We Remember Captain Mike Goodwin

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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

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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

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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

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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.

Understand the Cause and Effect of Burnout

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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

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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

Burnout: Taking Care of Your Crew

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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



Remembering the West Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion

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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

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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

We Remember: Black Sunday FDNY

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January 23rd, 2005.  One of the darkest days in FDNY history. A day the department lost multiple firefighters in two different incidents. Known to first responders worldwide as "Black Sunday."

Bronx: While performing a search during a three-alarm fire, Lieutenant John Bellew of Ladder 27, firefighter Joseph DiBernardo of Rescue 3, and  Lieutenant Curtis Meyran of Battalion 26 became trapped on the fourth floor of a four-story apartment. Due to the increased heat and fire, all three firefighters were forced to jump from the window to the ground. The apartment building was an older building from the late 1920s. The apartments involved were made into single-room occupancies (SRO). Each shares a common bathroom and kitchen. According to the NIOSH report, each SRO had a padlock on the bedroom doors. There was also limited access at the rear fire escape due to a partition with wood framing and sheetrock. In addition, there were no permits issued for construction in the building, and there were also no automatic sprinklers making the construction project a violation of local building codes. In addition to the three firefighters mentioned earlier, Brendan Cawley, Jeff Cool, and Gene Stolowski were severely injured in the jump. Later that day, Lieutenants John Bellew and Curtis Meyran succumbed to their injuries. Firefighter DiBernardo was promoted to Lieutenant in the spring of 2005. Unfortunately, Lt. DiBernardo passed away in 2011 due to complications with injuries sustained on January 23rd, 2005.

Brooklyn: Sometime just before 2 pm that same day, FDNY units were dispatched to a basement fire in a private dwelling. One of the first arriving units was Ladder Company 103. Part of the crew was firefighter Richard Sclafani who was assigned to search the basement. Due to fire conditions changing, firefighter Sclafani became separated from his company during the search. Minutes after being separated, Sclafani was located unconscious and in respiratory arrest. The NIOSH report stated firefighters worked on removing him from the building for 20 minutes. Firefighter Sclafani succumbed to his injuries, and the official cause of death was smoke inhalation and burns. January 23rd, 2005 marked the first time since 1918 that the FDNY lost firefighters in separate incidents.

Following the incident, the FDNY completed its internal investigation, and personal escape systems were purchased for all firefighters. Had the systems been available to the firefighters on Black Sunday, it would have saved the lives of Lieutenants Bellew, DiBernardo, and Meyran and prevented injuries to firefighters Cawley, Cool, and Stolowski. Black Sunday is a day that will be remembered forever in fire history. There is plenty of material on multiple sites providing information. I encourage new and veteran firefighters to remain educated on this day and learn from it.

In 2013, the Lt. Joseph P. DiBernardo Memorial Foundation, also known as the Joey D Foundation, was started to help train and equip firefighters in need. I have personally attended the yearly seminar they hold on Long Island. The training weekend is filled with two days of hands-on training followed by a day of great lectures. World-class instructors and firefighters teach all classes and lessons. The foundation raises money to provide fire departments with funding for personal escape systems, helping ensure an incident such as "Black Sunday" doesn't happen again.

NIOSH report for the Bronx fire

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face200503.html

NIOSH report for the Brooklyn fire

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face200504.html

Photos from firerescue1.com

Aerial Operations - The Aerial Truck Check, Part 1

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Here is a look into how my Aerial truck check goes.

I usually start my Aerial truck check by walking around the Truck and checking for any obvious signs of an issue. Any issue, such as scratches dents, paint chips, doors missing, broken glass, you know the obvious things.

The next thing I do is go to the saw compartment. I take each of the gas- powered saws out of their compartment and start them. I allow them to idle outside is a position that they won’t wander off. If you don’t know what I mean here, just start a saw and place it on the ground in front of you. The saw will slowly wander off as it idles. So, place it in a crack in the ground or up against the wall of the firehouse. (NOTE: Make sure it doesn’t vibrate on anything that may become damaged, like paint on the firehouse wall.) I allow the saws to run the entire time I am checking the Truck. When Im done checking the truck, I fuel the saws, check bar and chain oil, and place them in service. The reason I do this with the saws is to allow them to run and get up to temp. It helps keep a healthy saw. Now there is a lot more to the saws here, but this is where I will stop for now.

Next thing I do is pull the truck out of the bay. I am going to check the engine fluids of the truck. Some trucks you have access points to allow you to do this. I prefer to raise the ladder and then raise the cab of the truck. This allows me to get eyes on the undercarriage. I check the fluids, oil, transmission, window washer, and the DEF. I will check Hydraulic oil and the generator fluids at this time as well.

Continuing under the cab, I check the belts, pulleys and anything bolted on the motor. Especially that alternator. I don’t know why but, these have a habit of losing bolts. In our Aerial class one of the things that we do is a truck check before operating the truck. We have found more than once, a loose or missing bolt and have had to send someone to get a bolt to continue the class.

Once the motor and it’s various parts are in working order I move on the exhaust, brakes, and springs. Making sure all are in tact with no “shiny” metal. This usually means there is something broken. Lets hope whatever is broken, let’s say a spring, that it is shiny and not all rusted, if it is rusty this means it has likely been broken for some time and maybe we missed it on our last truck check.


THE AERIAL TRUCK CHECK

While the cab is still up check the back side of the tires for any deformities low tread, bubbles, chunks missing. Remember these are Emergency Vehicles, not a fleet truck. If there are any issues at all document it and bring it to the attention of the proper person. For me it is an e mail to the maintenance supervisor and the OIC for the day.

As we continue under the cab we grab a creeper, if you have one, and begin to roll under the truck. Now with the Aerial up and the cab in the air it should be obvious to others there is a truck check going on, but to be safe place an Out of Service tag on the vehicle to your department SOG’s. This way you ensure that no one will run the truck while you are under it.

Continue to check for obvious issues, again broken springs and other hardware. Check the hydraulic lines, any coolant lines that may run here. Air brakes and the cans in the rear. It’s a good idea to drain the air tanks while you are here, this will remove the moisture from the air tanks and help prolong your airbrake system.

Look for anything leaking fluid. Investigate it. I know some trucks have their quirks but again these are Emergency Vehicles.

Check the inside tires for any issues, check air pressure on all tires, top off to your truck’s specifications.

Next month we will dive into the compartments of the truck and the aerial. Please remember this is just a way to do something and hopefully give you a few tips along the way. My approach is systematic and works for me. It may not all work for you. As always if you have something that may help, drop me an e mail and Ill put in here! Oh and BTW, the saws are still running, make them ready and put em back on the truck!

Peaked Roof Ventilation

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The Cuts

There are many types of cuts, and we will discuss a few. But the main objective is to release the heat, smoke, and toxic gasses. To do this your hole size needs to be big enough to make a difference. Unfortunately, the day of the 4x4 hole is over. This size just doesn’t release the amount of heat needed to be effective. With all the synthetics and plastics in today’s homes, and the rate of heat release these products produce, it just makes sense to make the hole larger. You may not find this in many books, but from my experience and the experience of other like-minded Firefighters I network with; we agree that at least a 4’x6’ hole is the new minimum.

There are many ways to accomplish this size and larger hole. I am a big fan of two cuts. The Louver cut and The Milwaukee cut. Each has their place. Now there are many more to consider but these are the two I am going to talk about.

THE LOUVER CUT

A two panel louvered cut on a residential roof will provide an opening that is about 4x8 foot. Starting at a high point, near the ridge and working your way across the top. Start your cut by plunging your saw into the roof, slide the saw to the left until the resistance is greater. This means you have hit the roof rafter. Now slide the saw in the same kerf cut to the right until that heavy resistance is meet again, now roll the rafter. To roll the rafter, you lift the saw out of the roof material and cut just the sheeting not the rafter. Then as you have gone over the rafter plunge the saw again until the next rafter. Continue this for process. Cut, roll the rafter, cut, roll the rafter, and cut to the rafter. This will give you about six feet in length. Now cut downward toward the soffit, about four feet. If you’re unsure how far four feet is, count rows of shingles. Each row is about six inches. That’s a foot for every two rows. Cut down eight rows. Now work your way back. Same cut and roll method. This time after you roll the rafter, stop. Reach up to the top cut, make a cut from your top cut to the bottom cut. This should be half way between the rafters. Continue working your way back to your roof ladder. Make the last vertical cut and now wait for the word to open up. Punch through with your six-foot hook, the roof material will “louver” on the rafter.

After the cut is made do not forget to punch through the ceiling material to allow for proper ventilation. As soon as the cut has been made, firefighters should evacuate the roof as quickly and as safely as possible.

THE MILWAUKEE CUT

The Milwaukee cut is a great cut that catches all aspects of your roof. It runs from the peak to the soffits. It is usually around four feet wide. To start the cut is just like the start of your louver cut. The only thing I would add is an inspection cut at the top left and right. This becomes important when you are ready to pull the material from the cut. As this allows you to get the hook into the material and pull. I should add that it can be done with a rotary saw as well as a chain saw.

This cut is labor intensive. It can be done with two Firefighters but 3 is optimal. You will need two roof ladders, one on each side of your cut. How you accomplish this cut is up to you. Meaning that you can run two saws or one. But I like the old adage that two is better than one.

Either way, after making your cut across the top and then making your inspection hole, continue the vertical cut all the way to the soffit on both sides.

Climb back to the peak and begin pulling the material from the cut. Again punch through the ceiling material.

The advantage to this cut is in a lot of New England homes there are many voids in the roof area. Especially in Cape Cod style homes. With the attic space above and the knee walls all open this allows you to properly vent the whole structure

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

Pitched roof ventilation can be one of the most hazards operations on the fireground, yet it is one of the most important assignments.

There are numerous things to consider when working on a roof. Number 1 the fire is under you! Sounding the roof is a must, know and understand the sound of a solid and a spongy roof. Know that in older homes the ridge and valleys are usually the strongest, but still sounding is a must.

Use a roof ladder whenever you can. Yes you can walk a pitch of 6/12 or less but err on the side of caution. If you cannot see, meaning heavy smoke conditions, then get on your knees. When you have an SCBA on you have balance issues, add a pitched roof and low to no visibility, this could be a bad combination. Always try to work your way back to your roof ladder. This may not be able to be done 100% of the time but do it as much as you can. Know the signs of a bad roof. Bubbling shingles, smoke slithering from under shingles or through metal roofing. Any sags in the roof or in between the rafters. Understand building construction, especially roof construction. Understand what types of roofing material is on the roof, how many layers of shingles and sheeting material. If you are unaware of the construction type, then cut inspection holes. This may save you some time and may even save your life.

Mother nature is always messing with us. From snow to sleet to freezing rain. Be aware of these conditions and take appropriate actions. Use of a roof ladder even on a low pitch is a good start. Some type of striking tool, should already be in your tool selection, to break away the ice, maybe add a shovel as well.

Get out in your community and see what’s out there! Because you don’t know what you don’t know!

For more, check out Ryan Johnston and MAINE-IAC Training. www.maineiactraining.org

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