This week training and use of the portable extinguisher.
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Firefighter Training Podcast Episode #29 - Void Space Fires
This week we talk about recognizing and handling void space fires.
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Tactical Fire Problem - Fire in a downtown movie theatre
This week a fire in an older downtown movie theater. This might be different than the larger free standing megaplex.
1.) What would be your initial report on arrival for this incident?
2.) Do you know the occupancy limits in movie theaters in your response district?
3.) How do you weigh the potential occupancy load with what you see and read from the parking lot? (Is the lot full, half full, what does that mean?)
4.) From what you see in the scenario where is most of the fire located within the building?
5.) Based upon what you answered in number 4, describe the tactics and resources you would use.
Thanks, stay safe and stay thinking!
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
1.) What would be your initial report on arrival for this incident?
2.) Do you know the occupancy limits in movie theaters in your response district?
3.) How do you weigh the potential occupancy load with what you see and read from the parking lot? (Is the lot full, half full, what does that mean?)
4.) From what you see in the scenario where is most of the fire located within the building?
5.) Based upon what you answered in number 4, describe the tactics and resources you would use.
Thanks, stay safe and stay thinking!
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Fire Service Lite
The other night I was out having a leisurely supper another ridiculous training idea occurred to me.
I had gone to a small family restaurant and although I rarely drink an awful lot I had just ordered a light beer for supper.
I am very serious about trying to get back into some human shape and I am trying to be conscious of calorie intake.
At some point during the meal I realized that I had just ordered a beverage, that is about 87% water in the first place and I asked them to make it "lite". What the hell was I thinking!
I then sort of chuckled to my self and wondered about society in general, the quality of our new recruits and officers, the current school of fire chiefs that are surfacing and said ...gee, what ingredients are we leaving out of these folks that are making them the "lite version".
Society "Lite"
Oh, this was an easy one, we have left out most of the common courtesy, politeness, pride and integrity. But hey you still get your money's worth because we have added so many more artificial ingredients such as phony, condescending, materialistic, impatient, and oh yes you have seen it is always served "cold". We have an awful lot of cold.
Recruit and firefighter "lite"
Ah yes one of my favorite brews. The "what can this job do for me and how many sick days and benefits can I get" variety. The kind that has the contract in their back pocket for easy and quick reference so there is no waiting. What did we take out in this flavor, we took the service out of the word fire service. We removed any reference to duty, commitment and pride and tradition and honor. Hey but it is really full bodied and seems complete though because we took all the ingredients we removed and replaced them with a much more robust "ME" that takes the place of everything we removed. (Hey fires are down anyway, lets just send the lite guys to the small jobs on nice days with no wind and rain, when they are not out on a swap or personal to, That should work OK)
Officer 'Lite"
We will give you the fastest, most inexpensive officer we can. We rush them through production by minimizing the number of years they have to do their job, we give them cookie cutter study materials and traditional testing instead of letting them brew and age into an assessment center process. We have removed the experience, caring compassionate mentoring attitude of those older more traditional types, and we have become task and objective oriented instead of taking care of those silly people that work for us that are really nothing but additives! These officers are also extremely cold when served up to us.
Chief "Lite"
This one could go on for hours, but I can't quite get my finger on what is missing with these new breed of chiefs that I am seeing. I can tell some of what is missing and different but not all of it. I believe the taste I have indicates we have removed most of their memory, lots of their intestinal fortitude, their desire to continue to educate themselves and not rest on their laurels, and the vision and passion they once had when they used to say things like "When I get to be chief I will........". The new taste leaves some of those that contact them bitter and with a strong after taste. A lot of the new taste is caused by some of the attitudes and additives that have replaced the items removed.....There is way too much ego, pompous attitude, self righteousness, and way too little humility and compassion and human skills. I think maybe they advertise too much and way too flashy.
This is my view on whether or not less is better or not. Sometimes it is helpful to be less. Less ego, less pompous, less ME, less attitude, and add a little more of caring and helping and others, and continuing to learn, exploring, and study.
Something is brewing in the fire service today, help make sure it is a good product!
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
I had gone to a small family restaurant and although I rarely drink an awful lot I had just ordered a light beer for supper.
I am very serious about trying to get back into some human shape and I am trying to be conscious of calorie intake.
At some point during the meal I realized that I had just ordered a beverage, that is about 87% water in the first place and I asked them to make it "lite". What the hell was I thinking!
I then sort of chuckled to my self and wondered about society in general, the quality of our new recruits and officers, the current school of fire chiefs that are surfacing and said ...gee, what ingredients are we leaving out of these folks that are making them the "lite version".
Society "Lite"
Oh, this was an easy one, we have left out most of the common courtesy, politeness, pride and integrity. But hey you still get your money's worth because we have added so many more artificial ingredients such as phony, condescending, materialistic, impatient, and oh yes you have seen it is always served "cold". We have an awful lot of cold.
Recruit and firefighter "lite"
Ah yes one of my favorite brews. The "what can this job do for me and how many sick days and benefits can I get" variety. The kind that has the contract in their back pocket for easy and quick reference so there is no waiting. What did we take out in this flavor, we took the service out of the word fire service. We removed any reference to duty, commitment and pride and tradition and honor. Hey but it is really full bodied and seems complete though because we took all the ingredients we removed and replaced them with a much more robust "ME" that takes the place of everything we removed. (Hey fires are down anyway, lets just send the lite guys to the small jobs on nice days with no wind and rain, when they are not out on a swap or personal to, That should work OK)
Officer 'Lite"
We will give you the fastest, most inexpensive officer we can. We rush them through production by minimizing the number of years they have to do their job, we give them cookie cutter study materials and traditional testing instead of letting them brew and age into an assessment center process. We have removed the experience, caring compassionate mentoring attitude of those older more traditional types, and we have become task and objective oriented instead of taking care of those silly people that work for us that are really nothing but additives! These officers are also extremely cold when served up to us.
Chief "Lite"
This one could go on for hours, but I can't quite get my finger on what is missing with these new breed of chiefs that I am seeing. I can tell some of what is missing and different but not all of it. I believe the taste I have indicates we have removed most of their memory, lots of their intestinal fortitude, their desire to continue to educate themselves and not rest on their laurels, and the vision and passion they once had when they used to say things like "When I get to be chief I will........". The new taste leaves some of those that contact them bitter and with a strong after taste. A lot of the new taste is caused by some of the attitudes and additives that have replaced the items removed.....There is way too much ego, pompous attitude, self righteousness, and way too little humility and compassion and human skills. I think maybe they advertise too much and way too flashy.
This is my view on whether or not less is better or not. Sometimes it is helpful to be less. Less ego, less pompous, less ME, less attitude, and add a little more of caring and helping and others, and continuing to learn, exploring, and study.
Something is brewing in the fire service today, help make sure it is a good product!
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Sunday, September 22, 2013
60 Second Safety - Security
This week we speak about security and firefighter safety.
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Firefighter Training Podcast Episode 28 - Initial Decision Making -Three Questions
This week we will take a look at the fireground decision making model consisting of the three basic questions: What have I got? Where is it going? What resources do I need to control it?
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Tactical Fire Problem - Ice Cream Plant Chemical Leak
This week you need to do a little thinking to answer the five questions. This is not a fire but a chemical leak.
1.) What chemical might be used as a refrigerant at an older ice cream plant?
2.) If you have identified the chemical in question #1 look up the basic physical properties of the chemical and make yourself familiar with them.
3.) Does the chemical involved pose any fire or explosion risk? What conditions would have to be present for this to occur.
4.) In your department what should be the actions of the initial first alarm response?
5.) How long will this incident go on, and what other community actions might have to be taken?
Lots of questions in this one and I did not give many answers, if you want feedback send an email to pete@petelamb.com
Stay Safe and Stay Thinking!
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
1.) What chemical might be used as a refrigerant at an older ice cream plant?
2.) If you have identified the chemical in question #1 look up the basic physical properties of the chemical and make yourself familiar with them.
3.) Does the chemical involved pose any fire or explosion risk? What conditions would have to be present for this to occur.
4.) In your department what should be the actions of the initial first alarm response?
5.) How long will this incident go on, and what other community actions might have to be taken?
Lots of questions in this one and I did not give many answers, if you want feedback send an email to pete@petelamb.com
Stay Safe and Stay Thinking!
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Instructor Preparation
One of the most important things that should happen in the delivery of a training program is the preparation phase of the instruction.
Today we see a great emphasis on PowerPoint and flashy classroom techniques that many instructors feel is the base or the backbone of your presentation. The simple fact of the matter is that you are the backbone of your presentation and the audio visual aids are there to support and bolster your presentation.
We now have seen a development of instructors who believe that they are "subject matter experts" in all fields because they can read a lesson plan. Delivering a program from a lesson plan (pre-prepared and commercially developed or prepared by you) does not give the same class as someone who has field experience.
Part of instructor preparation is knowing your own personal limitations. While I personally consider myself a good instructor with some variety of experiences, I cannot teach every subject. How can any person in a small or large department be an expert on every subject. If you do not feel comfortable with a certain subject area, and it is not a skill you can practice readily then the answer is simple...find a competent instructor.
If this subject is not a critical skill and it is a skill that you can practice repeatedly (knot tying, first aid techniques, SCBA donning / doffing) then you should practice it until you are intimately familiar with the techniques. An acquaintance of mine who is a seasoned fire instructor and fire officer often said " You can't return from a place you have never been." How true! How are you going to pass along a skill that you do not have.
If the training session is a practical session, stop, plan, and consider even the wildest options. Consider personnel getting hurt as a part of the drill, consider that a person could fall ill during the drill for some unrelated cause. Consider engine failure, nozzle failure, equipment failure and all the rest. Check double check and recheck and if time permits depending upon the size of the drill have a pre-drill rehearsal.
If the training session is a live fire exercise then follow the NFPA standards for live fire exercises and add some safety factors of your own. NFPA standards are a MINIMUM!
Also, part of your preparation includes knowing the audience. Know what there original capabilities are, know what the culture of your department is and what things are acceptable behavior.
I am writing about this because I am seeing a disturbing trend. I am seeing college level instructors with excellent teaching credentials, but little or no fire service experience, teaching new firefighters and new fire officers. One can only wonder what effect this may have on our future.
The best teacher in the world can't teach brain surgery if they are not a surgeon!
You can never be too prepared to teach a class or give a demonstration.
Your students demand your best - Be Prepared.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Today we see a great emphasis on PowerPoint and flashy classroom techniques that many instructors feel is the base or the backbone of your presentation. The simple fact of the matter is that you are the backbone of your presentation and the audio visual aids are there to support and bolster your presentation.
We now have seen a development of instructors who believe that they are "subject matter experts" in all fields because they can read a lesson plan. Delivering a program from a lesson plan (pre-prepared and commercially developed or prepared by you) does not give the same class as someone who has field experience.
Part of instructor preparation is knowing your own personal limitations. While I personally consider myself a good instructor with some variety of experiences, I cannot teach every subject. How can any person in a small or large department be an expert on every subject. If you do not feel comfortable with a certain subject area, and it is not a skill you can practice readily then the answer is simple...find a competent instructor.
If this subject is not a critical skill and it is a skill that you can practice repeatedly (knot tying, first aid techniques, SCBA donning / doffing) then you should practice it until you are intimately familiar with the techniques. An acquaintance of mine who is a seasoned fire instructor and fire officer often said " You can't return from a place you have never been." How true! How are you going to pass along a skill that you do not have.
If the training session is a practical session, stop, plan, and consider even the wildest options. Consider personnel getting hurt as a part of the drill, consider that a person could fall ill during the drill for some unrelated cause. Consider engine failure, nozzle failure, equipment failure and all the rest. Check double check and recheck and if time permits depending upon the size of the drill have a pre-drill rehearsal.
If the training session is a live fire exercise then follow the NFPA standards for live fire exercises and add some safety factors of your own. NFPA standards are a MINIMUM!
Also, part of your preparation includes knowing the audience. Know what there original capabilities are, know what the culture of your department is and what things are acceptable behavior.
I am writing about this because I am seeing a disturbing trend. I am seeing college level instructors with excellent teaching credentials, but little or no fire service experience, teaching new firefighters and new fire officers. One can only wonder what effect this may have on our future.
The best teacher in the world can't teach brain surgery if they are not a surgeon!
You can never be too prepared to teach a class or give a demonstration.
Your students demand your best - Be Prepared.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Weekly Roundtable Discussion - Sunday September 22, 2013
We are still looking for folks who love "The Job" and want to share ideas and talk informally and share information. We would love to have you join in.
Send an email and I will send you the link right at the time of the event.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Send an email and I will send you the link right at the time of the event.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Firefighter Training Podcast # 27 - Kill The Flashover Project, Interview with Joe Starnes
This week I am offering the show as a platform to Joe Starnes from the Kill The Flashover project so he can explain this project and distribute the information to a different audience.
The views represented are Joe's in the form of explanation and data provided.
Kill The Flashover is a three legged stool consisting of Air Flow track, Thermal imaging use, and enhanced water streams (adding an agent)
For more information on this project, photos and videos please go to: http://www.killtheflashover.com
To contact Joe directly send an email to joe@joestarnes.com
Do not attempt any of the techniques discussed here without further research and formalized training in the subject.
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
The views represented are Joe's in the form of explanation and data provided.
Kill The Flashover is a three legged stool consisting of Air Flow track, Thermal imaging use, and enhanced water streams (adding an agent)
For more information on this project, photos and videos please go to: http://www.killtheflashover.com
To contact Joe directly send an email to joe@joestarnes.com
Do not attempt any of the techniques discussed here without further research and formalized training in the subject.
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Tactical Fire Problem - Carnival Food Vending Trailer
This week something that you might not normally think of. A fire at an amusement part or local carnival.
1.) What challenges will there be to the apparatus placement and the length of the stretch?
2.) What hazards might be associated with this type of temporary structure?
3.) How do you gain access to rescue the 3 persons inside?
4.) How many lines will you need for this fire and or exposures in a tightly packed midway?
5.) Explain how your manpower would be used if the carnival was in full swing? How do you manage the spectators!
Thanks and until next week stay safe, and stay thinking!
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
1.) What challenges will there be to the apparatus placement and the length of the stretch?
2.) What hazards might be associated with this type of temporary structure?
3.) How do you gain access to rescue the 3 persons inside?
4.) How many lines will you need for this fire and or exposures in a tightly packed midway?
5.) Explain how your manpower would be used if the carnival was in full swing? How do you manage the spectators!
Thanks and until next week stay safe, and stay thinking!
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Integrity, Capability, Passion
Recently I went through a negative life experience. ( How is that for politically correct, Eh?)
As with all of these I reached deep within and found something worth sharing and some positive that I could learn from. I chose to share this thought with some new fire officers just graduating from officer training class and I will share them with you now.
Life and your fire service affiliation will occasionally challenge you in many different ways. You may have to discipline a close friend you may be challenged in some way by a person or a group, you may have suffered negative publicity or some other negative experience. Nothing will fully prepare you for these events but what I offer you today might help a little.
Just imagine and concentrate for a minute on the strength you have in your dominant hand. (Right handed or left handed doesn't really matter) Now as you read this page open your hand palm up, and place into your strongest hand the following items: Your personal integrity, your entire capabilities and talents, and your inner passion and love for your family, friends, and career in the fire service whether paid , call or volunteer. Mentally place all of these items in your hand and close your hand and grip them tightly and place them in your pocket.
This symbolic gesture I just described will do you no good if you never reach into your pocket and pull them back out when you need them. Also because they are in your strongest hand, nobody can take them away from you ever, unless you decide that they will.
Someday you will be faced with an opportunity that will challenge your personal integrity. Maybe someone will question your truthfulness, or ask you to do something you know is wrong. When thrown back on your heels and somewhat taken back by this, think of this blog post, reach into your pocket and look into your open palm and see if all of your integrity is still there. Have you lost any, given any away? Some times you will witness a perceived injustice and the easy way is just to turn away and turn a blind eye. I offer you this analogy, while you are turning a blind eye to a perceived injustice, you may not notice just a little bit of your personal integrity slipping away. If you do that enough times, when you reach in to use your integrity you may find it is all gone, and nobody will believe anything you say, even though you might just be right this time.
Hold onto your personal integrity with all of your might ! Never let it go!
I hope when you put your capabilities in your hand, you included them all and even left room for more. As human beings we are all multidimensional and we have talents at work, we have a variety of human skills, we have varying degrees of education, artistic and creative talent and a myriad of other talents that make up everything that actually defines you as a person. Those capabilities that you hold onto and protect with your dominant hand are very special. They can only be given away and used by others when you allow them to be. Oh, sure people might try to diminish and minimize your capability. They may even challenge your capability. When people do that and your feel bad about it because you have been hurt by someone not recognizing and appreciating your talents and abilities, go to a quiet spot by yourself, open your palm and look at and list all of your personal skills. It can bring a smile to your face when you take personal stock of your value and worth regardless of what anyone says about you. It also is a good time to wonder about yourself if someone did not recognize your capabilities because you did not share any of yourself with others. That is also something to take stock of and decide how much others will know about you.
Take stock of your personal and professional capabilities often and never let anyone diminish or reduce you or your capabilities in any way!
Remember that I asked you to put your passion in your dominant hand as well. There are a couple of reasons for this. The first is never to let it go. I do not care what your passion is and whether it is family, friends, and professionally fire service related, never let anyone stand in your way and prevent you from feeling and believing in what you believe in. Do not let anyone, or any set of circumstances take your passion from you or diminish it. You have to examine your passion every once in a while though to see if it is still there, and if it still is for the right reasons.
The second reason for putting your passion in your dominant hand is so that you may have some degree of control over it. You may have days and periods of time when your personal passion escapes your control and becomes a detriment or impediment to what you are trying to control. Do not give up on your passion, do not diminish your passion, but use all of your strength to control and redirect into areas in which you can become more effective.
Your personal passion is the most powerful tool you have. If you have lost it along the years of your career, then try with all of your being to get it back. Because it is the most powerful tool you have it is the first thing that the naysayers and detractors try to attack. Your passion will overwhelm them and in fact diminish those that are really impostors and talk about passion rather than know how to demonstrate.
It has been my practice not to "talk" about how passionate I am about the fire service, I have been told that people know it when I speak to them. I don't have to remind them or prove to them as some impostors need to do.
Keep your passion very close to you and always within reach. Never let anyone diminish reduce, or try to break the passion you have. Keep your passion under control!
The above three tools I have just given you are very important tools. Like any other tools in the fire service they must be maintained, inspected and checked frequently, and they must all be used for the right reasons.
The next time you are having a difficult situation either personally or professionally reach into your pocket, sit in a quiet place, and look into the palm of your hand ....you might just find the right tool to fix the problem.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
As with all of these I reached deep within and found something worth sharing and some positive that I could learn from. I chose to share this thought with some new fire officers just graduating from officer training class and I will share them with you now.
Life and your fire service affiliation will occasionally challenge you in many different ways. You may have to discipline a close friend you may be challenged in some way by a person or a group, you may have suffered negative publicity or some other negative experience. Nothing will fully prepare you for these events but what I offer you today might help a little.
Just imagine and concentrate for a minute on the strength you have in your dominant hand. (Right handed or left handed doesn't really matter) Now as you read this page open your hand palm up, and place into your strongest hand the following items: Your personal integrity, your entire capabilities and talents, and your inner passion and love for your family, friends, and career in the fire service whether paid , call or volunteer. Mentally place all of these items in your hand and close your hand and grip them tightly and place them in your pocket.
This symbolic gesture I just described will do you no good if you never reach into your pocket and pull them back out when you need them. Also because they are in your strongest hand, nobody can take them away from you ever, unless you decide that they will.
Someday you will be faced with an opportunity that will challenge your personal integrity. Maybe someone will question your truthfulness, or ask you to do something you know is wrong. When thrown back on your heels and somewhat taken back by this, think of this blog post, reach into your pocket and look into your open palm and see if all of your integrity is still there. Have you lost any, given any away? Some times you will witness a perceived injustice and the easy way is just to turn away and turn a blind eye. I offer you this analogy, while you are turning a blind eye to a perceived injustice, you may not notice just a little bit of your personal integrity slipping away. If you do that enough times, when you reach in to use your integrity you may find it is all gone, and nobody will believe anything you say, even though you might just be right this time.
Hold onto your personal integrity with all of your might ! Never let it go!
I hope when you put your capabilities in your hand, you included them all and even left room for more. As human beings we are all multidimensional and we have talents at work, we have a variety of human skills, we have varying degrees of education, artistic and creative talent and a myriad of other talents that make up everything that actually defines you as a person. Those capabilities that you hold onto and protect with your dominant hand are very special. They can only be given away and used by others when you allow them to be. Oh, sure people might try to diminish and minimize your capability. They may even challenge your capability. When people do that and your feel bad about it because you have been hurt by someone not recognizing and appreciating your talents and abilities, go to a quiet spot by yourself, open your palm and look at and list all of your personal skills. It can bring a smile to your face when you take personal stock of your value and worth regardless of what anyone says about you. It also is a good time to wonder about yourself if someone did not recognize your capabilities because you did not share any of yourself with others. That is also something to take stock of and decide how much others will know about you.
Take stock of your personal and professional capabilities often and never let anyone diminish or reduce you or your capabilities in any way!
Remember that I asked you to put your passion in your dominant hand as well. There are a couple of reasons for this. The first is never to let it go. I do not care what your passion is and whether it is family, friends, and professionally fire service related, never let anyone stand in your way and prevent you from feeling and believing in what you believe in. Do not let anyone, or any set of circumstances take your passion from you or diminish it. You have to examine your passion every once in a while though to see if it is still there, and if it still is for the right reasons.
The second reason for putting your passion in your dominant hand is so that you may have some degree of control over it. You may have days and periods of time when your personal passion escapes your control and becomes a detriment or impediment to what you are trying to control. Do not give up on your passion, do not diminish your passion, but use all of your strength to control and redirect into areas in which you can become more effective.
Your personal passion is the most powerful tool you have. If you have lost it along the years of your career, then try with all of your being to get it back. Because it is the most powerful tool you have it is the first thing that the naysayers and detractors try to attack. Your passion will overwhelm them and in fact diminish those that are really impostors and talk about passion rather than know how to demonstrate.
It has been my practice not to "talk" about how passionate I am about the fire service, I have been told that people know it when I speak to them. I don't have to remind them or prove to them as some impostors need to do.
Keep your passion very close to you and always within reach. Never let anyone diminish reduce, or try to break the passion you have. Keep your passion under control!
The above three tools I have just given you are very important tools. Like any other tools in the fire service they must be maintained, inspected and checked frequently, and they must all be used for the right reasons.
The next time you are having a difficult situation either personally or professionally reach into your pocket, sit in a quiet place, and look into the palm of your hand ....you might just find the right tool to fix the problem.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Weekly Roundtable Discussion - Sunday
This week a discussion on department training.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Firefighter Training Podcast - The Fire Officer
This week a discussion on the fire officer, some traits and qualities.
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Tactical Fire Problem - Small Vacant Structure
This should be a real simple bread and butter fire. Our brothers and sisters in Detroit might do several of these in a night.
1.) What size line(s) and where?
2.) How much help will your departments first alarm assignment need?
3.) What is your first priority here?
4.) What other hazards should you be considering?
5.) Have you checked and monitored the conditions and deterioration of the vacant s in your response district?
Stay safe and stay thinking!
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
1.) What size line(s) and where?
2.) How much help will your departments first alarm assignment need?
3.) What is your first priority here?
4.) What other hazards should you be considering?
5.) Have you checked and monitored the conditions and deterioration of the vacant s in your response district?
Stay safe and stay thinking!
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Hoisting Equipment
This week's drill idea is very simple and requires some innovations on the part of the training officer.
Get an acquired structure or use your firehouse if there are upper floors or the roof is safe to operate on.
The objective of this drill is really simple, it is to test ropes and knots knowledge coupled with the creativity of the firefighters available.
The instructors and a safety person should be on the roof area and then ask the assembled crews of two or three persons to retrieve and hoist whatever equipment is called for.
* Crews will have to report to the base of the area to get instructions on what items will be needed.
* Crews should be told to report as if they were being deployed at a commercial structural fire, that way they should have some tools and equipment with them.
* Items will have to retrieved in a timely and safe fashion from the apparatus, so equipment knowledge is also checked.
* After crews have performed a task, have them climb a ladder and be the hoisting crew as well.
* Items to be hoisted should include: Smoke ejector, roof ladder, charged hoseline, uncharged hoseline, folding ladder, step ladder, roof ladder, CO 2 or dry chemical extinguisher, power saw, stokes basket (can then be lowered with mannequin or hose dummy- Not a live victim), handlights and cords, small hand tools also such as axes, halligans, and hooks.
* All items should include a tag line so they are under full control at all times.
* Hoselines can be passed from story to story using pike poles and multi-hooks. This techniques should also be practiced.
* Evolution should be practiced with appropriate gear on.
* Utility ropes and not lifelines should be used.
* Items lifted should be appropriate for the size rope used.
Members will develop ways to use webbing and carabiners as an advantage. After completing basic evolution, small competitive timed evolution can take place.
There is a caution here that while encouraging creativity, care should be taken to insure proper knots and rope handling techniques are used.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Get an acquired structure or use your firehouse if there are upper floors or the roof is safe to operate on.
The objective of this drill is really simple, it is to test ropes and knots knowledge coupled with the creativity of the firefighters available.
The instructors and a safety person should be on the roof area and then ask the assembled crews of two or three persons to retrieve and hoist whatever equipment is called for.
* Crews will have to report to the base of the area to get instructions on what items will be needed.
* Crews should be told to report as if they were being deployed at a commercial structural fire, that way they should have some tools and equipment with them.
* Items will have to retrieved in a timely and safe fashion from the apparatus, so equipment knowledge is also checked.
* After crews have performed a task, have them climb a ladder and be the hoisting crew as well.
* Items to be hoisted should include: Smoke ejector, roof ladder, charged hoseline, uncharged hoseline, folding ladder, step ladder, roof ladder, CO 2 or dry chemical extinguisher, power saw, stokes basket (can then be lowered with mannequin or hose dummy- Not a live victim), handlights and cords, small hand tools also such as axes, halligans, and hooks.
* All items should include a tag line so they are under full control at all times.
* Hoselines can be passed from story to story using pike poles and multi-hooks. This techniques should also be practiced.
* Evolution should be practiced with appropriate gear on.
* Utility ropes and not lifelines should be used.
* Items lifted should be appropriate for the size rope used.
Members will develop ways to use webbing and carabiners as an advantage. After completing basic evolution, small competitive timed evolution can take place.
There is a caution here that while encouraging creativity, care should be taken to insure proper knots and rope handling techniques are used.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Sunday, September 1, 2013
60 Second Safety - The Collapse Zone
This week we discuss setting up the collapse zone.
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
Firefighter Training Episode # 25 - Vehicle Fires
Episode # 25 ! Where did the time go?
This week our focus is on vehicle fires. We offer some considerations and tips for handling these emergencies.
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
This week our focus is on vehicle fires. We offer some considerations and tips for handling these emergencies.
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE.
Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013
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