Below are some great nuggets I came across last month. Enjoy!
Credit to the true geniuses of the fire service.
What Type of Attitude are you Nurturing?
Below is a great article from the October, 2017 Fire Engineering Magazine. Read it with a open mind and really look yourself in the mirror. Ask yourself “Am I Ready for the Big one?”
What Type of Attitude Are You Nurturing
Below were some of the notes I put in my notebook:
“It became apparent that our department needs to raise the bar on how we do business.”
“When an initial attack line is properly positioned and suppress the fire, a 2nd hoseline is usually not needed, or stretched as a precaution.”
“Company level training needs to be done more often”
“If we don’t hone our skills and stay on top of our game, it’s only a matter of time before our Number comes up.”
“…officers don’t realize the influence they have over firefighters. Show me a company with a great attitude and I’ll show you a great company officer.”
“Despite your rank or time on the job, It’s your DUTY to be the best you can be individually and collectively as a team”
“Do we have an obligation to approach a Firefighter who is complacent?”
“Attitudes, Good or bad, are CONTAGIOUS.”
Take a PERSONAL Inventory of the following:
- Are YOU Ready to go, the MINUTE your shift starts?
- Are YOU in 5 minutes before shift or an hour?
- How often do YOU read trade journals, books, etc.?
- How often do YOU get out in your district and see whats going on?
- Do YOU enjoy Training?
- Do YOU LOVE being a fireman and everything it entails?
Discipline and the Fireman
I came across the book on Ebay last year and have finally got around to reading it. The book it self is from the early 1960’s and has some great nuggets in it that I thought I would share. If you can find this manual I would highly recommend it. It is amazing how much the fire service really has NOT Changed. Enjoy!
“On the fireground 70% will not be a passing grade.”
Chapter 1. Organization and Discipline
The Effectiveness of a Fireman’s judgement in a fire situation is based upon his knowledge, and his background experience. Ineptness or delay in firefighting for whatever cause, may result in a great misfortune on the fireground.
Every Fireman should be willing to submerge his personal beliefs, feelings, and jealousies for the good of the department as a whole.
When each fireman gives proper respect to his leaders there is a good likelihood that the fire company will give a good account of itself, because there is unity and respect. On the officer’s part he must appreciate that respect is the greatest reward of leadership, but it cannot be gotten expect by being earned.
But occasionally the “once-in-a-generation” fire occurs that is a real problem to control, and severely taxes human ability to stand punishment. It is a tradition of the fire service to always be prepared to cope with the worst possible situation.
If you are going to be a fireman – be a GOOD one.
***
Next time we will look at Hose Evolutions.
Please pass this on!
Fire Suppression Difficulties
Some notes I have written down, Unknown Source!
2 Situations that result in the nozzle team being slowed or stopped.
#1) The Fire will not Darken down or cool down
Possible Causes
- The Stream is not getting into the fire area or the flow rate may be inadequate for the size of the fire.
Solutions
- Direction of stream may need to be adjusted to get the seat of the fire
- GPM may be insufficient from kinks or poor pump pressure
#2) The Fire is Darkened down but will not Cool Down
Possible Causes
- The fire has not been completely extinguished
- Fire is in the walls and void spaces
- Fire Below you
- Inadequate Ventilation
Solutions
- Flow more water, and open areas up!
- May need to get a line to the floor below you
- More Ventilation is needed
Command Operations
Good podcast on Command Operations HERE from Capitol Fire Training.
Here are some of the notes I took:
- Set Expectations
- Know your people and lay things out
- Don’t pin everything on an IFSTA Manual, use your real world experiences
- Once you get respect, it becomes much easier to embed your objectives
- “If the troops RESPECT and TRUST you they’ll follow you all the way to the end
- Try not to get mad! Use it as a teachable moment
- Don’t embarrass in front of peers
- Ask WHY they did what they did
Good Stuff, Listen for yourself!
March 2019 Fire Notes
Below are some Fire Notes from the Month of March.
All Credit goes to those who actually write the material.
January 2019 Fire Notes
Below is a Link to the January fire notes.
Sorry for the big delay in posting the past couple of months, I’m looking to get back into full swing in the coming weeks.
Hydraulic Ventilation with Fog Streams
Hydraulic Ventilation with Fog Streams
Kyle Romagus
After the fire has been knocked down and if you have decided to use hydraulic ventilation position a fog nozzle as far as possible from the chosen exit opening with the target distance being about 3-9ft away making sure to cover 80-90% of the window ensuring that the pattern is wide enough to be touching all four sides of the window leaving the corners open for smoke and heat travel. I have had better luck with this positioning because of the ability of the narrow/wide angle fog (degree of the angle depending on the size of the window) to move a great amount of air out of the window thus utilizing the Venturi effect to move the byproducts. The issue I always had with hydraulically venting was that I was originally taught to compartmentalize the room by closing the door so the space could be vented faster, through use of this tactic in the field I have found that the process is exponentially more successful by opening the room up and allowing fresh clean air to be drawn in and replace the heat and smoke. The knowledge that we gained from the recent UL stream studies detailing the amount of cubic feet of air that can possibly be moved by the narrow and wide angle fog patterns if there is an adequate flow of air available behind the nozzle to be drawn in has corroborated the effective use of this tactic. According to the study (Part II Air Entrainment) the narrow angle fog pattern from a 150gpm @ 50psi nozzle moves between approximately 5,500CFM @ 3ft from the opening and approximately 9,500CFM @ 9ft from the opening and over 12,000CFM @ 9-15ft ft from the opening. The 150gpm @ 100psi had similar results up until the 12-15ft distance and then it increased in excess of 15,000CFM. All of these studies are just vindicating everything that the trailblazers always knew and practiced in the glory days of the job, all of their writings (Warren Y. Kimball, William E. Clark, Emanuel Fried, Llyod Layman, Vincent Dunn, Harold Richman, David Fornell, John Salka, etc.) are still available to us thankfully, and I enjoy the fact that they are constantly being proven correct by updated technology and research.
(Photo credit – Nozzle Nut Photography)
(UL DHS2013_Part_II_Air Entrainment https://ulfirefightersafety.org/…/DHS2013_Part_II_Air_Entra…)
5-28-18 Run Down
A Great PPT on Building Construction HERE
Highrise Firefighting Preparedness
Know Your Area – The Rapid Growth of 55 and Over Housing
Drill: How Many Window Bars Do You Count?
The 3 Biggest Myths of the New Guys
A Great Podcast about the Shift Commander – Before During and After the Fire From a Mentor of Mine Chief Kevin Burns — Worth the Time!
4-21-18 Run Down
Engine Company Standpipe Operations
2 Must Listen Podcasts from Curt Isakson of County Fire Tactics. HERE and HERE
