

A fire in the Johannesburg city centre killed 12 people and left 33 others injured in the early hours of Wednesday, Johannesburg emergency services said.

"The cause of death of all 12 appears to be traumatic asphyxia -- they suffocated because they couldn't get out," spokesperson Malcolm Midgley said.

...

Residents threw their belongings into a passage in the building in an attempt to save them, making it difficult for themselves and others to get out.

...

Midgley said the building had one emergency and one other exit. Both were blocked.

This from a follow-up article:

Emergency services spokesperson Malcolm Midgley said the fire appeared to have started from a two-plate stove being used as a heater.

This tragedy is yet another example of the problems that arise when people can't find affordable and safe housing. Are there buildings in your district that are overcrowded and unsafe? Are these buildings inspected on a regular basis?

Legislations Aims to Curb NY Fire Districts

Do you remember the series of articles from Newsday.com highlighting the financial issues of the Long Island fire districts? Well, here is a follow up article discussing some proposed legislation (from Newsday.com).

No more taxpayer-funded liquor at lavish fire installation dinners. Firefighter seminars in the Bahamas will have to be justified to the state. And most of New York's fire districts will be audited once a year, if lawmakers approve a detailed package of bills filed this week by Lindenhurst Assemb. Robert Sweeney and others.

Sweeney, chairman of the Assembly's Local Governments Committee, has been negotiating since January with fire service leaders and other state officials on the 13-bill package he hopes will help clean up the extravagant spending, mismanagement and weak oversight highlighted in Newsday's series in November on Long Island's volunteer fire system.

The package, which is expected to pass both houses this spring with volunteer support, is aimed at better accountability and more public involvement, Sweeney said.

Follow the link above to view the follow up article as well as links to the original articles.

It sounds like this is a comprehensive overhaul of how fire districts will do business and should go a long way toward fixing things. However, there is one piece that I'm not sure is a good idea:

Fire districts could no longer create reserve funds to save up for buildings and trucks without putting their plans to a public vote.

Many times the public doesn't understand the need to save up the large sums of money for new trucks or new fire halls. If the public doesn't cooperate with the fire department, the department's effectiveness will suffer.

On the other hand, it makes the fire department get out and educate the public on the need to regularly replace apparatus. Hmmm.

Wildfire Relief Concert

A concert is being planned to raise money for those affected by the wildland fires in Texas recently (from the Miami Herald).

WACO, Texas - Michael Martin Murphey, famous for singing about a pony named "Wildfire," will soon switch the focus of that song to benefit those devastated by recent fires across the Texas Panhandle.

The benefit concert will be held April 15 at the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts in Amarillo. Murphey will team up with other performing artists and the Texas Farm Bureau to help families hit hardest by the fires.

...

Performers set to participate in the concert include country singers Red Steagall and R.J. Vandygriff and classical pianist John Bayless, a Panhandle native. The Amarillo Symphony Orchestra will back up Murphey.

Here is Murphey's website. Check it out.

Can Safety Pods Protect People from Wildfire?

Architects in Australia are calling for houses to be built with 'safety pods'. These are reinforced rooms within the house that would be used in case of wildland fire to protect the homeowners. This from ABC News Online:

The advisory service to the architecture industry says safety pods should be installed in Victorian houses to protect people from bushfires.

Archicentre says safety pods are fully reinforced, fire proof containers, that are built within a house and can normally function as another room.

They are used in the United States to protect people against tornadoes.

I've never heard of this and I'm not sure that it would work. If a wildland fire is going to burn down a house, I certainly wouldn't want to be trapped inside the house regardless of whether I was in a safety pod or not.

Wouldn't it be wiser to build an underground, concrete shelter outside of the house in an area clear of heavy fuels? Then let the wildland fire burn through the area. If the shelter is properly insulated the people inside should be fine. I'm guessing this would be much less expensive too.

Just my thoughts...chime in with your own - leave a comment.

Poll Results: Face Mask Seal with a Beard

Here are the results from last week's poll:

I agree with the results of our poll. It would be very difficult to get a good seal with a beard. I'm not willing to risk my life or the lives of my fellow firefighters over a little facial hair.

E85 Requires New Tactics

I was talking with another guy about the upcoming car races here in Miller at the Miller Speedway. Our discussion turned toward fuels that are used in race cars, including E85.

A couple minutes later, I visited the FireChief.com website and what do I see? An article about E85! I figured this must be some type of sign that I should write a post on E85. This from FireChief.com:

Fire chiefs should be aware that E85 fuel, an alternative fuel composed of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, is gaining wider distribution in the Midwest, primarily in the states of Illinois and Minnesota.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, fires involving E85 should be treated differently than conventional gasoline fires because E85 is a polar/water-miscible flammable liquid. E85 is highly flammable and can be easily ignited by heat, sparks or flames. The DOT recommends following Guide 127 in the 2004 Emergency Response Guidebook.

Here is a link to Guide 127(pdf) from the ERG.

Fire Watch in Construction Industry

Omaha, NE, has some new fire codes that are being credited with reducing the number of fires at construction projects (from KETV.com via Firehouse.com)

At the time of the Old Market Fires, Omaha city fire codes required a person -- called a fire watch -- to stay behind for 30 minutes after all hot welding was done.

"When you're doing welding and cutting, if you've got any kind of combustible material in there at all -- floors, walls, shafts, or anything -- after you do the hot work, you should have a fire watch there to make sure something didn't get ignited," Porta said.

The code was changed so that fire watches had to stay behind for two hours.

I think this is a good move for the fire service, but I bet the contractors howled about the change. It will cost them money. They will have to pay someone to stay two hours after cutting or welding, or they will have to stop cutting and welding two hours before the end of their work day. In the long run, it will probably save money.

Some People Should Not Play with Fire

This is nuts (from the 1st Responder Broadcast Network via 43 Firefighter).

Some people should not play with fire - hehehe. This made me laugh when I saw the pictures.

Round 9 of the FP&S Program

Round 9 for the Fire Prevention and Safety grant program is awarded. Check here to see if you received a grant.

Trouble on the Second Story

43 Firefighter pointed out these pictures. They are from the the Toronto Fire Department, Canada, who responded to a house fire on February 26, 2006. They had big trouble on the second story. View all of the pictures from beginning to end.

Hopefully all of the firefighters were OK.

The great thing about having these photos available is that we can all learn something from one department's experience.

Rescue Truck Hit by Train

This would increase the pucker factor (from the Glenwood Springs Post Independent).

A Burning Mountains Fire Protection District rescue truck was struck by a freight train between Silt and New Castle Saturday. The truck, driven by fireman Austin Coryell, was on a training drive Saturday around noon, said Burning Mountains Chief Brit McLin.

The truck was in the middle of the track when the train bore down on it.

“He said he thought the signal might be broken and he did not see the train until its air horn went off,” McLin said.

Coryell then sped up and the train caught the truck in the rear bumper, spinning it off the track and sending it down an embankment where it was stopped by a telephone pole.

Luckily, nobody was hurt.

Photo courtesy of the Glenwood Springs Post Independent.

Arson Dog Aids Investigations

I've never worked at a scene with an arson dog, so I don't know much about them. This article from MyrtleBeachOnline.com has a lot of information about the subject.

NANTAHALA, N.C. - Sgt. Don Willis strapped a bag full of dog food to his waist and called his partner out of the back of the Macon County Sheriff's Office crime scene truck.

Christine, a black Labrador retriever trained to detect fuels used in arsons, hopped out and immediately went to work.

"Seek," Willis said with a gentle tone of voice.

The pair made a sweep of a small building that had burned the night before off Wayah Road but found nothing. Had there been fuel in the smoldering rubble, Christine would have indicated the spot by sitting. In an arson investigation, her nose would save Willis hours of work and could mean the difference between finding fuel residue and missing it altogether.

Read the whole article - good stuff.

It would be cool to see one of these teams in action.

Tiny Transmitter to Monitor Body Temperature

A researcher in Canada has an interesting idea (from Canada.com).

VANCOUVER (CP) - A researcher at the University of Victoria says a transmitter the size of a vitamin pill that firefighters can swallow will help save their lives from heart attacks - the No. 1 killer of those in the business of saving others.

Lynneth Wolski, an occupational physiologist, said the combination of heat stress - from temperatures of up to 200 degrees centigrade - and heavy-duty protective gear worn in a stressful occupation puts firefighters at risk of heart attacks.

When swallowed, the tiny transmitter allows firefighters' core body temperature to be monitored so they can be pulled from a blaze or any high-stress rescue if their temperature is dangerously high.

Cost will be an issue with this device and the article addresses the costs associated with the transmitters.

Although I think this is interesting and may be a step forward in monitoring a firefighter's status at an incident, I don't think this is the best approach to reducing firefighter heart attacks.

There are the two things I think we need to work on. First, we need to improve the physical attributes of firefighters. This includes physical fitness, diet, and perhaps medications or nutritional supplements. Second, we need to improve protective gear so that it reduces the heat stress that firefighters endure.

Waiting for Water - Going to Work

Photos by John Davis courtesy of the Aberdeen American News.

Fire Department: Aberdeen Rural Fire Department
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Incident: Barn fire
Date: March 13, 2006

These pictures come to us via an article in the Aberdeen American News. There are additional photos of the incident if you follow the link.

In the first photo, the firefighter waits patiently for water. In the next photo, he is going to work on the fire. Note the difference in the smoke color.

03/23/2006: Fire at Blow-In Insulation Plant

At 1205 hours, the Miller Fire Department was paged to a fire at a blow-in insulation manufacturer. The first real structure fire of the year.

We responded with 2 engines and 1 support vehicle along with a couple of firefighters in the personal vehicles. A total of eight firefighters were on scene. The sheriff, deputy sheriff, a police officer, and the emergency manager also responded (they are members of the fire department too, but they responded in their other capacities).

The bin above a grinding machine was full of partially ground-up insulation, some of which was smoldering. The employees had discharded a couple of fire extinguishers into the bin and put the flames out, but it was still hot.

The employees, working with some of the firefighters, shoveled out the bin and the smoldering insulation was taken outside. The insulation that had recently been run through the grinder was bagged and then taken outside as a precaution.

We were back at the fire hall and ready for the next call by 1315. Nobody was hurt and there was no property damage other than a few pounds of insulation. If the employees hadn't caught the fire early, this could have been ugly.

Cruise Ship Fire

A fire damaged a cruise ship yesterday (from the Washington Post).

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica -- A fire apparently started by a cigarette broke out aboard a giant cruise ship early Thursday as it sailed through the moonlit Caribbean, leaving one passenger dead, 11 people injured and at least 100 rooms scorched.

The Star Princess, carrying 2,690 passengers and 1,123 crew members, bore evidence of the nighttime drama as it pulled into Montego Bay's port. About 85 exterior cabins were blackened from the fire, a stark contrast to the otherwise gleaming white exterior of the ship. Metal was twisted, evidence of the heat of the blaze.

I did some checking on cruise ship firefighting. The International Council of Cruise Lines has a brochure on cruise ship safety (pdf). Here are some highlights regarding the average cruise ship:

• Five firefighting teams on board
• Over 170 trained personnel to support the fire fighting teams
• Approximately twenty crewmembers with advanced firefighting training (The average town’s fire department usually has an average of six firefighters per station.)
• Over 6 miles of firefighting hose
• Over 16 miles of sprinkler piping
• Over 5,000 sprinkler heads onboard in every cabin and room
• Over 500 fire extinguishers
• Over 4,000 smoke detectors
• Local sounding alarms in all cabins
• Over 400 fire stations or hydrants
• Sufficient lifeboats and life rafts for everyone onboard

None of the info that I found said whether there are full-time firefighters on these ships. I'm guessing that the firefighters have other duties on the cruise ship and that firefighting is just part of their job. Regardless, there are probably worse assignments than being a firefighter on a cruise ship.

Near Miss: Firefighter Falls Using Escape Rope

This week's Near Miss deals with a live fire exercise and the use of an escape rope.

A firefighter with approximately ten years of experience was practicing a firefighter safety & survival technique under live smoke and heat conditions during a training exercise at the county fire academy. The technique was the firefighter bailout. The technique requires placing a haligan tool in the corner of a window and attaching a life rope to the haligan and his personal (brand name deleted) life belt. The firefighter then performs a controlled descent to escape a hostile fire room via the window to the ground. As the firefighter began his descent out of the window, he failed to place his right hand into the braking position. He went out the window with an uncontrolled rate of descent and crashed into the airbag. Fortunately, the firefighter escaped without injury. The firefighter could have sustained life threatening or career ending injuries if the air bag had not been in place.

Two things grabbed my attention from this report. First, I have never seen this exercise done with an airbag as a safety device. Not a bad idea. Second, instead of an airbag, the use of a safety line and belay man were used in case the participant started to fall.

Read the Lessons Learned section of this report to see what this department did to mitigate the safety issues of this exercise in the future.

I've got a question for the readers: Is the use of a haligan propped in the corner of the window the usual method of anchoring the safety line or are there other options that are taught?

Firefighter Honored for 50 Years of Service

This from the Sioux City Journal:

CHEROKEE, Iowa -- Forgive firefighter Roger Frisbie if he looks anxious Friday morning. He's a little uncomfortable with the attention.

He'd rather be out fighting a fire.

"I hope we get a call Friday morning," he says.

Frisbie, 75, has protected the people of Cherokee for 50 years as a volunteer member of the Cherokee Fire Department. The Cherokee Chamber of Commerce honors Frisbie for his duty at a 9:30 a.m. coffee Friday at the fire station downtown.

Here is a great story from his early days on the department:

In 1956, volunteer firefighters working in Cherokee had two minutes to sprint to the main intersection downtown after hearing the giant siren sound.

"I remember running three-quarters of a block and then jumping on the truck as it went through the intersection," Frisbie says. "There were times I missed the truck and landed flat on my face."

That sounds like it was fun - all except for the face landing. I know we are supposed to be safety minded, but it would be a blast to jump on a moving fire truck.

Congratulations to Firefighter Frisbie on reaching a great milestone in his career!

Microdisplays Built into Masks

Students from UC Berkeley are applying some cool technology to face masks (from Telematics Journal via US Fire).

A team of graduate students at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) is using SolidWorks software to develop gear that will prevent firefighters from becoming trapped in fires and help them save victims. Masks with microdisplays will show firefighters where they are in a burning building, and where to find their comrades and victims, giving them vision and information they never had before.

...

Remote sensors previously installed throughout the building will transmit floor plan information to the microdisplays so firefighters can see where to go to find potential victims. Wristbands will monitor firefighter heart rates and other vital statistics so commanders know every team member's status.

It will be awhile before this technology available at an affordable cost. The remote sensors provide the information for the in-mask microdisplay, but if the building doesn't have the sensors - no display in the mask.

How do you get homeowners to put the sensors in their house? Good idea, but I'm not convinced it will be used in the real world.

Aerial Firefighting Pioneer Dies

A pioneer in the aerial firefighting field has passed away (from ChicoER.com).

The man credited with giving birth to modern aerial firefighting died Monday in Chico. Joseph B. Ely was 94.

As a forest control officer working in the Mendocino National Forest in the 1950s, Ely was interested in making wildfires safer to fight by attacking them from the air.

Others had tried with very limited results. But Ely, who saw 15 firefighters die in 1953 while fighting a Mendocino National Forest blaze from the ground, had a special incentive.

In 1995, Ely asked a Willows pilot if he could adapt a crop-dusting plane for aerial firefighting.

Vance Nolta concocted a gate, a dump valve and a mechanism to operate them from the cockpit of a Stearman 75 Kaydet.

With Ely looking on, Nolta tested the device on a small fire at the Willows Airport, and it worked.

The very first drop on a live fire came in August 1955, when the Stearman dumped 100 gallons of water on a crashed logging truck that had touched off a fire near Covelo.

...

Ely was born in Pewaukee, Wis., in 1911. He graduated from Yale University in 1935 with a master's degree in forestry and spent his whole career with the Forest Service.

Our thoughts are prayers are with Joe's family.

Bull Roams Fire Station

We aren't talking B.S. here (yes, we all know there is plenty of B.S. in a fire station - hehehe), we are talking about a real bull (from click2houston.com).

HOUSTON -- Firefighters are used to receiving calls about rescuing animals from trees, but they could have never imagined having seen what walked through their doors Tuesday morning, KPRC Local 2 reported.

A longhorn bull that escaped from a stable located behind Fire Station No. 23, located on Lawndale Street and Broadway Street, walked into the station at about 2 a.m.

Firefighters said the bull walked in through the station's open garage doors and took a tour.

Check out the pictures too.

Fire at Fort Branch Fire Department

Unfortunately, another fire station has burned, this one in Fort Branch, Indiana (from wndu.com).

Fort Branch, IN - Some firefighters in southern Indiana are looking for a new home, after their department went up in flames. It happened early Tuesday morning in the town of Fort Branch.

Firefighters were away from the station, responding to a fire alarm, when the blaze erupted.

When they returned, the station was completely engulfed in flames and smoke was pouring from the building.

I'm sure the fire department will need some help getting back on their feet. If you hear how the department would like to receive help, let me know and I'll post it.

Disentanglement Drill

Disentanglement Drill

Fire Engineering has a good article on disentanglement. Captains Jim Nagle and Jeff Edmonds, of the Everett (WA) Fire Department Training Division put the article together. Here is my favorite piece:

We found several commonalities among crews most successful at getting through before running totally out of air: They stayed closely bunched. This enabled team members to untangle each other, and aided communication. Those that became spread out were less effective because they had to duplicate effort, and work on their own. In addition, crews who created a low profile by putting their air bottles in the corner, and basically inching through on their backs, found greater success. Those that stuck to the typical crawl on hands and knees became entangled time and again.

Emphasis mine.

Photo courtesy of PennWell Corporation.

What a great way to get your SCBA out of the way in an entanglement situation.

They also list 10 things to remember in entanglement situations. Read the whole article - good stuff.

Poll Results: Combination Nozzle/Straight Stream

Looks like combination nozzles win out in last week's poll:

If you have reasons why you like one or the other, post your comments here.

Firefighters Receive National Medal of Valor

From Firechief.com:

Two firefighters and three police officers today received the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor, the nation’s highest award recognizing heroic action performed above and beyond the call of duty by a public safety officer. Firefighter Edward F. Henry, Charleston (S.C.) Fire Department; Bttn. Chief Gene F. Large Jr., Fort Walton Beach (Fla.) Fire Department; and police officers Timothy Greene, Rock Hill, S.C.; Bryan S. Hurst (deceased), Columbus, Ohio; and Peter Alfred Koe, Indianapolis; were presented their medals by President George W. Bush during a White House ceremony in the Oval Office.

Read the rest of the article for descriptions of why the firefighters received their medals.

Congratulations to Firefighter Henry and Bttn. Chief Large!

Firefighters Extricate Moose

Massachusetts firefighters responded to a car versus moose MVA and had to extricate the moose (from TheBostonChannel.com via Firehouse.com).

The driver of the car, Juleigh McDowell, hit the 500-pound moose that ended up sitting upright in the car's passenger seat.

...

Condon helped to extract the moose from the car once firefighters had cut the roof off. The moose was seriously injured in the crash and was put down.

Click the link and check out the video.

Firefighter Tops Poll as Sexiest Job

Another reason to be a firefighter (from Firehouse.com).

The results are in, and the people have spoken. Once again, firefighter is at the top of the list in the annual AOL/Salary.com sexiest jobs survey.

Our brave firefighters had some tough competition for the spot this year though, sharing the honors with the silver-spooned CEO, whose median salary of more than $600,000 seems to be compounding interest not only in the bank, but also with the ladies.

Here are the official results on Salary.com.

I'm not sure that the survey is accurate. Perhaps the ideal firefighter is sexy. However, one look at our department photo will tell you that there are problems with the survey - hehehe.

New Links

I haven't posted any new links for several weeks, so here are three sites to go check out. I've also added them to the sidebar at the right.

Firebomber Publications Blog - Michael has a blog that "discusses issues of importance to firefighters, with an emphasis on wildland firefighting." (from the sites header). Nice site with good info.

US Fire - This site features firefighting headlines from around the country, a forum to discuss issues, photos, and links. It's a great source of info.

Wildlandfire.com - This site has lots of info regarding wildland fire. Don't miss this one. They even invite you to "take yer boots off and take five" while you browse the site.

Snohomish County Firefighter Sets World Record

This is a cool story about Firefighter Bill Eske from Washington (from komotv.com via US Fire).

MILL CREEK - A Snohomish County firefighter set a new world record Sunday for the most vertical feet ever climbed on a stair climber machine in a 24-hour period.

He climbed the equivalent of more than nine miles straight uphill. That's like climbing Mt. Rainier more than three times in a row.

...

Ekse didn't put himself through all this just to get his name in a record book. He had inspiration.

His climb was in memory of his best friend, Chris Petterson, who died of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma eight years ago.

Ekse always wanted to do something special for him, so he turned the climb into a fundraiser for the Lukemia and Lymphoma Society. He raised nearly $4,000.

Way to go, Firefighter Eske!

Poll of the Week

Don't forget to vote in the Poll of the Week located on the sidebar on the right.

We post the results every Tuesday and then put up a new poll.

Candy Factory Burns

Firefighters in Lancaster, PA, responded to a candy factory on fire (from wgal.com via Firehouse.com).

Four workers were inside the Miesse Candies factory along the 700 block of Lafayette Street when fire ripped through it around 2 p.m. A resident who lived nearby helped all of the employees get out safely. No one was hurt.

Firefighters had their hands full as they said chocolate was literally running in the street.

So, here is my question - does chocolate constitute a hazardous material and does it need to be diked so that it doesn't enter the storm sewers? Hmmm.

Wildland Fire in the U.K.

I'm sure they have plenty of wildland fires in the U.K., but we don't often hear of them. Here is a story from FireFightingNews.com about a heath fire in Poole, Dorset.

Hundreds of firefighters battled against a ferocious blaze two miles wide last night. The fire tore through 240 acres of heath land as crews fought a race against time to douse the inferno.

Rescuers said strong winds fanned the late-night fire in Poole, Dorset. Fearing the flames would be blown towards homes, they evacuated hundreds of residents.

Local councillor Geoff Allen said: "We have no indications of how the blaze started. We haven't had much rain recently and it is quite dry. Three streets were evacuated and hundreds of residents were taken to council shelters as a precaution."

More than 150 fire fighters tackled the inferno with 25 engines from Dorset and Hampshire. A police helicopter was also at the scene.

If you have any info about wildland fires in the U.K., please drop me a note. I'd be interested in finding out more about what they have to deal with.

FP&S Grants Round 8

Click here to see if you received grant in Round 8 of the FP&S program.

'Perfect Storm' for Wildfires

The Houston Chronicle has printed an interview with Mark Stanford, chief of fire operations for the Texas Forest Service. They discuss the large grass fires that hit Texas recently. This is my favorite bit:

Q: What produced Sunday's history-making wildfire? Why was it so bad?

A: I would describe it as a perfect storm for extreme fire. The weather conditions and the condition of the vegetation came together in a nexus that created a force of nature much like a hurricane or tornado. These are natural disasters that are truly beyond our capability to do anything about them. The fuels, the grasses, were critically dry, and you had a combination of single-digit humidity and winds gusting to 60 mph. Our models that morning predicted flames spreading at 6 mph with 50-foot flame lengths, which is the same as a four-story building. By 1 o'clock in the afternoon, that is what we had.

Emphasis is mine.

Fifty foot flame length off of grass is some really serious fire behavior. No wonder they weren't able to stop the fires.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Visit this site to learn all about all about St. Patrick's Day.

Blogging will be light today. I'm preparing to teach an S130/S190 class this weekend. Take this opportunity to visit the blogs and sites I've got listed over on the sidebar.

Department Seeks Charges Against Firefighters

Remember the incident a few weeks ago in Maryland where a fracas broke out a house fire? It looks like the firefighters involved are going to have to face the consequences for their actions (from Firehouse.com).

Prince George's County's Fire Chief and Public Safety Director promised in recent weeks, if the evidence warranted criminal charges, they'd move to get them. A month later, the decision has been made: the Fire Department is seeking criminal charges against three volunteer firefighters for a brawl that broke out on the scene of a working house fire last month.

As we've been reporting all along, the fight out on the street, in which one volunteer firefighter is seen shoving another volunteer against his truck, was not the most serious part of the allegations. What was more serious? The investigation has now determined what took place inside the burning house on Standish Drive.

Allegations that volunteers from Kentland pushed and shoved career firefighters inside the burning house, pulled off their protective gear and turned off their air tanks.

Next step is to see whether the State's Attorney will bring criminal charges. Stay tuned.

Near Miss: Crew Runs Out of Water

This report from the National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System highlights a problem we face on many fires - running out of water.

As I heard this on the radio, conditions were starting to worsen. Our TIC "whited out" on my crew, the heat was dramatically increasing, and we had water flowing for at least 1 1/2 minutes. We knew our water wasn't going to last much longer. I pulled my crew out while hitting the fire to prevent flashover. Ten seconds after we exited the front door we ran out of water.

This is just a small excerpt of the report. Read the whole thing.

Do your crews have the communications equipment and knowledge that would allow them to communicate like the firefighters in this report?

If not, why not?

Are your crews aware of what is taking place on the fireground so they can avoid the problems that the crew in the report faced?

If your interior attack crew was in this situation, what would have happened? Would they have left the building in time?

Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes

Check out the Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes.

Our mission: The Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes is working to save lives and prevent injuries and devastation from cigarette-ignited fires.

Our goal: The Coalition is calling for cigarette manufacturers to immediately produce and market only cigarettes that adhere to an established cigarette fire safety performance standard. In addition, the Coalition is working to see that these standards for fire-safe cigarettes are required in every state in the country.

Our members: A national coalition of fire service members, consumer and disability rights advocates, medical and public health practitioners, and others, coordinated by NFPA, who are committed to saving lives and preventing injuries by reducing the threat of cigarette-ignited fires.

I'm behind this effort 100% percent. If there were only fire-safe cigarettes available, there would be fewer fires, fewer civilian fatalities, and fewer firefighter deaths and injuries.

They have an online petition to sign. I signed it - you should too.

Fire Trucks to Utilize Satellites and Computers

Here is an interesting article about locating the fire and hydrants (from the Bellevue Leader via FireFightingNews.com).

Thanks to Geographical Information Systems, the BVFD is just a couple months away from using computers linked to satellites to quickly find the address of a burning house and the nearest fire hydrant within seconds.

...

Betts said a fire truck would have a mobile data computer. The computer would refresh every 30 seconds to show the location of a fire, the location of the truck and all possible hydrants in the vicinity.

Small towns will probably never utilize this technology because of two reasons. First, the cost is probably too high for small department budgets. Second, it isn't difficult to locate the fire or hydrants when the firefighters know pretty much where everyone lives and where all the hydrants are.

However, in places with larger populations, this technology would be very useful, especially in fast growing areas with new developments being built.

One of the Boys

Deputy Chief Kathy VanPatten is retiring from the East Lansing Fire Department and the local newspaper has a nice article about her career. Included in the article is a great story from early in her career (from the Lansing State Journal).

Retired Fire Chief Jack Gregg, who hired VanPatten, recalled an incident that truly made her "one of the boys."

When it was her turn to cook shortly after joining the department, an off-duty firefighter came into the department training room to talk to another employee. His language included four-letter expletives, one of which he used just as VanPatten entered the room.

Red-faced, he apologized for his language. VanPatten shrugged and returned to the kitchen.

"Minutes later, Kathy returned to the training room and announced that their (expletive) lunch was ready and flashed a big smile to the off-duty person," Gregg said.

VanPatten said she did her best not to be different.

Hah! That is too good - it made me laugh.

Bearded D.C. Firefighters on Full Duty

Several months ago, I posted about some Washington D.C. firefighters that had been reassigned to administrative duty because they refused to shave their beards. Well, a judge has ruled on the issue (from the Washington Times via FireFightingNews.com).

A federal judge yesterday ordered the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services to allow six firefighters and paramedics who have refused to shave their beards for religious reasons to return to full-duty status. U.S. District Judge James Robertson issued his ruling yesterday after the plaintiffs, who were on administrative duty, passed three tests to see whether they could get a proper fit from their face masks.

...

Fire department spokesman Alan Etter noted that the judge's ruling is not final. The ruling was issued because the men, who have been reassigned to administrative positions, have suffered an unjust financial hardship.

Mr. Etter said the fire department will appeal the ruling.

"We will abide by what the judge said, but it is contrary to our convictions that this is about firefighter safety," he said.

Mr. Etter said that if any of the emergency workers fail a fit test, they will be reassigned to administrative duty.

Hmmm. From the above info, it sounds like the firefighters have already passed three tests to see if their face masks fit properly. It would be interesting to know what type of test they passed. I'm sure this isn't the last word we hear on this issue.

Does anyone know if there has been a conclusive, scientific, and unbiased study conducted and published regarding facial hair and face mask fit? If you know of one, please let me know.

Incident Pictures on a Blog

Should incident pictures be posted on a blog for the entire world to see? Even if the pictures may be painful to those involved in the incident?

I think so and here is why:

First, is can be used as a training tool for firefighters across the country. Seeing pictures from an incident and then reading about the events of the incident can reinforce good rescue/firefighting techniques. It can also point out the areas that they need to improve in so that they can accomplish their mission of saving lives and property while keeping their firefighters safe.

Second, it is a record of the incidents that a department responds to. The internet is allowing fire departments to quickly and efficiently put together a record of the incidents they respond to, including pictures from the scene, so that all members of the department have quick and easy access to those records.

Third, it can be used by the general public to see what types of incidents the fire department in their area responds to. This gives them a better understanding of what the fire department does and shows them what kind of training and equipment are required to respond effectively to these incidents. It also reinforces safety lessons with the public so that they don’t have these types of incidents themselves.

Lastly, it is a place where personal observations can be recorded. The great thing about the U.S. is that you are free to post your thoughts and pictures on your website without government interference.

The reason I ask these questions is that a fellow blogger and firefighter has received some pretty intense comments regarding the pictures on his blog.

Just my two cents. Please feel free to post your comments or send me an email.

Poll Results: March 14, 2006

This is a good thing, but I was actually expecting the results to be a little more even considering all of the griping I hear about communications. Maybe this shows that although things have improved, there is still a lot of room to make things better.

Fire Trucks to be Auctioned

Lots of fire trucks that were collected over a 30 year period will be auctioned off via sealed bids (from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).

DENBO, Pa. -- Lined up one by one like old soldiers dressed in red and white uniforms, dozens of decommissioned firetrucks await their fate in a parking lot along the Monongahela River near this tiny Washington County community.

More than four dozen of the old firetrucks, some dating back more than 70 years, will be part of a sealed-bid auction this week in what could be the largest mass firetruck auction ever. The bids will be opened March 22.

The trucks are among 135 fire vehicles collected over at least three decades by the late Sullivan D'Amico, founder of Pechin's Shopping Village in Fayette County. Mr. D'Amico died in February 2005 at the age of 87.

If you are looking for an historic fire engine, this could be your chance.

Here is the auctioneer's website for more details.

Weekend House Fires Kill 15

Two separate house fires in Tennessee and Indiana result in multiple fatalities (from Firehouse.com).

Rural house fires in Tennessee and Indiana killed 15 members of two families, and most of the victims were children, officials said.

In Evensville, six children and three adults from an extended family died on the second floor of a two-story house where they were sleeping early Saturday, officials said. The only survivor, 19-year-old Joseph Alexander, had been on the first floor when he awoke in the smoke and escaped through a window.

...

In southwestern Indiana, the charred bodies of a couple and their four children were found early Saturday in the smoldering remains of their home.

The article doesn't say if there were smoke detectors in either of the houses.

Serious Training Mishap on Video

You've got to watch this short video (courtesy of 43 Firefighter) that shows a serious live fire training mishap.

Click HERE for the video.

Why would someone even think about entering that environment? Something was seriously wrong here. I hope the firefighters weren't injured too seriously.

I don't have any details on this incident, but I'm doing some checking. If you have any info, I would appreciate it if you would send me an e-mail or leave a comment.

UPDATE: This video has apparently been around for some time. The incident happened at a public open house for a fire department in Maryland. Here is a thread from Firehouse.com where the video is discussed.

Round 7 of the FP&S Grants Announced

Check here to see if you received a Fire Prevention and Safety Grant in Round 7.

Peoria FD Historical Exhibit

If you live in the area, check out an historical exhibit courtesy of the Peoria Fire Department (from PJStar.com).

PEORIA - Artifacts, photographs and memorabilia chronicling the history of the Peoria Fire Department will go on exhibit April 9-15 at the Pettengill-Morron House, 1212 W. Moss Ave.

Wish I lived close enough to go.

Baby Delivered and Left at Fire Station

I've read several articles where a mother has left her baby at a fire station under Safe Haven laws. This story has a new twist on this issue (from the Greeley Tribune).

FORT COLLINS -- Baby John Doe, born at a Fort Collins fire station Friday morning, remains in good condition at Poudre Valley Hospital.

A woman walked into a Fort Collins fire station about 8 a.m. Friday saying she wanted to surrender her baby. Firefighters and paramedics had no idea they would have to help deliver the baby first. Within an hour, the mother had given birth and left, refusing other treatment.

I think the Safe Haven laws are a good thing because it allows a baby to be dropped off at a fire station, police station, or hospital without repercussions. This should reduce the number of babies abandoned in unsafe conditions.

However, I don't think fire stations are the proper place for mothers to deliver their babies. The fire station is certainly better than a hotel room or some other place that doesn't have emergency medical equipment, but it isn't nearly as good as the hospital. If this gets to be a regular practice, fire departments will have to put policies in place about transporting women in labor to the hospital.

Huge Texas Wildfires

Huge grass fires raced across Texas this morning (from FOXNews.com).

GROOM, Texas — Massive wildfires raced across the dry southern plains early Monday, burning more than half a million acres in Texas, leaving at least seven people dead and injuring at least seven more.

Four people died in a chain-reaction crash on Interstate 40 east of Groom as smoke obscured the road. Three others died in fires near Borger, northeast of Amarillo.

...

The fires scorched more than 663,000 acres — more than 1,000 square miles or about two-thirds the size of Rhode Island — far eclipsing the deadly wildfires that prompted Gov. Rick Perry to declare a statewide drought disaster in January. The earlier blaze charred more than 455,000 acres, destroyed more than 340 homes and killed three people.

...

Officials weren't certain what sparked the wildfires, but wind gusting up to 55 mph and low humidity made conditions ideal for the fires to quickly spread. The parched region around Amarillo has had just three-tenths of an inch of rain since February, nearly an inch below normal, and no rain is expected for at least another week.

Over 600,000 acres in one day! That is a big fire.

I took a look at the Incident Management Situation Report from NIFC. The nationwide five year average by this time of year is 7,525 fires burning 157,635 acres. So far this year, there have been 12,949 fires burning 906,416 acres. If things don't change, this will be a busy year for firefighters.

3/9/2006: Mutual Aid to a Corn Stubble Fire

At around 1530 hours, the Wessington Fire Department was requested to respond to a corn stubble fire 1 mile south and 2 miles west of Wessington. Since it has been pretty dry, I drove down to the fire hall just in case they decided to call us for mutual aid.

When their first units arrived, they figured they could handle it on their own, so I went back out to the shop. No sooner had I arrived at the shop, they decided that they did need some assistance and we were paged (approximatly 1545 hours).

We responded with two brush trucks and two pumpers to the fire which was about 15 miles from Miller. Upon arrival, we assisted the Wessington FD with extinguishment. Fire behavior was minimal since the WFD had knocked most of it down already. There wasn't much wind and the temperature was cool too.

I'm guessing the size of the fire was 30 acres. The fire was originally a controlled burn by the occupant and it got away from him.

We were back in service in Miller by 1800 hours.

UPDATE: Added these pictures.

The corn stubble that was burning.

Wessington FD engine with the town of Wessington in the background.

Miller FD Brush Truck F10 with firefighters getting ready to pump some water. Why does this truck have "St. Lawrence Fire Deparment" on it? A few years ago the Miller FD and the St. Lawrence FD combined into one department. Miller and St. Lawrence are only 2 miles apart.

Miller FD Engine F2 flanked by engines from Wessington FD. Hand County Emergency Manager's truck is on the right.

UPDATE: All pictures courtesy of Hand County Emergency Management.

3/8/2006: Cows Escape From Sale Barn

At 1900 hours, I went down to the fire hall to attend my EMT-B class. Around 1920 hours, the sheriff's department was paged to a cow/vehicle accident on the highway south of town. They were also notified that there were several head of cattle on the highway. Shortly after that, there was a second accident. The sheriff then requested assistance from the Miller Fire Department (about 1930 hours).

Needless to say, there were more than "several" cows out. Approximately 237 head of cattle had escaped the pens at the sale barn and were running every which way from the south edge of Miller to several miles south of town.

The main concern was trying to get the cows off of the highway so that there weren't any more accidents.

These were Black Angus cattle. It was pitch dark. Try rounding up black cows on a dark night.

The MFD responded with two brush trucks and a suburban, along with multiple privately-owned vehicles. I believe we had around 10 firefighters. Also responding were the sheriff and deputy, four police officers, the emergency manager, and lots of volunteers.

By the time everyone got organized, the cows had divided up into several large groups and scattered to the four winds. All we had to do was locate them, and drive them into some type of pen or corral. Several holding locations were used including the sale barn, the Miller Thriller Bull Riding corral, a rancher's corral, and for a while, the baseball field.

Eventually, all of the cattle were rounded up. We headed back to the fire hall and were back in service by about 2300 hours.

Moo.

UPDATE: Added this picture.

Here are the culprits back at the sale barn the morning after the escape. They should be wearing orange jump suits (hehehe).

UPDATE2: All pictures courtesy of Hand County Emergency Management.

Historic Fire Engines from Europe

If you like pictures of old fire engines this is the site for you. Check out Historical Fire Engines Europe to see lots of pictures of older fire engines from England, France, Switzerland, Norway, and others. There are some American-made trucks such as Ford, Dodge, Ahrens Fox, and Ward LaFrance. Then there are European-made trucks such as Mercedes, Studebaker, Renault, and Volvo. Cool site.

I took a quick pass through some of the pictures and here is one of my favorites - a Magirus ladder truck from 1921 used in the Netherlands.

Near Miss: Engine Compartment Fire

A vehicle fire can occur at any time during an extriction as shown by this week's Near Miss Report:

Upon arrival at a 2 car MVA with minor injuries, an officer from an engine from our station disembarked from the truck and did not do a good 360 of the scene. He ordered his crew to take a set of irons and open up the hood of the #1 vehicle and disconnect the battery. Damage to the vehicle prevented normal operation of the hood. Upon my arrival, about 1 minute later, I did a full 360 and determined that the smoke coming from the engine compartment was not steam from fluids and advised the men to go back to the truck and don SCBA and stretch a 1 3/4 to protect the firefighters who were about to open the hood. No sooner did they don packs when the engine compartment caught fire. If it were not for my arrival, I believe these firefighters would have been burned on there faces. After the call and back at the station, a group review was conducted and all members understood the importance of doing a complete 360 at any incident.

Here are some discussion questions:

Is a proper scene size-up conducted at every vehicle accident scene?

What are your procedures for pulling hose lines at a vehicle accident?

What are your procedures for donning SCBA at a vehicle accident?

Do your procedures provide for the safety of your firefighters at these incidents?

Australian Rescuers Exposed to Asbestos

Two hundred fifty rescuers in Australia received some terrible news recently (from EMSResponder.com).

At least 250 of the state's elite emergency workers have been told they could die from exposure to lethal levels of asbestos during anti-terrorist training drills.

The personnel at risk include members of the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) unit, who were told last week that they may have contracted life-threatening illnesses after training on a demolition site at Holsworthy Army Barracks.

The site was set up to simulate rescues in the event of a terrorist attack or natural disaster and has been regularly used by fire brigade, ambulance, police and army personnel since 2004.

It is really unfortunate because the emergency responders were just trying to prepare themselves to help others. I'm sure there will be an investigation into how this happened. I can't imagine someone setting this up on purpose, but there certainly could be some negligence involved.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the folks involved in this.

Here is a question for you: Are your training facilities safe?

Roanoke Firefighters Blog Hits One Year

Rhett over at Roanoke Firefighters has been blogging for one year. Stop by his blog and spend some time. He has some great posts and I make sure to check his site every day.

Alabama Church Arsonist Suspects Arrested

Three men were arrested and charged with the church arsons in Alabama (from the Washington Post).

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- For weeks, church congregants in rural Alabama were on high alert, eager to find out who was burning down their churches. The answer, authorities now say, was three college students who took a prank too far.

Agents capped a month of tedious police work Wednesday when they arrested the three friends in connection with nine church arsons that had spread fear through rural Alabama.

According to court filings, the first arsons started as "a joke" that got out of hand. The other fires were apparently an attempt to throw off the massive arson investigation.

...

Two of the suspects were identified as Benjamin Nathan Moseley and Russell Lee DeBusk Jr., both 19-year-old students at Birmingham-Southern College. Matthew Lee Cloyd, a 20-year-old junior at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, also was arrested.

Give me a break. One church arson, let alone nine, doesn't start as a joke. I guess the "joke" is on them. If they are convicted, they will all do some serious time in prison.

Mississippi Hit with 100 Wildland Fires

Wildland fire season has really picked up, especially in the southern states. Mississippi firefighters were busy yesterday (from ClarionLedger.com).

Firefighters battled some 100 wildfires in Mississippi on Wednesday.

The fires were the result of dry and windy conditions that have persisted since Feb. 25, the last day no fires were reported.

The fires stretched as far north as the Tennessee line and south to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

...

Between March 1 and 7, there have been 676 wildfires that burned 23,039 acres statewide, Grizzard said.

By comparison the state averages 564 wildfires in March that burn 10,000 acres, he said.

03/04/2006: False Alarm

At 15:30 hours, the MFD was paged to a fire alarm at the nursing home.

Enroute to the firehall, the sheriff notified us via radio that he was in contact with the nursing home staff and that it was a false alarm.

Imagine that, a false alarm at the nursing home.

I stopped by the nursing home to double check that everything was OK. Apparaently a resident had pulled one of the pull stations. They were having trouble resetting the pull station because the switch under the outer cover was broken.

288 Foot Aerial Ladder

How high is your aerial ladder ladder? Shanghia, China, is getting some new apparatus with very tall aerial ladders (from ShanghaiDaily.com).

SHANGHAI government will establish 15 public fire stations this year and equip them with imported fire trucks with 88-meter scaling ladders, Shanghai Evening Post report today.

The city has more than 4,000 high-rise buildings, which typically have more than 16 floors. The 88-meter ladder will reach more people when fires break out in these skyscrapers.

Here is the conversion: 88 meters = 288 feet. Zoicks!

Roanoke Firefighters has a post on this type of rig from a couple of months ago. It is a Bronto Skylift. Here is the website.

Poll Results - March 7, 2006

It's a good sign that nobody is winging it -

Thanks to everyone that takes part in the polls. If you have an idea for a poll, send me an e-mail or comment.

For the new poll this week, feel free to let me know the reasons behind your poll answer.

2006 Stand Down for Safety Campaign

Last year's Stand Down for Safety campaign created a buzz around the issue of firefighter safety. Another campaign is being planned for 2006 (from Firechief.com).

Building on the awareness generated by the June 21, 2005 Stand Down for Safety campaign initiated last year by the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the IAFC’s Safety, Health & Survival Section has called for another Firefighter Survival Safety Stand Down to take place June 18-24, 2006.

Every department in the country should take part in some or another.

Spacesuit Technology Applied to Firefighting PPE

A company is working on a new version of structural PPE utilizing spacesuit technology (from azom.com via FireFightingNews.com).

The technology used in space suits to protect astronauts carrying out space walks in direct sunlight is now being used to develop protective clothing to safeguard firefighters and steel workers who often work in extremely hot and dangerous conditions.

"The existing protective clothing used while performing physically demanding work in hot conditions can, in many cases, hinder workers' ability to remain cool," explains Stefano Carosio from the Italian company D'Appolonia, Project Manager for the Safe&Cool Project.

"Through this project, named Safe&Cool, we are developing a special protective material with a built-in cooling system based on the technology developed for the space suits used by astronauts on the International Space Station to prevent them from overheating when exposed to direct sunlight during space walks."

I'll be interested to see what the prototypes look like and see how they perform in hazardous environments.

Firefighter Survives SUV Landing on Him

This is a one-in-a-million survival story from the New York Daily News (via Roanoke Firefighers).

A manhole explosion sent an SUV flying onto a Bronx firefighter - but he was miraculously saved by his helmet when he crashed clean through a side window.

Firefighter Marc Kroenung, a 33-year-old married father of two, was helping extinguish a manhole fire Saturday when an underground explosion sent the Cadillac Escalade hurtling upward.

The giant SUV came down sideways, with the driver's side window shattering against Kroenung's helmet as the auto crashed to the pavement. He was left standing inside the overturned SUV.

This almost seems like something you would see in a cartoon. A couple of inches in any direction and Firefighter Kroenung could have been seriously injured or killed.

Fire Truck Video Game

I've never heard of this arcarde-style video game called Fire Truck by Atari (from klov.com):

One or two players drive a fire engine through a maze of winding city streets, avoiding parked cars. In one-player mode, a person may drive the front or back of the fire truck. In a two-person game, the front player sits and drives the rig while the rear player stands and steers the trailer.

This would be cool to have in a room with a pool table or dart board.

Residential Fire at -20 Degrees

Photo courtesy of Mike Zadra.

Fire Department: Virginia Fire & Ambulance
Location: Virginia, MN
Incident: Residential fire
Date: February 21, 2006

This picture comes to us via Firehouse.com Photostories.

BRRRR! Temperature: -20 degrees F. Wind Chill: -35 degrees F.

Application Period for 2006 AFG to Start

The application period for the 2006 Assistance to Firefighters Grants program opens on Monday, March 6 (from Firehouse.com).

Beginning March 6, 2005, at 8:00 a.m. eastern standard time, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will begin accepting applications for Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG). The deadline for receipt of the AFG "fire grant" applications is 5:00 p.m. eastern daylight time on April 7, 2006.

Be sure to have your applications in on time.

Real Stinker of a Fire

From the Wichita Eagle (via FireFightingNews.com):

Wichita firefighters spent much of Wednesday dousing hot spots in what's left of 250 portable toilets that were set on fire early that morning.

Part of a fence protecting the toilets was removed because of construction near AAA Port-O-Jon at 4475 E. 31st St. South, Wichita Fire Capt. Brad Crisp said, and someone set the toilets on fire. The blaze caused an estimated $300,000 in damage.

This is one type of incident I hope I never have to deal with!

National EMS Memorial Service

Check out the post from Roanoke Firefighters about the National EMS Memorial Service.

Drive Home Cars?

The Knoxville FD is trying to save money be reducing the number of drive home cars (from www.wate.com).

KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- A spokesman for the Knoxville Fire Department says it has implemented some changes to reduce expenses. They come after allegations of unacceptable overtime.

One change is reducing the number of drive home cars from 18 to 14. This happened on Monday.

One of the complaints in a grievance filed by Capt. Jamie Faucon is that her car was taken away. Spokesman Charlie Barker says that was done to save money.

Only supervisors such as the chief, deputy chief and fire marshal will now have cars. They're on-call 24/7. This change is planned to save money on fuel and personnel expenses.

Is it a common thing for career departments to have drive home cars for their officers?

At our volunteer fire department here in town, everyone has a drive home car. Of course, it's their own car! (hehehehe)

Near Miss: Firefighter Choked Unconcious

This near miss involves a training activity:

Instructor (name deleted) was apparently demonstrating a “common” rescue technique for rescuing an incapacitated firefighter. This technique involves laying the firefighter on his/her stomach and holding the PPE collar firmly at one end by one rescuer, and another rescuer lifting the legs area, you quickly carry the downed firefighter to safety. Recruit (name deleted) was chosen to be the victim for demonstration purposes. Apparently, during the evolution, while carrying Recruit (name deleted) up a stairwell, his PPE bunched up under his neck putting enough pressure on the throat area to create a “Choke” type incident causing Recruit (name deleted) to pass out.

Who would have thought that this could happen? I believe it is important to demonstate these techniques and then have all firefighters practice it. However, it looks in this situation a mannequin should be used.

I've never been taught this particular carry. Is this carry technique regulary taught?

Oklahoma Wildland Fire Destroys Homes

Oklahoma got smacked again (from the Washington Post).

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Authorities took one man into custody on suspicion of arson and were searching for another after a wildfire in southwestern Oklahoma destroyed at least 30 homes and forced the evacuation of two schools, a nursing home and area businesses.

The fire was one of several fueled by gusty winds and high temperatures, and firefighters remained at the scene for a second day Thursday. Seven firefighters have been injured while fighting the blazes.

I feel for the homeowners' losses. If the person that was arrested is convicted, they should throw the book at him.

747 Supertanker

This wildland fire season, we may see a new weapon on the firelines - a Boeing 747 converted into a heavy air tanker (from the Tuscon Citizen).

A massive weapon is expected to be unleashed for what could be a horrendous wildfire season.

A Boeing 747 parked at Pinal Airpark north of Marana is slated for final flight testing this month.

Federal Aviation Administration approval is expected in mid-April, said Jordan Hanson, a spokeswoman for Evergreen International Aviation.

Evergreen has spent nearly $35 million converting the 747 into a supertanker capable of carrying 24,000 gallons of fire retardant in one trip, Hanson said.

24,000 gallons in one drop! That will knock down some serious fire. Downside - the plane is so big that it probably can't be used in steep and tight canyons. Upside - huge drop capacity.

Here is the website for the Supertanker at Evergreen International Aviation. It has a ton of info including pictures and videos.

I didn't have time read everything or view the video clips so the answer to my question might be in there, but I wonder how long it takes to reload this monster.

Traffic Signal Preemption Study

A new study has been released about the preemption of traffic lights as emergency vehicles approach the intersection (from Firehouse.com).

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Highway Administration have released "Traffic Signal Preemption for Emergency Vehicles -- A Cross Cutting Study"

The Executive Summary states: This cross-cutting study identifies issues associated with emergency vehicle operations and emergency vehicle preemption. This study reports information gathered during a review of publications and site visits to three jurisdictions operating emergency vehicle preemption systems. The purpose of this study is to increase awareness among stakeholders -- including police, fire, rescue and emergency medical services (EMS) -- about the benefits and costs of emergency vehicle preemption.

Benefits include faster response times and fewer vehicle accidents at the intersections.

Emergency vehicle preemption has allowed Fairfax County, Virginia to reduce its response times. The system permits emergency vehicles along U.S. 1 to pass through high volume intersections more quickly with fewer conflicts, saving 30 to 45 seconds per intersection.

Emergency vehicle preemption in the City of Plano, Texas has dramatically reduced the number of emergency vehicle crashes - from an average of 2.3 intersection crashes per year to less than one intersection crash every five years.

Here is the link to the full report.

These systems are a big deal in urban areas, but I don't think it would work well here in Miller. We only have one stop light!