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May 2010 Read It Today, Use It Tomorrow Connect with us at FirefighterNation.comMay 2010 Read It Today, Use It Tomorrow Connect with us at FirefighterNation.com
PlusA refresher
on fire shelter deployment, p. 71
Water rescue drills, dos & don’ts, p. 40
Reinforce your hurricane preparations, p. 48
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4 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
48
May 2010Volume 28, Issue 5
To subscribe, visit
www.fire-rescue.com
Water Rescue 40 Safe on the Shore Whatyouneedtoknowto
successfullyperformashore-basedwater-rescueoperation
By Andy Speier
Hurricane Preparedness 48 Weathering the Storm Hurricanesteachvaluablelessons&
shapefuturepreplans By Vicki Sheppard
Plus! 54 A New Dimension Geo-taggingphotosaddsanother
levelofinformationforsearch&recoveryoperations
By Chad Council
Wildland/Urban Interface
A Matter of Survival:How,when&wheretoproperlydeployastandardfireshelterBy Chuck Sallade
71
62 President’s Letter TheGinsuphenomenon&
thefireservice By Chief Jeffrey D. Johnson
64 Leadership Skills Amodelforenhancingsituational
awarenesssoyoucanleadmoreeffectively
By Chief Marc Revere
68 Safety Get“FitforDuty”duringSafetyWeek By Chief Keith Padgett
69 Near-Miss Reports Asecondsafetyofficerisanessential
componentatlarge-scaleincidents By Deputy Chief John B. Tippett Jr.
TheInternationalAssociationofFireChiefs’leadershipsection
40
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6 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
80 New Products
82 New Deliveries
85 Ad Index
86 Classifieds
89 On the Market
90 Response Time Losing a leader inspires us to
live up to his example By Brian A. Crawford
In This Issue …
12 From the Editor Inthebudgetwars,wemustbereadytofight back by raising the bar By Timothy E. Sendelbach
14 ToolsNewsTechniques •GearTest:SmokeTrainer’sSmokeIdentification
Lighthelpsfirefightersstayvisibleindensesmoke conditions
•Events:Firefighterstake1,311stepstowardconquering cancer
•Review: MetaMedia Publishing’s hazmat training DVDs offer valuable information
•LODD: NIOSH reports recently released
22 Nozzlehead Learn all the features of your portable radio
system before you experience a mayday!
OnDec.9,2006,SantaBarbaraCountyfirefightersrespondedtoacallinvolvingacliff/surfrescueinthesmallcoastaltownofIslaVistajustnorthof
SantaBarbara.Uponarrival,firefightersfoundthreepeopledowna100'cliffandtrappedbyheavysurfandhightide.Asshown,firefighter/paramedic
JamesHarriscommunicatedviahisportableradiotothehoistteamatthetopofthecliff,whilefirefighter/paramedicJimSimpsonassistedoneof
thethreevictims;allwereliftedtothetopviaahigh-angleropesystem.Theincidentoccurredafteramanwhohadbeensurfingbecamedistressed.
Two other men attempted to assist the victim, but they too became trapped in the surf. The two responding engine companies and one truck
companyweretrainedinbothUSARandwaterrescue.
TACTICAL TIP: Technical rescue incidents, like all other emergency operations, require an effective scene size-up and rapid risk assessment (How
manyvictimsdoIhave?Aretheyinimmediatedanger?WhatresourceswillIneed?DoIhavetheimmediateresourcesonscenetostabilizethe
incident without assuming unnecessary risk?). In many cases, a rescuer must be quickly deployed to stabilize the patient while additional rescuers set
upvarioussystemsforpatientrescueandrescuerretrieval.Criticalpointstokeepinmind:Callforqualifiedhelpearly;onlydeployrescuerswhen
youhaveanestablishedrescueactionplan;andrememberthatsafetysystemsaretypicallydrivenbyredundancy—don’tcutcornersandjeopardize
firefightersafety.Consideralloptions—themostobviouschoicemightnotbethebestchoice.PhotoKeithCullom.
About the Cover
Exclusively Online!
Visitwww.tinyurl.com/FireRescueblogtoread these articles:
Truck Company Operations Find the “safety zones” & other tips for working on panelized roofsBy Randy Frassetto
Survival of the FittestAwalkthroughofbasicasanayogapractice By Jeff & Martha Ellis
26 Apparatus Ideas L.A.County’sPIOrigskeepthemedia&the
public informed during large-scale incidents By Bob Vaccaro
32 Fire Attack First-in engine companies are often
tasked with both size-up & initial firegroundoperations
By Greg Jakubowski
76 Company Officer Development Principle-based management is more
effective than managing by the rules By Ray Gayk
79 Fire Prevention Existing buildings require a more
delicate approach By Jim Crawford
32
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8 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
editor-in-chief
Timothy E. Sendelbach - [email protected]
dePUtY editor
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AUdience develoPMent coordinAtor
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MArketinG director
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MArketinG MAnAGer
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senior GrAPhic desiGner
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foUndinG PUBlisher
James O. Page, 1936–2004
m a g a z i n e
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10 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
TECHNICAL EDITORS
AppARATuS Fire Chief Bob Vaccaro (Ret.)
Deer Park, N.Y.
COmpANy OffICER DEvELOpmENT Deputy Chief Ray Gayk
Ontario (Calif.) Fire Department
fIRE ATTACk Chief Greg Jakubowski
Lingohocken (Pa.) Fire Company
Capt. Mike Kirby & District Chief Tom Lakamp Cincinnati Fire Department
ExTRICATION
Battalion Chief Todd D. Meyer Gig Harbor (Wash.) Fire/Medic One
fIRE pREvENTION
Fire Marshal Jim Crawford Vancouver (Wash.) Fire Department
fITNESS
Division Chief Martha Ellis Salt Lake City Fire Department
QuICk DRILLS
Capt. Homer Robertson Fort Worth Fire Department
RESCuE
Capt. Andy Speier Snohomish County (Wash.)
Fire District 1
RESCuE REpORT
Tom Vines, Rope Rescue Consultant Red Lodge, Mont.
RuRAL fIRE COmmAND
Capt. Keith Klassen Summit (Ariz.) Fire District
Resident Instructor Patrick Pauly Pennsylvania State Fire Academy
Lewistown, Penn.
TRuCk COmpANy OpS
Capt. Michael M. Dugan Fire Department City of New York
Capt. Randy Frassetto
Surprise (Ariz.) Fire Department
Lt. Jim McCormack Indianapolis Fire Department
EDITORIAL ADvISORS &
CONTRIBuTING EDITORS
Chief Brian Crawford Shreveport (La.) Fire Department
Dwight Clark FirstCare, Forsyth, Ga.
Chief Scott Cook (Ret.) Granbury (Texas) Fire Department
Battalion Chief Henry Costo Philadelphia Fire Department
Assistant Chief Brian Fennessy San Diego Fire-Rescue Department
Deputy Chief William Goldfeder Loveland-Symmes (Ohio)
Fire Department
Assistant Chief Todd Harms Phoenix Fire Department
Fire Chief Ed Hartin Central Whidbey Island (Wash.)
Fire & Rescue
Fire Chief Jeff Johnson Tualatin Valley (Ore.) Fire and Rescue
Fire Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr Austin (Texas) Fire Department
Steve Kidd Delve Productions, Inc. , Orlando, Fla.
Chief Tom Kuntz Red Lodge (Mont.) Fire Department
Thomas E. Lubnau II Lubnau Law Office, P.C., Gillette, Wyo.
Chief Steve Pegram Goshen (Ohio) Township Fire &
EMS Department
Battalion Chief Tom Pendley Peoria (Ariz.) Fire Department
District Chief Billy Schmidt Palm Beach County (Fla.)
Fire Department
Deputy Fire Coordinator Tiger Schmittendorf
Erie County Department of Emergency Services, Buffalo, N.Y.
District Chief John Sullivan Worcester (Mass.) Fire Department
Deputy Chief John Tippett Charleston (S.C.) Fire Department
Battalion Chief Matt Tobia Anne Arundel (Md.) County Fire
Department
m a g a z i n e
Editorial Board
To reach any member of our editorial board, e-mail [email protected] and include the contributor’s
name in your subject line.
iaFC Board & StaFF
FireRescue is the official publication of the International
Association of Fire Chiefs.
to SuBSCriBE, viSit
www.FirE-rESCuE.Com
iaFC Board
Jeffrey D. Johnson President &
Chairman of the Board
John E. “Jack” Parow First Vice President
Al H. Gillespie Second Vice President
Larry J. Grorud President 2008–2009
William R. Metcalf Treasurer
Richard Carrizzo Missouri Valley Division
John W. deHooge Canadian Division
William Walton Jr. Eastern Division
John Sinclair EMS Section
Alan W. Perdue Fire & Life Safety Section
Kenn Taylor Great Lakes Division
Luther L. Fincher Jr. Metro Chiefs Association
Roger Bradley New England Division
I. David Daniels Safety, Health
& Survival Section
Jack K. McElfish Southeastern Division
Jerry “J.D.” Gardner Southwestern Division
Fred C. Windisch VCOS
Joseph M. Perry Western Division
iaFC StaFF
Mark W. Light, CAE Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director
Ann Davison, CAE Strategic Information Manager
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12 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
A few years ago, a friend of mine recom-
mended I read a book called “Playing with
Fire,” by Scott Lazenby. I immediately
thought it was a book about some pyromaniac who’d
been setting fires and causing chaos and destruction
throughout a community. I could not have been
more wrong. “Playing with Fire” depicts a situation
that has become the political reality of the American
fire service, a realistic view of the political challenges
that every fire chief is facing or will eventually face.
And in that regard, it serves as an offensive playbook
for fire officers and chiefs.
“Playing with Fire” is about a small northwestern
city facing a financial burden following a vote to
roll back property taxes. Faced with an impending
financial crisis, the mayor goes on the offensive and
directs the city manager and his staff to come up with
creative ideas on how to cut costs to offset the forth-
coming reduction in revenues. After contemplating
across-the-board, percentage-based cuts, a staff mem-
ber approaches the city manager with a radical idea:
Revamp the fire department.
When the book was written (2001), this idea would
likely have caused strong public outcry and resistance
built upon the tradition that public safety should be
exempt from budget cuts—and in fact, a large por-
tion of the book describes the resulting battle between
firefighters, business owners and citizens.
But today, as I read the headlines of newspapers,
professional Web sites and blog posts from across the
country, it seems obvious: More and more politicians
are playing with fire. No longer are we the (perceived)
sacred cow left to graze in the greenest of pastures,
blessed with the brightest smiles and public admira-
tion. We are still the focal point of public attention,
but it isn’t the public attention of years past, and it’s
not the attention that makes us proud of what we do.
In some cases, proposed firefighter layoffs have
brought about a rash of arson fires that not only put
members of the public at risk, but firefighters as well.
Incidents that have advanced beyond room-and-
contents fires to full-blown structure fires are blamed
on prolonged response times due to brownouts and/
or station closings. In another case, an opposing view-
point is expressed as a citizen eggs a fire truck and spits
at a fire crew as they enter the local supermarket to pick
up the day’s groceries. In yet another case, questions
begin to surface about the longstanding tradition of
firefighters participating in fundraising activities while
on duty.
Like it or not, the fire service is at a crossroads. We
are faced with tough financial compromises and pub-
lic scrutiny beyond the likes of any generation before
us, and our previously accepted practices are going
to be scrutinized and questioned at every corner. In
some cases we can rely upon our banked deposits of
good deeds to guide us through, but in many others
we must rely on a more formidable tradition: going
beyond the call of the duty.
As tempting as it might be, the answer to those who
play with fire is not voiced opposition, threats or retal-
iatory efforts, but rather education. We (the fire ser-
vice as a whole) must tell our story, justify our actions,
and provide the facts and figures that justify our wants
and needs. We must make modifications to our ser-
vice levels that demonstrate the required compromise
without increasing the risk to our members. We must
seek opportunities to make those additional deposits
of good deeds—not as a matter of necessity, but rather
an expectation. You call, we deliver.
In many conversations, the mere mention of politics
is taboo. But in these tough and trying times, the two
things that will get us by are public perception (what
the public knows, understands and believes) and poli-
tics (the right people, in the right places, saying the
right things to win the majority of votes). Some deci-
sions are beyond our control, and in those cases we
must take our lumps, but in the cases where we can
inform and educate, we must.
Te fire service has historically been viewed in a
positive light. Much of this is accredited to those
who have served before us. Our forefathers have
laid the groundwork of dedication and service that
has set the standard of public expectation. In recent
years, we’ve continued to raise the bar of customer
service, yet, as is human instinct, we oftentimes
become comfortable with our efforts and rely upon
the status quo to get us by.
Now is not the time for the status quo. As the next
generation of leaders, firefighters, company officers
and aspiring chief officers, the challenge is before you:
Take the fire service to new heights, lead us through
these tough times, and set the bar of public expecta-
tion at a new level.
Playing with Fire
In the budget wars, we must be ready to fight back by raising the bar
By Timothy E.
Sendelbach
FromTheediTor
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14 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
Get Visible!Smoke Trainer’s Smoke Identification Light helps firefighters stay visible in dense smoke conditionsBy Capt. John Leivas
Firefighter accountability is vital for any fire depart-
ment—paid or volunteer—and the fire service is
always looking for ways to improve accountability
on the fireground. We have passports with firefighter
pictures, names and company assignments. We have
PAR tags with names attached to a passport board that
identifies engine, ladder, battalion and rescue compa-
nies, and we even have GPS tracking devices that can
be added to your SCBA. Te passport system seems to
work just fine, but it’s only one piece of the account-
ability puzzle.
We tell our firefighters that as long as we can hear
them, see them or touch them, we have account-
ability of our crew inside the structure fire. But how
does that work when we’re multi-tasking, advancing
charged hoselines or shag-
ging hose from a doorway?
It’s difficult to keep track
of everyone. Fortunately, I
think I’ve found a product
that can help.
Last year, I was approached
by a company out of Ana-
heim, Calif., to test a new
device designed to help
with accountability, inside
and outside a structure fire.
Smoke Trainer’s product—the
Smoke Identification Light
(SID)—is a 4 ¾-inch-long
device that mounts to your
SCBA air cylinder and illu-
minates LED light tubes to
display identification of dif-
ferent teams, engine company
numbers, instructors, EMS personnel, etc.
Te first time I used the SID, it worked well but
needed some minor changes. Fortunately, the folks at
Smoke Trainer were more than willing to make some
adjustments to improve the product.
I was then asked to evaluate the unit a second time.
Tis time my department had just begun our fourth-
quarter multi-company live-fire drill. We did a total
of 31 live-fire drills over the course of 3 months.
During this time, we were able to test the SID. One
day in particular, we ran crews through a simulated
warehouse fire at our training facility. We attached
the SID to four SCBAs. Crews were faced with heavy
smoke and fire conditions, with smoke down to the
ground. Tis made it difficult for crews to see each
other—a common problem on the fireground. We
found that by using the SIDs, crews working inside
could easily see other firefighters 8 to 10 feet away
in heavy smoke conditions. Note: According to the
Smoke Trainer Web site, the product is visible at
approximately 30 feet away in dense black smoke;
we found that 30 feet was more realistic for marginal
smoke conditions.
We found the light easy to use and very durable. It
weighs only 4 oz., is a half-inch thick, and is made
Tools News TechniquesEquipment How To Training People Gear Test Web & Media Events
Smoke Identification Light
Pros+ Small;
+ Highly visible in dense
smoke;
+ Easy to use;
+ Durable;
+ Multiple light modes; and
+ Fits all major SCBA.
Cons- None.
Smoke TrainerP.O. Box 27551
Anaheim, CA 92809
Tel: 800/882-6567
714/974-6550
Fax: 714/974-6599
Web: www.smoketrainer.com
Ph
oto
s C
ou
rtes
y s
mo
ke t
ra
iner
The Smoke Identification Light is a 4 ¾-inch-long device
that mounts to your SCBA air cylinder and illuminates LED
light tubes to display identification of different teams, engine
company numbers, instructors and EMS personnel.
There are three different modes for the light—solid, flashing and
strobe with four color variations (red, blue, green and yellow)—that
illuminate the ID and ID number. You can put up to four letters and
four numbers on the unit for identification.
M a y 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 15
of aluminum with carbon fiber 4 ¼-inch LED light
tubes. It’s powered by four AA batteries that last
up to 40 hours for continuous use. Tere are three
different modes for the light—solid, flashing and
strobe with four color variations (red, blue, green
and yellow)—that illuminate the ID and ID num-
ber. You can put up to four letters and four numbers
on the unit for identification.
Te unit fits all major SCBAs. It has clip sizes that
fit small and large SCBA cylinders and can also be
attached through the bottle strap.
Te SID can withstand temperatures up to 450
degrees F. It has two buttons that can easily be pushed
while wearing gloves. One button allows you to
turn on the unit manually and set the mode from
solid to flashing or strobe. Te second button allows
you to change the color of the ID and ID number
illumination.
Te light is activated immediately upon exiting the
fire truck.
I believe that the Smoke ID Light, which costs $139,
made a considerable difference in our accountability
of firefighters working on and around the fireground.
Not only did it help identify what crews are on the
fireground, but command could see them as well. Bot-
tom line: Our crews had a very favorable response to
the product.
On another note, don’t forget that it’s our responsi-
bility to take care of each other so everyone goes home.
Be safe!
John Leivas is a 27-year veteran with the Mesa (Ariz.) Fire Department. He
serves as a firefighter/paramedic currently assigned to the training division
where he’s been for the past 5 years. He has developed SCBA programs and
SCBA self-survival for tactical situations for police SWAT teams. He is a
tactical paramedic.
News
Upward MobilityFirefighters take 1,311 steps toward conquering cancer By Jane Jerrard
On March 7, 1,555 firefighters in full gear
sprinted up the 1,311 stairs of Seattle’s tallest
building for a good cause. Te 19th annual Scott Fire-
fighter Stairclimb is the largest individual firefighter
competition in the world, as well as a major fundraiser
for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).
Held in Seattle’s Columbia Center, the event calls
for firefighters in full bunker gear and breathing appa-
ratus (collectively weighing about 50 lbs.) to sprint-
climb from the skyscraper’s lobby to the 73rd floor.
“Overall, the event was wonderful,” says Kris How-
ard, event director for LLS.
RecoRds BRoken
Te 2010 Stairclimb broke some records—not for
the race times, but for overall success. For starters, the
1,500 open slots for climbers were snapped up within
2 weeks. “We were really excited
when the slots sold out so fast,” How-
ard says.
Another record broken was the
amount of money raised. “Tis was
our biggest event yet. Although the
numbers are not final yet, it’s looking
like our biggest fundraising year as
well,” Howard says. “With this year’s
Stairclimb, we’re hoping to break the
$650,000 mark. While there is a regis-
tration fee that all participants pay, the
majority of that money is raised by the
individuals and teams. It’s a hard event to train for, and
then they also go out and raise the funds, too.”
All money raised goes to LLS, which directs it to
research of blood cancers and support services for
patients and families.
And the WinneRs ARe …
When the winners of the men’s and women’s climb
were announced, listeners must have experienced déjà
vu—particularly for Georgia Sans Daniels, a firefighter
with Graham (Wash.) Fire and Rescue. Daniels won
the women’s category easily with a time of 14:51.90.
In fact, she’s won each of the 12 Stairclimbs she’s par-
ticipated in, and at age 42, says she plans to continue:
“I figure I’ve got 11 years left in my career, so I guess
I’ll just run those years out.” She took a year off from
the event to celebrate her 40th birthday—but returned
the following year to clock her fastest time yet.
Asked how tough the climb itself is, Daniels says,
“For me, it’s harder mentally than physically. I put a
lot of pressure on myself.” She says that the first year
or two she signed up “as a competitive thing,” but
explains that, “Now, I hope to raise a lot of money
for the LLS.”
Daniels trains year-round to stay in shape, includ-
ing a lot of biking and running. “I don’t specifically
train for the climb until the end of December or
s
NIOSH Reports Recently ReleasedTo read the complete reports, visit www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire
F2008-05: Volunteer captain dies in
engine rollover
Date: Feb. 23, 2008
Location: Colorado
F2009-12: Volunteer fire chief dies in
motor vehicle incident while responding
to a fire alarm
Date: April 15, 2009
Location: Maryland
F2009-26: Firefighter/operator suffers
sudden cardiac death while operating a fire
engine at a structure fire
Date: Sept. 11, 2009
Location: Louisiana
F2009-05: A career lieutenant dies and three
firefighters are injured in ladder truck crash
Date: Jan. 9, 2009
Location: Massachusetts
Held in Seattle’s Columbia
Center, the annual Scott
Firefighter Stairclimb calls for
firefighters in full bunker gear
and breathing apparatus
to sprint-climb from the
skyscraper’s lobby to the
73rd floor.
Ph
oto
Co
ur
tes
y t
he L
eu
kem
ia &
Lym
Ph
om
a s
oC
iety
16 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
January,” she explains. “Ten I’ll start working out at
the gym here at the department with all my gear on,
to train for the heat.”
Asked her secret for conquering this event for
a dozen years, Daniels says simply, “I think I have
good genes.”
Tat must hold true for the men’s climb winner as
well. Kory Burgess, a firefighter with Missoula (Mont.)
Rural Fire, won with a time of just 11:01.35—the
second-fastest time ever recorded for the competition,
right behind Burgess’s own time of 10:55.75 in 2009.
Tis was Burgess’s sixth year in the Stairclimb.
“Every year, I say I’m not going to sign up for it
again,” he admits. “I forget how painful it is while
you’re doing it.”
Burgess stays in shape throughout the year with gen-
eral training. “About 4 months out, I start focusing
on the Stairclimb,” he says. “We have Mount Sentinel
here in Missoula, and I’ll run up that with a weight
vest or in my gear. I try to do that no more than once
or twice a week; in past years, I’ve burnt out from
training too much.”
Burgess says he races in the Stairclimb because, “It’s
a good way to stay in shape and a good [fitness] goal.
But mainly we do it so we can fundraise for the Leu-
kemia & Lymphoma Society.” Missoula firefighters
raise funds individually and as a department, and they
do very well in both fundraising and in the competi-
tion. Andy Drobeck of Missoula City Fire took sec-
ond place and Doug Swain—also of Missoula Rural
Fire—finished fourth.
What’s up with Missoula? “It’s a pretty active com-
munity—there are lots of triathlons and bike races,”
Burgess says. “And we feed off of each other while we
train. My friend Doug Swain and I train together
s
Honored Patient
Each year, the LLS chooses an “honored patient” for the Stairclimb. “We
like to remind everyone of the reason, or the heart, behind this event, so
we always select an honored patient,” Howard explains. “It puts a face to
the disease a little bit.” For the 2010 Stairclimb, the honored patient was
Audra Rajsich, whose brother Kyle is a firefighter with the Boise (Idaho)
Fire Department.
“I was asked to tell my story during the morning’s opening ceremony,”
says Audra, who was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2008. “It was a great
opportunity to just say thank you. It’s such a privilege to walk in and see all
these people—the firefighters and volunteers—and know that they’re there
for you.”
Kyle has run the Stairclimb four times—his first two before his sister had
cancer. “Last year, I was still going through chemo, but I really wanted to
be there when Kyle raced,” Audra recalls. “I couldn’t fly because of risk of
infection, so I rented a car and drove from Boise to Seattle.” Thanks to an
OK from Howard, Audra was waiting at the 73rd floor when Kyle completed
his climb—as she was this year.
s
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18 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
a lot. And Andy works for a neighboring
department, so we have a friendly rivalry.”
Wait ’til Next Year
If you want to participate in next year’s Scott
Firefighter Stairclimb, Howard recommends
that you get in touch with LLS as soon as
possible. Registration typically opens in mid-
November, and the number of slots for 2011
has not yet been determined. Visit the LLS
Web site at www.leukemia-lymphoma.org.
Jane Jerrard lives in Chicago and writes regularly for
FireRescue.
Review
Viewing the Hazmat EnvironmentMetaMedia Publishing’s hazmat training DVDs offer valuable informationBy anthony P. Manfredi Jr.
I was recently asked by one of the editors
at FireRescue magazine to review Meta-
Media Publishing’s Emergency Response
hazmat training DVDs: “Responding to
Hazmat Incidents,” “Lessons Learned from
Graniteville” and “Roles of Skills Construc-
tion Workers in a Disaster Setting.” I found
the series to be very interesting, informative
and well organized.
In a nutshell, the DVDs cover procedures
for establishing command; guidelines for a
safe approach; positioning at a hazmat inci-
dent; establishing a safe perimeter and haz-
ard control zones; procedures for carrying
out protective actions; how to coordinate
multiple resource groups; the importance
of controlling the flow of information and
having an effective leadership team; and
preplanning to set up a systematic, coor-
dinated approach to a major accident or
incident, which may involve a variety of
public and private agencies, including fire
departments, police services, EMS and local
emergency planning committees.
Responders who watch these DVDs will
learn how to determine response objectives
and sources for hazard information, and how
to evaluate risks. Additionally, the DVDs
have a story-telling style, which I personally
think is an extremely effective approach to
learning.
Get Movin’The Scott Firefighter Combat
Challenge kicked into high gear last
month with its first event in Miami
Township, Ohio. May Challenge
events will be held in Albertville,
Ala.; Marlboroug, Mass.; Kissim-
mee, Fla.; and Charleston, S.C.
Visit www.firefighter-challenge.
com to view results and check the
Challenge schedule for events in
your area.
Sign up for Challenge events in your area
s
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20 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
Te DVDs can be played on either a DVD player
hooked up to a TV or on a computer that plays
DVDs. I watched the DVDs on my computer and
found it extremely easy to use my mouse to navigate
through the program.
Here are the specifics of each DVD:
• “Responding to Hazmat Incidents” is broken up
into four essential parts: Analyzing, Planning,
Implementing and Evaluating. Tese four parts
are certainly relative to the eight-step process that
we all use when responding to a hazmat incident.
Tis DVD also addresses the use of the Emergency
Response Guidebook—an important tool to every
first responder in the initial stages of the incident.
• After watching “Lessons Learned from
Graniteville,” viewers will be able to
describe the hazmat situation that occurred
in Graniteville, S.C., and its consequences.
(Note: On Jan. 6, 2005, two trains col-
lided. One of the trains was carrying
chlorine gas, which was released into the
air and ultimately caused the death of
nine people. Approximately 5,400 peo-
ple within a mile of the crash site were
forced to evacuate for nearly 2 weeks
while hazmat teams decontaminated the
area.) Tis DVD focuses on four main
objectives: explaining the procedures for
identifying a potential hazmat situation;
describing the various resources that help
responders determine what the chemical
may be; identifying the most common
hazardous materials released; and iden-
tifying various placards, hazard class ID
numbers, colors and symbols that may be
seen on different tank cars.
• “Te Roles of Skilled Construction
Workers in a Disaster Setting” DVD
has an interesting Case Studies section
that covers some safety tips and how to
enhance your safety plan. It also cov-
ers the OSHA 30-hour course topics of
training related to construction and gen-
eral industry safety and health standards.
Te bottom line: We’re all trying to get
the most out of training these days, and
watching videos like this is a great option.
After all, they become resources that mem-
bers can watch over and over again to really
grasp the subject matter.
For more information about these DVDs,
visit www.metamediapublishing.com.
Anthony P. Manfredi Jr. is the assistant fire chief and deputy
fire marshal for the Mystic (Conn.) Fire Department. He is also
the chairman of the Connecticut Eastern Regional Response
Integrated Team’s equipment and training committee.
Photos Courtesy MetaMedia Publishing
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Radio Communication
& DIM-WITs
Dear Nozzlehead: I need your help checking my
sanity—or lack thereof. Our current county mayday
policy calls for a firefighter in a bad situation to call a
mayday on our 800-MHz digital trunked radios two times
before activating the emergency button. My concern is
that a firefighter or crew in a mayday situation may not
have time to call for a mayday two times. After reading
some recent line-of-duty death (LODD) reports, I learned
that the transmission may be rejected by the system (and
never make the air), especially in the first 5 minutes of a
fire when there’s a lot of traffic on the fireground (respond-
ing units, command, hydrant, etc.) and talk groups.
I thought activating the emergency button first gives
that particular radio priority above all others! The argu-
ment I keep hearing is, “The emergency button activation
changes the channel of the emergency radio to the main
dispatch and makes the rest of the county use another
channel for dispatch.” I know this may be inconvenient
for other departments; however, these situations happen
so infrequently that the inconvenience to others pales in
comparison to a firefighter who needs help.
I’ve heard other minor arguments (i.e., “A gloved firefighter
can’t find the button”; “We keep our radios in pockets”), but
we need to find a solution to train our firefighters and keep
them safe. For instance, we train all of our firefighters to clip
the radio to their SCBA chest strap instead of putting it in a
pocket, so the radio is in front of them in an accessible loca-
tion. I’ve told our crews that I’d rather deal with a burned
hand than my family mourning my death.
We struggle with teaching firefighters to recognize when
they’re in trouble and to activate a mayday—rather than
being foolishly macho and not calling for help until they no
longer can. Why would we take away their one guaranteed
method of communicating with someone when they’re in
need? The difference between being in trouble and being
incapacitated in a bad situation could be seconds. The cur-
rent system does not guarantee someone will hear their call
for help unless they activate the emergency button first.
I know from reading some LODD reports and knowing
people who gave their lives that this is a valid issue. I just
can’t understand why others don’t understand. Am I on
the right track with this or am I way off base?
—Can You Hear Me Now?
Dear Can You Hear Me Now,
A need to communicate in the fire service—now there’s
an issue worth talking about. (Lame attempt at humor;
relax, it may get better).
Interestingly, I just had a discussion about this with
some chiefs who are also very concerned. Te fire service
really needs to review the procedures and training related
to the use of radio systems, especially digital trunked sys-
tems. So you aren’t nuts, at least not in this case.
Te word is that the IAFC’s Safety, Health and Sur-
vival Section is going to work on this very issue, devel-
oping “best practices” that focus on ensuring firefighters
and fire officers get the proper training before they oper-
ate on new radio systems in dangerous environments.
Most departments don’t provide firefighters with
training on radio systems, but they all should.
When a department switches from using a simple
analog system to a complex digital trunked system, users
will find the systems to be VERY different—and this is
not something that should be learned during a mayday.
But it has been, and the results have been horrific.
Although some may argue that the newer-style digi-
tal trunked radio systems are the problem—and this
may be the case in some situations—there’s no excuse
for a department to fail to provide drills and training
on the new system well before crews must rely on it.
As for your specific concern, in my opinion, the
emergency button should be pushed as the first step
in declaring a mayday, as it gives the user the system,
as it should. I would also like exterior firefighters to
stay off the radio when members are operating in the
interior. After all, this is when they’re most likely to get
into trouble or need help quickly and, therefore, this is
when they’ll most likely need to use their radio.
When I think about this issue and the “over use”
of radios, I like to reference the acronym DIM-WIT:
Does It Matter What I’m Transmitting? Basically, if
the transmission isn’t critical, then do not transmit.
And no, this may not be easy for some; it isn’t for me.
I like to paint a very clear picture of what I’m dealing
with in the area I’m responsible for so everyone on the
fireground understands the big picture. And like most
changes, this will require a little self-discipline.
Learn all the features of your portable radio system before you experience a mayday!
NOZZLEHEADs
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24 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
I’ve been focusing on this issue myself recently, and I
have an example: I had the “Charlie” division on a work-
ing structural fire. I gave my report, suggested to com-
mand what I wanted to do and awaited their OK. Tey
OK’d my plan, and I directed my three companies to
get it done. As they were executing the plan, I thought,
“Maybe I should give command a progress report,” but
then wondered, “Why?” Command expects that I will
get done what we agreed to, so until my companies have
completed the task, why do I need to tell command that
I was doing what they already expected? 10-4?
Especially with the advent of digital radios, where the
“computer” controls the airwaves and only one portable
radio can transmit on a talk group at a time, radio “space”
is absolutely precious. Transmitting a non-critical mes-
sage could block another firefighter transmitting their
only chance for a mayday—another reason why press-
ing the mayday button, emergency button (whatever
you call it in your department) should be the FIRST
step in transmitting a mayday. If you’re in a mayday
situation (as defined by your department’s policies, but
generally when you’re lost, unable to exit, disoriented,
trapped, etc.), hit the button and start your message.
Here’s one department’s definition of a mayday:
“Firefighters will call a mayday for themselves or their
crewmembers under the following conditions while
operating in, on or near a hazardous environment:
• If they are lost, disoriented, trapped, caught in
fire-related conditions or entangled;
• When a crewmember is unaccounted for (i.e., if
a crewmember does not reply after the third time
called, you have a mayday);
• If a crewmember is injured, trapped or needs med-
ical attention and existing resources cannot get the
member out—and the member is in danger;
• If there has been a critical equipment failure
(SCBA, PPE, etc.) or structural collapse;
• If the low-air alarm sounds and one of the condi-
tions mentioned above is present;
• If a firefighter is out of air; or
• In any other situation that causes a firefighter to
feel that their life or team members’ lives are in
serious danger and serious harm.”
Remember: A mayday can always be recalled or
cancelled, but waiting too long to call a mayday can
result in losing precious time for finding and rescuing
a member. Generally, if you’re even thinking about call-
ing a mayday, something has made you think that way
and, therefore, calling a mayday is probably valid.
Te days of “Engine 888 approaching, requesting
assignment” or “Engine 888 to command, where do
you need us?” are over—or need to be. Arriving com-
panies should state, “Engine 888 staged” and that’s
it. Command will then give you an assignment. Also,
while operating, companies making progress should
do that—make progress. Tere’s no need to talk on the
radio until the assignment is done (unless more help is
needed or you’re unable to get the task done, of course).
Ten either exit or advise that you’re done—whatever
your local procedure is. Tat’s it.
Listening is also critical. When we’re not transmit-
ting, we have the opportunity to LISTEN to the radio
while performing our tasks. Who knows who may hear
that one brief transmission that will matter? Listen-
ing to the radio is a critical part of nearly every fire-
ground task for all responding, arriving and on-scene
command officers. As soon as the fireground channel
is assigned, switch your portable radio to it and start
listening while responding, upon arrival and while
establishing command—and then don’t stop listening.
Some other significant concerns related to radios:
• Many firefighters in trouble take off their gloves
to hit the emergency button. When was the last
time your department conducted a drill that
involved using the radios in full PPE to see what
buttons and switches work with a gloved hand?
And, of course, “It is better to burn one’s hand
than to die,” but wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t
HAVE to remove our gloves—and we not only
had equipment to support that, but training that’s
related as well? Some would also counter that
some firefighters aren’t in a heated environment
when they’re calling a mayday, but rather lost or
disoriented, and to tell them to keep their gloves
on is useless. To that I say that the better solution
would be for us to be able to hit the button, trans-
mit the mayday and stay in our PPE without any
exposed skin as long as possible.
• Where is your radio? In the radio pocket? Under
your coat on a strap? Over your coat on a strap?
Are you able to hit the emergency button with
your radio under your coat? How will that work
when you get in trouble? What’s the procedure?
Maybe radios shouldn’t be under coats unless the
extended microphone has an emergency but-
ton—something to think about.
• Some digital radio systems have excellent features
that allow the dispatcher or command to con-
trol the actual mayday radio itself, helping get the
firefighter rescued. What features does your radio
system have? Have you been properly trained
or were you simply handed the new radio and
expected to figure it out yourself?
Te last thing you want is to have to figure out the
answers to the above questions when you’re stuck in a hot,
blacked-out basement that’s full of smoke—and you’re lost.
Te bottom line: Te clueless need to be clued in on
the fact that NOTHING else matters when there’s
a mayday. And when it does happen, EVERY effort
must be made to tell ANYONE that, “I need help
NOW!” Tat includes hitting the button by any
means required vs. getting killed because we instead
attempted to transmit on the radio and got a digital
“busy signal”—something that has happened to some
firefighters who did make it out and, horrifically, to
others who gave their lives in the line of duty.
Nozzle Head
Got a fire service question or complaint?
Let Nozzlehead hear all about
it. He’ll answer you with 2,000
psi of free-flowing opinion.
Send your letters to:
Nozzlehead, c/o FireRescue,
525 B St. Ste. 1800
San Diego, CA 92101-4495
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As most of you know, I always strive to report
on unique types of fire apparatus out in the
field. Occasionally, I’ll write about the aver-
age engine, ladder or heavy-rescue, but for the most
part, I search for the unique rigs.
Tis month’s column brings us to Los Angeles
County. I’ve followed the Los Angeles County Fire
Department (LACoFD) ever since the popular show
Emergency! debuted in the 1970s. Even back then, it
was obvious that the department was ahead of the
pack, and today is no different. It’s one of the most
progressive departments on the West Coast, so it
shouldn’t be surprising that some of their apparatus
are a bit unique as well.
Over the last several years, the LACoFD has taken
delivery of a large command-style vehicle and three
smaller vehicles. At first glance, they might look like
command-and-control vehicles. On closer inspec-
tion, however, it becomes clear that these rigs were
built for exclusive use by LACoFD public informa-
tion officers (PIOs).
5 Years in the Making
According to former PIO Captain Mark Savage, the
production of the units was a 5-year project. “Te
planning for the vehicles started in 2003,” Savage
says. “We had smaller units in the past, but they
became obsolete. After 9/11, we put in a request to
have a platform to handle large-scale incidents, such
as weapons of mass destruction, large wildfires, mud-
slides, etc.”
Although many departments might see a PIO
vehicle as too specialized, Los Angeles is the second-
largest media outlet in the country, creating a unique
need. “We needed a vehicle to handle the media at
large-scale events and also handle the large num-
ber of PIOs from other agencies who work at these
events—such as other fire departments, the Office of
Emergency Services [OES], power and light, sheriff’s
office, LAPD, etc.,” Savage says. “At one incident, we
had more than 40 different PIOs on scene.”
And as Savage notes, in a community that faces
many natural disasters, the PIO’s role is critical.
Comm Central
By Bob Vaccaro
apparatusideas
L.A. County’s PIO rigs keep the media & the public informed during large-scale incidents
All p
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An
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L.A. County’s new PIO vehicle
is built by SVI on a 2007
Freightliner chassis. This
large unit is stationed at the
LACoFD headquarters.
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28 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
“Our main concern and goal is to get real-time evacuation infor-
mation out to the public for wildfires and mudslides and other
large events—to save lives,” he says.
Te spec-writing committee for the vehicles consisted of firefight-
ers, officers, chiefs, members of the fleet services division and Savage.
Te specs were written for a self-contained vehicle. “We wanted it
to be large, but not too large,” Savage says. “We didn’t want it to be
overdone. It also had to be cost-effective, but efficient.”
Te committee went through the normal bidding channels, and
SVI, located in Loveland, Colo., won the bid. “Tey have a great
deal of experience building these types of vehicles, so we were
happy when it was announced they received the contract,” Savage
says. “We went out to the factory several times during the building
of the vehicle, and we were happy with the company. Tey were
very receptive to our ideas. It was a great experience dealing with
their engineers.”
Big & Small
Te larger PIO vehicle is stationed at the LACoFD headquarters
in East Los Angeles, while the smaller units are dispersed around
the county.
A lot of neat stuff is included in the bigger vehicle, all of which is
designed to facilitate communication with the public during large-
scale incidents. Te 2007 Freightliner vehicle is equipped with
six workstations, but can accommodate more people; laptops are
all connected to printers and fax machines. Electrical outlets are
available for cell phone charging and also provide access to 12 15"
flat-screen TVs. Te TVs provide coverage of all local news sta-
tions plus satellite channels. In the middle of the TV bank is a 40"
conversion SmartBoard/Television that allows the PIO to actually
draw on the on-screen map, which is ideal for showing fire spread
or evacuation routes.
apparatus ideas
s
The Los Angeles County Fire Department was founded
in 1920. It provides fire protection and life-safety services
to 4.1 million residents living across 2,300 square miles.
Protection covers 58 individual cities with 3,700 sworn
personnel and 700 lifeguards. The department responds
to more than 300,000 incidents each year.
About LACoFD
The business end of the vehicle shows the six workstations and communications
equipment.
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30 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
Te truck’s video capabilities allow firefighters to download and
dub video from a camera in the field and use it for training pur-
poses. It can also provide computer-aided dispatch if needed to
back up the main system.
Other features include an onboard generator and a self-stabilizing
system that keeps the truck stable at all times. Because the unit usu-
ally responds with the expectation that it will be operating 12 hours
or more, it has 80 gallons of fuel storage and bedding and tables
for long-term use. Te unit was funded partially by a $375,000
Department of Homeland Security grant.
Te smaller regional units have satellite dishes affixed to the roof
and two LCD monitors, which can be configured to watch several
media outlets at once. Te command module built into the rear of
these Suburbans has computer and printer capabilities that can be
used to disseminate information to the media. Tese units respond
on greater-alarm incidents.
In OperatIOn
Te larger unit has operated a great deal since delivery. “We used it
at the Station Fire, the Merrick Fire and several of the large mud-
slide incidents that L.A. County has experienced,” Savage says. “It
has worked great at all of the incidents.”
A unit of this magnitude wouldn’t be cost-effective for most smaller
departments, but the smaller unit would. You could also incorporate
some of the features of these units into command-and-control vehi-
cles that you may already own or are contemplating building.
Te capabilities provided by such vehicles are not only conve-
nient; they can be invaluable to your department over the long-
term. Keeping the media on your side and giving them timely
information during an incident pays huge dividends in your
department’s credibility.
Bob Vaccaro has more than 30 years of fire service experience. He is a former chief of the Deer
Park (N.Y.) Fire Department. Vaccaro has also worked for the Insurance Services Office, The
New York Fire Patrol and several major commercial insurance companies as a senior loss-
control consultant. Vaccaro is a life member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
apparatus ideas
The department also ordered three smaller vehicles that are located throughout the
county and respond to greater-alarm incidents.
“Our main concern & goal is to get real-time evacuation information out to the public for
wildfires & mudslides—to save lives.”
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Unless your department has a “fire SUV”
(check it out on YouTube if you haven’t
already), there’s a very good chance that you’ll
arrive on the scene of a house or building fire incident
with an engine company. In North America, engine
companies are the most common piece of apparatus
in the fire station, because they’re needed to extinguish
almost every type of fire. As a result, engine companies
are often the first-arriving units at a fire incident and
therefore have the ability to set the tone for the entire
incident by properly performing a size-up and initial
fireground operations. As we all know, when a size-up
is not done, or not done properly, it can at best result
in errors on the fireground, or at worst, chaos.
Get a Good Look
Many first-arriving firefighters base their initial deci-
sions at an incident scene on first impressions, with-
out looking at the entire picture. Tey see something
that looks like smoke and immediately think “work-
ing fire.” Or, they see nothing and immediately think
“false alarm.” But it’s very difficult to get a full under-
standing of an incident without getting a good look at
everything. You never know what may happen. Consider
the Takoma Park, Md., incident that occurred in 1982.
More than a dozen houses caught fire after thousands of
gallons of gasoline were mistakenly dispensed into the
sewer system. It was quite a surprise to the firefighters
on scene that day when they saw one house on fire, but
suddenly the house next door also began to burn.
Initial units can also get tunnel vision, focusing on a
small part of the situation because that’s what they’re
used to dealing with, while the overall incident rapidly
progresses and spreads, requiring bigger-picture man-
agement and additional resources.
To combat this, the initial-arriving crew must use all
their senses to determine what’s occurring. At the very
least, one crewmember must take a 360-degree look
around the structure, unless a victim needs rescue and/
or assistance or the building is so large that it’s impos-
sible to size up in 2 or 3 minutes. If the structure is
large, the crewmember can go from one corner of the
building to the next to view at least three of its sides.
If the crewmember doesn’t take the time to perform
this task or performs it poorly, it can result in selecting
the wrong size hoseline or stretching a hoseline in the
wrong place, which would allow the fire to grow and
threaten lives and property.
Double Duty
First-in engine companies are often tasked with both size-up & initial fireground operations
Fireattack
At first glance, it might appear
that this home has nothing
showing from the front, but a
quick trip around the building
found smoke showing.
s
Ph
oto
Rya
n M
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on
alD
By Greg Jakubowski
O c t O b e r 2 0 0 9 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 55
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34 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
What to Look For & What to Say
During the size-up, get a good look at where any smoke
or fire is coming from. Look for signs of backdraft, such
as puffing (“breathing”) smoke, yellow-brownish smoke
and darkened/cracked windows. If these elements are
present, start vertical ventilation immediately.
Look for signs of flashover, including an advancing/
increasing fire. One classic sign of an impending flash-
over is the smoke level in the fire room being “pulled
down” like a room-darkening shade. If you see that
happen, you may have only a few moments until
flashover. Get water on the ceiling area of the room,
and get it ventilated horizontally (break a window).
Smoke color can tell you a lot about what’s going
on. As mentioned, a brown or yellow-brownish smoke
(think dirty diaper) can indicate a nasty working fire
that will take as many resources as you can throw at it.
A heavy black smoke indicates involvement of synthetic
materials, vinyl siding, asphalt roofing or other plastic/
combustible-liquid related materials. Again, this will
take a lot of resources to deal with. A light, white smoke
may simply be steam (from a dryer vent, etc.), or it may
be from a fire being knocked down by sprinklers or an
attack line; it may also be a fire in its early stages.
If you notice smoke of various other colors during
your size-up, particularly if it’s in primary shades, you
have something quite unusual going on, so you better
hope you have a good preplan to tell you what’s hap-
pening and how to protect yourself and others from it.
Remember: Communicate smoke color, as well as
other findings, to others on the fireground and any
incoming apparatus. Try to paint a picture of what’s
going on: Is the incident at a residential dwelling or
a commercial building? How many stories? What are
the dimensions, roughly? Are there any exposures?
What are the current conditions? Other responders
need to know what to expect so they can better plan
their response. If given a more complete picture, they
may also be able to provide their own information and
observations to assist in the ongoing size-up effort.
Of course, the time available to conduct the size-up
and consider action plan options will depend on
fire attack
s
The first-arriving engine
company must figure out
how to conduct size-up
and initiate fireground
operations, even at
complicated incidents.
Ph
oto
Br
ian
Mer
on
ey
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36 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
fire attack
your response area, as different departments have differ-
ent time delays between the arrival of the first-in appara-
tus and next-due units. In some cases, the delay lasts just
moments; in others, it can last 10 minutes or longer.
First-Arriving ChAllenges
One major challenge for the first-arriving engine:
determining how to conduct both the size-up and ini-
tial fireground operations. Although engine crews are
certainly capable of performing these tasks, they may
cause the first-in unit to commit to a position that may
not be advantageous to handling the incident, or it
may waste critical manpower needed to stretch initial
hoselines or raise critical ladders.
Initial-arriving firefighters must therefore understand
both the value of establishing command and the value
of passing command to a unit/command officer who
arrives after them. Certain situations may demand
action immediately, requiring first-arriving officers to
pass command rather than to establish it, preventing
a small-to-moderate incident from accelerating into a
major catastrophe.
Questions to Ask
Arriving first means you’ll have to answer many difficult
questions that will affect your initial actions, such as:
• Do you take command or do you do something
else, such as initiate triage or fire attack?
• How much work is there to do?
• Is it a simple fire or EMS incident, or are there
underlying safety issues, such as gas or carbon
monoxide?
• Are there enough or too many resources respond-
ing on the initial alarm?
• Does a bona fide emergency exist, or can units
respond at non-emergency speed?
Tip: Avoid committing too many units prior to devel-
oping an initial action plan (IAP). If necessary, instruct
units that aren’t immediately assigned to a specific area
to stage a block or so away until you can figure out
what’s going on.
Although the temptation may be great to begin fire-
fighting, be careful not to freelance. Make sure back-up
is available, and don’t put yourself at risk.
key elements
In addition to answering crucial questions about what
to do upon arrival, you’ll also have several key elements
to consider when forming your IAP:
• Where is the fire now, and where is it going?
• Are lives at imminent risk?
• How involved is the fire? Is it simply a “con-
tents” fire that can be quickly controlled by a
single handline, or is the structure itself involved,
requiring multiple attack lines and rapid ventila-
tion support?
s
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• Is the building occupied and, if so, where are the
occupants located? In adjoining areas or directly
above the fire area? (If the answer is yes to the first
question, you must take immediate action.)
• Are there other occupants who aren’t in immedi-
ate danger, but think they are? Are they pressuring
you to take action? If so, assign a law-enforcement
officer to stay in communication with them to
tell them that help is on its way.
• In a multi-story building, is the fire at the top, or
is it on a lower floor exposing floors (and people)
above it?
• In attached garages or dwellings, or even detached
buildings, is the fire threatening an exposure?
• What resources will you need to deal with those
threats, and who will coordinate them? Units
arriving without instructions tend to freelance at
working incidents. As a result, they may rescue
visible victims who aren’t immediately threatened
instead of aggressively attacking the fire to pro-
tect those exposed above the fire floor. Tip: If dur-
ing size-up you decide to take command, clearly
identify on the radio that you are doing so, and
give clear instructions to incoming units.
In developing an IAP, it’s critical to know the capa-
bilities of the incoming apparatus to determine where
they should be placed on the incident scene. To take
maximum advantage of arriving resources, consider
aerial ladder lengths, sizes of supply lines, lighting and
rescue capabilities of various units.
ConClusion
Competency in performing size-ups and developing
IAPs comes from training and experience. But even
if you have experience at hundreds or perhaps thou-
sands of calls, you must have some prior training, pref-
erably in a training environment rather than on the
emergency scene. Use incident simulations, and study
actual fire photographs or videos (www.firefighter
closecalls.com and YouTube are good places to start)
to obtain some background information.
Take the time to study various scenes, and listen to
size-ups done by others. Ask yourself: Would that size-
up better prepare my crew if we’re responding? Is there
something we could have done differently to improve
our response?
Take some time to think about it, so the next time that
you pull up first, you are prepared to size up the situa-
tion, communicate it well to others and take the decisive
actions needed to successfully handle the incident.
Greg Jakubowski is a fire protection engineer and certified safety
professional with 31 years of fire-service experience. He is a Pennsylvania
State Fire Instructor, serves as chief of the Lingohocken Fire Company in
Bucks County, Pa., and is a member of the IAFC. Greg is also a principal in
Fire Planning Associates, a company dedicated to helping fire departments,
municipalities and businesses with pre-emergency training.
fire attack
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Ph
oto
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Rescuers from CAL FIRE attempt to access a vehicle in moving water. Note that the rescuer is wearing
appropriate PPE: a wet suit, helmet and PFD. The rope is not tied directly to him; it’s attached to the rear
connection on his “live bait” belt. He’s holding the second rope in his hand and can let it go if needed.
M a y 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 41
onsider this scenario: You’re the
battalion chief on duty during
a summer afternoon, and you’re
dispatched to a call involving a
“car in the river with possible vic-
tim trapped.” As is most often the
case, the address is vague; all you
know is that the location is some-
where along the river road. You
direct units to respond north and south of the
suspected area and await reports.
Soon, police units locate a victim and the
accident location. Your units arrive on scene
ahead of you. Upon your arrival, you find
an injured, agitated male screaming that his
buddy is still trapped inside the car. Tere are
muddy tire tracks on the soft surface of the
road, and the hillside is scarred where a vehicle
has left the roadway and rolled into the dark,
dank river.
Your personnel are scattered along the bank,
and then you spot something that makes you
take a breath: Tere’s a firefighter on shore
holding a rope that trails off into the water.
Tere are several pairs of black, fire department-
issued duty boots on the bank and a light-blue
uniform shirt worn by your department mem-
bers alongside the boots. You quickly size up
the scene and realize that you have personnel
in the water, under water, attempting to rescue
the trapped victim from the car. How many
of your personnel are in the water? What’s the
plan? Is there a back-up plan? Are these crews
trained in water-rescue operations?
Does this sound familiar? Of course it does.
Does your agency have bodies of water, still
or moving, in its area? Does your area flood?
Does your agency have standard operating
42 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
guidelines (SOGs) that discuss appropriate
personal protective equipment (PPE) and
initial actions for first-in companies?
In this article, I’ll discuss some basic water-
rescue techniques, PPE and drills that you
can perform at the firehouse to prepare for
water-rescue response.
Plan for the Worst
Regardless of what type of rescue techniques
and equipment your agency employs, at
minimum you should have a properly fitted
personal flotation device (PFD). Tere are
many types of PFDs out there; however, fire/
rescue personnel should use a Type III Coast
Guard-approved PFD.
Federal, state and agency standards and
policies require that all personnel don a PFD
when they’re 15–25 feet from the shoreline.
Tough firefighters often think this is over-
kill, you should make it a habit to don a
PFD so that when someone steps where they
shouldn’t and/or attempts to help transfer a
victim from the water to the shore, they’re
wearing the proper flotation device.
Te PFD only works if it stays on the user,
so always use all straps, buckles and zippers.
Te silly leg straps that always dangle from
the bottom of the PFD are a hassle—until
you’re in the water in an ill-fitting PFD that’s
riding up past your ears. And if worn prop-
erly, the PFD not only provides flotation,
it also reduces heat loss, both on shore and
when in the water (if it’s worn snugly). Te
point: Use the leg straps to secure the PFD.
Rescue models of PFDs, labeled “Class V”
PFDs, may come with additional flotation
elements, pockets, gear attachment points
and a quick-release belt and tether. If your
agency uses these types of PFDs, be sure all
personnel are familiar with the quick-release
belt feature (also called a blow-out belt).
All PFDs should have a whistle attached,
and all PFDs worn for water-based rescue
attempts should be equipped with a knife
and strobe light or light stick. Te lighting
allows responders on shore to keep track of
rescuers in the water in low-light conditions.
It sounds simple, but it can be difficult to
keep track of personnel in the dark on the
water/ice.
When not in use, store PFDs where they’re
easily accessible and out of direct sunlight,
as direct sunlight will break down the nylon
cover in as little as a year.
Note: PFDs come in odd sizes. Although
I’m a size medium kind of guy, I wear a
Stearns XXXL PFD. Obviously, they run a
bit small, so make sure you know the range
of sizes for the model of PFD you want to
purchase. Also determine whether one size
will fit all of your personnel, or if you need
to purchase several sizes. Tip: If you purchase
several sizes, label them on the outside so
that the size is easy for the user to see prior
to donning.
An interesting fact about PFDs: Most peo-
ple who drown aren’t wearing a PFD. But
most people who drown never planned on
being in the water in the first place. We are
professionals, so we must plan for the worst-
case scenario.
Practice throw-bag techniques periodically. While training, ask yourself: How long does it take to locate the throw-
bag on the apparatus and make two attempts to throw it to a potential victim?
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M a y 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 43
Assess & TrAin
If you haven’t done so already, perform a
hazard assessment on the types of bodies of
water you have in your response area and the
situations in which you may encounter vic-
tims. If there’s a known, accessible waterfall
in your first-due area, you’ll want to pre-plan
rescue ops in that area.
If you have no response plan, training or
equipment, start small. Provide your person-
nel with awareness-level training. What are
the hazards to the responders? Address those
hazards in your training outline. Use NFPA
1670: Standard on Operations and Training
for Technical Search and Rescue Incidents,
and NFPA 1006: Standard for Technical
Rescuer Professional Qualifications as guide-
lines for putting together an outline.
Also provide appropriate PFDs, making
sure they’re available inside the apparatus,
and that all personnel know how to don them
and buckle them up. Often there are plastic
tabs still attached that inhibit the ability to
extend the straps to their longest position,
which makes it impossible for the user to zip
and/or buckle. Tese tabs are intended to
keep the excess straps from flopping around.
I would cut them off the straps.
reAch Tools
Which tools do you presently carry on your
apparatus that can assist with shore-based
rescue attempts? One basic tool we use is
the pike pole. Rubbish and ceiling hooks
are carried on nearly all apparatus. When a
D handle isn’t on the user’s end of a pole,
carefully pass the hook end to the victim. It’s
easier for the rescuer to maintain a grip on
the shaft than a terrified, exhausted victim.
Tip: Apply a few strips of grippy adhesive
tape to the lower portion of the shaft to help
the user to hold onto the tool.
Te hose inflation technique is another
very effective tool. To utilize it, inflate up
to three lengths of 2 ½" fire hose
with air and lash a toss-ring to the
end. Maneuver it onto water (or
ice) by twisting the fire hose. Te
twisting motion makes the toss-
ring rotate like a paddle wheel in
either direction. We’ve used this
technique to provide flotation for
as many as 12 people at once.
Tip: Be sure to lash the hose
securely to the ring. If the hose
can't turn independently of the
toss-ring, you won’t be able to
move the hose from side to side.
Also, don’t allow the hose to pass the toss-
ring when securing it to the ring. Tis will
assist with deployment and decrease the
potential for lost teeth on the port cap on
the end of the hose.
WATer-rescue Drills
Below are some water rescue drills that you
can perform in or out of the fire station and
without being next to a body of water or
relying on another company.
Initial-Arrival Drill: Donning PFDs
How long does it take, after you arrive on
scene, for all of your crewmembers to com-
pletely don their PFDs? Start at the begin-
ning, with participants in their standard
PPE, and instruct them to don their PFDs
completely. Record the amount of time
it takes the entire group to get completely
buckled and zipped up. Repeat this drill a
few times to see whether they can decrease
their time, and if so, by how much.
Trow-Bag Drill
How long does it take to locate the throw-
bag on the apparatus and make two attempts
to throw it to a potential victim? For this
drill, instruct one crewmember (the thrower)
to stand in place while another crewmember
(the victim) positions themselves 30 or 40
feet away, with their arms raised over their
head. Te thrower should then attempt to
throw the bag/line over the victim’s head and
between their arms.
After a few attempts, instruct the victim to
move farther away. Note: Te victim should
try to grab the rope and turn away from
the shore so that the rope travels over their
shoulder. Tey should also grip the rope at
chest or waist level so they can hold the rope
without getting water in their mouth.
For units that respond to incidents in
moving water, instruct the victim to
• 1 female 2 ½" port cap
• 1 male 2 ½" port cap with a pneumatic
fitting and petcock valve
• Two 2 ½" spanner wrenches
• 1 airbag regulator with one air line
• 1 SCBA air cylinder
• 1 toss ring with a minimum of 12 feet of 1"
webbing
• Two 2 ½" spanner wrenches
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walk or jog past the thrower. Tis forces the
thrower to time their throw to the victim.
Tip: If possible, always throw behind (or
slightly downstream of) the victim, because
it’s much easier to swim downstream than it
is to swim upstream.
In moving water, rescuers must realize that
if and when the line goes taut, they’ll need to
feed the line some slack to prevent the vic-
tim from going underwater, depending on
the speed of the water. Slack is given by mov-
ing downstream and/or allowing the line to
pay out. Slight tension will vector the victim
toward shore.
Hose Inflation Technique Drill
How long does it take a two-person crew
to deploy 150 feet of 2 ½" fire hose filled
with air? How long does it take a three-
person crew? Tip: With pre-assigned posi-
tion assignments, you can greatly reduce
deployment time.
To perform this drill, break
up into two-person crews,
then record how long it takes
each crew to deploy the line
and gather it up when fin-
ished. Te steps are: Pull 150
feet of a pre-connected 2 ½"
handline, remove the nozzle,
install the female cap, grab
the spanners and stretch the
line to the incident. After
tightening the cap with the
spanners, work your way
back to the end of the hose
where your partner should
have left the airbag regulator
and other equipment. You can now hook
up the pneumatic fittings and fill the hose
with air. Your partner should then bring
the toss-ring with webbing to the other end
and secure it to the fire hose. How much
air is enough? Te hose should not depress
when you step on it.
Repeat with three-person crews. Compare
the times from the first rotation with the
times from the fourth or final rotation to see
how much you’ve improved. If you’re having
trouble, make position assignments and see
whether that helps reduce your time.
Master the above skills and you’ll be ready
to perform shore-based rescue techniques in
an organized manner.
So What happened?
What happened with the car in the river
with the possible victim trapped? Te car
was located on its side in approximately
Proper shore-based rescuer PPE (left) includes a proper fitting PFD.
Proper water-based rescuer PPE (right) includes a PFD, dry suit, helmet
and light.
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oto
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Do
• Instruct all personnel to don appropriate PPE;
• Call for additional resources early;
• Have SOGs in place for the specific types of incidents you’ll encounter;
• Use upstream spotters when working near moving water;
• Use downstream spotters, trained and equipped with throw bags, when
working near moving water; and
• Use extreme caution when working in flooded areas.
Don’t
• Allow personnel to enter the water without appropriate PPE and training;
• Tie a rope to anyone entering or working in moving water, unless they’re
attached to a quick-release belt designed for water-rescue use, and the
person is trained to use that technique; and
• Underestimate the power of and hazards associated with moving water.
s
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M a y 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 47
12–14 feet of water. Tree firefighters made
surface dives. One firefighter entered the
car and pushed the unconscious victim in
front of him. Another firefighter had a rope
around his waist and grabbed the victim. All
three firefighters in the water supported the
victim while crewmembers on the riverbank
pulled everyone to shore.
Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest
compressions were started as paramedics
brought their equipment down to the riv-
er’s edge, where the patient was intubated.
Te patient was secured to a backboard and
Stokes basket. Te aerial ladder helped bring
the Stokes basket up to the roadway. Te
patient began to breathe on his own and was
taken to a nearby trauma center where he
lived for a few days and then passed away.
Lessons Learned
Many times, we need to step back and do
a risk/benefit analysis of the incident fac-
ing us. How would the incident described
get scored on the risk/benefit scale? Not
very well. It involved far too much risk; lack
of training and poor or rushed judgment
could’ve resulted in much more than the loss
of the driver of that car.
Did I mention that the three firefighters
who went into the water were in their 20s?
Twenty-something firefighters didn’t always
do a risk/benefit analysis 25 years ago. (It
would be 18 years before I could go more
than 8 feet underwater again. I learned how
to do that in a diving class.)
Note: Today, the department involved in
that rescue has a dedicated, well-trained and
well-equipped water-rescue team.
Spring is here. Be careful out there.
Andy Speier is a captain with Snohomish County (Wash.) Fire
District 1, assigned to Engine 18. He is the district technical
rescue team training coordinator and a training coordinator
for the Snohomish County Technical Rescue Team. With a fire
service career that spans 29 years and several departments,
he is a partner in SPEC RESCUE International and a senior
instructor for the Peak Rescue Institute. Contact him at
206/784-5272 or [email protected].
The fittings and tools you need to inflate a fire
hose with air: a female 2 ½" port cap, a 2 ½"
male port cap with a pneumatic fitting (airbag
hose compatible) and a petcock valve to allow
the hose to deflate.
Ph
oto
An
dy S
Peie
r
In June 1982, Kent, Wash., firefighters (top to bottom) Bill Pessemier, Andy Speier and Jim Cleary bring an
unconscious victim to shore that they've just extricated from a car in the Green River. The object in Jim’s right hand
is a flashlight, which indicates the visibility level in the water.
Ph
oto
Jim
BAteS
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48 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
ph
oto
Sh
utter
Sto
ck
.co
m;
INS
et A
p p
ho
to
/er
Ic G
Ay
M a y 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 49
ecause hurricane season officially runs
from June 1 to Nov. 30 each year in
the United States, most emergency
services departments use the month of
May to complete their hurricane pre-
paredness procedures. At Palm Beach
County Fire/Rescue (PBCFR), we
have good reason to prepare. We still
remember the devastation of Hurricane Andrew in
1992 and the bombardment of consecutive hur-
ricanes in 2004 and 2005.
Although hurricanes are devastating events,
they’ve provided PBCFR with excellent lessons
learned, which has also provided us with addi-
tional training opportunities and allowed us to
reinforce our department’s Hurricane Plan and
seasonal preparation.
Despite the absence of hurricanes in the last 3
years, when the month of May rolls around, we
continue to diligently prepare and plan for hur-
ricane season.
Lesson no. 1: FamiLy ReLieF & RecoveRy
Hurricane preparedness starts with the department’s
greatest asset: its personnel. During the month of
May, all personnel review the PBCFR Hurricane
Plan, but they also make personal preparations to
secure their own home and family should a hur-
ricane occur. One significant lesson learned from
previous hurricane seasons is that during hurricane
activations, emergency personnel may need to work
24–72 hours or more, but while they’re dedicated
to protecting the community, they’re also worried
about the safety of their own families.
To address this concern, PBCFR, in partnership
with the Professional Firefighters and Paramedics
of Palm Beach County, Local 2928, developed a
network called the Family Relief and Recovery
Team. During hurricane preparations, the address
and contact information of each of our 1,450 fire
service personnel are updated and maintained in a
secure database. When a storm approaches, a map
is produced for each fire station, visually indicating
the name and address of the first responder(s) liv-
ing in the station’s response zone.
As soon as the hurricane subsides to a safe level,
crews canvas their primary response zone and
report back damage impact assessments. During
this process, firefighters check on the residences
of every department member, utilizing the most
recent personnel location map, and report their
findings directly to the PBCFR command team.
Once reported damage to homes is prioritized,
volunteers immediately start the emergency repair
process. To ensure adequate tracking of all this
information, the liaison officer assigned to the
command post coordinates and organizes all Fam-
ily Relief Team assignments and reports.
Tere are three keys to maintaining this success-
ful program:
1. Pre-planning, which includes updating
responders’ personal information,
2. Identifying volunteers to make repairs; and
3. Collecting and stockpiling necessary supplies.
Over the last three storm activations, the Family
Relief and Recovery Team provided assistance to
more than 300 members and their families.
Lesson no. 2: station manageR
Hurricane preparations also require the protection
of worksites (fire stations, headquarters, mainte-
nance shops, etc.). Prior to and during an event,
each site must be inspected to ensure medical sup-
plies are adequate, fuel supplies are sufficient, and
emergency and back-up systems, such as genera-
tors, are operational. Deficiencies, such as a loose
antenna, must also be corrected prior to June 1.
To address these and other operational concerns,
PBCFR assigns a station manager to each facility.
Trough previous events, we’ve learned that the
station manager position is best served by clerical
personnel who are adept at documentation. Person-
nel willing to fill the position are identified during
hurricane preparedness, and each is provided in-
depth training on incident management systems,
how to use all ICS forms and plans, incident docu-
mentation and FEMA reimbursement procedures.
Station manager duties include tracking and
documenting apparatus and equipment use, per-
sonnel on duty, generator hour usage, fuel levels
and facility problems, such as a leaking roof.
Tis position is critical to the logistical support of
M a y 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 51
fire/rescue facilities in the aftermath of a storm. Accurate documen-
tation is particularly critical should FEMA reimbursement become
available to emergency responders.
Lesson no. 3: The emergency communicaTion PLan
One reoccurring issue we face with every hurricane: the need to
maintain constant communication between dispatch and every
deployed emergency apparatus. To address this concern, an emer-
gency communication plan (ECP) must be developed and tested
during hurricane preparedness exercises.
Te ECP should identify multiple contingency plans, in priority
order, such as use of normal radio channels, relay of information
through simplex channels and the use of HAM radios.
Regardless of the hurricane, the HAM radio system has proven
reliable and less likely to fail than newer technologies. To address
Communication between command and teams in the field is crucial during hurricane
response. Test your department’s emergency communications plan before hurricane
season arrives.
Ph
oto
Kir
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eo
gh
In addition to preparing your department
for hurricanes and other major storms,
you should also reach out to your
community to encourage citizens to prepare.
In March, the International Association of Fire Chiefs
(IAFC), Energizer and the American Meteorological
Society created a National Public Education Weather
Preparedness Program to help families prepare for
whatever weather situations spring, summer and
hurricane seasons might bring their way. The campaign
focuses on helping families build emergency power
kits to avoid having to use candles in the event of a
power outage.
“Candles cause an average of nearly 15,000 home
fires each year, resulting in significant numbers of
preventable injuries and deaths,” says Chief Jeffrey
Johnson, EFO, CFO, MIFireE and president of the IAFC.
“An emergency power kit can literally be a beacon of
light in a storm and can help prevent needless home
fires caused by candles.”
For more information and resources to create a
campaign for your community, visit www.energizer.com/
learning-center/Pages/keepsafekeepgoing.aspx.
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this, PBCFR has installed a HAM radio base station in each battal-
ion headquarters to ensure the regional command team can commu-
nicate with the main command team. Additionally, emergency units
are provided with portable HAM radios, should their normal radios
become inoperable. Each year, as part of hurricane preparedness,
HAM radio classes are provided to personnel to ensure sufficient
operators are fully trained in HAM operation.
Lesson no. 4: statewide emergency response pLan
One of the most significant lessons PBCFR has learned over the years
is that any community may need additional support from outside
organizations following a disaster; however, to ensure the best pos-
sible outcome after such incidents, assistance must be planned and
coordinated in advance, because the affected agency is often incapa-
ble of supporting the needs of the additional emergency responders.
After Hurricane Andrew, the Florida Fire Chiefs Association and
the Florida Emergency Operations Center developed the Statewide
Emergency Response Plan (SERP). Tis plan provides guidance
and direction for the systematic mobilization, deployment, orga-
nization and management of emergency resources throughout the
state and nation.
Each year, as part of hurricane preparations, each fire/rescue
agency in the state reports their resource availability to the state so
emergency operations leaders know which resources are available to
deploy should a hurricane strike anywhere in the state.
concLusion
Te lessons PBCFR has learned over the years have led to many
improvements in our hurricane response and pre-planning. Tis
month, PBCFR begins its preparations for the 2010 hurricane sea-
son, which is just around the corner. Is your department ready for
the next natural disaster? If not, keep in mind the lessons shared in
this article, and start preparing now.
Vicki Sheppard retired in 2009 after 29 years of service with Palm Beach County (Fla.) Fire
Rescue. As the division chief of the Training & Safety Division, Chief Sheppard was responsible
for updating the department’s Emergency Management Plans and providing disaster training for
all levels of department personnel. As the Planning Section Chief of the Area Command Team,
Chief Sheppard has been deployed throughout the state of Florida to assist local departments
in the aftermath of hurricanes.
Hurricane damage and related fires can affect anyone. Palm Beach County uses a
Family Relief and Recovery Team to ensure that department members’ families are
cared for, allowing personnel to respond to those in greatest need.
Ph
oto
Steve W
hit
e
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54 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
In 2006, the Massachusetts Task Force 1 (MA-TF1) Urban Search
and Rescue (US&R) team was assigned to conduct structural
triage of a 2-mile-diameter residential area that had been dam-
aged by a chemical plant explosion on the day before Tanksgiving. A
heavy rainstorm was forecast for that evening, so it was vital to know
which structures were salvageable, which could be occupied and which
would need to be razed. We searched and triaged more than 150 struc-
tures using a paper-and-pen system, producing a damage assessment
for each building. Te process
took approximately 12 hours,
largely due to the bottleneck of
correlating information on paper.
Although each structure had been
photographed, it was laborious to
correlate them to a map.
s
This photo from the Vigilant
Guard US&R Training
Exercise held in Buffalo,
N.Y., in November, shows a
rescue squad working the
entrance to a void space in
the collapsed hospital prop.
This geo-tagged photo
was imported to Google
Picassa. It shows rope
training at the edge of a
parking garage.
Ph
oto
s c
ou
rtes
y M
A-t
F1
M a y 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 55
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56 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
When I think about that incident now,
I realize how much more quickly and effi-
ciently our task could have been completed
had we been using a new technology that’s
greatly enhancing search, rescue and recovery
missions: photo geo-tagging and mapping.
Faster & easier
Geo-tagging is the process of encoding digi-
tal photographs with the GPS latitude and
longitude location information of where the
photograph was taken. Te images are then
incorporated into GIS mapping tools, creat-
ing a rich, multimedia representation of an
incident. As you can imagine, geo-tagged
photos greatly enhance situational awareness
for large incidents and events.
Geo-tagged photos are useful in a public
safety response, both for documentation
of the incident and for tactical purposes.
Consider a scenario where there are numer-
ous sites of interest located across a broad
geographic area. Te initial recon team is
equipped with a geo-tagging system. Tey
photograph each site of interest, and then
quickly lay those images on a map to gain
a bird’s-eye perspective of the situation. For
example, during Hurricane Katrina, US&R
teams were tasked with documenting the
location of deceased victims so that recovery
teams could return for the remains. If the
US&R teams had geo-tagging capabilities at
the time, a single photo of a victim with the
location coordinates displayed on the front
would have helped the recovery teams find
the victims more efficiently, while also ensur-
ing the deceased victim was not a new find.
Tink back to the scenario at the begin-
ning of this article. If the photographs we’d
Ph
oto
co
ur
tes
y F
eM
A
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M a y 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 57
taken of the structures
surrounding the explo-
sion had contained geo-
tagged information, triage
would have been greatly
accelerated. Rather than
working everything out
on paper, we could have
rapidly produced a map
showing which structures were obviously
destroyed, the most efficient path for crews
to board up the structures that were salvage-
able, and which families could return to their
homes in time for the holiday.
Because of these promising benefits, disas-
ter management personnel are beginning to
utilize such technology. Geo-tagged photos
proved helpful during the 2009 flooding of
the Red River in Fargo, N.D. By taking a
geo-tagged photo of the current river level,
then overlaying it on a satellite image of
the river’s normal level, FEMA was able to
quickly visualize just how far beyond its nor-
mal banks the river had gone.
How It’s Done
Tere are many methods for embedding GPS
location data into a digital image; they vary
in ease of use, cost, accuracy of location and
quality of image. Te most accurate, highest-
quality image links a standard GPS directly
to a digital camera using a special interface,
but is also the most expensive method.
MA-TF1 has had very good results with
the Canon 40D Digital SLR, using the
Canon Wireless File Transmitter adapter
to connect to a Garmin GPS Map 60CSx.
While bulky and a little cumbersome, this
combination has delivered very accurate
technology
For more, visit
everyonegoeshome
.com/initiatives.html
LSI
8
This geo-tagged image has been
processed by software to include the
coordinates as a watermark on the image
(in U.S. National Grid format) and then
imported into Google Earth. It shows an
emergency dike constructed well inland of
the flooding in Red River, Fargo, N.D.
s
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M a y 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 59
results at a cost of around $3,000.
An increasing number of devices, including many Smartphone and
Blackberry devices, are either incorporating a GPS into the cameras
or incorporating a camera into the GPS. Tere is a trade-off between
quality of image and GPS accuracy with these devices, but they are
also simple to use and less expensive. We’ve had very good results with
the Nikon Coolpix P6000 camera with integrated GPS. Te camera
is compact, produces high-quality images and is less than $500.
Te least expensive method uses computer software to geo-tag
digital pictures using the timestamp of a GPS track log. Tis means
a responder would carry their existing camera and GPS, and use
computer software to combine the two data sources. Although this
method involves the most steps at a computer, it can be done with
little or no investment. One major benefit of software-based solu-
tions is that the images can be modified to show the location as a
watermark directly on the image and also can be easily integrated
with consumer GIS tools such as Google Earth.
One MOre TOOl
Electronically encoding GPS coordinates to digital photographs adds
a new dimension of information to incident documentation and
situational awareness. Te technology has advanced to a point where
high-quality images can be tagged with very accurate location infor-
mation for relatively low cost. While not appropriate for every inci-
dent, geo-tagging is another tool first responders should consider for a
variety of incidents, from large-scale search to recovery operations.
Chad Council is a technical information specialist with the Massachusetts Task Force 1
Urban Search and Rescue team, where he teaches GPS, mapping and incident photography.
He has deployed with MA-TF1 on numerous federal, local and training missions.
For More on the 2009 Fargo floods,
go to http://tinyurl.com/09FargoFlood.
Ph
oto
co
ur
tes
y c
ha
d c
ou
nc
il
This is an aerial image of an
incident in progress at night,
overlaid on Google Earth.
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FPO
ROLL
N
RACK
62 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
I f you’ve ever watched TV, you’ve likely seen a com-
mercial that sounds something like this:
“For three easy payments of $29.95, this limited edi-
tion set of elevator music greatest hits can be yours.
But wait, there’s more! If you call in the next 10 min-
utes, you’ll make only TWO payments. And that’s not
all! For the first 10,000 orders, we’ll throw in a set of
Ginsu knives!”
What? Why are they giving us knives with our eleva-
tor music greatest hits? Te answer is likely one of two
reasons: Either they think we’ll want to end our mis-
ery after hearing the music or, more likely, they’re try-
ing to give us more than we expect. Marketing experts
have determined that one of the best ways to make us
happy as consumers is to set our expectation (three
easy payments), exceed our expectation (two pay-
ments) and then exceed it again (Ginsu knives).
If we exposed citizens of a Tird World country
to our nation’s services, such as water, schools, roads
and public safety, do you think they would be more
impressed than you or me? I have to believe they
would be. However, given the preceding precondition,
who is correct in their opinion? Us—because we’re
accustomed to receiving these services—or the people
from the Tird World country who have an entirely
different perspective on what is essential and what is
luxury? I believe we’re both correct. What we’re accus-
tomed to receiving affects our perspective on whether
a service is essential or satisfactory. For example, if you
drive a new luxury car, you’re probably going to be less
impressed with the ride and handling of a mid-priced
sedan than, say, someone who just upgraded from a
1970s clunker.
So why is this important to the fire service? Because
our taxpayers use businesses every day and are accus-
tomed to having their expectations exceeded at the
retail level. When treated poorly, they simply find
another business. Like it or not, we’re judged against
Cabela’s, Costco, Nordstrom and other customer
service-oriented businesses that are committed to and
known for exceeding customer expectations.
Tis is why at my home department, Tualatin Valley
Fire & Rescue (TVF&R), it’s not enough to be good
at the “big stuff,” like battling a three-alarm fire or
reviving a cardiac patient. Our crews are expected to
demonstrate our commitment to exceeding our pub-
lic’s expectations by going the extra mile on smaller
issues that are big problems for the people experienc-
ing them. Examples: stopping to change a tire for a
stranded motorist; putting away groceries for a mom
who’s riding to the hospital with her injured child;
providing cab vouchers to an elderly patient on a fixed
income who needs to go to urgent care; and hanging
a strand of Christmas lights on the home of a man
who just fell off a ladder. In addition, TVF&R officers
have a department credit card that they can use to help
citizens with critical recovery needs in a
timely fashion. For example, if a crew
forces a door on a medical incident, an
officer can immediately call a repairman
to fix the damage and secure the home.
So, what’s your organization’s, “But
wait, there’s more!” factor? My hope is that first and
foremost, you’re great at your craft. Unlike the retail
world, your customer doesn’t get to choose which
fire department serves them. Next, I hope you treat
everyone you encounter with empathy, compassion
and a service-oriented attitude. And finally, I hope
you have value-added services that exceed your cus-
tomers’ expectations.
If not, have you thought about giving out Ginsu
knives?
Chief Jeff Johnson began his career as a firefighter in 1978, and he has
served as fire chief of Tualatin Valley (Ore.) Fire & Rescue since 1995.
He is past president of the IAFC Western Division and Oregon Fire Chiefs
Association. He is a member of the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association
and has been active in many IAFC sections, including Fire & Life Safety,
Volunteer & Combination Officers, EMS, and Safety, Health and Survival.
Chief Johnson is a National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer graduate
and has received his Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Designation.
By Chief Jeffrey
D. Johnson, EFO,
CFO, MIFireE
But Wait, There’s More!
The Ginsu phenomenon & the fire service
President’s Letter
Unlike the retail world, your customer
doesn’t get to choose which fire
department serves them.
Save the Date
EMS Today ConfErEnCE & Expo
MarCh 1-5, 2011
BalTiMorE, Md
2011
For more information go to:
Earn EMS CEU,
SEE nEw prodUCtS
and nEtwork.
www.EMStoday.CoM
64 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
Have you ever caught yourself saying, after being
blindsided by a conversation, event or issue,
“Where did that come from?” Oftentimes, to make
matters worse, you learned after the fact that everyone
knew about the issue except you.
As a fire service officer, you don’t want to be in that
position. In fact, you want just the opposite: to have a
solid understanding of your current environment and
a clear vision of the future. Tis means all blind spots
need to be eliminated—personal, professional, political
and organizational.
Reading the political winds as a fire chief can be dif-
ficult, but it’s not impossible. Furthermore, you have
more control than you realize.
Situational awareneSS
An essential term when discussing blind spots is situ-
ational awareness (SA). We normally think about SA in
terms of fireground operations, but it’s equally appli-
cable to a leadership role.
SA is a continuous perception of self in relation to the
environment. As authors Richard F. Haines and Court-
ney Flateau defined it, SA has both a big-picture and
a little-picture component. It is the “ability to remain
aware of everything that is happening at the same time
and to integrate that sense of awareness into what one
is doing at the moment.” Simple enough—assuming
that your perception is in alignment with reality, and
that you know how to and are able to act or react.
For example, let’s say you’re making a presentation at
your local service club when a low-level conversation
bubbles over at a table in the back of the room. Not
uncommon, but a disruption just the same. So while
still maintaining the participants’ focus, you slowly
walk over to the talkative table and stand there while
continuing your presentation—and the conversation is
immediately halted due to your presence. In essence,
you read the room, processed the problem and took
corrective action—all by saying nothing.
Historically speaking, SA is rooted in military theory
dating back to Sun Tzu’s “Art of War.” Starting in WWI,
SA was identified as a critical element for the military
in air combat. As technological advances increased
speed, decision-making time was compressed, further
increasing the importance of SA.
As SA theory became more advanced, authors T. J.
Emerson, J. M. Reising and H. G. Britten-Austin
described four main parts to SA: 1) humans, 2) infor-
mational cues, 3) behavioral cues and 4) appropriate-
ness of the response. In a sense, reading and reacting to
cues is no different than what we do on
fire calls (e.g., reading smoke) or EMS
calls (e.g., reading symptoms). Tis is
a very necessary skill in leadership as
well, especially in the complex world of
the fire chief.
Eliminating blind spots is also
directly affected by how open you are
to receiving “warnings” from others.
How many times have you seen a col-
league step on a landmine they couldn’t
see, even though everyone around
them thought, “Tis is going to be fun
to watch” and then backed away? Even
if you’re doing the right thing, in the
best interests of the organization, your
actions can backfire.
In such cases, there may be options
Leadership Blind Spots
A model for enhancing situational awareness
so you can lead more effectively
By Chief Marc
Revere
leaderShip SkillS
Arena Blind Spot
Façade Unknown
Johari window
Exp
osu
re
Feedback
The Johari Window is a
model of interpersonal
communication. The goal
is to operate in the “Arena”
as much as possible, since
it represents information
that both you and others
know and understand.
When information is
mutual, productivity is
increased.
M a y 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 65
that you never see on your own. What you need is
someone to take you aside and ask, “Did you con-
sider doing this instead?” Tis is called shared situ-
ational awareness (SSA).
If, when blind spots threaten to derail
you, everyone around you says, “Tis is
doomed for failure” and distances them-
selves, your SSA has failed you. You have
no one but yourself to blame for not cre-
ating a culture of openness, where leader-
ship transparency and feedback are valued,
required and expected.
The Johari WindoW
So how do you limit leadership blind spots
and ensure that you’re getting an accurate
picture of your environment?
Te best model for this comes from the
work of Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham,
who developed a model of interpersonal
communication called the Johari Window
(see opposite page). Essentially, the Johari
Window allows individuals to assess both
how they present and how they absorb the
information (human, informational and
behavioral cues) necessary to create effec-
tive interpersonal relationships (appro-
priate responses). Te model uses a grid
containing four regions:
1. Te Arena denotes mutual under-
standing and shared information.
When information is mutually held,
productivity and effectiveness in indi-
vidual relationships are increased.
Tus, the Arena is the most produc-
tive area for people to operate in.
2. Te Blind Spot represents the infor-
mation known by others but not
by you. It is a handicap because it’s
unlikely we will understand the reac-
tions and perceptions of others if we
don’t know the information upon
which those reactions and percep-
tions are based.
3. Te Façade denotes information that
you hide from others. Tis hinders
interpersonal effectiveness because the
exchange of information favors you.
4. Te Unknown represents information unknown
to you and others.
Te key to understanding your environment or cur-
rent reality is to expand the Arena (the information
Eliminating blind spots is also directly affected
by how open you are to receiving “warnings”
from others.
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66 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
known to you and to others). Tat means personnel
must be willing to share with you your blind spots
and know they can do so without retribution.
Te two axes of the Johari Window—feedback and
exposure—are the enablers to create more effective
interpersonal and organizational communications. If
you provide more information to others, you expand
the size of the Arena along the vertical axis of the grid
(reducing the Façade). Likewise, by providing more
feedback to individuals, organizations can expand
the size of the Arena along the horizontal axis (reduc-
ing the Blind Spot).
Tis is similar to the tenets outlined in the IAFC’s
“Crew Resource Management: Developing a Cul-
ture for Open Communications,” by Paul Lesage,
Jeff T. Dyar and Bruce Evans. CRM identifies six
basic steps—inquiry, advocacy, conflict resolution,
strong leadership, observation and critique, and fos-
tering an open and accepting team envi-
ronment where members discuss options
for team improvement.
Tough CRM is designed to assist on
the emergency ground, these tenets are in
alignment with the principles necessary
for SA and SSA. Just as SA has its roots
in aviation, CRM got its beginnings from
the airline industry in the early 1980s.
The Good News
Now here’s the good news. Unlike fire com-
bat or military operations, where assessing
your environment and forecasting your
actions are done under the compression of
time and in the absence of adequate infor-
mation, leading an organization should be
done in a systematic and methodical way.
Rarely do you have to make a decision in a
vacuum. By creating a culture where feed-
back and input are valued, your potential
decisions, actions and behaviors can be
analyzed by others and their consequences
measured and determined in advance.
Regardless of how you sense your sur-
roundings, doing so is the most difficult
aspect of leadership. But it’s paramount
that we reduce our blind spots and have
an in-depth understanding of our environ-
ment. It has been said that the only con-
stant in life is change—either you create
it or react to it. At a minimum, to be a
success you need to see it coming!
Marc Revere is the fire chief of the Novato Fire Protection
District, an Internationally Accredited Agency in Marin
County, Calif. Chief Revere’s 33-year fire service career
includes more than 17 years as a chief and fire officer. He
has completed executive education at the John F. Kennedy
School of Government at Harvard University and holds
a bachelor’s degree in management from the University
of Redlands. Chief Revere is a certified Chief Fire Officer
and an Executive Fire Officer graduate and serves as one
of 12 members representing the Professional Development
Committee for the IAFC.
Leadership skiLLs
Regardless of how you sense your
surroundings, doing so is the most
difficult aspect of leadership.
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And so much more to guide you through your fire-rescue career.
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68 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
Every day, someone calls us for help. Tey have an
emergency, and they expect us to respond and we
do. Tey expect us to be prepared and to provide the
very best possible assistance in many different areas. Te
public attempts to provide us with the best tools and
equipment to perform our jobs, again with the expecta-
tion of nothing but the best for their community.
With this in mind, is it too much for them to expect
us to take care of ourselves, especially when we have even
more to gain from that investment than they do? After
all, working on our health and wellbeing allows us to
provide for and spend time with our family. Sounds like
a win-win for everyone!
Every year, more than 50 percent of the fire service
line-of-duty deaths are related to health and wellness
issues. When the cause of death for a large number of our
members is listed as stress/overexertion or heart attack,
there’s no doubt that this issue needs to be addressed.
Considering the severity of this issue, the theme for
this year’s Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week
is “Fit for Duty.” During this week, June 20–26, you
should pay particular attention to the following topics
that are critical to every firefighter and EMS provider.
General Health & Wellness: We all need support and
encouragement to accomplish our health and wellness-
related goals. Terefore, every organization should do its
best to support its most important resource—its person-
nel. Tis support can be in the form of providing infor-
mation on how
to shop for or
prepare healthy
meals for the
fire station or
at home, or helping members obtain a yearly medical
examination. Knowing that the organization cares for its
personnel can be a great source of strength.
Food & Nutrition: Over the years, firehouse kitch-
ens have become known for great food; however, our
menus haven’t always been the healthiest. Fortunately,
a number of organizations have outlined daily nutri-
tional recommendations designed to help promote
health and prevent disease. Te National Volunteer
Fire Council has an outstanding program called the
Heart-Healthy Firefighter. Its Web site (www.healthy-
firefighter.org/page/625/nutrition.htm) has nutritional
recommendations that firefighters and EMS provid-
ers can use to develop good nutritional habits. Keep in
mind, healthy doesn’t have to mean that it’s not great-
tasting food. It just takes a little change in the prepara-
tion to provide the same great meals for which firehouses
are so well-known.
Fitness: Just like a good diet, physical activity should be
a regular part of your day. Try to add some type of physi-
cal activity to your daily routine, and invite your crew-
members to join in. You should participate in 60 minutes
of moderate physical activity each day. Plan station activi-
ties that give everyone a chance to exercise. Keep in mind
that it doesn’t have to be 60 minutes all at once; it can be
different activities that add up to 60 minutes. Walking
outside, riding the stationary bike or using a treadmill can
all provide this aerobic activity. Mix it up by trying many
different activities to keep exercise motivating and fun.
Stress Management: Firefighters and EMS providers
are under a lot of stress at work, and this can carry over
to home very easily if not kept under control. Adding
regular exercise, adequate sleep and leisure time to your
schedule can help reduce stress. Additionally, take note
of how others handle stress. If you think a co-worker is
under more stress than they can handle, let them know
that you care about them and their wellbeing and that
they should not hide their stress if they need help dealing
with an issue. We always talk about being a “brother-
hood.” As such, we should offer to help others deal with
the stress in their lives, whether at work or home.
Smoking & Smokeless Tobacco Cessation: Te environ-
ment in which we work is dangerous enough that we
should do everything we can to avoid deliberately intro-
ducing a cancer-causing agent, such as tobacco, into our
bodies. Its use is associated with a number of cancers as
well as chronic lung and cardiovascular diseases. If you or
someone you know uses tobacco products, you should
make every effort to break this addiction.
Alcohol & Other Drugs: Alcohol is the most com-
monly abused drug, and many people don’t believe they
have a problem. Substance abuse can cause many medi-
cal problems and can destroy families and lives. Tere’s
a history of substance abuse in the fire service, especially
alcohol abuse. Tis is a sensitive issue, but it must be
By Chief Keith
Padgett
Keeping an Eye on Your HealthGet“Fit for Duty” during Safety Week
Safety
M a y 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 69
addressed. Alcohol and drug use may be an unconscious
attempt at self-treatment for another problem, such as
depression.
Infectious Diseases: Blood and other body fluids can
spread disease, so it’s essential for firefighters and EMS
providers to consider all patients’ blood and body secre-
tions as infectious. Te answer to managing pre-hospital
personnel is to provide ongoing education and make
information about personal protective equipment (PPE)
available to everyone.
Suicide Prevention: Firefighters and EMS providers are
exposed to a great deal of death and injury. Over time,
such exposure can take a toll on both the mind and body.
Depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and addictions
are just a few issues that may result. Additionally, suicide is
on the rise in the fire/EMS service, and we can no longer
ignore it. Firehouses have not been known as somewhere
to show weakness; however, members need to know that
they can speak up and ask for help. Employee-assistance
programs are available and should be taken advantage of
if a need is identified.
In Sum
Te theme “Fit for Duty” is meant to assist you in creating
healthful habits that can help reduce the risk of chronic dis-
eases and, therefore, increase your chances of living a long
life. Fire departments are encouraged to suspend all non-
emergency activity during Safety Week and instead focus
entirely on safety, health and wellness-related training and
education until all shifts and personnel have taken part.
Mark your calendars and become “Fit for Duty!”
Keith Padgett is a 28-year veteran of the fire service and is currently serving
as the Chief-Fire Marshal for the Fulton County Fire Department in Atlanta.
Keith also serves as director-at-large for the IAFC’s Safety, Health and
Survival Section.
Fire department operations, both on the incident scene and in non-
emergency events like training, require a high degree of manage-
ment controls to ensure personnel safety. The variety of activities
that take place at complex incidents or large-scale training events
can often exceed the capability of a single safety officer, and even
the best intentioned or highly mobile safety officer cannot be every-
where at once.
EvEnt Summary:
rEport no. 09-1008
“This was a live-fire burn using an acquired structure. The burn was
conducted by the training division as part of a recruit training program.
During the burn, we utilized diesel fuel to assist in ignition of the Class
A material. A sprayer was used to add the diesel fuel to the material.
[The ignition man] remained inside the room so he could add fuel if
necessary. Staying in the room caused him to burn his foot through
his bunker boots. The burn was severe enough that he required medi-
cal treatment for several months. There was a safety officer when the
incident occurred, but now we have several safety officers anytime we
have a live-fire burn.”
CommEntS
First of all, it sounds like this burn doesn’t comply with NFPA 1403
in that they used a combustible liquid to start the fire and the ignition
man shouldn’t have been alone.
Additionally, to provide the highest assurance of member safety at
large-scale and complex events, a second safety officer should be
considered an essential component. If an incident has multiple high-
risk activities or is spread over a large geographical area, incident
commanders (ICs) can also consider creating a Safety Group made
up of multiple safety officers (qualified personnel permitting). Mul-
tiple safety officers positioned strategically over the scene allow the
group supervisors to focus on other tasks related to supervising their
area of responsibility.
prEparatIon
• Establish criteria or a threshold in your department for increasing the
number of safety officers so the IC doesn’t have to question this on
the scene or drill ground.
• Ensure that the safety officer from each discipline (hazmat, confined
space, high angle, swiftwater, etc.) at complex emergency scenes
makes contact (and maintains regular contact) with the overall
scene safety officer.
• Consider using additional safety officers for acquired structure burns.
• When training large numbers of personnel, assign an interior and
exterior safety officer. This helps with accountability, provides
another set of eyes and ears for the drill leader (IC) and provides
additional management control.
In CloSIng
The message “Safety First” continues to be a controversial topic in
many circles within the fire service. On one end of the safety spectrum
is the “Safety Naysayer” who believes the safety emphasis has gone
too far, that the act of firefighting is inherently dangerous and injuries
and deaths should be an expectation. On the other end of the spec-
trum is the “Zealot” who the “Safety Naysayer” believes to be unreal-
istic. No matter where you place yourself on the safety spectrum, the
debate should be boiled down to a very simple question: If there was
a reasonable action that could have been taken to prevent an injury,
then why not take the action and avoid the injury?
As noted in this month’s report, the ignition officer had to endure
several months of pain and suffering to evoke a change in department
practice. An additional safety officer could have been knowledgeable
and skilled enough to intervene and prevent the injury.
Be vigilant. Stay focused. Share the knowledge.
John Tippett is the deputy chief of operations for the City of Charleston
(S.C.) Fire Department. He previously worked for the Montgomery County
(Md.) Fire and Rescue Service. He is a program consultant for the National
Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System.
The More the MerrierA second safety officer is an essential component at large-scale incidents
nEar mISS
By Deputy Chief
John B. Tippett Jr.
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M a y 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 71
Although this article provides an instruc-
tional approach to deploying the stan-
dard fire shelter, it’s paramount that while
on the fireline, all firefighters recognize
situations and clues that could lead to a
deployment in the first place. Te back
cover of the Incident Response Pocket
Guide (IRPG) lists both the 10 standard
firefighting orders and the 18 watchout
situations. I implore you to read them
over and over again so that you greatly
decrease the odds that you’ll need to
deploy your shelter.
When in a situation where shelter
deployment seems imminent, your crew
must first be 100 percent sure that escape
is not an option. Ask yourself:
• Can my crew outrun the flame front
by dropping extra weight?
• Is the fuel light enough so that fire-
fighters can use their shelters for pro-
tection, and move back through the
front (in light fuels) to the black?
• Can the crew outflank the front and
get below it?
If you answer no to these questions, you
must know how to confidently and quickly
deploy your shelter.
Choosing the site
A deployment zone (not to be confused
with a safety zone) is one component of a
last-ditch effort for survival. When a crew
must deploy their shelters, they must act
quickly and decisively when choosing
the deployment site (or zone), but when
doing so, they must keep certain factors
in mind. First, as we all know, heat rises.
It also follows chimneys, draws and sad-
dles in topography. Terefore, if possible,
always deploy on ridgelines, shoulders or
on the leeward side of a hill. Another good
deployment spot is inside the ditch along
the uphill side of a road that’s traversing
a hill. Never use the road itself, as it’s an
obvious traffic hazard.
Rocks are also good places to deploy if
they’re in a spot that’s not a funnel for heat.
If rocks are larger, deploying on the leeward
side will help shield you from heat.
AreA PrePArAtion & PPe
Once a deployment zone is established,
and you’re certain that escape isn’t possible,
clear the area of combustibles. Tis includes
the ground you’ll be laying on and as much
of the surrounding area as time allows. To
accomplish this, scratch the area with hand
tools to get down to bare mineral soil.
Once you’ve cleared the area, don all
personal protective equipment (PPE).
One crucial mistake in the heat of the
moment is forgetting to don gloves. Hel-
met shrouds can also reflect quite a bit of
heat and should be used if available.
Any spare combustible equipment, such
as packs, fusees, saws, fuel, etc., should
be discarded at a safe distance from the
deployment zone so as not to add to the
heat from the flame front. Remember: Keep
your water bottle and radio in the shelter
for the duration of the deployment.
DePloying the shelter
Te newly designed shelter, which should
always be easily accessible and not buried
3
Remove shelter from pack
Throw pack away
Remove plastic outer shell
How, when & where to properly deploy a standard fire shelter
Story & Photos by Chuck Sallade
2
1
risk Management
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LSI3
at the bottom of your line pack, is equipped with
a red ring, which you should pull off to remove the
shelter’s plastic outer shell.
Next, grab the handles, which are clearly labeled
“right” and” left,” and shake out the shelter. Note:
Due to the nature of the situation, bear in mind
that it will probably be very windy and gusty, so
hold on tight! When training for shelter deploy-
ment at my department’s annual “Standards of
Survival” refresher, we use multiple PPV fans to
simulate wind conditions.
Inside the shelter are four loops. Place your
hands through the loops, and step into the bot-
tom of the shelter. Ten turn your back to the fire
front and lay face-down with your feet to the fire.
Again, when the flame front hits, it will be very
hot and violent, so you’ll need to hold on tight to ensure the shelter
doesn’t blow away. Crews should try to deploy close to each other to
help block each other from heat and to maintain verbal and possibly
physical contact.
InsIde the shelter
Once inside the shelter, remember to protect your airway at all times
by keeping your mouth and nose to the ground. If possible, hold a
bandana to your mouth (making sure the bandana is dry, not wet).
To minimize the heat inside the shelter, tuck the sides of the shelter
under your arms and legs, but also try to maintain as much dead-air
space in the shelter as possible. If the shelter is wrapped around you
tightly (like a baked potato), you’re going to get hotter much faster
than if you try to keep the shelter puffed up.
It’s common to experience glow from the fire due to pinholes in
the shelter, but remember that even small tears in the shelter are
no cause for concern. Te shelter will still keep you cooler than no
shelter at all. In short, don’t panic if you see holes or small tears. Tey
aren’t an indication that the shelter is faulty. Te pinholes are normal
and to be expected.
While in your shelter, maintain constant ver-
bal contact with your crewmembers, and radio
contact with incident command. Focus on
keeping your shelter sealed with your elbows,
knees, hands and feet, and keeping a gap of air
between you and the shelter.
WaItIng It Out
At this point, you’ve successfully deployed
your shelter and are waiting for the fire front
to move through the area. Te waiting is the
hardest part, but fire shelter occupants need to
realize that a deployment can last a few minutes
or more than an hour. Either way, it will seem
like an eternity. Focus on staying calm as well as
helping to keep others calm and collected.
Trying to run, especially once the fire front is upon you, is no more
an option than pulling off an SCBA mask inside a burning building.
Remember: If it’s hot inside the shelter, it’s deadly outside the shelter.
When in doubt, stay in the shelter!
Indicators that it may be safe to exit the shelter include a drop
in heat, noise or wind and a change in the ambient color, such as a
decrease in the glow from the fire.
Once it’s established that it’s safe to exit your shelter, immediately
contact command and give an accountability report.
COnClusIOn
As I stated in the introduction, use your IRPG or Fireline Hand-
book as a tool for risk management and as an aide to prevent you
from getting into a situation that requires you to deploy your shelter.
Te gold section of the 2010 IRPG has a sub-section on risk man-
agement, which includes how to properly refuse risk, as well as an
abridged instructional sub-section on deploying shelters.
Last, but certainly not least, don’t forget your Lookouts, Com-
munications, Escape routes and Safety zones (LCES)! Te common
thread between all burnovers and shelter deployments is a break-
down of one or more components in LCES.
If you think this can’t happen to you, think again, so
practice, practice, practice! A real-time deployment is
not the time to reintroduce yourself to the ins and
outs of successful fire shelter deployment.
Chuck Sallade is the lieutenant in charge of wildland apparatus for
the Red Lodge (Mont.) Fire Department.
Grab left- and right-hand loops4
Step into the shelter
5
7
72 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
Lie face-down and tuck sides under
Pull shelter over your head
6
M a y 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 73
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76 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
“I thought that was OK because it didn’t say I
couldn’t do that in the SOP.” Have you ever
heard that from one of your crewmembers
when you confronted them for making a mistake or
bad judgment call? Tis can be frustrating for super-
visors. Te reaction that often follows: making more
rules to cover the gray areas. As a result, the depart-
ment ends up with volumes of rules and regulations
to manage the troops.
Just as employees use the rules—or lack of
rules—to their advantage, so too do some supervi-
sors, albeit in a much different way than the employ-
ees. Tey supervise using a style called “rules-based
management” or “command and control,” which
allows them to hide behind the rules and never really
make decisions using their own judgment. Tis type
of management style suits weaker leaders and does
nothing to develop new leaders.
Autopilot MAnAgeMent
Rule-based supervision makes decision-making very
easy because officers don’t need to think about it; it’s
autopilot management or robot management. Te rule
tells them what to do, and they do it, which allows
them to avoid thinking about it or making any real
judgment call. Te greatest thing about this manage-
ment style is that supervisors can justify their decisions
by saying things like, “Listen, if it were up to me, we’d
do it differently, but we have to follow the rule.”
I’m not saying there isn’t a place for rules; they’re
absolutely necessary. Tey provide a structure and a
consistent way of accomplishing tasks, and they pre-
vent some bad judgment. Some rules are developed
out of necessity, including:
• You need to show up to work on your shift; peo-
ple are counting on you.
• You must adhere to grooming standards; they’re
designed so we don’t look like Chewbacca rolling
around on a fire truck.
• You can’t smack someone, even if they deserve it;
they tell me that’s against the law.
So rules definitely have a purpose, but they don’t
(and shouldn’t) cover every situation.
2 SchoolS
Most departments have a set of standard operating
procedures or guidelines (SOPs/SOGs) that govern
how we should respond to standard and even some
not-so-standard occurrences we face throughout our
workday. But what about the things that come up
that aren’t covered by a rule or regulation? How do
we handle those situations?
Tere are two schools of thought on this. Te first
is, if things come up for which we don’t already have
a rule, we’ll simply develop a new rule. I call this the
“fill in the name” approach to rules. Whoever did
something stupid enough to warrant the need for a
new rule gets the rule named after them.
Believe it or not, there are even a few Gayk Rules
out there, because I was the moron behind the rule.
It’s a great system except for the fact that your rule
book becomes incredibly large—because as you
know, we’re always looking to outdo our buddies in
the “stupid” category.
Te second school of thought involves “principle-
based leadership/management”—that is, trusting
people in leadership positions to make good deci-
sions even without a rule to hide behind.
Tis couldn’t possibly work, could it? Surprisingly,
it works very well, but there are some caveats. Devel-
oping a principle-based leadership approach doesn’t
start with individuals; it starts with the organization.
If the organization doesn’t buy into this philosophy,
it simply won’t work. Te organization must be con-
fident enough with their personnel to allow them to
make solid decisions based on doing the right thing.
how it workS
Tere are many principles that directly affect what we
do, but I’m going use a simple example to outline how
It Is Up to You
Principle-based management is more effective than managing by the rules
COMPANYOFFICERDEVELOPMENT
By ray gayk
Principle-based leadership/management involves trusting people in leadership positions to make good decisions even without a rule to hide behind.
M a y 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 77
principle-based management works. In my opinion,
the first principle you should be concerned about as
a supervisor is responsibility. If we look at this prin-
ciple, we quickly realize it’s the basis for everything
we do in the fire service, and it starts with individuals
recognizing personal responsibility.
In a rule-based management style, you think of
responsibility as: “If I don’t train my crew, I could
get into trouble.” Using a principle-based leadership
style, you think of responsibility as: “I need to train
my crew because I want them to perform
well on calls and go home to their families
the next day.”
Your perspective goes from following
the rules so you don’t get punished to
making decisions based on what’s best
for your crew and what’s likely to keep
them the safest. When you think of your
crew’s or the organization’s best interests,
you’ll see a difference in how you make
decisions.
Now, I’ll be honest: Using principles as
opposed to rules is much more difficult
because you must stand behind your deci-
sion. In addition, when the organization
allows people to make decisions based on
principles, it creates much more freedom
in judgment, which can create situations
that appear unfair. Example: If firefight-
ers A and B do something that seems on
the surface to be similar, but the results of
their discipline are different, you may be
accused of being unfair.
In such cases, personnel must be
reminded that each situation is differ-
ent and is handled based on its specific
facts. Most people who accuse the orga-
nization of being unfair don’t have all the
facts to back up their accusation, because
discipline procedures are confidential and
aren’t up for public debate.
It takes Work
Changing to a principle-based manage-
ment/leadership culture takes some work
because people are going to make mis-
takes when using their own judgment.
It’s easier to simply insert another rule
instead of learning from our mistakes.
But think about it: Te fireground is a
dynamic working environment in which
we rely on firefighters’ and officers’ good
judgment. Practicing decision-making
and judgment based on principles when
we’re in the station builds skills we use on the fire-
ground—where there’s often no rule book to hide
behind.
Ray Gayk is deputy chief of operations with the Ontario (Calif.) Fire
Department (OFD). Gayk is an 18-year veteran of the fire service who
has been actively involved with the OFD’s development of engineer and
captain mentor programs. Gayk has also taught numerous classes on
company officer development. Contact him at [email protected].
Cultural change & personal
accountability
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78 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
February 2010 Read It Today, Use It Tomorrow Connect with us at FirefighterNation.com
FbkiNew NFPA 1407
RIT standard, p. 84
CAFS & the wildland/urban interface, p. 105
Big fire photos with tactical tips, p. 44
�Kf�7]W_dij��
���8?=�ED;j^[�
“I Teach My Students to Save Lives.
FireRescue Makes Me a Better Instructor.”FireRescue Magazine arms you with vital
information to help guide your students’
careers and help them stay safe.
Each monthly issue includes:
Safe & Effective Fire Attack Strategies
Rescue & Extrication Training
Advice for New and Developing
Company Officers
Wildland/Urban Interface Tactics
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& Technology
IF YOU’RE AN INSTRUCTOR, CALL TO ENROLL IN OUR STUDENT SUBSCRIPTION PROGRAM.
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M a y 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 79
People often refer to inspections in generic
terms—and in so doing, get the entire concept
of code enforcement mixed up. An inspection is
an inspection, right? Te answer is no.
For those involved in fire code inspections, the more
accurate question is: What’s the difference between
inspections for new construction and existing buildings?
The SimilariTieS
Whether in new or old buildings, fire code inspec-
tions tend to cover similar territory, at least in broad
terms. Both may be governed by aspects of the fire and/
or building codes. Typically, that includes things such
as fire department access during times of emergency
and water supply. Both usually cover fire sprinklers,
fire alarms, fire department connections and, to some
extent, exiting requirements.
Inspections for new construction—what we generally
call “acceptance” inspections—are designed to demon-
strate that what’s being constructed in the field matches
code requirements and matches what’s on the approved
plans. Sometimes what’s approved on the plans doesn’t
precisely match the prescriptive code requirements.
Te section of the code that allows “alternate materials
and methods” provides an opportunity to modify the
code to deal with the real world.
It’s a variation especially worth noting because accep-
tance inspections must take into account the fact that
two different people may be involved in the process:
one reviewing the plans and another conducting the
field acceptance inspections. If they’re not communi-
cating, problems may ensue and customers can become
angry as a result of the differing messages.
What I call “regular” inspections are those done on
existing buildings. But a fire code compliance inspec-
tion for existing buildings can fall victim to the same
scenario and the related customer dissatisfaction when
corrections are erroneously ordered. Tat’s why as
inspectors, we have an obligation to find out what has
been approved before ordering corrections, or at least
take the time to look up the records when a business
owner resists corrections because they think the busi-
ness is compliant.
In this respect, there is little difference between inspec-
tions. How, then, are they significantly different?
The DifferenceS
First, the code changes, and for good reason. We learn
each time a disaster occurs how to prevent a similar one;
over time, the code incorporates those lessons learned.
As a result, existing buildings may be regulated by older
codes in which safety requirements were different.
And that is the heart of the difference between
“acceptance” and “regular” fire code inspections: We’re
regulating buildings in our jurisdictions using varia-
tions of the same code. Tat can get confusing to both
field inspectors and our customers.
Te second difference is more political. A mistake in
communication of either type can create customer-ser-
vice complaints. But it’s far easier to correct them during
the construction process. You can ask for almost anything
during construction—even an erroneous change—and
you’ll generally get less concern, and maybe even grudg-
ing compliance, because it’s easier and less expensive to
correct things during the construction process.
Making changes after the building is actually con-
structed and in use, however, is much more expensive
and time-consuming. Even when we find longstand-
ing violations that should have been corrected under
codes in existence at the time, we can find ourselves
(as regulators) faced with significant practical problems
because of the expense of making those corrections.
As a result, we often must consider alternate materials
and methods years after the code was developed as they
relate to a particular building. And we may have to come
up with creative timelines for compliance based on these
real-world situations.
in a nuTShell
Te main difference in inspections is in HOW we
administer both types. Managing field inspections for
existing businesses is more of an art than a science, and
far more political than a simple process of identifying
hazards and correcting them.
Jim Crawford is a deputy chief and fire marshal with the Vancouver
(Wash.) Fire Department and is chair of the NFPA technical committee on
professional qualifications for fire marshals. He has written “Fire Prevention: A
Comprehensive Approach,” published by Brady, and has also written a chapter
on fire prevention in “Managing Fire and Rescue Services,” published by the
International City/County Managers Association. Crawford is a past president
of the International Fire Marshals Association and has served on the NFPA’s
Standards Council. He is a member of the IAFC.
The Difference Between Inspections
Existing buildings require a more delicate approach
By Jim crawford
FirePrevention
80 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
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NEWdElivEriEsThe High Rolls (N.M.) Volunteer Fire Department has taken deliv-
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Freedom Fire Equipment
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The Commerce (Texas) Fire /Rescue Department has taken delivery
of a quint built by Sutphen. Powered by a 450-hp Cummins ISM
engine, the vehicle features a 98-inch-wide cab and a bolted stain-
less-steel frame and includes a Jake Brake, severe climate HVAC
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Sutphen
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The Belgrade (Neb.) Rural Fire Protection District #4 has taken
delivery of a quick-response vehicle from Danko. Built on a Ford
F-450 Super Duty chassis and powered by a 6.4-liter V8 diesel
engine, the vehicle features a 300-gallon poly United Plastic Fab-
ricating tank, a FoamPro 1601 foam system with 12-gallon foam
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preconnect, a 1" rear grassline and 150 feet of 1" booster hose.
Danko
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M a y 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 83
The Aberdeen (Wash.) Fire Department has taken delivery of a
North Star E450 Type III ambulance built by Braun. Features
include upgraded stabilizer bars, Bilstein shocks, a MagneGrip
exhaust system, auto chains, a Grover air horn, “D” cylinder stor-
age, SCBA storage, LED strip lights, a V-Mux multiplex electrical
system, a flip-up grip strut bumper, Whelen LED dome lights, a
Garmin GPS, a Stryker Power Pro cot and stair chair, and a Voy-
ager back-up camera.
Braun Northwest
800/245-6303; www.braunnorthwest.com
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The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) Division 2 in Hill-
side, Ill., has taken delivery of a 23’ rescue unit from Marion. The
vehicle is built on a Sterling chassis and is powered by a 300-hp
Cummins ISC engine and Allison 300-EVP transmission. Features
include roll-up doors with strip lighting, awnings on both sides,
rooftop compartments, pull-out stairs from walkway, pull-out
drop-down steps under compartments, a chassis lube system and a
15-kW PTO-driven Onan generator.
Marion Body Works
715/754-5261; www.marionbody.com
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The Minneapolis Fire Department has taken delivery of a 152"
pumper from Pierce. Built on an Arrow XT chassis with a 10" raised
roof, the apparatus is powered by a 470-hp Detroit Diesel engine
and features a 2,000-gpm pump and a 700-gallon tank. Other fea-
tures include TAK-4 independent front suspension, Hendrickson
air-ride rear suspension, a Control Zone pump panel, Whelen LED
lighting, a Fire-Com Intercom system, Intec back-up cameras, a low
hosebed and an 8-kW Onan generator.
Pierce
920/832-3000; www.piercemfg.com
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84 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e O c t O b e r 2 0 0 9
# 511 Tactical Series www.511tactical.com
A Amkus
www.amkus.com
Aristatek
www.aristatek.com
AWG Fittings
www.awg-fire.com
B
Bradford Exchange
www.bradfordexchange.com/firehouse
Breathing Air Systems
www.breathingair.com
Bullex Safety
www.bullexsafety.com
C
CMC Rescue
www.cmcrescue.com
Council Tool
www.counciltool.com
E
Eagle Compressors
www.eaglecompressors.com
F
FireRescue Magazine
www.firefighternation.com
G
Gear Grid
www.geargrid.com
Globe Manufacturing
www.globefiresuits.com
H
Holmatro
www.holmatro-usa.com
Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition
www.homefiresprinkler.org
Horton Emergency Vehicles
www.hortonrescue.com
Hot Shield
www.hotshield.com
I
International Association of Fire
Chiefs (IAFC) www.iafc.org
Idaho Technology www.idahotech.com
J JEMS Magazine
www.jems.com
K Keiser Collegiate System
www.keiseruniversity.edu
Knox Co.
www.knoxbox.com
L Law Officer Magazine
www.lawofficer.com
Liberty Art Works
www.libertyartworks.com
M Mosby
www.mosby.com
N National Association of Fire
Investigators www.nafi.org
Nebulus www.nebulusflotation.com
New England Ropes www.neropes.com
NuTech National www.nutechnational.com
P
Paratech
www.paratech.us
PBI
www.pbiproducts.com
Petzl
www.petzl.com
Priority Dispatch
www.prioritydispatch.net
Public Safety Communications
www.apcointl.org
R
Rescue 42
www.rescue42.com
Rescue Technology
www.rescuetech1.com
Res-Q-Jack
www.res-q-jack.com
ResQTec
www.resqtec.com
Rock-N-Rescue
www.rocknrescue.com
Roll N Rack
www.rollnrack.com
S
Sea Ark Marine
www.seaark.com
Skedco Inc.
www.skedco.com
Sprint
www.sprint.com/business
Sterling Rope
www.sterlingrope.com
Super Vacuum Mfg
www.commandlight.com
The Supply Cache Inc.
www.firecache.com
W
WHP Training Towers
www.trainingtowers.com
Wildfire Group
www.wildfire-equipment.com
Witmer Associates, Inc.
www.thefirestore.com
84 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
M a y 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 85
1st Responders Petition 71 73
5.11 Tactical Series 27 23
All A Board 53 47
American Fire Training Systems 38 34
Amkus Rescue Systems 29 27
Aristatek 37 33
AWG Fittings 49 52
Blanchat Mfg., Inc. 62 56
Boston Leather 52 45
Bradford Exchange 24 19
Breathing Air Systems 21 16
Bullex Safety 23, 68, 77 18, 66, 77
Chief’s Shield Products 85 88
CMC Rescue, Inc. 67 65
Coaxsher 94 73
Code 3 Collectibles 80 82
Con-Space Communications 50 43
Cooper Creek Manufacturing Inc. 70 73
Council Tool 76 75
Cruise-Master Engraving Inc. 59 55
Digital Paging Company (GOLDEN SAB) 86 88
Eagles Compressor 55 52
EMS Today 63
Extendo Bed Co. Inc. 64 57
FEMSA 44
FireRescue 42, 46, 67, 78, 81
Gear Grid 16 9
Globe Manufacturing 13 5
Holmatro Inc. 12 3
Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition 31 29
Horton Emergency Vehicles 19 11
Hot Shield USA 47 39
IAFC (International Association of Fire Chiefs Inc.) 50, 60-61
Idaho Technology, Inc. 28 25
Indianapolis Industrial Products Inc. (MatJack) 78 80
Keiser University - Sarasota 44 37
Knox Co. 34 31
Kussmaul Electronics 79 82
LG Sciences 87 89
Liberty Artworks 46 38
Mateflex Corporation 88 89
Mosby 40, 65 35, 58
National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI) 30 28
Nebulus 36 33
Nevada Pacific Fire & Safety Inc. 89 89
New England Rope 81 83
NuTech National 26 21
Paging & Wireless Service Center 63 57
Paratech Incorporated 11 2
PBI 84 70
Petrogen Inc. 33 30
Petzl America 82 91
Power Hawak 101 81
Priority Dispatch (NAED) 15 8
Pro-Tech Industries, Inc. 69 73
Rescue 42 Inc. 25 20
Rescue Source 41 30
Rescue Technology 51 44
Res-Q-Jack 48 39
Res-Q-Jack 90 89
RESQTEC 22 17
Rock n Rescue 61 56
Roco Rescue 17 10
RollNRack LLC 66 59
Salsbury Industries 39 34
SeaArk Marine, Inc. 35 31
Sensible Products 91 89
Skedco Inc. 91 51
Sprint Nextel 14 7
Sterling Rope Company 20 13
Super Vacuum Mfg 83 92
Surrey Fire Safety House 45 38
Tactron Inc. 57 55
Team Equipment Inc. 42, 60 36, 55
Tempest Technology 92 89
The Pack Shack Inc. 73 74
The Supply Cache Inc. 58, 75 55, 75
TheFireStore.com 43 37
Ward Diesel 93 89
Weightvest.com 72 74
WHP TrainingTowers 56 53
Wildfire Group 74 74
US Fire Equipment 95 36
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For information on placing
classified ads, please contact
Jim Maloney at (215) 239-3157
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90 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e M a y 2 0 1 0
Battalion Chief Tommy Adams was an exceptional
firefighter who could seemingly carry the whole
fire department on his shoulders, whipping a
2½" line around a house fire with one hand while start-
ing an IV with the other. He was a shining star with enor-
mous talent and even at 53 years old, he still held so much
potential as a chief officer. His continual smile through a
burly mustache reflected not just his disposition for the
job, but his overall outlook on life. Trough his career, he
had achieved iconic status in our department.
On Feb. 21, 2009, following a special service event,
Chief Adams lost his balance and fell 8 feet from the
decking of a parked and motionless ladder truck. His fall
resulted in a fractured neck and traumatic brain injury,
leading to cardiac arrest during the incident. He was
treated on scene by fellow firefighters and rushed to the
hospital, where he regained a pulse following a lengthy
resuscitation effort.
For the next 10 months, Chief Adams remained in a
coma. As the end of the year approached, his health con-
tinued to deteriorate and his family and the department
began to come to grips with the possibility of losing him.
In the early morning hours of Dec. 12, as I stood with his
wife Traci and family at his bedside, Chief Tommy Adams
slipped from this world in quiet peace and into God’s
arms. Four days later he was buried with full firefighter
honors as hundreds paid their final respects.
What If?
Te story of Chief Adams’ death is one of sorrow and
tragedy, but his life was one of great inspiration. I choose
to focus on the latter. Although taken from us much too
soon, Tommy was a textbook example of a great officer.
He made the most of his opportunities on the job and
for that matter, every day that he lived. His passion for
the fire service and skills as a firefighter, paramedic, edu-
cator and leader were uniquely balanced by his caring
heart and humility.
As an officer, what would people say about you if one
day, like Tommy, you were just gone? Are you making the
most of every day and taking every opportunity to be the
best you can be? Are you really here for others—service
above self—or just drawing a paycheck? Do you still have
the passion for the job you held as a rookie?
Tommy’s death made me reflect on the lessons he
taught us while he was alive. He taught these lessons not
through formal instruction, but simply by the way he
lived each day.
• Being a firefighter is a calling. Te words you recited in
your oath—sacrifice, courage, honor and loyalty—
weren’t just words, but a code we live by. Something
in your character, your determination, your drive and
your desire to serve led you to the fire service.
• Tere’s no room for error in the fire service. When some-
one calls 911, they don’t get to choose who responds;
we’re a monopoly. For that reason, when a crying
mother hands you her breathless child, or someone
yells as you pull up your rig to a house fire, “Tere’s an
elderly lady inside!” you damn well better be the very
best. No exceptions. No excuses.
• Show empathy and compassion for those in need. As fire-
fighters, we save life and property not simply because
it’s our job, but because we truly care. Most individ-
uals will only call 911 once in their lives. To them
it’s the most important call they will ever make. Do
you treat it with like significance and care—for all in
need, with dignity, respect and critical importance?
• Be humble. Although we’re often called heroes,
we should never think of ourselves or our actions
as heroic. We have a responsibility and duty to
act as no other would in risking our lives to save
a stranger. Tis fire service fundamental value is
often seen as and indeed is valiant, but let others
draw that distinction.
• Continuously learn. Seek your college degree, take a
class at the National Fire Academy, attend leader-
ship conferences, go for your paramedic, etc. Most
importantly, pass down your talent to the next gen-
eration by teaching, mentoring and coaching young
firefighters to be better than your generation.
LIve for the MoMent
On average, 100 firefighters lose their lives each year in
line-of-duty related incidents. None believe that any call
will be their last.
When members join the service, they’re asked, “Can
you give it your all?” Chief Tommy Adams’ life—not
his death—reminded me of that. He gave his all. What
would they say about you?
Brian A. Crawford is the fire chief for and a 25-year veteran of the Shreveport
(La.) Fire Department. He is a National Fire Academy (NFA) resident
instructor, a NFA Executive Fire Officer Program (EFO) graduate and an
IAEM Certified Emergency Manager and Commissioner. He also holds the
Chief Fire Officer (CFO) designation and is a member of the Institute of Fire
Engineers. Crawford serves as chair for the Program Planning Committee of
the International Association of Fire Chiefs. He holds a master’s degree in
industrial psychology.
A Life of Leadership
Losing a leader inspires us to live up to his example
By Brian a. Crawford
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