Yoga and Strength Training for Firefighters

It's great to get a good strength training session in while off duty or with the crew during shift if you have access to weight training equipment at your station. Slinging around some iron with the crew is also a fun way to build a stronger bond, collaborate and have some friendly competitions going set for set. Yet with all this strength training, we still need time to work on some mobility training because after all, we're functional athletes and without being mobile how could we hit our peak performance on the fire ground?

I mentioned in past articles and in my book, "The 5-Tool Firefighter" that yoga is a great for active recovery but in this article I want to list out a few reasons as to why yoga is great for firefighters with respect to strength training.

Benefit 1 - Decompression

From the PPE and SCBA on your back to the various tasks of raising ladders, pulling hose and carrying heavy tools, your joints and tissue are under a tremendous amount of pressure. Let us not forget the amount of mental stress our bodies experience as well due to how we interpret and experience traumas on the job. The soft tissues in your body serve as a buffer so the hard tissues such as your bones could stay rigid and support without grinding against each other (think of having no meniscus in your knee).

After the soft tissue in your body has been put under pressure, unlike a stress ball, this tissue will not return to its natural neutral state without an equally decompressive movement is done to pull the tension out. By working on decompressive movements, you are enabling these connective and supportive tissues to remain a healthy essential party of your body. By not doing so, the tension that has built up in the soft tissue will restrict blood flow that is crucial for healing and nutrient delivery. 

Benefit 2 - Alignment

In yoga there is no barbells, no kettlebells, nothing. It is simply your body. Granted many of us love moving heavy weight around because in this job, we need to be able to move heavy things. However, in yoga many of the forms being done all work around the fundamental alignment and engagement that is essential to strength training and operating on the fire ground especially since they require you to engage your core.

By engaging in the fundamental movements of yoga will help lead to a higher sense of awareness of your body structure and efficiency which could be directly translated to operating on the fire ground and the functional movements required to work on the job.  

Benefit 3 - Sweat Equity

We all walk away from an incident a little beat up at times. Heck, even after a live fire or high intensity training sessions on heavy recue training or extrication training (to many a few) will leave you a little sore. All training contains some residual damage to our muscular system especially when we add extra weight to our bodies. But after a few days, this damage hopefully repairs itself. To speed this process up a little bit and help the damaged tissue heal, we need to add fluids into our bodies.

Think about it like this, the more water we drink , the more we pee it out or sweat it out, the faster the fluid flows through the tissues of our body. 

If you've ever been to a yoga studio you've probably noticed it is relatively hotter during a yoga sessions and for a very good reason. Yoga classes encourage sweating. Why?

The heated environment in the studio helps the soft tissues mobilize therefore allowing your body to go deeper into the poses. Remember, an equal opposing force to the tension will begin to release the tension on the tissue.

If you're feeling sore, tight or as though there's been a lot of tension on your joints and muscles, take 30 minutes to an hour and work on some yoga poses to help the body lose and primed. You want to stay ready to you don't have to get ready.

Until next time, work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

We Remember Captain Mike Goodwin

Philadelphia Fire Department Ladder 27 was dispatched as the Rapid Intervention Team also known as RIT to a structure fire at 748 South 4th Street in Philadelphia, PA on the evening of April 6, 2013. The fire began in the basement of a fabric store which had extended to the upper floors of the three story store front structure with apartments above. 

Captain Mike Goodwin was the officer in charge of Ladder 27 for the shift. Upon arrival, Ladder 27 RIT company staged their equipment near the command post and the IC (Incident Commander) assigned them to the roof of an adjacent structure to perform ventilation operations. It was at this time, Captain Goodwin reported to command there was heavy smoke conditions coming from the exposure they were shortly going to be operating on. Donned in full PPE w, Captain Goodwin fell 20 feet onto the roof of the building and shortly after fell through the roof into the fire building. 

Firefighters on scene reported this fall to the IC and rescue operations were quickly put into place in attempts to rescue Captain Goodwin. Due to limited access to the roof area and fire conditions, access was limited. During rescue efforts, firefighters breached an exterior brick wall to gain access to his location where he was removed from the structure and transported to the hospital. Additionally, Firefighter Andrew Godlinski was injured while attempting to rescue Captain Goodwin following the collapse before a second floor roof and two walls collapsed.

Captain Mike Goodwin of Ladder 27 was pronounced dead at the hospital due to what was listed as multiple blunt force injuries. He was posthumously promoted to Battalion Chief. 

Captain Goodwin is survived by his wife and two children. 

We Remember…

Captain Mike Goodwin, age 53, Philadelphia Fire Department, Ladder 27

Truck Company Hook & Can Firefighter

The versatile firefighter on the truck is the hook & can firefighter and for good reason.  Engaged with a 6 foot New York Hook and a Halligan Bar married together along with a pressurized water can, this firefighters role consists of various areas of the first due truck - most importantly primary search.

Prior to Entry & Arrival

• Size-up the structure - identify the needs of possibly using a saw for entry due to boarded up windows and doors and consider VEIS as a possibility.

• Assist the iron firefighter with forcible entry whether it is a conventional entry or utilizing windows. 

• If there is a VEIS scenario in place, it is the hook & can firefighters job to be the second firefighter through the window with the can. This will provide as a means through heat/smoke filled hallways to make the push to other rooms in search of victims. 

Interior Search Operations

Along with the irons firefighter, primary search is this role tops priority and splitting the search is the best and often times will yield the best results. Remember, the primary search needs to be thorough but also quick.  In this scenario it is best the hook & can firefighter and the irons firefighter split the search by utilizing the hallway as a meeting point while they single-handedly search the rooms - all while keeping in vocal and visual contact as best as possible. 

This type of search technique will assist the engine company in making a clean stretch to the fire room. Why? Since team is performing a type of orientated search, this will leave the hallway open for hose advancement and less room for any type of hose entanglement with firefighters. 

Initial Search Complete

Once the primary search is complete, this isn't the end for the hook & can firefighter. In fact, work has only just begun. The hook, halligan and can are brought in for a reason other than search and advancing through smoke filled environments but also assist the fire suppression crew with opening up the walls, ceilings, shutting off power and utilities and exposing hidden bodies of fire. 

In the end, each role on the fire ground compliments the others. Engine, truck, rescue it doesn't matter, each firefighters role on any of the company units it's vital to the success of their crew and the success of the others. 

Train hard and keep learning the craft.

Until next time - work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

The Truck Company Officer

The firefighter in charge of all operations related to the truck company is the truck company officer, whether it be a lieutenant or captain based how your department is set up and operates. This firefighter is the one who paints the picture for the crew and sets the stage for incoming units through the size-up presented over the radio. The message should be clear, concise and simple - (ie., "truck 7 arriving on scene 123 Sesame Street. Two-story wood frame structure, smoke showing from the A/B corner. Truck 7 will be forcible entry and search operations…").

This message from the officer, sets the stage for what's to come next and how incoming units need to prepare for their arrival on scene. 

The truck company officer is also an interior firefighter during this time as well and must remember to bring a few tools with him. However, prior to making entry with the crew, the officer is responsible for performing a 360 degree size-up, if possible. Otherwise a three side size-up will do.

Truck Company Officer Tools

• Officers tool or halligan

• Radio (of course)

• Thermal Imaging Camera (TIC)

Once the officer makes entry inside the structure, they are now in charge of and coordinating all things related to their crews operations and relaying those actions to the Incident Commander (IC). Various situations will determine where the officer will be in relation to the crew in the structure.

During a vent-enter-search (VES) operation, the officer is the last firefighter up the ladder. This is so the irons firefighter and the hook & can firefighter can perform their primary search of the room. All the while the officer is utilizing the TIC to scan the room with a six-sided scan (walls, floor and ceiling) to help maintain contact (visual/verbal) with the firefighters inside the room but also help locate the fire. Most importantly, the officer while utilizing the TIC can assist the crew to a possible victim which should be done with the utmost priority when performing a primary search.

This same practice goes into searching bedrooms or offices off a hallway. The fire officer would remain in the hallway monitoring fire conditions of the search rooms while keeping in visual and verbal communication with the firefighters performing the search. In addition to monitoring the search rooms, it is important that the fire officer monitor the fire conditions throughout the hallway keeping in mind the type of structure the they are in, in relation to how fire behaviors in the different types of construction thus being situationally aware of what could go wrong. 

The last thing the truck company officer is responsible for is having trust in himself, his crew and those working in coordination with him inside and outside of the structure. 

Once the incident is complete and the company is back in quarters, one of the best things the truck officer can do is sit down with the crew and discuss the pros and cons of their job on the incident. This will help with building a solid bond with each other and solidifying the trust of working each day together.

Until next time, work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

Outside the Box 360

Performing a 360 upon arrival of a residential structure fire is crucial. Everyone always hits on building construction, type of occupancy, number of floors, and visible fire or smoke.

Did you notice a vehicle in the driveway, indicating someone may be home?

Did you see that the vehicle has a handicap placard on the license plate, indicating the owner may have a disability of some sort?

You walk up to the front door and notice children’s toys in the yard. Do kids live here?

Remember to look at the roof, utility lines connecting the house, solar panels, and satellite dishes. All these things could cause a hazard for crews operating on the scene.

You may arrive on scene and find a lot of clutter in the yard, leading to you assuming there may be hoarding conditions in the residence. We often find ourselves in tunnel vision and not looking at smaller aspects of the scene.

We want to hear from our followers. What are you looking for when you arrive on the scene?

Until next time - work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

The Truck Company Irons Firefighter

The leadoff firefighter if you will on the truck is the irons firefighter and for good reason. On the initial approach to the incident this firefighter in a sense is setting the tone for the truck company to enter the structure and do work. This role is given to a firefighter who has a lot of understanding of many things - building construction, size-up and forcible entry - and can also make on the spot decisions.

The main role of the irons firefighter is forcible entry and this role consists of the firefighter to carry in the set of irons (flathead axe and halligan) and a six -foot hook. The role of this firefighter begins while enroute and upon arrival and during the incident which is broken down into two parts - the door and entering the structure.

Upon arrival

• As all firefighters, the iron firefighter is conducting their own size-up of the fire building and looking for various keys to assist with forcible entry such as boards on windows and doors and security bars. This will determine which tools will be used for removal (conventional or will a chainsaw or circular saw be a better option)

• This role is questioning the structure and asking a few questions to better understand and prepare for the entry as this is for the most efficient way in.

• Obtain three sides of the structure if possible and choose an entry point with the common way being the front door.

• Are there known occupants?

• Do we need to consider VEIS (Vent Enter Isolate Search)? If so, this firefighter is the first up the ladder and opening up.

During the Incident

Door Size-Up

All firefighters making entry to a structure should be sizing up the door they are looking to enter through. However, this job entirely belongs to the irons firefighter of the truck company and should be determining if the door is inward or outward swinging? Wood door in a wood frame or a wood door in a steel frame? Or a steel door in a steel frame? All of which are attacked relatively the same way however the time and speed may vary based on the setup, staffing and level of experience in forcible entry.

Entering the Structure

Once inside, the irons firefighter along with the hook and firefighter can perform a primary search and depending on the conditions the truck company officer may assist in the search or oversee the operation.

To truly understand the role of the irons firefighter is to truly understand the aspects of the job with respect to building construction, fire behavior and ventilation. This role is meant to be vigilant and efficient in determining the BEST and QUICKIEST way into the structure for a primary search, potential rescue and fire suppression.

Until next time - work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

Remembering Firefighter John A. Nicosia - Paterson Fire Department (NJ)

It was approximately 05:54am on January 17, 1991, when the City of Paterson Fire Department (NJ) responded to a structure fire at Underground II clothing store at 161 Main Street, which was formerly the Meyer Brothers Department Store. Due to strong winds, fire rapidly spread through the stores on that city block. Firefighter John A. Nicosia of Engine 4 entered the structure with his crew to begin hose advancement and fire suppression, but failed to exit with them when they were driven out by high heat and smoke. 

According to the United States Fire Association, "the fire spread to a second building and there was a minor blow-out of windows and a large ball of fire". 

When roll call and head count was taken after the evacuation it was determined that Firefighter Nicosia was missing. Crews immediately began searching for the missing firefighter and it wasn't until they found Firefighter Nicosia's body two days later in the basement of the initial structure. 

Firefighter John Nicosia passed away from asphyxiation after being trapped in the basement.  

The line of duty death brought important safety changes to the City of Paterson Fire Department such as the implementation of nylon hose lines, Nomex hoods, a name tag and a PASS device for all firefighters. 

We Remember…

Firefighter John A. Nicosia, age 29, Paterson Fire Department

The Truck Company Chauffeur

One of the most underrated and highly important firefighters on the truck company is the chauffeur and rightfully so for many reasons (outside vent, ladder operations, forcible entry, size-up). The responsibility of the role goes beyond providing truck company operations to the scene in the form of firefighters, ladders and tools but to also ensure they arrive safely to the scene and from there perform countless tasks on the exterior that are highly critical for the interior and exterior operations of the incident. 

This firefighter is responsible for all things outside of the fire building. 

• Know the response area prior to the alarm. This comes from countless hours of training and pre-incident planning which leads to point number two.

• Know the capabilities of the truck prior to arrival. The chauffeur must be able to determine where the truck is going to position itself at the scene. Oftentimes, it is the front of the building although this could change based on many factors such as, a setback structure, power lines, obstructions, needs of the truck and of course, the scrub zone. 

• Be responsible for or assist in throwing ground ladders to all sides of the structure single handedly as part of a 360 degree on-scene size-up. 

• Take notice of all entry points to the structure (side doors, belco doors) and where they lead. If possible, force the door for incoming crews but close them or leave them slightly cracked open once forced. 

• Identify or assist in identifying the utility shut offs during the 360 size-up

• Assist interior crews. Have a fan near the front door ready to go, if needed by interior crews at their request based on the incident. 

• Get the aerial up prior to it being needed by firefighters inside or outside of the building.

• Monitor all radio traffic for the IC. As we know, transmissions can get missed such as urgent messages and MAYDAYs and helps keep a general idea of where crews are operating inside the structure. 

• SCBA bottle swap. Assist firefighters exiting the structure with swapping out their initial bottle with their new bottle for faster entry back in or for their assistance going to rehab. Every little bit helps the recovery of firefighters working inside.

There are only a few areas a truck company chauffeur could assist with on-scene. Some could be completed by other firefighters on-scene. The list provided is for guidance only and not to be used as a replacement to the procedures set forth by your agency. Use these tips in training as options for limited or low staffing to start. 

Until next time - work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

Understand the Cause and Effect of Burnout

Anyone who has listened to any podcast I'm on or seen me speak in person has heard me say, "To bring our A-game, we have to be on our A-game mentally. Burnout in first responders has been witnessed for years, but it was taboo to discuss due to the stigma of being unfit for duty. Fast forward to 2023, burnout is being discussed more often. We already know burnout is terrible, and the job can cause it, but what aspects of the job lead to burnout? More importantly, what can we do to lessen the blow of burnout, if not prevent it overall?

I created a short survey with questions about the participants' personal and work lives. There were 75 participants in the following areas: fifty-two firefighters, twelve EMS, two Law Enforcement, and nine classified as other, including 911 dispatchers, mental health crisis workers, and ER Nurses.

It is essential to highlight that all participants noted that their work has impacted their personal lives. When participants were asked what they felt the biggest morale killer was for their department, 57.3% identified it as leadership. Other factors included staffing at 20% and policies at 6.7%. Shockingly, 43.3% of individuals found that they lacked access to professional support at work. Participants were also asked if they find it difficult to go to work, which 31.1% agreed to. An overwhelming amount of individuals (64%) reported feeling underappreciated or undervalued at work. These statistics call into question how these numbers are impacting someone's livelihood. Out of the 75 participants, 64% of individuals found themselves to be more irritable or losing patience with others. We must then question how the patience of workers impacts their quality of work with others, whether colleagues or patients. 

When discussing personal lives, 29.7% of individuals reported they felt they were withdrawing from friends and family. I was curious as well if participants noticed an increase in using drugs or alcohol more frequently, which 29.3% of individuals agreed to an increase in substance use. I also proposed the question of whether individuals feel less motivated to do things they enjoy, and a shocking amount of 58.6% of individuals agreed. When individuals lose motivation for something they enjoy, their work ethic declines, often because they are too burned out to use their regular leisure activities. The word burnout holds weight to it in this line of work, but the question must be asked, "Do you feel burned out from your job?". In response to this question, 52% of individuals agreed or strongly agreed. As a leader, I questioned what departments can do to relieve some of the feelings and concerns that each individual expressed in the survey. Some responses on how to improve morale within a department included team building (26.7%), more frequent input on department policies (29.3%), and more frequent meetings with leadership (25.3%).

All three responses can prove effective, but how do you implement them? Team building is a favorite tactic of mine. What exactly is team building? Team building is an ongoing process that helps a work group evolve into a cohesive unit. The team members share expectations for accomplishing group tasks and trust, support, and respect one another's differences. A leader can hold team building on shift or off shift. One of the best techniques to do on shift is hands-on training. I've often found that morale is high when we hold department training events in my department. What about taking team building away from work? Group outings to sporting events, concerts, days on a golf course, or even a night out can boost morale. It encourages your crew/workers to socialize about things other than work, creating a more relaxing environment and allowing them to understand each other personally. 

While it's often challenging to fit in team building, more frequently due to busy schedules, calls, meetings, etc., we must find the time to avoid losing the most essential piece of our departments: our crew/workers. When individuals feel appreciated, valued, and refreshed, they are more likely to be on their A-game mentally and physically, which society relies on us for. A good leader must understand burnout and feel comfortable approaching our crew/workers and asking, "How can I support you?" or "Are you doing okay?". Sometimes, while this is not an easy question to ask, and we may not hear easy answers, it's how to ensure that workers/crew members feel listened to and supported. Overall, we must maintain the insight into how burnout affects the livelihood of our workers/members. 

Holding quarterly individual or small-scale meetings with your crew can be an easy way to maintain the insight. These meetings can often be utilized as a way to get ideas for the workplace but also to assure your firefighters, EMTs, police officers, etc., are doing okay both at work and home. Fire officers and other leaders say, "Their home life is not my concern." I can't entirely agree. The issue is not the leader's problem; however, its effect on the individual is an issue for the leader. You must ensure your employee prevents home issues from affecting decision-making on an emergency scene. Most importantly, if it affects them, take care of them; humans are allowed to have bad days and should not be punished. 

This article is just a tiny look into the effects of burnout in the workplace. Whether responding to a structure fire, heart attack victim, active shooter, answering and or dispatching 911 calls, assisting someone during a mental health crisis, or rushing patient to patient in an emergency room, our communities expect superhumans when they need help. It's our job as leaders to provide the best team for those in need and provide our first responders with the support to ensure they are physically and mentally on their A-game. I like the term superhuman. First responders are remarkable, and the mental and physical stress their bodies can handle is a super-hero quality. A better way to write it is superHUMAN, ensuring we acknowledge that even being considered "super," we are still human.

The Size-Up

Let’s Talk Size Up! 

Talk. If you just talk is anyone listening? Well, they should be. But if you don’t send the message properly, not only will they not listen, but they will also not get the picture you are painting. So, what is size up? To me, it is much more than just talk. It is giving others the image you are seeing right now. It is giving them vital information about whatever the incident is at hand. Let’s just base this conversation on House fires. What are you looking for? Is it just the building? NOPE! There is so much more. What is the exterior telling you about the possible battles you may face? I recently read a post from OJ Kolodziej, a Fire Captain from Birmingham AL and the owner at Magic City Truck Academy, a Fire based training company similar to mine. If you don’t follow him, you should!  But he made a recent post on size up. It was a short post about vehicle size up at a house fire!  Yup vehicle size up. This simple method will help you find clues of what may be inside this home.  How? Glad ya asked, look into that vehicle instead of running past it!! Well, if you have a visible victim then yeah go past it. For the sake of this article, there are no visible victims. Look at the car, are there any car seats or booster seats, how many? What are the license plates? Handicap, or is there a handicap tag hanging on the mirror? What is the general condition of the car? Is it in shambles and full of stuff and things, this may give insight of the interior of the home. Is the hood warm? What does the back window have for stick figure stickers?? A vehicle can tell you a lot!  

Photo by Ryan Johnston, training burn Greenville Maine 

Now we have looked at the vehicle, what does the door yard look like? SQUIRREL!! Did you notice I didn’t talk about time of day? Yeah, I’m not going to. Now several years ago I might have. But as our world changes so does our size up factors. The lack of or having a vehicle in the driveway at any point day or night is not really a reason (in my opinion) to search more or less. Today’s culture has taught me that it doesn’t matter what time of day it or if a vehicle is present or not that I should not base my search on either of these items. They may direct me towards a targeted search, but not swaying my decision to search. With COVID and just the amount of people working from home, we are likely going to find victims regardless of the time of day.  

OK back to my original thought. You have taken note of the vehicle, and you are likely doing a 360.  What are you seeing? Building type, number of floors, is there the same number of floors in the front as there are in the rear? What are you smelling? What are the conditions? Smoke, Fire,  Nothing? If you do have smoke or fire, from where and how much? You can even get into the smoke volume, color, speed and density. Do you know what your water source is going to be?  What mode of attack will you be in? Offensive, Defensive, Investigation? Once you announce this info over the radio to the incoming units establish command. I am the worst person for a stationary command, but it is important. So, announce the location of command, rely on you officer staff to relay pertinent information to you as needed and once a command post is established stay there, if possible, see what I did there? In the fire service Never and Always are two bad words. The thing about size up is that it is always on going. As the incident changes the resources that you may need or not need changes. I try to reassess the incident every 10 to 15 minutes in the first hour.  After that the incident will dictate my time line. This article is no means the end all to size up. It is  just some of the things I do. Hopefully this will trigger you to look at how you size up your fires and  as always, if you have any questions or comments please reach out! I really enjoy it when we have  feedback, I learn so much from all of you, either when I am out strutting or if it is through this article sparking conversations. SO, how do you size up?  

Ryan Johnston

Owner, Maine-Iac Training

www.maineiactraining.org

ryan@maineiactraining.org

But Why?

I bet you thought this going to be about trashing this picture but this blog is going to be about why we do what we do. Not only operationally, but as people. By nature, everything and everyone is different. So why do we constantly have problems with differences and why do we have to be so negative about it? Everyone knows the saying "The two things firefighters hate most are change and the way things are". It's a very true statement.

I saw the assemblies pictured above recently and felt the need to get a picture because I didn't like it. Working in engineering and being a firefighter, I was not a fan of the installation. My reaction was to post the pic and give the setup a failing grade.

As I thought about what I was going to write, I started questioning why I felt the need to bash. At the end of the day, does it really matter? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, it's not worth the negativity. And why do I care if it doesn't impact me? I wouldn't expect a rural fire department to use the a major city's SOP's. They wouldn't apply to an area where there's a limited water supply and the tallest buildings are barns. Why would either side trash the way the other does things? It's all perspective

Personally, I would not design this arrangement or approve it's construction but someone did. Maybe they were happy with it or maybe they were directed to show it that way. I don't know so I shouldn't judge. And if it was a poor design, maybe someone learned from it so it didn't get repeated on future projects and the lesson was passed along to younger designers.

As a firefighter, I'm not a fan of this either but, again, that's my opinion. For all I know the local fire department wanted it this way and/or is OK with it. Who am I to judge? If they don't like it, hopefully someone understands why it could be a problem and made sure it didn't get repeated on the next building that was constructed. If they do their job and pre-plan like they should, they've already recognized the issue and have a game plan so they are prepared to deal with it. Problem solved.

I guess the bottom line is that there's enough negativity in the world, so why add to it? Ignorantly, you can just say something like this isn't your problem so who cares. Positively, you can look at it as a learning opportunity and a way to grow. In the end, my opinion doesn't really matter. I could offer some positive suggestions to improve and be polite without being negative. We get so much information from social media. There's a lot of good out there, but there's also a lot of bad. Don't add to the cesspool. Do something positive!

Be Smart - Stay Safe!

Remembering Captain Jeff Bowen - Asheville Fire Department

Captain Jeff Bowen was among one of the first firefighters to arrive on scene of the fire at the medical office building on Biltmore Avenue in Asheville, NC on July 28, 2011 when things went horrifically wrong.

The Structure

It was a 122,862-square foot, six story commercial structure, containing numerous medical offices and built in 1982. It consisted of six floors - a ground floor with five upper floors and a basement. The exterior was cast concrete panels reinforced by steel columns and I-beams and large glass window panes throughout. The roof construction was a flat roof of corrugated steel decking finished with a rubber membrane, asphalt and about an inch thick layer of gravel on top. The parapet wall was approximately 3 feet high off the roof with a mechanical room made of concrete housing the utilities in the center of the roof.

Interior of the structure was drywall over metal studs - numerous rooms and long hallways throughout and poured concrete floors covered in carpet and some tiled. The ceilings were suspended acoustic tiles supported by a metal grid (drop ceiling) with a 3 foot void space between the drop ceiling and the steel decking of the floor above. This was where the heat and cooling ductwork along with other utilities were located.

The structure was equipped with an automatic fire alarm system however the system had false alarms five times within the last 30 days. The only sprinklered room was on the second floor (Division 2) which contained a hyperbaric chamber.

The Incident

At 1228 hours, four companies were dispatched to an automatic fire alarm of a multistory medical building - 2 engines, 1 truck and a squad company. Upon arrival, Engine 2 reported a working fire with heavy smoke and fire showing on the top floor rear of the structure and dispatched a second alarm.

Rather than a second alarm being dispatched, a Division Chief, Battalion Chief, Safety Officer, Engine Company, Rescue Company and Fire Marshall were dispatched as an additional first alarm.

Firefighters from Engine 2 connected 100 feet of 2 ½-inch hoseline to the standpipe in the stairwell of the top floor of the medical building. Shortly after flowing water Engine 2 exited the structure after low air alarms began to go off and fire suppression was picked up by Rescue 3 however issues with getting water to flow came into play. At this time, heavy smoke began to flow through the top two floors and north of the stairwell and by this time low air alarms began to go off on firefighters of Rescue 3 causing them to begin exiting the structure. There was no sprinkler system to help calm the heavy fire situation on the top floor.

It was at this time that Captain Jeff Bowen of Rescue 3 went down the hallway followed by 2 of the firefighters while the remaining 2 firefighters exited the structure. When the two firefighters and Captain Bowen reached the hallway connected to the fire rooms, their low air alarms began to sound and it was at this moment one of them noticed Captain Bowen acting confused and started heading back into the stairwell where one firefighter grabbed Captain Bowen. They were then separated in heavy smoke and began making their way towards the fire room. One of the firefighters made it to a window where Ladder 1 had their aerial device set up just before running out of air.

Captain Bowen ran out of air and notified his partner they would need to begin buddy breathing off their SCBAs and transmitted a Mayday and activated his PASS device. The firefighter also transmitted several Maydays and attempted to activate his PASS before removing his facepiece to look for an escape route. Bowen also removed his facepiece due to vomiting in it. The firefighter began looking for a new escape route by crawling down a hallway attempting to open several doors until he found the south stairwell, placing his tool in the door and heading back to Captain Bowen. He pulled Captain Bowen into the south stairwell where he then collapsed and both firefighters fell down a flight of stairs. They were located by another firefighter who was exiting the building and heard their PASS alarms going off. Both firefighters were transported to the hospital where Captain Bowen passed away due to his injuries.

It was determined during the fire investigation that this was an arson fire.

Contributing Factors as per NIOSH

• Arson

• Lack of an automatic fire suppression system

• Multistory/high-rise standard operating procedures not followed

• Air management doctrine not followed

• Reverse stack effect in stairwell

• Inadequate strategy and tactics

• Task saturation of the incident commander

We Remember…

Captain Jeff Bowen, 37, a 13-year veteran of the fire service - Asheville Fire Dept., Rescue 3

NFFF IC-to-IC Discussion – Medical Office Building Fire - YouTube

Influencing Organizational Culture

The fire service is loaded with leaders up and down the chain of command and many great leaders are those working on the front lines of the job each day. The senior firefighter, the driver, any one of them has the potential to be a leader but most importantly an impactful leader. Oftentimes, it's easy to mistake rank for leadership and as we know it is not mutually exclusive.

Real, true leaders do not demand orders or push rank but rather motivate and train those around them. In essence, leaders influence organizational culture to excel each member and the department for future success on and off the fire ground.

How does this happen? How does one influence organizational culture?

1. They observe. The old phrase of "listen more and talk less" is one of their best qualities. A hallmark of a true leader. Leaders learn more than just what needs to happen with the fine details of the job but how to influence and encourage their fellow firefighters behavior for success, boost morale and finds way to improve many processes of the company.

2. They take advantage of subcultures within the house. There will be cliques wherever you go and even in a firehouse. Yet exceptional leaders know how to utilize this area for team building. When firefighters train together, a bond is being built and leaders know when and how to build a very important bond in this job.

3. Cross-Train. Every firefighter has their own set of skills they are inherently good at and others that need work. Leaders will cross-train themselves with other firefighters to learn more about their roles and in turn learn more about them. The more we utilize other firefighters skill sets to the advantage of the department, the more successful the department it.

4. Take Ownership. The fire service is built on life lessons and many of these lessons will quickly humble even the most seasoned firefighter. Many departments have an accountability officer and an accountability system built into their SOPs to keep order and accountability of all firefighters working on an incident. Great leaders will take that system a step further and transition it into everything they do and those they work with do by holding each other to a standard of ownership for their mistakes and for their successes. Again, the fire service is a humbling place.

5. Humans. Leaders treat and speak to everyone with respect regardless of their emotions or how they feel about another individual. Showing respect to your fellow firefighter of any rank is a great example of influencing organizational culture in the department. No firefighter is greater than the crew or department.

Here are five ways we could influence organizational culture into the firehouse without overbearing the members of the house. Use these takeaways to subtly adapt the firehouse or crew to a culture of success all around.

Until next time, work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

Burnout: Taking Care of Your Crew

Often perceived as machines or "super-humans," firefighters can always answer the call 24/7. Everyone always expects firefighters to be there but seldom thinks about the toll it may take on the firefighters. Short staffing, hectic schedules, and specific incidents all contribute to burnout. Sometimes as an officer, you must ensure your crew is at its best.

As the fire service leader, it's essential to notice when members of your crew or department are dealing with burnout. 

The typical symptoms of burnout include:

• A negative attitude toward others.

• A lack of engagement within the workplace.

• Exhaustion. 

So what exactly should you be looking for? Poor nutrition, loss of interest in the job, and lack of sleep are some of the most common signs of burnout. Another sign to look for would be the job performance of an individual. Firefighters are generally good at hiding feelings, with the fear of being labeled as not "tough enough" for the job. An example is a firefighter who usually works well as a team but starts freelancing and disobeying direct orders. Burnout affects the firefighter not only physically but mentally. In the mental capacity, it may cause cloudiness to your judgment, which could lead to injury or death for not only the individual but the crew and or civilians. 

You're the officer in charge, and it is your job to ensure your firefighters remain safe both on the scene and in the firehouse. If you notice one of your crew members is going through burnout, there are ways to help. Most importantly, talk to them! As the officer, pull them aside and explain that you’re seeing a change in them. Whether it be on a personal level or on the training ground. It’s also important to  let them know they're human, and feeling burnt out is ok. One downside to this is that crew members may not be receptive to a conversation like this. It can be an uncomfortable conversation to have. During this conversation the person may shut down and almost feel as if they’re being singled out. As mentioned earlier, firefighters rarely speak up for fear of criticism. During this conversation, suggest ways to cope with burnout. Some examples may be:

• Writing.

• Cooking.

• Prioritizing sleep. 

• Creating a fitness schedule. 

Among the easiest ways is to take advantage of their time off. Take a vacation, turn their phone off, and shut down from the fire service world for a few days. Doing this will allow the firefighter to reset. After all, how can we expect our firefighters to always bring their A-game if they're not in the right frame of mind?

In the United States, 88.2% of the fire service are male. You're probably saying, "Everyone knows that" It's evident if you look at any firehouse in America. However, what's not known is that approximately 84 men a week will take their own life. 75% of all suicides are male. These statistics include more than just firefighters or first responders. However, according to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, the number of firefighter suicides falls between 100 & 200 annually. This proves that the "macho man" mentality of firefighters and men increases due to males not usually reaching out for assistance. Regardless, having a crew member speak up about needing help will always be challenging. 

This doesn't mean you can't help in other ways. Most firehouses I've visited have bulletin boards typically filled with information for training and upcoming events. Someone may be more inclined to utilize the info if the rest of the firehouse won't know. Training boards can be a great place in the firehouse to post different foundations and hotline numbers for firefighters seeking help. 

With hectic schedules, budget cuts that reduce staffing, and the overall amount of incidents firefighters are responding to, it's more than likely as an officer; you will encounter a firefighter going through burnout. So as you move up the ranks, make sure you're looking out for yourself and your crew. Below are a few links to different organizations where you can find help or gather more information regarding burnout. 

Work Hard - Stay Safe - Live Inspired

https://www.usfa.fema.gov/blog/ig-051922.html

https://www.nextrung.org/

https://www.codegreencampaign.org/resources/

https://www.5-alarmtaskforcecorp.org/

https://paulcombsart.com

Dangers of College Rental Properties

Having a college in your response area can be a source of frustration and try one’s patience. For many new college students this is their first time living on their own and fending for themselves. This often brings an increase in nuisance alarms, medical calls following the first big campus party and a host of other calls for service. However, as trying as it may be, it is important not to become complacent. In a study published by the U.S. Fire Administration it was found 94% of fatal campus fires took place in off-campus housing. This is an alarming statistic we should be aware of. As the cost for college continues to increase more and more students will look to live off campus to save money. Knowing the common dangers found in off campus housing and the tactical considerations to take when responding to emergencies at these locations is critical for any department that has a college in their response area.

Typically, off campus housing owned by the college are required by either local or state building codes to have a higher level of fire protection. This is also true for privately owned rentals that are either listed as college rentals or multiple dwellings. The most dangerous of the off-campus housing are the privately owned rentals that “fly under the radar” of local building departments. The legality of these occupancies varies based on the authority having jurisdiction as well as local and state building codes. These rental properties are usually close to campus and were once privately owned single-family homes. Due to this, these occupancies are rented as a single-family rental. The rental agreement is signed by one individual, but in reality, a group of individuals live in this rental and share the cost. Yet, as far as any documentation shows it is a single person renting a single-family home. This is how these occupancies “fly under the radar” and are not required to have the same level of fire protection as would an occupancy listed as a multiple dwelling.

The traditional ways one can identify a multiple dwelling from the exterior does not hold true in identifying these off-campus houses. These are often single-family homes and are kept to look that way from the outside. They have one meter as opposed to multiple meters, which ordinarily could have been used to determine how many apartments maybe present. The amount of cars present could signify how many people live at the location. However, because these occupancies were once single-family homes there often is not the space to park more than two vehicles. The number of vehicles may also be limited per the rental agreement, street parking regulations or just the simple fact that many college students do not have their own car. The photo below is of a college rental that on paper is a single-family rental. In 2021 it had 15 college students living in it.

On the inside of these residences the layout may remain similar to its original design or be completely changed to accommodate more individuals. One of these common changes is making living spaces that would normally be a dining room or sitting area into bedrooms. This might be done by placing temporary wall partitions or like in the photo below, simply hanging a large curtain. This is important to note because at 2am bypassing the dining room to head directly to the second floor to search bedrooms might have you passing a bedroom.

Bedrooms or rooms with doors tend to be created into single room occupancies (SROs). Each SRO will have an individual lock and could house multiple renters in a tight space. Often, each of these doors will have a hasp on the interior and exterior of the door and a padlock is used. When a renter leaves, they place the lock on the outside, when they are home, they can place it on the interior hasp. Land lords do it this way for cost saving reasons as well as to make it easy on the land lord when renters change. In the middle of the night during an emergency it is going to be very difficult for occupants to find a key and then open the door increasing the likelihood of trapped victims. Crews should also consider taking the appropriate forcible entry tools because doors in most home that would be unlocked will need to be forced in these occupancies.

In this particular building the front door had a keyed lock on the inside which if engaged could inhibit occupant egress. The occupant’s ability to evacuate is a major issue in these rentals. Looking back at the exterior photo of the building the third floor has no second means of egress leaving only a very narrow interior staircase to get up and down. This staircase is also challenging for crews to ascend to complete searches or get a hose line in place.

Common areas are often overloaded with furniture in what many would consider abnormal configurations. Clutter is also a major issue. Packing so many people into small spaces it is almost impossible to avoid. Below are a few examples of conditions found in these rentals. In the first you can see a living room packed with couches. During the week they are pushed together to allow for easier travel between rooms, but over the weekends and at night they are spread out and block entrances in and out of different rooms to allow people to congregate and sit. The next photo shows a bedroom that has not only a bed, but a couch coffee table and dresser all packed into the room. This is a common setup in these bedrooms.

The third picture is of one of the SRO bedrooms. As you can see it is packed with stuff. Another thing to note is the amount of electronics plugged in. Here we see an AC unit, mini fridge, TV, and fan. Multiple this by however many bedrooms there are, and we have a huge electrical hazard. Many of these rental properties are older homes and do not have updated electrical systems or service this is something to keep in mind when going on investigations in these types of properties. Areas like kitchens and bathrooms generally remain unchanged and are shared amongst the renters, but again can be cluttered and unkept. All of which makes searching and advancing handlines more difficult.

Another thing to note is within these rentals there is usually a locked area which is the landlord’s space that the renters do not have access to. Typically, this is the basement or utility rooms. This allows the landlord to have storage space as well as keeps tenants from being able to access the buildings utilities. This being said, gaining access to the building’s utilities may not be easy and interior doors leading to the basement, attic or utility rooms may be locked and have a higher level of security than one would expect. Taking all of this into account is important when responding to incidents at these occupancies. Being aware of the obstacles one might encounter on the interior not only increases firefighter safety, but more importantly civilian survivability. Knowing you will encounter multiple locked interior doors, atypical layouts and high life hazards are all important in making tactical fireground considerations.

William Morrissey has 14 years of fire service experience and is a career firefighter with the Arlington Fire District (NY). He began his career as a volunteer with the Washingtonville (NY) Fire Department. Morrissey is NY State Fire Instructor and New York State certified code enforcement official and has a bachelors is psychology.

Remembering the West Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion

It was a typical spring evening with temperature s around 80 degrees on the evening of April 17, 2013 in central Texas. Humidity that evening was low with scattered clouds and 20 mile per hour winds blowing in from the south south east (SSE).

At around 7:30 that evening in the City of West, an explosion occurred at the West Fertilizer Company plant. An explosion so powered it registered as a 2.1 magnitude earthquake and felt over 80 miles away damaging many homes and school throughout the area. 

At this time, dispatched received a 911 call reporting smoke coming from the West Fertilizer Company plant and at 7:34 PM, the West Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to the scene with two engines, a brush trick and tender responding to the scene along with two more firefighters arriving in their personal vehicles. The first arriving unit on scene was at approximately 7:39 PM confirming a structure fire at the plant and deployed an initial attack line (1 1/2 attack line) to extinguish any and all visible fire and to establish a water supply using a 4-inch diameter supply line. Please note, the nearest fire hydrant was more than a quarter mile away from the scene. An initial mutual aid alarm was struck with included an aerial ladder truck and four more firefighters which responded in their personal vehicles.  

Within 12 minutes of the initial arriving unit on scene and 22 minutes from the initial 911 dispatch, an explosion occurred at the plant leaving multiple firefighters down.

Ten first responders were killed in this explosion due to an estimated 40 to 60 tons of ammonium nitrate exploding just outside the city limits.

Five firefighters from the West Volunteer Fire Department were killed in the explosion along with four firefighters from 3 neighboring departments along with one off-duty career fire captain and two civilians who offered assistance to the fire department on scene. 

Factors of the incident

The department did not recognize the hazards associated with the ammonium nitrate

• There was limited pre-planning of the facility

• Rapid fire spread in wood construction commercial structure with no sprinkler system

Post incident recommendations as per NIOSH

Fire departments should conduct pre-incident planning of buildings within their jurisdiction to facilitate the development of safe fireground strategies and tactics especially in high hazard high risk structures

• Fire departments should have a written management plan, use risk management principles at all structure fires and especially at incidents with high risk hazards

• Fire departments should implement and enforce the Incident Management System (IMS) at all emergency operations

• Fire departments should ensure all firefighters wear personal protective equipment appropriate for the assigned tasks

• Fire departments should ensure all firefighters are training to the standards that meet or exceed NFPA 1001 Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications

 We remember:

Firefighter Morris Bridges

Firefighter Cody Dragoo

Firefighter Joseph Pustejovsky

Firefighter Douglas Snokhous

Firefighter Robert Snokhous

Firefighter Jerry Dane Chapman

Firefighter Cyrus Reed

Firefighter Kevin Saunders

Fire Captain Harris Kenneth

Firefighter Perry Calvin

Remembering March 25th A Day of Disaster

March 25th: A day of disaster

March 25th is an essential date in fire history. On this date in 1911 was "The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire" and 79 years later, "The Happy Land Social Club Fire."

Two of the most deadly fires occurred on this date, both in New York City.

TRIANGLE SHIRTWAIST FIRE

One hundred forty-six young female immigrants perished in the act of negligence. The fire, which broke out on March 25th, 1911, just before 4 pm, was believed to of started in a bin filled with scraps of rags and fabrics by a discarded cigarette. The Triangle Factory occupied the top three floors of the Asch Building, located at the corner of Greene Street and Washington Place in Manhattan, NY. The working areas were cramped and consisted of nearly 600 young women working at the time. The building did have four elevators; however, only one was working at the time of the fire. There were usually buckets of water throughout the factory in case of a fire; however, Mary Domsky-Abrams, an employee of the building, stated that the buckets were empty that day.  

When the fire broke out, one of the managers attempted to extinguish the fire. Panic began to set in once the extinguishment was proven unsuccessful. Workers tried to flee the building, but as mentioned, only one working elevator slowed that down and eventually, the elevator was compromised due to the heat from the fire. Although many employees and managers could escape to the rooftop and flee to adjoining buildings, many young women were met with horrible deaths. Upon arrival, the fire department witnessed employees jumping out of windows, falling to their death. Many employees also decided to jump to their deaths in the elevator shaft, and others burned alive when they came across a locked door.

There was strong evidence of negligence against Max Blanckand Isaac Harris, who owned the Triangle Factory. Despite the evidence, a grand jury failed to indict them of manslaughter. Although too late for the 146 victims of this fire, politicians united to ensure there were rights for factory workers. New York State Legislators created the Factory Investigating Commission, which inspected working conditions in garment factories, chemical factories, and meat packing warehouses.

HAPPY LAND SOCIAL CLUB

Exactly seventy-nine years later, on March 25th, 1990, Julio Gonzalez argued with his girlfriend, which led him to set fire to the social club. Located in the Bronx, NY, The Happy Land Social Club was a popular weekend hangout, often crowded all night.

At approximately 3 am, a bouncer removed Julio Gonzalez from the social club after arguing with his girlfriend, an employee at the nightclub. Gonzalez arrived back at the nightclub at approximately 3:30 am with gasoline. When he returned, he found the stairwell with the only exit and soaked it with gasoline before throwing two matches and going home. Killing 87 people; this was the most deadly fire since 1911. Sixteen months before the fire, the social club was ordered to close due to building code infractions. Happy Land had no fire alarms, the emergency exits, or lack thereof, were blocked by roll-down security gates, and there were no sprinklers. Due to this, some victims were trampled due to a cluster of people in certain areas. Most of the victims perished due to smoke inhalation. Only six people escaped the fire. Among them was Julio Gonzalezs' girlfriend, Lydia Feliciano. She advised the police of her and Julio's argument, which led them to his home, where he confessed to the arson.

Julio Gonzalez was charged with 174 counts of murder, two for each victim, and was found guilty on 87 counts of arson and 87 counts of murder. He was sentenced to 25 years to life; he died in 2016. Immediately following the fire, the New York City Department of Buildings began a crackdown on illegal nightclubs. Laws exist for sprinkler systems, access points, occupancy limits, and emergency exits.

The following links contain first-hand info on the incidents mentioned, including an interview with Ruben Valladares, a DJ at Happy Land. For more information, I encourage you to search for the events online. There are multiple resources packed with in-depth information on the incidents.

Triangle Factory - https://www.history.com/news/triangle-shirtwaist-factory-fire-labor-safety-laws

Happy Land - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/25/nyregion/happy-land-fire-bronx.html

Work Hard - Stay Safe - Live Inspired

Forcing Trident Security Doors

Higher capacity security doors are becoming more and more prevalent in all commercial and now residential homes for maximum break-in protection. The Trident Multi-Point lock provides a multipoint deadbolt locking mechanism with maximum resistance to break-ins. Here's the breakdown of the Trident system. 

1. Instant self-locking deadbolt protection on each close or manual locking

2. 4-point locking system

3. Anti-pry protection

4. Maximum door reinforcement kits - door strengthening bars and lower module reinforcement kit

As firefighters sometimes our jobs are going through the door in order to perform our interior fire operations and it is imperative we have an understanding on how to force this type of door should we have no other option or this is our best option for a quick knock on the fire or a rescue effort.

Let’s force the door 

All hand tools approach - IRONS - Method 1 

1. Starting on the hinge side, using the Adz end of the halligan, gap/crush the door to gain access to the backside of the door by placing the Adz behind the door and begin prying the standalone pin away. By getting the standalone pin out of the way early on will help with the conventional door pop.

2. Now, attack the lock side of the door starting with the top pin followed by the bottom pin and pry them away.

3. From here, once the three pins have been pried away, force the center of the door conventionally.

Please note, this will be time consuming and energy depleting. Have a K-12 or spreaders on hand if need be.

All hand tools approach - IRONS - Method 2

1. Attack the lock side of the door by gaping and crushing the door and start by prying away top pin followed by the bottom pin.

2. From here, once the two pins have been pried away, force the center of the door conventionally.

3. The door should go and entry can be made.

From my experience, these doors have been found mostly on rear pharmacy doors and other businesses with highly valuable goods. The best way to approach these doors is to study their makeup and understand their strong and weak links in order to force them in less time and reduce the amount of strain on the crew forcing the door.

Keep your eyes open and stay diligent out there. 

Until next time, work hard, stay safe and live inspired.

Remembering the Bricelyn Street Fre

It was shortly after midnight on February 14,1995, Valentine's Day where three Pittsburgh firefighters tragically died in the line-of-duty at 8361 Bricelyn Street. This was a fire the fire service and the community would never forget.

The House

8361 Bricelyn Street home sat top of sloped hill in the densely populated residential area of the city causing the front entrance to actually be on the second floor level. The front view of the home only appeared to have two stories while the basement was exposed above grade level and the house now appeared to be equivalent to a four story home. In reality, the first floor was one level above the backyard and one level below the front door.

The home was a single family dwelling that stood approximately 20 feet wide and 33 feet deep and three occupied floors above the partially finished basement.  The interior walls of the residency was made of plaster and lath and the exterior had aluminum siding over asphalt shingles attached to balloon frame construction. The density of the area posed significant exterior exposure problems with the neighboring house to the left was only 27 inches from the incident and the right side was a 12 foot wide yard between the homes. 

The Incident

Engine Company 17 responded to 8361 Bricelyn Street for the reported residential structure fire and were assigned to fire suppression in the basement division of a reported arson fire.  While operating in the basement on the hose line, three firefighters became separated from the other crews after the stairwell collapsed causing the firefighters to become trapped and disoriented in the basement. The three firefighters later died of asphyxiation after running out of air. When found, all three of the firefighters were together in the one room with three other firefighters being rescued from the same room. This caused confusion over the status of the initial attack team.

The Aftermath - Pittsburgh Drill

The fire on Bricelyn Street exposed the fire service for the need to develop rapid intervention team training. At the time, Assistant Chief James Crawford, was a firefighter in Pittsburgh and a member of the RIT assigned to attempt the rescue of the three firefighters. Crawford discusses the difficulty in dragging, pulling and lifting the firefighters from the structure, saying he himself barely made it out during the operation.

Following the incident, Crawford developed a formal RIT program that has spread through the county and is part of the RIC training today which is now known as "The Pittsburgh Drill". The three main concepts of this drill are based on the Bricelyn Street fire: low profile (under), ramp type obstacle (over) and a tunnel (through).

The drill itself requires the four-member crew to work in sync in an order to reach a downed firefighter, package for removal and remove the firefighter through the same manner the crew entered. All of this to be completed in 20 minutes or less. 

The drill emphasizes key areas from that incident such as teamwork, communication, effective use of time and critical thinking.

 May we remember and never forget…

Captain Thomas Brooks - father of two children and a 13-year department veteran

Firefighter Patricia Conroy - first female LODD in the departments history

Firefighter Marc Kolenda - second-generation Pittsburgh firefighter. Engaged to be married

NIOSH Report: https://www.hsdl.org/?view&did=484126

Pittsburgh Drill: https://youtu.be/2IUE8CFob7k

Remembering the Bricelyn Street Fire: https://fb.watch/iHqd9rlqa4/?mibextid=v7YzmG

Ground Ladders

ROOF HOPS

What is a roof hop you ask? Take a look at the photo to the left. Don’t worry about the aerial. There are two ground ladders in use and a third on the way to being in use.

At times when your goal is to get to the roof and there is an overhang/porch in the way and you just cant get the right angle with one ladder . By placing a ladder, usually a straight/roof ladder, on the porch roof to help you reach the roof above.

When doing this skill you need to place your first ground ladder in a position that will allow you to bring up two more ladders with ease and not have to move said first ladder. Now climb that first ladder bringing the second one with you. You will also need some type of tool of destruction. Place your second ladder in a position close to where you will be climbing it. Sound your roof and then place a couple of holes even with the foot of this ladder. Place the feet of the ladder in these holes. Now you do not need huge holes here, just enough to fit the foot end of your ladder in. Maybe even straddle a roof rafter. Stand on or give the ladder a good little kick to “set” the feet. While doing this, the third ladder, along with the rest of your tools of destruction, including a chain saw, should be on the way up. Climb the second ladder and place your third, the roof ladder, in a position to work off from. Congratulations, you just completed a roof hop.

GROUND LADDER TRAINING

Training Drills you can do to become better for THEM!

Before we climb our ladder we need it to be in the right position. Now that is an extremely vague statement. The right position “in the real world” is job or task dependent. If you are going to the roof or maybe to a window on the second floor it is pretty basic. The ladder even has a little picture on the side to show you the proper climbing angle. That angle is 75 degrees. Most Firefighters prefer an angle closer to 70 degrees. The grey area comes into play when your objective is a window not quite the “normal” second floor height and you have to decide do I want to make this ladder steep or shallow. This is a topic for another time. Today we will discuss the basic proper climbing angle.

As I said above the ladder comes with a sticker to show you the proper angle. So in training set the ladder in accordance with this sticker. When set to this angle your base will be about 1⁄4 of the working height of the ladder, roughly 6 feet.

Now look at where the ladder is on the building. Going back to your FF I& II days stand at the foot and place your hands straight out. Do you hit the rungs with your hands? Yes good, no oops. Either way, make a mental note of your position. Now climb the ladder. Is this a comfortable angle? Is this ladder in an optimal position to work from? If so, GREAT! If not, why? Step back take a look and see why. Reset the ladder and do it again. Do this until you find the angle tht best fits your task. This angle may be different for different tasks.

Start climbing. Always try to have three points of contact with the ladder. Practice climbing up and down. Do this in gear, FULL GEAR. This makes all the difference in the world. Your gear is heavy and cumbersome, and you have to be used to it in order to be effective.

Once you are comfortable climbing then add transferring on and off the roof or entering and exiting a window. Again, in full gear. Your balance is very different in full gear and an SCBA. Once this becomes comfortable add tools to the mix. Start small with an axe and then add a hook and then add the saw.. Again, practicing transferring to and from the roof and windows. The next tool is another ladder, the roof ladder.

All the above training should be done with at least one other firefighter. Now get out there and train!

http://www.maineiactraining.org/