FRM 10 oct

B

October 2010 Read It Today, Use It Tomorrow Connect with us at FirefighterNation.comOctober 2010 Read It Today, Use It Tomorrow Connect with us at FirefighterNation.com

PlusA company officer’s

guide to politics, p. 60

All ThINgs ExTRICATIONLearn alternative tactics for high-strength steels, p. 52

Create an extrication training plan, p. 80

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4 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 1 0

October 2010

Volume 28, Issue 10

To subscribe, visit

www.fire-rescue.com

Extrication

52 Get Around It Alternative tactics for extrication

operations involving advanced steel By Les Baker

80 Make the Cut Tips for creating an extrication training

plan that incorporates area departments & companies

By Todd D. Meyer

Fireground Tactics 36 Truck Company

Operations Tips for securing utilities at

commercial structure fires By Randy Frassetto

44 Fire Attack During fire attack, chock

doors to maintain water supply & egress By Mike Kirby &

Tom Lakamp

Plus!

60 On the Campaign Trail When public support wanes,

firefighters must become fire service “politicians”

By John Oceguera

62 President’s Letter How fire service leaders can create an

inclusive work environment By Chief Jack Parow

64 Leadership Skills Important decisions require

someone to argue the other side By Chief Marc Revere

66 Safety Role definition & safety focus are

critical during special operations By Chief Randall Talifarro

68 Near-Miss Reports 2 reports show the difference between

having a RIT in place—& not By Deputy Chief John B. Tippett Jr.

The International Association of Fire Chiefs’ leadership section

On July 15, the Northampton (Mass.) Fire Department responded as mutual aid to the scene of a two-car crash along I-91 in Hatfield, Mass. Responders

found multiple injuries with entrapment. TACTICAL TIP: Traffic accidents represent one of the most hazardous types of incidents for emergency

responders today. Passing motorists, leaking fuels, unstable vehicles, sharp edges, etc., are critical factors for firefighters and emergency medical

personnel working these scenes. Remember that personal safety is always priority No. 1. You must recon the entire incident scene before taking action,

wear proper PPE (including reflective vests), establish a safe work zone, use apparatus as barriers from passing motorists, provide incident illumination

where necessary, conduct a 360-degree size-up, stabilize the involved vehicles, isolate electrical sources, pull a protective handline or extinguisher,

stage tools and debris, protect patients and responders from shrapnel during extrication operations, and designate an incident safety officer whenever

possible. Photo FIREGROUND360°

About the Cover

Wildland/Urban Interface

WUI News RoundupLatest updates in WUI policy & decision-makingBy Dan Bailey

71

52

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26

86 Fire Prevention Our personnel have the ability

to implement IRM By Jim Crawford

88 New Products

90 New Deliveries

92 Classifieds

96 Ad Index

98 Response Time Patience is a virtue & so much more

for an officer By Brian A. Crawford

26 Apparatus Ideas Howard County (Md.) Fire Rescue takes delivery of

2 pumper/tankers & a water-delivery unit By Bob Vaccaro

76 Company Officer Development Without a training plan, you won’t understand why

mistakes are made or how to fix them By Ray Gayk

Visit www.tinyurl.com/FireRescueblog to read these articles:

Quick DrillsFully Involved? 2 drills to practice the age-old fireground size-up question, “What do I have?” By Homer Robertson

Survival of the FittestPull-ups Work: A pull-up bar lets you use your own weight to gain muscle strength By Jeff & Martha Ellis

Rural CommandCalibrating the Proportioner: Tips for measuring both water & foam concentrate flow volumes By Keith Klassen

Exclusively Online!

In This Issue …

12 From the Editor Are the limitations of experience preventing

us from seeing the whole picture? By Timothy E. Sendelbach

14 ToolsNewsTechniques • Gear Test: The Big Spike & Little Spike tools

speed vertical ventilation • Announcement: Lt. Shawn Jones named

FireRescue’s Company Officer of the Year • Health: NFFF targets LSI #13, focusing on

behavioral health • Challenge News: The Firefighter Combat

Challenge takes over another 9 states • Training: Financial aid returns for training

California Fire Explorers

22 Nozzlehead To enact needed change, help your chief “see the light”

14

88

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editor-in-chief

Timothy E. Sendelbach - [email protected]

dePUtY editor

Shannon Pieper - [email protected]

MAnAGinG editor

Janelle Foskett - [email protected]

senior editor

Cindy Devone-Pacheco - [email protected]

editoriAl AssistAnt

Kindra Sclar - [email protected]

online neWs/BloG MAnAGer

Bill Carey - [email protected]

editoriAl director

A.J. Heightman - [email protected]

editoriAl dePArtMent

Phone 800/266-5367; Fax 619/699-6246

Art director

Jason Pelc - [email protected]

director of eProdUcts/ProdUction

Tim Francis - [email protected]

WeB ProdUction coordinAtor

Neil Johnson - [email protected]

ProdUction coordinAtor

Pippin Schupbach - [email protected]

ProdUction AssistAnt

Kevin Root - [email protected]

AdvertisinG dePArtMent

Phone 800/266-5367; Fax 619/699-6722

AdvertisinG director/Western AccoUnt MAnAGer

Sheri Collins - [email protected] 520/825-3770

Western eMediA sAles rePresentAtive

Cindi Richardson - [email protected] 661/297-4027

eAstern sAles rePresentAtive

Joe Skey - [email protected] 856/673-4000

clAssified sAles rePresentAtive

Jim Maloney - [email protected] 215/239-3157

senior sAles coordinAtor

Elizabeth Zook - [email protected]

sAles & AdMinistrAtive coordinAtor

Liz Coyle - [email protected]

eMediA strAteGY Phone 410/872-9303

MAnAGinG director

Dave Iannone - [email protected]

director of eMediA sAles

Paul Andrews - [email protected]

director of eMediA content

Chris Hebert - [email protected]

director of AUdience develoPMent & sAles sUPPort

Mike Shear - [email protected]

AUdience develoPMent coordinAtor

Jenna Engelstein - [email protected]

sUBscriPtion dePArtMent

Phone 888/456-5367

MArketinG director

Debbie Murray - [email protected]

MArketinG MAnAGer

Melanie Dowd - [email protected]

senior GrAPhic desiGner

Kathy Whitehead - [email protected]

MArketinG & ProGrAM coordinAtor

Olga Berdial - [email protected]

vice President/PUBlisher Jeff Berend - [email protected]

foUndinG PUBlisher

James O. Page, 1936–2004

m a g a z i n e


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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 (Ret.) 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.

Deputy 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

John E. “Jack” Parow President &

Chairman of the Board

Al H. Gillespie First Vice President

Henry “Hank” C. Clemmensen Second Vice President

Jeffrey D. Johnson President 2009–2010

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

Shane Ray VCOS

Kenneth G. Silva Western Division

iaFC StaFF

Mark W. Light, CAE Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director

Ann Davison, CAE Strategic Information Manager



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As children, we were all aspiring artists, and

when given markers or crayons, our “canvas”

was without limits. Without the preconceived

notion that drawing is done on paper, the walls, tables

and anything else that fell within our navigational

abilities were fair game. However, as time moved on

and we began to mature, life imposed limitations. Sud-

denly, we were forced to color inside the lines.

During a recent overseas trip, I had the privilege of

attending a fire service debate that opened my eyes to

the self-imposed limitations we face as fire service pro-

fessionals. Te debate was designed to discuss whether

experience teaches us more than investigative inquiries

following tragic or significant incidents. It was tempt-

ing to fall back on the old saying, “Experience is the

best teacher”—no further discussion required. But I

was intrigued by the make-up of the panel—two vet-

eran fire officers, a sportscaster, the Solicitor General,

an attorney and a university professor.

Te first speaker was a fire officer from a metropoli-

tan fire agency with more than 25 years of operational

and administrative experience. He laid a solid founda-

tion for the argument that experience is unquestion-

ably the best teacher (or so I thought). A second fire

officer with more than 30 years of experience echoed

this sentiment, while also pinpointing the flaws of past

investigative inquires, some of which had resulted in

shamefully misleading recommendations in response

to historical disasters. Te officer implied that many

inquires were skewed from the beginning—as he put

it, “rubbish in, rubbish out.”

Te officers and speakers that followed stressed that

their first-hand experience—whether it was com-

manding incidents or serving in court—offered lessons

from multiple fronts. Tey emphasized the physical,

emotional and psychological triggers of learning that

can only be felt while actively engaged.

Te debate changed, however, when the sportscaster

took the stage. Although he was mentioning sports and

players completely foreign to me, his argument about

the importance of investigative inquiry hit home.

How, he asked, would the sports world look today if

it had been subject to regular investigative inquiries?

(I couldn’t help thinking about Reggie Bush and Barry

Bonds.) How many championships would have previ-

ously been overturned? How many players would have

been permanently banned? How different would the

world of sports be today if we were consistently forced

to look from outside the lines?

Tis debate caused me to realize I had never taken

the time to consider the limitations of experience.

True, experience is an incredible teacher, but it comes

with self-imposed barriers. Experience is only one

dimension of a multi-dimensional event. Further, our

experiences, both operational and administrative, are

oftentimes clouded and skewed by our preconcep-

tions and personal biases, causing us to see, hear and

feel only a portion of what’s actually being presented.

Experience is very private and personal, and most

experiences take place without a true understanding of

the complete event and the related factors involved.

An investigative inquiry, on the other hand, attempts

to remove the personal biases by bringing forth mul-

tiple viewpoints, scientific facts and proven solutions

to the identified problem. Done right, it represents

the full story; it validates assumptions, dispels rumors

and explores the event without restrictions.

So what does this mean for the fire service? Are more

investigative inquiries in order? Should we place less

value on experience and focus solely on scientific for-

mulas, investigative research and legal recommenda-

tions? Absolutely not—the two work hand in hand.

Experience is a great teacher and so too are investiga-

tive inquiries, yet they both have limitations. Applying

recommendations from an inquiry without factoring

in experience can lead to experimental and unproven

practices, yet the blind application of past practices

(experience) without analysis (investigation) can pre-

vent us from seeing ways we can and need to improve.

Te modern fire service demands that we look

outside the lines to create new solutions to our ever-

changing environment. We must ask the hard ques-

tions: Why do we do what we do? Are the decisions

we make ethical, safe and cost-effective, or simply

what we’ve become accustomed to? Is what we’re see-

ing the whole story or only one dimension of a multi-

dimensional event?

Te freedom of exploration we enjoyed as children

was motivated by our ambition to learn and explore

new things. To truly maintain that competitive edge of

operational safety and professionalism, we must look

beyond the barriers of the past and seek new opportu-

nities, some of which may lie outside the lines of our

traditional beliefs.

Outside the Lines

Are the limitations of experience preventing us from seeing the whole picture?

By Timothy E.

Sendelbach

FromTheediTor



200 http://www.geargrid.com


Lucky StrikeThe Big Spike & Little Spike tools speed vertical ventilationBy Raul Angulo

A s a truck officer, I believe vertical ventilation is

the most challenging and dangerous task we

have. For fear of a roof collapse, my goal is to get on

the roof safely, make a large hole and get off asap!

Modern household fire loads are primarily plastics

and synthetics. Where plumbing was copper and cast

iron, it’s now PVC. Electrical insulation is plastic. With

all the glues and plastics that go into furniture, appli-

ances and carpeting, it can be argued that the domi-

nant fuel in a house fire is Class B—not Class A.

With that in mind, the fire service must reevaluate

the typical 4' x 4' vent hole for vertical ventilation.

With the high BTU output and volume of pressur-

ized smoke produced by Class B household fuels, the

traditional 4' x 4' may be an insufficient size to vent

this “new smoke.” Instead, 4' x 8' holes or even 12' x

12' holes should be considered to keep up with the

science of modern fire behavior.

However, we don’t hear much about increasing the

ceiling hole to match the roof hole. Tink about it.

What good is it to make a 4' x 8' roof cut, only to

punch the ceiling with the end of a pike pole that

makes a hole the size of tennis ball? It takes repeti-

tive strikes to punch a hole large enough to effectively

vent the smoke before flames and radiant heat push

firefighters back.

Apparently veteran Captain Mike Schamadan of

the Phoenix Fire Department had the same concerns.

Frustrated by the limitations of a traditional pike

pole, Schamadan put a plate on the end of a pole to

increase the surface area that comes in contact with

the ceiling. He found that while using this tool, a

well-placed strike could knock half a panel off with

a single blow. Unfortunately, the tool was difficult to

hold on to with the little hook at the end of the pike

pole, so he developed a larger hook and larger point

to make it easier to hold. He then found a beefier

stock of pultruded fiberglass to use for the pole. Tus,

the Big Spike Tool was born.

Te Big Spike is 78 inches long and weighs 11 lbs.

(Note: If roof pitch angles or ceiling heights in your

community would require a longer tool, custom

lengths are available at no additional cost.) Te tool

has two working ends, both made of Tenzaloy, a spe-

cial aluminum-like alloy that’s non-conductive, lighter

than steel and exceptionally strong—ideal for a tool

that will be used in aggressive applications where load-

carrying capacity and impact strength are essential.

Te foot end of the tool has a serrated, gridded foot-

plate that resembles a giant potato masher. It’s used to

batter, pound, smash and punch through roofs, walls

and ceilings. Note: Because the plate is flat, it’s best to

strike the intended surface straight on, rather than at

an angle.

Te spike end, which resembles a serrated lance with

a serrated pistol grip, is used in the traditional fash-

ion of a pike pole. Te thick 8½-inch-long spike has

Tools News TechniquesEquipment How To Training People Gear Test Web & Media Events

Big Spike Tools

Pros+ Increased surface area

makes larger vent holes;

+ Thick pole makes for

easy gripping;

+ Spike end can open

padlocks and door

restraints; and

+ It’s lightweight,

non-conductive and

exceptionally strong.

Cons- Need to strike target

straight on; and

- Can only carry one

at a time.

Big Spike Tools1 E. Northview Ave.

Phoenix, AZ 85020

Tel: 602/568-4000

Fax: 707/988-1588

E-mail: doc@

bigspiketools.com

Web: http://bigspike

tools.com

The Big Spike is

78 inches long and

weighs 11 lbs. The

Little Spike tool is

30 inches long and

weighs 6 lbs.

http://tools.com



O c t O b e r 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 15

a beveled point. Te unique design and angle of the

pistol grip, which is actually the hook, helps firefight-

ers avoid pulling ceiling debris directly on themselves.

Te spike end also acts as the handle when the tool is

used to punch through the ceilings from the roof.

Te pole itself is a 2-inch-thick, resin-reinforced, fiber-

glass shaft, making the Big Spike strong enough to sup-

port the weight of a firefighter with full PPE ensemble.

Tere’s also a Little Spike tool, a smaller version of

the Big Spike, but without the foot plate. Te 6-lb.

Little Spike features a Tenzaloy D-handle with a

30-inch-long shaft for interior, close-quarters work.

Like its larger counterpart, the spike is used to poke,

prod, pry or pull drywall, siding or any sorts of build-

ing material normally encountered in structure fires.

Te idea of increasing the surface area just enough

to get the job done effectively and safely resonated

with me, and I was anxious to test the tools. Te

first thing my team found was that the Big Spike was

great for sounding a roof. What used to take multiple

strikes can be accomplished in two or three. Te foot

plate has a “firmer” feel than the rubbish hook when

it locates a structural member.

After making louver cuts, we found that the foot

plate made it easy to punch the louvers open. With

the plate’s increased surface area, it’s a tighter fit to

get the Big Spike through the louver holes to punch

the ceiling, but it’s doable. Obviously, the bigger the

hole is, the easier it is to insert the foot plate. Te Big

Spike is a beefy tool, and it smashed through the cross-

bracing fairly easily. When the Big Spike tool was

rammed down into the attic space to punch through

the ceiling, huge chunks of drywall fell into the room

below—quite impressive! Te Little Spike is just as

impressive at opening walls and ceilings.

We practiced an evolution using the Big Spike to

rescue or assist a firefighter who is falling into an

attic space by laying the shaft perpendicular to the

roof rafters. It takes some practice, but it’s a very cool

self-rescue drill. Although this can be practiced with

any type of pike pole, the girth of the Big Spike shaft

makes it easier for firefighters to grab onto and boost

themselves up and over the tool and roll back onto the

roof decking.

Like any tool, there are limitations. One truck cap-

tain thought the tool was too cumbersome to take to

the roof. My response was, “What tool isn’t? SCBAs

are cumbersome. Should we leave those on the truck?”

Tat thought process doesn’t fly with me.

A couple other things to note: Due to the increased

diameter of the shaft, only one Big Spike could be car-

ried up a ladder at a time. Also, these tools are not

designed for “J” hooking and pulling up roof decking.

Finally, because you need to strike your target directly,

rather than at an angle, you’re getting a little closer to

your target. But that’s the same position you’d be in if

you were using an axe or an end of a pike pole. Tat’s

OK if you’re trying to find rafters on a sound roof. It’s

not OK if the roof is going to give on the next impact

load, so stay alert.

All in all, we found the Big Spike ($206) and the

Little Spike ($156) to be virtually indestructible.

Nevertheless, they come with a lifetime guarantee.

Lt. Shawn M. Jones of the Anne Arundel County (Md.) Fire Department is

the recipient of the 2010 FireRescue Magazine Company Officer of the Year

Award. Te award was presented to Lt. Jones on Aug. 27, during the general

session at Fire-Rescue International.

Lt. Jones was recognized for his excellent leadership, commitment to safety,

dedication to the fire service and community involvement. Jones, a fourth-

generation firefighter, is a 14-year veteran of the Anne Arundel County Fire

Department.

Jones’ nomination included these words about his leadership from Firefighter

Jeremy Hopson: “During calls, regardless of the incident, he is the perfect exam-

ple of how a well-seasoned firefighter/officer should conduct themselves. Many

times after a bad motor vehicle crash or fire, Lt. Jones would pull me aside and

tell me what I did wrong as well as praising me for what I did right, so on the

next call and thereafter, I would always strive to do better.”

Best of the Best

Lt. Shawn M. Jones (middle) stands with FireRescue

Editor-in-Chief Tim Sendelbach (left) and IAFC President

Chief Jack Parow, after receiving his 2010 Company

Officer of the Year Award at FRI.

Ph

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Lt. Shawn Jones named FireRescue’s Company Officer of the Year

The spike end,

which resembles a

serrated lance with

a serrated pistol

grip, is used in the

traditional fashion

of a pike pole.

Ph

oto

s B

Ig s

PIk

e t

oo

ls


Tey’re maintenance free and, best of all, they’re

made in the USA.

Te bottom line: Heavy smoke conditions can

obscure visibility, so you may only get one chance to

get it right. With the Big Spike, one good strike may

be all you need to get the job done. And anytime a

tool can make a dangerous job safer for firefighters, it’s

worth taking a look at.

Raul A. Angulo is a 30-year veteran of the Seattle Fire Department and

captain of Ladder Company 6. He writes and teaches on fire service

leadership, company officer development, strategy and tactics, and fireground

accountability throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Health

Keep Your Head in the GameNFFF targets LSI #13, focusing on behavioral health

The way to help firefighters who have dealt with

potentially traumatic events is changing.

Firefighters and their families need appropriate

resources to deal with the various complications

that this occupation can bring to their lives—not to

mention the more day-to-day life problems that all of

us sometimes face. Further, health and safety standards

require that assistance programs be made available.

With this in mind, the Everyone Goes Home program’s

Life Safety Initiatives (LSIs) includes Initiative #13:

“Provide firefighters and their families access to coun-

seling and psychological support.” Te objectives of

the initiative: to ensure that care is available whenever

needed and that the care delivered represents the best

practices under current evidence-informed standards.

And now, the NFFF is taking the Initiative to the next

level, bringing together subject-matter experts to help

develop useful approaches to behavioral health care to

the fire service. Work is currently underway on several

critical projects, all of which will be explained in a series

of seven articles written by NFFF Executive Director

Ronald J. Siarnicki. Tese articles will be posted on

FirefighterNation.com over the next few months.

Te articles will focus on various topics, including

protocols for dealing with occupational exposure to

potentially traumatic events; Psychological First Aid,

an evidence-informed best practices model developed

under the guidance of the National Center for Post-

Traumatic Stress Disorder; recommendations for how

to write specifications for behavioral health programs;

Web-enabled, interactive programs for self-help and

education on behavioral health; and more. Te first

article, which describes the project’s goals and provides




200 http://www.res-q-jack.com


additional details about article topics, is available at

http://tinyurl.com/lifesafety13-1.

Learn more about the ongoing projects regarding

Everyone Goes Home Initiative #13 at www.everyone

goeshome.com.

Challenge News

Still Runnin’The Firefighter Combat Challenge takes over another 9 statesBy Michael DeGrandpre

T he Firefighter Combat Challenge continues to

roll through the country under sunny skies.

Hot weather is helping to simulate not only the

physical aspects of firefighting, but the high tem-

peratures as well.

Following the event in Kissimmee, Fla., the Chal-

lenge headed to Carlsbad, N.M., where temperatures

peaked at 117 degrees F. Team Mr. Restore.com

(Texas) fell second to SAM Squad Team (Goodfel-

low Air Force Base, Texas), which earned first place

in the relay with a time of 1:22.04. Russell Krasnesky

(McKinney, Texas) placed first in the open/individual

event with a time of 1:42.46.

Meanwhile, as the crew and the competitors were

frying on the tarmac in the dry New Mexico heat, the

first-ever Firefighter Combat Challenge Trials were

taking place in Pearle, Miss. Te Trials give poten-

tial Challenge competitors the opportunity to try out

their skills in a “practice” environment. Curious fire-

fighters were given the chance to see how they stood

up against each other, including other novices and

experienced Challenge veterans. Montgomery Fire

(Ala.) placed first at the event with a combined team

time of 6:15.98.

Moving west 1 week later, the Challenge was back in

the dry desert heat in Tucson, Ariz., for the sixth event

of the 2010 season. Local team Davis Monthan Air

Force Base (Ariz.) placed first in the relay, while Greg

Kotsis (Gilbert, Ariz.) claimed first in the open event

with 1:43.34. Tucson was, among other things, the

first event of the season for several of the Challenge’s

regular competitors, such as Shane Farmer (Cedar Falls,

Idaho), who posted a 1:48.90, placing fourth overall.

From one extreme to the other, the Challenge

trekked to the abundant green mountains of Colo-

rado and set up next to the U.S. Air Force Academy

stadium. Staying true to their relentless hard work

image, the U.S. Air Force teams were dominant in

the relay sector, with Team USAFA (Colo.) placing

first with 1:10.89, and their female counter-part,

Team Fire Fembots (Colo.), sweeping the women’s

relay first place as well, with a time of 1:50.78.

John Woolery (Run Faster Omaha; Omaha, Neb.)


http://tinyurl.com/lifesafety13-1

http://www.everyonegoeshome.com

http://Restore.com


200 http://www.smeal.com

http://www.everyonegoeshome.com


placed first after an incredible race against Bill Gates

(USAFA; Colorado Springs). Woolery’s final time was

1:41.55, while Gates just missed the Energizer Top 10

list, ringing in a time of 1:53.96.

Back in the heat of Greenville, Texas, Team McK-

inney Fire Relay Local 401 (Texas) placed first in the

relay competition with a time of 1:23.50, beating the

often intimidating SAM Squad by 13 seconds.

For the first time this season, the Challenge was

greeted by light rain in Rapid City, S.D., where Joyce

Sauer (Rapid City, S.D.) finished first for the women

at 3:24.71—at 47 years old! Tis was also the first

time we were introduced to a group of high school

junior firefighters from the Custer (S.D.) Volunteer

Fire Department. Sure, they might only be 16 to 18

years old, but these five relay team members put on an

impressive try in Rapid City, finishing with 2:20.18 for

their first time in the Challenge.

Te Custer juniors also put on an even more success-

ful try in Casper, Wyo., where the Challenge ventured

next, making it even further than in Rapid City in

the relays. But the Casper “Downtown Trowdown”

ended in Hollywood feel-good-movie style with the

home Casper Relay Team coming in first, with a time

of 1:23.87, beating newcomers Team Warren Fire

(Warren Air Force Base, Colo.) by less than 3 seconds.

Following the success of the event in Wyoming, the

crew moved south to Lubbock, Texas. Once again,

Bill Gates was back, where this time he added another

first-place win in the open competition, finishing at

1:28.39. His relay team also added another first-place

notch to their record board, finishing 8 seconds ahead

of the second place team, at 1:09.32.

And most recently the Challenge moved to Lex-

ington, Ky., where among the horses, fresh air and

whiskey, Ted Koppen (Cincinnati) made his first

appearance in first-place position in the open com-

petition, finishing with a time of 1:36.96. Similar

to Gates’ double-win scenario in Lubbock, Koppen

and his team, Team MET-Rx (Cincinnati), came

During the Challenge events

at the Air Force Academy in

Colorado, the U.S. Air Force

teams were dominant in

the relay sector, with Team

Fire Fembots (pictured)

sweeping the women’s relay

first place with a time of

1:50.78.

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in first with combined times of 5:04.94. Team Horry

County (S.C.) earned the first-place position in the relay

competition, 15 seconds ahead of the second-place team,

Wright Patt (Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio).

Horry County will also play host to the 19th World

Challenge in Myrtle Beach, S.C., in early November.

Te Firefighter Combat Challenge has seven more

events scheduled in its regular season, followed by the

national competition in Kissimmee, Fla., this month,

then the Worlds.

Michael DeGrandpre lives in Washington, D.C., and works for the

Firefighter Combat Challenge handling creative content, including

photos, video and writing.

Training

Funding Future Firefighters Financial aid returns for training California Fire ExplorersBy Jane Jerrard

Future firefighters in California can get a financial

boost on training now that the dormant Califor-

nia Fire Exploring Scholarship has been resurrected to

help the state’s young adult fire explorers and cadets

pay for fire education and training.

Fire explorer 411

With support from the Boy Scouts of Amer-

ica, fire explorers are young volunteers—

typically between ages 14 and 20—who

sign up with a local fire department to get

hands-on training and an insider’s look at

the fire service.

“It’s the best entry-level or learning posi-

tion a young adult can come into,” says Brett

Boukather, a former fire explorer turned

professional firefighter, currently working

for the State of California. “Tey can come

into the department, wear a uniform, get

training and eventually do ride-alongs—at

no cost. It’s a great chance to find out if this

is a career they’re interested in.”

Participating fire departments benefit too.

More than free labor for tasks like traffic con-

trol, a department’s fire explorers are trained

to that department’s standards, resulting in

excellent recruits once they come of age.

“Departments are basically grooming future

employees. Tat’s what the Orange County

program did for me,” Boukather says. “And

for the departments, it’s a terrific way to do

outreach. Tey can reach out to their com-

munity and offer services to youth.”

The ScholarShip reTurnS

Education and training are large parts of any

explorer program—and California Explorers

have been, and are once again, able to use a

scholarship to help pay for targeted training.

Captain Mike Van Bibber of the Orange

County Fire Department (now Authority)

started the California Fire Exploring Schol-

arship in the mid-1980s in honor of Orange

County Fire Explorer Armond Minogue,

who was killed in an auto accident. Tat

program, which gave $100 each year to a

fire explorer, lasted through 1991, when

Captain Van Bibber retired.

When Van Bibber passed away in May



200 http://www.cmcrescue.com


2009, it sparked Boukather—a recipient of the schol-

arship in 1987—to pick up the torch. “I originally

decided to give away $100 of my own money every

year,” he says. “But it’s really grown.” After registering

the scholarship as a 501(c)(3) charity, setting up a board

of directors and developing a website, Boukather’s new

California Fire Exploring Scholarship raised $3,000,

half of it from local casinos owned by Native American

tribes. “Te LA City Firemen’s Credit Union was very

generous too,” Boukather says. So the charity was able

to give $200 to four fire explorers in its first year.

Explorers apply for the annual scholarship by sub-

mitting an essay, and the scholarship’s board of direc-

tors selects the winners. “Tey can spend the money

on any career-enhancing endeavor,” Bou-

kather explains.

Attending the AcAdemy

All of the 2010 scholarship recipients used

their funds to attend the California Fire

Explorer Association’s Explorer Academy.

Te Academy takes place once a year over

spring break, and is hosted by a different fire

department each year—sometimes in South-

ern California and sometimes farther north.

“It’s an intensive week,” says Jason Weber,

president of the California Fire Explorers

Association (www.cfea.net). “Te kids have

a 5 a.m. start, and they’re on the bus to the

training by 6. After dinner they have class-

room training and that goes until 10 or 11 at

night.” Over 5 days, explorers get hands-on

training in wildland fires, structure fires

(working on buildings acquired by the host

fire department), auto extrication, flamma-

ble liquids and basic rescue skills—and go

home with various state certifications.

Academy attendance is limited to 175

explorers and 100 advisors. Te advisors

are instructors from throughout California,

many of whom volunteer their personal

time. Weber explains that the association

works with the host agency, which is respon-

sible for finding a high school where explor-

ers will eat, sleep and get classroom training.

Te academy is open to all current fire

explorers in the state of California with at

least 6 months of service in their respective

post—but the limited number of slots has

resulted in a lottery system for entry. Appli-

cations for 2011 will be available Dec. 1 and

are due by mid-January.

Visit www.cfescholarship.org to learn

more about the California Fire Exploring

Scholarship.

Jane Jerrard lives in Chicago and writes regularly for

FireRescue magazine.

2010 scholarship recipient

Adam Delaney stands with Vista

(Calif.) Fire Department Chief

Officer Don Shellhammer.

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Fire Chief “Self-Realization”

Dear Nozzlehead: I volunteer for a small

department in a rural area. The members of the

department want a new chief, but some members of

our governing body believe the current chief is doing a

good job. But the truth is, he was put into that position

because of the “good ol’ boy” system.

He doesn’t train with the firefighters, nor does he go

anywhere to receive training. His training philosophy is

that we should just teach the basics. He took his basic

firefighter training more than 20 years ago, and he

hasn’t worked a structure fire in 8–10 years. He’s burning

bridges with our mutual-aid departments because of this

lack of training, and the surrounding chiefs can’t get him

to meet with them.

The chief feels that 2 ½" hose is a sufficient supply

line, and he recently directed us to go back to using 1 ½"

attack line, when we were using 1 ¾" line. He thinks that

it’s too hard for one person to move a 1 ¾" attack line.

When we’re called to emergency responses, the chief

doesn’t come to the station to get a truck. He thinks that

leaving the station with one person in a truck is OK. As a

result, we have more POVs on scenes than fire apparatus.

He can’t even operate the engine’s pump. The firefighters

are starting to feel unsafe when he’s on scene.

He won’t make any decisions. We’re trying to get a

thermal-imaging camera (TIC), but he keeps dragging

his feet on purchasing one. We had a live-fire exercise,

and none of the department chiefs showed up. We had

to borrow nozzles from the department that assisted with

the training so we could have back-up lines. There was

even a salesperson there with a TIC.

The chief was recently quoted in the local newspaper,

stating that safety has always been his first priority. He

was also quoted saying that the department is fully NFPA-

compliant because of an AFG grant we received to replace

our SCBAs. He chose what SCBAs we were getting, and

never even tried on any of the demos. He also didn’t train

with the new SCBAs we received.

He doesn’t help us write or apply for any grants. We

have guys using non-NFPA-compliant personal protective

equipment (PPE)—but safety is his No. 1 priority? We’re

not fully compliant by a long shot. We need some help!

—Worried, Tired & Frustrated in the Plains

Dear WTF,

I wish I could say that I’ve never heard a story like

this before, but it’s much more common than many

realize. Living among one of these fire departments

can be really scary, and what’s even scarier: Te cit-

izens don’t have a clue; they think that if there’s a

garage in town that says “Fire Department” on the

front with trucks inside, then they have a fire depart-

ment that will respond to their calls. Silly citizens. In

some towns, they would be better off NOT calling

the fire department.

Have you ever heard the “I have a dream” quote?

“I have a dream that if, God forbid, there was a fire in

this town, calling the fire department would be a wise

thing to do.”

Simply put, your fire department is a very predict-

able disaster waiting to happen. And the problem is

that because nothing “all that terrible” has happened

yet, your board of directors (and whoever else decides

stuff in your town) is comfortable. It’s like cutting

your car insurance to the bare minimum. Everything

is wonderful until you have a crash and find out that

your coverage is woefully inadequate. It can even be

compared to taking extra steps to ensure your oil rig in

the Gulf doesn’t blow up, as opposed to not worrying

about it. After all, what could possibly go wrong?

Another example: a pro football team that has poor

coaches, little practice and no plan. Tey look, smell

and feel like a pro football team—until they actually

have to play. Te results are predictable. Te difference

is that when the football team loses, the worst result is

that the gamblers get their butts kicked. Tere’s a lot

more at stake for fire departments. Te worst results

involve you, the other members, the citizen who

called, the citizen’s house—stuff like that.

So how do you fix what you know is screwed up

when other people think things are just fine? Tey

won’t want to hear what you have to say. Tey’ll

claim that they’ve forgotten more than you’ll ever

know, blah blah blah, yadda yadda yadda. So then

what do you do?

One option is to walk away. Another option: Open a

“Residential Sprinklers ‘R’ Us” store in town and

To enact needed change, help your chief “see the light”

NOZZLEHEADs



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start making some money. If those two options don’t

fit the bill for you, try this: Covert Spiritual Fire Service

Conversion and Self-Realization (aka, CSFSCSR).

Basically, you “covertly” get the facts to the right

people, including your chief, who need to know the

realities of the issues without knowing or thinking

it came from you. Get copies of articles, downloads

from websites, legal documents that show chiefs and

boards of directors being held accountable, NIOSH

reports, LODD-related pictures and any other infor-

mation that they will relate to—in private. You don’t

confront them, and you don’t raise the issues any-

more. You simply infiltrate their environment with

information that they’ll eventually apply to their own

areas of responsibility. And although it won’t happen

overnight, change will come.

I may not have a PhD from the University of the

Internet, but I’ve been around the block a few times

and, as long as you aren’t worried about who gets

credit, this tactic has a pretty good success rate. Of

course, there are other options, such as taking offi-

cial action, putting stuff in writing, going to the local

newspapers, taking legal action, getting into fights and

related stuff that will probably result in someone find-

ing your body in a landfill. Still confused or not sure

what to do? Look at what you wrote me. You’re worried

about issues like 2 ½" supply line. Find an article that

shows the flow difference and why that matters and

have the article “appear” in the firehouse, on

the bulletin board or even copied and lov-

ingly placed in the chief ’s mailbox. Do the

same with articles related to TICs, staffing,

command and control, etc. Go to NIOSH’s

fire website (www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire) and

search for reports on any of these topics. Te

reports are easy to read, and they’re loaded

with pictures and graphs for even the “sim-

plest” of fire chiefs to understand.

Tis is all about “fire chief self-realization,”

a profound spiritual awakening from an illu-

sory self image. Fire chief self-realization has

been primarily taught by my distant rela-

tive, Mahatma-Nozzlehead, one of the great

unknown fire service spiritual leaders.

Self-realization is a concept that’s start-

ing to become popular in the fire service,

primarily due to print media and Internet

articles about chiefs being held account-

able for their actions and decisions. Fire

department-related injury, death, lawsuits,

job terminations—stuff like that—are at

the heart of a fire chief ’s self-realization.

Chiefs read about “that other fire chief”

and hopefully realize that they could find

themselves in the same situation. It’s a spir-

itual moment.

Tere are many ways to solve your prob-

lem, but what I’m doing is trying to offer

you a solution that may help your chief real-

ize by himself (with help from you dropping

the facts as described above) that he has to

change before he is forced to change—or

finds himself in a position to join a very

“special” club of fire chiefs who wish they

could turn back the hands of time.

Give it a shot and allow the spirits to

awaken within.

Now slowly inhale. Good. And exhale.

Good. Take deep, deep breaths. Tat’s

it. Now relax and allow it to slowly work

changes within the soul of the chief. Tat’s it

… aaaahhhhhhhhhhh.

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

[email protected]


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Howard County, Md., has seen significant

growth in the last several years. As a result,

the Howard County Department of Fire &

Rescue Services (HCDFRS) is currently going through

some growing pains, opening new stations and adding

equipment and personnel throughout the county to

meet the needs of the growing population.

HCDFRS is a combination system comprised of

nearly 1,200 firefighters and paramedics, both career

and volunteer. Its response area contains a non-

hydranted rural area and several densely populated

urban areas with hotels, malls and restaurants; numer-

ous condo and apartment complexes; commercial

buildings; and single-family residences.

All of this has led HCDFRS to be a very progres-

sive department when it comes to replacing apparatus,

as demonstrated by its recent purchase of two Pierce

pumper/tankers and one water-delivery unit.

UnUsUal approach

To keep up with the growth in the county, HCDFRS

has instituted a proactive apparatus replacement pol-

icy. “We’ve always followed NFPA standards when it

comes to our apparatus needs,” says HCDFRS Fire

Chief William F. Goddard. “Taking our budget into

consideration, we try to keep our engines in service

for 12 to 13 years—7 to 8 on the front line, the

reserve status for 5 to 6 years.” Ladders and squads are

used for 15 years on the front line and then moved

to reserve status.

Unlike most departments, HCDFRS hasn’t gone to

bid on apparatus in several years. “We like to look at

various other departments in the area that have similar

needs and tag on our order to theirs,” says Deputy

Chief Jeffery King, HCDFRS Support Services. “We

don’t just copy their specs; we add what we need for

our county onto the vehicles. We’re mandated by our

purchasing department not to go over 15 percent of

the purchase price [the price the other departments

paid].” By ordering this way, HCDFRS shortens the

order and delivery process by 2 or more months.

Another unusual aspect of the department’s appara-

tus speccing process: It doesn’t have a formal apparatus

committee. “Our logistics section will meet with sta-

tion firefighters and officers who will be ordering the

new vehicle as well as our maintenance shop and dis-

cuss various issues,” says Deputy Chief Charles Sharpe,

who heads up HCDFRS’ operation command.

HCDFRS also got a little creative with the funding

for these vehicles. Te department is a member of

the Baltimore Area Urban Work Group, which com-

prises seven jurisdictions that meet to discuss fire

Triple Threat

By Bob Vaccaro

apparatusideas

Howard County (Md.) Fire Rescue takes delivery of 2 pumper/tankers & a water-delivery unit

One of two Pierce Arrow XT dry-

side tankers delivered to the

Howard County (Md.) Department

of Fire & Rescue Services. The

rigs feature 1,000-gpm pumps,

3,000-gallon water tanks, Class

A and B foam, Purple-K and

CAFS.

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suppression, water supply and public safety issues. A

few years ago, this group was able to obtain Urban

Area Security Initiative (UASI) funding for seven

hazmat units, and it began to discuss how some of

the funding could be used to further enhance fire

suppression capabilities in the area counties.

HCDFRS proposed purchasing two pumper/tank-

ers and a water-supply unit that would also be capable

of responding to ethanol fires on the busy Route 95

and 70 corridors that run through several area coun-

ties. Te group was able to allocate the UASI funding

toward the purchase of one of the tankers. Te grant

paid for 90 percent of one tanker, while the county

funded the money for the two other vehicles and the

remaining costs of the grant-funded tanker.

UniqUe Design

HCDFRS has dealt with Pierce Manufacturing since

2000. “We decided to continue the tradition and go

with them on this project,” King says. “Since the

units were not typical of what we normally order, a

great deal of preplanning took place. Te two tank-

ers are pretty much street-legal crash trucks. Tey

operate like ARFF vehicles but have better highway

capabilities.”

Te tankers were designed for water supply and

foam capabilities—Class A and B as well as Purple-K.

Tey both have pump-and-roll capabilities, with a

apparatus ideas

s

• 252-square-mile response area

• 11 stations; Station 13 to open in June 2011

• More than 52,000 fire and EMS responses in 2009

• Pierce apparatus currently in service: 19 pumpers,

2 aerial towers, 2 aerial ladders, 3 heavy-rescues,

1 mobile command unit, 1 decon unit, 1 breathing

air unit, 2 rescue pumpers, 5 pumper/tankers, 1

water-supply unit

Howard County Fire Rescue Howard County’s new

water-supply vehicle

is a Pierce Saber 4 x 4

with a 1,250-gpm pump

and a 500-gallon water

tank.

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TFT front-bumper-mounted nozzle that can direct a

1,000-gpm stream. Te pump is driven by a separate

engine, and the trucks can be controlled from the cab.

Tey have 1–3 percent foam capabilities, 100 gallons

of Class A foam, 400 gallons of Class B foam, 3,000

gallons of water and 350 lbs. of Purple-K Twin Agent.

Te Class A foam cell can be used to supply CAFS

units in the county, if needed.

“Previously, if we had a tanker fire, we would have to

call an ARFF vehicle from BWI Airport,” King says.

“With these two units, we hopefully would be able to

handle the fire ourselves.”

Water Supply 11 originally started out on an Inter-

national chassis, but later moved to a Pierce Saber

4 x 4. “Our water-supply committee decided on 5"

hose for this unit,” King says. “Previously, our units

had 4" supply line. By adding the large hose reels and

5", we can basically lay an above-ground water supply

if we have any water main interruptions.” Te unit

also has twin hydraulic pumps that can help with

drafting operations, and it can suction water out of

swimming pools, if needed.

“Water Supply 11 is designed as a 4 x 4 that can

help out in our rural end of the county during winter

months,” King says. “It also carries a wide assortment

of Baltimore/Washington hose adaptors that can be

used in mutual-aid situations all around the area.”

Te department has been training on all three

apparatus ideas

New Rig Specs

Pumper/Tankers 11 & 13

• Pierce Arrow XT chassis with

230" wheelbase

• Dry-side tanker

• 500-hp Cummins ISM

diesel engine with Allison

automatic transmission

• 3,000-gallon poly water tank;

400 gallons Class B foam; 100

gallons Class A foam

• 1,000-gpm Waterous CXVT

pump with Cummins dual-

control engine

• 350 lbs. Purple-K with 80 cf

nitrogen

• 10" rear dump valve and two

8" side dump valves

• Four crosslays with Williams

Dual Agent nozzles

(two 1.5" water/foam,

two 1" dry chemical)

• Husky foam system (Class

B to front turret, rear

discharge, and 1.5" discharges)

• Two 3,500-gallon Zico folding

water tanks

Water Supply 11

• Pierce Saber 4 x 4 chassis

• 425-hp Cummins ISL

diesel engine with Allison

automatic transmission

• 1,250-gpm Hale Q-Max pump

• 500-gallon poly water tank

• Two hydraulic water-transfer

pumps to assist with water

supply during drafting

• Two 200' twin hydraulic reels

on top of the unit and a LDH

reel capable of holding 1,700

feet of 5" LDH

• Two crosslays and four hard

sleeves of suction hose

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vehicles and they should be put in service in the next

couple of months. Tanker 13 will be based at the

training academy until the department opens its 12th

station next June. It will respond as a special-call unit,

mostly in a mutual-aid capacity.

Plan with Your Partners

A lot of preplanning went into the design of these

three unique vehicles. Not only was the plan discussed

internally, but with the local jurisdictional work

group. In this day and age of trying to do more with

less, HCDFRS took the smart and fiscally responsible

step of planning the design of these units to best serve

its entire mutual-aid area.

Te next time you’re speccing an apparatus, consider

not only what your department needs, but also what

type of apparatus will be most useful for mutual aid.

Meet with other departments in your area before you

write the specs. You might be able to obtain a better

grant working together—or share the cost.

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

Right: Both pumper/

tankers feature 1,000-gpm

TFT nozzles mounted on

the front bumpers.

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Above: The rear view of

Water Supply 11 shows the

large diameter hose (LDH)

reel capable of holding

1,700 feet of 5" hose.

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Choose 32 at www.firerescuemagazine.com/rs Choose 33 at www.firerescuemagazine.com/rs



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200 mailto:[email protected]



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200 http://www.bradfordexchange.com/firefighter


By Randy Frassetto

At a commercial structure fire, it’s important

that the truck companies assigned to secur-

ing utilities are familiar with utility hardware

and the hazards associated with each system.

Occupancy type will usually drive the type, size,

complexity and placement of utilities. Considering

that the time and personnel needed to secure utilities

are often underestimated, preplanning is the best way

for truck companies to become familiar with the dif-

ferent systems in their first-due area, how to secure

them and how long it will take.

Upon arrival at an incident scene, truck companies

should put in an early request to the utility company

to respond to the incident to help ensure that the utili-

ties are secured. On occasion, complex systems may

need to be secured by the responsible party of the

occupancy or the power company.

As firefighters, we should know not only what we

can shut off, but also what objects we must avoid.

With that in mind, this article will address some of

the most common electrical hardware that crews may

encounter when at the scene of a commercial fire.

CommeRCial & industRial PoweR shut-oFFs

Commercial buildings and strip malls have service

entry cabinets, which are usually found in the back of

the structure and may be marked with the utility com-

pany’s name. Tese cabinets contain a variety of shut-

off configurations and may be marked with individual

zones or suite numbers. Te main power disconnects

are in the same panel or adjacent to the meter. In strip

malls, the anchor store may have its own main panel

and several sub-panels.

Tere are three general types of disconnects: 1) fused

pull-out, 2) circuit breaker and 3) external

lever. Te external lever is the most common

type in commercial buildings. It’s used to

control single electric devices and will make a

loud “pop” sound when turned off. (See pho-

tos, p. 39.)

eleCtRiCal Rooms

Many buildings, especially the anchor occu-

pancy in a strip mall, will have an electrical

room with a utility company lock box. Most

often, the Knox-Box keys on the truck won’t

work on these exterior doors, as the box

belongs to the utility company; however, there

will be an interior door that’s accessible with

a Knox-Box key. Although this door is safe

to force open, it’s more effective and provides

better customer service to pick another door

in the rear and open it with a key to access the

interior door to the electrical room.

Te inside of this electrical room will con-

tain main shut-offs as well as sub-panels.

Here, it’s possible to shut off certain sections

of the occupancy, while leaving certain zones

on (i.e., coolers for food).

In smaller, isolated fires where securing

the entire power to a strip mall may not

be necessary, each individual occupancy

Power Down

Tips for securing utilities at commercial structure fires

TRUCKCOMPANYOPERATIONS

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In smaller, isolated fires where

securing the entire power to a

strip mall may not be necessary,

each individual occupancy may

contain its own sub-panel that

controls utilities for that specific

business. These sub-panels will

look like a residential panel, and

each breaker should be labeled

for the device(s) it controls.

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may contain its own sub-panel that controls utilities for that specific

business. Tese sub-panels will look like a residential panel, and each

breaker should be labeled for the device(s) it controls.

Generators

Generators are often overlooked when securing utilities. Most com-

mercial generators operate in the same fashion. Industrial generators

store some type of fuel (most often natural gas or diesel), for the

generator head that provides electrical current. Tese generators are

usually hardwired permanently into the building’s electrical system.

When securing power, it’s important to know that once the power

is secured, a back-up generator may also need to be secured. Tere

are two ways to prevent a generator from delivering power to the

structure: 1) shut off the generator or 2) shut off the breaker that

feeds the building from the generator.

A generator usually has numerous doors in the housing with most

often only one leading to the panel that enables the system to be

secured. Te door that usually contains the shut-off switches will be

on the end of the cabinet, opposite of the exhaust. Te exhaust is on

Truck company operaTions

Commercial buildings and strip malls have service entry cabinets, which are usually

found in the back of the structure and may be marked with the utility company’s name.

Ph

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Ku

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ael

There are three general types of disconnects: 1) circuit breaker (top), 2) fused pull-

out (lower left) and 3) external lever (lower right).

Ph

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200 http://www.skedco.com


the end of the cabinet that has no baffles (due to being soundproofed

to help reduce the noise of the exhaust).

When securing the breaker, there are two types of generator

transfer switches: automatic and manual. Tese systems are often

driven by building code requirements and should be identified

prior to a fire.

An automatic system turns on automatically and feeds power to

the building from the generator when the main power has an out-

age or has been turned off. Tis back-up power must be secured

to ensure that back-up power is not re-energizing the system. In a

manual system, truck companies must ensure that the generator is

not turned on, but no shut-off procedures need to occur.

ElEctrical BoxEs

Equally important as knowing what to shut off during a fire is iden-

tifying what will hurt us and what we should avoid. Electrical boxes

are found everywhere and have no standard shape or size. Utility

electrical boxes in particular are extremely dangerous and should not

be opened, as there is no shut off within them.

Switching Cabinets: Tese boxes contain primary cables in and

out, and are used to switch power on and off, much like a light

switch. Tese boxes are usually the bigger electrical boxes on the

property and may be controlled from a remote location by the util-

ity company. If it’s safe to do so, obtain the number on the box to

relay to the utility company. Important: Firefighters should avoid

these boxes, as they have extremely high voltage and there is noth-

ing for us to secure!

Transformers: Transformers step up electricity from primary

to secondary voltage and feed into a service entrance cabinet or

breaker panel. Tese boxes contain a high-grade mineral oil used

to keep wires cool and are smaller than switching cabinets. Tese

boxes come in different shapes and sizes and make a “buzzing”


s

There are two ways to prevent a generator from delivering power to the structure: 1) shut

off the generator or 2) shut off the breaker that feeds the building from the generator.

Ph

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Kevin

Jo

hn

sto

n

Preplanning is the best way for truck companies to become familiar with the different systems in their first-due area

& how to secure them.



200 http://www.neropes.com



200 http://www.checkoutthefuture.com


sound. Tey also have numbers on them that may

be relayed to the utility company. Again, firefighters

should avoid these boxes, as they are also very high

voltage and there is nothing for us to secure.

Communication Cabinets: Tese cabinets come in a

variety of shapes and sizes and are usually low volt-

age. If a meter is attached to these systems, we should

assume it’s high voltage. Tere is nothing for firefight-

ers to secure in the boxes, and they should not be

opened up.

A FinAl Word

Securing utilities on commercial structures is not as

simple as flipping one switch; it’s an involved task that

requires preplanning and time. Technology is chang-

ing daily, and it’s therefore important that firefight-

ers stay knowledgeable about new systems. Become

familiar with building code requirements for your

respective cities, as this will often drive how shut-offs

are arranged.

Randy Frassetto has worked for the City of Surprise (Ariz.) Fire Department

since 2001 and was promoted to captain in 2005. Surprise Fire is part of

the Northwest Valley Firefighters Local 4361. Frassetto has been assigned

to Ladder Company 305 for most of his career and he chairs the Arizona

Ladder Operations Cadre, which represents most fire departments/

districts in the state. This Ladder Cadre was developed to standardize

ladder work and further training and research as it pertains to ladder

company operations in the state. Frassetto is a member of the IAFC.


Firefighters should avoid

switching cabinets (top)

and transformers (bottom),

as they have extremely

high voltage and there is

nothing for us to secure.

Ph

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When an engine company combats a

structure fire, the doors of the building,

both interior and exterior, can either

help or hinder the attack. Tey can help by prevent-

ing fire and smoke spread, but they can also decrease

water supply if the attack line becomes pinched or

trapped by the door. To avoid these problems, we

must control all doors we encounter while initiat-

ing a coordinated fire attack and provide for timely

placement of attack lines. Controlling the door may

mean we leave it closed until charged lines are in

place to prevent smoke and fire spread, or after it’s

open, propping it open with something to prohibit it

from closing on our hoselines or exit passageway.

One simple way to control doors is to use door

chocks. You can make your own wooden door

chocks, use a metal hinge hook or purchase com-

mercial chocks. Whichever one you choose, carry at

least one or two at all times; you can easily carry a

few in a coat pocket and a couple on your helmet.

You should also practice using them to determine the

best method of deployment and identify any prob-

lems you might encounter.

Homemade CHoCks

One problem we’ve discovered with commercial mod-

els is that some aren’t strong enough to hold every

type of door (exterior doors are generally heavier than

interior), and those that can hold heavier doors often

end up in someone else’s pocket after the fire—which

means you just lost your money. So for our depart-

ment, the best and most cost-effective door chocks

have been the ones we’ve made out of scrap wood.

Most of the time, exact dimensions aren’t impor-

tant; the chocks just need to be long enough and

tall enough to hold the doors you might encounter.

Again, training and deployment prior to use on the

fireground is key.

CHoCk PlaCement

Te first engine company firefighter who enters the

building must chock open each door they stretch

hose through—even if they aren’t self-closing—while

making their way to the fire. Subsequent firefighters

entering the building should check to ensure that

each door remains securely chocked.

Prior to positioning any chock, first make sure

Small Tool, Big Job

During fire attack, chock doors to maintain water supply & egress

Fireattack

When an engine company

combats a structure fire, the

doors of the building, both

interior and exterior, can either

help or hinder the attack. They

can prevent fire and smoke

spread, but they can also

decrease water supply if the

attack line becomes pinched

or trapped by the door. To

avoid these problems, we must

control all doors we encounter.

By mike kirby

& tom lakamp

Ph

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Steven

Fr

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k

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200 http://www.amkus.com


that the door is fully open. If the door isn’t

fully open, bumping it might cause the

chock to be released.

Te most effective way to chock a door

is to place the chock between the door and

jamb on the hinge side. You can either chock

it above the first hinge or at ground level

if the layout of the door and frame allows.

Te chock is less likely to fall out if it’s at

ground level and supported by the frame

and jamb. Tip: When chocking the interior

door to the fire apartment or a door leading

from the stairs and hallway on the fire floor,

always place the chock near the floor so you

can safely withdraw it if/when smoke, heat

or fire starts venting above your head.

When to Get Creative

If working a structure fire in a building

with a door to the exterior that features a

piano hinge, you’ll have to get creative and

place the chock at the top or bottom of the

door. If neither of those options exists, you

have no choice but to chock the door at the

floor. Tis can be problematic, as the chock

may get kicked by a passing firefighter or

it may get caught by a hose coupling,

s

fire attack

The best and most cost-

effective door chock is the

one you make yourself out

of scrap wood. Most of the

time, exact dimensions

aren’t important; the chocks

just need to be long enough

and tall enough to hold

open the doors you’ll most

likely encounter.

Ph

oto

Mik

e k

irb

y

You can either chock the door above the first hinge or at

ground level if the layout of the door and frame allows.

The chock is less likely to fall out if it’s at ground level

and is supported by the frame and jamb.

Ph

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s M

ike k

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fire attack

coupling, either of which could cause the door to

close. Te entryway floor may also be smooth and

slippery, allowing the weight of a self-closing door to

push the chock out of position.

But firefighters don’t just encounter basic doors; you

may also have to chock gates to courtyards, ingress/

egress points to walkways between buildings, bay

doors and garage doors. Tip: Try to resist the urge to

use one of your forcible-entry or overhaul tools to

chock these types of doors. If no chocks are avail-

able, be creative; use a doormat, large potted plant,

newspaper or chair.

Note: If you decide to use a nail to chock open

a door, remember that nails work well on wooden

doors, but can be more difficult on steel doors with

steel frames. Although a nail will hold a steel door

open, it often falls out when the door comes in con-

tact with advancing hoselines or firefighters. Nails

are a good option if you want to hold a

door open for other means, such as ven-

tilation or overhaul, where people aren’t

likely to bump into the door, causing the

nail to fall.

Outward vs. Inward

When you come to a door that’s keeping a

fire condition in check, you must control

the door whenever you open it or force it

open—to avoid fire spread, you want to

keep the door closed but prevent it from

locking.

Generally, outward-swinging doors are

easiest to control; you can close one with

your hand or a tool, if needed. But most of

the time, we encounter inward-swinging

doors that lead to rooms or living spaces in

multi-family occupancies.

Te inward-swinging door can be harder

to control if the firefighters opening the

Nails are a good option to chock wooden doors or if

you want to hold a door open for other means, such as

ventilation or overhaul, where people aren’t likely to

bump into the door, causing the nail to fall. They’re less

effective on steel doors.

Ph

oto

Mik

e k

irb

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s

Tip: When chocking the interior door to the fire apartment or a door leading from the stairs & hall-way on the fire floor, always place the chock near the floor so you can safely withdraw it if/when smoke, heat or fire starts venting above your head.



200 http://www.rescue42.com






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door don’t take the necessary precautions.

Often when forcing an inward-swinging

door, it will spring away from firefighters

upon being opened. Te easiest way to

maintain control in this situation is to tie

a rope or other device around the door-

knob prior to opening the door.

If you don’t have a rope or are unable

to tie something around the knob and you

open the door, you’ll have to attempt to

regain control of it using a tool or other

device, potentially in an extremely hostile

fire situation. Te push from the exiting

smoke, heat and fire can turn a habitable

hallway into an inferno, especially if the

fire is wind-driven. When this happens,

if the fire attack hoseline isn’t ready, the

resulting fire and smoke spread can injure

firefighters and hamper rescue efforts.

After the inward-swinging door is opened

and controlled, and the attack is ready

to ensue, remember to chock the door

properly.

Got ChoCks?

During a structure fire, each and every door

we pass through while carrying a hoseline

must be chocked in the open position to

maintain egress and to prevent the door from

reducing or cutting off the water supply.

Without the proper water supply, our

efforts to control a fire and save lives and

property would be in vain. Always keep

chocks on hand and remember these sim-

ple tips:

1. Since chocks tend to get left behind at

incidents, restock after use to ensure

chocks are available when needed.

2. Keep a supply of extra chocks in the

fire station.

3. Other than carrying chocks on your

helmet or in your pocket, you can

also store them in hydraulic forcible-

entry bags, standpipe equipment bags

or in hosebeds.

Perhaps most important: Train regularly

on the use of chocks, so that it’s second

nature during real operations.

Mike Kirby is a captain with the Cincinnati Fire Department

(CFD), assigned to Engine Company 3. He is an 18-year

veteran of the fire service with experience in paid and

volunteer fire departments.

Tom Lakamp is a 21-year veteran of the CFD. Currently

serving as a district chief in Fire District 4, he’s an adjunct

instructor at the University of Cincinnati Fire Science

Program and holds a bachelor’s degree in fire science.

Lakamp is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s

Executive Fire Officer Program.

fire attack

The easiest way to

regain control of a door

is to already have a

rope or other device tied

to the doorknob.

Ph

oto

Mik

e k

irb

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200 mailto:[email protected]


One way to deal with advanced steel: Develop

strategies and tactics that work around these

reinforced areas. A method to consider is a

form of tunneling through existing openings.

n recent years, the fire service has placed increased emphasis

on the ability of hydraulic cutters to sever the advanced steels

being built into the structural components of vehicles. Tese

construction designs increase crashworthiness and protect

occupants in a variety of collisions; however, they also pose

new challenges to rescuers.

Responders may arrive at a motor-vehicle collision where a

patient is entrapped almost entirely within a roll cage. Additionally,

rescue tools may not be able to make a substantial opening in the

immediate area of the patient. Typical evolutions such as Bravo post

removals and roof removals may be virtually impossible with the

hydraulic, electrical and pneumatic tools that have been sufficient

for many years.

Some departments’ answer to advanced steel: purchasing new-age

cutters that boast cutting forces in excess of 200,000 lbs. Unfortu-

nately, many departments can’t afford newer cutters or systems given

other priorities and budget constraints. Although tools purchased

just 2 or 3 years ago may not be able to meet the demands posed by

high-strength steel, many department administrations simply can’t

justify the redundant expenditure. Some departments may have to

rely on outlying companies that utilize combination tools until a

more dedicated rescue vehicle can arrive on scene. A review of vari-

ous manufacturers’ combination tools, however, shows a maximum

cutting force of 120,000 lbs.—far less than the forces required to

handle high-strength steel.

So what should departments do to combat this problem?

AlternAtive tActics

An alternative to dealing with advanced steel: Develop strategies

and tactics that work around these reinforced areas. Several methods

for dealing with this problem have been identified (i.e., ripping off

the roof line of the Bravo post, creating a sunroof ). A less aggres-

sive or time-consuming method to consider is a form of tunneling

through existing openings.

When developing extrication strategies, determine the location

of the patients and potential paths of egress. Paths could include

existing openings, such as doors that are still operable, the front

windshield opening, rear window opening, rear hatches and, in lim-

ited situations, the side window openings. Tese openings should

be fairly obvious and easy to recognize during the survey of the

vehicle. Te openings can then be prioritized by practicality based

on collision damage, exterior obstructions, ease of operation, etc.

In short, rescuers can locate the patient, locate the most suitable


Ph

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tr

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Alternative tactics for extrication operations involving advanced steel

By Les Baker


opening and determine the tactics necessary to clear a

path between the two. Rescuers should be well versed

in this process as it’s typically used to gain patient

access. In certain situations, the same opening used for

gaining access will be the path of egress.

Let’s look at an example. Te Volvo SUV pictured below

was involved in a frontal collision. Tis type of vehicle

suggests the potential for advanced steels and, based on

post-incident analysis, advanced steel does exist in the

roofline, Bravo post and rocker panel. Rescuers complet-

ing surveys should easily spot the existing openings that

could be used for patient removal while avoiding tactics

that would involve cutting the advanced steel.

Specifically, the front windshield area can provide a

4' by 2 ½' opening. Te front and rear door area sepa-

rately can provide a 3' by 2 ½' opening if completely

removed, or a 2' by 1½' opening for just the glass area.

Te side glass area can provide a 2' by 1 ½' opening.

Te rear hatch area can provide a 4' by 3' opening if

completely removed, or a 4' by 1 ½' opening for just

the glass area. Lastly, the front and rear doors as well as

the side glass are mirrored on the passenger side of the

vehicle. Although these measurements don’t hold true

for all makes and models of vehicles, this should give a

good indication as to the worthiness of this tactic.

Unfortunately, rescuers may not discover the pres-

ence of advanced steel until they’ve already committed

time and resources to the initial tactic. In these cases,

the utilization of pre-existing openings may not be as

complicated as starting a secondary path of egress. In

fact, if the age and type of car suggest the potential

for advanced steel, using existing openings may be the

most suitable alternative plan.

Tis method is similar to bus extrication tactics,

where an existing opening is used and/or enlarged.

Ph

oto

Les

Ba

ker

This Volvo SUV was involved in a frontal collision. Rescuers completing surveys should easily spot

the existing openings that could be used for patient removal while avoiding tactics that would

involve cutting the advanced steel.

Windshield

Side Glass

Rear

Hatch/Glass

Front Driver

Side Door/Glass

Rear Driver

Side Door



200 http://www.chs.acfei.com


Combined with clearing any interior obstructions,

this method allows for an effective path of egress

for multiple patients. It’s also similar to tactics com-

monly used on roof-resting vehicles, where patients

are lying inside the vehicle and doors are operable.

Rescuers find an opening, remove or displace seat-

backs to clear and enlarge the path of egress, then

transfer the patient to a long spine board. Even in

older-model vehicles without advanced steel, similar

techniques may be advantageous when there’s signifi-

cant damage close to the patient, and they’re in need

of rapid extrication.

What You Need to KNoW

To accomplish tunneling, rescuers must have an in-

depth knowledge of seat tactics, including headrest

removal, lowering seatback, displacing seatback,

removing seatback, displacing a seat and removing

a seat. Some of these tactics may have to be accom-

plished with the patient still in the seat. With that in

mind, ensure patient and rescuer safety by properly

positioning hard and soft protection, observing safe

tool techniques and covering any cut or sharp edges

during and after maneuvers.

Depending on the damage to the vehicle, you may

need to conduct ram and/or spreader operations

prior to remove the patient. If side or roof intru-

sion causes secondary entrapment of the patient or

restricts the path of egress, the intruding material

should be returned to its original position and in

some cases hyper-extended. Interior ram operations

can be used as long as close attention is paid to the

contact points. Make sure each point is solid, and

“peel and peek” as necessary.

Ph

oto

s L

es

Ba

ker

When developing extrication strategies, determine the location of the patients and potential paths of

egress. This set of photos shows potential paths of egress. Rescuers find an opening, remove or displace

seatbacks to clear and enlarge the path of egress, then transfer the patient to a long spine board.

Front Seat Out Same Side Rear

Rear Seat Out Same Side Front

Front Seat Out Opposite Side Rear

Rear Seat Out Opposite Side Front



200 http://www.knoxbox.com

March 1-5, 2011

BaltiMore, MD

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For roof intrusion, also consider the use of a spreader placed verti-

cally into window openings. Te effectiveness of this tactic will depend

on the orientation of the roof in relation to the push point. If the side

is compressed toward the center line of the vehicle, the spreader will

have a tendency to move inward as the arms spread apart.

Take steps to ensure that the opening is enlarged as much as

possible using spreader operations and that all sharp edges are cov-

ered. Tese openings may not provide the largest path of egress,

but in situations where doors aren’t accessible or patient condi-

tion doesn’t allow longer operations, this opening may be the most

appropriate.

At times, this technique may require the transfer of the patient

to the long spine board in a less-than-desirable angle. If the patient

is unstable because of life-threatening injury, and they require

immediate resuscitation, or if the time required to apply the device

would jeopardize the patient’s life, the patient’s head and neck

Automobile manufacturers are increasingly implementing

ultra-high-strength steels in vehicle structures to help protect

occupants, meet government requirements and reduce

vehicle weight. General Motors (GM) uses ultra-high-strength

steels in specific sections of its vehicles beginning with the

2009 model year.

To help first responders plan crash extrication methods,

GM provides identification of the vehicles, models, vehicle

zones and specific parts that use ultra-high-strength steels

through its training website at www.gmstc.com.

In light of new developments with high-strength steels and

electric vehicle technology, Chevrolet and OnStar have joined

with leading national organizations, such as the International

Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), the International

Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the National Emergency

Number Association (NENA), as well as EMS agencies, to

host a series of training sessions to educate responders

nationwide. The tour kicked off on Aug. 24 and will continue

through the end of the year with stops in San Francisco, Los

Angeles, Austin, Detroit, New York and Washington, D.C.

The training will feature a Chevrolet Volt and will review

techniques to safely and expeditiously rescue crash victims.

The training will include animation and illustrations of an

electric vehicle, highlighting locations of high-strength steel,

cut points for extrication, first-responder labeling, automatic

and manual electrical shut-off and more. In select areas

there will also be live extrication demonstrations.

Chevrolet and OnStar have collaborated with first responder

representatives from national safety organizations in the

development of educational materials to be shared with

emergency communications personnel, the fire service, law

enforcement and EMS agencies nationwide. Training materials

for the tour include feedback from these organizations, and

will be posted on www.onstar.com/publicsafety for those

departments unable to attend the training sessions. GM

and OnStar will continue to work with the first responder

communities to educate them about new vehicle technology.

s


http://www.gmstc.com

http://www.onstar.com/publicsafety


200 http://www.trainingtowers.com

200 http://www.iafc.org/companyofficer


should be stabilized with manual, in-line support, and the patient

should be moved as a unit to a long spine board. Otherwise, take

the time to apply a short spine extrication device, such as a short

spine board, Kendrick Extrication Device (KED) or Oregon Spine

Splint II. Tese devices splint the cervical and thoracic spine when

a patient is sitting or is in a confined space. After short spine board

immobilization, the patient should be moved to a long spine board

device for complete spinal immobilization.

In Sum

Departments may not have the ability to effectively and efficiently

mitigate advanced steel in vehicles; however, several innovative tac-

tics have been developed to help departments overcome challenges

involving advanced steel. Responders must depend on both tradi-

tional and non-traditional tactics to successfully extricate victims.

Don’t underestimate the potential of developing a path of egress

between patients and existing openings. Find an opening, push parts

back into their original positions and clear the path. Tese tactics

may be simple and less aggressive, but they can provide an effective

means to remove a patient in a vehicle with advanced steel.

Les Baker, a 12-year veteran of the fire service, is an assistant engineer with the City of

Charleston (S.C.) Fire Department and a volunteer for Darlington County (S.C.) Fire District.

He has an associate of fire science degree from Pikes Peak Community College. He is an

adjunct instructor with the South Carolina Fire Academy, a member of the Darlington County

Extrication Team and co-contributor to www.navra.net.

Ph

oto

Les

Ba

ker

Depending on the damage to the vehicle, you may need to conduct ram and/or

spreader operations prior to removing the patient. If side or roof intrusion causes

secondary entrapment of the patient or restricts the path of egress, the intruding

material should be returned to its original position and in some cases hyper-extended.

Tunneling is a tactic that we’re rarely required to perform at

extrication incidents. However, it may become more common

for responders in the future, with the increased number of

sport utility vehicles and minivans on the road. In his online

article, “10 Tips for Conducting Tunneling Operations at

Extrication Scenes,” Les Baker covers just that, so check it

out at http://tinyurl.com/tunnelingtips.


http://www.navra.net

http://tinyurl.com/tunnelingtips


200 http://www.rollnrack.com


On the Campaign trail By John

oceguera

As an assistant fire chief, I’m used to interacting with the

public. Whether dealing with grieving families on the

scene of a fire or talking to residents at community gath-

erings, I’ve had to hone my public speaking skills and

learn the finer points of what the pros call “messaging”

and “sound bytes.”

However, it was my second job as majority leader of the Nevada

Assembly that got me thinking about the importance of true com-

munity outreach and the skills that every firefighter, no matter

where they rank, must now possess to function in this post-reces-

sion world.

Every other year, I spend most of my free time campaigning so

that I can keep my job as a legislator. I knock on thousands of

doors, attend hundreds of meetings and make what seems like a

million phone calls to constituents. My goal is to get my positive

message out to as many voters as possible so they will push the

button next to my name when they’re in the ballot box.

It’s not easy. In fact, there are times when I’d much rather be

fighting a three-alarm blaze than walking a neighborhood in

100-degree heat, talking to voters who are generally unhappy with

their elected leaders or, even worse, couldn’t care less about what

happens in their government.

However, it’s my job to ease their concerns or give them a reason

to care about what happens in their state capital. So far I’ve been

successful on both counts, but as the current economic crisis wors-

ens, it’s getting harder to convince them.

Te same is true of our profession as firefighters. In every state,

fire departments are facing draconian budget cuts, job losses and

labor turmoil. With increasing frequency, firefighters must defend

their very existence, and politicians who once fervently sought out

our endorsements are now making headlines by asking us to cut

services while somehow keeping our response times low.

Now more than ever, firefighters need to utilize the tools I use

every day in my life as an elected leader. Tey need to learn how

to campaign.

getting tO the rOOts

In political circles, the type of campaigning I’m referring to is

called “grassroots organizing.” It’s the single most important

part of any successful campaign, and it’s the main reason Barack

Obama is in the White House right now. Te word refers to the

part of the blade of grass that you can’t see, but that’s holding up

the part you can see.

Grassroots movements can be conducted with very little, if any,

funding. Tey rely mostly on the energy and motivation of those

willing to go out and educate the public.

Te one thing every fire department has is motivated and extremely

experienced personnel. Now, we need to make them understand

that they can make a difference by telling their story and sharing

their experiences with people they contact on a daily basis.

Like good campaigners, we need to tell the people of our com-

munities what will really happen if our budgets are cut, if our staff-

ing levels are reduced and if we aren’t able to get to their loved ones

when they need us most.

One of my colleagues who lobbies for firefighters at our legisla-

ture here in Nevada gave some of the most compelling testimony

I’ve heard on the subject. During a hearing on public employee

benefits, he asked his questioners, “If one of your loved ones lay


dying, is there any amount of money you wouldn’t pay me to get

there and save their lives?”

In campaigns, we learn to put subjects in these kinds of compel-

ling terms. It’s the best way to reach people and let them know why

the issues we fight for are so important and why we need the com-

munity’s support to keep fighting on their behalf. As firefighters, we

need to make these same kinds of arguments.

EvEry MEMbEr, All thE tiME

Every single department employee must be prepared to deliver this

message, or the plan will not succeed. Whether at the scene of a

fire or at a grocery store getting supplies, as long as you’re wear-

ing a uniform, whenever you encounter the public you must be

courteous, answer questions and take advantage of opportunities to

demonstrate the value we provide the community.

Te smallest, seemingly innocuous contacts can make a huge dif-

ference in how we’re perceived by the public at large. Recently, I was

on the scene of an accident. A motorcycle had run a stop sign and

collided with a car. Te driver of the car was obviously distraught,

although unharmed. I talked calmingly to her when I arrived on

the scene. Ten, when we had finished our procedures, I again went

up to her, asked her how she was doing and told her that I sincerely

hoped the rest of her day went much better.

She immediately softened and thanked me profusely for the kind

gesture. It took nothing on my part, but I know that woman will

leave the scene of a very traumatizing incident with a better appre-

ciation for firefighters and the job we do. More importantly, she will

likely pass her experience on to her friends and colleagues, increasing

the amount of good will we receive from a simple human contact.

To some firefighters, it seems crazy that we have to go to all this

trouble. Tey ask, “Don’t people already know what a tremendous

service we provide?” I sometimes feel the same way about my job as

a legislator. Don’t my constituents appreciate the

long hours I put in answer-

ing their calls, attending community

meetings and trying to pass fair and just laws?

Te easy answer: No. Tey have their own lives, and unless their

lives come into contact with mine, they’re not aware of what I do

on their behalf. Hence my need to campaign and remind them of

the things I have accomplished.

Te same is true of the fire service. When we respond to emergen-

cies, we’re the most important people the victims know—because

we’re saving their loved ones and hopefully their property from

the devastation of fire. However, when they encounter us in other

capacities, we are public employees who rely on their ever-dwindling

tax dollars to fund our salaries, benefits and retirement incomes.

Te good news for firefighters is that by utilizing techniques from

successful political campaigns, we can remind the public of our

importance in their lives, even when we’re not saving their lives.

it’s Up to Us

In some extreme cases, it may take even more organization and,

realistically, monetary contributions to get the point across. In my

community, firefighters have banded together to purchase newspa-

per advertisements and even television time to educate the public

and remind them of what the community would be like without

the services we provide. I’m not suggesting that kind of campaign-

ing will always be necessary, but it has been a successful tool used by

numerous groups in the past.

Te most important takeaway: We can no longer be complacent

and take for granted that people understand and appreciate our role

in the community. We must campaign and constantly remind them

of our value, while taking the time to humanize what we do and

make every interaction with the public one they will come away

from with a positive outlook.

Chief John Oceguera is 20-year veteran of the fire service, having served on the Naval Air

Station Fallon Fire Department, and currently serving as an assistant fire chief of Operations

with the North Las Vegas Fire Department. Oceguera has served 10 years in the Nevada

Assembly, the last four as majority leader. He holds associate’s degrees in general studies

and fire science, a bachelor’s degree in fire administration, a master’s degree in public

administration and a law degree.

When public support wanes,

firefighters must become

fire service “politicians”


Today’s fire department workforce is very differ-

ent from the one I entered 35 years ago. In my

experience, personnel don’t seem to act, think or look

like the workforce of the past, and they seem to have

different expectations, values and experiences. Why is

this? Shifts in demographics, culture, education, phys-

ical abilities, job skill requirements and other differ-

ences have shaped our modern fire service, and they’ll

continue to shape our future.

With that in mind, it only makes sense that our

management practices need to adapt to this new work-

force and our ever-changing environment. As leaders

we have to embrace these changes and ensure that we

create an inclusive work environment. We must capi-

talize on the benefits of having diverse perspectives,

experiences and skills in our ranks. Departments that

continue to manage and lead as they have in the past

will be less productive and struggle to be successful in

the long run.

The Leader’s roLe

As fire service leaders, we have the key role in this

transformation by creating an organizational culture

that reflects inclusion and recognizes and accepts the

benefits of this diversity. Tere’s no one way to insti-

tute this transformation, though most would agree

that the secret to success centers on open communica-

tion and strong ties to the community that the depart-

ment both protects and reflects.

Of course, managing a cultural shift like this is not

easy. You may wonder, “Where do I begin?” Tat part

is easy: You start with yourself.

First, we need to become more aware of our own

perceptions and biases so that we can better accept dif-

fering opinions. By understanding the personal lens we

look through, we can help ensure that our professional

lens is one that is honest and fair.

Second, we must understand that diversity is not just

a numbers game. We shouldn’t just want to “show”

our diversity; we need to use the benefits of being a

diverse organization to make us better. We need to

create a work environment where everyone, no mat-

ter how “different” they are, can thrive and have their

contributions recognized.

Finally, as leaders of our organizations, we need to

model the behaviors we want to see in others. Tis is

more than adding the words “diversity” and “inclu-

sion” to our mission statement. We need to make it

a thread in everything we do; we need to take actions

that enable each person to bring what they have to

the table.

a LeveL PLaying FieLd

It’s disappointing that some in our ranks equate diver-

sity to lowering standards or levels of performance.

Being sensitive to an individual’s needs and unique-

ness is quite different from excusing them from adher-

ing to established principles. Job-related standards

should be properly designed and implemented across

the board. Tis creates a sense of understanding of

what is expected and helps to level the playing field

for everyone.

in sum

Creating a diverse and inclusive fire and emergency

service culture may present some challenges, but it

will present far more opportunities. It will benefit our

organizations by allowing us to have a true under-

standing of the needs of those whom we are sworn to

serve, as well as those we serve alongside every day.

Chief Jack Parow began his career as a firefighter in 1975, and he has

served as fire chief since 1991, the last 16 at Chelmsford (MA) Fire &

Rescue. He is a past president of both the New England Division and the

Fire Chiefs’ Association of Massachusetts and has been active in many

IAFC sections, committees and taskforces. Chief Parow is a National Fire

Academy Executive Fire Officer graduate and has received his Chief Fire

Officer (CFO) designation. In addition, he is has been a professor at Anna

Maria College in the Fire Science and Management program since 1996.

By Chief Jack

Parow, MA, EFO,

CFO, MIFireE

Embrace Diversity

How fire service leaders can create an

inclusive work environment

PresidenT’s LeTTer

We must capitalize on the benefits

of having diverse perspectives,

experiences & skills in our ranks.



200 http://www.osiinternational.net


In the confines of a staff meeting, members debate

issues, sometimes heatedly, with bias and passion.

Te stakes are high: Such conversations can result in

new policies, even litigation. In this setting, you can’t

always count on someone to have a courageous conver-

sation with you (for more on courageous conversations,

see FireRescue August 2010, p. 86). But if courageous

conversations don’t occur, group-think may take over;

even those with differing opinions may be hesitant to

voice them.

Tat’s why in every meeting where you discuss impor-

tant issues, someone should play the devil’s advocate.

Preferably, you should rotate the devil’s advocate role

among members.

Playing the Part

A good fire officer does a 360-degree assessment to get

a view of all sides of the building prior to taking action.

Having a devil’s advocate in discussions is no different—

it helps you see an issue from every possible angle, allow-

ing you to consider all points of view and make the best

overall decision.

Regardless of the issues at hand, the role of the devil’s

advocate should follow these general guidelines:

1. Recognize that there are many interests in any

discussion;

2. Diagnose the potential political landscape for

each issue;

3. Identify the relevant interests and all important

political subdivisions;

4. Identify the allies and adversaries and where polit-

ical alliances can be formed with each issue (Note:

Never assume that everyone is your ally or will

agree with the intended direction);

5. Understand and acknowledge why individuals

have the perspective that they have, while trying

to predict their response to various initiatives;

6. Ask “What are we not going to do?”; and

7. Take each point of view seriously while simulta-

neously trying to inform, never taking a position

or sides.

Example: Let’s say the staff just learned that one of your

firefighters has had his driver’s license taken away because

of a recent DUI. You will want to know the facts: What

occurred and when? Is a driver’s license required to work

in the member’s position? Is there any specific agency

requirement? Is a driver’s license a condition of employ-

ment? Is this his first DUI? Has he been driving without

a license on duty, and if yes, for how long?

Easy enough, right? In fact, you’re probably saying to

yourself that getting all the pertinent facts on the table

would always occur in your decision-making process.

But I would suggest this isn’t necessarily true. Assump-

tions and biases often drive (cloud) our decisions. Tis

is where an assigned devil’s advocate can greatly assist in

clarification of thought and hopefully lead to making a

better decision.

assumPtions & Biases

Te assumptions that may have a bearing on the issue

can include:

• Is this a good employee?

• Is the individual hoping to keep this quiet?

• Is the department hoping to do the same?

• Does your staff assume this is a personal issue,

or is there an assumption that another depart-

ment will be involved or even take the lead in

this issue—human resources, risk management,

finance (particularly if they’re responsible for

insurance) or city attorney?

Biases that may factor into the discussion include the

attitudes of all employees toward the incident in ques-

tion, and the organization’s tolerance or intolerance for

this type of behavior.

Using positive inquiry techniques, the devil’s advocate

can raise the mirror in front of you and your staff. Exam-

ple: Te devil’s advocate could theorize that the culture

of the organization is one that admires hard-working,

hard-playing individuals.

Now some of you who are reading this can’t believe

what I just wrote—you’re indignant about the previous

sentence—while others are wondering, what’s the ques-

tion? Regardless where you stand and your biases, there’s

a wide spectrum of biases that needs to be discussed.

Te devil’s advocate can and should draw out these

biases. Ask, in this particular case, is the individual liked

Playing Devil’s Advocate

Important decisions require

someone to argue the other side

By Chief Marc

Revere

leadershiP skills


or disliked? Does the staff condone and/or

participate in similar behaviors, or have they

in the past? How will this affect the decision?

Fundamentally, the role the devil’s advocate

plays is to ensure the pending decision is in

alignment with your organizational values.

Not Black & White

Like a structure fire, issues like the DUI

example can take several paths. It may be a

non-issue if you have very clear policies (e.g.,

zero tolerance or a one-strike rule). If you do

have such rules in place, I would guess it’s

because your department has dealt with this

issue in the past.

However, my travels around this country

tell me that rarely are such issues black and

white. In fact, as fire chief, you may have a

lot of discretion and latitude (with a lot of

political and personal pressures) surround-

ing an issue like the DUI example.

If the organization doesn’t have stated

values, the simple act of the devil’s advocate

asking everyone their perception of the facts,

assumptions and biases can help provide

direction. In this example:

• A fact is “We all took an oath to uphold

and protect the law”;

• An example of an assumption is “We’re

community role models—not just

while on duty”; and

• An example of a bias is “We must do

everything humanly possible to assist a

firefighter who has any type of prob-

lem, including a drinking problem,

assuming they want help, and in some

cases, even if they don’t.”

Te devil’s advocate should also review and

examine the possible consequences of the

decision. Will you be seen as being too soft

or hard in this process? Does this decision set

a precedent for the next individual who may

get a DUI? What’s the perceived tolerance

for this type of inappropriate behavior off

duty (and, unfortunately, on duty)?

Tere may be a right answer in your mind,

but I would venture to say that although it

may pass the newspaper test, it might not pass

the culture test—or vice versa. Sometimes

doing the right thing may be ethical and in

alignment with the values of the agency and

yet may be very unpopular. Some members

will view issues from a personal perspective,

failing to consider potential liability and

public perception. In the end, any decision

should be framed by what is best for the

organization and the citizens we serve.

RetuRN to

YouR Values

Te DUI example is just one way to illus-

trate the importance of a devil’s advocate.

Tere are hundreds more, ranging from per-

sonnel hiring and promotion decisions, to

policy development, to strategic initiatives,

to memorandum-of-understanding inter-

pretations. Whatever the issue, there are two

core principles at work:

1. We have the power to decide; and

2. We are responsible for the conse-

quences of our choices.

Te focus of any good decision-making

process is to identify the best outcome, so all

members support it (or at least understand

it). Remember: Always make sure someone is

asking, how does this decision relate and/or

align with the core values and the mission of

the agency?

In the end, the devil’s advocate reminds

us of our overarching values, the facts, our

assumptions and our biases so that decision-

makers know all points of view and the pos-

sible repercussions of their decisions.

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.

Fundamentally, the role of the devil’s

advocate is to ensure the pending

decision is in alignment with your

organizational values.



200 http://www.allaboardinc.com


By Chief

Randall Talifarro

One of the things that I constantly reinforce with

my officers and firefighters is the importance of

each person operating within their respective roles. In

fact, a particular pet peeve of mine involves the idea

that an officer should be expected to explicitly direct

their crew on how to carry out an assignment. Now,

I’m not suggesting that officers should give vague non-

specific directives. Rather, I’m proposing that when an

officer gives a directive, crewmembers should be able to

do their jobs without a lot of additional guidance.

For instance, if an order is given to pull a 2 ½" han-

dline, advance it through the D-side door and the sec-

ond floor for fire attack, the crew should know how to

appropriately make the stretch, select the proper nozzle

pattern and initiate the attack. Likewise, the apparatus

operators should know the appropriate pump pressure

and/or what to do should a handline lose pressure. Te

officer is then free to focus their attention on their own

duties. Put simply, if you’re given an assignment, you

should be able to perform the responsibilities that go

along with that assignment—no ifs, ands or buts!

Why is this pertinent, particularly when this issue of

FireRescue addresses extrication? Let me explain.

Extrication at Warp SpEEd

Firefighters are notorious for wanting to do things

quickly. We want to get in, aggressively resolve a prob-

lem and get out. Speed is very important in our work.

It’s drilled into us from our early days at the rookie

academy: Be quick and assertive, limiting your expo-

sure to toxins and other risk factors.

But this mindset becomes problematic at special

operations events, and there’s no other place where this

is more apparent than at an extrication scene. At these

events, we often see and hear the victims while working

in close proximity to them. Te sense of urgency is mag-

nified, and we can lose our focus—but at what cost?

It’s extremely important at extrication incidents

to assign a safety officer (SO) to overall scene safety.

Tey should have no other assignments, keeping in

mind that the incident commander (IC) serves in the

capacity of SO until a designated SO can be assigned.

Very large or complex extrications may even require an

assistant SO. Although staffing limitations don’t always

allow for an assistant SO, the bottom line is that com-

mand officers must use their resources at special opera-

tions events in a way that maximizes firefighter safety.

Many times we get plenty of resources and devote them

all to “hands-on” activities instead of other important

functions like oversight, safety and staging.

At an extrication incident the stakes are too high

for the IC to also manage the SO role throughout the

duration of the incident. When speed is of the essence

and emotions are running high, mistakes can and will

be made. Terefore, it’s imperative that a set of eyes

be dedicated to the wellbeing of all parties on scene,

including the responders, as soon as reasonably pos-

sible. Te IC must make this a priority.

protEct YourSElf

When conducting extrication, focusing on risks and

hazards often becomes secondary. Downed power lines,

fuel spills, shrapnel, broken glass and improper shoring

seem less significant than saving the trapped person(s)

directly in front of you. Te patient becomes the only

focus unless the responders find themselves in trouble.

But if a safety officer is in place, they can concentrate

on hazards, protecting the other responders who are

focused on addressing the patient’s needs.

Likewise, ICs must resist the urge to assist and direct

responders with tool and equipment placement so

that they too can maintain a safety focus. Ideally, the

IC should not have to direct firefighters on the proper

use of extrication tools because they should know how

to use their equipment and have trained on the proper

strategies for various extrication scenarios. Tis relates

back to the importance of everyone knowing their role.

A secondary responsibility for the SO should be to

scrutinize the incident operations. In other words,

they still maintain responsibility for overall safety, but

also devote some attention to the specific actions of

extrication team members.

A recent NIOSH document highlights the impor-

tance of this type of scrutiny. According to the data,

40 percent of broken skin exposures to paramedics

occurred when patients were being extricated. And 80

percent of body fluid exposures to the eyes resulted from

paramedics not using employer-provided goggles.

s

Focus on the Task at Hand

Role definition & safety focus are

critical during special operations

SafEtY

And so much more to guide you through your fire-rescue career.

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Additionally, uncooperative and combative patients,

like those often found entrapped and disoriented, were a

major contributing factor to exposures to the eyes, nose

and broken skin. An SO who is observing the tactics of

the extrication team could prevent those mistakes.

Final ThoughTs

For special operations, like extrication, span of control

should be reduced and remain limited. Tese events

require undivided attention, and multi-tasking will lead to

missteps, exposures and injuries. Command officers must

recognize this and take steps to ensure that firefighters go

against their natural instinct to move faster and quicker and

instead ensure that their actions are extremely deliberate.

No energy can be wasted. No shortcuts can be taken.

No mistakes can be made. Sometimes a second, or even a

third, set of eyes on safety will help guarantee this protec-

tion. Only then will both the patient and responder be

properly served.

Fire Chief Randall Talifarro has served the City of East Lansing (Mich.) Fire

Department since March 2001. The department is a career department serving

the residents of East Lansing as well as the students and campus of Michigan

State University. Previously, Talifarro worked for the City of Flint Fire Department

for nearly 17 years, retiring as assistant chief in 2001. Chief Talifarro is a

certified professional emergency manager and has extensive training from both

the National Fire Academy and Emergency Management Institute.

Rapid-intervention teams/companies (RITs/RICs) play a critical role

on the fireground. They’re an expansion of the “two-out” requirement

found in OSHA 1910.134, and are required once a fire attack expands

beyond “two-in.”

Extensive research conducted by the Phoenix and Seattle fire

departments suggests that we may need more than just one company

to rescue a firefighter in trouble. In fact, both departments determined

that it could take up to 12 or more firefighters to extract a single fire-

fighter in distress. And clearly, if more than one firefighter is in trouble,

the number of firefighters needed for rescue increases exponentially.

With that in mind, I want to reinforce two points:

• We may need to ready more than one company for true rapid

intervention.

• Getting the appropriate number of personnel to fill out a RIT

may require adjustments to a department’s SOPs.

Now let’s compare two incidents—one involving a mayday where a

RIT was not in place and the second involving a mayday where a RIT

was in place.

RepoRT no. 10-259

“Units were dispatched to an apartment fire. The battalion chief arrived

on scene and communicated a working fire. While completing attack

on the second floor, the floor collapsed, causing me to fall into the

first floor. My two firefighters, who were exiting the building, advised

command of the incident. Command continued communicating over

the radio. I was unable to call a mayday because of the radio traffic.

I rescued myself from the first floor and attempted to locate my crew.

Command had advised them to go get me. One went inside and one

went around the back. After not finding my crew, I found command

and advised him that I was out and trying to locate my crew. I called a

mayday, declaring a lost crew. There were no RITs or back-up crews. I

also advised command to go defensive and call for a PAR report. After

several tense moments, my crew was located.”

RepoRT no. 08-113

“Our department had a structure fire that was in a single-family home.

Tactics and strategy were developed to mitigate the situation. The floor

sagged and a firefighter slid into a hole burned through the floor. The

firefighter fell 5 ½ feet into a crawl space. He managed to hang onto

the hose and landed on his back. Fire was above him in the crawl

space, and he opened the hoseline for protection. His officer called

for a mayday. The RIC and another crew (a second ladder company)

were activated to find the downed firefighter. They found the trapped

firefighter and were able to exit the structure.”

CommenTs

Several conclusions can be drawn from each near miss. First, the

question about RITs is not if a RIT will be needed, but when. It’s there-

fore critical to have a RIT in place at every incident where more than

one company enters a structure. Second, a good RIT must be well-

trained, equipped, coordinated and in the game at all times. Anything

less results in chaos when a mayday is called. Third, incident com-

manders (ICs) should strive to have more than a single company fill

out a RIT as soon as possible. Lastly, remember the RIT when it comes

to rehab rotation; they are often forgotten on the fireground.

aCTion iTems

• Adopt an attitude that the RIT is a function as important as ventila-

tion, search or any other firefighting work.

• Canvas your service area to determine the proper tool complement

that the RIT should assemble.

• Develop a “RIT checklist” that ICs and RIT leaders can use.

• Conduct hands-on drills using near-miss reports as the “scenarios”

for RIT activation.

• If you run automatic or mutual aid, ensure equipment compat-

ibility (SCBA, common radio frequencies, etc.) so the RIT can be

employed smoothly.

Final ThoughTs

Mounting case history demonstrates the value of establishing a

strong, focused, reliable RIT presence at every IDLH incident. After

all, preventing the mayday is a noble but practically impossible goal to

achieve. Once the call is placed, on-scene personnel must approach

the situation with a well-thought-out rescue plan, underscoring the

importance of having a tactical worksheet and RIT checklist.

Be vigilant. Stay focused. Keep your eyes and ears open for knowl-

edge every day.

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.

RIT-Related Near Misses2 reports show the difference between having a RIT in place—& not

neaR miss

By Deputy Chief

John B. Tippett Jr.

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200 http://www.iafc.org/vcossymposium

68 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e J a n u a r y 2 0 1 0



200 http://www.wildfire-environmental.com

200 http://www.iafc.org/wui

O c t O b e r 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 71 O c t O b e r 2 0 1 0 F i r e r e s c u e M a g a z i n e 71

The wildland fire season may be coming to a close in many

parts of the country, but developments on the wildland/

urban interface (WUI) front are as busy as ever. In this arti-

cle, I’ll share a few updates that have national implications.

Black Saturday report releaSed

On July 31, the final report on Black Saturday, the worst bushfire

in Australian history that killed 173 people, was released from the

Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission.

Te report, which is broken up into a summary plus four vol-

umes, provides a thorough account of the fire events that took

place in January and February of 2009, particularly on Feb. 7

(Black Saturday) and includes recommendations, a description of

how the commission compiled the report and information from

key witnesses.

One key finding noted in the report was that the most severe of

the Feb. 7 fires shared similar features, including:

• Rapid fire spread followed ignition, which responding crews

could not contain.

• Fires crowned in forested areas, which made them impossible

for ground crews to control.

• Powerful convection columns were generated above the fires.

• Extensive forward spotting occurred as a result of the fuel type,

the weather conditions and the topography.

• Late in the day, a wind change altered the direction of fire spread

and extended the firefront.

Revising Bushfire Policy

Te commission described authorities’ response to the incident as

“inadequate” and listed 67 recommendations. Yet despite its criti-

cism of leadership, the commission recommends that the country’s

controversial “Prepare. Act. Survive” bushfire policy be thoroughly

overhauled but not abandoned. Suggested revisions include:

• Enhance the role of warnings—including providing for timely

and informative advice about the predicted passage of a fire

and the actions to be taken by people in areas potentially in

its path;

• Emphasize that all fires are different in ways that require an

awareness of fire conditions, local circumstances and personal

capacity;

• Recognize that the heightened risk on the worst days demands

a different response; and

• Strengthen the range of options available in the face of fire,

including community refuges, bushfire shelters and evacuation.

Other Recommendations

Other recommendations in the report include:

• Introduce a comprehensive approach to shelter options that

includes developing standards for community refuges as a mat-

ter of priority; designating community refuges—particularly

in areas of very high risk—where other bushfire safety options

are limited; and acknowledging personal shelters around their

homes as a fallback option for individuals.

The Victorian Bushfires Royal

Commission recently released its

report on the fatal bushfires that

occurred on Feb. 7, 2009, during

which 173 people were killed.

AP Photo/Rick RycRoft

s

latest updates in WuI policy & decision-makingBy Dan Bailey


• Introduce a comprehensive approach to evacu-

ation that encourages individuals—especially

vulnerable people—to relocate early; includes

consideration of plans for assisted evacuation

of vulnerable people; and recommends “emer-

gency evacuation.”

• At locations that meet preparedness levels A or B, there should

be a full incident management team in position by 1000 hrs on

days of Code Red fire danger and a core incident management

team (eight personnel) in position by 1000 hrs on days of extreme

fire danger.

• Require an incident action plan summary to be completed within

the first 4 hours of an incident being reported.

• Provide to all Country Fire Authority (CFA) volunteers an identi-

fication card to facilitate their passage through roadblocks.

• Review and improve the CFA communications strategy and

develop a program for identifying and responding to black spots

in radio coverage.

Te report also recommends appointing a new, independent fire

commissioner to oversee the state’s firefighting operations, as leader-

ship during the deadly blazes was found to be lacking.

To read the complete report, visit www.royalcommission.vic.gov.

au/Commission-Reports/Final-Report.

New wUI CoUNCIl Formed

As the U.S. population grows, housing, office buildings, schools and

other structures needed to support an urban environment are being

constructed closer than ever to wildland areas. One unwanted result

is the increased number of wildfires and the danger those fires pose

to life and property.

Te just-formed National Wildland Urban Interface Council

(NWUIC) will attempt to address those and other challenges associ-

ated with the growing threat from wildfires in urban neighborhoods

that border wildland areas. Te alliance was developed by the Interna-

tional Code Council (ICC) and the National Association of Resource

Conservation and Development Councils (NARC&DC).

s

New Global Fire Information management System The Global Fire Information Management System (GFIMS),

hosted by the Department of Natural Resources of the United

Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, recently went online

at www.fao.org/nr/gfims/gf-home/en. It integrates remote sensing

and GIS technologies to deliver MODIS (Moderate Resolution

Imaging Spectroradiometer) hotspot/fire locations to natural

resource managers and other stakeholders around the world.

The system derives from the Fire Information for Resource

Management System (FIRMS) developed at the University of

Maryland with NASA funds. It includes a global fire mapper and

offers a free subscription for e-mailed fire alerts for the region

of your interest. Under the activities you can also find country

statistics on fires that occurred during the last 10 years.


http://www.fao.org/nr/gfims/gf-home/en



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http://www.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/Commission-Reports/Final-Report

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“With more than 70,000 communities, 46

million homes and 120 million people across

the United States at risk from wildland fires, this

growing crisis needs new emphasis to save lives, reduce injuries and

protect property,” says ICC CEO Rick Weiland. “Tis is an impor-

tant public safety and building safety issue.”

NARC&DC President James Sipperly agrees: “Te new National

Wildland Urban Interface Council blends a strong national empha-

sis to combat wildland fires. Our Council’s contribution to this effort

includes an effective, existing grassroots organization with more than

32,000 local volunteers. It reaches more than 180 million people

in 2,614 counties in all 50 states, as well as the Caribbean and the

Pacific Basin.”

More than 120 organizations and agencies are expected to begin

working together on this important issue, hosted by the National

Association of Home Builders, at a meeting scheduled for Nov. 3–4

in Washington, D.C.

Cohesive Wildfire ManageMent

strategy due in noveMber

Te Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Fiscal Year

2010 Appropriations Act requires the U.S. Forest Service and Depart-

ment of Interior to submit a report to Congress in November of this

year that contains a cohesive wildfire management strategy consis-

tent with recommendations listed in recent General Accountability

Office (GAO) reports regarding management strategies. Following

its formal approval by the Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of

Interior by November 2010, the strategy is to be revised at least once

during each 5-year period to address any changes with respect to land-

scape, vegetation, climate and weather conditions.

Te Cohesive Strategy is required to provide for the following:

• Te identification of the most cost-effective means for allocating

fire management budget resources;

• Te reinvestment in non-fire programs by the Secretaries of the

Interior and Agriculture;

• Employing the appropriate management response to wildfire;

• Assessing the level of risk to communities;

• Te allocation of hazardous fuels reduction funds based on the

priority of hazardous fuels reduction projects;

• Assessing the impacts of climate change on the frequency and

impact of wildfire; and

• Studying the effects of invasive species on wildfire risk.

In addition, Congressional requirements hold that the strategy

address three GAO concerns:

• Lay out various potential approaches for addressing the growing

wildland fire threat;

• Estimate the costs associated with each approach; and

• Describe the trade-offs involved.

For more information on the Cohesive Strategy, visit www.forest

sandrangelands.gov/strategy/index.shtml.

Dan Bailey is the director of Wildland Fire Programs for the International Code Council, based in

Washington, D.C. He has more than 35 years of experience in wildland fire.

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Since I’ve been in the fire service, the services

we provide—as well as how much training we

undergo to provide these services—have changed

drastically. Combine all the new services and extra

training with additional unfunded mandates, OSHA

stuff, pre-planning of buildings, fire inspections, and

oh, yeah, running a few calls, and you’ve got one busy

day ahead of you.

Of course, nothing helps motivate the troops more

than a constant diet of unfunded mandates, OSHA

requirements and discussions on how not to get sued

(aka, “cover-your-ass training”). If we weren’t con-

stantly worried about ending up in court, our training

programs would be significantly different. But lawsuits

and mandates aren’t going away anytime soon, so we

must adjust our training philosophy.

In my opinion, because of all the “extras” that have

been added to our job duties over the years, the respon-

sibility of providing training should be shared through-

out the department. Why? Many training divisions are

grossly under-staffed, which causes them to focus only

on the items they’re legally obligated to complete. But

this isn’t the way anyone wants to run a program.

In my department, our training captains are respon-

sible for everything under the sun related to training, in

addition to whatever else gets thrown on their desks. (I

was a training captain, so I speak from experience.) It’s

physically impossible to complete every single training

exercise during an annual training cycle, so something

has to give, and for many companies, that “something”

is basic firefighter skills training.

As a result, the responsibility of training firefighters

in basic skills falls right into the lap of company offi-

cers. But keeping your crew up-to-date on basic skills

is a challenge for all company officers because it takes

a tremendous amount of dedication, planning, organi-

zation and time.

A 24-hour shift may sound like a lot of time in

which to get things done, but we all know a day can

fly by without us accomplishing a single thing, because

we don’t always have control of our day. If you want to

maintain your crew’s basic firefighter skills, company

officers must have two things: an initial plan and a

scheduled plan for follow-up. Developing a training

plan is fairly straightforward, but if you don’t include

some follow-up, you’re wasting your time.

Training programs are challenging to develop and

even more challenging to implement. So I developed

a set of steps that seems to work pretty well when I’m

faced with a training issue.

Step 1: ASk YourSelf, WhY Do We trAin?

A few months ago while I was teaching a class, I asked

a simple question: “Why do we have to train?” I got a

few surprising answers, such as, “So we don’t get into

trouble by our chiefs,” and “Because we don’t want to

look bad.”

Tese guys were looking at the question from the

surface, which focuses on consequence and ego rather

than the real root of why we train.

Tere are two fundamental reasons why we train: 1)

We have dangerous jobs and as company officers, we’re

responsible for the safety of our crew, and 2) we have

a responsibility to provide a well-trained firefighting

crew to the people we serve.

Tere’s no one better suited to train a company on

basic skills than a company officer. If you’re a company

officer and you’re relying on your training division to

train your crew, you’re not doing your job.

Step 2: Determine Your CreW’S Skill level

It’s very challenging to develop a training program

that covers all the legal stuff, maintains our basic skills,

challenges us to become better firefighters and helps us

advance to the next level. Training divisions typically

don’t have the time or resources to make sure every-

body maintains the competence to pull a hose and

throw a ladder.

When working with a new crew, every company

officer must first complete a “company-level needs

assessment.” Every fire company has slightly different

training needs; therefore, every company should be

trained in response to those needs.

Base your needs assessments on how your crew per-

forms on calls and how they train on the basics. If they

have a hard time with basic firefighting skills, that’s

where you start. It seems fairly simple and straightfor-

ward because it is.

The Basics of Training

Without a training plan, you won’t understand why mistakes are made or how to fix them

COMPANYOFFICERDEVELOPMENT

By ray Gayk

s








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Step 3: IdentIfy the problem

& how to fIx It

Figuring out your crew’s skill level is pretty

easy when you use some simple observation

skills, but finding out why someone is lack-

ing a skill is a little different.

Consider this scenario: You’re working as

a company officer on a new crew and you

realize one of your crewmembers has some

performance problems during drills and

emergency calls. To say this firefighter is

embarrassing on the fireground would be

kind. How do you handle this?

During company officer promotional

interviews I’ve observed, one common

answer from many candidates is, “I’d get

the firefighter in line and take care of the

problem because it’s my responsibility.” If

every officer were able to “get people in

line” and “take care of the problem” with

as much ease as it took to answer that ques-

tion, there’d be a lot less gray-haired or

balding fire chiefs.

Te truth of the matter is that dealing

with a training issue isn’t as easy as it may

sound in an interview. Supervisors often

spend a considerable amount of time try-

ing to correct a mistake before they realize

why somebody made a mistake or is having

trouble, which is like trying to treat a symp-

tom, not the disease.

When I was a captain, if one of my crew-

members had a problem, I used a fairly

simple strategy to figure out what the

deficiency was and how to address it. If I

only treated the symptom, I rarely fixed

the problem and usually did a lot of work

for nothing. Having a strategy to find out

what’s causing problems will help you fix

the actual problem, not the mistake that

led you to uncover the problem. Consis-

tent mistakes are usually the byproduct of

a larger problem.

From my perspective, people make poor

decisions or mistakes based around three

“root problem factors”: a competency/com-

prehension problem, a training problem or

an attitude problem. And this doesn’t just

pertain to the people I supervise; it per-

tains to me as well. If I have a problem that

resulted in a mistake, the problem gener-

ally stemmed from one of these three root

problem factors.

Te chart above is a quick and oversim-

plified reference guide I’ve made for myself

so I can try to figure out why someone,

including myself, has made a mistake, but

it gets me going in the right direction. If

you can figure out why someone has made

a mistake, you can most always get to the

root of the problem and fix it.

ConCluSIon

I don’t see our training responsibilities fad-

ing or becoming less complicated anytime

soon, so everybody has to step up and share

some of the responsibility of training. All

the additional services we provide to our

communities these days are great, but if we

don’t remember to take care of the basics,

we’re doing a disservice to our crews and

the communities we serve.

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.

He has also taught numerous classes on company officer

development. Contact him at [email protected].

COMPANY OFFICER DEVELOPMENT

root problem faCtor how to fIx It

Competency/Comprehension Problem:

The mistake occurred because the person didn’t

know any better. This type of problem usually

occurs because the person didn’t receive the proper

training and/or the expectations weren’t clear.

Training Problem:

The mistake occurred because the individual didn’t

get the proper training or enough training, or they

haven’t comprehended the training.

Attitude Problem:

The mistake occurred because they want to go

down the road of defiance. ( An attitude

problem is based on their decision, not yours).

Inform the employee of your expectations and make

sure they understand them. Note: The hard part

about informing people of your expectations is that

you have to hold the person(s) accountable.

Give the individual the proper training (Note: You

may be the problem, if you were the one who failed

to give them the proper training in the first place);

provide more training; and beat the information

into their head until they get it. If they never get it,

they may have to find another job. That’s just the

way it is sometimes.

Apply as much force to change someone’s behavior

as necessary (sometimes people just need a simple

pep talk while others need to be “beaten until morale

improves”). Again, this is their decision, not yours.




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Our predecessors tell us that we must study

building construction and understand how

fire behavior affects different structures.

Read Frank Brannigan’s books, they say. And just like

building construction, we must study vehicle con-

struction and understand how collisions affect our

patients and our rescue efforts. Te difference: Build-

ing construction changes over decades and genera-

tions, but vehicle construction changes rapidly. We’re

still fighting fires in 100-year-old buildings, but no

one’s driving Model Ts. Vehicle construction and

technology change every 6 months, as car companies

constantly try to out-do each other. Eight cup holders

just aren’t enough. Cars are parking themselves. We

have to deal with high-strength alloy steel, magne-

sium, knee air bags, struts that fly and so much more.

Tere’s much to know, and we therefore must stay

current and be proactive about our training methods

and programs.

Develop a Training plan

What level do you want your personnel trained at—

awareness, operations or technician? If you want them

to perform well at the operations or technician level,

you’ll have to support them with multiple cars and

multiple drills. After all, you can’t expect your fire-

fighters to be trained to the technician level by cutting

one car per year! So develop a training program that

uses NFPA 1006 and 1670 as guidelines.

And don’t forget that you’ll need a plan for imple-

menting the new program. In my youth, I was some-

times called a “rogue” firefighter. My intentions were

good, but I didn’t always communicate them effec-

tively. So develop a plan and ensure that your boss

knows the plan so they’re not caught off guard. When

six school buses show up at your facility unannounced,

it won’t go over very well. But if you have a plan and

are within budget, administration will hopefully sup-

port your actions.

Develop a Cut Program

Tips for creating an extrication training plan that incorporates area departments & companies

Story & photos by

Todd D. Meyer

MAKETHECUT

Talk with your power or

phone companies to see if

they have any poles that

they could donate. There

may be loose poles that you

can shove through vehicles

or place under or on top of

vehicles, simulating a lost

load from a logging truck.

s




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Develop your training program with safety as a

priority. Some firefighters will ask, “Can you stack

five cars on top of a moped?” and you just have to

say “No!” Tink through your evolutions. What if

the load shifts? Do you have escape routes? Your

cars should be reviewed for safety hazards, and you

should have fire extinguishers on hand.

Involve others

Don’t forget that you can’t do it all. Develop other

instructors to help your cause. Give them direction

and responsibilities. Seek out people who are willing

to work hard and not just be there for the glory.

If your department can’t afford an in-depth train-

ing program, or if you lack a training center or

experienced instructors, you can partner with neigh-

boring departments. Share expertise, resources and

expenses. Tis will benefit you when you need to call

these folks for mutual aid. Work out the kinks on

the training ground, and there will be fewer bumps

on the highway.

Get out & DrIll

Once your training program is in place, it’s time for

some simple drills. Take a field trip to your local car

dealership. Crawl over the cars, grab brochures and

talk to mechanics. It’s amazing what flipping a vehi-

cle on its roof does to someone trying to take doors.

Make TheCUT

Whether the car is on its roof on or on its wheels, use the available void spaces, look for

weakness, be aware of your hazards and peel material away from your patient. Be cautious,

though, if you’re weakening the structure with the weight up top.

Develop other instructors to help your cause. Give them direction & responsibilities. Seek out people who are willing to work hard & not just be there for the glory.



200 http://www.tntrescue.com


Even after countless extrications, I sometimes have

to turn upside-down to make sense of what I’m look-

ing at. Whether the car is on its roof or on its wheels,

use the available void spaces, look for weaknesses, be

aware of your hazards and peel material away from

your patient. Be cautious, though, if you’re weaken-

ing the structure with the weight up top.

Find out if your local wrecking yards and tow com-

panies will assist in your training. Some companies

may donate cars. If they aren’t within your city lim-

its, they may deliver cars to your station or training

ground for free or a small fee. Ask them to process

the vehicles (remove batteries, fluids, hazards, etc.).

Remember that these companies may be more willing

to do this on their own schedule. If you demand cer-

tain times on short notice, it may get more expensive.

Talk with your power or phone companies to see

if they have any poles they could donate. Tey may

have loose poles that you can shove through vehicles

or place under or on top of them, simulating a lost

load from a logging truck. Te possibilities for these

poles are endless and, when stored, they don’t take

up a lot of space. Te utility companies may also be

willing to come out and set up poles with wires and

other components.

We often get cars from the wrecking yard that

aren’t damaged. A couple of jersey barriers (K-rails)

can change this dramatically. Local barrier companies

We often get cars from the wrecking yard that aren’t damaged. A couple of jersey

barriers (K-rails) can change this dramatically. You can drop the car on the barrier

and, depending on the rotation, the barrier will cause damage that simulates

different wrecks.

200 http://www.tntrescue.com


may donate barriers to your department,

especially if they have old ones that are no

longer certified. Kelley blocks (large con-

crete retention blocks) can also work.

You can drop the car on the barrier and,

depending on the rotation, the barrier

will cause damage that simulates differ-

ent wrecks. Put some dummies in the car

before the drop, leave the car on the barrier,

and you have yourself a nice stabilization

and extrication problem.

If you can’t drop the car, shove it into the

end of the barrier, right into the doors at

the B-post. Leave the vehicle there, using

the barrier as an obstacle, or wrap the dam-

aged car around a utility pole.

It’s a simple fact that we often overlook

the patient care portion of extrication train-

ing. Everyone wants to cut, roll that dash

up a foot and pound their chests, but no

one wants to hold C-spine. We need to

know how our actions affect the patient

and their space, so add some dummies to

the mix. You might also add some rules of

engagement for your training sessions that

effectively challenge the students (i.e., every

occupant is viable and needs to come out

on a backboard).

It’s a simple fact that we often overlook the patient care

portion of extrication training. We need to know how our

actions affect the patient and their space, so add some

dummies to the mix.

Make TheCUT





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Note: All these maneuvers should be done

with caution and with proper personal pro-

tective equipment.

Say Thank you

A thank you goes a long way. Be humble

and appreciate the efforts made by the local

companies you call on. A simple letter on

department letterhead thanking them for

their donations or help is great. I know, I’m

a firefighter on a truck, and I stopped writ-

ing letters in the ninth grade, but a letter, a

press release to the local newspaper or even

a “tweet” can keep many doors open for

future training.

In Sum

Setting up and maintaining a successful

training program takes hard work, patience

and cooperation from many parties. But

through the banged-up knuckles, sweat,

snow, rain and heat; it’s all worth it when a

student realizes, “Tis saves lives!”

Todd Meyer is a battalion chief with the Gig Harbor (Wash.)

Fire & Medic One. He has 16 years of fire service experience.

Meyer holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Central

Washington University, as well as IFSAC Fire Fighter I

and II, IFSAC Fire Officer I and II and Strike Team Leader

qualifications. He’s a Pierce County Type III team member

and instructs extrication classes on the West Coast. Meyer

is the co-founder of “Crunch Time,” a hands-on vehicle

extrication class hosted by Gig Harbor Fire and Medic One

and a member of the IAFC.





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I chose the title for this article for a very specific

reason: Te fire service doesn’t hire dummies, and

our personnel already understand more than we

sometimes give them credit for.

Integrated Risk Management (IRM) is the term used

to describe the process of melding emergency operations

and prevention strategies into one process, at the station

level. It’s the law of the land in the United Kingdom,

but the concept isn’t new to the United States, either.

Common ideas like home-safety visits, smoke-alarm

checks and installations, and delivering fire-safety infor-

mation directly at the neighborhood level are all part of

IRM. But they’re the outputs—the activities done. Tey

don’t describe the process for getting there.

The Process of IrM

In simple terms, IRM is about identifying community

risks by station response area, and creating both emer-

gency response and preventive strategies designed to

mitigate those risks. Identifying the areas that generate

the most calls, or the potential for high life or fire loss,

doesn’t have to be rocket science. Neither does combin-

ing emergency response and preventive strategies.

Rebecca Booker, FLSE, RN, is a fire investigator for

the Spring Lake Park-Blaine-Mounds View Fire Depart-

ment in Blaine, Minn., where the department has been

conducting home safety visits for some time. Recently,

Booker visited Fire Chief Tony McGuirk of the Mersey-

side Fire and Rescue Service in the UK. McGuirk has

been active in implementing IRM and as a result, the

department’s website has some valuable information on

the process of IRM. To view Merseyside’s business plan

that incorporates IRM into its basic operational view,

visit www.merseyfire.gov.uk/aspx/pages/IRMP/pdf/

IRMP_2010%20_040310.pdf.

Tis document details how the department divides its

response area into three risk categories, with response

protocols based on the level of risk for each area. It also

includes information on the many community partner-

ships that the department engages in to reduce fire risk.

Tese range from the obvious (ensuring that they reach

out to elderly people to make their homes safer) to more

unique (working to reduce health inequities among its

response population, because being in poor health is

associated with a greater risk of death or injury by fire).

IT’s for everyone

In my old jurisdiction (Vancouver, Wash.), some fire cap-

tains have been practicing IRM for years. For example,

once a year Captain Duane Schuman’s station personnel

go door-to-door in a specific part of his response area,

passing out reminders that homeowners should be creat-

ing a defensible space around their homes due to wildfire

risks. He does it on his own—with no prompting from

higher-ups—because he sees the need to be proactive in

his neighborhood about minimizing risks. He under-

stands that a fire might still happen, but he takes respon-

sibility at his level for mitigating those risks.

Believe me, no one is more committed to training and

an effective emergency response capability than Cap-

tain Schuman. But that doesn’t keep him from using

risk management and prevention strategies to further

enhance community safety.

Many of us think that firefighters are overburdened

with workload and training requirements, and that is a

valid concern. But the concept of IRM is so fundamen-

tal to our local fire protection strategies that we should

be collectively advocating (or requiring) it as part of our

firefighter basic training and requiring it of our officers.

Te people we hire as firefighters are smart, or they

wouldn’t make it through the hiring process. Tey

understand IRM and can find ways to implement it,

even if it involves getting others to do the work for them.

Some jurisdictions use Citizen Emergency Response

Team members to conduct canvassing or home visits for

the station, thereby cementing the relationship between

community and a particular fire station. Others partner

with outside organizations, like non-profits that already

visit high-risk homes.

But we haven’t collectively told fire officers that it’s

part of the job. It’s time we did so in hiring, training

and promotional opportunities. Tey’re already smart

enough to grasp it—and make it happen.

Jim Crawford recently retired as 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.

Integrated Risk Management for Dummies

Our personnel have the ability to implement IRM

By Jim crawford

FirePrevention

http://www.merseyfire.gov.uk/aspx/pages/IRMP/pdf/IRMP_2010%20_040310.pdf

http://www.merseyfire.gov.uk/aspx/pages/IRMP/pdf/IRMP_2010%20_040310.pdf

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ance circuits (NACs) to full capacity. It’s best for instal-

lations using higher-power strobes or facing limited wall

space for multiple supplies. Independent output circuit

supervision enables the HPFF12 to notify an attached

control panel of a NAC fault. Activated by a fire alarm

control panel or operating standalone, it provides 24-volt

DC power to four NACs rated at 3 amps each.

Honeywell

877/477-7697; www.honeywellpower.com


Testing 1, 2, 3The WTX-4100 Series of flexible platform mics by Pryme Radio are

ruggedized, waterproof and IP rated. The WTX-4100 series supports

three different methods of push-to-talk (PTT) activation: a traditional

side-mounted PTT switch; a patented, front-facing PTT; and a secure

wireless PTT button. It functions as both a remote speaker mic and a

highly pinpointed GPS location device and offers multiple reporting

modes to automatically send out employee locations.

Pryme Radio

800/666-2654; www.pryme.com


http://www.dymon.com


http://www.honeywellpower.com


http://www.pryme.com


200 http://www.shopjems.com


Warm & DryNine 1 One Gear’s Battalion Chief first-response jacket comes in

standard navy, black and red and is ANSI Class II High-Visibility

blood-borne pathogen resistant. Technical specifications include an

AirTech breathable, raglan-sleeved outer shell with viral-resistant and

blood-borne pathogen barrier, Dupont Cordura in high wear areas

for added durability and Ever-Quick dry lining fabric for moisture

control. In addition, the jacket has 3M Scotchgard reflective material

and a no-draft internal cuff that promotes thermal retention.

Nine 1 One Gear

888/991-4327; http://nine1onegear.com


I Can See Clearly NowPanasonic’s Toughbook Permanent Display Removable Computer

(PDRC) combines a vehicle-mounted display and full-functioning

keyboard for heightened accessibility inside public safety vehicles. The

PDRC features a brighter touchscreen display, improved user visibility

and a reduction in connection cables. Supporting Windows 7, it pro-

vides a secure and ergonomic system for transferring mission-critical

data in the field. The vehicle-mounted display and full-sized keyboard

can be mounted independently for easy viewing and access, without

interfering with the operation of the vehicle or air bags.

Panasonic

888/223-1012; www.panasonic.com


Search & RescueThe SARbot by SeaBotix is a rapid response

underwater rescue system that operates

in near-zero visibility, poor weather and

strong currents. Features include a modi-

fied LBV system with high-definition

Tritech Gemini 720i imaging sonar, limb-

grasping manipulator, video enhancement

and a small diameter, low-drag tether.

In addition, the SARbot rescue system

includes a high-resolution StarFish 990F

side-scan sonar and a purpose-built LBV

training simulator.

SeaBotix

619/450-4000: www.seabotix.com

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NEWdElivEriEsThe U.S. Army has taken delivery of eight Crash Rescue CAV 2400

rapid-response Renegade trucks. Built on Ford F-550 Super Duty

4 x 4 chassis, the vehicles feature a polypropylene rear body, inte-

gral 400-gallon water and 50-gallon foam cells, and rear-mounted

enclosed twin-agent hose reels. Other features include a 200-lb.

dry-chemical agent system, Whelen LED lighting and a F.L.I.R.

camera/monitor.

Crash Rescue Equipment Service

972/243-3307; www.crashrescue.com


The Rotterdam Fire District #6 in Schenectady, N.Y., has taken

delivery of a KME custom pumper on a Predator X-MFD chassis,

powered by a 470-hp Detroit Series 60 engine. The pumper has an

Allison 4000 EVS, five-speed transmission and a 1,500-gpm single-

stage QMax pump. Other features include a 2,750-gallon fiberglass

tank with a 25-gallon foam cell, Onan 10-kW PTO/HYD genera-

tor, roll stability control and a safety-vision camera system.

KME

800/235-3928; www.kovatch.com


The Van Wert (Ohio) Fire Department has taken delivery of a

Danko tanker built on a International 7400 chassis. The vehicle

has an Allison 3000 EVS five-speed automatic transmission and

a Waterous 303LE with 23-hp Kubota engine pump. Additional

features include a 2,000-gallon water tank, three-way rear electric

dump valves operated from cab, rear folding tank, hard suction,

Insta-Chain wheel system and a Whelen LED lighting package.

Danko Emergency Equipment

866/568-2200; www.danko.net



http://www.crashrescue.com


http://www.kovatch.com


http://www.danko.net




The Annandale (Minn.) Fire Department has taken delivery of a

Custom Fire Apparatus pumper built on a Spartan Furion chassis.

The vehicle has an Allison 3000 EVS transmission and a 360-hp

Cummins ISC engine. Features include a 950-gallon water tank

with a 20-gallon foam cell, roll-up compartment doors, a Waterous

1,500-gpm pump, a FoamPro 2001 single-agent foam system and

a Whelen LED warning-light package.

Custom Fire Apparatus

800/443-8851; www.customfire.com


The Chaffee County (Colo.) Fire Protection District has taken de-

livery of a 1995 Nova Quintech (acquired by Pierce/Oshkosh in

1997) 100' aerial ladder platform. The fourth fly articulates down

to 60 degrees. The vehicle features a 1,750-gpm pump, four-per-

son cab, 115 feet of ground ladders and a new 5-kW generator. It

is now in service at CCFPD’s new Fire Station #1.

Pierce

920/832-3000; www.piercemfg.com


The Cochrane, Ontario, Fire Department has taken delivery of a

pumper from Fort Garry Fire Trucks. Built on a International 4400

chassis and powered by a 300-hp MaxxForce DT engine and an

Allison 3000EVS transmission, the vehicle features a 1,000-gallon

tank and a 1,250-gpm Darley PSM pump.

Fort Garry Fire Trucks

800/565-3473; www.fgft.com




http://www.customfire.com


http://www.piercemfg.com


http://www.fgft.com




200 http://www.firecache.com

200 http://www.cuttersedge.com


For information on placing

classified ads, please contact

Jim Maloney at (215) 239-3157

or [email protected].

AccountAbility

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Rate Labor – Retone &

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Ventiliation equipment

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

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Each monthly issue includes:

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Oct. 28 at 2 p.m. EDT

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The personal protective equipment (PPE) a firefighter wears is a critical part of his or her

safety; in certain incidents, it can be the line between life and death. In this Webcast, we’ll

review the elements of a successful PPE program, including:

• How to balance the need for firefighter safety with budget limitations

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5.11 Tactical Series 11 2

ACFEI 52 54

All Aboard 56 65

American Fire Training Systems 75 89

Amkus Rescue Systems 43 45

Blanchat Mfg., Inc. 71 84

Blauer Manufacturing Co. Inc. 14 7

Boston Leather 67 79

Bradford Exchange 35 35, insert

Bullex Safety 25,27, 50 21,24, 50

CET Fire Pump Mfg. 80 100

CMC Rescue, Inc. 24 20

Coaxsher 84 72

Cutter’s Edge 78 91

Dupont Personal Protection 29 27

Emergency Response Maps 61 73

EMST2011 56

Extendo Bed Co. Inc. 41 42

Firefighter Combat Challenge 75

Florida Fire Chief’s Assoc. 63 77

FireRescue 42, 67, 74, 87, 88, 95, 98

Gear Grid 19 13

Globe Manufacturing 13 5

GM-On Star 16 9

GSA 30 29

Holmatro Inc. 12 3

Horton Emergency Vehicles 34 33

Hot Shield USA 31 28

Husky Portable Containment 62 74

IAFC (International Association of Fire Chiefs Inc.) 58, 69, 70

Indianapolis Industrial Products Inc. (MatJack)70 84

Intelagard, Inc. 28 25

Keiser University - Sarasota 45 47

Knox Co. 53 55

Kussmaul Electronics 65 77

Lake Assault 46 47

Liberty Artworks 64 77

Meridian Medical Technologies Inc. 37 37-38

Mosby 36, 51 34, 51

National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI) 76 90

National Fallen Firefighter Foundation 81

National Fire Sprinkler Assoication Insert

New England Ropes 38 40

Niedner 32 32

Paratech Incorporated 26 23

Petzl America 79 99

Physio-Control, Inc. 40 41

Priority Dispatch (NAED) 15 8

Rescue 42 Inc. 47 48

Rescue One Connector Boats 49 49

Res-Q-Jack 20 16, Insert

RESQTEC 81 31

Ringers Gloves 23 19

RKO Enterprises 48 49

Rock n Rescue 73 85

Roco Rescue 17 10RollNRack LLC 55 59Salsbury Industries 74 89Sensible Products 22 18Simulaids 72 85

Skedco Inc. 39 39

Smart Power 68 81

Smeal Fire Apparatus 21 17

Spartan Motors Inc. 42 43

Sprint 18 11

Surrey Fire Safety House 33 32

Team Equipment Inc. 44 46

The Supply Cache Inc. 60, 78 73, 91

TNT Rescue Systems 69 82-83

US Alert 86 63

US Fire Equipment 88 93

Warthog Products LTD. 66 77

Weddle Tool Company 87 93

Weightvest.com 59 72

WHP TrainingTowers 54 57

Wildland Environmental USA 58 70

Witmer Public Safety Group, Inc. 82 30

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Firerescue Magazine, ISSN 1094-0529, including Wildland Firefighter, is published monthly by Elsevier Public Safety, 525 B St., Ste. 1900, San Diego, CA 92101-4495; 619/687-3272 (fed. ID #13-1958712). Periodicals postage paid at San Diego, CA., and at additional mailing offices.Subscription information: Send $39.95 for one year (12 issues) or $69.95 for two years (24 issues) to P.O. Box 17049, North Hollywood, CA 91615-9247. Or call 888/456-5367. Canada—please add $20 per year for postage. All other foreign subscriptions, please add $30 per year for surface and $70 per year for airmail postage. For new orders only, call toll-free 888/456-5367. Single copy: $10.00.Advertising information: Rates are available at www.fire-rescue.com or at 525 B St., Ste. 1900, San Diego, CA 92101-4495; 619/687-3272.Editorial information: Direct manuscripts and queries to FireRescue Editor, 525 B St., Ste. 1900, San Diego, CA 92101-4495. For editorial and photography guide lines, visit www.fire-rescue.com. For information on FireRescue reprints or permissions, visit www.fire-rescue.com. Copyright © 2008 Elsevier Inc. No material may be reproduced or uploaded on computer network services without the expressed permission of the publisher. Postmaster: Send address changes to FireRescue Magazine, P.O. Box 17049, North Hollywood, CA 91615-9247. Claims of nonreceipt or damaged issues must be filed within three months of cover date. Canada Post International Mail Product (Canadian Distribution) Sales Agreement No. 1247921.

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The saying, “Patience is a virtue,” has never been

more applicable to an industry than the fire ser-

vice. For an officer, the ability to demonstrate

patience is essential to showing other firefighters, as well

as external stakeholders, your emotional maturity, lead-

ership and command over yourself—you cannot truly

lead others until you have command over yourself.

Patience is not one of my strong suits. I was very high-

strung as a child; you might say I had ADD before hav-

ing ADD was the norm. Tis transferred over into my

adult life, where it began to manifest itself in ways that

were unacceptable as an adult: quickly losing my temper,

mouthing off, knee-jerk emotional reactions, etc.

When I entered the fire service, I quickly learned

that, like me, there were a lot of Type A, aggressive and

short-tempered individuals. Patience didn’t appear to be

a highly valued commodity in this industry, but as I got

older and progressed, I realized that the officers I really

listened to and trusted, and those who were the most

respected, demonstrated the greatest level of patience,

whether on an emergency scene or at the firehouse.

A VAluAble lesson

My greatest lesson about patience came in 1999, but I

wouldn’t actually understand its full impact until much

later. Tat year, along with two others, I was a final-

ist for the fire chief position in Shreveport, La. I was

encouraged when I was told that my interview went

particularly well. When I received the phone call from

the mayor notifying me that he was selecting someone

else, I was disappointed and somewhat angry.

Tat “someone else” was my supervisor at the time.

You may have heard of him: Atlanta Fire Chief and for-

mer U.S. Fire Administrator Kelvin Cochran. OK, so

maybe the mayor did make the right choice. Ya think?

Over the next 8 years, I worked directly under Chief

Cochran as his assistant and chief of staff. What I learned

in that time couldn’t be taught in a classroom or found

in a book. Having Chief Cochran as a mentor and a

coach, and being there to participate in the good and

bad experiences of a very patient and rational fire chief,

provided me the foundation that prepared me to finally

ascend to the top position when the time was right. I

can tell you now that I wasn’t ready for the position in

1999, and would probably have failed miserably.

Tat experience taught me that there is a right time,

a right place and a right way of saying and doing

everything—and most of the time it’s not what or when

our emotions are telling us to do so.

A Work in Progress

Impatience is primarily psychologically learned and,

thus, it can be unlearned. It’s not easy. I view it almost

like a recovering alcoholic trying to stay sober—it’s a

daily challenge because it feels natural for me to just be

short-tempered and give in to my emotions. So I work

at it constantly, including:

• I have signs in my office reminding me to be

patient.

• I wait at least 1 day (minimum) and consult others

before making any critical (not time-sensitive or

emergent) decisions.

• Before I send angry e-mails or letters, I wait at least

1 day. When I get to work the next day and read

what I have written, I always thank the good Lord

I didn’t send it.

• I empower my command staff to bring to my

attention, without fear of retaliation, when I am

impatient or about to make a knee-jerk decision

based on an emotional response.

• I never discipline in anger. I wait to meet with the

member until I’m sure I’m focusing on correcting

the behavior and not demoralizing the person.

I’ll leave you with one final thought about the impor-

tance of patience that I learned from Chief Cochran. It

came after I had demeaned a subordinate because they

weren’t picking up something as fast as I would’ve liked.

He said, “Brian, if you ever want to become a fire chief,

you’ve got to learn and demonstrate calm, composure,

understanding and an ability to listen to others. All

wrapped up in a nutshell, man, you gotta’ learn some

patience!” Although I’ve certainly fallen off the wagon

from time to time, since that day I have made a con-

certed effort to be more patient.

If you want to reach your full potential as an officer,

practicing patience is a good place to start—if you can

just find the time.

Brian A. Crawford is the fire chief for and a 26-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.

…To Those Who Wait

Patience is a virtue & so much more for an officer

by brian A. Crawford

ResponseTime



200 http://www.petzl.com



200 http://www.fire-pump.com

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