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?
Posted March 9, 2006 10:02 AM · Link
· Near Misses
